The street I live in in Tokyo

This is the street I live in in Tokyo. When I left the house at 10am this morning there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The neighbourhood was silent, bar a few birds singing and the clip-clop of this lady’s traditional wooden shoes as she shuffled down the street. I must have walked up and down this street over a thousand times, but I always spot something new. Here are some photos I took on the short 100-metre walk to go get some breakfast.

At this time of the morning, the sun always hits this little house at the end of a T junction at the top of my street. This image pretty much sums up suburban Tokyo: the plant pots, the bicycle, the faded paint.

This is a hair salon for little old ladies. The small door on the left is a quiet bar with room for about six customers.

The flower theme continues outside this sewing shop.

My coin laundry! This is where I dry my clothes. The old lady who owns the shop lives on the left, while the driers spin on the right.

The old couple who run this bike shop are always busy fixing punctures and sitting about. They live out the back of the shop, and during festival season they clear out all the stock to make room for a portable shrine which sits inside. Lots of locals then come down and drink sake inside the shop.

You will never go thirsty in Tokyo. Because it’s winter now the vending machines sell hot drinks as well as cold.

At the end of the street is what we call the ‘Italian Konbini’ -basically the local corner shop, but the red white and green always reminds me of Italy. The cigarette machines you need a special card to use to stop kids buying them. More drinks machines, even though the other ones above were only ten metres away.

In the summer this house is entirely covered in flowers . It’s incredible. Because it’s morning and a nice day the owners are airing their futon out the balcony.