WB055: Mini-park Adventures

I run around my neighbourhood three to four times a week and end each run with a stretch and cooldown in a nearby mini-park.

I am not sure if "mini-park" is the official name for this public space, which is a small patch of land that has greenery and benches. Around the district I live in, there are mini-parks scattered in the residential areas.

In a concrete urban jungle like Tokyo, these mini-parks are a welcome sight and a relaxing outdoor space for local residents. Some mini-parks, like the one I frequent, have a playground area, a water fountain and a public toilet.

What I like most about the mini-park I frequent is its ambience.

There is always a nice breeze in the morning and the park's greenery provides much-needed shade - a major plus point during sunny, cloudless summer days. The sounds of nature - birds chirping and cicadas clicking - are also audible.

These qualities make the space a great place to relax, people watch or just gather ones thoughts.

As my runs usually end around the same time at 8:45AM to 9:00AM, I see the same people around the mini-park during my stretches.

There is a couple from an African nation who I am sure are diplomats, as they get picked up in an embassy car. This car is identifiable by its number plate having a "外" Japanese character.

There is also a senior Japanese gentleman, probably in his late 60's, who walks past the mini-park during his daily walk. This man always wears a short-sleeved shirt, brown Bermuda shorts, the same trucker hat and listens to music using wired earphones.

I notice this gentleman keenly scouts his surroundings during his walks. I'm not entirely sure what he is looking out for, but he sometimes stops walking abruptly to take a closer look at a plant or to say "Hello" to a passer-by. I assume he knows these passers-by.

The other day, he was standing by a tree with his right hand slowly reaching towards a low-hanging branch.

"What is this strange guy doing?", I wondered.

It turns out he was trying to catch a beetle perched on the branch. The beetle, sensing a predator closing in, quickly flew away to safety.

Contrary to popular belief, there are litterbugs in Japan and the mini-park I frequent is just as vulnerable to their unmindful actions. Most litterbugs are smokers who unmindfully discard their used cigarette buds.

Unlike Malaysia or Singapore, I don't see council workers regularly cleaning the streets in the district I live in. As the public spaces are consistently clean, I suspect the community is entrusted with this responsibility.

This mindset explains why you will often see people sweeping the space outside their homes or shops first thing in the morning.

Such a community-driven approach makes sense and fosters ownership among residents. You do your thing, I do my thing, and together everything stays tidy.

Cleaning up after our surroundings should not be seen as something beneath us, nor is it something that "the council cleaners should do". This thinking will lead us nowhere.

So to do my part, I recently started carrying a small plastic bag with me when I go for my runs. This way, on the off-chance there is litter in the mini-park, I can do my part to clean it up.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

--Ends