Japan: Vacheron Lin (Places: Routine and Favorite)

Program: Waseda University, Spring

I live in an apartment near campus, so it is about a fifteen-minute walk to class every day. Each morning, I would walk alongside the river on my way to school, where the flowers were beautiful and the scenery was always peaceful. It became one of my favorite parts of my daily routine because the walk was quiet and relaxing, especially before a long day of classes. The photos below were taken around late April, during cherry blossom season, so many of the trees along the river were in full bloom. Seeing the cherry blossoms every morning made the walk feel especially memorable and gave me a chance to enjoy the natural beauty of Tokyo in my everyday life.

My favorite place in Tokyo has got to be this local sento (銭湯) near my apartment. I go there pretty often after a long day of school or a workout to relax and soak in the baths. They have different types of baths depending on the day of the week, so it feels a little different each time I go. It only costs 300 yen per visit [under $2], and it is usually pretty quiet. Most of the people there are locals since the sento is tucked away in a residential neighborhood, which makes it feel like a hidden spot in Tokyo.