Around the world: Tokyo

So many people in the subway station everyday, similar to how full the metros get on Canada day back home. Yet there’s barely anyone talking. Everyone’s quiet, polite and going somewhere.

The whole environment, somehow makes being a Hikikomori very easy. A relief actually at being one as everyone else is doing it. Everyone is playing games, reading manga and doing nerdy things. Even the girls, the grown ups, people in suits, woman dressed impeccably for work… Geisha in Starbucks. It makes such nerdy activities so normal and there are no social stigma attached to it.

To be honest, I really like this part of Japan. But with it, comes the long working hours, the drinking, the smoking, the delicious food… but I am not sure I want to live in an environment where it is so easy to slip into such a life.

The judgement and the stigma of such a life in western society kept me going for greater things. Without it, I’d probably slip into this kind of murky living where today feels just like yesterday.

Tokyo is actually less expensive than Osaka and also less expensive than Canada. I realized that Vancouver is probably one of the most expensive place to live in the world when I think of London and Tokyo as cheaper. Speaking of which, Tokyo is one of the cities that I consider as a permanent city to settle down. My conclusion is that it is a nice place to visit for the food, but it is not what I need in my life. Even though the food is good, most of it is empty carbs based dishes. No wonder most of the Japanese have the rounded face ship often associated with people who are skinny fat.