Culture

Tokyo’s public transportation system is legendary. And quite rightly so too. I live minutes away from a monorail. The city’s train network is positively mindboggling, not to mention punctual. And then there’s the super fast and smooth shinkansen. Heck, even bus drivers are polite and wear nice hats.

Yet as convenient as all of the above are, in regards relaxation, none of them can compete with the old-worldly and wonderfully tranquil nature of Yagiri-no-watashi in Shibamata — Tokyo’s only man-powered ferry boat.

For a mere 100 yen one can have the pleasure of silently crossing the Edo River, then alighting in Chiba Prefecture on the other side.

Unfortunately it quickly becomes apparent that there’s absolutely nothing there except field after field of negi, although in some respects that’s a bonus, as it means the only option is to hop on board again and enjoy the ride back. And as it really is so peaceful.

That’s pretty much perfect.

Before the full colours of autumn become visible in Tokyo, there are the equally vivid ones of Shichi-Go-San; a custom that sees kids of a certain age get dressed up in kimonos and taken to their local temple or shrine.

And quite understandably, photographs seem to be the biggest focus of the day. Something that the youngsters, to their credit, appear to deal with very patiently.

Or at least they do when it’s a family member taking the photo. But when it’s not, they don’t.

The sight of rickshaws being driven around Tokyo’s modern streets is a fascinating one to say the least. And yet the people who pull them are arguably even more interesting — a job that being both outdoors and physical goes against what many young Japanese deem desirable.

But as compelling as they are, this dapper old fella and potential customer, was possibly even more of a character.