Tokyo Drift- what happens when a city stops being the future?

[J-popsy]

I just came across this opinion piece in today's The Guardian on Tokyo's current status. It covers several areas including 'tourism pollution'.

Tokyo drift: what happens when a city stops being the future?

Tokyo remains, in the world’s imagination, a place of sophistication and wealth. But with economic revival forever distant, ‘tourism pollution’ seems the only viable plan

www.theguardian.com

 

[thomas]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm probably too tired, but after reading his lengthy piece, I still don't get what the author wants to tell us.

 

[johnnyG]

Not sure about any librarians, but Tokyo is kind of like the library in the Foundation series (Asimov).

Sony may look like a has-been, but their sensors are in everything. Maybe no TSM or Samsung, but japan is quite strong in chip precursors. Toyota (and to some extent Honda) are known for cars that are long runners--going a couple hundred thousand miles or more.Let me know when one or another car company threatens that position.

Tokyo, at something like 35 million, is cleaner/less polluted than most any other capital city (or any city), and exceeds other cities on many other metrics (safety, public transport, etc.) It's known now as being cheaper to live in than many other comparable cities, too. No trash on the streets.

I was just in Tokyo last week, and met some tourists (a bar or two in the golden gai). Everyone got along, and it was nice chatting with some different people. And the food was good and reasonably priced.

On the other hand, London...?!?

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Probably not considered a pure Japanese car , but in Maine , Subaru rules. Seems like every other car I see on the road here is a Subaru. The all wheel drive and high ground clearance of the Forester makes it a good choice for snow & ice. I've owned them since 1985. Mine has aggressive snow & mud tires on all 4 wheels and I get around great in the winter.

 

[J-popsy]

I like the Kei cars. I have seen a single imported one tootling around my small town.

 

[mdchachi]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm probably too tired, but after reading his lengthy piece, I still don't get what the author wants to tell us.

I didn't read the article yet but the AI was also not very clear about what his point is either. Maybe better to read the original essay?

Dylan Levi King's article "Tokyo drift: what happens when a city stops being the future?" was actually published in The Baffler, not The Guardian. The key points of his article include:

1. Tokyo's transformation: King describes how Tokyo has changed from the bustling, neon-lit city of the bubble economy years to a place facing economic challenges and demographic shifts.

2. Tourism and authenticity: The author acts as a tour guide for sophisticated tourists seeking an "authentic" Tokyo experience, showing them less glamorous aspects of the city.

3. Changing perceptions: King highlights the contrast between visitors' romanticized expectations of Tokyo and the reality of a city grappling with social and economic issues.

4. Future challenges: The article discusses Tokyo's preparation for the future, including difficulties in attracting foreign labor and the potential impact of keeping the yen low to boost tourism.

5. Nostalgia and failed futures: King explores the concept of "glitching nostalgia and failed futures," reflecting on how Tokyo's promise as a futuristic city has not fully materialized.

6. Societal transformation: The author contemplates what will happen to Tokyo as it becomes "an old society in a poorer country served by young people who have come from far away".

7. Uncertain future: King concludes by expressing his desire to understand what Tokyo's future truly means, as the city faces significant changes and challenges.

 

[thomas]

​