Settling into Tokyo

It is only now during the winter holidays and as I sit
writing this in my at in Koenji, having just returned
from a week travelling around the Kansai region andenjoying a much needed break from the rigour ofWaseda, that I think I can tentatively claim to befeeling “settled” into Tokyo.
These rst months have been breakneck, and thinking
back on our rst weeks staying at the Hotel Asia Centreof Japan seems a thousand years ago. And although theweather has snuck by from sti ing heat to biting cold,and I am now living by myself for the rst time in myown little at in a vibrant idiosyncratic corner of Tokyo,
and though my Japanese has come leaps and bounds
since arriving, I still do not go a single day without
feeling like a child, fascinated by the sheer amount I do
not understand.
Autumn colours in Hakone

Settling into Tokyo
Carlos Davey
For the rst few weeks pretty much the only thing on allof our minds was nding somewhere to live, andnavigating the dizzying rental application procedures.
Between the typically long wait times between atapplication and move-in dates, and the rapidly
approaching start of term I think it’s fair to describe theprocess as a scramble to nd something a ordable,
foreigner friendly, close to Waseda and nally, nice. As it
happened I and 3 other scholars all found ats on thesame road in Koenji, “Tokyo’s Retro Hub”, which has
been lovely to have some friendly faces around locally.

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The next challenge was to actually make our ats liveableand maybe even pleasant. I spent a lot of time in“Recycle Shops” during the rst couple of months, (andstill stop by now anytime I wander past one I haven’t
tried before!) trying to nd nice pieces of second handfurniture and homeware. Online second hand websites
could also be a goldmine for those with keen Japanese

1First trip into Koenji

Settling into Tokyoand the gumption (or naivety) to transport purchases home themselves. Very much on the naive side, on
one occasion I ended up carting an almost 2 meter square heavy oak Kotatsu for an hour and half throughKoenji. Tied to a tiny little two-wheeled trolley constantly on the edge of toppling over I distinctly
remember thinking that maybe that great price on Jimoty.jp maybe wasn’t that worth it after all…

Sunset over Koenji

Tomioka-hachimangu shrine at Tsukimi

But of course it was not all work and no fun.
During the rst month we had our fair share offestivals, days out and exploration. I met an oldcoworker’s friend in Odaiba for “Tsukimi”, themid autumn moon viewing festival which featured
traditional dance, Taiko and delicious moonshaped mochi. Many of us took a trip to see abaseball game in Tokyo Dome, the scale andenergy of which was ba ing. And for Genie’s
birthday, we made a visit to “Tokyo TeamLab” - animmense interactive installation art gallery. I waseven interviewed by chance on the street by aYouTuber who ended up inviting me to his home
to meet and have dinner with his family!

Giants vs Swa ows at Tokyo Dome

2fflfillInterview about life in Japan

Trip to Tokyo TeamLab

Settling into Tokyo

My social life outside of spending timewith the other scholars has largely been
dominated with the Waseda “Shitokai”(糸東会）karate circle.
With no experience of martial arts orcontact sports (and in fact a real
aversion to them) I decided that while I
was in the middle of such a total
lifestyle overhaul anyway, I should justcompletely commit to the change andtry as many new and unfamiliar things
as possible. Welcomed immediately, andencouraged emphatically by someparticularly friendly senior members tokeep attending, joining practise 2 or 3
times a week quickly became part of
my schedule.
I was persuaded to participate in theirnext tournament, which I did in
December and was a fantastic
experience of culture, language andcompetition. I was the only foreignercompeting, and naturally made some(fairly humiliating) mistakes with theorder of bowing before and after eachbout, but I was still able to join in andhave a great time.

Me in my “Dougi” (embroidered with my name in katakana!)

Photo om my rst match (I am in blue!)

Going out for food and drinks with thecircle after practices and competitions
has been some of the most fun I’ve hadin Tokyo, learning about the sides ofsocial culture that is impossible to glean
from the pages of a textbook. I feelvery lucky to have made some friends
here whom I feel con dent I will
maintain contact with well after leaving
Waseda and even Japan.

fififrWaseda Shitokai group photo3

Settling into Tokyo

What has perhaps cemented thefeeling of being settling into
Japan as a whole rather than justTokyo, Waseda or Koenji has ofcourse been travelling out of thecity and into the rest of Japan.

甘酒茶屋 (Amazake Tea House) in Hakone

Ancient Tōkaidō road

“Peace Gate” at Hakone Shrine

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NYE dinner with our guest-house host in Osaka and her iends and family

An early excursion to Hakone
and Kamakura during the heightof the ery autumn colours was
my rst taste of the beauty ofJapan’s natural scenery. Trekking
along the Tōkaidō to rest at a
400 year old tea house and enjoya cup of hot Amazake, before
dipping into my rst onsen
experience in the mountains ofHakone will stay with me foreverI think.
More recently I made a trip toFujikawaguchiko, Osaka andNara during the Waseda winterbreak. This included amemorable sentou visit(accompanied by 4 heavily
tattooed gentlemen each missing
a certain part of one of theirlittle ngers), and a fantastic
dinner to welcome in the newyear with our guest-house’s hostand about 20 of her friends(really pushing the limit of myJapanese conversational skills!).
These trips have not only
provided great opportunity touse in practice the language skills
we have been learning in theory
at Waseda, but also invaluable
insight into Japanese culture andlife beyond the walls ofuniversity.
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