We had a work trip to Japan in November (already feel so grateful I get to experience Japan in this way). After a week of intense workshops in the day and connecting with people and exploring the city after hours, I was finally left alone to wander on my own for an evening. After queueing up for 20 minutes for the most delicious spicy wagyu ramen that I randomly passed by, and happily devouring it, I wandered into a vinyl/ listening bar with a long-ish queue of locals.
Since I was alone and didn’t mind sitting at the bar (love sitting at the bar and just watching the bartenders in their “flow state” usually in time to music), I was seated almost immediately. While I ordered a delicious and most rewarding Manhattan, this song played and in those few minutes, I felt waves of joy, gratitude and calm.… almost like everything felt right and I was meant to be in this moment and just be.
Then I leaned over and saw the cutest/ most kawaii album art! This song is probably exhausted with how much it’s been running in my rotation but it always takes me back to that crisp, cold evening in a foreign country, blissfully alone but not lonely (rare for me to feel this as an incorrigible extrovert constantly seeking connection).
I have no idea what the song translates to from Japanese and I actually don’t want to know, in case it ruins the memory for me or ends up being a sad song. But if you understand Japanese, and know this is a happy or hopeful song, let me know! And if you know of similar songs, drop them… would love to discover more!