or – What to do when it’s raining in Tokyo

It’s a long weekend and the weather is lousy.

This is particularly unfortunate because the national holiday is Sports Day.

My colleagues tell me this is when your kids compete against each other over the long weekend (and sometimes during the week prior) in various track and field events and some events that, for me, are more common at picnics, such as the tug-o-war and three-legged races.

The interweb sheds further light on what this particular holiday is to commemorate – it’s the opening of the 1964 Summer Olympics which were held in Tokyo. It didn’t actually happen on this day. They’ve moved the holiday to a better time i.e. the second Monday in October is now a public holiday to help promote an active lifestyle.

Ironically this date was chosen as it was expected to be one of the least likely to rain. Not this year.

The rain has been fairly constant over Saturday while today has been intermittent. There’s still tomorrow to go which is the actual Sports Day holiday so perhaps it will be sunny.

I’ve celebrated Sports Day and an active lifestyle by reading sporty things. It has been a lot better than joining the throngs of people who are likely to be out shopping in this weather. It is the indoor sport of choice when it is either really hot, really cold or really wet.

I really can’t be bothered.

Capitulating to my hermit tendencies yesterday, I decided that today I would have to leave my home and do something. I am one of the world’s most extroverted hermits and can fall into either camp fairly easily. It meant I needed to make an effort to counterbalance my inner hermit of yesterday before I became a hermit for the entire weekend. Leaving the house seems to recalibrate me to extrovert where I happily hang out with whomever is around for quite some time, location and weather dependent. It’s about making the effort.

I have my own neighbourhood to thank for today’s activities.

Apparently some neighbourhoods hold community events celebrating sport and leisure.

My neighbourhood falls into the leisure camp so I relaxed over lunch in a local cafe, listening to some jazz while rain gently fell. There were stalls set up under pavilions some with musicians demonstrating their various instruments so children could try. And me. From harps to violins and some Japanese instruments I hadn’t seen before, it was like random pieces of an orchestra all gathered outdoors for people to experience. In other pavilions, various music-related paraphernalia were sold, ranging from jewellery to instruments. I have seen a very funky electronic drum kit that can be played quietly – that’s one sentence I never thought I’d type.

I also saw and heard the best looking and sounding digital piano I have ever seen or heard in my entire life.

I still have the goal of learning the piano so have taken a brochure, tried chatting in charades with the guy there and have spent the better part of this evening researching online. Hermit tendency has returned.

Lucky for me, a HK friend arrives tomorrow so hermit tendency will be easily broken.

All of this has me wondering:

• will there be another public holiday after the Olympics are held in Tokyo in 2020 or if will they just keep this one; 
• does a digital piano ever need tuning;
• how small can an electronic drum kit be packed (apartments are not huge here); and
• what is a good tourist activity to do in Tokyo when it’s raining that doesn’t involve shopping? As I type that, I’m now thinking about food…surely there’s other things too? 

Research required…