later, sooner

later, sooner

It didn't take long for me to know, with certainty, that the Shinkansen 新幹線 is my favourite way to travel. Fast, smooth, comfortable, quiet, always on time and no need to check in or wait around. Just walk on.

Gliding away from the station, through the shifting, weaving view of power lines, train tracks and urban infrastructure as the rain flicked by. The city wet now, hazy and grey, but with sakura 桜 spilling out between buildings and over water channels like clouds of pink dust.

With the increasing speed the larger buildings moved by as if scale models, the view then flattening out into a consistent height. A moment later, already in the countryside and buildings nestled in the flat between hills, filling all available space. Tunnels, tunnels, tunnels.