We are in our new home ... moved in on Sunday. Our DSL didn't come in until Thursday, so Akane's iPhone was our only online link to the world. Which was the first time I've spent more than two minutes on one ... and this partial Apple cynic is impressed and hooked.
Haven't taken much in the way of photos, but I'm gonna post a few from the previous week. This is a shot of Riku and Mirei coming out of "Victory" playschool ... they spent a total of three days there while we were camped out at Akane's sister's in Sakai.
Riku is doing his classic Ultraman pose and I think Mirei's doing a pose from her Pretty Cure 5 superheroes.
So we arrived Sunday afternoon ... Masu, Akane's brother-in-law, drove us (Ayako was sick). And Akane's parents drove up along with us in the company van.
Our goods arrived Monday morning, and they were unloaded within an hour. Then off to Akane's studio (yes, she found a studio last week) to drop off the etching press and all her studio supplies (plus some "big art" which we are in negotiations as to where it will live).
So, we're surrounded by boxes. We had 151 inventoried items ... mostly boxes, but also beds, sofa, chairs, etc. We're working our way through the boxes at Bryn/Akane pace. Well, maybe at a bit higher pace. Although we're short on shelving and that's limiting the unpacking. And short on funds to buy shelving ...
The place is nice and big ... a perfect size for us I think (with room for visitors). I'll take some proper shots shortly.
Mirei's first day of school!
She's going to Kansai French School, started by the local French expat community. She put on a brave face the first day, but broke into tears when she finally stepped into the classroom. But she was a happy girl at pickup time.
More details later ... but so far we are very happy with this school. Here's the requisite "first day of school" pic ...
As a side note, I think Mirei has the best-looking teacher in Japan. He's a gorgeous young Frenchman ... I'll try to get a pic to share!
Nice clear day today, this Sunday ... here's a picture of our new house ... facing eastward:
And, here's a link to our home on Google Maps: Kyoto Home
If you look on the right of the map, it should also show you links to Riku's and Mirei's schools. Riku's school (starts tomorrow!) is about 15 minutes east by foot ... a nice walk through our neighbourhood and across the Kamogawa River. Mirei's school is about 20-25 minutes south by bus ... her school is more in the thick of things.
The house itself is 2½ storeys. First floor is the kitchen, combined dining/living room, guest tatami room, plus bathroom/bath and laundry area. Second floor is another tatami room (master bedroom), big combined Mirei/Riku bedroom, spare room (likely the office/closet ... no closet space in any bedroom ...), and a bathroom. Top floor (which uses a ladder to reach ...) can really only be used for storage, but it's cute nonetheless.
I love the neighbourhood. A nice mix of modest and darned impressive traditional Japanese homes ... definitely a mix. On our corner is our home (20 years old, pretty basic exterior but a nice Japanese feel to the inside), a large, walled, massive old home, a modern/unattractive place (kitty-corner), and an empty lot with lots of bamboo growing on it. To the west is a large golf course (5 minutes walk) and the homes get really posh and impressive up there.
It's about five minutes southeast to the modest commercial area ... mid-sized grocery store, drugstore, some cafes and restaurants, etc. That's where we catch the bus. We are the northernmost bus stop on the northernmost route. The upsides are many ... lovely and quiet, green, hills on three sides, one in ten lots is a vegetable garden. Downside of course is that we're away from the "action" and the bustle ... it's about 20 minutes south by bus before you're really in the city, and more like 25 minutes to get into the heart of it.
Feels like home ... strange!
Today (Sunday) we headed into the heart of Kyoto ... our first sojourn since moving here. Turned out to be a bit of a crazy day to do so ... it's the start of cherry blossom season, and Kyoto is packed to the gills with tourists ... mostly Japanese but also plenty of gaijin.
Bus trip took a long time ... heavy traffic ... and we were ready for ramen by the time we got off (Riku is a big fan ... had a bowl with Akane a few days ago and was raving about it to me on one of our walks). Kyoto is famous for its ramen and I love it for sure. It's a nice fast meal ... we order two large bowls (and a side ... this time, fried rice, which I don't believe Akane shared ...) and divvie them up amongst the four of us.
We found a place on a side street visible from the main drag, and Akane recognized it. Dark, heavy broth ... Chinese-run ... quick service and delicous noodles. Under $20 for the four of us.
Now that we've eaten, I can tell you about the bus ride down. For the first and last legs of the trip, the bus drives alongside the Kamogawa River, which cuts through the heart of Kyoto and has walking paths along both sides, each lined with trees in full bloom. And lots and lots of tourists. But the trees win ... absolutely spectacular!