back on my mind

back on my mind

Arriving at the statue, the area was unexpectedly empty until a wave of people appeared from the station. The sakura 桜 was a clear focal point, glowing in the rising light.

My morning's plan was to visit the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel 首都圏外郭放水路, a colossal subterranean flood-prevention system in Saitama Prefecture 埼玉県. Tours can be difficult to organise because the facility is inaccessible whenever it's operational and the tour is delivered in Japanese, so safety dictates that visitors must be accompanied by someone who can understand the language. As such, two weeks prior I took the gamble of hiring an interpreter willing to travel there, while praying there'd be no severe weather events in the meantime. Luckily it all worked out.

Yoshida-san 吉田さん was as punctual as expected, dressed in suit and tie, and before long we were on our way.

doing alright

doing alright

A brief stop by the hotel as the city lit up, then dinner up the hill at the curious (and now defunct) B & Loin, where staff were friendly and eager to test their English skills.

Later, some more exploration of random back streets in Shibuya 渋谷 and Jinnan 神南, then to bed in preparation for an early rise to rendezvous with an interpreter at Hachikō ハチ公.

battle scars

battle scars

Entering the Yokosuka Line 横須賀線 to depart for Shinjuku Station 新宿駅.

An hour or so later, the sun just down, I made my way through the rush and jumped on the Yamanote Line 山手線 to Shibuya Station 渋谷駅.

playback

playback

Ten minutes later, alighting at the west exit of Kamakura Station 鎌倉駅, looking down the cosy shopping run of Onari-dōri 御成通り before leaving the city.

remember for you

remember for you

At Hase Station 長谷駅, waiting for the tram after helping a group of Russian optometrists who'd left their wallet behind at the ticket machine.