Public eye #1-#20

‘Public eye’ stops people out and about in Tokyo, asking them about their day, what they do… anything. It’s a glimpse into the minds and lives of the people we see every day out on the street. Check out 20 unique Tokyo stories from people we met along the way.

Hiroshi Kamayatsu (71) at Aux Bacchanales Kioicho

‘For me, the name Time Out brings back memories of the 60s, like meeting an old friend again – something to be really excited about.’
Public eye #1

Niken Dayu Prasasti and Mahesa Almeida at Otori Jinja

‘We’ve both had a keen interest in Japanese manga and anime, etc., ever since childhood.’
Public eye #2

David Johnson (30) at Gaienmae

‘Maybe it’s because of its small streets, but I think the people here have a good understanding of what it means to “share”.’
Public eye #3

Kate Sikora (29) in Ebisu

‘Japanese words I particularly like are “natsukashii” and “honto!?”… and also “a, sokka!”’ [Laughs]
Public eye #4

Wayne Neil (50) at Ebisu station

‘Japan was the nineteenth country I’ve visited: Korea the twentieth. When I first came to Japan, I never imagined I’d actually end up living here.’
Public eye #5

Pasha Alpeyev (32) at Marunouchi

‘Because life can be completely changed by a single chance encounter, I always keep my heart open.’
Public eye #6

Tiger Hagino (27) along the Megurogawa river

‘Tiger is my real name. [Laughs] I’ve two sisters – an older sister called Ryuko and a younger sister named Murasaki,’
Public eye #7

Liza McKenzie (24) in Harajuku

‘You’re meant to slurp ramen, right? I wasn’t a very good slurper at first, but I’m getting better at it.’
Public eye #8

Valentina Moniga (28) at Zarigani Café, Shibuya

‘Can’t explain why. Five years ago I lived in Kyoto with Japanese family, and three years ago I worked for two months at the Italian Embassy in Tokyo.’
Public eye #9

Nanaha Tsukishiro (22) at Geisai #14, Tokyo Big Sight

‘There is a tendency amongst Japanese people to view this kind of real Japanese otaku culture with the same negative bias. People from abroad, on the contrary, really love it. They get all excited and say things like, ‘Cool!’ and want to have their picture taken with me.’
Public eye #10

Charles Ayres (32) at JR Yotsuya station

‘The characters that reflect inimitable Japanese aesthetic sense and peculiar cuteness do well overseas.’
Public eye #11

Ito Shoji (38) near Toritsu-daigaku station

‘Try loosening things up a bit by rubbing about a fist’s length above your ears when you’re shampooing. This will relax the muscles of your face and give your face a nice, soft focus look.’
Public eye #12

Nozomi Kobayashi (30) in Ebisu 2-Chome

‘If my boyfriend said, “Let’s get married and live together,” I would have to think about it, but if he said, “Let’s live in Hawaii,” or “Let’s live in Alaska,” I reckon I would be there in a flash.’ [Laughs]
Publie eye #13

Tomitaro Zenchiku (30) at Matsumizaka

‘It’s a form of comedy that dates back to the Muromachi period, many people have strange preconceptions regarding kyogen. For example, it’s often thought that to understand it you need to be interested in history and classical literature; however, in reality, you don’t have to have any special knowledge to laugh at the jokes and find the performances entertaining.’ Public eye #14

Miwa Gardner (28) at Shibuyabashi intersection

‘A friend introduced the both of us whilst we were viewing cherry blossoms in Yoyogi Park: wherever you are, there’s always a chance to meet that special someone.’
Public eye #15

Stephen Pierson (21) in Hiroo 5 Chome

‘I’ve loved Japan since I was a kid. I love anime, and I used to watch ‘Dragon Ball [Z]’ and ‘One Piece’ all the time.’
Public eye #16

Stephen Lebovits (42) in Harajuku

‘When you first get here, things like getting on the Chuo Line are amazing, but now – not so much, so I switched to a scooter.’
Public eye #17

Mariko Oshima (35) in Kojimachi

‘My friend and I have a vegetable garden. The plot we rent is in Chiba, not in Tokyo. Just the other day, we planted summer vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach and carrots.’
Public eye #18

Erisa Ban (20) on Hiroo shopping street

‘In Maui, I met so many different people, and when I saw people who were living without caring about how other people saw them, and just being themselves, I thought it was really cool.’
Public eye #19

Ying (26) and Yan (26) in Inokashira Park

‘What’s interesting isn’t so much the difference between the types of guy we fall for, but rather the difference between the types of guy who fall for us!’
Public eye #20