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My train was delayed by 12 minutes this morning

Pic 1: Aomori, Aomori
Pic 2: Ota, Gunma
Pic 3: Uonuma, Niigata
Pic 4: Numazu, Shizuoka
Pic 5: Shibetsu, Hokkaido

A lot of people here always complain in the comments about Japanese streets never having greenery, buried power lines, or segregated sidewalks so here’s one with all three.

Some of the best urban design projects in Japan have been quietly happening in Japan’s smaller cities, as they focus on offsetting rural decline and balancing budgets by concentrating urban populations and making cities more walkable across all segments of the population. Here’s an example of a road removal project in Kumamoto. Phase one was the construction of a new mixed-use bus terminal, shopping mall, and apartment building. Phase two involved closing off the big street in front. Phase three removed the road entirely and turned it into a pedestrian only linear park. It creates a barrier-free pathway from the terminal to the city’s tram system.

The hail came down so hard it looked like snow after. The entire weather event lasted only about 7-10 minutes, but it flooded the first floor and knocked down branches all over the place.