tokyo in 13.42 degrees (and why i still can’t decide if i love it or hate it)
i woke up this morning to the sound of rain tapping against my window and immediately regretted leaving my vintage band tees packed. it’s 13.42 out there, which is like that perfect temperature where you can wear a cardigan over a shirt and not feel like you’re sweating or freezing. the humidity’s 41%, which means my vintage flannel is already sweating on me. i checked the weather and it’s…there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.
last night, i heard someone on a train say tobuy a bento box from a street vendor near shinjuku station. they were muttering about how sushi places here are all about the atmosphere, not the fish. i rolled my eyes because i’m here for the fish, but maybe they’re onto something.
this city has this vibe where you’re always one step away from something terrible or wonderful. like, i passed a guy selling used manga near a convenience store and he handed me a 1990s naruto manga for 500 yen. i don’t know if it’s a scam or a gift, but i kept it.
the neighbors? well, they’re either napping in their apartments or out there buying matcha lattes at 10pm. i overheard a group of students arguing about whether the new mural downtown is ‘too political’ or ‘just art.’ i don’t care. i care that the art is there.
i heard that the izakaya on sanshomachi is closed forever. someone told me that. i’m not sure if it’s true, but i asked anyway. they said, ‘it’s not that it’s closed, it’s that the owner moved to oklahoma.’ i don’t know why anyone would move to oklahoma. maybe they liked the tornadoes.
here’s a map if you want to get lost:
. i don’t even know where this spot is. maybe it’s a trap.
i found a photo of a torii gate in a park that looked like it was from a dream.
. i don’t know if it’s real or if i just wanted to see it.
someone warned me that the sushi place on sanshomachi is closed for remodeling. i don’t believe them. i also heard that the coffee shop in asakusa serves the best matcha in the city. i’m going to trust that. tripadvisor has reviews about that place, but i haven’t checked. maybe i should.
i’m still not sure if this city is trying to impress me or if it’s just being extra. the weather’s 13.42, the people are…interesting, and the vintage clothes in a flea market downtown are cheaper than they should be. i bought a leather jacket for 3000 yen. it smells like old rain.
if you get bored, kamakura is just a short train ride away, or maybe you’ll find a hidden café in shinjuku that no one else knows about. i haven’t checked. i don’t have time.
here’s another photo. this one is a path leading to a house in the middle of a forest.
. i don’t know if it’s real. maybe it’s a metaphor.
and here’s a third. a house with a wooden porch and white walls.
. it’s probably not in tokyo. i hope it is.
this is the kind of place where you can’t trust anything. the reviews, the weather, the strangers on the street. i heard that the best ramen is in toshima ward, but i also heard that the owner is a robot. maybe both are true. yelp might have answers. or maybe not.
i don’t know. i’m just here. the temperature’s 13.42, the humidity’s 41%, and i’m wearing a vintage leather jacket while wondering if i’m making this up. probably am.
p.s. if you want to join me, let me know. i’ll share my jacket. it’s waterproof. probably.
You might also be interested in:
- https://votoris.com/post/seasonal-weather-in-al-huff-what-to-expect-throughout-the-year
- https://votoris.com/post/austin-aftermath-a-caffeinefueled-chaos
- https://votoris.com/post/is-paraaque-familyfriendly-parks-schools-and-safety
- https://votoris.com/post/starting-a-business-in-maracay-local-regulations-tax-info-the-messy-truth
- https://votoris.com/post/st-petersburg-a-whirlwind-of-history-weather-and-unexpected-coordinates