People, Pets and Pedals

I am including several pictures in this entry, which after reading the following, will make some sense!
One can never make generalizations about people. And being in Japan for a mere 4 months certainly does not qualify me to say much of anything. But I have some observations and pictures that might be interesting and informative.

Of the countless men in business suits and dress shirts, on the street or metro, I would say 95% of them carry a briefcase/laptop case.

One will meet delivery men on motorbikes or energetically pushing carts loaded with items; cyclists, both men and women weaving their way thru pedestrian traffic. From up above, seeing a busy intersection is like watching an orderly ant farm activity. There are countless taxis, meticulously clean inside and out, with drivers who often wear white gloves and who open and close the doors automatically from inside. Walking to church each day, we would see people sweeping the walkways, washing windows, vacuuming and mopping the outdoor entrances to stores or apartments.

On the whole, people on the street who are talking to one another, smiling, seem happy. Eye contact is non-existent as well as saying a “hello” when meeting others. One will see exquisitely dressed women

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...or a teen with bleached or dyed hair wearing a polka dot shirt and shocking green shorts, with outrageous leggings, and red basketball sneakers. Then there are some young teen boys with spiked up hair, tee shirts with strange messages, weird shoes and lots of ear jewelry. And always, one the streets and trains, one sees individuals sleeping, peering at their cell phones, listening to ipods, or playing games on a hand held device.

There will be the occasional street person, quietly walking about or sleeping on a bench, but not ever pandering or begging. TUC prepares daily, simple rice meals (onigiri) for the homeless, who gather in various parks. Once a month a complete meal is served at our church for over 300 needy.

Then there are the faces of precious children, playing, chatting
animatedly, walking to school with matching book packs, and colored hats. At a nearby public school recently, I enjoyed the primary grades celebrating sports, with children’s races, dances, and group exercises, done with order and creativity.

Later, the parents (busy video-taping their children) were involved in a group tug of war, again done orderly with the winners celebrating, and the losers yelling their congratulations.

Children with their Halloween costumes.

Bicycles are an important way of transportation, bikes of all makes and shapes, parked along the sidewalk railings, especially near the metro stations. Cyclists will be streaking through busy intersections, or weaving
in and out among the people on the sidewalks.

And you thought these were cars!

Japanese people, like Parisians, love their dogs, and pamper them in countless ways, even with special mineral water, heated spas for them!

And then the people at TUC…. The staff

..... Bible study ladies......

......All very welcoming to us, openly expressive, and frankly so refreshing to be around them and be able to converse in English ! After our study in various homes, we often go out for have lunch……Most of the women are ex-pat wives, whose spouses are here on work assignment, but there are a couple Japanese women, who add so much to our fellowship!


It is said that Tokyo is the vending machine capital world! Every few blocks anywhere in the city, one can find resources for any kind of water, tea, coffee mixtures, juice and soda and cigarettes. In the summer, the drinks are cold; in the winter, the coffees and teas will be warm!