Two walks by the Tamagawa, from summer water to a sunny morning and yakisoba
The Tamagawa left Haruru with two different kinds of pleasure: watching the water on a hot summer day, and discovering how good a sunny morning walk could feel. These were separate outings, with a familiar meal closing the latter.
Two separate walks: a late-July outing in 2023 and the last morning of a three-day weekend.
Watching the water in the July heat
In late July 2023, Haruru went for a stroll by the Tamagawa. The days had been hot, but simply looking at the river made her feel cooler. The water shone as it ran between stones, with thick greenery on the opposite bank.
She wished she could get into the water. Instead, her account stays with the view and the relief she felt while looking at it. With July almost over, she was also struck by how quickly each day seemed to pass.
A small pause at the Jizo
The last scene from that stroll was a north-facing Jizo. Haruru stopped to make a wish.
The wooden shelter, flowers and dressed figure made this a different sort of pause from watching the river. It belongs to her summer stroll, before the story turns to another day by the water.
The last morning of a three-day weekend
On a separate outing, Haruru headed to the Tamagawa for a morning walk on the last day of a three-day weekend. The weather was good, and the grounds were busy with people playing baseball, football and futsal.
There were plenty of people out, but the morning walk felt wonderfully refreshing to her. She wanted to make time to return and enjoy the changing season.
A return to Jimantei for yakisoba
The holiday account also brought her back to Jimantei. Its soft yakisoba was a dish she sometimes craved, and on this visit she was reminded how much she liked it.
Alongside the noodles, she had meat, garlic chives and egg. A sunny walk and a favourite meal made a satisfying pair of memories from that outing.
Sources for this account
Haruru's accounts of two separate walks by the Tamagawa, edited and shared with her permission.