6.4 Small Towns vs. Big Cities: A Shift in Rhythm#

From Serenity to Clamor#

The geographic span of this itinerary was not merely a movement across distance, but a drastic shift in psychological rhythm.

Izumo is a small town through and through; Okayama, while a prefectural capital, hardly counts as a top-tier metropolis. For the first few days, we shuttled between these quieter towns, enjoying a long-lost sense of leisure.

Izumo, in particular, was striking. As mentioned before, although our hotel was right next to the train station, the streets would swiftly return to silence after dark. Apart from a few izakaya, very few shops remained open nearby. For two consecutive nights, we had dinner at small eateries within the station. What left a deep impression was that, with the exception of the convenience store, every shop inside the station closed promptly at 7:00 PM.

This “sunrise to work, sunset to rest” routine might seem dull to city dwellers accustomed to nightlife, but for us, it was perfect. After dinner, we would return to the hotel, soak in a comfortable hot spring, enjoy the complimentary “Yonaki Soba” (Midnight Ramen) provided by the hotel, and then call it a night.

A Shock to the Senses#

However, when the latter half of the trip shifted to Kobe and then Osaka, the contrast was essentially a shock to the system.

Arriving in Kobe from Izumo already required some adjustment. But when we reached Osaka and walked toward Shin-Umeda, watching the crowds surging like a tidal wave inside the station, I actually froze for a moment—it had truly been a while since I had seen so many people!

That sense of oppression mixed with prosperity hit me all at once. My brain was forced to switch instantly from “power-saving mode” back to “high-speed processing” just to handle the sensory overload before me.

Hong Kong’s “Dynamism” and Reflection#

This contrast also led me to reflect on Hong Kong.

Many foreign friends say they love Hong Kong’s “Dynamism.” This dynamism largely stems from extreme “compactness.” For instance, from the world-class Central Business District (CBD) in Central, you can hop on a taxi or bus and find yourself on the beautiful beaches of Repulse Bay in less than half an hour.

Overseas, beautiful beaches may be common, but the vast majority are far removed from city centers, often requiring hours of driving to reach. A place like Hong Kong—where skyscrapers and green mountains embrace each other closely, and high-intensity corporate battles are just a stone’s throw away from natural relaxation—is indeed a global rarity.

Having lived in Hong Kong for decades, I had long grown accustomed to this “convenience,” perhaps even taking it for granted. But this trip to Japan, by switching between “extremely quiet small towns” and “extremely noisy big cities,” allowed me to re-experience the differences in space and rhythm.

Traveling abroad means throwing oneself into a completely different environment to feel the slowness of small towns and the speed of big cities, and to re-examine the life one takes for granted. This process of constant adaptation and reflection is precisely the “mental workout” we seek.