When you think of Tokyo, what may often come to mind are the bustling stations and jam-packed train cars that comprise the daily transportation of thousands of Japanese. We experienced the craziness of Tokyo travel firsthand during our first week in the country. At nearly all the stations, people rush to get to their platforms since every train time is exact and every arrival is punctual. It is safe to say that the most we’ve hustled on this trip so far has been when we needed to catch a train or switch to another line at a station.
Busy station in Shibuya, Tokyo
Japan has perfected the system of urban transportation, a true testament to the nation’s modernization. According to one of Anthony Giddens’ notions of modernity, Japan has successfully “emptied” time and space to achieve complex social coordination in Tokyo’s subways (Giddens, 1990). Variables such as arrival time and the number of seconds each train door is left open are controlled to produce maximum efficiency. The Tokyo transportation system is ultimately organized to allow for the orderly movement of passengers throughout their day. Japan is not alone in this modern development; countries such as the United States and Germany have also emptied/reorganized time and space. This phenomenon allows them to operate transportation systems in their own cities (though arguably not as well as Japan).
Observing this extremely structured environment in Japanese society led me to question how it relates to their relationship with nature. Japan may share an organized transportation environment with other countries, but Japanese society differs in its perception and manipulation of the natural environment. In a study analyzing perspectives of nature, it was discovered that the Japanese prefer to enjoy nature and animals in highly regulated environments (Kellert, 1993). They want to see and experience elements of nature, but only in situations they can control. Whereas Tokyo’s subways are regulated for the best possible productivity, nature is often manipulated to create the best possible experiences. In contrast, the Americans and Germans who were also surveyed in Kellert’s study had a broader appreciation for wildlife in more varied settings and habitats (Kellert, 1993).
Flower garden at Hase Temple
The idea that Japanese people prefer a structured and controlled experience of nature was challenged by one of our speakers, Seichi Kondo. He claimed that they do not attempt to reform or defy nature; they simply appreciate what already exists and leave it alone. However, it seems that several aspects of Japanese culture and their perception of nature might contradict this argument. For example, the Hase Temple in Kamakura embodies the careful manipulation of nature to create an aesthetically pleasing space. The constructed waterfalls and the carefully manicured moss in the gardens made it clear that the Japanese were attempting to simulate a perfected snapshot of nature at the temple. From my own perspective, the manipulation was successful. The gardens of the temple were serene, picturesque, and left me with a peaceful mindset. Hase Temple is one of many locations that epitomizes the classic Japanese manipulation of nature and its elements.
The aesthetic experience modeled at Hase Temple is, of course, different from the efficiency produced within Tokyo’s transportation system. Regardless, these are examples of how Japanese society manipulates its surroundings to some degree in order to produce favorable outcomes. The level of structure and where it is employed may differ, but Japan has seemingly mastered the manipulation of both natural spaces and urban environments.