A cold and windy morning in late November found me wandering around this place,
the athletic complex designed by Kenzo Tange for the 1964 Olympics. I was looking
for On-Air West, a performance venue nowhere near here. Also, I had an appointment
with a local band to meet in front of NHK, the big TV studio (it’s directly behind you in
this picture). Near here, too, I was pleased to find a big swap meet bounded by
food stands. A lot of girls selling last-season’s imported designer sweaters, so I browsed
a bit, tried some very tough braised beef and much tastier yakisoba, then strolled the wide
promenade that attracts the ambitious and talented future crop of Japanese entertainers.
Imagine: a pair of elementary school girl singers, in shorts, t-shirts and long bare legs,
their happy voices quavering in the 30-degree chill; an aggressive five-girl rap group
called King; several reedy girlfriend duos in singer-guitarist combinations.