hachioji: where street art meets my half-broken airbnb

i woke up to a weird mix of dashboard lights and street art on my ceiling. like, literally. my window was open, and some guy was spray-painting a giant cat on the wall outside. i thought it was a dream. or maybe a movie scene. i checked the time. 3 am. yep. real life.

so i just checked and it's breezy right now, hope you like that kind of thing. not too hot, not too cold, just that in-between vibe where you could roll down your bag and forget you're alive. the temp is 17.58, which feels like 16.65 if you're wrapped in a blanket made of regret. humidity's at 48%, which is basically the perfect amount to make you question all your life choices.

the neighbors? well, the old man down the street is probably mourning his cat again. i heard that. or maybe he's just sitting there drinking sake and thinking about how much better life was in the 80s. i don't know. i didn't ask. i just saw him through the blinds and thought, 'that's not a life, that's a meme.'

someone told me that the local market is actually a front for a secret bookstore. or was it a tattoo parlor? i forget. either way, it's a rumor i can't confirm. i went there once. bought a dried mango. the vendor looked at me like i was a ghost. or maybe he was just tired. either way, i left without saying goodbye.

i heard that the coffee shop nearby is just a front for a bookstore. or was it a tattoo parlor? i forgot. either way, it's a rumor i can't confirm. i went there once. bought a dried mango. the vendor looked at me like i was a ghost. or maybe he was just tired. either way, i left without saying goodbye.

i saw a sign for a yoga class tomorrow. i didn't sign up. i'm not a yoga person. i'm more of a 'stumble through life' kind of guy. but maybe i should? i saw a poster with a picture of a guy doing a handstand. it looked like he was trying to escape. or maybe he was just really good at yoga. i don't know.

i took a picture of the street art. it was a cat. a giant cat. it looked like it was judging me. or maybe it was just a cat. i uploaded it to unsplash. here's one of the shots:

. another one of the street scenes:

. and a shot of the random dashboard light that kept flashing:

.

i used the map to find the nearest bar. it's called 'the blue whale' or something. i went there. it was empty. i asked a guy if he knew where the real local spot was. he looked at me like i was a tourist from another dimension. he said, 'just go down that alley. it's a 10-minute walk.' i didn't. i went to the blue whale. it was closed. i left.

i checked yelp for reviews. someone said the food was amazing. another said it was a trap. i didn't believe either. i tried the food anyway. it was okay. not great. not terrible. the guy behind the counter looked like he'd rather be painting. which is probably true.

i heard that the city is just a short drive away from some other places. if you get bored, maybe the next town over is worth a look. i didn't take that advice. i stayed in my airbnb. which is basically a shed with a window. but it's mine. and i decorated it with flight tickets and empty beer cans.

i went to a street art festival last night. it was loud. people were painting. screaming. throwing paint. i got covered in it. i looked like a raccoon. or maybe a modern art piece. either way, i'm happy.

i saw a review online that said the city has the best dumplings. i didn't believe it. i went to the place anyway. the dumplings were okay. the owner was really into astrology. she kept talking about mercury retrograde. i asked if she believed in it. she said, 'i don't know. i just sell dumplings.' i left.

i checked the weather again. it's still breezy. i'm not sure if that's a good thing. maybe it's a sign. or maybe i'm just tired. either way, i'm writing this. with my laptop on the floor. and a cup of coffee that's probably cold by now. but it's hot enough to count.

someone told me that the city is haunted. i didn't believe it. but then i saw a shadow in the alley. it looked like a cat. or maybe my imagination. i didn't tell anyone. i just kept walking.

i need to go back to sleep. or maybe not. i'm not sure. i'm here. in this mess. with my broken airbnb and my half-finished blog post. and a city that probably doesn't care. but hey. that's the point.

p.s. if you're thinkin' about coming here, check tripadvisor. or yelp. or just ask a local. they'll probably point you in the wrong direction. but that's okay. that's the adventure.

link to tripadvisor: https://www.tripadvisor.com
link to yelp: https://www.yelp.com
link to local art board: https://www.localartboard.com

i'm not sure if this makes sense. i probably won't read it again. but if you do, maybe you'll like it. or maybe you'll hate it. either way, it's real.

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