Beginng of the End

Day 29 Tuesday 7^th September 2010

Happy homeowner

For the first time in nearly a month its overcast and windy. The temperature is in the high 20s so just right for me. We moved out of the apartment this morning. I can’t say I am sorry to be leaving. 22sq metres is just too small for me to live in with another person. Shizuka has the uncanny ability to know exactly what I’m about to do and to be in the same place a split second before me. I am constantly bumping into her or trying to squeeze past her in this narrow apartment. I guess we Kiwis are spoilt when it comes to space. We are not used to the complete lack of privacy and having to live so closely beside others. The apartment complex is fairly typical for Japan.  It’s not that old so everything is clean and works but it is a thoroughly depressing place to live in. I need space and sunlight and fresh air and the ability to spend some time outside. There is magnificent mountain scenery but you can’t see it because the windows are frosted glass. I hate frosted glass. It’s for bathrooms. Why would you use it for your main window? Secondly, there’s no outdoor area. Not even the standard tiny balcony.  The people living here have been courteous but other than saying hello, don’t interact with each other. Nobody annoys you by parking in your space or by playing loud music but there’s an absence of warmth or interest that’s strange for me. Living with 20 other people in a space not bigger than 3 NZ houses for 1 month but never having a conversation with any of them is vaguely disturbing. I’m also sick of sleeping on the floor. Futons may look cool and be fun for a couple of nights but let me tell you, they are not. Yesterday a bulldozer appeared on the empty land in front of the building and started pushing great heaps of dirt around. It looks like they’re about to knock up another apartment block so I’m glad we won’t be around to witness all the noise and dust that will create. So the verdict is…if you’re single and need a place to crash at night it’s adequate but if you want some comfort and relaxation you need to spend a lot more than Y60,000 per month.

After the apartment the house seems huge. The windows are big and you can see out to the great view. It’s bright, airy and spacious. To me, it’s a source of wonderment why anybody would choose to live in a concrete box when they could have a house with a garden for less money. So what if is not close to a train station or a supermarket.  Use the money you are saving and buy a nice car. In this country distance is time. Someone once said that commuting is just unpaid labour. If you commute by being wedged into a packed bus or train I believe it is. Driving however is different. I love the idea of driving home from work, from the city to the countryside in something cool like a Ford Mustang convertible.  Instead of paying that horrendous mortgage buy a cheap house on the edge of the city and get yourself a sports car.

I have a business associate who is Japanese and lives in Osaka. He came and visited the house this morning. He lives in an apartment which cost an obscene amount of money. It is near a station and only 25mins to the central city. He has 3 young children. I could see the same things running through his head as he looked around. The idea alone is not enough to convince most Japanese people. The concept of lifestyle and work life balance is only starting to take root. When confronted with the actual thing however, most undergo a change in attitude.

We left the house around 1PM and went back to Kameoka for lunch. By 3PM we were on the road to Nagoya and Shizukas parents place. The Kei truck is not the most ideal road trip vehicle but we got there in just over 3.5 hours. Not bad.