Hasta La Gadget!

Those who live and work in Japan — especially those who have been doing so for a long time — are understandably cautious about projects that can reinforce stereotypes about the country, not least the ones that are not so positive.

Although some of the images painted of Tokyo’s rush hour are a little exaggerated (I have never seen the fabled riot gear-style shields being used, for example), it is still definitely a hellish time for everyone involved.

We’ve just discovered this series by photographer Michael Wolf and, though it will perhaps not help Tokyo’s reputation, we liked it so much we had to showcase it here.

Tokyo Compression is a series of portraits of the poor souls riding the city’s train system in the rush hour and, boy, do they not look happy about it. The series has now been released in book form for our undeniable schadenfreude.

The Guardian puts it well:

…it is the ability to tolerate an elbow in the back and a cheek unceremoniously pasted against a window that sets Tokyo’s commuters apart. There are few arguments, and fights are almost unheard of; it’s as if the powerless, massed ranks of the travelling public have entered into a non-aggression pact – and one that is observed, for the most part, in near silence.

Personally I’ve always admired not only the endurance of Tokyoites but their dexterity as well. You will be amazed at the contortions people can achieve in order to continue reading their manga, using their mobile phone, or playing their PSP (and sometimes performing these tasks simultaneously!). With this gauntlet to get through every morning, it’s not surprising that, come the last train, everyone is fast asleep.