Apartment Round-Up

I'm planning to make an apartment decision tomorrow. The realtor worked hard to find me a couple other apartments to compare with, so I will look and make a decision afterwards. Even after I make a decision, it will take approximately a week to complete all of the necessary paperwork to move in. I've already offered to start paying rent to the family here, but they insist that I take my time and make a proper decision. I truly am blessed to have found such wonderful people no matter where I go in the world.

I visited the one apartment I'm interested in again today. I'm thinking I'll take the loft apartment if I don't see something I like better tomorrow. I'd like the space, and I might just put a little roll-out futon up there to sleep, leaving the main room for clothing and a table. I discovered that both apartments have a small balcony today, which is great. I can dry clothes!

I also went to the Company today to try to find the way there and to properly introduce myself. I went with Tai's mother, because she's already learned I have no sense of direction. Those who know me here have changed my surname to Maigo (meaning a lost/stray child). Not surprisingly, even with his mother we got hopelessly lost and asked the local fire station and a dry-cleaning shop for directions. The Company is located in Ebisu, which is a very nice business district located in Shibuya, Tokyo. The area has tons of restaurants, some famous. It is popular for Yebisu (pronounced Ebisu) Garden, which is a popular drinking area. Sapporo's headquarters are located here. Before anyone gets the idea I'm focused on alcohol here, I want to mention that this is the first thing people comment about when I work in Ebisu. It truly is a nice area though, and it has lots of fun little shops. I look forward to looking through them whenever I'm not in work.

After having been here already for study abroad, there is very little about Japan that surprises me now. I normally just accept everything I see. I don't always understand it, but I accept it. Today, I had a rare "only-in-Japan" moment. I was watching a informational show, where a popular actor goes around and tries lots of food from famous local shops and he went into a shop that specializes in sushi. Not just any sushi though. It's understandable that you want to have the freshest fish possible, so special shops will let you choose your fish, and then make your meal appropriately. In this episode, the actor chose squid (ika). As the chef plunged his hand into the tank to catch the squid barehanded, a familiar song began playing. I've never thought of the song "Dude Looks Like a Lady" applying to catching squid Mr. Miyagi-style, but it was oddly catchy.

I'm off to go eat some eel (unagi) now.

Foreigner Registration

I finally applied for my foreigner identification card today. I still do not have an apartment, but since every landlord is currently demanding it, I decided to wing it and use my current temporary address. I'll have to change it in a week when I move into an apartment, which seems rather redundant, but isn't all bureaucracy?

The Company talked with the realtor to try to sort things out, but it seemed like the only way was to apply for my identification card. I still won't receive the actual card for a month, but the 20 minutes it took me to get a special paper saying that I've applied is apparently sufficient.

Before anyone actually asks the question, I'll answer it now. The reason I didn't do this earlier is because the system is in flux. A few weeks ago when I asked the Japanese consulate what do I do, they told me I need a permanent address first. This was true even when I was in Kyoto. When I was told that I needed a foreigner ID, I told the realtor that the government instructed me that I needed an address first. This is due to the fact that the government office you apply to depends on your address. The system is not set to change until July 5. However, apparently some things have changed and I could go apply with a temporary address. As far as the government knows, I'm home-staying here. If that's what it takes to get the paper, then so be it. They know I'm moving soon.

The realtor is still being difficult about finding me an apartment though, so I've offered a compromise. I'd still like him to look for other apartments since I now have the paper, but if he absolutely can't find anything, I'm willing to sign with the small apartment I'm interested in. I've asked for the rent to be lowered slightly.

The decision on loft or no loft with that apartment is still up in the air. I receive different opinions from the same people every day. The reasoning is this:

1. The loft provides space for storage, hanging laundry, etc. Since the apartment is only around 20 square feet, this is a pretty big deal to have another few feet of storage. The apartment is still just as light with the loft.
2. The non-loft apartment doesn't have an inconvenient ladder sitting directly in front of the door of my 15 foot room. That's a pretty big deal. It also has a small (2 foot balcony) that I can hang clothes on. The non-loft apartment is also cheaper, like 50 bucks a month cheaper.
3. The question is if I want to increase my apartment basically by a third by spending another 50 bucks a month of not. Regardless of everyone's opinions on the matter, I will make this decision myself since I am the one who is possibly living there.

I have the odd feeling that I'll be told that there won't be another option, since that's what I've heard for the past couple days. This will ultimately be a fairly important decision for me.

Apparently it's pretty easy to break your apartment contract, but then I'll have to deal with that whole 4-month rent for the first month of rent thing again. I suppose we'll see how things go. For now, I have that elusive piece of paper, and that's a step in the right direction.