I'm having a meta-Japan moment here. While eating maguro sushi I've turned on the TV in my hotel room only to find a special on Japanese fishermen hunting for ... maguro. Funny.
This is Day 3 of my vacation in Tokyo and the verdict is in: I still love Japan. Actually, the verdict came in while I was riding the Narita Express from Narita Airport to Ikebukuro. I knew right away I was happy to be home. Japan is very plug and play for me. This is not exactly like a vacation although it does feature some vacationlike characteristics (roaming aimlessly in the city, waking up late and setting my own schedule, shopping, eating copious amounts of my favorite foods, checking out artistic events and such). Yes, Tokyo looks like Bladerunner at night but it still feels entirely natural. How can I feel at home in a megalopolis such as this? I can thank New York for some but not all of the familiarity I'm feeling. While I'm quite comfortable being in a large city thanks to my six years residing in the Big Apple, the other reason is that Japan just makes sense because I used to live here too. I know where everything is for the most part, and I can read Japanese so if I don't know something I can figure out what it is in pretty short order. Tokyo, like New York, is pretty much a playground for anyone with a curious heart -- and that would be me.
Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to watch this Tommy Lee Jones commercial and put my Blendy coffee in the fridge for tomorrow morning.
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