The Start of Summer Break in a Household with Kids

I got mad at my kid today.
Here’s how it happened.

People don’t really listen to CDs anymore, do they?
It might not click with younger folks, but in our CD-generation household, we still have an old CD boombox and, along with it, an equally old amplifier.
Of course, there’s a row of CDs sitting right next to them.
My kid wanted to open one of the CDs, so I popped open the case and showed it to them.
Then, they tried to spin the CD—still in its case—with their finger.
So I said,
“We don’t do that. No touching. No spinning. Got it?”

I made sure to check they understood.
They seemed satisfied with that, so I thought, “Phew, good, all clear,” and relaxed for a moment.

…And in that very moment, they were spinning the CD that was still inside the boombox with their finger.
(This is where I got mad.)

I took it out and checked.
A deep scratch went all the way around.
Just to be sure, I checked another CD—an American pressing of the Brian Jones-era classic, Out of Our Heads.
Same kind of scratch, same place.

(I opened it for them. I said no spinning. I double-checked. So why would they do that?)

I felt completely deflated.

I told my partner about it.
And they said,
“Maybe you should keep it upstairs?”

No, no—why is that the response?
If I had asked, “Should we keep the boombox upstairs or downstairs?”
Then sure, “Maybe upstairs?” would make sense.

But that’s not what I needed just now.
We’ve already had that conversation before—more than once.
But here I am, in a really low moment, and that’s what I get again.
Ugh.

Now that summer break has started, our kid’s been acting up even more these past few days.
“One ice cream a day! You already had one! Just one, okay?!”
“Waaaaah!!” (screaming)

Hearing those shouts and shrieks all day long makes me feel like I’m losing it.
It’s not so much a chain reaction of family stress—
More like the stress has nowhere to go, swirling and building up, just stuck inside the house.
That’s more what it feels like.

And yet.

Even through all this, we parents still try to give our kids good summer memories.

2025年7月26日
鉄旅ライフ編集部
過去のコラムはこちら

One-Day Tokyo Sightseeing – Akihabara, Harajuku & Shinjuku Gourmet Tour (Part 2)

This article continues from the previous section, where I enjoyed curry at the soba restaurant しんたごと（Shintagoto） and ramen at Ichiran.I decided to take a short walk around Harajuku. The sky, which had been cloudy earlier, suddenly cleared, and the temperature rose quickly under the sun.

Feeling the heat, I stopped by “MATCHA,” a specialty matcha sweets shop near the station, and took a break with an iced matcha latte.

I felt a warm little moment when I found a trash bin near Harajuku Station. Since Japan has almost no trash cans, this was really appreciated.

Heading to Shinjuku

I took the Yamanote Line to Shinjuku. Here’s the article from when I previously walked around the Shinjuku Station area.
A sanctuary for craft lovers, limited-edition character goods—and once again, I got lost around Shinjuku Station.

Getting Lost in Shinjuku While Shopping for Craft Fabric

From Harajuku, I took the Yamanote Line’s inner loop (toward Tokyo and Ikebukuro) for two stops and arrived at Shinjuku Station.

My destination was the East Exit of Shinjuku, but while absentmindedly walking… I somehow ended up at the South Gate instead.
Yes, the classic Shinjuku experience.

Shinjuku Station is one of those places where you really won’t reach your destination unless you keep checking the signs, so it’s best to move calmly and not rush.

Pulling myself together, I headed toward the East Exit.

Speaking of the East Exit, it’s all about the “cat.”

When you think of Shinjuku’s East Exit, you can’t miss the giant cat on the Cross Shinjuku Vision screen.
It was energetically popping out in 3D again today.

And just nearby, Alta — once the legendary spot of the TV show “Waratte Iitomo!” — is currently under major construction.

It feels a little sad, but I’m also excited to see what new facility will take its place.

Heading to Okadaya, the holy ground for craft lovers!

This time, my destination in Shinjuku is Okadaya.
It’s a specialty craft store that once had a location inside Alta, and Shinjuku is its flagship branch.
After Alta closed, the store moved to a newly built building just nearby.

I learned about the move from the store’s official account on X (formerly Twitter). I’d been wanting to visit ever since it opened.

Kiddy Land is here! The Shinjuku-exclusive goods were absolutely delightful

What surprised me first when I reached the building was the Kiddy Land Shinjuku store located on the lower floors.

The store was packed to the brim with character goods, and there were plenty of Shinjuku-exclusive items featuring Snoopy and Rilakkuma.

Some of the products had rare, Japanese-style designs, and I noticed many international visitors browsing as well.
I couldn’t take photos inside the store, but if you love Snoopy or Rilakkuma, this place is absolutely worth a visit.

And then, finally, the main destination—Okadaya’s flagship store… a paradise for fabric lovers

Floors 6 through 11 of the building are all Okadaya.
Each floor is dedicated to different categories, making it feel like a full-fledged department store for crafts.

The first thing that amazed me was the yarn section.
There were shelves upon shelves of brands you hardly ever see in other craft stores.
I even found myself wondering, “Do they have every color from every brand?” because the selection was that extensive.

I also spotted kits from manufacturers I had only ever seen online, and seeing them in person was genuinely thrilling.

There are two entire floors dedicated to fabric.

And then I finally entered the fabric floors.
There are actually two whole floors packed with fabric!

From bold designs for stage costumes and cosplay, to natural styles, traditional Japanese patterns, and seasonal fabrics… the variety is so overwhelming it almost makes your head spin.
And when you see tags like “special price for a limited time,” your wallet basically gives up resistance. (lol)

I also saw many international visitors, which made me realize once again how appealing Japan’s craft culture is on a global scale.

Before I knew it, I had bought 13 meters of fabric.

I originally planned to pick up just one or two types today,
but when I got to the cutting counter, I ended up asking for seven different pieces—
a total of 13 meters.

I might have bought a bit too much…
but the sense of satisfaction is tremendous.

I actually wanted to explore all the floors more slowly,
but I wanted to head home before the trains got crowded,
so I wrapped up my visit here for today.

Summary

Heading to Okadaya in Shinjuku is pure joy for anyone who loves crafts.

The Okadaya Shinjuku flagship store I visited this time is absolutely a sanctuary for craft lovers.
It’s a place where inspiration just starts flowing the moment you step inside.

And while you’re at it, browsing the limited-edition character goods at Kiddy Land is a delight.
Even getting lost while trying to reach the East Exit feels like part of the Shinjuku experience.