Tokyo Thursday, Like Any Other Day

I went to Yoga in Setagaya-ku today. It seemed like any other day. The sidewalks were filled with pedestrians and the train stations we crowded with people.


I asked a policeman how the mood of the town was. He smiled and said, "Fine."


Life goes on in Tokyo; people are out, the shopping centers are full, few shops are closed.


To see how an American icon in Japan was faring, I went to the local McDonald's. I asked the clerk if they had closed during the crisis. She said, "No!" It was 2:44 pm on Thursday, March 17, 2011. It was way past lunch time and still the McDonald's was full and there were no empty tables. Four people were waiting in line so I took a few photos and left.

When McDonald's says "Open 24 hours" they mean it.

Way past lunchtime and still 4 people waiting to order.

Every table has someone sitting at it.

Of course the smoking room is packed.

View from the front.

Shortly after leaving the McDonald's, I saw some first graders walking home from school. You can see the cars lined up for the signal to change and the policeman on his bike waiting to cross the street.

Just another typical day in Tokyo.