Arrival in Kyoto

Shugakuin International House, Kyoto University

15 September, 8pm
We arrived at our new apartment on Tuesday after about 24 hours of travel - mind-numbingly long but no delays or problems. Two students and Furukawa-san met us at the house where we are staying and took us up to our apartment, a small, spare but entirely adequate place to live, save that the only items in the little kitchenette were the 4 glasses the students had bought us. They took us out for a nice dinner at a hotel in the neighborhood, but we were probably not the best company.

So like two impoverished graduate students, we have carried bags of household items to our place from the local Y100 store (sort of like the 5 and dime of yore). Now we have two of most essentials, chopsticks, plus a little tea kettle. Bedding is supplied luckily. The neighborhood grocery store proved more daunting. Pretty much nothing is labeled in English. That is ok for noodles and a few other things, but most of the packaged food is quite mysterious. Even for soy sauce there are dozens of types. Today I wasn't certain if I was buying salt or sugar. But with our two burners, we can cook rice and stir fry the excellent vegetables and any one of an entire case of tofu types (also involving blind faith). The little stove has a toaster drawer, but no oven - ok for breakfast. When I get braver, I will stop by the local fish monger just down the street, but I can't really recognize most of what he sells from his little icy stall. I see he is always feeding the neighborhood cats.

In our apartment we have three small rooms and a balcony. We have no TV or radio but can use the computer to hear our familiar morning WGBH in the evening etc. And there is AC which is a great relief in this extreme autumn heat. The building seems pretty empty just now, but we figure that will change when the semester starts around Oct 1. Win was lent a cell phone but I can't get one until the end of October when I will get my alien resident card. Win-sensei also has a bicycle at his disposal and a large office at the university! Well, I don't think I could ride around Kyoto because I'd always be looking in the wrong direction since Japanese drive on the left. And I think he doesn't really know what he will actually do in the office!

On Wednesday we spent the morning at Kyoto University meeting staff and graduate students, doing paper work etc. Then we went to the Sakyo Ward office to fill out the alien resident forms etc. Today we had the courage to take the subway (two actually) to go to the Kyoto National Museum which had been closed when we were here two years ago and alas seems as if it is going to be closed another two years. It was so hot (over 90) that we couldn't get up the energy to visit the temples in the area, so came home and went grocery shopping. Cold green tea seems to save us. Monday is a holiday - Elder Persons Day Win thinks. That's us. If the weather cooperates, we will take one of the historic walks. Sayonara.

Much love to everyone.