[gabbyS]

hi, i live in new york and i am trying to understand some things about the street music and performance scene in tokyo. i have never been to tokyo, so i hope the forum can answer my questions.

here in new york, lots of musicians play in the subways and streets. they put out a hat or a jar or a bucket for tips, and if people passing by like what they hear, they will give the musician a tip. there are also people doing magic tricks or mime or other kinds of performance for money. in new york it is illegal to play music in the subway without a permit, but lots of people do it anyway...

does the same thing happen in tokyo? do people play music in the streets or subways? what kind of music do they play? do they do other types of performance, too? do people stop to listen and give them money? do performers get hassled by the police?

has anyone become famous who started playing in the streets?
has anyone on the forum ever tried playing music in public places?

thanks for helping with my questions!

gabbyS