Here’s the long waited for apartment tour. The only catch is… these photos are actually from when I first moved in back in August 2009! Most likely you will have to wait equally as long for me to post an updated and lived in version – first I will have to clean the place.

The above photo is the thingy I made for my door. It’s made out of things from the daiso. Awesome shop.

Here we are looking back at the front door. You can see the letter mail insert thingy. And my shoes, probably the neatest they’ve been. So yes, you have to take your shoes off before entering. I’m not sure it is something I’ll keep up when I get home, but it may be a good idea in trying to keep floors cleaner.

The cupboard is to keep your shoes in. But I have small feet and I find the box can be too small for even some of my own shoes. The good thing is that finding shoes here is easy and they are cute and cheap!

And this is the view from the door. Yep, that’s right, straight ahead is the bathroom sink. Heh. To the left you have two tatami mat rooms and to the right is the kitchen, toilet, bathroom and laundry.

The first room on the left. Kotatsu covered in stuff as I didn’t have a desk at that stage.

Interlude: I actually live right next to a high school and here was the first time I saw a kid cutting school through a hole in the fence. Memories. They now have the hole covered with a sign and they are fixing up the joint, putting in flowers etc.

Turning back around to face the room. Shit in boxes – left from predecessor. Unpacking still to do and sorting out. Got the clothes rack thing pretty cheap from the local department store.

Facing back towards the kitchen.

And then back around to the useless wardrobe in the corner.

Into the next room. Look, an aircon! It’s great. It was great back in august for the heat, it is great now in the freezing cold.

I’ve swapped around the doors now, cause this one is see through and it’s the room with the aircon, and see through is a silly idea for a door. I want the sulight out in the morning. So I swapped the doors.

The balcony and the TV.

The kitchen, complete with unpacked and messy stuff! Yay!

My microwave/oven/toast oven in one, then the actual toaster oven, and then the kettle which I never actually got a cord for – but I didn’t bother getting one because I don’t drink tea or coffee or anything that needs hot water like that. So it’s all good. I want to try baking in my microwave soon.

The kitchen sink. Some of these dishes are mine, and some are from boxes that I haven’t washed yet. I got lots of odd stuff – tupperware containers without lids, and no plates. That sort of thing.

The fridge. Covered with stuff. I really wanted to see wicked but never got around to it. There probably still is a chance, but I probably will never get around to it.

My laundry! But I have a dryer, something that most people I talk to seem to be jealous of. Not only that, this one didn’t work, so I have a shiney new dryer!

The bathroom. It’s a bit weird, you step up and are straight into the shower area. I haven’t been in the bath yet, although it was much recommended in summer. I have a normal bath, not one that reheats, so I’m not sure if I want to have a bath here in winter – water never seems to stay hot for long and it’d seem like a waste of water.

And the last image of the toilet! This one has a sink ontop of the toilet and as you flush the water first goes through the top – a wonderful idea I think.

So what do I think of my little Japanese apartment? Well, it’s little. And poorly insulated. And I don’t really have enough storage to put things – I need a bookcase or something. Oh, and I don’t like tatami mats, especially as I’m someone who destroys things without meaning to. But it has everything one could need, the water in the shower gets hot quickly and it has aircon which is great. And it’s very cheap.

Daiso is a hundred yen store in Japan, the equivalent of a dollar store. Unlike Australian dollar stores where nothing actually costs a dollar, pretty much everything costs a hundred yen. There are some exceptions, but they are clearly marked with the price and are often good value too. And you can get everything there, from awesome stationary, kitchen goods, gardening goods, bathroom goods, make up, laundry goods. The list goes on. Yes, I am a fan of the 100 yen stores.

Daiso, however, is also an awesome place for amusing English. Even though there is a “no photography” sign at the front door (well, I assume this from a picture of a camera with a line through it), the English on these is just begging for their photos to be taken. And they shouldn’t complain because I definitely spend up big there. Turns out 100 yen (plus 5 yen tax) an item can add up…

The stationary, my favourite part of the store, is a source of awesome English. This one says “Two bears went to the travel of the sky. It is very happy feelings.”

“This notebook might be wonderful writing feelings for you.” On the front cover of a book meant for writing English in. Fantastic.

“Unintentionally with idividuality and nonchalantly with sensibility.” I wish I knew what they originally put into google translator to make this come out. I wonder if the people making this stationary can speak perfect English but do this kind of stuff for fun. It could be fun to do with my job too…

Moving away from stationary to dog atire. And what dog wouldn’t look stylish and warm in a little jacket that says “wanko”.

And to end we are at animal repellent. Have pesky cats annoying you? Well, get yourself some “Don’t Cat.” Cat’s are surely to don’t.

Maybe it is just me but I was also amused by this. It’s fireworks for repelling birds and beasts. “It’s very effective against wild boars, monkeys and crows.”