It is Thursday, 18.05.2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today I wanted solitude. I went for a good breakfast (the coffee was exquisit) and then decided to checkout some of the food recommendations from Kate. I went to some matcha tea salon. There I had a great matcha desert made of different layers. Many of these good businesses have a line to enter and they even have seats for the line because there is always a line. I then went to a book store nearby and bought 2 books that were recommended by Kate and another book that attracted my attention. The first book is \u201cIn Praise of Shadows\u201d by Junichiro Tanizaki. This book is a treasure for me and for anyone interested in design and aesthetic. It is a small book and I am already halfway through it at the time of writing these words. The second book is a book about \u201dHaiku\u201d. Haiku is a Japanese poetic form that consists of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third. The third book, which got my attention from the shelf was about \u201cWabi Sabi\u201d, which is a Japanese expression\/concept of the wisdom in imperfection. I took the books and went to a close by ramen-restaurant for an early dinner. Again, the food looks great, tastes great but I am still struggling with those damn chopsticks. I thought I am well versed in physics and used Archimedes lever-law but without much success. I even had cramps in my hand muscles by the time I finished my dinner. I started reading the Praise of Shadows and it got my attention. I enjoyed the first few pages until I reached a lengthy segment with a poetic description of Japanese toilets. The book in general, discusses the importance of darkness and imperfection in designing Japanese life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That evening, I went to a bachata lesson. I take regular weekly lessons in Zurich and it has become one my passions in the last couple of years. So I added that to my collection of travel activities. I try to take dance lessons in general when I am traveling. The lesson today was in Japanese. The teacher was super excited but also very didactic. Since I didn\u2019t understand a word she said, I tried to follow the choreography as much as I could, well it is dancing, so words are not that essential. After the lesson, there was the social. This is the beauty of latin-dances. They are now so wide-spread, that you could dance and meet people around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Motivated by Donny, I decided to go to the hotel earlier this night and read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
***<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Tokyo’s vast expanse, I seek solitude,
With a book in hand, and a mind serene and shrewd.
Amidst concrete towers, stretching towards the skies,
I find solace in stillness, where tranquility lies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
***<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I always wonder about the consequences of a simple insignificant decision. You take that particular bus at the suburb of a foreign country to meet someone you know. Or to decide to stop for an ice cream on your way home then meet a friend close to the ice cream store. This happens all the time, but I am most aware of it when I am not sure if I am not sure between two options. Should I take that bus? Should I actually go for an ice cream? When this happens a lot in one\u2019s life, every single small decision could lead to a significant life-changing event. However, most of this happens only when you leave your home. I like to think of this as exposing self to the universe and let the apparent chaos include me in the story. I mention all of this, because a series of small insignificant decisions lead to big moments for me in this trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Friday, I went to teamLab Planets digital immersion museum, went for a wagyu-beef dinner and then went dancing in two places. A day of many emotions and twists in the plan. I will write about it tomorrow but leave you with a video about the teamLab Planets and other photos from Thursday:<\/p>\n\n\n\n