So after 4.5 years in Kami Itabashi I have recently moved onto pastures new and am living in the North Shinjuku area after finding a place for a reasonable amount of rent each month. Whilst the place is non-furnished there are at least a couple of big closets to store most of the rubbish I’ve accumulated over those years spent in the north of Tokyo.

Slowly but surely things are coming together starting with a slightly reduced Star Wars collection display in none other place than the toilet!! My Japanese teacher very kindly gave me a refrigerator and sofa and though I haven’t had much chance to use the latter yet it sure is nice to have something I’ve not really ever had the luxury of in this country. Along with a couple of other donations and purchases (as well as a free TV given away with the internet provider I signed up to) the place is on its way to being complete.

It’s quite nice in a way being on the ground floor as that means no-one is below us meaning that tip-toeing around (as has almost been done in past houses) isn’t so necessary. However, street noises are a little more prevalent with most passer-by voices being heard but it didn’t take too long to get used to that.

The new place also has a separate toilet (now the Star Wars shrine!) and bathroom featuring a shower room and pantry-area which is so much better than the tiny unit-bathroom of my old place. Richard, Mizuki and their baby Tatsu were the first guests to visit the place.