Discover the unexpected “Tokyo Gate” for a night event

An ordinary day, with interesting discovery~

This is one of my favorite places in my hometown. One of the reasons is because there's a wide variety of food and beverage stalls, making it easy to manage my budget haha. And instead of a food court, it’s more like a small park with several rides and a small artificial lake.

I remember spending many days here when I was working on my thesis. Back then, the change of scenery really helped refresh my mind when it was stuck. So, somehow, visiting this place almost always reminds me of those days when I was struggling to finish whatever chapter I worked on.

A few days ago, I came to this place again–it’s called “Food Junction” in west Surabaya. I had no plans in mind other than to spend a relaxing time studying while gazing at the serene lake across the food court area. However, right in front of the entrance, there was a boardsign with “A Night in Tokyo” written on it. I didn’t capture it, and just went in as usual.

The first thing I saw was the huge Christmas tree they’d already set up. It certainly looked much bigger and prettier in real life, and I’m curious if they may add lights around it later, which I think would make it even more stunning. Then, after I walked a bit further into the area near the lake, there was a beautiful Japanese-style gate in front of me. But it was still empty. Of course, it’s called a night in Tokyo, so they will start the event at least after dawn. But I had a better idea of ​​what to expect, because I was seeing it in the bright daylight.

There were quite many booths, and I’m sure they sell a variety of food, drink, and snacks. Actually this wasn’t the first time Food Junction had held an event like this. They consistently hold different kinds of events (often timed to coincide with major holidays like Ramadhan and Christmas).

However, in addition to the stalls lining the visitor seating area, there were also a few stalls that were floating in the lake. I remember Food Junction had held a floating market event before, and that was the main attraction. So visitors could have a more interesting experience.

Across the lake, there’s also a stage that will likely host various kinds of performances at night. Since Food Junction is an open space, I think it’s obvious that the show will be free. With that in mind, I planned to stay there at least until sunset. So, I bought a crispy fried chicken snack called “Pok-pok” and just studied there.

I've probably mentioned studying for a few times on my blogs, but I’ve never really shared the details. Because honestly, I just study random things depending on my mood, that’s why I like to keep it to myself.

Some days I study English to improve my writing, other days I pick up Math, and sometimes even Japanese just for fun. But I really try to be more consistent–to maintain the habit of learning something. I like to spend my time doing relaxing activities and just enjoying the day slowly, so I hope to have more days like that.

Anyway, I didn’t end up waiting for the show or even for the lights to start to turn. I vaguely remember it, but I guess because it was suddenly pretty cloudy that day, so I didn’t want to get caught in the rain on my way home. So I decided to leave before sunset. I read that the event will run until early January 2026 so I’ll write about it if I finally get to see the show. Until then, see you! :)