Aug. 27 - Hibiya Park on weekends is a great place to experience life in Tokyo. On my stroll last week, I enjoyed watching young fathers playing with their children. One dad was teaching his son how to throw a baseball. He patiently played the role of catcher, often chasing down balls that sailed away from his mitt. Another father played in a much less structured manner with his three daughters. They seemed to be playing tag, but when his daughters tired of that game, they shifted wordlessly into hide and seek.

On the tennis courts I watched a very competitive match. One doubles team played very aggressively, striving to convert difficult opportunities into winning shots. The other team played a more conservative but steady game. The two sides looked evenly matched despite their different playing styles.

Several artists expressed themselves using watercolors and oils. One was painting a portrait of two lovers sitting on a nearby bench enjoying each other's company. Another was painting waterfowl swimming in a shady pond. Even though the day was exceedingly hot, I felt a bit cooler when looking at this artist's interpretation of the trees swaying in the breeze.

Passing by an outdoor stage, I heard young musicians experimenting with rock-and-roll numbers and country ballads. Their audience included individuals reading novels while sitting on a bench and groups of friends lost in conversation. All seemed to be enjoying the park in their own way. After the concert, the female lead singer thanked her audience for listening to her band's musical expression.

When I heard her say this, I realized that everyone in Hibiya Park was expressing themselves in their own individual way, even though most were not on an actual stage. I wondered what other people in the park must have thought as they saw me walking about the park shielded under my cap from the hot sun.

Until next time,

Jim