Explore everyday life in Japan
The side streets and alleyways in Japanese cities provide endless opportunities for wandering and finding new things. These streets, often barely wide enough for one car to squeeze down, are lined with houses, restaurants, local shops and much more, all with their front doors opening right onto the street.
As you wander, you will probably see cats and laundry hanging out to dry, futons and pillows hanging out of windows or laid on roof tiles to be cleaned by the sun, old men and women selling locally grown vegetables, daikon radishes, onions, persimmons, salmon and other foods hung from strings to be dried and later eaten. You will probably see mailmen on small, red motorcycles and deliverymen in green hats and khaki coveralls pushing carts full of boxes.
As you wander, you may happen upon hidden courtyards and shrines that have become swallowed by the city, or you may find a line of people standing around, looking at their smartphones, waiting to eat at an old restaurant, recently rediscovered and having a boom. The side streets and alleyways of Japan, typically quiet and peaceful, have a lot to offer.
Image Credits: The images in this post are original, and were taken on an iPhone 6.
When I first came to Japan I was a bit shocked by how narrow and constricted the back streets can be. Years later one of my friends from the States came to visit, and my wife & I had fun driving him around some of those little streets. He winced every time we raced by a telephone pole or mailbox with only centimeters to spare. It's like a thrill ride for people who aren't used to it!
It certainly is. And the button that automatically closes the side mirrors of your car has some real importance over here doesn't it? I have to close my mirrors and proceed with caution pretty regularly. In the morning, I often feel like I'm driving like a boxer--duck and move into the shoulder, pop my head up and jab forward, duck and move into the shoulder again, move right, and drive forward. The two-way streets that are only one lane wide are actually worse than the side streets I think. When you factor in the telephone poles, the pedestrians, and the people on bikes, driving becomes a whole new experience.
My wife and I have been playing with the idea of moving our family to Japan. We love it there.
I think it's a great place to be, and I really like living here. Lining up good, stable work and whatnot can be challenging, though. If you have kids, which it sounds like you do, I think adjusting to the school system over here might take some time, that is if you don't enroll them in an international school.
I know what you mean, I lived in Osaka for 5 years!
That's one of the few big cities in Japan I've yet to go to. I'll get there one of these days.