Walk in the Park

Not a gum wrapper. Not a piece of trash. Not a hint of graffiti.

From the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal, through the Odaiba Aomi Park, and then into the Shiokaze Park we saw not one piece of litter, nor a dab of paint not placed there carefully by the city authorities of Tokyo. There were thousands of people in the park, all enjoying a perfect Saturday afternoon. Food tents stood beside booths offering young men the opportunity to impress their ladies with feats of skill like ring toss or a Japanese variation on baggo. A local radio station had a tent providing the latest rock ‘n’ roll hits from Tokyo. An elderly woman helped her more elderly husband navigate with a cane. A squad of photographers recorded a young model wearing mustard-colored overalls in every possible pose for three hours. Parents strolling with pudgy-cheeked babies tried to keep out of the way of young boys playing in a fountain. Every blade of grass was in place, and every one of the thousands of flowers seemed to be deliberately placed in exactly the right spot. Even the letters identifying the cruise terminal stood out from a background of living, green pine boughs and other greenery.

It was a lovely afternoon with some beautiful people in the park. Japan is clean. Japan is kind. Japan is civil.Read more