I have initiated my “discovery walks” in Tokyo beginning with a stroll to the grounds of our neighborhood temple, the Nishiaraidaishi Daishi Sou-ji Temple.

One interesting benefit of taking these walks is making unexpected discoveries, enjoying spontaneous experiential activities or engaging with interesting people.  Indeed all three were features of my temple visit.

ALTEC – our local jazz cafe

Of special note, was finding a jazz club just a short from our condo.  We plan to visit soon.

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Discovery Walk 11/05/2019

Nishiaraidaishi Daishi Sou-ji Temple

It was a beautiful warm fall afternoon for a 15 minute walk to my destination.  The short trip took me through local neighborhoods of traditional Japanese homes and small shops of all type, an environment very unlike our condo’s modern high-rise location, that confirmed Adachi’s reputation that it retains much of the feel of “old” Tokyo.

Shoueikai, the shopping street that leads to the main gate of the temple presents a great leisurely opportunity to take in the atmosphere of the Nishiarai area, sample local food and appreciate the skills of the various craftspeople in the shops.

Sanmon Gate is the main gate of the temple. It was erected in the 19th century.

Just after I entered the temple grounds an unusual sight I had not seen on other temple visits caught my attention.  With the help of a local temple guide (and my handyPocketTalk translation gadget) I learned that it was a Japanese Buddhist statue of Shio Jizo covered in table salt!

The guide explained that the proper way in which to pray to this particular type of Jizo statue is to first pick up some of the salt at the statue’s feet and then rub the salt on the part of the statue’s body that you are having trouble with. By doing so she said it is believed that your pain will be taken away.  I had to try it.  Not sure if it was Jizo or a very busy day, but I did have a comfortable pain-free night’s sleep!

Although I spent time doing pre-trip research, I was not prepared for the beauty of the temple’s grounds, structures and gardens.  I was pleasantly overwhelmed by the experience.

To put the photo gallery in context, the following is a summary of my research and commentary on the temple visit.

According to legend, the Nishiaraidaishi Daishi Sou-ji Temple, dedicated to Shingon Buddhism, was founded in the 9th century.  Known for its abilities to ward off evil, this temple is famous for dispelling bad luck or feelings of ill will.  It is where many Tokyoites gather on New Year’s Eve for the ringing of the temple bell, said to ward off misfortune in the coming year.  Some years ago Keiko and I joined a crowd of many thousands here to welcome in the New Year.  I am looking forward to having the experience as a “local” this year.

This sacred site is also one of Japan’s “flower” temples, its spacious grounds and gardens full of seasonal blooms all year long, especially the many varieties of colorful peony flowers for which the temple is renowned.

While a stroll through the grounds and gardens would be a wonderful experience at any time, there is almost universal agreement that the temple is best enjoyed on an Ennichi (holy day) festival held the 21st day of every month. These festive events apparently draw large crowds and vender stalls selling Nishiarai local food and other products.

Two festivals are of particular note.  One is the highly regarded Flower Festival held in April when the peony flowers and wisteria tress are in full bloom.  I also  anticipate breath-taking visuals of cherry blossoms in the spring.  The other is the Osame no Daishi, which is the last Ennichi festival of the year on December 21st, said to be an exceptionally lively event day.

In my research I also discovered that during the temple’s April Flower Festival, you can put on a happi coat to participate in the festival’s manto mikoshi junko, or mikoshi procession and help carry the famous ceremonial portable shrine.  I have registered this once-in-a-lifetime experience on my personal bucket list for next April 21st!

Many of the temple’s grounds and buildings were undergoing construction and maintenance in readiness for the coming holiday season.  Consequently I did not get to see the many important works and treasures that are held in this temple.  However, I strolled the grounds and gardens, marveled at the incredible architectural construction and relaxed by the beautiful and restful ponds and waterfalls.

The unexpected dividend to the visit was the presence of many Japanese families with their young children who were at the temple for Shichi-Go-San, an event to celebrate children’s growth and grant them self-awareness about their status as children.  The children wear traditional clothing such as kimonos, haori coats and hakama skirts, and take commemorative photos with their families.  Seeing and engaging with them added a wonderful human dimension to my visit.

While I intend to visit the temple on its festival days, being present in a quiet everyday environment was a calming experience.  It was a perfect beginning to my Japan discovery walk plan.

I recall my amazement on an early trip to Japan in December 2000 walking around the Ginza district and feeling I was on 5th Avenue in New York during the holiday season.  Same sensation last night as we went for a walk in the neighborhood and discovered the appearance of new Christmas decorations and lighting!

Relocating to Tokyo I find myself “car-less” for the first time in 60 years. Living in a city that has a world-class network of clean, safe and reliable trains and subways, and in a neighborhood that provides easy access to transportation, shopping, entertainment, education, medical care services and other needs within short walking distance, owning a car is neither required or desirable.

Therefore, walking with a purpose, to get somewhere (as opposed to leisure or health walking) is a way of life in Tokyo. Indeed Tokyoites seem in a constant state of motion. With everyone intent on getting somewhere, generally quickly, I often marvel that people never seem to collide.

In any major city I visited in the world, I had found that despite intriguing cultural differences that varied radically from place to place, walking generally remained the same wherever I went. I enjoy walking and gave little thought that walking in Tokyo would require any significant cultural understanding or adaptation.

Of course with Japan being one of the world’s most orderly societies, one quickly learns to observe certain manners, in the case of walking, not walking and smoking, drinking or eating. So I felt comfortable walking in my new neighborhood until I encountered another form of popular Tokyo transit––the bicycle.

But before I go on about why this topic is worthy of a blog post, let me provide some important data about bicycles in Japan generally and Tokyo’s astonishing number of everyday cyclists specifically. 

According to a 2017 OECD study, in Japan, a nation of 127 million people, there is one bicycle for every 1.5 people. However, not only is Japan one of the biggest bicycle countries in the world, the bicycle occupies a unique place in Japan’s transport ecosystem. Whereas in many other countries where the bicycle is popular as a leisure and sporting activity, in Japan “the bicycle is an essential form of everyday transport used by millions of people from all walks of life.”

The same study estimates that there are about 8.4 million bicycles in Tokyo and that the main purposes of cycling is shopping in their neighborhood and short-term commuting as an access mode to railway stations. It confirms my personal observation and experience since arriving in Tokyo that cycling is a primary mode of daily short distant travel.

So, what does this have to do with walking and my blog title?  First although I see bicycle riding designations on the roadways in my neighborhood, I rarely see anyone on a bicycle using them.  As far as I can tell, everyone is riding on the sidewalks.

In Japan traffic sticks to the left but bicycles and pedestrian traffic on the sidewalks is chaotic with people wanting to walk and ride their bikes on the right as well as the left. There doesn’t seem to be any social convention of who has the right of way, who moves left or right, or even to signal a cyclist’s approach from the rear of a walker.

The result is that Toma and I have had a number of bicycle encounters and near-miss accidents on neighborhood sidewalks in the short time we have been resident in Tokyo. Frankly, cyclists and pedestrians sharing the sidewalk is a serious problem and the fear of being victim struck from behind by a bicycle I didn’t even known was there is a real concern.

A recent report in The Japan Times noted that between 2014 and 2018, according to the National Police Agency, there was an alarming number of bicycle-pedestrian accidents, the majority involving either children or the elderly including a high profile accident in which a 67-year-old woman was killed by a cyclist. Clearly walkers and riders on the sidewalks are a proven dangerous mix and police reports state that nearly 100 percent of cycle-pedestrian collisions are the cyclist’s fault.

Beyond taking precautions to protect myself and Toma as we take our daily walks, I decided to learn about bicycle laws in Japan as we have shipped our two Cannondale bikes here.

I discovered that there is a large and complicated set of Tokyo laws covering bicycle registration and legal cycle operating requirements.  And much of what I learned appeared to be inconsistent with the behavior of bicyclists I have observed and experienced.

In general, the cycling laws and regulations are apparently both poorly understood by the cycling public and rarely enforced by the police except if there happens to be an accident.  Given that, I am not surprised to see that they are ignored on a regular basis.

Tokyo bicycles must be registered with local authorities and must have a working front lamp and rear reflector. Once registered and road-ready, the cycling laws seek to prevent “cycling dangerously” and prohibit riding tandem on a single-seater bike; calling, texting and other phone use; holding an umbrella; wearing earphones; riding without a light at night, riding side-by-side; and cycling under the influence.  Except for children under 13 there is no helmet requirement.

What about riding on sidewalks?  Like other things in Japan, it’s complicated.  On one hand, its prohibited; on the other hand it’s permitted. The result is organized chaos.

Originally, the Road Traffic Act barred bicycles from sidewalks.  The law was revised in a step to successfully reduce accidents involving bicycles and automotive vehicles.  Unfortunately, allowing bicycles to use sidewalks has increased the number of accidents between bicycles and pedestrians.

Obviously, given the confusion and lax enforcement, cyclists take their chances with the law, ignore many of the rules, and fail to abide by any rational convention to stay left and yield to pedestrians.

Sadly, walking on sidewalks in Tokyo is not always safe!

Keiko located a Japanese MD who understands/speaks English just minutes from our condo.  She accompanied me to our first visit 10 days ago.  We were both pleased and impressed with Dr. Saito, who had done an internship in Lexington Kentucky.

Dr. Saito briefly reviewed my current medical history, did a physical exam including an EKG, and inquired about my Rx requirements.  With no medical issues, we scheduled an appointment for today to establish a revised Rx (conforming to Japanese standards/availability) and discuss any other medical issues.  The cost of the visit … less than U.S.$5.00!

I am proud to report that I successfully negotiated both my first solo visit with Dr. Saito and the local community pharmacy today without Keiko’s assistance!

The appointment was “just like home.”  Dr. Saito and I have quickly established a very good relationship with, to his credit, no communication problems.

Since I developed a respiratory condition from the recent rainstorm, he first did an examination and prescribed antibiotics and a throat soothing remedy.  Together we then reviewed and agreed to a renewal of my blood-pressure Rx with one minor adjustment.

Finally, I asked about an annual flu shot (influenza shot here) … and he did need to speak with Keiko on the phone at that point to clarify some Japanese regulation relative to a foreigner receiving a vaccination.  In any event, I have an appointment to receive the influenza shot.  (That he was also familiar with the every 5-year pneumonia vaccination I receive has added to my confidence.)

After successfully paying for the medical appointment (less than $2.50,) I was off to the local community pharmacy located on the ground floor of the same building.  The building also houses a number of medical specialists and all are associated with the highly regarded nearby Mitsui Hospital.

At the pharmacy I also had no issues as the staff’s English language capability far exceeded my Japanese.  We had a few laughs and successfully completed the transaction.  My cold remedy drugs were ready immediately; I will return tomorrow for my regular daily Rx.

I anticipate drug prices to be comparable to the U.S. based on the comments of my seatmate on the flight to Tokyo who was a U.S. drug company sales representative.

I paid about $16.00 for the three 7-day antibiotic Rx.  For my primary Rx, the major difference is that instead of a 90 day Rx in the U.S., in Japan you can only get a 30 day supply.  I was paying $60.00 in the U.S. for the 90 day supply and I expect my three month costs will be similar in Japan.

However, given that I do not need to make a $25.-$40 co-pay for every visit to an MD as under my prior Medicare plan, the very low charge to check-in with a local MD is a gift worth receiving each month!

Also, the “super-senior” health care plan that covers me in Japan is 60% less expensive than my medicare advantage plan in Maine and provides services far in excess of anything available in the U.S.  In the U.S., one would need to pay a very high price for comparable private care not covered by Medicare.

My experience to date is that Japan’s national health insurance system is a model the U.S. should consider when the government gets serious about revising Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.

While my relationship with Tokyo spans 20 years, including an extended work-related living experience in 2001, living here now opens a new and challenging page in my life.

One of the largest and most populated cities in the world, statistics alone fail to define Tokyo, a dynamic, complex and vast metropolis.  Despite my knowledge of the city and understanding of Japanese culture and social customs, I am overwhelmed.

Tokyo is a study in contradictions.  Every day is filled with diverse and incongruous experiences.  I see things that amaze me and amuse me; startle me or sometimes scare me.  I experience things I can understand and things that confound me.  Although I understand that the way Japanese think about things is conceptually different and sometimes totally opposite of what I am used to, it is easy to become confused and at times uncomfortable.

I am an experienced global citizen.  But, everywhere I turn, Tokyo tests my confidence and curiosity.  It is easy to wonder:  “Ko-ko wa do-ko? Wa-ta-shi wa da-reh? Na-ni mo wah-kah-nai!” (Where is this? Who am I? I don’t understand anything!)

In truth, I also frequently feel quite lonely.

Some of that feeling reflects having left my daughters and ten grandchildren in the U.S.  Although we were geographically separated even in the U.S. the emotional impact of an additional 6500 miles of separation plays heavy on my heart.

As a foreigner the general awareness of being different, a “stake that sticks out,” also contributes to this feeling.  It is obvious in the occassional glances or an apparent indifference that you sense you are different and perhaps you don’t quite belong here as you go about your daily life.

It is easy to forget that everyone in Tokyo is very busy and the intensity of life here exceeds my expectation of normality.  I try not to take it personally.

Of course, my language deficit is the other major factor.  While I have a relatively deep understanding of the culture, it does me little good as my inability to communicate in Japanese leads to a sense of social isolation, frequently even as an unintended consequence with family members.

On the plus side, since much of what Japanese communicate is non-verbal, through careful listening and observation I can generally understand enough to get a sense of what is being said.  Nonetheless, it is easy to feel like the fifth wheel.  I often sit quietly and enjoy the wonderment of it all; being grateful for having the opportunity to experience a new and exciting life adventure.

The feeling of being lonely passes and I move on to overcoming my limitations and making the best of the good fortune to be here at age 76 with my wonderful wife, a lovable loyal dog, family and friends.

Recognizing that I will never have very good Japanese language skills, I am trying to learn how to be a better communicator through more effectively using common phrases to expand my communication skills.

Thanks to Toma, it appears I am having some success with this approach.  There are many people walking dogs in our neighborhood and Toma attracts a lot of attention from the pets and their owners.  These encounters are “safe” opportunities for me to test my language skills.  Combined with the familiarity that comes with being a “regular,” the encounters are increasing in frequency and growing in number.  I believe this experience will help m build my skills and confidence.

For more formal conversations or in situations where I need assistance, I also have a technology tool, Pocket Talk.  The device translates English to Japanese and Japanese to English at the push of a button.  While handy, it is a poor substitute for speaking the language and even in tech-savvy Japan, not a good way to build relationships.

Right now I am focused on learning my local area before taking on the rest of Tokyo (at least solo).  Walking to explore the neighborhood and discovering the world between the condo and the train station (the gateway to everything else in Tokyo) has uncovered hidden eateries, cafes, bakeries and all types of shops.

The local 24 hour Don Quixote discount store (an anything you ever needed or wanted, or didn’t, store) is a unique experience that I just love to visit and browse.  The ever present convenience store is a Japanese version of U.S. comfort food. Indeed, the 7-11 store steps from the front entrance to our condo building is my go-to place when I need a sense of my former home.

Next month I plan to begin taking a series of Tokyo walking discovery tours.  I recently found two books filled with fascinating information and directions to explore the city.*  They both provide background information one needs to fully appreciate the past and present context for each walk.  The walks include not only the “must-see” historic sites and other cultural attractions, but also visits to interesting neighborhoods, buildings and other architecture of note, parks and gardens, and other sites of this vibrant city.

I will be posting my notes and photographs from these discovery walks on my website (paulmyer.com/Japan).

I have always found Tokyo a very English-friendly place and Tokoyites very willing to help when you need to interact.  That their expectations are set very low regarding my language skill and cultural sensitivity is a help.  And, preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are greatly enhancing foreign visitor friendly signage, directions and other forms of visible assistance. Unless I have a very senior moment, getting lost should not be a major concern.

* Tokyo––29 Walks in the World’s Most Exciting City; Tokyo Maze––42 Walks In & Around the Japanese Capital