Chester & Greta
|
This is our apartment ... well, a week or so after
moving in. Since these pictures were taken we received
our shipment from the states and now our apartment is
CROWDED! I'll post pics of that at a later date. Right
now this will give you an idea of where we live.
Now, we've all heard the stories about Japanese homes
being small ... well, it is true if you live in a large
city. But Greta and I are living in the suburbs and this
place is a palace to us. All in all, we've got just as
much room as we had in Austin for a little less rent. Not
bad, eh!?
|
|
Here's half our living room. On the left is our giant
bilingual TV. It may not look giant here but when your
sitting in this little room with it you feel like your at
the counter with the news commentator. Some TV programs
are broadcast in English as well as Japanese. With the
right TV you can listen to the English. The table with
the attached futon is a kotatsu which has a heating
element underneath. In winter you never wander far from
the kotatsu.
|
|
And this is the other half of the living room. Yes,
that is a wood floor. The rest of the apartment (minus
the kitchen complex) is floored with tatami mats. The
mats are made of reeds and are quite comfy to
walk/sit/sleep on. They are made to a standard size of
6'x3' and so apartments are measured according to how
many mats fit in a room. Our apartment has two 7-mat
rooms plus the kitchen complex.
|
|
This is the bathing part of the kitchen complex. The
tub is deep, narrow and is never intended to have a soap
scum ring. Why? Because you bath before you get into it.
You use the shower attachement to soap up and rinse next
to the tub. Then you climb into the super hot water to
enjoy a nice soak ... aaaaaaahhhh. Perfectly civilized.
This puppy is coming back to the states with me some
day.
|
|
Here's half the kitchen complex. On the left is a
little sink which is next door the toilet room. Next to
that is the clothes washer. Drying is taken care of by
Mother Nature. Then there is our rice chest. In the
bottom is a vat for keeping rice in. On top is the
omnipresent toaster oven and our coffee maker. Now turn
around ...
|
|
And here's the business end of the kitchen complex.
The white gizmo in the center of the picture is the water
heater for the sink. There is no central hot water
heater. At first I thought it was a little goofy but
after the first couple of earthquakes I realized that
having an unattended pilot light going all the time is
not a good idea. Not to mention this set up is easier on
the gas bill. On the right is gas range. As you can see,
we don't have an oven. So no homemade chocolate chip
cookies ... and Greta makes the best too. Oh well, maybe
someone out there will mail us some ...
|

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|