Thoughts about Japan: There is a Japanese concept I love. One of my favorites in Japanese culture. Ichigo ichie. 一期一会. One time, one meeting. The idea that some moments happen only once and will never exist the same way again. During the pandemic, I was caught in Tokyo for nine months. One night around 1 AM, I was walking down the Sumida River taking photos. I had been alone for a long time, so my heart craved meeting people. In the distance, I heard loud voices and skateboards under a bridge. A group of teenagers were practicing tricks with skateboards and BMX bikes. I walked towards them and, in broken Japanese, asked: 写真を撮ってもいいですか？ Can I take some photos of you? They said yes. For a while, we forgot the world was closed. Just cameras. Skateboards. BMX bikes. Laughter under the bridge. After some time, one of them asked why I was out alone. I told him I was stuck in Japan, and that photography was my passion. Then he asked if I had eaten. Back then, I was only eating once a day because I couldn’t afford much food. So I told him no. He quietly texted someone. Fifteen minutes later, two other guys arrived on their bikes with 7-Eleven bags full of food, beers, cigarettes, and more. One of them said: “Take, take. It’s for you.” We sat by the river. Broken Japanese. Broken English. Egg sandwiches. Onigiri. Asahi beers. Smokes. Strangers taking care of a stranger. Before sunrise, they took me back to my hostel on their bikes. They didn’t know who I was. They didn’t care what I had. We were just humans having fun. That night happened once. And it will never happen the same way again. Ichigo ichie. Thank you Japan.