#sugamo

You can check it out here!*click*

It looks like this:

When we lived in Japan we were one stop from Sugamo, so I would occasionally walk over there just for steps. My enduring memory is the day I decided to do 20 km of the Nakasendo, which takes you right up Jizo Dori, and it was festival day so they were wheeling around this dude:

17/3/2024

Tomorrow, I will have to say goodbye to my counselor and support worker in college, which hasn't hit me yet. Having said that, I had been thinking of giving them letters and gifts as a token of appreciation. Taking such their situations as age, a professional environment, or family structure into account, I opted for individually wrapped financier from BISCUITERIE BRETONNE, which is acclaimed by so many foodies here in Japan, but opens only three branches in the Kanto region.

On the way to the shop in Ikebukuro, mom and I stopped by Sugamo known as an age-friendly town for long not only out of curiosity but also to acquire culture, because I had never been there. The rumors were true; there were many elderly people in a shopping district, which seemed to have most of the shops mainly targeted the elderly in the first place. Therefore, a selection of items differs from common chain stores, and it is necessary for owners and customers to communicate face to face for shopping/sales in contrast to a current system. Personally, I found this traditional style heartwarming then.

Next, we walked down to Otsuka station（saw a tram passing right next to us by chance, by the way）; the squares in front of the station are so open that I like.

Finally, we arrived at Ikebukuro at around 4pm, yet were being completely lost in there, between 8 lines, three shopping complexes, and two department stores, to be exact. Regardless of whether living in Tokyo/Japan, this station is too complicated to get out of and head toward an expecting exit, I'm sure. Anyways, I took mom to a certain mini garden located on the rooftop of SEIBU, which is inspired by Claude Monet's Water Lilies. I enjoyed various kinds of cute flowers there.

Last but not least, mom and I went to Animate flagship store and Sunshine city; it was really crowded in both even at dusk. Because of 10km walk, my legs started to hurt again（following last night）.