Overexposed Japan

Once the tourist to Japan moves beyond the major highlights and iconic sights of the country, and tires of the inevitable crowds and tourbuses to be found there, they often seek out places that offer a glimpse of Japan's soul. Like sakura (cherry-blossoms) and haiku, this essence revels in the ephemeral. Maiko, the apprentice geisha whose painted faces and colorful kimonos exemplify this not-quite-fully-fledged dimension of beauty, have long had an allure for visitors lucky enough to see them as they float through the narrow alleys of Gion, Kyoto's traditional entertainment quarter.

Yet as this piece from the Japan Times notes, the problem of tourists eager to photograph geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) in their natural habitat has started to border on harassment. The article quotes an old Kyoto acquaintance, and former Maritimer, Peter Macintosh, who now runs a Gion guide service. It also draws parallels to a similar issue faced by the Tsukiji Central Fish Market in Tokyo, which has recently considered a ban on tourists whose flashbulbs disrupt the complex signals of the tuna auctions. Like the fleeting quality of the maiko, Tsukiji thrives on the ephemeral pulse of activity - each morning between 5:30 and 7:00am, hundreds of tuna, and thousands of pounds of every type of seafood imaginable move through the market, changing hands from wholesaler to retailer, destined ultimatley for the bellies of the 30-odd million residents who populate the Kanto region surrounding Tokyo. To visit Tukiji is to visit the top of the oceans' food chain, an imprssive if ecoloogically frightening sight. For a great anthropological take of Tsukiji see Bestor's volume.

Having wandered Gion, and caught the first train to Tsukiji, I both recognize the attraction value of these 'authentic' slices of Japan, and the threat vistorslike myself pose to their reproduction. Interestingly the article also notes the language barrier that seems to prevent foreigners from getting this message to respect the professionality of maiko and fishmongers.