On Saturday, October 24, 2015 at 2:21:30 PM UTC-4, mtfe...@netmapsonscape.net wrote:
> Jacob Fruehling <jacobfrueh@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 9:50:46 AM UTC-7, John W. wrote:
> > > On Monday, October 5, 2015 at 12:09:06 PM UTC-4, Jacob Fruehling wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > :-)  I think it'll be surreal to me.  Sounds like I won't recognize the 
> > > > place. And I'm going to eat everything.  There will be no food left in Tokyo
> > > 
> > > The beauty of Tokyo is that the nature of Japanese society has changed so dramatically; childless families are more and more then norm, so there are trendy restaurants/cafes/etc. catering to that population. And I'm not sure if it's part of that or not, but there has always been a fascination in Japan for things the "West" considers "young" or "childish" (manga, anime, etc.). There are places in Japan that are like walking in a real-world Comicon. And it's becoming more hipster-ish, too.
> > > 
> > > John W.
> 
> > I'm really looking forward to see it again.  I took my wife there about 10 years ago.  It was great to see some of the old haunts again.  It hadn't changed enough yet to surprise me. I can't wait to see it now with all the changes!
> 
> Ginza hasn't changed, 'cept that it's trendy again. What surprised me was
> how much Ebisu had come up in the world. Oh, and you can get some seriously
> good pizza now 
> 
> Mike

Evidently the craft beer world, too, has really come along in the past year or so. I assume it's all controlled by Asahi or Coca Cola or some other zaibatsu, but as long as it tastes good, I am not too concerned.

The city that has changed the most, to  me, is Kobe. The twenty years since the earthquake has seen some incredible development. Not sure if I like it or not, but there are sky scrapers where before there were just mom-and-pop stores.

John W.