The Practice of Tradition and Modernity in Contemporary Japan

“What we would like,” said Obuchi Yasuo, the former mayor of a farm town in northeastern Japan, “is for young people and their employers in Tokyo to consider lifestyle alternatives never possible before. Male and female employees could maintain a spacious residence here in the countryside while commuting to work in the city.” Gazing out across the terraced rice paddies visible through the huge sliding windows on the east side of his Japanese style sitting room, Obuchi continued. “We are only an hour by air from Haneda (Tokyo’s first international airport), and less than four hours by bullet train— closer to three on the new Super Express.