The sight of drunks staggering about or even passed out on the street is not exactly rare in Tokyo — especially so during the end and start of year party seasons. Somewhat surprisingly, the vast majority of them manage to get away with little more than occasional glances from passersby as well. But that said, at the stage when all motor functions have failed and back up help is called for, then those glances do tend to stretch into stares.
Ron says
Haha, I think I remember being in that stage myself!
Lee says
Although if you were in that state, you probably wouldn’t remember!
YTSL says
When I was in Japan last October, I actually witnessed a fight between a young man and a couple of station guards at Osaka Station. My suspicion is that the young man was on the inebriated side. Have you witnessed incidents like that (around the time that you take pictures of those station drunks)?
Lee says
Nah, not at all. In fact I’ve never seen a fight the whole time I’ve been here, whether drink-related or otherwise. Raised voices and aggression yes, but never anything actually physical.
YTSL says
Wow, I must be “lucky”, huh? In addition, a few years ago at a station in Tokyo, I saw two older men attempt some fisticuffs, only for their women/wives to drag them away. Until that time, I had never heard a Japanese woman screaming in anger in real life (as opposed to a movie) — and at her man/husband — before! ;b
Lee says
I reckon so. Definitely not a common sight. At least not in my experience, anyway. That said, I have heard a Japanese woman shout in anger at her husband!
Denton says
Oh man that guy is in a bad way! 😮 I would not want to be him the next day!!
Lee says
No, you and me both. A hangover, one imagines, of truly biblical proportions!
cdilla says
Oh dear. Let’s hope that’s a one off experience for him.
Whilst his brain-leg co-ordination is clearly given up the ghost for the time being, his hand-eye co-ordination is certainly having a go at picking those coins up.
Out of curiosity I did a google on drunk tokyo and on the images page I’m pretty sure 99% of them are yours. You seem to have cornered that particular niche. Now to monetize that monopoly 🙂
Lee says
I’d certainly like to think so. And yeah, I noticed that. He also managed to retrieve and put on his amazingly undamaged glasses too.
Haha, not sure if it’s something to be proud of, but it’s not exactly something I go out looking for ether. They have just, as it were, been there to photograph. The scene above occurred when the train I was on pulled up at the station, and in the time it took for the doors to open and close, it all happened. Photographing such things is the easy part though, monetizing them not so much…
MrSatyre says
“Yes, I have another OCD victim. At the platform. Yes, he’s complaining that the yellow tiles aren’t all perfectly lined up. Okay, I’ll try. Sir! Sir! You have to get up! The tiles are arranged that way intentionally to break up the hypnotizing flow of color and textures.”
“Nooooo! I must stay until someone comes along and straightens them!”
“Sir, you must get up!”
“I don’t believe you! I demand a professional art critic!”
Lee says
The state he was in, I don’t think the yellow lines could have looked lined up or straight no matter what he did with them!