Performance Art

The only subway I can compare to Tokyo subways is San Francisco (BART, not Puni). They are stylish, sleek, and freakishly clean. People are silent for the most part reading a book or messaging a friend on their mobile.

This photograph is from the same car as the previous post of Will. He is behind me. This line is very new and is called the Namboku Line. Before entering the train, there are doors that protect passengers from oncoming trains. While not enclosing the platform like Hong Kong (trains can barely be heard arriving), they nonetheless prevent people from throwing themselves on the tracks. I will post more on this terrifying phenomenom when I know more. At least once a day in the Japanese newspaper (published in English), I read a story about a train-related suicide. Japan is clearly struggling with these events.

Enought about suicide -- the title of this post is more important. In a place, like the subway system, where conformance is its more strict, there is an environment ripe for performance art. None of the stations have musicians or actors. Locals have explained, "There is no room." There is plenty of room...