Hello from Japan! Specifically Ebisu Shibuya. I’m at a pretty hip spot called Tenement to take a load off with a cup of coffee. I just had a delicious bowl of pork belly ramen at Kukai Ebisu, a popular local shop. From what I see this area is similar to North Park. There’s a lot of young people here, fashionably dressed, along with young families. There’s one right next to me. They must barely be in their 30’s. They could easily pull in my neighborhood as contemporary couple. It’s a well to do residence load with chic cafes, restaurants, and bars. Here’s more about the area.
I’m enjoying my afternoon here. Tenement would be the coolest cafe in North Park. They’re playing old Japanese records off a record player. You can flip something on if you want but I’m chillin whatever they’re playing. It’s gotta be some 80’s lounge soundtrack. Sounds like it could have been part of non-action scenes in Cowboy Bebop. After I’m done here I’ll probably go back to the room and have some Lucky Strikes. Yeah, I couldn’t believe it when I got to the airport. I had to have them.
Smoking in the Tokyo area is kinda tough. There’s countless signs everywhere warning not to light one up. Even the young hotel keep warning me smoking in Tokyo difficult. I have a small patio so I smoke out there. I’m not really sure if I’m allowed to but fuck it. The nice keep told me not to smoke outside. “Room ok” as he said. Patio is part of the space I’m paying for. See how I can justify things? Honestly though, it’s beneficial you have to smoke in designated areas. The streets are extremely clean. No one is smoking in your face. I respect that.
Maybe later I’ll go exploring past a few blocks. Part of me is scared of getting too lost and unable to get back to my stay. I figured out how to use my train pass but getting a bus to my hotel seemed like quantum physics. Where do I get a ticket? Which bus exactly do I take? Google Maps has been useful but certainly not precise. I saw there was a bus to take but I couldn’t decipher which one of the five was mine. I assumed I could pay for the fair on the bus but I was too socially embarrassed to try.
I walked 21 minutes towards refuge but happy it happened that way. I mingled in the hustle of the city. I feel humbled being a stranger without the language and customs of this space. It’s liberating. No one knows me. I left a lot of personal baggage behind on the other side of the world. There’s nothing I have to worry about. No commitments. No drama. No problems, just spontaneity. Whatever I feel like doing today or tomorrow I’ll just have to figure it out, soon with Andrew coming along. This is my first independent vacation.
Disaesthetic 