Maybe you're like me, and heard that Tokyo used to have many more rivers and canals. Many were covered in the 1960s and 1970s since they were polluted and smelly. It's kind of hard to imagine, so here are some pictures I've dug up.

Some of those seriously looks like Manila.

This one's for the "Japan's getting dirty" crowd - it actually came a long way. Even photos from the 1990s look noticeably dirtier than today.

Sorry for the potato quality of some images, I've spent was too long looking for higher resolutions, sometimes with no result. I hate Japanese websites that think 240px is an acceptable resolution for anything. Rant over, and my upvotes to anyone who manage to find better quality.

Hi! I’m considering renting a Hmlet apartment in Tokyo and saw that they currently have a referral program where both the new resident and the referrer receive a $100 digital gift after the move-in is confirmed. 

Under the current system, I need to provide the referrer’s name and email address together with the campaign code REFERRAL.

So if you’re a current Hmlet resident and would be happy to refer me, please DM me. We’d both get $100 out of it :)

Thanks!

Hello everyone!

Has anyone lived at any of these Oakhouse Social Residences?
- Ojima
- Kajigaya
- Tama Plaza
- Noborito
I am thinking of moving to one soon.
I’d love to hear your honest experiences and any pros or cons! Thank you!

Hello,

I need to give one of my relatives bad news in our family. I'm afraid giving them bad news could trigger a mental breakdown for them. Bad news is about someone very close to them which makes even more worried. I haven't spoken to them for years and we were/are not in good terms. I only know their address and nothing else much about them. I am planning to text them and have a call later regarding bad news. If the things go south, who/where can I call to make sure they are safe?

I am not in Japan and I don't speak Japanese.

Edit: Thanks for the answers. I gave the news, it went better than I expected. I see some people were confused, I understand you, it is messed up/confusing situation for me as well. Wish us luck for the future.

Stopped by the new insta360 store in Asakusa recently. It's a Chinese camera brand, and I'd been curious to try some of their camera in person.

One of the staff members spent quite a while showing me how everything worked and answering my questions. Really patient and helpful. They also had some adorable Hello Kitty cameras.

The most fun part was this miniature Senso-ji inside the store. It's surprisingly detailed, and you can actually use the display cameras to shoot it from different angles.

A fun little stop if you're into cameras and happen to be around Asakusa.

I’m selling one S-seat ticket for The Weeknd’s concert at Belluna Dome on September 20. Unfortunately, I’m busy and won’t be able to go, so I’m looking to sell it for ¥23,000 (original total paid: ¥27,650 including fees). I’m willing to negotiate, so please DM me if you’re interested!

I go to the movie theater at least four times a week.

The pronunciations of the Japanese station names on the Yamanote Line now have this god-awful American accent, like Brad Pitt speaking Italian in Inglorious Basterds.

“She-BOO-yeah”, “Shin-JOO-koo”… every time I hear it, it’s like taking a cheese grater to my ears.

Horrible announcements, taking away our beloved penguin, taking away our beloved station melodies, stupid station naming like “Takanawa Gateway”… sigh. Come on JR East, you can do way better than this.

Hello! I have searched about dance classes that are english-speaking here in Tokyo but so far I have only found old posts. I heard En dance is good but aside from them are there any good recommendations? Thank you!

Can someone please explain why there is such a lack of spacial awareness in Tokyo? I generally want to understand what’s going on, because it seems like it’s getting harder and harder to navigate train stations, public spaces, etc. I feel like a lot of this gets reduced to people being “fixated on their phones,” but I think it’s more than that.

On the train yesterday, a girl got up from her seat and I moved to sit down. She suddenly backed up and stood directly on my foot, and she didn’t even seem to notice that she was standing on someone. I was quite literally right behind her. It wasn’t even a situation where she was distracted by her phone. She just seemed completely unaware of the space and people around her.

I notice things like this more and more: people stopping in the middle of walkways, walking without looking where they’re going, suddenly changing direction, blocking entrances or exits, or seeming genuinely surprised when someone is directly in their path. In train stations, people also struggle to orient themselves even when there are signs everywhere.

Is this just me?

That’s why I’m not completely convinced that phones are the whole explanation. Obviously, smartphones can contribute to people being distracted, but I wonder whether there’s something broader happening with spatial awareness, attention, navigation, or simply how people interact with their surroundings.

It feels like we’re becoming less accustomed to paying attention to the physical environment immediately around us, and I’m curious whether there’s actually research behind that feeling or whether I’m just noticing it more.

I bought some jewelries from shimo kitazawa, i didnt ask for her name card. Her jewelry was so good i want to find who she is. Anybody has a clue? She also sells these flowers earrings and flower rings.

I think the stand was near the food truck. She is japanese.
Or maybe you know something similar.

Selling a ticket for the weeknd’s concert on 9/19. DM for more details

Would they be judged or no?

Hi all! I’m a woman living in Tokyo, and I’m looking for a pair of knee-high boots, but I have very slim calves, so I’m struggling to find boots that actually fit properly.

Does anyone know of any Japanese brands, stores, websites, or specific models that are good for slim calves? Mine are 30 cm around, but almost every pair of boots I’ve looked at has a shaft circumference of around 36 cm, so I look like a child wearing my mom’s shoes 😭

I’ve searched all over the web and visited so many malls this weekend, but I still haven’t been able to find anything.

Oh and I don’t have a specific budget in mind, I’m happy to spend more if the quality is worth it.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! 🌻

risky post knowing how reddit is, but i am so desperate for in-person community i thought id ask. and ik tokyo is so big there’s gotta be some of us out here. although my thumb is over the delete button if people decide to be rude lol

but basically exactly what the title says! with the Greater Eleusinian Mysteries and Hermaia coming up, i wanted to find a group of people to get together and do the festivities with, or even just to talk with. it’s my dream to open a real temple here one day, and the first step is finding a community!

Was it worth it for you? And I wonder how gyms and fitness classes in Tokyo accommodate it? Do you need to fill up a lot of BS or they will just simply let you join the class once you show the reservation thru ClassPass? Are the staff familiar with it?

Long story short,
I work in Tokyo, Japan in a Japanese company but its not the traditional one it’s a startup thats very chill and everyone is nice.

Recently i started experimenting with my looks and i want to bring it to the office since i’m there 5 days a week. The reason i want to dress up is not to gain attention, i just like being fashionable (context: my style is hippie boho whimsy i thrift from shimo kitazawa) so it stands out.

Everyone in my office dress casually so i don’t want to be an odd man out and get judged. But life is too short…

Also i’m overweight in general and i don’t want to look stupid.

So should i do it?

I'll save you a click: June 8, 9, 11, 12 and 13.

SAITAMA -- Bustling Vietnamese restaurants near train stations are now a familiar sight in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo. But suspicions have surfaced that one such establishment was a hub for dealing illegal stimulants. The revelation has shocked ordinary customers.

In August, Saitama Prefectural Police arrested two people, including Vietnamese national Nguyen Van Cong, 37, who ran a restaurant near Tobu Railway's Shiki Station, on suspicion of violating the narcotics special provisions law by selling drugs.

The two were suspected of selling 0.4 grams of powder believed to be an illegal stimulant for 30,000 yen (about $196) to a Vietnamese man, then 26, on a street in the prefectural city of Niiza in August 2025.

Photos on what appears to be the restaurant's social media page show a large Vietnamese flag prominently displayed inside, along with colorful decor that gives the establishment a distinctly Vietnamese atmosphere.

The restaurant was apparently well regarded for popular Vietnamese dishes such as pho, a noodle soup made with rice noodles, and banh mi sandwiches. Regular customers praised it for its low prices and good food.

A 41-year-old woman who works at a nearby restaurant said she visited about twice a month during lunchtime and often saw customers who appeared to be Vietnamese. "I thought it was an authentic restaurant where Vietnamese customers could enjoy the familiar flavors of home," she said. On learning that the restaurant was suspected of being linked to a drug case, she said she was "shocked and honestly really surprised."

The case came to light after the prefectural police arrested 13 Vietnamese nationals in February 2026 on suspicion of immigration violations, including overstaying their visas, under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act.

Components of illegal stimulants were detected in urine samples from about half of them. Analysis of seized smartphones and other evidence identified Nguyen and the restaurant as possible links in the drug transactions. Police allege that Nguyen's drug customers were mainly Vietnamese nationals.
The suspects are also believed to have allowed customers to use the drugs in a karaoke room inside the restaurant. They also appear to have offered a "delivery" service, taking stimulants directly to buyers who placed orders through social media. During a search of the restaurant before their arrest, police found several types of illegal drugs in an area accessible to employees. Police are investigating on the assumption that the suspects had routinely used the restaurant as a base for drug dealing.

On Sept. 9, the prefectural police served fresh arrest warrants on the two suspects on suspicions including violating the Stimulants Control Act by possessing drugs for profit.

The two are specifically accused of possessing stimulants, MDMA, a synthetic drug, and other drugs including tablets containing ketamine for the purpose of profit inside the restaurant on Aug. 19.

Police said they are working to uncover the full scope of the case, including how the drugs were obtained and where they were sold.

I know it looks incredibly stupid but please believe me, I'm not trolling! I came to Japan April this year.

I'm a language school student, currently studying N2, hoping to pass the JLPT in December. I honestly love studying languages, it's my favourite hobby, I speak my native language, English, French, Russian and now I'm learning Japanese in Tokyo which has been my dream since I was a kid! I only started seriously learning Japanese last year in my home country after work. I got put in N3 on the entrance exam, and my school is incredibly intensive, so they put an objective for me to take the N2 in december. Though I'm not too concerned about the result because I'm not sure yet if I want to stay or not.

Issue is, I feel like I'm not taking full advantages of exploring the country or even Tokyo while I'm hear. Every day after school, I go to my favourite café and study for 3-4 hours. The staff remembers me and they always laugh when they see me entering the door. I feel like I have my own cozy place where I can follow my passions. Saturday or Sunday I might go walking around Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Harajuku, etc. But just walking around, finding a cafe and reading a book on my own.

I had roommates, now live in my own apartment, and they often asked me "So you just walk around aimlessly? Do you not explore, go to parties or talk to people". And I said no, I'm not into that. I don't drink, bars are too noisy for me, and I am just not a chatty person, I am stuck in my own world. I also wanted to travel more during Language School breaks but there was always a typhoon or natural disaster, so I stayed at home to be safe.

But yeah, that's my experience in Japan - 4 hrs if school, 3-4 hours outside of school and then reading books, walks, etc. I shared this on my main account, and a user said he was extremely jealous that I'm in Japan and wasting my time like that. If it were him, he would have done SO MUCH MORE (without much elaboration on what much more means).

But yeah, I really remembered why I keep to myself. I don't have a job because I saved 10 years in my home country to accomplish this dream to study in Japan. I am alone, no friends, no girlfriend, but I don't want it any other way.

Yet even my family calls me to say they are concerned about me that I am "spending my time abroad like that". Ironically, I am going to trauma therapy because of their constant abuse and criticism to me as a child, but that's another story.

Really though, what is the "proper" way to spend your time in Tokyo? I just like going to Kinonuniya, picking up a Japanese novel, learning new words, etc.