「life」タグアーカイブ

Cleaning !

If living in a guesthouse is an enjoyable experience, it also comports duties. One of them is to keep the house clean. This is not only one’s room, but also includes shared space. Oakhouse provides all the necessary equipment : vacuum cleaners, mops, cleaning detergents, etc.

The usual rule is that everyone take one’s turn every week to clean the place. In practice, things don’t really happen this way, to wipe a bit where it’s dirty or take the garbage out by oneself is very much appreciated. This, as with summer, cockroaches may appear if the place is dirty.

To take the train and subway in Tokyo

The public transportation network in Tokyo is quite disconcerting when one comes here for the first time, notably because of the number of railway companies in presence. An other problem is the labyrinth aspect of some stations such as Shinjuku or Ikebukuro (where even Japanese people get lost).

The first problem is resolved thanks to rechargeable IC cards SUICA/PASMO which allows to take all the lines of all the train, subway or bus companies easily. However, one has to take care of the credit left on the card if one doesn’t want to see the gate to close in front of oneself…which can be quite troublesome during rush.

SUICA ICOCA

The same kind of cards is available in other Japanese regions such as ICOCA in the Kansai area. The funny thing is that SUICA card has a penguin as a character, while it is a platypus for the ICOCA.

To experience Japanese housing

To live in a guesthouse is an enriching experience as one can meet other people and share information daily. It is as true for Oakhouse as the majority of residents are Japanese, allowing for cultural exchanges.

Moreover, some of Oakhouse’s houses propose Japanese-style rooms with tatami flooring. It would be a pity to miss on this, wouldn’t it?

Japanese style room with tatami

If you come in winter, I strongly recommend you to ask for a kotatsu , a low table equiped with an electric resistance for heating. It is usually used with a futon in between the two boards of the table to make it warm below. It’s very pleasant in winter.

Traditional Japanese wedding

In march, I went to the Yushima-tenjin shrine near Ueno to watch the plum flowers. The plum flowers festival that is held there every year was already over, but I had the chance to attend another spectacle.

traditional shinto wedding

On that day was held a shinto wedding ceremony. The braid was wearing a splendid white kimono. Inside the main building, the priest (kannushi 神主) was recitating chants while music was played with a shô 笙, a traditional instrument of Chinese origin also called “mouth organ”.

At the end of the ceremony, the couple crossed a small bridge linking the main building to another one, preceded by the priest and followed by the families and friends.

I was a bit disappointed not to have been able to see the plum flowers festival, but happy to have attended another unusual event.

Night-time earthquakes

Yesterday night, there were two perceptible earthquakes in the Kanto region. The first one was at 1:02 am, the second at 1:45 am.

The second earthquake was a bit stronger and long, with 5 in intensity in the north of Ibaraki prefecture, and 3 in Tokyo. In the house where I live, the doors started trembling and the hole building was shaking. What is important in this kind of situations, is to stay calm, even if it’s not an easy thing to do, especially with night-time earthquakes as they come when you’re sleeping.

I think that opening windows and doors to secure an escape route is important. But one must not run out during the earthquake. It is also better to have some shoes nearby to avoid walking on shattered glass.

There was no damage yesterday, but it was not easy to sleep again after that.

Farewell party

One of the advantages of guesthouses is that during one or more months, you leave with other residents. Guesthouses are thus a wonderful place to make new friends from many parts of the world. It is already 1 year and 8 months I’ve been living in a Oakhouse guesthouse, and I’ve met a lot of people, some of them having become very good friends.

face drawing

Yesterday evening, we had a farewell BBQ party for two residents, an Australian girl and an American man who were to leave the house on the following morning. The party lasted until early…morning. With much booze flowing, it’s not surprising that some passed out after a while like the Oakhouse manager on the above picture who got drawings made on his face by everyone.

It was a really good party during which everyone had a lot of fun. It reduces the sadness of parting.

Etiquette and marriage

I’m invited to a colleague’s wedding this saturday. It’s the first time in more than 3 and a half years of life in Japan. The wedding ceremony will take place in a chapel a building looking like a chapel and dedicated to Western-style weddings. By the way, the building’s name, Saint Marry Church (hence the two “r” in Marry) evokes well its exclusive use.

goshugi-bukuro

Western-style wedding or not, there are inchangeable and typically Japanese rules to this kind of occasions. As a guest, I have to make a gift in the form of money to my colleague. This is called goshûgi ご祝儀 in Japanese. But, of course, it is out of question to hand it directly to my colleague. The bank notes must be inserted in an envelope on which I’ll have written my name, my address and the amount offered. This envelope is then inserted in another one (goshûgi-bukuro ご祝儀袋) made of Japanese paper and decorated with tied strings called mizuhiki 水引. You would think we’re finished with enveloping, right ? Well, no ! The custom is generally to wrap the goshûgi-bukuro in a cloth called fukusa 袱紗.

So, there’s still a question. How much to offer ? This is not something left to chance either. The amount of money offered is usually determined by your relation to the bride and groom and your social status. Besides, it is usually better to avoid pair numbers as they are divisible by two and thus symbolize a possible rupture. Friends or colleagues of equal or lesser rank would offer 30,000 Yen, a chief 50,000 Yen, parents between 50,000 and 100,000 Yen. In fact, the ornaments on the goshûgi-bukuro more or less reflect the amount to be offered.

The beginning of a new year

Welcome to this new blog of Oakhouse Supporters.

Apart from being a day on which we make jokes in the West, the 1st of april is the beginning of a new fiscal year in Japan. It is thus a good day to begin this blog which, I hope, will fascinate you, and if you’re a Oakhouse resident, maybe you will give us the privilege to take part to this blog.

hanami

The end of march – beginning of april period is also when the cherry trees blossom in most of the Japanese archipelago. This natural phenomenon is much appreciated by Japanese people who gather between friends or colleagues under the branches of the cherry trees to picnic. It is called hanami 花見.

If you come to Japan at this time, you must absolutely experience hanami. In Tokyo, there are many spots famous for their cherry trees like Ueno Park for example.