At the end of my office afternoon yesterday, I got off the train two stops early and took a lengthy walk home to take some monochrome neighborhood photos.
Today is my first day back at work after the recent Europe trip. The view from the 18th-floor office towards Tokyo Station is still as thrilling as ever.
My wife and I returned from our Europe trip yesterday, just in time before Typhoon No. 6 hit Tokyo. Here is a quick window view of the situation this morning.
At Vantaa Airport in Helsinki, Finland, I grabbed the last cup of coffee of this year's Europe trip from an R-kioski convenience store near the departure gate.
Quick Lunch at "Higu Bagel", Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
We went for a quick lunch at Higu Bagel, a café and bagel shop in the Itabashi Ward of Tokyo, Japan. Today's specialty was a honey-mustard chicken bagel.
On the way home from work tonight, I walked through the Shimura area of Itabashi Ward in Tokyo. I ran into two rather different frogs, and a few other details.
Enjoying a longer walk home this evening through the quiet streets of Izumicho in Itabashi, Tokyo, it appears I wasn't the only one going home at that time.
Through the Restaurant Window, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
While waiting for lunch today on my window counter seat at a new neighborhood restaurant in Itabashi, Tokyo, I captured this simple scene on the outside.
Buckwheat Galette at Green Café, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
On today's Green Day, the first of the “Golden Week” holidays in Japan this week, we went for lunch at “greenCAFÉ” in the Itabashi Ward of Tokyo, Japan.
At the kickboxing gym this morning, before wearing my gloves for the sandbag punching practice, I captured this discreet action shot of some other members.
I worked at the office in Otemachi, Tokyo, this afternoon, and briefly stepped outside after the rain had stopped. The sunlight and the fresh air were glorious.
Yesterday was the Showa Day bank holiday in Japan. We went for an outside lunch at "Cafe Nijiiro Hitsuji" (rainbow-colored sheep) in Kita-Akabane, Tokyo.
As of April this year, my company’s rules have changed from “max. 80% remote work” to “at least 40% in the office”, so I went to work in Otemachi, Tokyo, today.
My own and my wife's birthdays are just one day apart - so for this year's festivities, we went for lunch at Casa del Sorriso, an Italian restaurant in Tokyo.
Short Visit at the Local Temple, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
Earlier this week, I injured myself quite seriously during kickboxing training. I paid a short visit to Nanzoin, a local temple in the Itabashi Ward of Tokyo.
Handmade Drum Practice Pad from 100 Yen-Shop Items
I recently came across a video by a Japanese YouTuber, and followed his suggested approach to fashion a drum practice pad out of items found at a 100 Yen Shop.
In today’s drumming practice, I expanded on some hi-hat patterns from the previous lesson, and explored drumming along the intro to Strawberry Fields Forever.
Drumming Lesson, Komagome, Tokyo, January 31, 2026
During today’s drumming lesson, the first in 2026, we began to work on “adding a fourth limb” into the mix, as in starting to use the hi-hat more consciously.
At my local Tokyo music studio in Hasune, Itabashi Ward, I did my first practice of 2026 today. Re-capping some of the 16th-note accents from the last lesson.
Today was this week’s office day. As usual, I took a short neighborhood walk in the evening to decompress, and captured a few night scenes in Itabashi, Tokyo.
After-Work Evening Panoramas, Itabashi, Tokyo, Japan
Today was my first office day in 2026. After work, I got off two stops earlier than usual in order to take some panoramic photos in the Itabashi Ward of Tokyo.
Tonight I went to my local kickboxing gym, where it was pleasantly quiet with just one other member working out. Also took some quick snaps on the way home.
Today was my last office day for this year. The morning clouds provided a nice dramatic topping for this view towards Tokyo Station from my 18th floor office.
Drumming Lesson, Komagome, Tokyo, December 13, 2025
Today’s drumming lesson was a continuation on limb independence, and then switched to orchestration, i.e. distributing fills across different parts of the kit.
Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo: Cafe Lunch and Museum Visit
Today in Tokyo, we went to Nishi-Shinjuku, where after café lunch at Excelsior Caffe, we visited the Sompo Museum of Art to see the Maurice Utrillo exhibition.
Today at my neighborhood music studio, I did another 2-hour practice session to work on limb independence and hi hat accents from the previous drumming lesson.
Today was my work-at-the-office day for this week. Before embarking on my schedule, I took a short morning walk around Marunouchi, Tokyo, at a brisk 3°C.
Drumming Lesson, Komagome, Tokyo, November 29, 2025
The focus of today’s drumming lesson was on limb independence - the ability of a drummer to coordinate their limbs to play different rhythms simultaneously.
This afternoon, I took a walk around Chiyoda Ward. It was a pleasant and bright autumn day, and I focused on capturing impressions in 65x24 panoramic format.
Today, I went to my local music studio to practice some of the accentuated drum patterns from my previous lesson. I tried drumming along to a few songs.
Drumming, Bento and Eki Stamps, Komagome, Tokyo, November 8, 2025
During today’s drumming lesson in Komagome, Tokyo, we continued to work on accentuated patterns as started in the previous lesson at the end of October.
Today I worked at the office, and on my way back home, I got off a bit earlier to take a calming evening walk in the Hasunumacho district of Itabashi, Tokyo.
After kickboxing training before lunch, I went to my local studio this afternoon to practice some of the 16th Note Accents from last week’s drumming lesson.
Drumming, Lunch and Vinyl, Tokyo, October 26, 2025
After a longer summer break, I resumed my drumming lessons today. Afterwards, my wife came to join me for lunch, and then we went to a library in Bunkyo Ward.
At the Soba Restaurant, Minami-Uonuma, Niigata, Japan
During lunch today at a traditional Japanese soba noodle restaurant in Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture, I noticed another customer quietly enjoying his meal.
As we wanted to see some Green today, my wife and I went to Kunitachi in western Tokyo. Hitotsubashi University campus provided a nice calming environment.
After kickboxing training in the morning, I went to my local studio this afternoon for a little drumming practice. I will resume lessons later this month.