Mount Bizan Let’s head up to see Tokushima’s night view while the sky still holds the colours of dusk.

When I reached the summit, the sky still held evening colour. I walked towards the open view and stopped in my tracks at how far the city stretched. Earlier, I’d checked a map whenever I turned a street corner, yet from here the river and town formed one continuous view. It made me want to find where I’d just been.

“We were walking around there, weren’t we?” my driving friend said, pointing. I looked the same way, but there were so many similar lights. Setting aside the guessing for a moment, I followed those along the river. It was fun to see for myself how the city continued to the water’s edge.

The sky slowly darkened, making the buildings’ lights clearer. Drawing the sleeves of my pale purple hoodie towards my hands, I felt wind slip over my fingertips. I rested my hands together in front of my chest and watched the night view spread. Simply not having car sounds nearby made me feel the distance from the city.

While my friend took photos, I kept looking without turning away. A photo captures the night view at a single moment, but before me the sky’s brightness was still changing. The city looked a little different before and after each picture. I wanted even the time spent waiting for that change to be part of today’s stop.

By the time I suggested heading back down to town, the lights of the place we’d been searching for had blended into the night scene. Imagining Tokushima ramen’s sweet-savoury broth reminded me I was hungry. Choosing dinner in a city I’d just looked at from above felt more exciting than usual.