Research in Tokyo part 2:
Today I had a very long talk with my friend Tari, a performer, who’s got a nice studio in Waseda. While talking and walking I realise more things have been changed since 1986-1987.
For example I never saw foreigners (gaijins) but today I saw plenty in the trains. Also many people speak or understand some English, even in small shops. But the biggest change again is the Internet. Here in my little apartment I’m wireless connected with the rest of the world! I get my emails, can read a Dutch newspaper or even listen to the radio when I want. While long ago I only phoned home once on New-Year’s Eve.
Another thing but that is more refined is the silence I wrote about yesterday. Nobody will call Tokyo silent but I do. Because I remember non-stop noise of screaming people with or without megaphones, bells or other sounds that attract attention. But when you listen and look today you see a silent crowd moving from A to B soundless occupied in their own world.