My birthday weekend was filled with people, and that was enough of a gift. On the morning of my birthday, my father in law came over to watch the kids while my husband and I went for a run. The weather has been perfect for running: cool, dry, and cloudy. We ran around the Akasaka palace, about a two mile loop with some hills. Since I'm used to running in Chicago, the smallest inclines wind me.
Life here feels relatively normal. Tokyo recorded just shy of 300 new covid cases yesterday. Restaurants are open, schools remain open, extracurricular and group activities are still available for kids, and stores are full with shoppers on the weekends. The metro remains packed with commuters. Some things have changed, of course. Mask wearing is near universal. There are antibacterial sprays at both the entrance and exit of any establishment. At food courts and some restaurants, there is a clear panel between tables. The current restrictions in Tokyo require restaurants to close by 8pm.
We went food shopping at Takashimaya, a big department store chain, and it was packed on a Sunday. Food is always located at the lower level of department stores.
I could spend an entire day exploring that one section, where you can buy groceries, take out, street food, and food gifts. I treated myself to a domestic, greenhouse-grown, ten dollar pack of strawberries. For the price, you get perfection in every strawberry.
In the afternoon, we went to a concert where the Japanese pianist Kyohei Sorita (he's very popular and only 26 years old) was performing. Every seat was filled. As my first concert in over a year, it felt strange to be indoors in close proximity to so many people. Everyone received a mandatory antibac spray on their hands upon entry and everyone maintained proper mask wearing. The pandemic has been such a dramatic occurrence, and it seems necessary that its antidote be equally dramatic. Here, where vaccinations have been slower to take off, it has simply come down to banal rituals, like wearing masks and cleaning hands in public places.
For my birthday gift, I received a Kindle, which I am super excited about. We used to live just a few blocks from a public library, so we enjoyed full use of it. There are English books at the public library here, but of course the selection is more limited. I would love to get any book recommendations or tips on using a Kindle!
My birthday ended with dinner with my husband's family. Nothing like living through a pandemic for a year makes you appreciate the privilege of such a gathering.
