In awe of Japan

Often I see images from Japan and get awestruck at the beauty and the origins of such things. The general planning and the look in major cities leaves one wondering why people talk about beautiful japanese architecture. The cities are not planned like Australian cities is the beauty of their surroundings is important. The great architecture is there - sometimes you have to look for it.

This is the just the public toilets of the Shiroyama sky dome in Kumamoto. Designed by Hiroshi+Akiko Takahashi.

Places to visit Japan

1. Miura Cost

 

2. Nenba

Japan’s traditional rural lifestyle at this beautiful open-air museum of thatched-roof houses that’s an easy half-day trip from Tokyo.

Population 7 Billion

 Here is a comment to the photos on this topic

It is very easy to shout population control! But once you realise that if you walk into a African country (say), and tell a man/woman that they should hav only 1 / 2 children, that you will be viewed as a Western Cultural Imperialist, you realise that the problem is actually a little more complicated. There are cultural and economical, but above all, psychological questions to be answered, and issues to be addressed.

The best thing to be done is a multi-pronged approach:

1. Why has population growth flattened out in many countries (like Western Europe and Japan?): Economic prosperity.
2. How to bring economic prosperity to people without massively depelting earth's resources? Research, research, research.
3. How to supply energy and raw materials to all? Promote efficiency and durability - get us off products with "planned obsolesence", and maximise the impact of other resources - how? Research, research, research.


Basically, we need an approcah where economic investment an massive sci-tech research investment goes hand-in-hand. On all levels. Because chaning man's psychology is nigh-impossible. Changing conditions whereby we achieve the desired psychological outcome (want less children, more responsible, better stewardship)  is bound to be more successful.