A Secret Getaway…

Ever feel like hiding out for a few days. or weeks? Yeah, me too, especially these days. But where would you go? Ideally, you would have your own “safe house” tucked away somewhere cool, say like, Tokyo or Prague or Isla Mujeres. Well, if I had that kind of dough, I would.

Nothing fancy, just a hole-in-the-wall, in fact better that it look a bit shabby and it should be off the beaten track, a neighborhood far from “influencers” and tourist traffic. A left and a right and another left and you go down some quiet street and there it is some weird little joint that might have been a bar or cafe at some point, but now it’s difficult to tell if it’s even open anymore. Maybe whip up a google map profile for it and leave a half dozen reviews fleshing out the history, to throw off the curious. Leave the exterior exactly as is, but renovate the interior to make a cozy place to cocoon; a good kitchen and soundproofing for solid sleep, a digital projector and pulldown screen for movie nights.

That’s what came to mind when I saw this place on MAKO’s IG feed, and here’s the post (third image) where I found this beauty, but then again, I could probably say the same for about half the places that Mako has documented. If you love Japanese culture and tiny Japanese buildings, particularly of the beautifully decaying and well-worn variety, then make yourself a cup of tea, or sake and get ready to lose a couple of hours scrolling Mako’s incredible portfolio. I’m glad someone is making an effort to capture these lovely places before they get crushed under the wheel of “progress” (side note, can we just take a couple years off from “progress” and take care of what we already have? Give everyone an extra week or two off to just enjoy what we already have?)

So, yeah, runaway, I’d like to have that secret hideaway and I might even invite you along too.

Until next week, don’t let the bastards steal your smile, your swagger or your mojo!

OK HW