This was one of these weird weeks where I didn’t have much on - because it was my time off between two jobs. It was a bit like a staycation? But in a new place? Lots of life-admin.

Where did I leave you? Ah yes, watching Garfield on the plane. Tray table went up, we landed, we taxied and we disembarked. Now for the moment I was dreading: I went to the immigration counter for residents and was presented with my very own residence card. Phew - that was easy. And then both it and my passport were taken from me and I was asked to take a seat and wait. Uh-oh. After what felt like an eternity (a few minutes) both were handed back and I was allowed through: I’d given the wrong post-code.

Collected my bags, and met an agent who handed me my SIM card, keys, and a few other bits I’d need, before escorting me to a taxi. On the way I plug in my new SIM card on the way, message a few people to let them know I’ve landed. Before I knew it, we’ve arrived and I’m standing alone on a brand new street with two suitcases, a backpack and some documents to keep me company. And I now understand the confusion at border control: There's no building by the name I've been given.

This week in data:

• 🚶 Stepcount: 124,749 steps
• 💧 Pocari Sweat consumed: 1.8 litres
• 📸 Images captured: 253 photos

OK anyway, the address was correct - the building just has multipole names and only one is printed outside / listed on Google Maps. Suitcases roll in past the sliding door(!), I turn the keys and make it inside, and after a quick wash, I sit down on the bed. This place is tiny. But it doesn’t feel tiny. Gosh. This is really happening. Huh.

Checking my watch I realise that it has been roughly an hour since I was watching the Garfield movie (~10-to to ~10-to). Whoa.

Monday morning I go to Tokyo station to do the ritual I've done after previous flights to evade the jet-lag: bask in sunlight in Kokyo Gaien. I set a few vague objectives for each day...

Tuesday is form-filling day: I wake up rather early to register my residence (住民票), and, armed with that document to open a bank account across town. The ward office is huge but the process goes by pretty quickly. The bank branch is very fancy. I’m told that I mustn’t miss the bank card delivery. I promise I won’t.

Jet-lag manifesting in the form of being able to sleep fairly well - and even feeling relatively good. But even though I don’t feel tired my brain is visibly lagging behind. How strange.

I meet some of my new team in a cosy meeting room after a hurried sandwich lunch. Everyone seems very nice. Conversation turns to a map of London. I show on aforementioned map where my apartment in London is, and, without skipping a beat everyone is appalled when I mentioned what the rent is - moreso when I say that it’s a pretty good deal - which seems like a good sign. めっちゃ 高い!

So I found a basic routine this week: Shower, make & drink a mug of tea, leave the flat and then walk in some direction with my vague todo list in mind. If Tuesday was paperwork, Wednesday was to figure out how supermarkets and the healthcare system actually work. I find and see an English-speaking doctor about a minor health concern — he isn’t worried — and even though the appointment was relatively cheap he invites me to come back to the clinic after my health insurance has kicked in to pay. Another good sign.

Lunch with OS on Thursday, at the first restaurant I ever ate at in Japan (Uogashi Nihon-Ichi), where I learn about the 1-sen lunch rule. Feels weird to be back like this. Minced fish. Nice.

Thursday I learned all about trash - which is basically my life now. My ward distributes a lengthy PDF outlining exactly how to sort rubbish: There are several different categories, five collections per week, and a few special collections. All waste goes into transparent bags (in the UK they’re black/green) so they can be inspected/sorted. Except for paper which should be tied with string.

Go Go Curry curry for dinner, followed by going to a nearby sauna.

Friday I visited Yokohama and mostly walked around looking at the coast, vaguely in the direction of Chinatown. T-shirt weather all week which made it easier. After several coffees, I watched the sun set over the coast and went towards the Christmas market. Not a single brötchen in sight. Procured alcohol-free mulled wine (which was GREAT) and a canele. Ended up getting very overpriced mapo-tofu in Chinatown before sauntering back. Yokohama is nicer than I remembered.

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Saturday I found and went to the German church for their mini christmas market and procured a brötchen. That’s better. Spent the rest of the day buying a few bits whilst searching for black friday deals.

Sunday I went to see Erica Ward’s Yamanote bonsai exhibition which slapped - I picked up an artbook - and waded through a sea of people at the tree illumination event near the meiji jingu park.

There’s still a long todo list of things to do. At some point I’ve got to figure out how to onboard into the payment apps, and the points apps... Right now I’m just chuffed that I’ve got a space to use this laptop.

Oh yeah, and I put up a Christmas tree with a Denshiba angel at the top.