DrMabuse 0 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 There is a lovely sakura tree at the bottom of my road (not blossomed yet of course). But just under the tree is are a few old rusting car and some old fridges in what can only be called a tip. It bewilders me how the Japanese seem to be able to block out the mess under the tree and look at the tree. I wish I could do that. I see a mess, they see a lovely sakura tree. Link to post Share on other sites
zebedee 1 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 I've noticed the same. Selective vision Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 They can also block out the blue tarps, all the other people, and the conbini bags stuffed with manky bento boxes and beer cans. When my parents came to Japan in spring they said "Is this all there is of the famous Japanese cherry blossoms? There are far more in Bristol..." Link to post Share on other sites
zebedee 1 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 Far more in my home town too. And prettier surroundings. Link to post Share on other sites
mikazooki 0 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 it takes practice. when i first came all i could see was powerlines and dams in the country. [ they continue to build even brand new suburbs with overhead powerlines] now i can see the pretty mountains and the powerlines and dams. u need to readjust your expectations. im working on it (with only limited success) Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 Too many people too little space, look at the beauty in the the middle. There are some wonderfull things to view here though. Link to post Share on other sites
akibun 0 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 When I go to abroad, I sometimes surprised at how pretty places are. without the electricity line and mess at side of the road. Why can't japan be like that? Link to post Share on other sites
Goemon 0 Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 I'm perplexed by the power lines too. Putting them underground would seem to appeal to the government's hunger for construction projects. Aren't they the least bit enticed by the prospect? They would have an(other) excuse to dig up/re-pave/dig-up/re-pave the roads. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 The prettiest sakura near where I live have 5 drink vending machines under and next to them - impossible to take a photo without getting the vendings in there, but everyone does of course. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 Earthquakes and under ground power I think thats a no no? Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~edjacob/honest.htm confirmation Link to post Share on other sites
mikazooki 0 Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 i dont think earthquakes r really an issue, the lines have been sunk in sakae (centre of nagoya), and it looks all the better for it. in fact downed above ground powerlines are a major hazard post earthquake. im open to correction if thats wrong. Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 Quote: Originally posted by Fattwins: Earthquakes and under ground power I think thats a no no? not really, water and gas are underground and in earthquakes suffer ruptures, where it ruptures dig it up. Also electricity runs through nice flexible cables and has more more flex and give than rigid water pipes. Look at NZ virtually all electricity is now underground and NZ is in one of the most active earthquake regions on earth, Each dots here represents an earthquake that was big enough to be felt in the past ten years.(but not a single one in near my hometown ) Some of the most violent quakes of the 20th century were in NZ, they were 10times more powerful than Kobe's quake. Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted March 29, 2003 Share Posted March 29, 2003 The earthquake excuse is exactly that-an excuse for the eyesore of overhead lines which blight cityscapes here. It is one result of the cosy relationship between the Government (ie LDP) and the construction industry. Another is the excessive building of dams which serve no purpose, and the construction of massive International/Intercultural centers in villages which are unlikely to see any foreigners apart from the local JET. If anyone hasn't read Alex Kerr's "Dogs & Demons" they should to get the real answer to some interesting questions. Why is Japans coastline excessively littered with concrete tetrapods? Part of the answer lies in the strength of companies who make tetrapods-same goes for the powerlines. Kerr's book is perhaps overly negative and can be depressing to read because he deliberately sets out the facts in the blunt fashion of someone who is fed up with the idiocy of it all. It is however very informative and would make an excellent compulsory reading text for senior high school students. Surely if the Japanese government wishes to keep supporting the construction industry at the taxpayers expense (which employs 10% of the workforce) they could direct it in a manner which improves the environment/well being of the population. The men in yellow hats could be set to work burying overhead lines, dismantling dams, and carrying out some positive urban renewal projects. Unfortunately it's easier to keep making concrete tetrapods and the like with a bureucratic zeal which would have made the Soviets proud. Link to post Share on other sites
rachael 0 Posted March 30, 2003 Share Posted March 30, 2003 I've noticed that blocking out phenom before too, I really wish I could do it - what a good thing to be able to do, it would come in soo useful. Link to post Share on other sites
Glen Falting 0 Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 To second Davo's comments - If you have any affection for this endearingly peculiar country, you may find it a little distressing, but everyone should read Dogs and Demons. It is overly negative and a little sensationalised, but lays bare the ugly side of the Japanese success storey. Link to post Share on other sites
Goemon 0 Posted March 31, 2003 Share Posted March 31, 2003 Agreed on the comments regarding "Dogs and Demons" and I should have realized that Kerr commented on this. He briefly addresses the telephone pole issue on pages 197-200 (of the first paperback edition);sorry, but I won't transcribe everything here. Can't someone appeal to the construction nation's thirst for public projects though? Link to post Share on other sites
wakaran 1 Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 What's with all the rotten car dumps suddenly at the side of the road then? Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 The sakura next to the tip in Myoko the other day looked very pretty. And for convenience, there are 3 drink machines right underneath! How about that for convenience! Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 In case you didn't bother with kamo's link: Quote: Apparently the Japanese government has a plan to begin burying some powerlines in 2002, but it will probably take decades to undo all the damage that has been done to Japanese cityscapes. Link to post Share on other sites
HoTRoD 2 Posted April 28, 2003 Share Posted April 28, 2003 Very convenient. And pretty too! Link to post Share on other sites
IIIII 2 Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Interesting. I always hate the way theres cables all over here. It really spoils things. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I remember this. And the Myoko tip still looks nice. Still there. Link to post Share on other sites
mogski 0 Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I understand the problem with burying the power lines results from who they have to ask to bury them. If there is a gas pispe down there then you have to ask the gas peoples to dig. If you come across a water main then you also have to ask them to dig. If you come accross a phone line...well you get it I hope. Apparently the little 30cm sized piece of land where the power poles are planted on the side of the street (most often in the street) is actually not owned by the road authority but by the power authority. However if they wanna dig they have to go to the road authority to dig whom in turn go to the regional city or ward office who go to...see the above. Kind'a like why they can't remove the trees from teh resorts. Not that they can't just the tape involved in doing it. Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 This is the fact. When we develop small town like 20 houses and crooked lane in a site, we ask for burying power lines to TEPCO. They give us really expensive estimation. It is too expensive for our project to bear the costs. So, we always give up. City Planning Division never helped us to do that. Only when the company and the project is big enough to bear the costs, like Mori-building built Roppongi Hills, it becomes possible. People in architecture are always making an effort to make Japanese townscape better but government don't help. I'm fed up with this fact. Now, I try to think that power line is a kind of characteristic of Asia! Link to post Share on other sites
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