Saturday March 29
 
15:37
 
I Need To Get Lost More

Wikipedia - Shibuya:

Shibuya is famous for its scramble crossing which is reportedly the world’s busiest. It is located in front of the Shibuya Station Hachiko exit and stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Three large TV screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing. The Starbucks store overlooking the crossing is also one of the busiest in the world. The 2003 American movie Lost in Translation featured a scene at the crossing. It was also featured in the 3rd installment of The Fast and the Furious

Shibuya, where I live in Tokyo, is something else. I realised recently that despite living here 18 months, I’ve only barely scratched the surface.

That was no most apparent than today, when I set out to find one of the major electrical retailers, failed to find it, and ended up discovering what can only be described as a “mini Costco”, Yamaya, in a street that I’ve walked past dozens of times.

Unfortunately Yamaya doesn’t have hummus (my Holy Grail) - but it does have German sausage from the USA ;) which I’ve only ever previously seen in Costco, more salsas, mexican spices, and thai dishes, including low fat coconut milk, than you can shake a stick at, and 2 litre boxes of Australian and Chilean wine for 1000-1300 yen, about the price of a bottle of Jacob’s Creek. I can now get decent wine at a decent price near my house - woo hoo!

Last week I had a similar experience - not only did I find another foreigner supermarket, but I found a German beer bar, with imported white beers on draft, in the street next to me - and I found them completely by accident. How could I not know about that bar, you may wonder. Answer: It’s in the opposite direction to my journey to the station.

We tend to follow the same paths when we’re out - walk the same streets, search the same areas. Even though for the last two months I’ve had the policy of always going to somewhere new when I go out - so I try a new bar or restaurant every time I go out - I’ve tended to look in the same area. There’s a reason for that: I’m hungry, and I know there are bars there. In the other areas, I don’t exactly know where I’ll find bars, and it’s not good to search on an empty stomach.

Last week, and particularly today, has brought home to me just how much more there is to the area I live.

I just need to get lost more.