Japanese "Shades of Grey"

The visual story of an ageing society

By Tanja Houwerzijl

January 26^th, 2020

So much has been written about the greying society in Japan. Most articles will elaborate on the statics e.g, the high life expectancy in Japan, the decreasing fertility rate, the effects of the demographic trends on the economy and on social, cultural and political life in Japan. In recent years a new issue in Japan related to old age has come to light. Unfortunately it's a tragic one, namely the fact that many car accidents involving elderly drivers, have been taking place over the last years. With one in five citizens aged 70 or older, Japan is facing a sensitive problem, how do you keep traffic accidents down when people are getting older? The ageing population in Japan has quite some practical consequences, often very visible when walking the streets in Tokyo. Shop owners are often elderly men and women who will have to work till they turn 75 years old or even older in order to provide for their retirement. Taxi drivers are mostly older Japanese men, grocery stores' cash registers are manned by elderly people, which sometimes makes the lines longer and can make the daily chore of running errands a little less efficient. When travelling through Japan, villages are often emptying out and seem 'grey' with regard to its remaining population.

A walking stick or a cane, what's in a name?

The "Silver" workforce

Many shop owners in Japan have passed their retired age. Some of them are happy to be still part of the workforce, others have no choice. The so-called "Silver Human Resources Centers" are everywhere in Japan and actively help the elderly with finding work opportunities. A lot of older people are happy to work, it keeps them motivated and connected and they have a lot of experience and skills to offer. Besides working, volunteering is another attractive activity for older people, it gets them out of the house and is a tested remedy against loneliness.

Sugamo - "Grandma's Harajuku"

Some areas are greyer than others, in the Northwestern part of Tokyo, the Sugamo district is often compared to the Harajuku for Seniors. The main shopping street, Jizo dori, has many shops and restaurants especially targeted to the elderly. Most shops are barrier-free and have ramps to facilitate access with walking sticks or wheelchairs, on every corner you'll find an AED (automated External Defibrillator) for emergencies. The main attraction in the middle of the street is the Koganji Temple, a visit to the temple is said to help cure ailments and is for obvious reasons a popular stop for the elderly.