Although I took no photos, I still remember walking along a narrow street in Narita where crowds made it impossible to tread at more than a snail’s pace. I was unaware of the importance of January 1st in Japan until I reached the temple and saw the crowds gathered before a monk.
Before I left Japan, I wanted to return to this memory. I left my luggage at the airport and caught a train back into Narita accompanied by two helpful friends I met at the train station. I walked the same street that didn’t seem as narrow to the temple and the park I remembered with a frozen lake. This was a journey I’d wanted to repeat for years and it was the perfect way to end my trip to Japan.
