Do you go out on New Year's Day?
In my hometown, going out on New Year's isn't really the usual - or at least in the household where I grew up. It's said that if you spend on January 1, you're more likely to spend for the rest of the year. So before the New Year, we usually stack on some things, including food, so we don't need to go out and spend.
I'm now living away from my hometown, and while I still believe in superstitions, I don't really practice this stay-at-home in the New Year. Most especially on that fine day because my partner started a new job in Ginza.
Let me take you back to January 1, 2024, New Year's day and how I spent my day in Ginza.
Contrary to what I posted in 2022, New Year's day at Ginza is so different.
It's cold because it's winter, not snowing though. It's a normal day, the sun's brightly shining, the trains are working, and the roads and sidewalks are empty.. wait? Empty?
Yes, they're empty. Or almost.
It's interesting to see Ginza like this. Usually, it's full of people, shoppers, passers-by and tourists. On this day though, there weren't a lot of shoppers because most of the shops here, luxury brands like Gucci, Dior, etc, are closed. My partner's amazed that they're closed today. Between the two of us, he's more informative of these fashion brands.
Some stores are open though, like Zara where we did a quick shopping so my partner could wear it on his first day at work. Other brands, including Uniqlo, are closed.
Few restaurants are open to feed the hungry like me. In one restaurant, more like a big pub, a guy was giving some food to the crowd outside. It wasn't a big crowd though, unlike on regular days. I ate at Fujiya.
Before going home, I thought of getting takeout from Tim Ho Wan and it's on the other side of Ginza. While walking there, I marveled at the sights that I don't usually look at when I pass by.
This side of Ginza is where I go when friends invite me to movies but I don't usually look around - I just walk fast and focus to get to my destination. So this time, I'm taking my time.
I didn't even know there's a park here with a statue like the one I saw in Osaka. I'll probably write a post about that in the future.
This is just a small park with a big tree. I think this is a cherry blossoms tree, but I'm not so familiar with trees, so if ever it's Spring and I'll be around here, I'll check it out if my guess is right.
Instead of using the sidewalk on the main road, I opt for another route. The bright lanterns from this alley make me want to pass here. I've always been curious about this route but yikes, it's a bit creepy walking here on my own today. It seems like any time I could get kidnapped here but nothing of that sort happened. If I'm not in Japan, probably I won't feel safe.
This place is usually bustling as there are a lot of izakayas (Japanese pubs) here but I guess they decided to take a day off today.
I reached my destination, ordered and now I'm waiting. While there's a big Godzilla in the Toho Cinemas building in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, here, there's a small version of it. And guess what, there's a Toho Cinemas nearby. This is where I usually watch movies with friends because it feels nice and comfortable.
My day in Ginza ended here. I went back home taking the train. I realized I wasn't in the mood for more explorations today because it's cold and my foot pain wasn't fully healed yet. What a lame reason. I'm hoping to do more walks soon though. 🙂
Don't forget to checkout the #WednesdayWalk initiative by @tattoodjay.
Thanks for reading!
See you around! じゃあ、またね！
All photos are taken using my phone unless stated otherwise.