Tokyo Times

With all its people and interesting places, Tokyo is a wonderful city to live in. At the same time, however, all those people and the increasingly concrete landscape can become wearing. A sense of fatigue that a trip to the countryside can fortunately help fix. And while there are still reminders of more urban areas, the sense of space and lack of people is surprisingly liberating.

Even trains, that constant in Tokyo, are a refreshing sight. They are small, almost laughably infrequent, and yet rather luxuriously are still lacking in passengers. Plus as an added bonus they reflect nicely in rice fields, which in the city at least is an incredibly rare treat.

The image of Tokyo as a wealthy city where possibilities abound is certainly a popular one. It’s a perception not devoid of truth either. But at the same time, the idea that it’s some kind of Utopia where the streets are paved with gold is sadly very much an illusion.

He stood out at the tram window, just as I did when walking past.