Tokyo Evenings

One of the things I’ve learned to give up on holiday, at least while the kids are still young, is the freedom to wander new streets, new neighbourhoods, and new environments with no agenda or pressing deadlines. Our days in Tokyo were filled with making sure the kids ate their food, got the rest they needed, and in general were more happy and content than not, all while train-ing and bus-ing around town with all of our bags in tow. The only times we had to ourselves were in the evenings, after the kids went to bed, and even then we had to take turns if we wanted to go see the city at night.

Tokyo is one of those cities where the cityscape after dark is as much a part of the city’s vibe as its daytime incarnation, if not more so, however, and the call from the city to put on my shoes and get lost in its myriad streets and alleyways was irresistible most nights. I did most of my walking in and around Asakusa where we were staying, both on my own and with other friends looking for an evening walk. On other nights I took a train across the city to Shinjuku to check out the bright lights of Kabukicho, the tightly-packed bars filling the alleys of Golden Gai, and the cozy food stalls and restaurants in Omoide Yokocho.