While I am much more of a summer / hot weather person and the thought of winter approaching does vex my subtropical-born blood vessels with fears of death-by-freezing, I managed to find some consolation from an ad on the train, which reminded me that Japan is an archipelago of volcanic activity, which also means I am never far away from an onsen (hot spring). This, and on the other side of the spectrum mother nature has also blessed or cursed this country with lots of mountains and an uncomfortable proximity to Russia, which means there are plenty of places where idiots like myself, for whatever reason should choose to do so, can strap sticks or planks onto our feet, get our freezing selves to the peak of said mountains, and attempt to get back down in one relatively unharmed piece.
These two things - onsen and snowboarding - are the two out of three things that may have a chance of plucking me out of my shelter of warmth as I wait for summer to resume.
The third thing is a combination of good food (preferably piping hot) and good company.
Good food is easy to obtain anywhere in this country. The challenge is deciding where to go. The other challenge is finding said "good company" to share this good food with.
Since moving to Tokyo 7 months ago, I have made a small handful of friends, but not yet enough in this city of madness.
Thus I am conflicted. On one hand I want to make full use of my undecidedly limited time in Japan and experience as much as possible this country has to offer - the hot springs, the frozen mountains, the countryside, the metropolises...but on the other hand, I want to invest in knowing Tokyo, in knowing people, because human connections last longer than experiences.
I guess the challenge will be to find that balance. Or find a way to stretch time...
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