Man, today was a wild ride in Yorii. Like, seriously, I can’t even. I woke up thinking it’d be just another chill day. Spoiler alert: it was NOT.
First off, I hit up the local café on Kōen-dōri. You know, the one with the weirdly cute cat that always stares at you like you owe it money? Yeah, that one. I ordered my usual—matcha latte, extra foam, because why not? But the barista, bless their heart, totally messed it up. I got a black coffee instead. Ugh. I mean, who drinks black coffee? Not me, fam.
So, I’m sitting there, trying to salvage my morning, when I overhear this convo about the Yorii Matsuri coming up. It’s like this huge festival, right? I’m thinking, “Great, more crowds.” But then they mentioned food stalls. My stomach perked up. I mean, who can resist yakitori? Not this guy.
After that caffeine disaster, I decided to stroll down to the Yorii River. It’s pretty chill there, you know? The cherry blossoms were still hanging on, and I was feeling all poetic. I whipped out my phone to snap some pics. But then, bam! My phone slipped outta my hand and into the river. I was like, “Nooooo!” I swear, I almost jumped in after it. But then I remembered I can’t swim. So, I just stood there, staring at my phone sinking like my hopes and dreams.
I finally pulled myself together and headed over to the Yorii Station. I needed to catch a train to Saitama. But of course, the train was late. Classic. I was standing there, tapping my foot, when this old dude next to me starts chatting. He’s all like, “You know, back in my day…” and I’m just nodding, trying to be polite. But inside, I’m screaming, “I don’t have time for your life story, man!”
Finally, the train rolls in, and I squeeze in. It’s packed, like sardines in a can. I’m squished between a guy who smells like he just ran a marathon and a lady who’s blasting her music. I mean, come on! Can’t a guy catch a break?
When I finally got to Saitama, I was ready to blow off some steam. I hit up this little izakaya. The vibe was chill, and the food was bomb. I ordered some karaage and a couple of beers. I was feeling good, laughing at my own misfortunes. Then, outta nowhere, this group of locals starts singing karaoke. They were terrible, but it was hilarious. I joined in, belting out some off-key J-Pop. I’m pretty sure I scared a few people, but whatever.
After a few too many drinks, I decided to head back to Yorii. The night was lit, and I was feeling all kinds of emotional. I mean, life is a rollercoaster, right? I hopped on the train, and as I was staring out the window, I realized how beautiful Yorii is at night. The lights reflecting on the river, the quiet streets—man, it hit me.
But then, just when I thought the day couldn’t get crazier, I got off at my stop and saw a raccoon rummaging through a trash can. I couldn’t help but laugh. Like, what are you doing, buddy? You’re in the wrong part of town!
So, yeah, that was my day in Yorii. Full of ups and downs, laughs and facepalms. I’m exhausted, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Tomorrow’s a new day, and who knows what’s gonna happen? Bring it on, Yorii!