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.
