Actifit Haibun: November 5 2023
Walking through the city, my one-year old son asleep on my back, I’m surprised to see small changes here and there. The long time American rock bar on the second story of a small building that was a favorite place of an old colleague of mine, a place that I always meant to visit one day, closed.
Another empty store front further down the road. What kind of restaurant was it? I don’t remember. But then again, it’s been a while since I’ve walked this stretch of road.
Just how long has it been?
I look at the fallen leaves on the sidewalk, as if they have the answer.
dry leaves scattered
across the narrow street
is there a pattern
Suddenly remembering that the renovation of the nearby train station is almost complete, I head in that direction.
Once there, another surprise.
the standing noodle bar
near the train platform
replaced by a Starbucks
Gone are the slightly foul smells, the grease-stained walls, and the standing businessmen in suits. Some, I realize, might see this as a big improvement, but to me, it was sad, a symbol of culture lost.
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The road photo looks cool, like a striped pattern.
Has Niigata station been improved a lot? I remember the year I moved to Niigata, the first time there was a Starbucks in the city and there was a huge line. I am happy to see the city being cleaned up, but I also feel sad. Everywhere is becoming the same scenery.
Yeah, they’ve made it look a lot nicer, and they elevated the tracks so that the buses will be able to pass under the station (when it’s finished), but they’ve also lost some nice things in the process (the supermarket on the ground floor, some of the fast and convenient eateries like the standing noodle bar, etc.).
When I first came to Japan, Starbucks hadn’t come here yet. I remember all the excitement about Starbucks coming and just had to roll my eyes. I feel the same way about Costco. 😉
Sometimes it sucks to see progress. I've seen a lot of old places in Tokyo go away for some new modernization, especially Harajuku station, a beautiful old building turned into a soulless glass & metal monstrosity.
Cool shot.
I’m sure it happens a lot faster and a lot more often in Tokyo. It’s not the modernization per se that I find disappointing, it’s the global trend toward sameness.
Plus, I think those small standing noodle bars are so practical, much more so than a Starbucks in a station that you’re supposed to move through.
Oh well …
Homogenization of our lives just like the US. I hear ya. Some of those places have family recipes that can't be duplicated too.
That’s very true. And part of the problem, I’m sure, is also that the family successors that would have been there in the past have either chosen a different life for themselves, or just aren’t there.
I am not one that loves change in many ways. I have often wondered why if something is good, that it seems like it has to change and usually for the worse. I suppose I am just jaded by many years of life, I guess.
Age brings with it a lot of interesting perspectives, especially when the vantage points aren’t attached to business in any way.
I recently heard a talk about robotics development and AI and the need to incorporate AI into the biology of ourselves to make the human experience better and I thought to myself, Hmmmm … ?
Not sure how it is there, but over here folks are already about to morph into their phones. I cannot say I am totally innocent myself. It honestly is sad to see a married couple sitting at a nice place for a meal and they both are totally engrossed and absorbed in their phones....
I think it’s that bad everywhere. I’m not very good about it either. The only thing I can say for myself is that, I’m still comfortable leaving my phone behind and not having it for a day or two.