Of footbaths in Japan and furry encounters at a Singapore mall

A trip to Japan at the end of December – along with apparently half the Singaporean populace who had the same idea – reminded me of how spaces can bring a neighbourhood together. I had lived in Tokyo for three years over a decade ago, so I am reasonably familiar with its way of life.

This time, staying in my former Japanese teacher’s home in a Tokyo suburb, we visited a public bath a short drive away. The bath, a two-storey building, was crowded. Local families, after their ablutions and soaking in the hot spring waters, were variously eating a hot meal or keeping a watchful eye on their children running barefoot in the play area. Some adults were even catching a snooze in the rest area. It was a cheerful snapshot of a community relaxing at the end of a work week.