ABSTRACT
It was a bright, blue morning in early autumn when I arrived at Tokyo’s Kaminarimon Gate. A huge paper lantern, red and black, hung from the rafters. Through the gate, thousands of people were already packed into a narrow boulevard lined with colourful stalls selling sweets, postcards and gaudy souvenirs. Ahead, in the distance, was the ancient Sensoji Temple. Ceremonial smoke rising from the entrance created a hazy backdrop for couples taking selfies.
