Kinetic adjustment

An average commuter in Tokyo would go through these gates several times a day.

You carry your commuter pass. At the gate, you lightly but firmly touch the panel with the blue circle with your pass. The machine reads it and lets you go through. Everybody takes about 2 seconds to walk through the gate. It is part of your habitus, and your body has the kinetic memory.

You're not slick enough if you take more than 2 seconds, or betray your bumpkin-ness by getting stuck at the gate. You'd see utter frustration on the faces of the people after you made the ultimate morning mistake of not touching the panel at the right angle, with the right amount of force, or time.

I've been going through these gates every morning and evening for more than 2 months now. And I still get stuck once every three, four times.

It seems my body has yet to become that of Tokyoite. Or is Tokyo informing me of my being unfit every time the gate doesn't open?

Spatial adjustment

I gave up my car when I moved to Japan. Tokyo is well serviced by public transportation (though extra complicated if extensive), allowing one to survive without an automobile.

But you walk. You walk to the station, you walk within the station, going up and down the stairs, and you walk around town. I realized that most of my shoes were good for driving to your destination, walk a little, then driving back. Not for walking all day (Yes, I need new shoes).

Anyhow, Japanese space makes me want to drop driving all together. I thought I didn't need to drive, but now I'd be scared of driving. Or parking. I've already complained about rogue bicyclists who endanger pedestrians, and I reiterate that bicyclists are probably more menacing than cars here. They're not licensed or trained, they zip through the sidewalk, and they seem to be completely oblivious of the possibility of hurting their fellow sidewalk occupants on foot.

But I digress.

I'm scared of driving. Not just because they drive on the left, but because of the space in which they have to maneuver. It's true you don't see too many Cadillacs and Hummers, but you do have to learn to park like this.

This is a usual garage sight in our neighborhood, not an exception. The house next door has a garage quite identical to this one. The street in front of the house is not a one-way street, but should be.

I'm happy to be on my foot, putting my money into walkable shoes.