Tokyo, post-tsunami

How’s everything in Tokyo these days?” is a question I find myself asking my husband quite often after the March disaster. “Mada taihen (Still tough)” is his all-too-familiar answer. “Really? The news out of Japan is that it is on its way to recovery,” I tell him. And his reply always is “When you come, you will know what I mean.”

I genuinely could not accept my husband’s impassive response, so almost four months after the earthquake and tsunami struck, it was with a mix of excitement and trepidation that I boarded the plane to Narita for a visit.

Taking it to the streets: Forever 21 staff stationed outside the stores to invite passersby to avail of sales.

The change was apparent from the moment I crossed immigration to the baggage area and arrival lobby of the airport; many of the ceiling lights were turned off to conserve energy and the ordinarily bustling airport was unusually quiet. In the bus on the way to Tokyo, the well-lit mega-highways were less bright and in the cab on the way to our apartment, the dazzling display of neon lights at the main Roppongi kosaten (crossing) was missing and the hustle and bustle of Friday evening was absent. Hmmm … was my husband telling me the truth all along and I just refused to listen? I decided to reserve judgment until I walked the streets of Tokyo myself. 

The Litmus Test

If there was any place to confirm or quash the emerging angst I was feeling for my beloved Japan, it was the Omotesando-Harajuku area; on any given day this place is bursting with frenetic human energy. Here, the streets are always filled with the ultra-chic to the anime costume-clad Japanese youth, stroller-pushing young moms to ladies who lunch, students to Japanese salary men, gawkers to locals, tourists to resident foreigners and just about anyone who wants to have a close encounter with urban Japanese culture firsthand. I made several trips at different times to get the prevailing mood of the place and sadly each one confirmed what I didn’t want to accept: that indeed I have come back to a different Japan.

“Fight, don’t give up, Japan”: These constant, common reminders are everywhere, including the airport.

The general mood on the streets was somber and the chatter that defines Harajuku was visibly toned down. Very few people were shopping and most of the luxury brand stores were empty. Kiddyland and Oriental Bazaar, both favorites of visitors and residents for cool gifts and souvenir items, weren’t doing brisk business like usual. Even Forever 21-Harajuku had two female staff hawking outfits outside, inviting passersby to check out the sales inside the store, a first in my book! Takeshita-dori, the street for cheap, unbranded Japanese apparel, accessories, shoes and bags and all kinds of trinkets and novelties, was surprisingly barren. “Sale,” “sale,” “sale,” it screamed everywhere! Even Anniversaire, the normally standing-room-only landmark café and favorite hangout of hip Japanese and foreigners in Omotesando, was eerily quiet on a Saturday evening — a most shocking sight.

I took a quick trip to Shibuya and Ginza and while both places looked busy, to those who know Tokyo pre-disaster, it was obvious that the crowd was just a fraction of what it used to be. 

Many “For rent” signs littered even the most exclusive, prime commercial areas; stores that were open as recently as my last trip in January have closed and many more seem to be going the same route. Gonpachi (where part of the movie Kill Bill was filmed), a popular yakitori restaurant in Nishi Azabu that is normally fully booked every evening, had many tables for the taking on a Sunday evening. Many expatriate friends who sent their families back home after the tsunami have kept their families away, adopting a wait-and-see attitude.

Forever gracious: At the airport before departure, signs like this bid thank you and farewell to visitors.

Most train stations, department stores and supermarkets have cut back on their operations and close earlier than customary. Production of food like bentos for takeout has been scaled back; I went to my favorite bakery Asanoya in Tokyo Midtown at around 5:30 p.m. hoping to buy some Danish pastries and donuts, only to find half-empty shelves. Even Tokyo Tower had to make the ultimate sacrifice and give up its dazzling evening lights. Clearly Japan is far from recovery, but for how long?

Some Bright Spots

While all these impressions seem worrisome and somewhat depressing, thank goodness all is not doom and gloom. There are glimmers of hope in the otherwise ho-hum economy; big fashion companies have resumed activities that were put on hold because of the tsunami. They are back and spending again.

Diego della Valle, president and owner of Tod’s, recently held an intimate lunch with the Japanese press at their flagship Harajuku building; he assured them of Tod’s long-term commitment to Japan, a market he has always considered one of their most important and critical in the world.

Gucci is celebrating its 90th-year anniversary in the ancient city of Kyoto, with a three-week-long display of their most-prized archive pieces at the Hojo main hall of the historic Kinkakuji Temple, a fashion first. The grand event is Gucci’s way of connecting Florence, the brand’s birthplace, with its sister city Kyoto, and supporting the fashion industry’s efforts towards recovery.

In another fashion fete to celebrate their anniversary, Gucci partnered with Fiat, another Italian powerhouse company, to introduce the “Fiat 500 by Gucci” at an exclusive lunch party at the Italian Embassy in Tokyo. Gucci in-house designer Frida Giannini collaborated with the Fiat design team to customize the iconic Fiat 500 car (Cinque Cento in Italian) ala Gucci along with their other mainstream products like shoes and bags. The compact Italian car is fast becoming a common sight on the streets of Tokyo because of its ningki (appeal) among the Japanese.

Rucoline, an avant-garde Italian line of shoes and bags, opened their third stand-alone store a month ago in Tokyo on Koto-dori (avenue) around the corner from Aoyama.

Roberto Cavalli is going all-out in Japan and has decided to set up headquarters in Tokyo after years of limited exposure in the country; the fashion design house is currently looking for the perfect space to open their first flagship store in Tokyo.

Rolls-Royce will celebrate their 100th anniversary this week with an elegant party at their spanking-new dealership/showroom in Yokohama. Even Giorgio’s catering business has seen an uptick in activity, a sign that businesses are starting to invest again.

Construction of new commercial buildings is in full swing in Shibuya, Harajuku and Marunouchi, to name a few; Tokyo Station is undergoing a massive renovation, a move that will give it a swankier, more modern look by the end of 2011. New entertainment, food and fashion retail offerings will be added to its already impressive lineup, something I am very excited to see on my next trip.

Down But Not Out

While it was heartbreaking to go back to a less vibrant Tokyo, I am confident that this is but a temporary glitch. Throughout history the Japanese have shown resilience and pride in the toughest of times and this time is no different. When all is said and done, Japan will re-emerge as a dynamic, first-world country with so much to offer the world and, just like many of you, I will be patiently waiting and cheering for the Land of the Rising Sun to rise once again. Gambare (go, go), Japan!