Our Apato in Sakura City

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 ...

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 ...