July 10, 2008 Move In Day in Yamate-cho

Well we woke up at 3am and of course I could not fall back to sleep, so I sat in the window of the Sheraton and watched the sun rise over Yokohama station, while drinking some green tea and writing in my journal. Then we were greeted by a lovely Japanese girl in traditional pant suit at the restaurant and enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast. CJ of course opted for the japanese fair and I had mostly american choices. A big bowl of granola with fresh blue, rasp and strawberries, bananas and pineapple with yogurt. Scrambled eggs, hashbrowns bacon,juice,japanese stir fry veggies and green tea to hold us over for our long day ahead. I did taste some of CJ's Miso soup..that will be one of the first things I need to learn how to make, as CJ LOVES it.
Then we took a taxi to our new house and to get the keys. I kept trying to open the taxi door but they are all automatic and so they do not want you to touch them. oops:-( The driver was wearing white gloves and they have white lacy covers over the seats.Spotlessly clean and BIG. On our way to the Naka Ward and the top of the bluff in Yamate Cho we passed a wall of Japanese manga graffiti which we will have to go back to look at closer another day as well as a bunch of little school kids dressed in their blue uniforms and yellow straw hats. So cute!
We got to the house early before John the realtor showed up and was fun to see our name plaque above the mailbox. We then walked around the side yard and into the Japanese garden area out back while butterflies flighted about and I then went partway down my 62 step stairmaster, right outside the back gate ..oh my... I am going to get in shape while living here..that is FOR SURE.
Not even seeing the inside, I knew CJ did a GREAT job at picking out our home for the next 2 years. It is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT,just what I had hoped for. YEAH!!! :-)
Once John showed up and we went inside things just got even better. The Tatami rooms are so cool and serene. We are going to be spending lots of time in them I would guess. The size is just right and we have surpsingly a ton of storage space. More than I hope to fill, as our goal is to live simply while here and like the Japanese as much as possible. It is a house full of electronic gadgets, which make CJ very happy. We have weight sensored bidet toilets which are interesting in themselves and a new thing to learn.I found out right away in the hotel, if you don't sit all the way back on it your back gets very wet when the sprayer goes off. Yikes! Ours also start a fan when you sit on it and it has little motion senroed sink to wash your hand in when done. Each room in the house also has its own remote control for the individual heater and AC units. We have a cool stove with a special fish grill in it too.
After the house tour we walked down the bluff slope, steps and through the Motomachi Park past the big outdoor pool where 3 little japanese ladies were busy tying new mops together for the summer season to begin this coming weekend. No pic as they didn't want their photo taken. We then passed by the Foreign General Cemetery where many a local cat was taking a siesta amongst the tomb stones. Also I learned this is a very touristy area and so we saw many groups of little Japanese tourists with their white hats on to walking around to see all the Naka Ward Commemorative Monuments. This is the area where there are many historic places regrding the birth of modern cultures and where westerners first moved to Japan many years ago.
We crossed the street to Harbor View Park for another pretty view of the working harbor and all the colorful semi truck contianers stacked and ready for shipping across the ocean. Many flowers were in bloom and local artists busy painting.
Down the last loooong set of steps and then over the canal to the Homes store (my new Japanese Wal-Mart)as CJ says, to buy some futons and basic things to get by till our boxes arrive. First we stopped at the food court for some soup, pot stickers and fried rice..um um good. I'm getting better at the chopstick motion.
Then I met my first new fluent in english Japanese friend Chu who actually is Chinese and from Taiwan. She was so very helpful to us when trying to get all the parts needed for our Futon beds. We had lots of laughs as I laid down on a cot trying to figure our if I wanted a foam or feather pillow to rest my head on. I ended up with feather and CJ with foam, but he too now wants a feather.
We then went into the adjacent grocery store and got some Asashi beer,granola, yogurt, fruit, veggies,salad fixins, japanese ramen and noodle soups...
The weirdest thing is how everyone brings their dogs to the store with them and they all ride in the shopping carts. :-)
Chu then called us a taxi, but we ended up needing two of them cause the futon pads were too thick. So off we went with all our stuff in two vehicles and back home put the futons together in the upstairs tatami room. They look cool and were quite comfortable.
After setting up and putting things away we went back downtown to look at some furniture stores and a few other grocery stores of which there are about 5 different ones in the area. Got a knife and some chicken pieces which ended up being potatoe pancakes to eat with our salad and spinach/onion bread. It takes me much longer to eat a salad with chopsticks than a fork, so I guess I will chop my veggies in bigger pieces from now on. :-)
Talked with both of our kids before calling it a night and happy they are doing well in Chicago and Duluth. Kalen joined a book club and had fun with friend Christina and others and Graham is happy to be back with old and new friends and hoping to get a painting job with College Pro as a supervisor in charge of prework setup.
So I will close this first full day with a quote Kalen sent to us this morning.
"Enjoy each experience as it comes" and that we will do.
We once again thank you all for your support, prayers and good wishes that many of you sent us off with on this grand adventure.
Sayonara
Karlita and Chuck-san