like riding on a bus, my saturday went as varied as the many stops each passenger hops off at. and like a japanese bus ride, my activities went as smoothly as possible.
otonashi water park (音無親水公園)
for lunch, my housemate recommended that we go to the nearby oji station. thus, the bus from earlier was the ride to the place. we went through buildings and came out off a history page. it was a surprise to see a very beautiful and quiet park beside a river in the middle of the city.
here is what an online article has to say about the area.
This park is nestled in the former channel of the Shakujii River. In the past, the Shakujii River was known as the "Otonashi River" and was a popular place for leisure activities throughout the four seasons. The Otonashi Shinsui Park was established with the hopes of remaking the scene of the river in the past. The park is located in a convenient-to-access area, right near JR’s Oji Station, but it’s so calm and serene that it doesn’t feel like being in the heart of the city. It has also been chosen as one of “Japan’s Top 100 City Parks” as an exemplary city park.
King Seimen (キング製麺)
we finally arrived at the recommended lunch store, a ramen shop. we were the 10th on the queue when we arrived. in japan, ramen are categorized based on the soup. tonkotsu (pork bone broth), shoyu (soy sauce based), miso (from miso paste), shio (clear soup from chicken stock, fish or vegetables flavored by salt) are just some of the types. this one we had was shio based, a very clear soup with the most natural of tastes. i loved it.
Oji Coffee Roaster (王子珈琲焙煎所サクラピアス)
after the lunch ramen, we decided to have a coffee break. it was a tiny shop with around 15 seats and a single staff.
what i loved was the whimsical interior, coffee bean prints and some window perch. i think you can also buy coffee beans in here. some creamy bread can also be ordered.
スターバックスコーヒー STARBUCKS RESERVE(R) ROASTERY TOKYO
later that afternoon, i met my high school buddies who came from cebu, philippines. it was a good time to bond again with people who knew me in my younger years. we met at the starbucks roastery in nakameguro, one of the biggest in the world.
it was the perfect time and place, we witnessed a fireworks festival from the terraces of the building. and that brought more joy and excitement to my friends' japan experience. this nakameguro area was known for sakura blossoms, they were off by just a few months.
Yamamoto's Hamburger (山本のハンバーグ )
the final stop was the dinner location in the same area, another cozy shop. burger steak was the dinner choice. it was a place where we sat down on a couch and had another chance to chat further. years of separation stored chapters of stories needed to be shared. a day is not enough.
food finally came, it was the only moment we had some quiet time.
ueno
30 minutes of train travel was all it took to finally reach home. they stayed at a hotel in ueno, just a few blocks away from home. this day was filled with pleasant memories, something i could cherish for more years to come.
friends are magical creatures, you may not talk for some time but when you do, it is as if no time apart was ever spent.
as always, AMPING KANUNAY!
all content is by yours truly unless otherwise specified
all photos are taken with a galaxy s23 ultra
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Height168.0 cm | Weight71.3 kg | Body Fat19.8 % | |||
Waistcm | Thighscm | Chestcm |