Turn out the lights and step out to the terrace.

Then, simply lay out on the deck. Looking up, the buildings disappear from your field of vision until there’s only sky. You aren’t just looking at stars, but are instead enveloped by the entire sky.

While you do that, bring your attention to your belly. You might feel it lightly extend when you’re lying down. Almost as if your intestines, which react so acutely to daily stress, are finally relaxing for this one moment.

If at any time you feel like there’s fewer stars than you thought, it means you’re still viewing the sky with “Tokyo eyes.”

It’s said that human eyes need twenty minutes to acclimate to darkness; as the pupils expand, the eyes slowly prepare to enter stargazing mode. That’s why it’s important to wait a while.

Keep your phone off during that time, too. As small as that light is, it’s enough to instantly shake your eyes back to “Tokyo mode.”

While you wait, you’ll see stars slowly appear. Few at first, but eventually innumerable. And during summer, you’ll see that white belt in the spaces between them: the Milky Way.

If you see a shooting star, instead of making a wish, pick one thing to release. A problem, an anxiety, or even tomorrow’s agenda – choose one of the many things you brought out here with you…and release it with the shooting star into the night.