The station nearest to my home has two personalities. You can exit north to find a neatly organized bus lottery and a street of chain stores. Starbucks is also always present. If you exit south, on the other hand, you will find yourself in a maze of narrow streets lined with ramshackle houses and overgrown Japanese kerria or trumpet vines.
The Woodworker was discovered as I wandered aimlessly in these alleys. This isn’t his real name. We’ve never been together. In fact, I’ve seen him only a handful times over the past 10 years. His garden, which is full of wooden dioramas that are powered by tiny solar cells, brings him joy every time I walk past. Clicking and clanging, a small wooden marionette raises an apple ad infinitum. A tiny carousel with miniature horses stops spinning when the sun sets. The crowd of ticktocking box is both charming and ridiculous, and it’s a truly unforgettable example of Japanese hobbies.
The Woodworker’s House is not something you would find in a travel book. Yet, I’m certain that it will remain a fond memory to those visitors who were lucky enough find it.
In the 20 years I have lived here, my friends and family have visited me many times. The usual tourist spots are visited, and they find them impressive. The stories that we tell each other about unplanned events are the ones we remember years later. This sake bar’s owner’s dog welcomed every new arrival with a grin, but nipped and growled when people tried to leave. The little shrine in the neighborhood where garbage cans were neatly lettered with English signs that read “Box for FILTH.” The random coffee shop with the Arita porcelain collection and stacks of explicit Manga.
Tokyo rewards flaneurs. It could be because the city is crammed with so many people. There’s a cultural tendency to make a unique mark in one’s own little corner. Who knows? There are many small delights to be found in the city.
My travel tip is to allow for serendipity. Tokyo is a city with so many attractions that it’s easy for visitors to rush around, visiting famous temples and museums. Tokyo is a fascinating city, but if you rush around it’s easy to miss some of its best features. Tokyo. You can also wander aimlessly in the city, and choose whatever turns you find most interesting. You will be rewarded with an impromptu jazz riff that is human and you will never forget.
