Public/private (10 pictures plus one bonus)

I arrived at a monjayaki restaurant for a late lunch or early dinner. The whole place was almost deserted for a while, but filled up pretty quickly. Certainly the restaurant was a public space.

But even though the restaurant was public, our table was quite private. The thought of anyone, including restaurant staff, coming in and cooking something on our plate or setting something down without it being ordered, would definitely be violating our personal private space.


Trains are also very public. Many people, myself included, use them every day and we can see others and be seen ourself, whether we like it or not.

However, much like this man, we can take a seat and turn it into a private place by actively tuning out the rest of the world and creating our own private non-spoken barriers. That seat, the space between him and the magazine, that is HIS space, and not to be violated by anyone else.

On the way to my local train station, I cross this intersection, as does many other people. It's not really special in any way, but it's just an open area that people walk in.

However, right down the street a little ways is a roped off area for a frog advertising a drug store. Since the first time I moved to this neighborhood, I wondered why the frog needed such a large area. I understand having a private space for a sign, so people won't damage it, but such a vast area on a crowded street is a bit odd. No matter why, the yellow chain indicates very clearly what area is part of the the frog's private space and what isn't.

There aren't very many places in Japan, or the world for that matter, that are more public than Shibuya crossing. As the busiest intersection in the world, Shibuya is clearly a public place in Tokyo.

Much like Shibuya, a person's apartment is small, cramped, and a lot of stuff is happening. But unlike Shibuya, it's a quiet place, under the control of one person, and due to it's size and location, is quite private.


Whenever I go to my favorite restaurant, I have my own bottle, but even though my name is written on it, anybody at the table is welcome. There is also a large bucket of ice, lemon slices, some lemon flavoring, and carbonated water for everyone who wants it.

But once it's in a glass, it is no longer the property of everyone. It's my drink in my glass. Even though the difference between public property (of those at the table) to private property (of just mine) is the container it's in, once the ingredients are mixed, it's mine.


Bonus picture:
This kiosk on a train station is in the process of closing. Once those steel shutters are closed, it is a very private world, not open to the public anymore. During working hours, it is a very public place, with many people stopping to grab a quick snack or drink, something to read, and useful emergency items. Yet, when it's closed, the space is not available for anyone. Even though it is still in the middle of a busy train platform, it is a private island. In this picture, it is in the middle of changing from a public space to private.