Sometimes, pleasure really does come from the simple things in life. Like a bucket and some water on a suffocatingly hot summer’s day.
Summer in Tokyo: A boy in a bucket
Photographs from a small group of islands
Photographs from a small group of islands
Sometimes, pleasure really does come from the simple things in life. Like a bucket and some water on a suffocatingly hot summer’s day.
An Expat says
Ah, as a parent who has raised a child (boy) I think you’ve shot a picture of a little girl.
Steko says
Definitely a boy. You can see his little zousan.
Lee says
@Steko Haha, that’s funny. Very funny!
@An Expat Ah, I’m a bit clueless when it comes to kids. He/she had shorts on, so I simply assumed it was a boy. Not exactly the most scientific of methods!
An Expat says
The hat, the lips, the hair….Its a little girl.
Lee says
Yeah, tis rather girly, isn’t it?! Hadn’t even picked up on that, which sadly only reinforces my cluelessness in this area…
Cheers for the confirmation!
Coli says
Sweet picture. City life us so much different from rural life in this country. Could never see this where I live 🙂
Lee says
Cheers!
My time in rural Japan has been limited to days trips and short stays unfortunately, although during those times I have generally found people more friendly and open. True?
Hans Ter Horst says
Definitely the people are more open in the countryside, and incredibly curious when they discover you speak enough Japanese to have a conversation! Especially the elderly are keen to chat. Normally I’m with my wife and when they see a Japanese person with you, they hold off, but last year I walked the 34 Kannon Pilgrimage in Chichibu (100% recommended if you are around the Tokyo or Saitama area!) alone and that took me into pretty deep countryside and the pilgrimage was wonderful, but the contact with the many people around Chichibu and other pilgrims made it very, very special! See my webpage for details if you’re interested to give it a try.
Lee says
That’s certainly what I’ve found, although that said, I’ve found some cities quite friendly too. At least compared to Tokyo, anyway.
Cheers. I’d already read that. Sounds like a very interesting trip/trek. Definitely something to try at some point.
Bernadette MarchettiREA says
As someone who has recently moved from Pennsylvania to Florida, I am REALLY not used to the heat and humidity. I could use one of those buckets. It’s like a sauna out there. It feels like I’m swimming through the air! Hrmm…maybe I can get an adult-sized bucket and pretend I’m at an onsen. Well, until the lightning and torrential rain comes.
Lee says
Yeah, moving from Britain to Tokyo was equally difficult to deal with weather-wise.
And despite knowing what to expect now, that thick, oven-like feeling when walking outside (or inside if there’s no air-con on) takes me by surprise every single year.
GaijinSan says
What I really miss in Japan is a nice cold swimming pool. I guess I can’t change my foreign blood. I’m typically not craving for a boiling hot onsen in the summer heat. Now I know, I’ll carry my bucket around.
Lee says
What amazes me is when you turn on the tap, particularly at outside water fountains, and the water, just like everything else, is also warm…
Squidpuppy says
Honestly, who leaves a kid in a bucket in the street?
What is this, some kind of modern Japanese fairy tale: Buketsutaro? Raised by a kindly old robot couple, and with his companions, a Sony Aibo, a metro macaque (who lives in Harajuku Stn), and an AI aerial drone, he later goes off to a VR in NeoTokyo and conquers a bunch of cyber bullies? I got nothing for the elephant…
I assume his mom was nearby. Cute picture.
Lee says
Haha! Arguably makes more sense than a lot of Japan’s fairy tales!
Yeah, grandmother was nearby. She happily let me take the photo.