Tuesday 24 December 2013

Merry Christmas!

Being 9 hours ahead means we have already had our frenzy of opening presents here in Tokyo. This is my main present from Pooch:
The Japanese seem big on their ornamental cabbages and I'd much rather admire them than eat them so am all for it. These will be the start of my balcony garden once the weather warms up.

Pooch is very happy about Christmas. He loves his food and so the opportunity to cook huge meals makes him all smiley. Look at him smiling as he gets all the food to take home.

We got one particularly nice present from Noriko a few days early. Here I am as it is patina'd.
The flame underneath is rather beautiful.
This is a traditional way of cooking and you prepare the vessel for the first time by making a sort of rice porridge and then leaving it for 6 hours to plug the pores in the ceramic. This we duly did and the meal we had the following day was delicious! We also had xmas themed chopsticks.
For the rest of the day I shall be making like a Calico Cat Cafe cat and finding somewhere comfortable to sit about and lounge.

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Friday 20 December 2013

Suburban Tokyo

When I posted a picture on facebook of a grey and rainy day, one friend commented on how crowded the buildings were. Here's the picture:
It hadn't really occured to me how close together the buildings were since actually in this shot there's quite a lot of space compared to the rest of Tokyo. I did think about it though when we recently moved into our new flat. There are three patio door type windows - two in the main room and one in the bedroom, all of which lead out onto a balcony. One of the main room ones looks out onto a wall which is perhaps 2m away from the edge of the balcony. The other main room balcony has this view:
And the bedroom has this view:
So you can see how close the other houses and flats are in this area. There is basically no empty space at all. It makes me smile a bit because in the UK the planning regs insist you can't overlook other people's properties and people are entitled to privacy and so on. That is clearly not part of the planning laws here!

The big windows and balconies are going to be lovely in the other three seasons but aren't so handy in the winter. All are single glazed and drafty. This is clearly not a problem only I have noticed as I was able to buy this draft excluder tape in an attractive pattern which I've now used to make the bedroom considerably less windswept at night.
I'm not quite there with going around corners yet but it's not too bad.

While I've been typing we've just had another earthquake - my third since we arrived. This was just a magnitude 5.2 so the christmas tree and the rest of the flat just wobbled a bit but we had a 5.3 during the night which was a little bit stronger and I guess more noticeable when lying down.
This was my first daytime one though and the app on my phone gave me 13 seconds warning which was quite strange! Pooch tells me two close together is often a sign of building up to something bigger so I must get our emergency kit together. It largely consists of being able to use a bucket as a toilet from what I've read, in case the water mains are damaged. Having lived with Pooch for 9 years now that is a scenario I often worry about, so if that's the worst of it I'm sure we'll be fine.

I'll be taking more pictures of the neighbourhood and the flat in the next few days as it has stopped raining and is all sunny again. I hope everyone's christmas preparations are going well!

Shrinking

I am fairly sure my English vocabulary is shrinking day by day. I rocked my world two days ago by using the word "malignant" in conversation with Noriko who then asked me to define it. Erm. Somehow "like an ominous drain" didn't clarify anything for her.
To date my only Japanese vocabulary is thank you, thank you very much, one, two (although these are often wrong - how you count things depends on what they are so the numbers for people are different to, say, vegetables), good morning, please excuse me, hot chocolate, hot cocoa (important difference) and cat. I've really got to improve on that but I have been honestly kept busy sorting out the flat. Pooch leaves before 8am and gets back about 7pm so it's been just me shopping and, recently, assembling flat pack furniture. This has included the very same dining table and chairs set we had in the first flat we shared in Stratford. "Ikea" is clearly another Japanese word that I've managed to learn. I've also made more curtains than is sensible and am about to commence cushion and pillow covers.
The build up for Christmas continues, kind of. As far as I can tell it is just about decorating for most Tokyoans. I don't think presents come into it although I have made it clear to Pooch that if he wants turkey with the trimmings that also includes stockings (the patchwork ones I made in the autumn have come with us) bulging with the chocolate equivalent of oranges and teddy bears. I have decorated our tree using 100 yen shop ornaments plus one that came free with a bottle of coke. Pooch has tracked down the only shop in Tokyo that sells fresh turkey and is heading there at the weekend. I am just hoping he doesn't manage to find any spouts. Nasty little things.
I think that makes my feelings clear. 

Sunday 15 December 2013

From Our Own Correspondent

A few of my most recent observations from the most distant outpost of the SkipNorth community.

First up, the japanese like to nap in places that might seem odd to your average england-dweller.
Sleeping Girls on Metro
Pooch tells me there is a Tumblr dedicated to people asleep on the Tokyo Metro and I can believe it. You can also see people napping on the benches in the stations, in cafes and on the waiting benches in department stores. I can only guess it is down to long working hours. Or it could possibly be altitude sickness, caused by no one ever finding themselves on the ground floor.
Elevator Buttons
In all of Japanese society, there is no such thing as the ground floor or floor zero. The ground floor is the first floor. God knows they don't need to pretend their buildings are taller than they really are - Pooch's office has 12 floors - but there you go. Our new flat is on the third floor, except it's really the second. I try not to worry about it though. 

Next observation concerns language. I believe I have previously mentioned that anything French is considered extremely chic and cool. As well as smattering french throughout their shop names, there is extensive use of english. 
Book - She Knows Muffin
Although not always in a strictly correct way. 
lame pen case
I don't get this. The japanese have three alphabets, none of which is the english one, and so it makes no sense to use a fourth in their lives. In england you don't get adverts punctuated with bits of arabic in order to seem trendy, but there you are. I am not complaining as it is often the only way I know whether I've chosen a hot chocolate or a deep fried trotter. 

My penultimate observation concerns gambling - from the mild to the severe. On the mild side, you get whole floors full of these machines:
Arcades in Tokyo
We used to have them in the Herne Bay arcades when I was growing up and we weren't supposed to "waste our money" on them because they'd pick something up and then as the claw got to the top it would open slightly and drop it again. Goddamnit. However, here there are legions of them. Perhaps not strictly gambling but then you have the Pachinko Parlours which are brightly lit cacophanies with line after line of garish machines with little silver balls falling through them. I have yet to go into a proper one because I am frankly scared I'll never come out - they are portrayed by Pooch as addictive as crystal meth - and he's watched the whole of Breaking Bad. Here is some other brave soul's picture:
Playing Pachinko
It seems weird to me that such a controlled society would take such risks but then I suppose these are safe risks, except for the whole losing all your money thing. The area where the japanese least like to take risks, which happens to be my final observation for this post as well as the thing i find MOST annoying about Tokyo, is crossing the road. 
Japan Road Crossing
You see how the road between these masses of people is completely clear? Empty? Contains no cars? Yet you notice how the people all wait, patiently, for the red man to change to green? GAHHHHHHHH! It drives me mad. I have started using the waiting time to calculate how much more profitable the japanese economy would be if this time were put to other uses rather than standing idly either side of an EMPTY road waiting for the lights to change. 

Why don't I cross? What? Not conform? Stand out from the crowd? Why, you clearly have very little understanding of how we, here in japan, roll. 



Friday 13 December 2013

More Cats

It might seem to the uninformed that Tokyo for me is just one cat cafe after another. In fact I only go to cat cafes on Fridays. Having been quite stressed by my second visit to the Ikebukero one I decided to try the Calico Cat Cafe in Shinjuku. I had initially decided against it on the basis of it being too touristy - look at me giving myself airs. Plus I was so wrong. I don't really know where to start. I guess with the entrance...
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From the moment you arrive you are basically stepping over cats - a lot of whom are asleep. 
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Asleep in bowls, boxes, on toys, on cushions, on climbing frames, on purpose built shelves high up, on the stairs, on the bookcase...you get the idea. These are chilled out cats. 
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You come in on the 6th floor and are surrounded by cats and then there are stairs heading down to the 5th and you and the cats can quite easily move between as much as you want, avoiding the tiny trip hazards that await you on the stairs. 
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This is the 5th floor. 
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You can order drinks and food. But what the cats really want is for you to order a little pot of chicken (real chicken too, not just treats). This is what happens when you do. 
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I felt this was cheating so I contented myself with less company but more freedom to roam. 
Cat Mosaic
When I did finally flop down on a sofa, a miracle occurred. A cat came and sat on me. 
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I guess I wasn't too comfy because that became this...
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Which quickly became this...
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So sweet! You can imagine how chuffed I was. The cat seemed pretty happy too. I had been just about to leave but the cat kept me there another half hour which made them a wodge more money - clever shop keepers those cats. 

Pooch and I get the keys to our permanent flat tomorrow which has meant a lot of shopping and repacking. It has brought back the stress of the packing to come over here so I will be extremely happy when it is all done and we are moved in. The Ikea bits are delivered on Tuesday so hopefully from next weekend we will be in a proper looking home which I will then be decorating for christmas. It will also give me a chance to do some crafting beyond just making curtains!


Tuesday 10 December 2013

Cute As A Button

My 7 month old niece has taken to Skype like a duckling to water and thinks it is quite funny when Auntie Alex waves at her from the screen. I sent off her final christmas present this week which was actually finished about 2 months ago but had been waiting this long for buttons.
Let It Snow cardigan
The design is a combination of two free fairisle patterns on Ravelry plus my handwriting and done using intarsia. The buttons were worth the wait.
rED pOLKA dOT bOW bUTTON
There is so much cute stuff for children here - especially girls. I have bought a dress pattern on etsy and will be knocking up a few dresses for her from the most irresistible fabrics. I've almost finished a pair of socks since I arrived - or finished the second one at least. The first and a cuff I found while packing, along with rather a lot of UFOs. I did some more at my second Tokyo SnB meeting.
Christmas Pudding Tea Cosy
Isn't that tea cosy adorable? We met at the Kimono Bar and Grill which is owned by a knitter and she served us all delicious food as well as using her vintage lustreware for hot drinks. Highly appreciated! Especially as this was rather a nippy day. In case anyone is in the area I recommend the restaurant and the SnB meetings are on Meet-Up.

Pooch is out this evening being wined and dined by the international director of something important so I sat down with my babette-ish blanket in progress and a few episodes of Ellery Queen - an american series from the seventies based on the books. I was fairly amazed by this lady.
pocket dress 1
Vintage updo, dramatic expressions, all fine. Pockets on your shoulders - fair enough. Then she stood up.
pocket dress 2
Seven pockets? Including knees and, ahem, muff area? I like a good pocket as much as the next person but I think it's best to avoid central ones unless you are under 12 and wearing dungarees with a pocket on your chest flap. And even then only if it's got a rabbit embroidered on it.

Thursday 5 December 2013

Strange Shop Names

There is really no end of these so just a few of my favourites so far:

For when you urgently need a suitcase
Untitled
Sadly the cafe was decorated in neutrals
Shop Sign - Mauve
For clothing that makes you feel snug and protected
Womb shop

Something I have yet to understand is why the Japanese associate everything french with the ultimate in refinement and chic. I can only assume it is because France is quite a way away from here and so they haven't been. The number of shops with french names - restaurants, cafes, book sellers, clothes stalls, chemists - is quite astounding. But then I asked someone if the Tokyo Tower was supposed to be a replica of the Eiffel Tower and she seemed quite confused.
Tokyo Tower from Mori Helicopter
More than a passing resemblance though, right?

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Daiso on Takeshita Street

Now that we have a move in date for our new flat I am becoming quite single-minded about furnishings. We're trying to do it all on a budget and so I headed for Daiso on Takeshita Street, which is one of the huge 100 Yen shops. These are like the UK's pound shops but everything is about 80p.

The street it's on is like Camden Market - lots of small shops with their wares spilling onto the pavement selling things aimed at the youth market. You can get your psychedelic sweatshirt...
Trippy Clothes Shop
...next to a store selling gothic vampire lolita outfits.
Goth/Punk Clothes Shop
Among many other shops there is even one packed with everything you never knew you wanted to do with Tamagochi. Remember those little keyrings with digital creatures in them that ate and poo'd then died? Yes those, except they evolved.
Tamagochi Shop
I happilly admit to not knowing what was going on in that shop except that there were some 10 year old girls who were really excited by it all.

Back to Daiso - 4 floors of poundshop goodness.
Daiso
I shopped until my basket overflowed and I started wondering about how to get it all home but will need to go back for the cleaning things. As well as my own needs I was shopping for presents for my sister, sister-in-law and I Love Lucy Bee recipient. And in that order left to right here's what they are going to get.
Present Mosaic
Remember all of this was 80p per item. On top of all that and the boring stuff like plain mixing bowls, measuring jugs, teaspoons etc I got kitchen things:
Colourful Kitchenware
Bins and clothes hangers:
Colourful Clothes Hangers
It is going to be a colourful flat!

Daiso also does all sorts of things to do with pets, stationary, gardening, food and crafts - the latter being of most interest to me! Here is the yarn aisle (yes, a whole aisle! And not bad quality either.)
Yarn Aisle Inside Daiso
Plus all hooks, needles etc. Then opposite that are the sewing things.
Sewing Notions Inside Daiso
I'm not saying this is the same quality as an actual craft shop, but it's above what we get in the UK from what I've seen so far.

Among the other tourists inside were quite a few russian women - when you think about it it's not that far to travel for a holiday if you live in the east of Russia - and when I finally went back outside there was a group of beefy Russian men scowling up at the shop and clearly waiting for them to come out. I could easily see Pooch standing among them were I so unwise as to take a trip here with him with me. It must be part of me turning into the perfect housewife that I would never think of doing such a thing and am making sure he's unbothered by the domestic shopping - leaving him to concentrate on earning the money I'm spending. I must make sure I do not get used to this...

Sunday 1 December 2013

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

Pooch and I spent Sunday afternoon strolling around an idyllic part of Tokyo.
IMG_3019
This park originally started in 1590 and belonged to one of the Shoguns during the Edo Period. Some of the trees were clearly hundreds of years old but it has been extensively landscaped since the original and is now a kind of cross between Regents and Hyde Parks in London. There were lots of family groups picnicking as well as pensioners painting the views (very well too) and young couples and groups of friends walking around. It is 200 Yen to get in so about £1.30. Definitely worth it!
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With autumn, the leaves were changing and you got the most amazing colours and effects with the sunlight.
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Lots of people were as fascinated by the sunlight's effects as I was so you got little groups of photographers all in the same places - as in to the left of the photo below.
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The variety of plants was amazing. Apparently there are 64 varieties of cherry tree alone so the blossom in the spring will mean this is somewhere I will definitely be coming back to.
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And yes, the weather does continue to be rather splendid! About 16 degrees and clear blue skies yesterday.

Saturday 30 November 2013

Cats and Magazines

Friday was a pretty good day for me. It all started with my first ever visit to a cat cafe.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
I arrived about 10 minutes after opening and it was still breakfast time.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
When I go again (when, not if) I will make it a little later as anyone who knows cats knows that they do not want to be stroked while eating and that after eating they just want to have a wash. The one little guy I'd spotted online and particularly wanted to look at was this one.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
He hasn't got his ears down in anger - he's one of those cornish type cats who have folded down ears which I've never seen in real life before. So cute! But he was clearly not in the best of moods and took himself up to the highest possible perch and this is all I saw of him after that.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
The place was very clean but with lots of toys and sleeping places for the cats. This is where folded-ears was - right at the top.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
I positioned myself on the heated carpet (like an electric blanket but a carpet which are apparently quite coming in homes where carpeting is really unusual) and these two settled near me.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
I mainly stroked the brown one who got more and more elongated as she got more and more relaxed.
Cat Cafe Tokyo
Her buddy wasn't terribly friendly until the owner (who all the cats adored and who clearly adored all of them) came over to brush her. She rolled on her back and...
Cat Cafe Tokyo
...then she just stayed like that! So adorable! She was quite happy for any of us to come and stroke her incredibly soft tummy and as for her pinkest nose and paws...squee!
White Cat Montage
Initially being there was quite bizarre and freaky but as my hour came to an end (I could have stayed longer but thought that was enough for a first trip) I felt much more comfortable.
Cat Montage 2

After such excitement I thought I'd spend the afternoon curled up with a craft magazine and found a place nearby called Libro. Ladies with a penchant for japanese craft books and magazines may want to sit down.
Knitting and Crochet:
Craft Books 1
Sewing and Patchwork:
Craft Books
"Japanese Crafts":
Craft Books
That wasn't the whole selection either. There were so many more on every topic you can imagine. I went home with just one which I thought was amazingly strong willed of me.