It was Diwaloween. Our friends and family back home in India were celebrating Diwali, while here in Tokyo all the hype was around Halloween. Either way, we were in festive spirits.
We’d efficiently checked off many of our major Tokyo bucket list items yesterday, thanks to which this morning felt noticeably more relaxed. For once, we had a peaceful breakfast without rushing out the door, and we even took the time to explore nearby dollar stores before heading toward the city center.
The day’s itinerary was less exact, and hence less stressful, than usual. Without planning it, we found ourselves wandering around Asakusa and exploring the Senso-ji shrine, simply enjoying the moment without having an immediate next destination in mind.
We knew we wanted to experience Halloween in the evening, but it was still early, and even Mama — who thrives on a sense of productivity — admitted he enjoyed our long McDonald's pit stop, where we caught up on Diwali phone calls with family back home.
Eventually, we made our way back to Shibuya — one of the city’s most vibrant hubs and a personal favorite, considering we’d somehow ended up there every day so far. With no real agenda, we spent a couple of hours just wandering, people-watching, and admiring the costumes (I spotted Inosuke!).
It was probably the least ‘productive’ day we’ve had so far, but also the least stressful, and nobody was complaining. For the first time, we embraced the slow pace of things. We didn’t get hot headed when the group got held up because one person wanted something, even if it added up.
We made progress today. Not in the checklist-heavy, sightseeing-packed way, but in a way we hadn’t realized we needed.