It's been a year and I'm only just starting to make sense of this complicated land.
One thing is clear:
Despite the pride it takes in its heritage
Japan has hurled itself headfirst into the 21st century
recreating itself as an economic powerhouse
and suffering the consequences.
And then there's all those foreign influences.
They’ve led to a rather baffling desire to look anything but Japanese.
Black hair is definitely not in style.
Neither is being small or delicate.
But nowhere is this struggle more obvious than among Japan’s youth.
And the place to find them is Harajuku
in Tokyo, on a Sunday afternoon.
They set up cheek to jowl and play as loudly as they can.
This is where they get to show off all that hair
and heels.
And some even more unusual accessories.
Older Japanese are so bewildered
that they’ve labeled this entire generation
“The New Human Beings”.
But no matter how “unjapanese” they might look now
most will some day put on a suit
and become “productive citizens” again.
In the meantime
there’s no telling who’s going to show up to enjoy the show.
The straight-laced,
homeless cowboys,
or the next generation, already a little bored.
Of course, if you’re Elvis,
you don’t care who’s watching.
He’s got all the right moves,
and the shoes to prove it.
But not everyone in Harajuku has an attitude.
Some kids just want to ride their bike around the park.
With a twist.
The truth is, these kids aren’t dropouts at all.
They’re just as dedicated as their parents are
doing what they want to do -
having fun.
So if you should run into a New Human Being at the train station late one night
don’t be afraid.
This is Japan.
He’s probably just handing out free tissues.