Of a Lack of Dryers

So I was thinking the other day about my first impressions when I came to Japan. Sometimes I forget what things used to be like, where everything new and exciting. It was really more of an adventure at first. Now, I've gotten used to my life here. And I still try new things, but it's more of the way that you try to do things in a city that you've lived in for a while. Anyway, back to the point, I was hanging up my laundry to dry yesterday when a memory came back to me.

I remember when I first came to Japan, I wasn't able to tell wealthy neighborhoods from poorer neighborhoods. Common signs in the States of wealth really don't apply here. For example, dryers are not common in Japan. I've seen them at coin laundries, but never in a home. Most people just hang their clothes to dry up on a pole outside, even in winter.

In the US, if you look up and see row and upon row of apartment buildings and houses with clothes hanging outside, you would normally assume that the area is not wealthy. But it's normal for here. Japanese homes just don't have the space for a dryer. There's also the belief that dryers shrink your clothes. Since the Japanese tend to buy very fitting clothes, they do not want to shrink them.

So the question is how do you tell so-called "wealthy" neighborhoods from their more humble counterparts? The answer to this is the types of stores, building materials, and city layout. Stores do not have to be super "chic" per say, but they do have to sell quality goods. Western stores like Zara, Banana Republic, Chanel tend to be in better areas. This is due to the fact that they have to make a profit due to the high import duties on their products, so they tend to go places like Ginza and Roppongi. However, if you go to Kyoto, the Gion district is one of the most expensive in Japan. The district is old and does not host any "fashionable" stores. Rather, it sells some of the highest quality teas in the country. It prides itself on its traditional roots, and people will pay for the experience.

The second method is by looking at the building materials. Most buildings are now built with flexible steel and other earthquake-proof materials. However, there are still a few traditional wooden houses. These traditional areas are highly prized because they have survived the bombings and previous fires. The techniques to make them have also be lost in the generations. If we look at more modern architecture, buildings with large windows and an open layout are more prized. Rent is expensive here, so if you find large buildings, you know that you're in a nice neighborhood. Family homes that have a car are also a sign of a very well-to-do neighborhood.

Finally, the last thing to consider is the city layout itself. Greenery is a very good sign of the economic health of the neighborhood. Along the train tracks in Kyoto, the neighbors work together to maintain the flowers for their block. Arashiyama is the former entertainment region for the old nobility. It has a large lake and it is surrounded by mountains. In Tokyo, areas like Sangenjaya and Daikanyama are considered upper-class. These areas have widespread green spaces and are well-kept. They are also located in the center of the city near train stations.

All in all, there are many signs of wealth in Japan. You only have to get used to looking to notice them. Although there are far more that I haven't named, it is because in some ways it's difficult to put a finger on it. Over time, you just learn. The important thing to realize is that wealth is not an indication of whether the neighborhood is safe or not. Since you don't find gated communities or the like here, people can walk anywhere. As long as you act normally, the majority of Japan is safe.

Typhoon

We had a pretty strong typhoon here over the weekend. It caused the most damage in Okinawa, where 250 mph winds tossed cars around like they were toys. The majority of houses lost power on the island, and there's definitely some cleaning up to do.

When the typhoon reached Tokyo, it was still fairly strong. Wind gusts were up to 75 mph, though they tended to hang around 30-40 mph on average. I stayed inside during the day when it was still sunny to study. At night, I headed over to the movie theater to watch Snow White and the Huntsman with Tai. The movie is pretty actually; I recommend it.

Due to the wind though, the second movie wasn't showing. So we headed back, and ate udon for a while at a restaurant. The entire time we ate, the windows howled outside. The doors and windows rattled, and rain came down in droves. I waited for a break and managed to get back to my apartment just as the winds kicked up again.

By Monday, everything was clear, but there was trash everywhere. Signs and boxes had been thrown around all over the streets. Tokyo is pretty good about getting everything cleaned up. By today (Tuesday), you couldn't even notice that there was the largest typhoon that Tokyo has felt in a long time.

This morning a fairly large earthquake struck off the coast as well, registering in at a 6.2. I woke up to it actually, but it was only a 3 in Tokyo by that point. There was another smaller earthquake later in the day. Overall, Japan is having some strange weather.

Two weeks ago, we were still 80 degrees and sunny. Then it rained for two straight weeks and dropped down into the 60s. The day after the typhoon the weather is always hot and sunny, so that's good. I just wish it would last a little bit longer.