Japan is a country with many surprises. As I was driving around the Nara-Kyoto border the other day, I made a very interesting observation. Within a short driving distance, I was zipping past very traditional houses, yet moments later I was surrounded by ultra-modern homes. It was as if I was in a time machine and going back a few hundreds of years, back to ancient Japan. It was so amazing that I made it a point to go back and take some pictures of those places.
Japan in the past was very much an agricultural country. With rice being the staple food, you can see rice fields every where. Houses here are made of wood and the flooring are often wooden planks and tatami straw. One peculiar characteristic of these housing estates are the almost impossibly narrow, steep and confusing roads running through them. Originally meant for pedestrians only, these roads are totally unsuitable for modern cars. So if you plan to get lost here, make sure you drop pebbles on your way in.
Present
After the second world war, the Japanese economy saw tremendous growth. This baby boom period brought with it the necessity for cheap housing communities. Hence, houses began to climb vertically. Many people stayed in these government housing estates called danchi (団地), while the more affluent society built their own houses. These houses form the landscape of many suburban areas in Japan.Future
Occasionally while on the road, you may notice sign boards leading to new research parks. As you drive into these towns of the future, you will notice the vast difference between the houses here and those of the past. Roads here are wide and straight, and the atmosphere feels expansive unlike the stuffy layout of the Past. The designs of houses are very modern, and even the schools here look like some sort of art museum.Here is a video I compiled using MS free Movie Maker. The program is actually pretty good for amateur video editing.
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