Both were recent news reports in the local English daily.
The first was a report on Tokyo's Metroplitan Police Departments Lost and Found Centre. Located in central Tokyo this Great Churning Pot of umbrellas and bags and everything else in between, seemed like quite a spectacularly well oiled machinery. Lost items on subway trains or elsewhere find their way here through the station master or the nearest koban (police box - another very Japanese thing).
The sheer scale and organisation of this operation is indication not only of the Japanese passion for discipline and organisation (thats old hat and doesnt even surprise me anymore) but also their complete and utter honesty in dealing with things not their own. Where else in the world would you find your laptop intact, untouched on the sidewalk just where you had left it (its a true story, close home, dont ask)? Or leave your bike or car unlocked in a public place and expect to find it right there hours later casually waiting for you, complete with the wallet and credit card you left in it? Got to be Tokyo. That big 'bad' city of 20 million plus honest souls. Uh bad?
Back to the Lost and Found Centre. The article went on to describe the operation of the place. All things sorted and stacked neatly on shelves in - get this - colour coded bags. Different colours based on which line of the subway they were found on (say the Hanzomon Line would be blue, Marounochi all green and so on). Blimey, even my wardrobe isnt this organised.
Another crazily Japanese thing was the trend of 'adult toy stores' in Tokyo. Not what you think- but a series of 'serious', 'high end' toys for baby boomers who have more money to spend and less to lose now than back then. Japan's declining birth rate seems to be pushing toy makers towards the older bolder segment, to vent their creativity on. And what are these toys ?
- Sensor equpped dolls called Primopuel, for 60 year old women.It has the vocabulary of a small child, can speak, sing and 'talk to' other dolls of its kind. 300 proud owners of the doll gather annually to celebrate the birhday of dear ole Primopuel. Play dates anyone?
- If the sound of popping air filled bubbles is your thing then its a 'Mugen Puchi Puchi' for you. It consists of battery operated bubbles like the bubble wrap sheets used in packing. So you can pop till you drop and still have all the bubbles restore themselves for your next session of manic bubble popping! And as if life wasnt exciting enough every 100th pop has a different sound -like a dog barking.
- Jinsei Gingko - 'life bank. A 'bank' with a LCD display showing your 'progression' in life based on the no of 500 yen coins you put in it.
- A toy soba noodle maker - a simplified version of the real life soba maker,which an unhappy adult can use to make real noodles and feel fulfilled.
Ah Japan.
