One of the nuanced aspects of working in China is hearing the gentle gaming rhythm of two good players bashing it out on the office ping pong table, the ping and the pong a counterbalance to the gentle ticky-tap-tap of keyboards, or the thud-scrape-squeak of grease deposits on gorilla glass.

It is omnipresent.

Above: Adidas ping pong table in Tokyo Hikaeri, below two office workers battling it out in my local Jingan sports hall.