Finding Freedom in Japan

Posted on 11/15/2022 Last updated on 11/15/2022

When I first came to Japan I thought that I could do anything I liked by using public transport to get there. Since then I’ve realized something, even if the current viral situation didn’t happen, I don’t think much would have changed. Within the first year I got a bicycle because walking and carrying your shopping was a pain. In fact I should have gotten a scooter back then already, but I was being stubborn.

In the three years before moving to my current town, I rarely made it further than 5km from my apartment, partly because traveling was discouraged and partly because the thought of going further than that made me tired. Tired from the thought of pedaling that far, tired from the thought of going on public transport and having to be around that many people when I wanted to relax. Even when I forced myself to go out, I would come back both mentally and physically exhausted, that led to me dreading the week ahead.

So how has that changed since I bought my scooter? Well for one I went about 25km away from my new apartment on the second day. (Always use the first day as a shakedown day to make sure everything’s fine.) I’ve also started to do some things that I love doing and that has greatly removed the mental strain that you find yourself under. The one is going for a ride, the other is doing a run.

Going for a ride

Going for a ride is actually very simple. You get on your pike and just ride around. Now I’m not talking about riding around your neighborhood, here you decide on a direction and ride either till you find something interesting, or you see where a road leads and turn back only when you feel its time.

I’ve done this type of ride before in my car and on my scooter and they truly give you time to just get away from everything. So why not choose a place and ride there? The simple answer is that that gets you to a known place, whereas this gives you a change of scenery, which can do you so much good.

Going for a ride is a wonderful way to clear your mind, just remember to stay alert and to mind your fuel.

Doing a run

Be it a snack run, fun run, toy run, breakfast run, lunch run, or supper run, it doesn’t matter they all have a similar spirit to them. It is not about which one you do but the purpose that you do them with. The one I’ve been doing the most recently is the breakfast run, here I either do a planned or an unplanned run.

Planned: the planned run is the one that most people are familiar with, here you choose a restaurant or shop that has a breakfast menu, and then you plan your run to be there shortly after opening. The good part is that you know where you are going and can arrange that others meet you there. It also helps when you are in an area where the shops open later. I also use the planning time to actually look at the menus to decide what I’ll be having while there, though with the Japanese tendency to do seasonal menus, I don’t make that decision hard and fast.

Unplanned: this is my favorite one but also the one that can be the most challenging. The rules for this type of run is actually very simple. You get on the bike (or in the car) and then you ride into a given direction or using a given road. You ride until you find a place that you want you want to try something at and then you stop there. Sure this sounds easy, but it can be quite challenging.

On the first morning after getting by scooter I had set out on one such a run, at 7:30 in the morning. I took a nice coastal road and followed it towards my goal. I wanted to get a good cup of coffee. Sure I could stop at a konbini and get a cup, but I was looking for something more. So I rode my scooter, completely forgetting one crucial part, in Japan most stores open at 9:00 or 10:00, even the ones serving breakfast.

I rode my scooter, enjoying the scenic route, till I found a bakery with a coffee shop next to it. Then I realized I had almost 30min to burn before the shops open. So there I was, looking at a beautiful lagoon, people going past, and for some reason a long line of people waiting for another shop to open (this line was about 100m long), but this was also part of what is great about the unplanned run, you don’t have control over everything and just have to be there in the moment.

Conclusion

Coming to Japan for a year or a visit is fine and well, but we need these moments of just being if we are to stay here for a longer time. Life as an expat is sometimes stressful, and working as an ALT has its own stresses and pressures. So we need to find time to just be. For me it’s being in nature, fishing, going for a drive, enjoying a good cup of coffee while reading a book, or even just finding places where you are just an observer and not a piece of the puzzle.

So find your way of being and traveling, though I would recommend getting a scooter if you truly want to experience the beauty of Japan that you can’t see from the normal routes.

Top Photo: himawariinさん on PhotoAC

All additional images taken and provided by Timothy Horn, used with permission.