9 April 08

After the heavy rain yesterday that kept us indoors, I was determined to get out today, despite feeling tired after a 4am wake-up for the second day in a row. There was still one park within walking distance that I hadn't explored, so we set off westwards for Arisugawa.

The park is set in an area heavily populated by expats; I'd say that I saw more gaijin than Japanese while there. There are quite a few embassies in the vicinity. It's a pleasant, natural-feeling place to hang out for an hour or two: a wooded valley with a stream and a small lake at the bottom end.

I was chuffed to find that there were ducks and turtles in residence - two of my favourite creatures. There were also a few crows around: actually quite magnificent when seen up close, but one cocky bird tried to make off with my lunch.