Monthly Archives: July 2014

Japanese Apartment

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We arrived to Matsumoto at noon on a warm 32•C day and were greeted by Dr. Takahashi at the bus depot. This year the first few weeks of our stay in Matsumoto is not in the International House but in an apartment to the west of Shinshu University up on a hill. In addition to being on a hill our apartment is on the 5th floor. The view from the balcony is amazing, it looks out over all of Matsumoto and into the Mountains that surround the valley. On clear days we can even see Mt. Norikura from the balcony.

View from ApartmentView from the apartment balcony

The expanse of the view made me mention to Abby that this would be the perfect vista to watch fireworks. We haven’t been disappointed. Today is “Marine Day” as in Ocean celebration day which initiated the summer beach season. Though tonight will probably be amazing the whole weekend we have been enjoying firework displays both natural (lightning) and in celebration out of all our windows.fireworkThe apartment itself is very nice and big, yes, I said big. We have a bathroom (more on this later), a kitchen, living room and 3 bedrooms with tatami mat floors. With the windows open and shōji (paper doors/ room dividers) open we get a delightful breeze through the apartment keeping it cool-ish. A night we sleep on futons on the tatami mat floor with pillows made of cut up pieces of straw and giant towels as sheets/blankets. Life in the Japanese apartment is pretty good. IMG_6212Shōji (Paper door and window shades/curtains)IMG_62094 1/2 tatami mat room with shōji doors

A note is needed on the shower. There is a Japanese style tub (2 ½ ft. square by 3 ft. deep) with a shower head attached. To use it first one must turn on the gas and prime the water heater. Then you can choose to fill up the tub or take a shower on the tiles just outside the tub. Thus far we have only showered but a soak will be in our futures before moving to the International dorm in a few weeks. Temperature options range from scalding, burning to hot. Amazingly the shower water is instantly hot after priming and starting the shower. The only way we can get a cool shower is by not priming the heater, but then it is sometimes too cool.Tub_ShowerJapanese tub and shower with gas water heater

So far we love our apartment and will be a bit sad to leave our traditional apartment for western style dorm rooms. Then again we will soon begin our mountain (work) adventures and will be spending less time in Matsumoto.Matsumoto_Castle_from_Apartment

Matsumoto Castle from our balcony

Matsumoto_Castle_Rainbow Matsumoto Castle with a light rainbow Matsumoto_Castle_Night Matsumoto Castle at night

Returning to Matsumoto

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It’s odd, the trepidation I thought I would have in traveling back to Matsumoto is not there. While the first two summers traveling to Matsumoto was one of the most nerve racking parts of the trip, for, once I arrived in Matsumoto I knew everything would be alright. This time around it was smooth sailing and the sweat only came from carrying heavy bags in the heat of Tokyo in July.

I’m now familiar with the subway, train, and bus; know which platform/stop I need to stand on and what the kanji of my departure and destination. Cash in hand I breeze through buying tickets and finding the stop, making it look ‘easy’ to Abby. We took the bus to Matsumoto from Shinjuku Station. You can also take the train from here but if traffic is good you can make it to Matsumoto only 30 minutes later than the train and for ½ the price (3,500 ¥ instead of 6,900 ¥).

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Abby on the bus from Shinjuku to Matsumoto

On the way out of Tokyo it seemed like the city goes on forever, even though we started on the west side or the city heading west. Slowly, apartment buildings give way to rice fields scattered amongst buildings and the bus begins to climb into the hills to the west of Tokyo. Here even the emblematic rice fields fade, restricted to valleys, where the hill slopes are covered in plantations of trees.

The morning haze had not yet fully burned off when we left Tokyo, but about ¼ of the way to Matsumoto between Tsugi (cedar) covered hills glimpses of Fuji-san were had. Not long enough for a photo but an overpowering smile appeared on Abby and my faces, with anticipation of better views ahead. Alas, the clouds lowered and we did not see Fuji-san again. I know however, that we will see our smiling friend again throughout the summer from the peaks of the Northern Alps.