Not as restful as it could have been

Posted on 2005/11/21 11:30:08 (November 2005).

[Sunday 20th November]
It would have been nice to have spent the day completely relaxing. Unfortunately this wasn't really on the cards, as there were a number of small tasks to attend to. Chief amongst these were that Chie and I both needed a haircut, and also we needed to do something about our accomodation.

The fun part was getting a haircut. This is my third time now to get a haircut in Japan, and the first time in Tokyo. I wasn't prepared to mess about, so we strolled rather bolshily into the first half decent place we found. The staff were very nice, I chatted away in my broken Japanese and seemed to make myself understood somehow or other.

The not so fun part was the house hunting bit. We went back to the same agency place we'd been to before I went off to America. We even ended up going to look at (almost) the same flat again! I was really starting to get irritable towards the end, and rather rashly told the estate agent guy that my problem with making a decision was that I had realised I don't actually like Tokyo! I think the jetlag was getting to me.

You don't like Tokyo in particular... or you don't like Japan ? You sound half-hearted.

Posted by Sheri at 2005/11/21 14:10:09.

There are a lot of good things about Tokyo, but its accomodation is not one of them. Housing here tends to be very expensive, very small, and generally really ugly. I have surprised myself with how much the last point matters to me, but having windows facing out onto walls, and air conditioning units everywhere you look seems to be really off-putting for me.

In the last few years I have lived in two very nice flats - one in Pangbourne and one in Hampstead. Both were in very nice green and leafy surroundings. The Hampstead flat was also a very attractive building. You just don't get that sort of thing in Tokyo!

Posted by John at 2005/11/21 22:53:15.

Welcome to Japan John!!! You'd find that most of other cities share the same unfortunate peculiarity... Well they have 150million pupulation so it's not easy to find space there... Come on the best have yet to start John!! :)

Posted by Lox at 2005/11/22 09:02:51.

I like this place. Expensive though.

http://www2.ttt58.com/

Posted by i-cee at 2005/11/22 11:15:08.

John,

Don't settle. Hold out for something you will really like. If it takes some time, so be it but don't take a place that you will come to regret purchasing in time....

Posted by Catherine at 2005/11/22 16:12:39.

he's only renting! not buying.

Posted by i-cee at 2005/11/22 16:23:46.

Either way, hold out for what you want whether your renting OR buying. But you already know that...

Posted by Catherine at 2005/11/23 15:15:19.

buying yes i agree hold out until you feel sure because the debt burden will stay with you - but if you need somewhere to rent, and need it quickly.........

Posted by i-cee at 2005/11/23 16:51:50.

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