Anthropologists would have a field day delving into the lives of your average salary man. Their lives are so complex, the social hierarchy of their companies determines they must use the most polite form of the Japanese language (keigo) to their superiors, whilst many of their superiors from the Japanese old school of thought treat these men like something they scraped off the bottom off their shoes, just another cog in the wheel of Japanese industry. There are rules about hairstyles they can have, what clothes they can wear in the work place, how their eyebrows can look and even the degree to which they have to bow to those in a higher position than them (40 degrees if memory serves me right). Work is hard, a regular 9-5, but it’s not as simple as that. Bosses are expected to lead by example, so they come early, thus their subordinates are obliged to come early too. No-one leaves before the boss says they can, to increase productivity the boss will stay until say 10pm and those below them will stay too. In days gone past, all this overtime helped build up a nice fat bonus, but in these days of troubled economic times many companies don’t pay out the bonuses, yet the workers are still obliged to work late, for the benefit of the company. There aren’t many days off either. There are set national holidays most people get off, but other than that there really isn’t any time off. Maybe one week to two weeks vacation a year. So, lots of late nights, not much time off, it takes it’s toll to the extent that there is a word in Japanese “karoshi” which means “worked to death” and came into to common usage due to the amount of salarymen who have done so.
Salary men have a tough time, the whole word “salary man” refers to a man whose life is just devoted to his salary to pay for all the comforts his family requires. They sacrifice a lot for their families but end up spending little time with those they provide for. I’ve met many uni. age kids who only know that their father is a salary man, they don’t know where or for what company, just he is a salary man. It seems many of them don’t care. He’s the guy who comes home late and forks out cash for stuff, there isn’t much interaction. To talk about stress with his family would be considered weak by many, so the salary man gets his relief in the form of after work drinks with colleagues that he is obliged to attend if he wants to progress within his company. So, after a long day’s work the salary man is obliged to go out and have a drink, then another, then another as you always keep the glasses of those around you full. Then when it comes to time for last train there’s a flood of drunken salary men trying to make their way home, often unsuccessfully. They sleep on trains, on benches, on the streets, in 24 hour internet cafes, just about anywhere. Often their wallets, briefcases and phone are scattered about them wherever they fall asleep. I’m amazed that you don’t often hear of a drunken salary man being robbed. Japan may be full of molesters and underwear thieves (even I have had my boxer shorts stolen), but when you fall asleep on the ground when your blind drunk, you don’t get robbed. That’s got to count for something.
11 Comments
Do you live anywhere within the Tobu line? I recognize the train’s interior design.
I’ve always loved these photos. A good snap shot of life in Tokyo.
I’m happy to see you photographed the Mayor of Gamo returning home from a long day at the office.
Paule
http://www.paulepictures.com
http://www.paulepictures.com/blog
This is indeed the Tobu line, where abouts to you live?
The first shot is almost humourous… I can just imagine the movement while he is trying to grab his briefcase.
The first/last shot has so much drama: the desperate reach for the briefcase; the tie like a noose around his neck; the just beginning to close doors of the train. I love it. My personal favourite though has to be the mirrored bench sleepers. It is simply beautiful. never has dishevelment looked so symmetrical and balletic. The salaryman on the left especially looks so uncomfortable, his arm down his back and neck uncomfortable high as he rests on his bags and boxes; and his feet just unrelaxed, looking as though they are still climbing those steps, indeed looking like he fell backwards mid stride and landed on the bench. The man on the right on the other hand looks very accustomed to this urban camping routine.
Nice series of images indeed and powerful words that tell it like it is. I do feel most sorry for Japanese men, especially now that the Japanese divorce laws allow a man`s ex-wife to get half his pension. Many baby-boomer wives are just waiting for their men to retire where upon they will seek divorce on the grounds that he was never around when she needed him (as if that were his fault!), get half his cash and probably the house as the kids haven`t left yet, and far from enjoying his retirement he`ll be living in some grotty 1DK wondering where his life went.
I want more for my kids than this.
Damon
I do feel sorry for the average Japanese man, as you said, divorce laws here mean that half the pension goes to the wife. I have a friend who taught a class of house wives and they openly talked about how things were at home, when the husband hands over the pay cheque she takes a lots of it for housekeeping but also stashes some in a secret bank account. Everyday the husband goes to work and slaves his guts out to provide for the family, unknowing that some of his cash is being saved for a rainy day by a wife who intends to divorce him when he retires, get half his pension and live a decent life with the millions of yen she has stashed over the years. Then, like you said, the husband is left cash strapped in a shitty 1DK to live out the rest of his life alone.
I could get into the sexless marriages, the hostess clubs, prostitutes and wife having affairs as well….it would never end.
I love the second shot. That woman seemed has gotten used to fatigued or drunk salary man. I never forget my experience: one night, a drunk salary man feebly walked up toward and sat beside me on a bus at Shinjuku.
I think the woman was just trying to pretend nothing was happening and there wasn’t a drunken guy who just collapsed….in Japan if you don’t look at itt, it doesn’t have to be real.
Beautiful series, love the 2nd shot.
I love these shots Will. I think they sum up a lot of about train life in and around Tokyo. Some salarymen get themselves into unbelievable states…Keep up the good work!
Paul
http://www.fashionartstokyo.com/
“if you don’t look at it, it doesn’t have to be real” hahaha, I LOVE IT. That’s one of the best descriptions I have EVER heard with regards to Japan.
Awesome pics Will, and I agree the last one packs a ton of punch>