home town

I was in Tokyo for about 2 weeks. Every time I go back, I am astonished by the fast-paced change in the city view. This time, I felt puking up by dehumanized indifferent energy hovering around the city. The brand new tall shinny skyscrapers with no smile, the highway wound and almost sneaked around the buildings, computerized announcements that orchestrated in the escalator, the train, the city looks completely alienated. In the train, 80% people have an ipod in their ears and do text in an incredible speed. The new century is hustling in the public restroom. The minute I opened the door, the lavatory cover automatically opened with music. There were too many buttons, one for a fake water running sound, one for a bidet, one for dry air, one for something else, one for what for really what? How could the just restroom for public possibly need that many buttons? All I needed is to just FLUSH. Rushing out this crazy high-tech crisis, the gigantic building blocked me. I can’t breathe!!!! “Oh, NYC is a big city with the tall buildings,” someone might say. “ Well, they are like just babies, compared to “those” in Tokyo, honey. “ “Then what about buildings in NJ developed area? You know the one Donald Trump built?” “They are like really just kids. Honey bunny.” Yes, really ugly types of buildings have been built in NYC these days, yet thanks to some regulations, nothing can compete “those” in Tokyo. Plus, Manhattan is just a small island. Tokyo is just spread-out, not big as contexts, but big geographically. And too many people there, yet they are dead like a robot. The buildings have so strong presence that people look as if they were serving to them, while people in NYC are so strong that all the buildings contribute anything to the city’s energy. Well, I never liked Tokyo, but this time I felt so sad, saying to myself, “ Is this really my home town? “ Then, I felt really sad, as I realized that there was no town that I could call my home town…. NYC? Not forever for me. So, I really have to find my home within myself. I really do.

image: City Glow, Chinatsu Aoshima