Wanderers in Tokyo

Just watched the show 仁心侠旅. A lot of feelings thus must write a blog on it.

During my last trip to Tokyo, I saw a lot of guys sleeping at the train stations. I always thought that these people were just waiting for the next train tomorrow coz they have missed their last train. But in fact, they were actually homeless wanderers who were jobless for years. Due to the high living standard in Tokyo, they do not have savings thus they could not afford to rent rooms when they do not have income. When they do not have address, it is difficult for them to find a job. Due to their pride and difficulties to find jobs at their hometown, some of them refused to return to their hometown. They stayed at the train stations every night. Some of the wanderers built canvas shelters near parks or canals as their temporary homes. Just like scene in the show, 20^th Century Boys.

These wanderers don’t accept interviews from their local TV shows but for overseas interviews, some of them wouldn’t mind. In the show, they just mentioned that they are being retrenched and some indicated that their companies folded down and they could not find jobs since then. They don’t beg for money. Some of them would pick empty cans after the last train left. The empty cans could be sold at $1.90 per kg.

In the 1990s, the Japanese government wanted to build underground subway thus chased the wanderers away. Many Japanese pitied them and started a riot with the police force. A volunteer group was then started up to help these wanderers. They would cook and distribute packed lunch or dinner for the wanderers every week etc. The volunteer group will also distribute leaflets for them to tell them where they could seek help.

During the meal distribution, the wanderers would offer their help to pack and would not snatch the food when the volunteers haven’t finished packing all the packets. They would throw the boxes back to the rubbish bags after they finished their meals. This is usually the only meal that they eat for the day.

Another group is a half volunteer group that published magazine, The Big Issue. This magazine company allows wanderers to buy the magazines at half price and sell off to public to earn money. They also allow the wanderers to write articles to include in the magazine or photocopy their article to insert inside the magazine.

The show also interviewed a Japanese guy who is an England graduate who quitted his high pay job to work in a company that buy old washing machines, clean them and sell to wanderers at a low price. He also lived with some of the wanderers in a small house and helped to do their funerals when they passed away. He said that he does not need a lot of money but he is happy that he is helping wanderers to have a better life.

Actually it is really sad to see these wanderers. They do not have family to care for them and talk to them. They are really lonely and poor. The worst kind of poor is not when you do not have money to buy food or clothes. The worst kind of poor is when you are lonely with nobody to talk to and nobody to care and concern about you.