Shopping

We live 9 floors up and have a commanding view across the city - this includes a lot of other people's roof terraces and balconies. We have just had a three day national holiday and I can honestly say that I have only seen one other person in these outdoor spaces in all that time. Where do the Japanese spend their time? I've given this some thought - I'm obviously not busy enough - and I think they shop. When I go to places like Omotosando and Shibuya, the place is heaving - they are out in force and shopping til they drop - I think this phrase was invented for the Japanese. Rumour has it that there is a credit crunch - you simply would not believe it to see the number of people shopping - not just browsing but seriously shopping - loaded with bags.

The shopping here - like everything else - is amazing. We went shopping for a shirt. Bit tricky I thought given that Dave is not a diminutive Japanese man but we went anyway. The shop we bought the shirt in was fascinating. English was limited so we had a lot of sign lanuage and laughter but we got there in the end. Did Sir want long sleeves? He did? Well, how long would that be then? Dave and I had no idea - so a tape measure was produced and the exact measurement taken. A lot of scratching of heads - did they have a shirt that would fit? Ah... (lots of rummaging...), how about this one? Dave then tried it on - and had difficulty keeping the lovely female assistant out of his changing room. She was hovering outside the door and kept trying to go in! Not that he would have minded at all but a man has to keep his dignity!

The shirt was great, it was admired by Dave, me and four assistants in the shop and the decision to purchase was made. We took it to the paying desk where a man started to refold the shirt and insert all the pins to get it back into the bag so that Dave could take it home and take them all out again.... I don't think so. The instruction to cease this activity was received with surprise and disappointment but the customer is always right here in Japan. The shirt was then folded beautifully into a very smart, navy blue paper (for recycling) bag and held on to by another assistant who then walked us very grandly to the front door of the shop and handed Dave the package with a bow and a very long phrase in Japanese. Two more assistants appeared and also bowed and they watched us walk away down the pavement as though we were revered guests who had just left a house party! I wanted to turn and wave but Dave thought it probably was not the thing to do...!

The whole thing was quite charming - time consuming may be, but boy could those guys in M&S learn a thing or two!!

Shall we dance?

Went to the local cinema last night. We had tickets to see "Shall We Dance?" - the Japanese version. The original had Richard Gere in it and... I think.... J Lo but this was a remake based on a Button Factory Manager and his journey to Ballroom Dancing. It was in Japanese but with English subtitles and I can honestly say, it's the best film I have seen in a long time. This film won all the major awards for Japanese films and I can see why.

Moving In

Photos are views from the balcony and our new lounge....

It's been a busy week so far. We got the keys to our new apartment last Friday and started to move into it. First of all, things from Tokyo, bought here in anticipation of our lovely new home. Then things that kind people had left for us - Dave's predecessor and others - to get us started. Finally on Saturday morning all our things from China.

As we looked around we decided we had brought just enough 'China' with us - a few small items which fit into our new and very modern home here in Tokyo. We are very keen to get a little bit of 'Japan' here too and I have already identified two pieces of furniture that are rather nice.... not sure where we will put them yet so holding off the actual purchase!

What can I tell you? The apartment is on the 9th and 10th floor of a 12 storey building (not too high - good for earthquakes - talking of which we are due to have one later today...) and the view across Tokyo is amazing. We live 15minutes from all the best places - Roppongi Hills (a VERY nice area with lots of high class shopping and eating to be done plus the odd gallery thrown in for good measure; Omotosando - more high class shopping plus a few like Gap and Zara and Shibuya which is the centre of mass for all young Japanese so its lively and bright and mad

Oh and I've signed up for Skype.... must keep in touch with all our lovely children in the UK...

Mobile phones and things

I simply couldn't get away with it any longer. I'd existed quite happily without one for three whole weeks and to be honest, I was rather enjoying that sense of not being available however, life for others was less enjoyable and it had to be done - the purchasing of a mobile phone.

I did all my homework and asked a lot of people about the best way forward and it seemed that a contract would be the way to go. The package choice was huge and complex and included a lot of things I really did not want. I didn't want to check my stocks and shares; I didn't want to use it as an ipod and I certainly did not want a continuous weather forecast! Still, seemingly, for 2 months I have to have them. What I really wanted (free calls and SMS mesages), was not to be, not now, not ever - I have to pay for every call and message. So we began the process - lots of form filling (all in Japanese) and , as an alien, lots of bureaucracy checked, double checked and triple checked - all on line and it took ABSOLUTELY AGES!! Two hours later we left, had lunch then returned to collect it all when the clearances were through. So I'm MOBILE - yippee!!

It's a very sweet little white phone and I'm sure we will get on, but my first text was oh so painful. New systems, ridiculous predictive text, obviously a direct translation from the Japanese , so no use to me whatsoever! I managed to compose one then decided to email the kids with the information and let them send one first! The good news is that I AM getting faster (and I have found out how to turn off the predictive texting); the bad news is that I prefer email!!!

Brollies

Today we caught the tail end (or side swipe?) Of a typhoon. It rained non-stop for about 36 hours. This was not the drizzly, annoying stuff; this was serious rain coming straight down in stair rods. I grabbed a brolly brought from England and scurried to the local supermarket - a girl has to eat!


(This photo is the famous Shibuya crossing)


I should have known that here in the land of protocols for everything, there is a Brolly Protocol. You can't take your brolly into a store dripping with water and shake it over anyone who gets in the way, oh no. You have to turn at the door, mutter, excuse me (sumimassen), shake the brolly, fold it neatly and place in a plastic bag (brolly shaped) thoughtfully provided by the store. You then hang it on your trolley where, at the checkout, a lovely assistant removes the brolly bag (now wet and sticky) and places it in the recycling for you. Now that is service!

No one in Tokyo is without a brolly. The joy of it is that they are on sale every 10 metres or so along the main routes through any sort of shop imaginable - smart beauticians, newsagents, cigarette stalls ... The brollies come in a wide range of colours and circumferences and for £ 3 or
£ 4 you can buy a great looking one - with cats, hearts, plain, see-through, neon coloured - the choice is yours. The great thing is that if the sun comes out and it's a nuisance to carry, you can leave it on the side of the pavement in the knowledge that it will still be there tomorrow - unless of course, it rains - then someone else will recycle it for you! I love this place.