Tokyo (photo by Brad A Johnson)

Tokyo is one of the most vibrant cities on earth. It is also filled with surprising moments of zen, like this little side street in the heart of Shinjuku, which feels a million miles away from downtown modern Tokyo. I don’t remember the name of the street, and I’m not even certain I could find it again if I tried. I just remember walking around the city, mesmerized by the skyscrapers all around, when I suddenly found myself in this quaint alleyway that looked like it might have been here for a hundred years.

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