small move. part two.

First things first.  

The very first thing Jeff did when getting to the new apartment was set up the TV and internet.  He has priorities.

Actually, that TV there came with the place, making the larger, more cumbersome TV that we paid 3000 yen to transport when we got it (for free) a very awkward coffee table in our tiny new place.  It's going on Craigslist ASAP.  

The bed, which came without a mattress, has been dissembled (by me) and is now being stored out of the way in our loft.  The coffee table pictured also came with the apartment and thankfully has collapsible legs and slides very nicely under the couch when not in use. 

We've picked up several storage units (some free, some very cheap) and are perfecting the skill of careful arrangement for maximization of usable space.

The main level is not yet ready for public display, but here is a peak at the loft.

We actually just bought our futon (the kind the just goes on the floor - think of it as a futon mattress you'd find in America) yesterday so we just slept up there for the first time last night.  As you can see, our clothing storage is right up against the bed.  Behind that we have stored our luggage, Jeff's bike case (which he bought right after buying his bike so he could transport it home - in eight months) and the bed frame that came with the apartment.  It doesn't look all that pretty, but it gets everything that we don't need regular access to out of the way.

Sidenote:  What you see there is basically all the clothing storage we have, which means that it contains all of our clothing for the year in Japan.  Can you guess which one is mine and which one is Jeff's.  Yea, it's that easy.  He was definitely the kid who went home from camp with a trunk full of clean clothes and one filthy shirt.  And it's not because he did laundry before he got on the bus. 

I mentioned we were celebrating with a friend the other night - for two reasons. One, our tough move, two, Jeff's friend Ryo just got engaged!  He works right near the Tsukiji Fish market, so we met him out there for some just-off-the-boat fishy goodness.

Maguro = tuna.  Y.U.M.

I even ate a raw giant oyster.  I won't say it was good, but... I ate it. 

And because we were in celebration mode we of course indulged in some really really good sake.  At this restaurant, you pour your own sake and they provide small bowls for under your cup in case (when) you overpour. 

Disclaimer:  I do not recommend mixing large amounts of raw fish and large amounts of sake.  And then riding the train.

As soon as we get the first floor looking presentable, we'll post some pictures.  Until then... Anyone else lived in a smaller apartment? Anyone?

Mata ne,
Melissa

small move. part one.

OK, so forgive me, people, we've been a bit busy.  We officially moved everything out of one place on Wednesday and are still trying to get it all to fit in our new place.  Here's the update.  Well, as the title indicates, some of it.

The best part of the move (the only good part?) was getting to drive in Tokyo.  That's right, little old me in a big white truck driving on the wrong side of the car on the wrong side of the road.

First disclaimer:  While Tokyo may be a bigger city than New York, it is much much easier to drive in Tokyo.  It feels more like driving in the city of Syracuse.  That is, if cyclists and motorcycles were found weaving through traffic and trying generally to cause chaos in the streets of Syracuse.  Surprisingly, Tokyo drivers are ok with forty-year-old women on their bikes, talking on cell phones, flinging themselves and their two (helmetless) children in front of moving vehicles any moment. This would not stand in Upstate New York.

We picked the truck up early near the new place, drove back to the old place to load as much stuff as we could, drove back to the new place, unloaded everything with no particular attention paid to what was going where, went back to the old place, ate unappetizing bento lunch, loaded the rest, and went back to the new place.  Interestingly, while we had less than half the amount to load the second time around it took twice as long.

This is our apartment empty (it came with a bed and coffee table and Jeff).

The mess we are now trying to deal with.

After we had moved all of our earthly possessions to the other side of town, we really didn't feel like unpacking anything so we decided to instead head out and take advantage of the day long truck rental by picking up big items we still needed for our new place. 

Second disclaimer:  Most of our earthly possessions are, in fact, not in Japan, but rather stored away in America.  In spite of this, we have a ridiculously huge volume of things that we are now trying to arrange in a 13 square meter room. 

At this point, needing to obtain a variety of household items of superior design and quality at a low price, we did what anyone would do - we headed to IKEA.  Yes, Virginia, there is an IKEA in Japan.

And it was glorious.  I felt like I was back in America Sweden.  Interestingly, IKEAs everywhere are exactly the same.  Same shape on the outside, same layout on the inside, and conveniently located just off the highway exit.

After dropping off our new goodies and returning the truck, we were starving and headed out in the new neighborhood for some stewed tofu and a beer.  When we got back to our new home, it was all we could do to pull out the couch and fall asleep.  There was much to be done the next day, and we'd need all our energy.

For the record, we shared this big beer.

Tomorrow: unpacking, arranging, and celebrating with a friend and several pounds of raw fish.

Mata ne,
Melissa

the next move

Tomorrow is moving day.  We're moving from our big, old, cold house to a very, very, very small apartment.  I don't think I can express in words just how small this place is.  tiny.  teeny-tiny.  Let's just say that every dorm room I lived in during college was bigger than this. 

Right after we got the key the other day we stopped by the place.  I realized I had forgotten how small it was when we were planning our decorating attack.  I was very excited to open the door with my new pink key, though.  Somehow being pink makes keys more exciting.  You can thank Jeff for the fuzzy focus on this one.  I left his thumb in for effect.

More to come on the new place after I terrorize Tokyo with my wrong side of the street driving tomorrow. 

Mata ne,
Melissa