Missing Tokyo

I had a dream tonight. I dreamt I was walking down Shibuya in Tokyo, shopping, eating and making use of all the wonderful vending machines.

I miss Tokyo constantly. It's not something that comes and goes, it's constant. Everything I do reminds me of that thing's counterpart in Tokyo. What would I do in Tokyo? How would I do this in Tokyo? Being on the bus or train makes me think of the underground. I even miss the morning rush and the jam-packed trains. Eating pasta makes me think of udon, ramen and yakisoba. BBQ makes me think of yakiniku and sushi restaurants makes me think of kaitenzushi; sushi bars with the sushi pieces going round and round on an assembly line. I miss all the delicious food so much. I have yet to find some Japanese food that I don't like. I even liked nattou d^^;

I miss the drink vending machines and I miss some of the ridiculous drinks they used to have; lovely fermented water, Fanta milk, Fanta japanese grapes, chocolate milk, royal milk tea, cold café au lait, peach nectar, strawberry milk, lemon water... There was always something new to try, not one vending machine stocked the same drinks as another. And I miss the sweets and the buns. Because they are not like our sweets. Tokyo was fantastic in that way - I was constantly eating and/or drinking and still losing weight while I was there, however that worked out xD Their sweets are not as sweet as European ones and not as wet in its structure, Japanese sweets aren't gelatinous, they are like sweetened food stuffs... Probably the best way to describe it...

I miss walking around in Tokyo and always finding something new to look at, no matter how many times I had already walked up that street. I loved the greenery and parks inside the city and how all the urban noise disappeared as soon as you got into one of those parks... I miss how every house were built differently and could have whatever colour possible. The house I lived in was pink. I miss the konbini (Japanese for convenience stores) where you could buy anything from stationery to food and alcohol, pay your bills, buy tickets for concerts or games, or just have lunch. I miss having the shop staff yell Irasshaimase (welcome) to me when I enter a shop. I miss the surprised faces on the Japanese people every time I told them I know Japanese. I miss the karaoke bars, purikura, Sweets Paradise, melon soda, Starbucks, HMV, the temples, the people, the atmosphere, the cultural heritage...

I guess the logical reason for me to miss it this much is that I was living a dream, I had wanted to go there for 6 years when I finally was able to and it was everything I had ever hoped for - and more. I had wanted to stay there for a year, maybe find a job and wait forever to come home. But then I wouldn't have what I have now, I guess to gain something you have to lose something. But on the other hand Tokyo will always be there waiting for me to come back, while what I now have here wouldn't have waited forever.

I can't wait to go back. It might take some years until I can afford to, but I want it to be as soon as possible, even if it's just for a summer...

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