One of the things which happens as a result of people living practically on top of each other in Tokyo is that the nature on their respective properties has to be kept in line. I know that trees are cut down, pruned, and managed everywhere in the world, but the level at which they are brutalized into submission in Tokyo sometimes makes me cringe as it so often exceeds what I grew up with in terms of foliage maintenance.
I understand why it is done, but it just feels wrong when I see someone removing half a tree or binding it nearly up to it's crown in order to keep it from growing branches that may obscure the view of a building or spread onto communal or a neighbor's property.
I won't miss seeing these seriously bullied bits of nature, particularly in a culture which boasts frequently about how much it values and respects nature.
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