The image of the street in Japan presents an interesting idea, or challenge. It is possible to gain a strong sense of a culture or society by focusing on how its people move through the cities, and because transport exists as far more than the ways in which a population navigates itself in practical terms. The methods used say a great deal about how the society understands its environment and the needs of its people, and to what extent it is willing to support, or encourage, transport that is convenient and affordable. Connected to this is the relationship between the people and that society; the choices they make define who they are to an extent, from concerns about the environment and consideration to others, to commitments to better personal health through bicycling. Added to this is the impact of the great city in the society itself, as the image suggest Tokyo, arguably the most densely-populated city in the world and certainly a leader in advanced technologies. As the following supports, then, transport in Japan strongly indicates a society confronting realities still ignored in the West, as the people use vehicles completely appropriate to the urban environments, and also used as means of addressing future problems regarding the natural environment and fuel resources.
Discussion
Perhaps the most striking quality of the image is not the transport, but the urban arena itself. More exactly, it is clear that the street is narrow. This leads to the logical conclusion that the highly populated city is increasingly restricted in terms of space. Certainly, there is no room on this street for large vehicles commonly seen on U.S. roads, and even in major U.S. cities themselves. Connected to this are the people seemingly walking in the middle of the street normally. This gives the impression that the culture is mindful of pedestrians are paramount, which may also relate to choices in vehicle transport. For example, trucks may be seen, but these are not the size of those in the West, often blocking traffic by virtue of size alone. These two elements combine, then, to indicate that the Japanese do not depend on vehicles as do Western societies. They are necessary, certainly, but the simple fact that the cars are small translates to a different ideology. Arguably, the Japanese never attach social standing to vehicle, as is so common in the U.S.
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Those pictured are small in size and likely models conforming to the Japanese manufacture, purchase, and usage of minimal, energy-efficient cars. Generally speaking, Japan embraced the need to change automobile manufacturing and use before the U.S. and European nations understood the impending realities of the markets. In the 1970s, for example, and while American cars were still being produced as larger vehicles with few restrictions on gas consumption, the Japanese manufacturers foresaw coming problems in gasoline supplies, as well as damage to the environments when no pollution controls are in place. What shortly emerged was the “Japanese car,” a smaller model emphasizing fuel efficiency which translated to greater affordability as well. This has then been the norm in Japanese urban transport, and one influencing forward-thinking manufacturers in China and in the West.
Equally important is that two bicycles are seen in the image, even as the street has no designated bike lanes. This suggests that bike riders enjoy the same privileges as car drivers. Adding to the impression is how crowded the sidewalks are; it would be virtually impossible to navigate a bike in these spaces. Japanese culture has definitely promoted bicycle usage, and to the extent that the country has led the way in introducing motorized bikes. These do more than supply greater speed and ease, as the e-bikes also require only charging and do not consume fuel. The Japanese, moreover, fully support this aspect of the transport industry. By 2013, for example, E-bike sales in Japan reached half a million annually, a reality encouraged by how the Japanese have been innovators in the technology. Everything indicates that Japan has an active awareness of both its people’s needs within tight city spaces, and the need to reduce pollution and congestion in the environments.
This being the case, then, the people support the transport options most helpful to their daily lives, and which best accommodate the economic and spatial realities of living. Even today, this is in stark contrast to U.S. personal and commercial transport, which still produces and relies upon vehicles created with minimal regard for the environment. It must be reiterated how cultural differences become evident in this single image. More exactly, the Japanese ordinary reliance on small vehicles and bicycles contrasts with Western, or certainly American, associations of the car as defining the status and identity of the driver.
Conclusion
If it is reasonable to understand a culture based on its dominant ideologies, it is equally rational to draw conclusions about a society based on its common modes of transport. As the image conveys, the Japanese seem to perceive transport on its most basic level; it is whatever gets the person from place to place, and in a way sensibly addressing space and environmental realities. Consequently, Japanese transport presents a society confronting issues still ignored in the West, as the people use vehicles suited to the urban environments, and also as means of addressing very real problems regarding the natural environment and fuel resources.
- Fishman, Elliot, and Christopher Cherry. “E-bikes in the Mainstream: Reviewing a Decade of Research.” Transport Reviews 36, no. 1 (2016): 72-91.
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