Leftovers

View from Sunshine City 60: In the cityscape picture, you can see Shinjuku on the left side and a triangular building on the right side. The triangular building is Nakano Sun Plaza, the landmark building in our neighbourhood. You can also see just how immense this city is! Unfortunately, it wasn't clear enough to see Mt. Fuji....we'll save that for another day.

Disturbing Event: I was riding the train to work last week and there was a schoolgirl sitting across from me. When I glanced over, she had her compact mirror out and she was putting on mascara. No big deal--that's a common sight on the train (although I'm not sure how they're able to put on mascara when the train is jerking from side to side!). When my gaze went by her the next time, however, I had to do a double take....She had a pink plastic implement with which she was jabbing her eyelid (I think the intent is to make one's eyes look wider--she was trying to push her eyelid very deep into the fold). At first, I was so viscerally ill at seeing this that I looked away quickly. A few moments passed, and I started to wonder to myself, "Did I really just see what I think I did?" So, I looked over again. And she was pushing her eyelid in even harder--there were no gentle movements at all. It took all my willpower to not go over and say "For the love of god, please stop, you're going to poke your eye out!" The implement has two pointy prongs on one end and a single pointy prong on the other. I will post a photo if I'm able to find this tool of torture in the stores.....

Great Finds

Local watering hole: I think our neighbourhood is now complete. We have officially found a pub (beer café zinc) that is only 2 blocks away and has a great atmosphere. The bartender is a sizable man with a braid that goes all the way down his back. He also has the warmest smile and exudes a very laid back vibe. Our favourite menu items so far are mussels and frites. The people who come to this bar are quite eclectic and my favourite part is when the bartender walks us to the front door, opens the door for us, and wishes us a good night. Love it!











Nakano peace/love graffiti: Right by our train station, on the way through a two-storey bike parking lot. Pretty much speaks for itself.






Ikebukuro: Kerwood treated me to a lovely walking tour of a never-before-explored neighbourhood for us. It was great to see Ikebukuro and spend the afternoon in the Sunshine City observatory located on the 60th floor of the second tallest building in Tokyo! What a spectacular view it had (we plan to go back for sunset and night views). Another amazing part of it was that the elevator ride that took us 226 meters to the top lasted only 35 seconds!?! The lights dimmed, they played ethereal music, and the walls/ceiling lit up with underwater images—oooh, aaah☺ Sunshine City 60 is obviously the tall building in the centre of the picture, however if you look at the building below it, one of the balconies looks like a grand piano. Kerwood fell in love with that one!

The Theatre: We thoroughly enjoyed our first movie-going experience in Tokyo. It’s quite expensive ($18 a person), however the theatres are very comfortable, you can drink beer while watching the movie, and the audience is so quiet you can hear a pin drop. At one point, I stopped eating my popcorn because I thought I was oafishly disrupting the silence....Very different from Edmonton/Calgary theatres! The other curious thing is that everyone stays in their seats until all of the credits are finished rolling. Oh, we saw Into the Wild. What a beautiful film—so much better than the book in terms of highlighting the ways in which Chris McCandless touched people’s lives and found his way to: “Happiness is only real when shared.”

Well, I'm off to work, so I'll have to write about a strangely disturbing discovery later....

Shake, Shake, Shake

Biggest Psychological Adjustment So Far: Hands down, it’s earthquake preparedness. For a prairie girl, whose biggest natural concern was blizzards (and I’ve lived through some scary ones on the highway between Canmore and Calgary), wrapping my head around the idea of earthquakes has been really hard. There’s the initial “oh shit” panic, then there’s the “agh, it’ll never happen while I’m here,” and then there’s the message we got from our training at Berlitz: “When the big earthquake hits (dramatic pause)….and it will (dramatic pause)….we could all be dead!!!” Well, I am someone all for the drama, however this is too much for me. Particularly after we experienced an earthquake (small in the big picture of things) this morning while we were getting ready to leave for work.

I was reading an e-mail message and felt the floor start to shake. I thought to myself, “Hmmm. There’s no way our neighbours below us could be doing something to make our floor shake.” (I think this was a case of wishful thinking along the lines of “please, please, please let this not be an earthquake”). Yep, any doubts were erased when the entire building started to shimmy like it was doing some kind of belly dance. For anyone who has never experienced an earthquake, it is very unsettling (not for Tokyo-ites, however. No one seemed phased when we started walking to the station). Ker quickly checked the meteorological website and the quake registered at a minimal 4.8 on the Richter scale. The Big One (Tokai) is predicted to register closer to an 8 or a 9!?! In a nutshell, experiencing an earthquake made me feel powerless and also resigned to the power of Mother Nature. There will be no controlling her, so what’s the point of worrying? (We are going to pick up an emergency kit sooner than later, though). No one at my Learning Centre (LC) even mentioned the quake, while at Ker’s LC, one woman informed Ker that it’s the ‘jumping’ earthquakes that are really concerning. The ‘wavy’ ones (like today’s) are much better ☺

Work: Surviving the first week….First off, I love my co-workers. They are so laid back and many of them have been around for a loooong time. I am the newbie by a long shot, after another fellow who started a month ago (he’s a tad bit jaded, and is ready to leave Japan fairly soon). I was admittedly very anxious for the first several days of work. It crossed my mind many times that I should just quit while I’m ahead, and save my poor stomach from any further upsets. After finishing day 4 today, however, I’m feeling much more optimistic about my future as an English teacher. I have my co-workers, lovely lovely students, and, of course, Kerwood to thank for keeping me afloat over the past week. Some of my lessons have been really fun and I am thoroughly enjoying meeting each student—they have so many interesting stories to tell! It has also crossed my mind that I am so fortunate that I can spend time with people whom I would never cross paths with in Canada (e.g., extremely high-ranking businesspeople), in a setting where I can experience their warmth, humbleness, and wonderful senses of humour. I think it will work out just fine....

Odds & Ends from a Frenetic Week

Heiwanomori Park: This park is a major hub in our neighbourhood. When we went running last weekend, there were several baseball teams doing their warm-ups in the field. (The secret to running here has been changing pace and ensuring that there are electrolytes in our water). I was labouring to breathe in the heat, wearing running gear, and these poor boys were running in their uniforms….anyone who has played baseball/softball knows how smokin’ hot that material can be. We were running on a Sunday and were pleasantly surprised to see a young man practicing his double bass off to the side of the track. It makes so much sense to practice your instrument outside so as not to disturb your very-close neighbours, and it’s such a treat for us as we’re wandering around….Later in the day, we also came across traditional drummers and a sweet old man playing the accordion—all in different parks.

More recently, I went for a walk at the park and people were flying kites, kids were catching bugs with nets, and several little girls were playing with kittens….I stopped to pet one of the kittens (how could I resist and when have I ever passed up the opportunity to hang out with a cat for a little while?). The poor little thing wanted to hide under me as I knelt down (some of the kids were being a bit rough with it) and the girls came up to me saying, “kawaii, kawaii.” All I could do was say the same word back while nodding my head in agreement that these kittens were indeed very cute! (Can’t wait to start language lessons in two weeks so that I can have a bit more to say☺). Oh, and to top it all off, one of the girls started gathering up the kittens.....and placed them one by one into a cloth bag to take them home!!?!




For your eyes only: Check out how well Kerwood goes with the cell phone icon I got him….please note the matching headbands;)



Training: It is very nice to be able to say that our work training has been successfully completed—which means that we have signed contracts in hand and start on September 18th. The training was intensive (far more exhausting than any of my other professional development workshops) and involved long, long days. We were at Berlitz HQ from 9:00 to 5:30 PM every day and then had lesson observations and homework to occupy us in the evenings. By Friday night, the group was ready to let loose, and that we did! We went to Shibuya (younger energy compared to Shinjuku) and went to an all-you-can-drink pub/lounge. Wow, I’m not sure how they make any money at those places because you pay ~$30, they provide some food (quite a nice spread, actually), and you can literally drink as much as you can….in a 2-hour timeframe. Our table definitely outdrank our combined cover charge and some were significantly worse for wear by the end of our time there (not me, though;).

Shibuya is famous for two things: the busiest intersection in the world and a very special dog. Hachiko, who now has a statue at the train station, would faithfully meet his master every day at the end of work. He continued to do so even after his master had died and until his own death—what devotion.

Surprise Discovery: Today, we were planning to go to my favourite Shinto shrine and sit in on a ceremony there. We were distracted on the way to the train station, however, by drumming and chanting and we could see groups of people carrying mikoshis (portable Shinto shrines). Mikoshis are usually lavishly decorated, have a phoenix on top of the miniature shrine, and are believed to carry a divine spirit. We decided to enjoy the festival.....Mikoshis are very heavy. Because of this, there were alternating groups of people who would transport the shrine on their shoulders while doing a sort of ‘bobbing walk’. The chanting and music seemed to buoy everyone’s spirits to help them get through the grueling walk….and at the end, they were rewarded with coffee and beer, of course! Oh, and a rejuvenated spirit as well☺


















Sigh, there is always something going on in this city....it's so easy to just walk out of the door with no plans and come across something that will engage your curiousity. It's a nice way of living that goes with a t-shirt logo that I saw today: "live simply."

Fantastical Discoveries

Today, walking home from the train station, I came across the answer to a puzzle that had been on my mind for the past week. Hundreds of pigeons (hato) would circle around a particular building in our neighbourhood. I wondered what was going on that they would circle in that way and why around that place?

Well, today I discovered the 'Ghost Dog' of Tokyo.....It was amazing to behold. I tried to capture the circular movement of the various groups of pigeons as they moved around their 'master?' You can slightly see the cages in which the pigeons are kept and the pole with flags that he uses to signal them. Great movie, great moment to witness someone here doing similar things....

Ker and I explored Roppongi today and were thoroughly delighted with everything we came across. Phenomenal architecture, a wonderful shrine (wherein a traditional wedding was taking place--beautiful, although the bride must have been sweltering in her dress), and a 24 hr. grocery store that has the best ingredients.....


We also stumbled across Tokyo Fashion Week, of course! There is just so much going on in this city--even random trips end up with the most amazing encounters:)

http://www.jfw.jp/en/about/index.html

Other Discoveries:



Tasty, tasty, tasty. Limited brew--'nuff said.






Where I will be working....6th floor, right across the street from the train station. A fantastic neighbourhood with a nice balance of craftsmanship, shopping, and live latin music/dancing--yippee!!



Language Celebration: Kerwood and I ventured to Monzen-Nakacho the other day--in search of my favourite Shinto Shrine (Fukagawa Jinja)....We were able to find it fairly easily, arrived just in time for a ceremony (the combined visceral experience of drumming and chanting stirs things deep within), and then went for lunch. We decided to try a place with a mural of pigs riding a bike above the doorway (don't ask me why that drew us in;)....We were able to read and understand one item on the menu: ebi soba. So, there was only one thing to do--order it. It was tasty, however we were both sweating like crazy by the end--why were we eating steaming soup on a +30 degree day? When we went to pay for the bill, the fellow said to Kerwood, in English, "You can read Japanese." Kerwood indicated that he could read a very small amount of Japanese. The fellow then said, "That's very good. Please come again." Wasn't that nice of him?

Apato/Manshon - Our Place in Tokyo

The remainder of our furniture was delivered Friday morning. The service here is impeccable—by 10:50 AM, our furniture was delivered, assembled, and we didn’t have to do a thing (and all for the measly cost of ~$10.00!?!). In fact, any offer of assistance on our part was seriously rejected. Poor Ker had a hard time standing aside, not being able to do anything. He was, however, up to the task of assembling the only piece of furniture that was not included in the transaction—our beloved bookshelf.....Enjoy the pictorial tour of our place—I’ll try to highlight some of the unique aspects of living here (that we’ve noticed so far☺).

View from our front door. One of our first purchases was slippers for both of us. You can also barely see the umbrella stand--another must-have in this city. I think I've come to love the rain because the accessories to go with it are beautiful!

You can also see the blue containers with a grey one behind....we decided to get 4 containers to manage our garbage. To be 'good neighbours,' there are very clear instructions as to how to separate combustibles, recyclables, paper/cardboard and bottles/cans. I think we have it figured out now?


Immediately to your right of coming into our place, there is the bathroom/laundry space; both of which are raised by one step from the rest of the apartment (a nice design feature).

Laundry here involves cold water washing only--no dryers....Everything is hung to dry on the patio or inside. My favourite part of the bathroom is the shower/tub unit, as seen on the left. I particularly love the window by the tub--something to look forward to when the temperature starts to drop. Our 'bath unit' also doubles as a clothes dryer (Ker discovered special buttons to input heat into the closed unit to dry laundry).



Directly to your left as you come into our apartment is our bedroom....This is a view from the bed, looking at the storage unit that came with the place. It is on casters, so 'the wall' can be moved to wherever we would like it to be. Very cool. Japanese design, at least in this place, has really taken the 'small space' efficiency to a whole other level.....The other part of 'the wall' opens on the living room side. Oh, there are also 3 windows in our bedroom, so there is tons of natural light.



I didn't put a picture of our 'system kitchen' in. It's pretty small, but utilitarian. Ker and I were so excited that we would be able to fit a dining table into our living room. It's perfect for eating together and playing lots of cribbage! As you can see, laundry is drying on the very small patio. The large window to the left is our escape route in case of an earthquake....a ladder was provided by the landlord, our gas shuts off automatically if the earthquake is stronger than a 5, and our windows are reinforced so they won't blow out....I feel very safe here, really!




Living room view from the kitchen door. The table is adjustable--from floor level to high enough that Ker can iron his clothes comfortably! (That green box being used as an end table is our escape ladder;).









View from the couch. The only items still needed in order to finish this place are bedside tables, artwork, and a vase.....

Tokyo Tidbits

It has been a whirlwind since we landed in Tokyo on the 17th of August. Kerwood and I have been very fortunate in how smoothly important details have fallen into place, for the most part. There have been some ups and downs, however in the end, we have a fantastic apartment, we have gotten all of the nitty-gritty ‘must have’ items done, and we have squeezed in some sightseeing and down time. We are feeling exceptionally ready to start training in 5 days. It also feels really good to have the first blog entry done—it was starting to weigh heavy on my mind.

So, our apartment….It’s a brand new building, very modern, and feels quite spacious even though it is a mere 400 sq. ft. There is high end finishing and when we first came to view it, I commented, (slight anticipatory squeal) “It’s going to feel like living in a boutique hotel!” Although it really does feel like this, our place is very functional and we’re sticking with minimalist decorating to match the architecture. Our apartment is a corner unit on the top floor, so there is really no sound transfer. At the end of our hall, the window is a mosaic of colourful glass and is absolutely stunning, night or day. At certain times of the day, when the light is just right, you walk through vibrant shafts of colour on the main floor….It’s quite magical, really.


Sightseeing: Our friend’s family has a home in Chikura (a quaint town on the tip of a peninsula—Chiba prefecture), so we spent 4 days there between securing an apartment and moving into it. What a treat that was! There was a definite shift in energy—people were quick to smile and say “hello” or “good day” as they walked by and drivers would nod their heads as they passed by. The ocean was a sight to behold and the roar of the waves was deep—we could hear it from our friend’s place and we weren’t even that close to the beach….We reveled in seeing unfamiliar wildlife and listening to the cicadas. Parts of the home were very traditional with shoji doors and we got to sleep on tatami mats. It was beautiful--I couldn’t help but think of stories like ‘The Tale of Genji’ and imagine living during those times.

Discoveries: While exploring our neighbourhood one day, we were beside ourselves with excitement when we came across a huge park only 5 minutes from our place. The park has two parts to it: one part is exercise focused (running/walking track with weight apparatuses) and the second part is an old growth park with streams, waterfalls, and an 1,800 year old hut! Yippee!! We have a place to run and we won’t have to buy a gym membership….Instead, we’ll be able to partake in hobbies like Brazilian jujitsu (Ker received a very fine lead on that front—thanks Jay☺) and tango lessons….

Sex Noticings: There’s an interesting paradox here, wherein women and girls are expected to be innocent, very feminine, and quiet on the one hand; and on the other hand, there’s a huge sex industry here that eroticizes and objectifies girls/women. It’s strange to witness. The first night we stayed in Tokyo, we checked into a hotel a few blocks from where our friends live. As we were walking into the hotel, our friend jokingly said that one of her friends wondered if this was actually a ‘love hotel.’ We arrived in the lobby and it looked like a regular old hotel to us, so I put the comment out of my mind. When we got to our room, however, the first thing we saw was this:


And I immediately thought, “Oh my, perhaps this is a love hotel if they leave this out in the open so brazenly.” Kerwood, who loves to investigate (and who was possibly quite curious;), determined that it was nothing more than a flashlight!

Language Mishaps: We have been bumbling our way through things. It’s amazing how far limited vocabulary, charade-like gestures, and warm intentions/good humour can go. (Plus, shop employees here have been so immensely gracious to us—we are thankful for the great kindness and patience they have shown us). So, this will probably be a recurring heading in my blog—I really, really want to communicate with people so I try to use the limited phrases that I know. And, as a result, some of them are used in the wrong context and therefore create a moment of hysterical laughter for Ker and me because they make no sense at all…..

Recent case in point, Ker and I were at the bank to open an account. We needed to prove that we are residents of Tokyo, so I provided our temporary copies of our Alien Registration forms. We were quickly informed that we needed a phone number before we could proceed, so we left to go and get a phone. In the elevator, I realized that our Alien forms had not been returned to us. When we went back to retrieve them, the woman who was helping us was very distraught that she hadn’t given them back to us. It looked like she was going to cry she was so upset. We really didn’t think it was a big deal since the forms were still there and we were getting them back….I, in an attempt to be comforting and reassuring, said, “Do iitashimashite.” I was sure that it was a phrase shared with us that meant ‘no problem.’ As we were leaving the building, I quickly checked my notes (my intuition was saying that I was off somehow), and discovered that it actually means ‘you’re welcome.’ Oops. I think she got what I meant to say though….?