What happens when neighbors stop being neighbors?
Not long ago, local communities played a far greater role in everyday Japanese life.
A Tokyo university student, who had recently arrived in the city, recounted a striking observation. Despite encountering the same faces daily on her apartment building's hallway, she could not recall any of her floor's residents by name. This scenario seemed common in Japan, where apartment buildings often house many inhabitants.
Yet, many people seemed to know little about their neighbors. The same observation echoed in a quiet residential neighborhood in western Tokyo, where the author had lived for nearly a decade. Despite the area's safety and orderliness, they knew surprisingly little about their neighbors.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
