The Art of Roaming
Outlook from the top of Miyajima. Canon 1DX2
A different pace, no spreadsheets or planned timelines, just a destination and a care free mindset. Admittedly at times I remind myself that in the grand scheme being in a rush somewhere might not mean I arrive at the place I was meant to find. Whether you are adventuring with a friend(s) or solo the main thing is to be open to all things you may come to face. My favorite way to get lost, is to have an initial plan or destination, and then give myself all the time in the day to do the thing or get there-or if you're really good at getting lost, not get there at all! I often get distracted by a building(I LOVE architecture in Japan) or city feature on my way to the train station, or easily convinced by a warm scent of food to wander in the direction of a restaurant. Don't get caught up trying to see it all, you'll find a difficult time trying to pack all that memory in there. When heading to a location I've been looking forward to I generally have tunnel vision, but touring in Japan makes it a little bit easier for some reason to slow down. It ls like one big school, there's so much to look at and learn. In the city streets of Japan where the roads may seem like abstract avenues, you will likely miss out on some beautiful experiences walking a strict path.
People heading in every direction in Akihabara - which is mostly reffered to as a place to find electronics but also variety of cafes and food. Nikon F3/Fuji Natura 1600
The tricky part is the quick decision making required during these times... On one occasion I was waiting for a friend(who ended up being very late!) to meet me in front of Senso-Ji Temple in Tokyo. A man approached me, he was curious to what I was doing there and where I was from. He told me he was a professor at a college just outside of Tokyo and he was here with his students. We talked for a few minutes and turns out he had visited my home when he was much younger, he recalled pike place market, as well as he referenced Ichiro Suzuki the baseball player who played for the Seattle Mariners for years. He asked if I liked gambling, a strange shift of conversation. I don't care for gambling but occasionally I waste my money doing so. He went on about pachinko which I know of but have never participated in. He made it out to be and experience I was missing out on, He himself a big fan of pachinko. There is a part of human nature that I particularly don't enjoy participating in, having to be cautious around other human beings, Worrying about if I'm getting scammed. He's going to give me $20 to play with him. If I was anywhere else I might have started backing away, imagining I was about to be scammed.
Looking up at the eaves of Senso-Ji, Tokyo's oldest temple. Nikon F3T/Fuji Pro 400H
I'm a generally a cautious person, but there is a part of me that makes me feel less threatened-because of my stature. I'm not generally worried about people trying to pull some sort of non-sense with me. Consider your own circumstances before walking off with a stranger!
The walkway at Senso-Ji Temple is Asakusa. Packed with gift shops, food, and tourists. Nikon F3T/Fuji Pro 400H
My new friend and I walked around searching for a pachinko parlor, asking local workers in their store fronts if they knew of any in the area and finally after walking around for about 15 minutes and down strange alleys we came to a terribly smoke stenched door front and proceeded inside and up some shady stairwell where people passing us gave strange looks. That certainly didn't help ease my inner tension. Its probably not everyday a mid-20's foreigner and a much older university professor walk in to a pachinko parlor together. To bring the story to a wrap, He explained the tactics of picking a particular pachinko machine to play at and then once we decided on a pair to play at I preceded to loose his $20 with haste(not on purpose). We laughed about it and he told me about one time he won big playing pachinko and that you win some and you lose some. My trust earned as we walked back out onto the streets towards Senso-Ji where we would part ways. Awkwardly his class had been waiting for him to return for some time and he introduced me to them all which was in its own a funny scene. It wasn’t the most exciting event but I now know the next time someone wants to play Pachinko, I can pass. He took my email down and I never heard from him. You win some, you loose some. Not all experiences are mind blowing, but leave you with funny memories.
Looking back out the door way of the main temple at Senso-Ji. Nikon F3T/Fuji Pro 400H
Friends Masao and Shakeeb. Canon 1DX2
Crossing streams a bit - One of my more interesting experiences happened after I approached Masao San. We were both at a race track in the country side, he was there driving his car and I was there just admiring the cars. I was so enthralled by his tuning style I just had to say hello. I never would have imagined how far that friendship would go. He really opened his doors to me and we ended up making a short video documentary together. Thankfully I have some friends who are actually fluent in Japanese and really helped bridge the communication gap I would have other wise had with Masao San. We shared lots of meals and talked about life and our love of cars. We went to the racetrack together multiple times and even engaged in some twilight hour-automotive activities. Some of my favorite memories are from these times. We still talk often.
Early morning, exploring the highways at high speed. Nikon F3/Fuji Natura 1600
Sometimes the only danger is in our own heads.
Opening yourself to the world is a difficult thing for some of us to do. Being in a country not of your own origin or language, “Crossing borders”… More like you are on a completely different planet with its own atmosphere and gravity pulling you in strange directions. Speaking of directions, which way do we go? In many of the larger cities of Japan left or right isn’t the only option, but just as much you have to consider up and down.
My friend Matt exposed me to a sweet little area near his aparatment called Nakano, a suburb of Tokyo perfect for roaming. The grid of streets and alleys surrounding Nakano Broadway cater mostly to foot traffic. A plethora of small restaurants and quirky shops, there is a little something for everyone here without that polished vibe of central Tokyo. Regardless if your level of Japanese speaking tongue is over 9000 or not, if you see or smell something delicious and want to try it I implore you to try and go get it. Even if there is not a single english letter to be found. At this times like this a few key words could really help you out. Using hand gestures and words like "kore" (this, pronounced KO-RAY) or "sore"(that, pronounced SO-RAY) can get you pretty far. If all else fails and you aren't a picky eater you can pretty much ask any place for "omakase" which is a common thing to do in sushi restaurants but you can also request this at a izakaya or yakitori restaurant as well! Omakase basically translates to "chefs choice" or "I will let you choose". Add on a "onegaishimasu" to the end of that for a polite touch.
It’s just a start, but if you put yourself out there you might just find yourself in a beautiful situation you could have never imagined happening. Knowing a little bit of the local language doesn’t hurt. I’ve made some really sweet friends who have shared special experiences I might have walked right past if I hadn’t put a little time into studying the language, and ego(english) aside-a grown man speaking at a 3 year old equivalent.
Japan or otherwise, where is your favorite place to roam?
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