It is the last Monday that our son will be with us in Japan. No one warned us that all the museums in Tokyo are closed on Monday. So are the zoos. I should have checked when we mapped out his week with us, but I never imagined all our options would be closed today. I am feeling a little pressure to make sure he has a great day. Ordinarily, we roll with it, but he has limited time and we want to make the most of it.

Plan B is to head across town to Studio Ghibli. He likes the animation and I like that it is open. After a short train ride we reach the outer suburbs. We walk through a cute town center and then into a park. It is surprisingly beautiful. Suddenly, I forget about finding a destination. I am ready to linger near the lake and simply watch the swan boats as they cruise under the cherry blossoms. I want to rent one, but know the boys will veto the idea. “Too much work!”, they say in unison.

As it turns out, the Ghibli museum is open but sold out….. so…… a walk in the park is now plan C. We find a temple with incense still burning even though we are the only ones here. A bit further along the path is a bird sanctuary. We are not allowed to enter. No one is. It is only for birds. But I hear their songs. Old men are doing Tai Chi and grannies zip by on bicycles.

I stop and buy cherry blossom ice creams at a kiosk by the lake. I know the boys will be on board with that. There is a small zoo that we could….wait, also closed. So we sit and watch the ducks and plan to explore the area near the train station. I think I saw shops. It is either shopping or the paddle boats. Suddenly my husband is sure he found a steakhouse for lunch just after I finish shopping. Funny how that works.

So we wander the side streets. American vintage clothing is selling at ridiculously high rates. If I had only known, I could have filled a suitcase and helped pay for this trip. T-shirts, blue jeans, and army jackets are apparently in high demand. Who knew?

And just like that we filled a whole day doing not much of anything. We actually have plans for our evening and need to head back into Tokyo, but this little unplanned foray into Japanese suburbia is satisfying. I never am disappointed by a good stroll in a beautiful park. Ice cream and vintage shops also help.