Last summer, when I visited my family in Japan for a few months, I happened to spend a night in Tokyo. I was visiting a family member in the region until late in the evening, then I had an appointment to visit a friend in central Tokyo the following morning. Since all I needed was a place to sleep and my budget was tight, I decided to stay at a youth hostel.
Luckily for me, there was one right next to the train station close to the place I was going to meet my friend the next day. Located inside a tall building directly accessible from the station, it was easy to find, and I made it just in time before the door closed for the evening check-in.
Once securing my bed in a deserted room and dropping my stuff, I went to take a shower. The staff at the front desk had told me there was a Japanese-style shared bathroom on my floor. I only expected to take a quick shower, but if there was a bathtub, that would be a delight.
When I walked into the changing room, the only other guests were a few high school students deep in conversation, apparently forgetting about the bath altogether. I brushed past them, hurrying my way to the bathroom.
The moment I opened the door, the familiar mist welcomed me. One side of the wall had a huge window, and along that window was a large bathtub. Excited by the prospect of stretching out my tired body in the hot water, I quickly washed myself and rushed to the bathtub.
As I sank into the warm water and edged closer to the window, my breath caught. What I found through the misty window was the most picturesque night view of Tokyo. Below, I could see the sea of urban buildings lit up under the night sky as if I were standing on a lookout. But unlike on a lookout, there was nobody else around me. It was just me, sitting in the bathtub, the water trickling from the tub the only sound in the room. For a moment, I was certain I was having the most luxurious bathing experience in Tokyo.
The spell was broken when the high school students finally came in and their chattering echoed in the room. After taking a final look at the view, I got up and left the bathroom.