Chiba, Japan: Lost My Rhythm (and Found Some Amazing Ramen)
okay, so. chiba. i didn’t really plan to be in chiba. i was supposed to be in tokyo, doing a gig with a band called ‘Electric Koi’ - super weird name, right? - but my flight got…delayed. like, really delayed. ended up in narita, and then, well, chiba just sort of…happened.
and honestly? i’m kinda glad it did. tokyo’s…a lot. you know? like, sensory overload times ten. chiba’s got this…chill. a weird, coastal chill. i just checked and it’s hovering around -1.6 degrees celsius right now, with a wind chill that feels like -6. hope you like that kind of thing. i’m bundled up like a yeti.
my drumming kit didn’t make it, obviously. so i’ve been wandering around, trying to find some semblance of a beat in the everyday. which is harder than it sounds. the rhythm of the trains, the clatter of vending machines…it’s all just…noise. until you find the right ramen shop, that is.
speaking of ramen, i overheard some drunk salaryman at a tiny izakaya (seriously, like, six seats) telling everyone that ‘the place near the port, ‘Kaito Ramen,’ has the best tonkotsu in the prefecture.’ apparently, the broth is simmered for 36 hours. 36 hours! i’m skeptical, but i’m also starving, so i’m gonna check it out. you can find some reviews on TripAdvisor, but honestly, trust the drunk salaryman. they know things. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g298185-Chiba_Prefecture_Kanto.html
and the weather…it’s relentless. the wind whips off the sea, and it’s just…biting. i saw a guy trying to fly a kite, and it just kept getting yanked back to shore. felt very symbolic of my current situation, to be honest.
if you get bored, yokohama and tokyo are just a short drive away. i might head to yokohama tomorrow, see if i can find a decent music store. maybe pick up a ukulele or something. anything to distract me from the fact that i’m stranded and my band probably thinks i’ve vanished into thin air.
“Don’t go near the old lighthouse after dark. Locals say it’s haunted by a sailor who lost his ship in a storm.”
okay, that’s creepy. i heard that from a little old lady selling takoyaki on the street. she looked very serious. i’m not usually one for ghost stories, but…it’s chiba. it’s cold. it’s windy. it’s got a weird vibe. maybe there are ghosts.
I’m also trying to find some vintage shops. Apparently, there’s a good one in *Chuo-ku. Someone told me that it’s full of old band t-shirts and weird Japanese knick-knacks. I’m hoping to find something to remember this whole bizarre experience by. Check out Yelp for some recommendations: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=vintage+clothing&find_loc=Chiba,+Chiba+Prefecture,+Japan
right now, i’m just trying to stay warm and find decent coffee. i’ve heard that Kisarazu* has some surprisingly good cafes. I'm also looking at local forums for recommendations: https://www.chiba-global.net/
this whole trip has been…a lot. but hey, at least i’ve got a story to tell. and maybe, just maybe, i’ll find my rhythm again. eventually.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/best-chiba-suburbs-for-families-and-young-professionals-a-broke-students-messy-guide
- https://topiclo.com/post/cancn-neighborhoods-that-wont-get-you-mugged-and-the-ones-that-might
- https://topiclo.com/post/crime-statistics-in-pendik-is-it-getting-safer-2
- https://topiclo.com/post/ridgeview-at-6am-a-indie-film-scouts-midnight-scramble-for-hidden-stories
- https://topiclo.com/post/bangalore-that-time-i-spent-72-hours-chasing-light-in-the-sun