I’ve been back, for two whole weeks. Christmas has been and gone. I can’t say I’ve missed Japan. Except, yesterday… I was walking back home from the bus stop, when I thought of the little McDonalds near Uguisudani station. How I’d pass it every evening on my way back from wherever. How I always knew I could pop in for a reassuringly normal Big Mac, whenever I wanted one.

And I thought: ach, I’m beginning to miss Tokyo.

Well, that’s a baldfaced lie, because god knows there were plenty of moments where I desperately wanted to be back home, and plenty of moments where I was just bored to death, but… I miss my tiny room. Well, my tiny half of the room. I miss being able to run down to the 99 yen shop when I was peckish to buy Sittori chocolate and Doritos. I miss the freedom. I miss my daily walk through the alley of love hotels. I miss meeting up with Megumi or Yuko or Sarah for a drink. I miss being able to wander around Shinjuku at night. I miss staying up until 2am watching Peep Show and Charlie Brooker. I miss going to karaoke at 2am. The days were so-so, but those Tokyo nights…

I can’t even say I miss Japan that much. I miss Tokyo. Such an incredibly vibrant place, the city that defines megapolis.

How strange! …I went to Japan for the language, the culture, the anime, the technology. Pikachu. Hilarious TV game shows. Fujiyama geisha. Weeaboo otaku.

And yet the reason I want to go back is undefinable. It’s nothing to do with being otaku or weeaboo. I’m just drawn towards Tokyo for reasons I couldn’t explain unless you’ve been to Tokyo, and if you’ve spent enough time in Tokyo you’d know.