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I found a few days ago a shelf in the house of my parents a guide to Tokyo from 1995. I bought my first trip to Japan in the summer of 1998, exactly 10 years ago, a young student. Since then, with the exception of one year, I'm always returned to the country. I worked three years, and I now have personal ties in the country. A decade is a fine time interval, the fifth in adulthood. The world and Japan have certainly changed, probably less than we imagine. Above all, my view of the country has evolved.

The year 1998 will be remembered as the perfect football game, and probably the only occasion since the release of the French see happy without ulterior motives. The Lewinsky affair was in full swing, happy time when no one accused the president of the United States that treat incongruous with an intern. The financial crisis was spreading from its birthplace in Russia and Asia. The issue have now changed, but these fellows are always ups and downs of the day. The inevitable economic ascent of large emerging countries continued: China is world's third largest economy this year, while the seventh was 10 years ago.

The biggest change in daily life occurred to me looking for the photographs illustrating this story. Digital did not exist at the time: I had in my hands when voyagesun first prototype digital camera with a resolution barely adequate for small prints. Today digital photography reigns supreme: it is difficult to buy a film camera. The nostalgic think maybe because the colors were more beautiful then. The reader can judge by comparing the article illustrated with film shown to the rest of the blog of digital. However, the pictures rarely left their bulky boxes, while the computer provides immediate and free dissemination of electronic photographs. Enterprises have to adapt, as the famous French chain store photos which is now the spotlight on mobile phone and reserve a corner of the store, or sometimes cellar, the photographic printing.

all due respect to revolutionary innovation, photography, completely upset in 10 years, is a rare example of rapid evolution. The aircraft continued its slow evolution, with stable prices over the period. The round trip flight chersur month costs between 900 and 1000 euros, slightly more than a decade ago: I bought a ticket around 5,500 francs, or about 833 Euros (ANA 全日空) in 1998. The comfort of the flight was obviously improved with the advent of A330/340 and B777, and development of entertainment in flight: the 747 at the time were content to listen sometimes a "stethoscope" and a single TV in the ceiling. The flight time was not changed by cons.

Many Internet services already existed on my first trip to Japan: the e-mail, forums, newsgroups they said then, and the Web, much more confidence. It was then the domain of academics and geeks, and most sites were distinguished by their hideous bad taste with their ill-chosen fonts, patterned their funds and their unnecessary animations. The web is now public and the presentation is much improved, perhaps a consequence of its feminization. The biggest change is probably Google's famous search engine (and host of this site), which had just been founded the year of my first trip to Japan. By providing an efficient search on the Internet, it has served to direct the millions of anonymous contributors. So I found quite by chance over a site dealing specifically with Ni-Channel, and so little complacent, the project I was working in Japan. This search power has encouraged the development of forums and personal websites posting information often free quality. It invaluable for the traveler: A journey once was preparing the guide, and travel souvenirs of his family: it had to be lucky to find useful information on a specific destination if it was not part of the major tourist attractions. Today, any issue can be handled competently on a forum, and on any subject, it certainly exists, in addition to Wikipedia, a few sites or blogs providing useful information, easily accessible via google.

Internet also allows expatriates to have local news. When I was three years ago expatriate, I view and drives of my football club favorite, and I escaped with my problems in Japan as part of watching the exploits of Juninho, Tiago and Fred (players headlights Olympique Lyonnais it this time). During my first visit, it was probably possible to find the football results on the Internet but it was much more difficult: I vividly remember myself with the news French reading French newspapers standing, especially To be honest the team. Read up himself "Tachiyomi (立ち読み) in Japanese, is a common practice and tolerated. Modern Internet, it is also the international free phone. Few hours of conversation with his family after a difficult week in Japan can really help keep a balance.

In the late 90s. It was still selling the PC9800, a computer developed by NEC, but similar to the PC using a different architecture and software as separate, with, to be honest, some very useful improvements on the standard IBM. It was probably one of the last vestiges of the expansionist era when Japan thought it could make anything himself. This euphoria stopped with the bursting of the bubble in 1989. Yet as in 1998 the country was still in its "lost decade" and the mood was gloomy. Having proclaimed during the 80s he would conquer all, our intellectuals now saw in Japan a terminally ill patient, with the tents of homeless in the parks as signs of the 21st century favelas. 10 years later, the country has again become a developed country "banal" in purchasing power comparable to the major European countries while retaining their distinct business culture. On one side of the economic spectrum, Toyota is perhaps the best global automotive, and manufacturing is still very powerful Japanese Casio, Nikon, Sony and Yamaha, among mainstream audiences as examples, are always references. Across the spectrum, some financial trades on the Tokyo site are fully insured by foreign banks without any local player. Recent years have confirmed a recovery of the economy: it is easier for young people to find work, and the tents of homeless people are less numerous.

Major Japanese cities have evolved over the past ten years. Prefecture Tokyo (东京 都, 12 million people) has built more than 80 kilometers of lines of railroad entirely new and often underground (*). In comparison, the Paris region (10 million) has seen the commissioning of 30 km of lines (**), and this figure is flattering because over half consists of trams, built partiesur existing channels. The new buildings have also multiplied in Tokyo, with a particularly large number of turns a complex comprising office, hotel and shopping mall. The last decade has seen major projects and the Roppongi Hills (Roppongi), Tokyo Mid-Town ( Akasaka) and Maru-Biru ( Marunouchi ) and the Shiodome near Shinbashi (13 laps total). At the same time, Defence has seen a dozen times to add more small (68,000 m2 for the Granite Tower Defense against 380,000 for Roppongi Hills). Tokyo is far more than Paris, a city alive with constantly improving infrastructure. Homes are increasingly large and public transport less crowded. So I was very surprised to learn that the average housing in Tokyo is larger than that Paris. Obviously, these large projects require heavy financing and certainly share responsibility for the debt of Japan. Real estate loses its value very quickly in Tokyo, a drama for middle class households living in town who can not be, generation after generation of significant heritage: the apartment bought by the couple no longer no value when retirement begins.

When I arrived in Japan, I was initially fascinated by the ideal image of traditional country, filled with Bushido (武士道, code of honor Traditional Japanese), wooden temples and Zen gardens. Full of enthusiasm, I even read the entire "Genji Monogatari", the first Japanese novel that has yet a few lengths, and I would follow up on the television series "dressed" I did not understand Yet almost nothing because I liked the atmosphere. I considered japonisée Western cuisine, the Tonkatsus (豚カツ) at Omurice (オムライス) as a betrayal. It took me some time to allow Japan to be modern. While most impassioned address the country by the "Manga" Japanese comics to these topics varied, the result is almost the same: before leaving, it idealizes remote one aspect of Japanese life, and it then searches for his first trip to press the reality of the country on the fantasies imagined. It takes some time to realize that Japan is a complete society, which also includes his university jacket shredded, his bronzed surfers and retirees without a history.

During my first stay, at first I was completely fascinated, I admired all around the country, up to find a philosophical or aesthetic hidden any advertisement for a toothpaste. I was convinced he had found a paradise of respect and harmony, where I settle down and make sure my life. It probably lasted a year and two-time trip. My dreams were shattered easy integration to the reality of a country that offers few opportunities for ambitious young foreigners, especially those who do not speak Japanese fluently. I do not blame anyone for this, because the integration of "gaijins" (外人) companies in is often difficult, and they are not always ready to adapt to country specifics. During the next few years, my opinion in Japan has declined significantly, that contempt is fueled largely by an Anglo-Saxon press is not kind to the country. I almost thought that by having white skin and having escaped the Japanese educational system, I was able, from the top of my 25 years to solve all the problems of the country, small stomach ache caused by the lack of vegetables in the diet for doubtful debts of banks. This may seem naive, but it was and still is the behavior of many expatriates I meet. I think now have a more balanced relationship with the country: two years ago, when my career as an expatriate in Tokyo was in a stalemate and frustration at the highest, I decided to return to Europe just to return to Japan that if circumstances were favorable. I also abandoned my hope of integration: even when I returned to the Far East, I no longer try to conduct myself in perfect Japanese, but I keep my European personality. I'm better accepted, and it helps me a lot see Japan with more distance. Since I gave up my integration, I think I have escaped and paranoia, common among foreign residents, who see racism and discrimination at the slightest glance sideways on the train.

On a more pleasant, my opinion on young Japanese women has also changed: in the early days, I found all these lovely ladies and absolutely extraordinary. This wonder was probably due to my general enthusiasm for the country, but I was also very impressed by the care that young Japanese have for their grooming and makeup. With temps, je me suis habitué à l’habileté de ces jeunes filles, et je suis maintenant de l’avis, entendu plusieurs fois, que Tokyo et Paris sont des villes de « niveau » assez comparable et plutôt haut, avec peut-être un léger avantage aux parisiennes pour leur allure. Je prie mes lectrices féminines de m’excuser de ne pas pouvoir porter de jugement sur l’élégance des jeunes japonais : le seul témoignage que je possède est celui d’une amie européenne qui trouvait beaucoup de choses à dire sur la tenue de ces messieurs lors de son arrivée au Japon mais a failli tout plaquer quelques mois après pour une relation pourtant mal engagée avec un homme du pays I do not know how to interpret it.

time in Japan has certainly been changed. I am now able to participate in most conversations in Japanese. By cons, speaking Japanese does not mean read it. Having been occuppe by my professional obligations, I have not spent enough time studying kanji, or Chinese characters, reading a newspaper article wonder always an infinite effort. I have enjoyed the cons by cuisine and traditional arts of this country that can be better preserved than others: Japan has certainly helped to refine my taste for fine dining and beautiful things. An extended stay also makes it more demanding on the quality of the service: it happens more often to show my nervousness in Europe when I be treated badly. Tokyo is the center of a dynamic metropolis of 30 million. While I appreciate the charm of French cities, I find them, even Paris, sometimes quite dull in comparison: he must choose his headquarters in France for the busy streets on a Sunday afternoon. If France cultivates activities and subsidized services, everything is paid in Japan, often billed at actual cost: studies, health, transport, culture, water, and electricity and leisure culture and sports. Pay allows us to appreciate things at their true value: my stay in Japan allowed me to better appreciate the small pleasures of everyday life.

Stay in a large Asian country with no historic connection with Europe is an excellent vaccine against racism and ethnocentrism: we can have a skin color, do not know Christianity, nor the culture greek Roman and modern and grown: it seems obvious to anyone who knows the history of the world, but sometimes I find that everyone no opinion. I spent several months in a tense atmosphere between Western and Japanese. This lesson on the difficulty scale to work without offending national sensibilities inspired me to be more careful in certain situations, successfully this time.

If I have to take stock, I am very pleased with these ten years from Japan to moderate range. I tried to make an account realistic and interesting that can perhaps give some pointers to those who also start to explore the country.

You can continue your reading this Diving in the Japanese suburbs .

Additional information

(*) Distribution of 80 km of new routes put into service from 1998 to 2008 in Tokyo (Tokyo Prefecture only):

• Nanboku southern half of the line (Yotsuya in Meguro or 8 km)


• Extension Mita Mita Line to Meguro (4 km


• commissioning of the line in Shibuya Ikebukuro Fukutoshin (9.9 km


• commissioning of the line-Nippori Toneri Liner ( 9.9 km flyover)


• commissioning of the line Ooedo (from Nerima to Tocho-mae), or 40.9 km
• commissioning of the new Tsukuba Express line (15 kilometers in the prefecture of Tokyo)

(**) Distribution of the 30 kilometers of new tracks put in service from 1998 to 2008 in the Paris region:

• line 14 (7.5 km) Madeleine Library


• minor extension of the line 13 (Gabriel Peri to Courtilles, or 2 km)


• commissioning of the RER E (new tracks Hausmann Saint Lazare Gare de l'Est (approximately 5 km)


• up T3 tramway in place of (7.9 kilometers) and that of T4 tram on existing roads (7.9 kilometers)