This was right across from the place I lived about ten years ago. Japan has really changed a lot in ten years, and this area has changed almost completely. At the time, my apartment was surrounded by warehouses and factories. One of those places used a lot of tar, and I can still smell that smell. Over the years all of these factories and warehouses have been torn down and modern housing has been put in their place.

Well, not all I suppose. That smokestack across the river is still there. But on this side, it's all housing now.

There wasn't much good about this place (but there wasn't much bad either; I don't really have any complaints) but it was where we lived when my first son was born. As such I have some great memories of here.

Late at night when he wouldn't go to sleep and would be screaming his head off, I'd put him in his carrier and walk along this river back and forth as he was rocked to sleep by the movement.

Good memory.

This was taken with my phone, using one of my favorite Hipstamatic filter combinations: Bettie XL and Rock BW-11. It the noise and lack of clarity, it always reminds me of some of the cheap film cameras I used in high school and uni. If you have Hipstamatic, I'd urge you to try this one out.

	David LaSpina is an American photographer and translator lost in Japan, trying to capture the beauty of this country one photo at a time and searching for the perfect haiku.