Japan’s ancient art of Active Ignoring

performance July 16, 2005 Shibuya, Scramble Crossing
via dephemeral’s photostreamShibuya Scramble Tokyo, Shibuya station, in front of a police station

The Japanese will ignore anything…even a half-naked guy flaying himself with a bag of flour in the middle of the world’s busiest street crossing (5,000 people per minute).
Sadly Japanese also will ignore heaps of garbage on their beaches, the hiking trails of Mount Fuji and the viewing points of Nikko Falls as well as the fact that most of the country is a concrete paradise. Meh.

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Taro

I'm a pale, alien, quadruped who has worked for 25+ years at "Maybe-the-Largest Inc." in Tokyo.

2 thoughts on “Japan’s ancient art of Active Ignoring”

  1. It is well known phenomenon. If there are many people, you will get less attention. The same thing will happen in New York. Nothing special about Japan.

  2. Actually, ignoring naked crazy guys in the strret is wise I guess. It’s the active ignoring visual blight such as Nikko Falls or Mount Fuji that’s so Japanese.

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