Gomi Bako, a photo from Chiba, Kanto

Photographer's Note

On my last trip to Japan, I saw something that was new. These transparent garbage cans in the train stations. I don't know the rationale for their use. Maybe they help determine when to change the bags. Or maybe they help prevent bomb scares. (Even in relatively peaceful Tokyo, they remove or seal up garbage containers in train stations whenever some big political event or person comes to town. I haven't heard of anything lately but I guess there have been incidents in the past.)

These containers are partitioned by newspapers/magazines, pet bottles, cans/glass bottles and "everything else". This is not new, they've been splitting up garbage like this for many years.

Anyway it's not an impressive shot photographically but maybe it tells something about the world...

Klapaucius has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Klapaucius (627) 2006-09-19 9:35

Hi Mike

I like your note and the photo is interesting. ^_^

I thought of another use for the transparent bags... it is so Japan's homeless can see if there's anything they want without having to get their hands dirty. :P
I think it helps to see when the bins should be emptied... but another good reason is so that foreigners can easily see what goes where. I know it confused me when I went to throw something away, in the end I gave up and kept it. Hehe.

-Richard

Seino (45) 2006-09-20 2:24

Hi Mike.

To confirm contents easily, the window was installed in Garbage box set up in crowded communal facilities after 911. It is a plan to prevent terrorism though externals are not good.

Anyway, you got daily scene of big city well.

Thanks for sharing!

CaptainJack (0) 2006-09-23 21:50 [Comment]