Japan Diaries

We went to Shinjuku and Tokyo today. Went to an art museum and then walked around the gardens at the Tokyo station. I bought some kiddie books to learn to read and got some postcards for the home front. I had to buy bike insurance and had to buy an umbrella for the first time in like, 10 years lol.

I seem to be settling into the job ok and everyone seems remarkably supportive. Which is weird. I'm sure there's something wrong, but I haven't found it....

I bought 5 kiddie books with lots of pictures to learn on. I'm still pretty terrible, but it's a start. As we were walking through the streets, I didn't feel uncomfortable with all those people. I thought I would, since there are THOUSANDS everywhere, but even in the train station, it was ok. Busy, but not scary like the crowd would have been in the US. Very pleasantly surprised. It was also easy enough to walk in the streets and cars stop for you/make room for you and no one yells at you or blows smoke in your face, etc. Nice. It was really odd to see all those people just...getting along. Minding their own business. We saw 5 weddings in the Christmas park. 5. One was a beautiful traditional one and the bride wore this amazing purple kimono. Just stunning. Flowers in her hair, the whole thing. The rest were western style. They had part of the street blocked off in Ginza and they'd lit up all the trees in Christmas lights and light shows. There was an open piano for anyone to play and there were some great musicians. But mostly there were weddings. And wedding pictures.

We went to the Imperial Palace and walked around the moat to see the palace at sunset. It was pretty great to see the 15th century castle against the modern Tokyo skyline.

I found my favorite Chinese tea at an international store and we went to a couple thrift stores that were good. I got a bed set, towel set, kotatsu cover but no futon and no zaizen cushions. No bookshelves either. I thought about getting a tea set and serving set, but F said I should look around a little more. They sell kimono and obi at those places and there are some beautiful antique ones that are just these amazing colors with the traditional family crests on them. Stunning. I wish they would still wear them instead of the western clothes. But it's easier to bike in jeans, so never-mind.

Went to a shabu-shabu restaurant and got fat and went to a children's festival because F volunteers there. But I did feel super creepy and awkward being a single, non-parent with little ones all running around. She did a nice job tho. It was a good first outing for my newfound freedom from quarantine. It’s been a long 10 days. The last two weeks, I’ve been working 12-14 hour days at the job with no resources. Old school management style. It takes a lot out of a body. Several town halls just listening to resident complaints and trying to fix them, lots of socializing and terrifyingly awkward conversations as well as profoundly important conversations with terrifyingly competent people. I didn’t even know we had those anymore, and here’s a whole unit of them! I’m worn out already and it’s only my second week here!

More to follow. I’m going to take a nap.

Ah, one more thing. I discovered pickled plum onigiri. It is the best flavor ever. Shove it in your face immediately if you don’t know what I’m referring to. Gem.