Lake Tama

Compared to July and August, September has been a quiet month. Little much of note has occurred and my free time over the weekend has been quiet, albeit with a weekly trip to my local bar for a few beers.

At long last, the temperatures in Tokyo have started to drop and the humidity is barely noticeable. Travelling by train, walking around, and sleeping at night has become a lot easier over the last few weeks. I am now looking forward to autumn and winter, and am even considering an overnight trip to somewhere new in Japan, perhaps Hiroshima or Kobe.

Lake Tama and Seibu Dome

The more comfortable climate has encouraged me to do a little exploring on foot around the area where I live. Although I have always been aware that Lake Tama was relatively close to where I stay, I was unsure how to walk there, or indeed whether it was really walkable at all. A week or two ago, I decided increase my local knowledge and attempt to find Lake Tama on foot.

Dam and Seibuen

With the help of Google Maps on my iPhone, I found Lake Tama with ease and was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is only a brisk 25 minute walk from my apartment. I suppose it is not exactly the countryside, but it does offer a lot of open space with trees and green vegetation. A pleasant walk indeed! I may even try and convince Clara to walk with me on weekends, although she'll probably use homework as an excuse for not coming along.

The year is fast drawing to a close, despite summer only finishing recently. Clara and I will visit Scotland over Christmas and New Year (and perhaps her 13th (!!) birthday), but before I can get the tickets booked, I need to order a new passport.......I have to get that organised once and for all. Clara also plans to visit Scotland next summer with a friend from junior high school - I'm trying to encourage as many visits as possible as I am worried she'll slowly drift away from her Scottish roots.

The weekend is once again upon us. Clara will stay at my apartment tonight and we will probably have dinner at a new Italian restaurant in Kumegawa. Perhaps I will be able to encourage her to walk to Lake Tama with me. I am hoping it will be a pleasant and productive weekend.