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Apartment searching in Tokyo.. my experience

While I’m still in the process (gotta decide where I’m gonna work first) here are some preliminary observations:

- There are lots of real estate offices, and each one seems to have different properties available, so probably best to hit up as many different ones as you can.

- The majority of places will say no to foreigners, but there are a lot of places available so there’s bound to be something available.

- You will need a job and preferably one where you are salaried staff (sha in) not hourly wage (mistake 1 on on my part).

- You must go through a guarantor company. No buts. There’s a separate screening process for this as well, probably more annoying than the screening process from the actual landlord.

- You need a jyuminhyou from the town you were previously (technically currently) living in. If you are coming from another part of Japan you need to sort this out before (mistake 2 on my part).

- For the most part the real estate people are really wiling to help you out, but some seem to be more “optimistic” than others as far as your chances as finding a place as a foreigner go.

Overall, as someone who is not looking for traditional (full time, well-paying) employment, finding a place seems nearly impossible. Sharehouses are expensive for what they are but may be your best bet if you’re in the same boat.

Hopefully I can find somewhere to live. For now, Airbnb continues to be my best friend.

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Tokyo, day 7

It’s been a week since I came to Tokyo. All my interviews are done and now I just need to choose which job I want to take.

I thought it would be a lot easier but unfortunately that’s not been the case- I guess I was never too good at making decisions. I wish I’m the type who can just go with gut feeling.

Money’s always the biggest issue and while I tell myself it’s not just that living in the Tokyo certain imposes on one heavy financial burdens, whether real or imagined.

In the end I know what I want to do I guess, but I just need to convince myself to commit to it.. Not always the easiest when you’re from the wishy washy generation that I am. Writing about it seems to help, hopefully by this afternoon I can make up my mind.

At least the weather’s been good.

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Finally got to see Advantage Lucy (read: my favorite Japanese band) live. This was only my second show I’ve been to in Japan, but the mixture of people in the crowd was interesting. Groups of young girls, older dudes, couples, friends (?) of the band members… Very unthreatening atmosphere. Maybe its just this show but just seed very “Tokyo”, people of all kinds just there to see their favourite band.

Lucy was awesome by the way.

Also pictured is my 500 yen pasta from Saizeria.

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Tokyo, day 0

After 2 years and 8 months in Hokkaido, I finally made my way down to Tokyo. This was supposed to happen much sooner (2 years 4 months sooner, to be precise) but you know how life is.

After being rushed out of my Niseko apartment at 7:30am this morning, I’m now in my airbnb room in Shimotakaido, wondering if anyone is gonna be staying in the room that’s on the other side of the sliding door (read: not a wall) from me.

No job, no permanent place to live. Anything can happen. But for now, I need to get over this cold.

Hopefully this means this blog is back. Anything can happen.

Pictures: top is Ezo-Fuji (Mt Yotei) and bottom real Fuji.

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First time going into one of these laundromats in Tokyo. Interesting little space.

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Kofu is a pretty boring little city known mainly for its wine, but it's nearby a lot of good hiking so I found myself there on my way to hiking the Shirane Sanzan in the Southern Japan Alps. Top: statue of Takeda Shingen, the daimyo of the Kai province back in the Warring States period Bottom: Panorama of Kofu from the castle grounds. It's your typical medium sized Japanese city with not a whole lot to offer to travelers. That being said l didn't get to see much outside of the station area so who knows.

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So I'm back in Japan, which means brbjapan is once more active. I probably won't post as often as I did during my previous stays but nonetheless you can expect the same kind of content. Yoroshiku.

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Hiking the Northern Japan Alps (Yari-Hotaka Traverse) - Part 3

Here's the last part, almost a year after I did the hike.

Morning came again and I began making my way up Oku-hotaka, occasionally glimpsing back to look at the progress I made the last two days.

After gaining the summit ridge, you can see the impressive ridgeline to Gens d'armes.

The summit itself is nothing too impressive, other than the fact that it's the third highest peak in Japan. There is a small shrine, and a lot of people.

However the views of the Kamikochi valley in the dissipating clouds is nice.

A look back at Oku-hotaka on my way to Mae-hotaka, the last peak in this traverse.

The climb up Mae-Hotaka from the trail junction is probably one of the hardest parts of the whole hike, but the view of all the peaks that you've conquered on the way there makes it worthwhile. There's also far less people since this peak is "optional."

Going back down is just as treacherous.

After that is an endless descent down Dakesawa valley back to civilization.

You pass by another hut on the way down, unfortunately I got there too early for lunch.

As you lose elevation, it starts getting hotter and hotter, but there is a little cave called Kaze ana (literally, "wind hole") on the way down to cool you down a bit.

Eventually you meet up with the crowds of Kamikochi again, cross the famous Kappabashi, and get one last look at Oku-hotaka before hopping on the bus. It's a beautiful view, but perhaps even more so after having spent three days up there.

Although the mid-summer crowds of the mountains were annoying at times, I thought it made for quite a unique experience. If these mountains were in any other country they would be inaccessible to all but the most avid hikers and climbers, but the amount of infrastructure makes them open to everyone from school kids to old ladies. Of course it can be argued whether that's for the good or bad, but there is no denying that the availability and easy of access into such beautiful mountains helped make people in Japan into mountain lovers, myself included.

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Hiking the Northern Japan Alps (Yari-Hotaka Traverse) - Part 2

A little past 4am? Before? People were already scrambling up the pitch black peak of Yarigatake.

I soon joined them. Climbing up a stone wall in the dark with a hundred other strangers. Perhaps only in Japan.

Like every other famous mountain Japan, there's a little shrine at the top.

Just before the sunrise..

Just after the sunrise.

Here's the actual sunrise.

Yarigatake Hut with Kasagadake in the background.

Looking south, aka the rest of the way.

I totally get why people do this. It's an incredible feeling, at the top of the 5th tallest peak in Japan, mountains all around you glowing in orange as the sun pierces its way through the distant clouds.

After, I went back to the hut, had breakfast, packed my stuff, and began walking again. Bye bye Yarigatake!

The next big peak, Nakadake, with a slab of snow on its flank. This was in mid-August!

Peak after peak, Yari was already far off in the distance after a couple hours.

Minamidake hut, the last stop before the dreadful Daikiretto.

Here's the Daikiretto in its entirety, a big gash in the Yari-Hotaka range with 300m vertical drops on either side. It's a thin ridge that connects Minamidake and Kita-hotakadake, infamous for the numerous deaths over the years.

Dropping in.

Looking back from about the halfway point across. The first half coming from Minamidake isn't too bad, but the hard part began from where I took this picture.

Don't slip.

Thank goodness for the fine weather.

Now, to climb 300m back up this rocky cliff.

People crawling across the rocks like ants.

Another way to climb up.

This was possibly the toughest part of the whole hike. Just a straight up climb that's not enough to get the adrenaline flowing through you, making you realized how tired you are from the past day and a half of hiking you've done. eventually though...

I reached Kitahotaka Hut, at the other end of the Daikiretto. Here's a view of the entire thing from the other side. Seems like a long ways from Yari, but I think it was only about 3-4km. Just the Daikiretto took me about two and a half hours to cross.

Stopped for a quick curry at the deck. How's this for a meal with a view?

And bagged Kita-hotakadake, a 30 second climb from the hut. 3106m!

Crazy.

Unfortunately the going didn't get any easier after this. Apparently the Hotaka range is known for being particularly rocky, and it definitely lived up to its fame.

Huge rock. Must've been about 4-5m tall.

I think this section between Kitahotaka and Karasawa, the next big peak, was just as rough as, if not more than, the Daikiretto.

I can't even remember how I went down this.

The clouds began rolling in just as I got to Karasawadake.

Thankfully, this was the last peak before my accommodation for the night, the Hotaka Mountain Hut, nestled in a saddle between two 3100+m peaks.

I liked this hut a LOT better than Yari's. Staff was more laid back, the common area much nicer with a big library of mountain related books, and a nice deck out front. Also they weren't so stingy with their water like Yari. Heck, they even fully charged my phone for 200 yen, instead of just 30 minutes.

Karasawa Hut down below, where the bridge from Yokoo on day 1 leads to.

By dinner time, it got just as crowded as the Yari hut, but the food was way better and I slept a lot better too. To be continue in part 3, the last day of the hike!

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Hiking the Northern Japan Alps (Yari-Hotaka Traverse) - Part 1

Opened the curtain on the bus window after a 6 hour ride from Shinjuku to Kamikochi and saw this.

At the Kamikochi Bus Terminal. 5:30 in the morning, but already full of hikers.

4 deaths in the area from ? to August 11th.

The view from the famous Kappabashi, deserted this early in the morning.

The first part of the hike was an easy stroll through a beautiful forest.

Past by several campgrounds on the way.

The junction at Yokoo Sanso, 10km from where I started.

Finally started gaining elevation, making my way into Yarisawa for the climb up to Yarigadake, the goal for day 1.

Climbing up Yarisawa, mountains rising up all around me.

After a couple hours of climbing, the terrain kept turning rockier and steeper. Yarigatake's pointy peak is in the right of the photo.

  So close, yet so far..

Looking back down to the valley.

Finally reached the hut at the base of Yarigatake, 17km from where I started in the morning.

The peak itself was breathtaking, but even more stunning was the fact that they built this giant complex up there.

Best curry that I've ever had.

Decided to check out the top of Yarigatake before dinner. The ladders and chains make it possible to go up the vertical wall of rocks, but also make for lots of waiting.

The lodge from the top.

  Back in the sleeping quarters. It was a full house, meaning you slept two to a futon, packed like sardines. An experience in itself.

Heavy rain hit the mountains in the afternoon, making be thankful that I wasn't camping out there.

  Dinner. Some side dishes and all you can eat rice and miso-soup. I talked to some other hikers at my table and they were planning on climbing Yari at 4:30am the next morning to watch the sunrise, so I decided to do the same. To be continued in part 2.

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Waiting for the night bus to Kamikochi at the Shinjuku Bus Terminal

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Pizza at Da Isa.

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The Tsutaya is Daikanyama is a must visit. It's like a giant public library with a Starbucks (and this is coming from someone who despises Starbucks) and books/magazines that are actually interesting.

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Tokyo Bay Aqua-line from the plane.

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Goodbye, Hokkaido.