We are finally here in Japan, and there are so many funny and different things I’d like blog about:

  • All the appliances talk to the user in Japanese, which is especially funny when the microwave keeps chatting on when you have no idea what it’s saying.
  • Though its 50-60F each day, the houses are FREEZING because of lack of insulation and central heat/air. The Japanese have found very creative ways to deal with the cold: heating one room at a time; owning heated toilet seats (a complete life-saver! No shock when you sit down); and using a kotatsu (koe-ta-tsu), a low-to-the-floor table that heats up — you put a blanket between the removable top and the kotatsu legs, and sit with your legs under the blanket while you eat.
  • Hot dogs are a gourmet selection in these parts, as well as other funny “pastries”: tarts with curry and cheese, ketchup and corn, or anpan (ah-n-pah-n: sweet red bean paste). I even saw a picture in a “pizza” ad with hot dogs rolled into the crust. (!!!)
  • Coffee, beer, cigarettes, and even eggs are sold in vending machines. The coffee is particularly interesting: there is heated compartment of the machine, popping out cans of hot coffee, either black or with cream and sugar. They also have milku-cohi (co-hee), which is a wonderfully sweet treat, sort of like a cold latte, in a bottle.
  • And, as you can imagine, EVERYthing here is small: houses, cars, orange juice cartons, packaged eggs, phones, beds, washers, couches and benches (very low to the floor!), and streets.  However, all the prices are big. :)

We are still staying next door from our house with the Van Zantes, our Nav Staff neighbors, with our container due to arrive at our door March 11th. We’re still searching stores for the best appliance deals, but hope to move next door with the basics early this week. Jones is over his jet lag and almost over his ear infection, which means that mom and dad can finally start getting over it, too. :)All in all, I am ready to move in and have our own home again, even if we sleep on the floor.