Giant machine cleans the streets near my house

なぜか分からないけど、道路を掃除している巨大な車を見たら、ワクワクしてしまいます。

I’m not sure why, but I feel excited watching this giant machine in action at night.

Gorgeous suburban road leading to Nodai campus

この道路は木のトンネルみたいです。農大に行く時に自転車でここを通ります。大学の前にあります。

This road beneath a canopy of street trees leads to the Nodai campus from Chitose Funabashi. When I commute there by bike, it makes a lovely end to my ride.

View of Shinjuku at twilight, wide road and narrow sidewalk

この新宿の景色には、道路は広いですが、人と植物の空間が少ないです。もっと想像力を使えば、良かったと思いませんか。

This view towards Shinjuku demonstrates how wide the road is and how little space is allocated to people and plants. What a lack of imagination.

Yamamomo tree near Tokyo Metropolitan Government building

ヤマモモというフルーツの味はどんなでしょうか。このきれいな実のなる木はよく公園と道路で育っています。

Commonly called Japanese bayberry, this fruit tree near Tokyo Metropolitan Government was full of yamamomo fruits. This tree is apparently often planted along roads and in parks. I love how the fruit is at once edible and very ornamental.

One of my favorite public gardens is in the center of Shinjuku ni-chome

この歩道の植木鉢の庭が大好きです。新宿二丁目のまんなかにあって、両側の道路に百以上の植物があります。それぞれにラベルがついています。

In the center of Shinjuku ni-chome, a man who seems to have lived in the same shop house for many decades has created a narrow garden in the 25 centimeters between sidewalk and street. It occupies his side of the street, and the opposite side of the street, with well over 100 pots all existing in public space that is frequented by patrons of the hundreds if not thousands of small gay bars. It has the largest number of gay bars of any gay neighborhood in any city in the world. I like how the gardener has labeled all his plants, some pots are secured with chains, and some propped up on beer crates.

Late afternoon outside Kichijoji shrine

この吉祥寺の神社の木陰と静けさはとても良い雰囲気です。武蔵野八幡宮という神社は大きくて、木がたくさんあります。神社の前は五日市街道という古い道路です。この道路は新宿と西の街をつなげます。百年前、武蔵野や中野は農園だけでした。

I love this large shrine and wooded grounds in Kichijoji. Towards the end of a summer afternoon, the shadows and quiet are very inviting. The shrine is called Musashino Hachimangu (武蔵野八幡宮), and it’s on an old street that connects Shinjuku with the (now) inner western suburbs called Itsukaichi Kaido (五日市街道). A hundred years ago, Musashino and Nakano were farms, and you can see the kanji for “field” in both of these town names.

Grapes growing on a busy sidewalk

歩道と道路の間で、ぶどうが育っています。持ち主 はガードレールを高くして、使っています。

These grapes are growing in the narrow space between the sidewalk and a wide road in Oimachi. I like how this local gardener has adapted the city’s railing, and added additional height and support.

Succulents in rusty recycled cans

かっこいい多肉植物はリサイクルしたビンの中で育っています。道路の前で、こんなにきれいなものは、世界でも、東京だけで見れます。

I love these succulents hanging on a Shibuya railing. The cans seem recycled, and I love how weathered they look. That these gorgeous plants are facing the street is yet another only-in-Tokyo street beauty.