Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jk-snoR6u0VHvLfZWkOeoODcCzhA?docId=CNG.1fd1c4853d22c9c6fd2476a783525b0d.a1" target="_blank">http://www.google.com/hostedne...25b0d.a1</a> "As an expression of our condolences to disaster victims, and of self-restraint, we have decided to cancel the festivities," said Masahiro Kayano, who heads the Ueno district's tourism federation" This, I think, more that power worries or even concerns about the difficult conditions in the city, is what is leaving TDR in a conundrum. We are facing a cultural dilemma here, and somehow OLC and DisCo will have to figure something out, in an appropriate manner. They forwent the sakura season, in many places. This is a major thing, MORE major than Disney by far. Obviously, this will take time.
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder This is a lot of what is behind my thinking as to why Disney won't re-open for a while, among other reasons. I've never been to Japan, but my father in law served there and other places in that part of the world when he was in the service. While he was still able, he told me a lot about his experiences there. It bred his deep seated interest in the martial arts, for example, to the point where he became an instructor for the FBI, CIA, LAPD and as I've mentioned a time or two before, he even taught Chuck Norris advanced martial arts. My in laws' house is filled with Japanese art, and also some furniture. My mother in law won't remove it (she's no fan of it) until he passes, even though he's been in a facility for over two years now. Anyway, what he always stressed and what my mother in law has been saying since the earthquake occurred is in times like this, the culture in Japan just wouldn't allow for something they look at as frivolous, like a theme park, to go on as long as such pain and suffering and hardships are still being endured in other parts of the country. To a large segment of their citizens, it just wouldn't be right or honorable as it relates to the victims, both dead and alive, until the survivors and life in the affected parts is restored to acceptable levels again. Forget about the business aspect of it, to them, it just wouldn't seem right to be riding through Small World when that time could be spent helping rebuild or honoring the victims.
Originally Posted By Mr X ****Forget about the business aspect of it**** Except that you CAN'T forget "the business aspect" of it, either. Not that the feelings aren't real, but there are employees sitting around that need to get back to work, and (yes) customers who would like to patronize if they can. Just adding to it is all (not necessarily disagreeing with anything you wrote Passholder). A real conundrum. To say the least!
Originally Posted By mawnck >>he even taught Chuck Norris advanced martial arts<< Chuck Norris had to be taught? I'm crushed. Seriously, I can't believe they would cancel the cherry blossom festival over this. I would expect it to be scaled back, and to be excessively somber even, but cancel it? Wow! Life must go on, says me. Why force yourself to be miserable?
Originally Posted By Mr X ***Seriously, I can't believe they would cancel the cherry blossom festival over this*** Some did. Some didn't. There's no one opinion on this issue here, that's for sure! Many in the North who sell stuff are begging Japan NOT to cancel their festivities, as they are relying on the revenue. ***Why force yourself to be miserable?*** That's a perplexing part of this disaster, but then again I'm not Japanese. There does seem to be a certain "we should all suffer" vibe going on right now. And I can't say that I think it's *wrong* or anything like that, I really don't know. But, I do think it's a big part of the dilemma that the Tokyo Disney management is going through right now (if the whole nation is in "suffer mode", how the hell can they re-open!?). I dunno, I'm just observing, but it's a rock and a hard place situation here to say the least right now (I've spoken to many Japanese friends and associates who DON'T agree with the attitude though, so it's hardly universal).
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder "Except that you CAN'T forget "the business aspect" of it, either. Not that the feelings aren't real, but there are employees sitting around that need to get back to work, and (yes) customers who would like to patronize if they can. Just adding to it is all (not necessarily disagreeing with anything you wrote Passholder). A real conundrum. To say the least!" I believe we're in agreement here. Not all of Japan buys into this anymore, but it is still a very strong presence and has to be dealt with here. I'm not saying it's practical at all, but a lot of a country's centuries' old cultural practices won't be.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***I'm not saying it's practical at all, but a lot of a country's centuries' old cultural practices won't be*** It's fair to say that Japan has never dealt with such a crisis in modern times, so there's that. Whether or not old cultural ways (and I'm not sure this is that, but it seems like it) will be of use or an added burden remains to be seen. I guess, Japan will cope the way Japan copes. I'm just observing from the sidelines, but it's pretty shocking and DEFINITELY palpable right now to say the least. In my lifetime, I would say that I've experienced 2 "shocks to the foundations of a nation", one being 9/11, and now this. They are very different things, so it's impossible to equate the two until historians look back on them in the fullness of time. But I would say, I *think* fairly, that they are equally devastating events. So in my mind, Japan right now is like America was in October of 2001. The healing has yet to begin.
