Acres Of Neon

In the land of doto como, the juxtaposition of tradition and modernity continues to charm and surprise. At nightfall, the vast and teeming megapolis of Tokyo turns into a city of lights, with acres of blazing neon illuminating its complex network of lanes and alleys. There is a sheer and incredible level of energy in operation here: the hostess and karaoke bars, the noodle shops and pachinko parlours, all lure and engage the salarimen, tourists and trendy teenagers who stream through its vibrant arteries in an all-night marathon of stimulation and entertainment. And yet the unwary visitor encounters pockets and islands of deep calm among these jostling crowds: the forbidding quiet of the Imperial Gardens, well-fed cats guarding Shinto shrines nestling among the steep inclines of towering skyscrapers, a fortune teller in ochre robes staring impassively at the rivers of humanity streaming in and out of the metro stations, Akasaka and Ginza and Roppongi, celebrating an incredible all-night party. There is a core of silence to it all, an amused and sophisticated introspection that is the very essence of Zen.