Burning the Midnight Oil

One of the tough parts of working in Japan is that it is so very easy to rationalize things based on the surrounding work culture. To be honest, I am not even sure it is a Japan-specific issue, it seems like it is similar elsewhere too.

One gets lulled into a sense of complacency.

'At least I only do 1.5~2 hours a day of overtime, other people are in the office until midnight'. (No matter that it adds up to an extra full day of work per week in total hours)

'If I stay a bit longer each evening maybe I can get it done' (No matter that I am in fact holding two positions which should both be full time)

'Oh cool, only 1 extra hour today!' (No matter that my manager looks confused at my departure)

Comparatively speaking, I must admit my situation is much better than many of my friends. Matcha-kun has had weeks in which he came home past 11:00pm every night. 

I hear tales on the train, regaled with a certain inexplicable measure of pride and exhaustion, of working 3 days straight with only naps under a desk to keep going. It is almost like some people are proud of the amount of overtime they do, of the time taken away from their family, outside interests and required REM hours.

My job has many incredibly interesting parts, and I realize that I have a degree of responsibility and free rein that are unusual for someone my age (especially female and especially in Japan), but the culture of overtime just seems so destructive. There are certainly times when you have to cope with emergencies and will need to put in the extra time, but expecting this to go on for months (years!) is not conductive to employee health and well-being. It is a bit of modern machismo I despise and yet have to submit to.

How does one change this? Do we just have to wait for all the 'my-job-is-my-life' dudes to retire? 

Why Open Offices are Not Cool

Recently I read the book 'Quiet' by Susan Cain, which deals a lot with introversion, and how extroversion and 'group think' are considered to be better by society. There was an interesting section about the business world and office layouts, which really struck a chord. Research has shown that people (but introverts in particular) are less productive when working in 'open offices'.

This chapter made a lightbulb to off in my head, and I totally agree with her point. In Japan open offices, where everyone is in the same room at long rows of desks, are very common. Even non-Japanese companies, particularly those involved in tech and online services, have increasingly been using this kind of layout. A lot of people seem to think they look cool, but, to be quite honest they aren't at all that they are cracked up to be.

Why, you ask? Well, here goes:

1- All Calls, All the Time

Not surprisingly, since these offices are basically one big room stuffed with people, open offices are noisy. I can hear the calls of the sales team, the dude getting rebuked for an error, people shredding papers or dropping things, phones ringing and nearby conversations. And it is super distracting, especially for someone high strung. When I am 100% focused on creating marketing material, I almost jump out of my skin when someone  rings the interphone!

2- AXE Attacks

Not the sharp kind, the overpoweringly smelly kind. Several times a day someone (*cough* engineers *cough*) will douse themselves with body spray, perfume or scented lotion... and sometimes it can be truly eye watering. 

3- Introvert Hell

There are people in front of you, to your sides, behind you, all over the bloody place. 8 to 10 hours of this a day can be intensely tiring, because it takes so much more concentration to remain focused on your tasks and developing your ideas. My job has some creative aspects to it, so focus is a necessity. A nice little nook would be so appreciated.

4- Working Longer than Thou

I pride myself on the speed and quality of my work. I make sure to get all my tasks for the day done, prep for the following day, then leave. Basically, one can always find more work to do, and this is not a good thing! While my company is pretty good about the whole work/life balance thing, there are always those people who stay late every day. And when you leave sometimes they give self-satisfied little looks of 'you're leaving already?!', since everyone can see and hear you heading out. I ignore it, because I thoroughly enjoy having a life, but I can imagine it could be tough for others.

5- Germs Galore

Yup, without all those nice little rooms and doors to keep things a bit separate, colds get passed around very efficiently. I am by no means germ phobic, but three of my nearest colleagues have gotten the same cold... and I am just waiting for when it shall inflict itself upon my lungs. 

So, what do ya'll think? Any cubicle fans out there?

I Quit my High-Powered Job... AND THAT'S OK

So, some people seemed to be wondering what the hell was up with my previous post about job hunting in Japan. After all, it wasn't so long ago I announced to the world that I was taking on a fancy new position, right? Was that post just a random thing, or a late compendium of thoughts?

Well...no.

I have actually accepted another job, my second in less than 9 months. I quit my previous company and then spent 2 months soul searching, job hunting and confronting a lot of my prideful demons.

Let me make it crystal clear: I adore my previous company. This is not lip service, I had fantastic colleagues (whom I am still in close contact with), great pay, nice corporate culture, and a lot of support. The product is amazing, and the technology truly top notch. It was because of all of these factors that I stayed on as long as I could, even past the point that was probably mentally healthy.

The only issue was, I hated the job: sales. Towards the Japanese market.

As someone who likes to speak to people and give presentations, I thought sales would be a good fit. I had done something related before, and was excited to dive into the tech world and prove myself.

But pure sales turned out to be a very different experience. Cold calls, pushing clients, constant back and forth over technical issues, pressure and late hours. All this done in Japanese.

I did my best, taking company-sponsored keigo classes, researching competitors, gleaning info from my sempai, calling company after company, mailing list after list. Eventually, I was waking up every morning with a cannonball of dread in my stomache, breaking down in tears of fear and frustration, and waking up at 5:00am in a panic. I ignored it for as long as I could, because I liked the company so much.

I have a huge sense of responsibility, and so whenever I saw my numbers stagnating or not rising as rapidly as predicted (even for reasons outside of my control), I felt horribly guilty that I was letting down the team. My self-worth attached itself to those numbers, and left me in a constant state of anxiety. What made it worse is that my teammates were all so kind and helpful, giving advice on how to resolve technical issues or boost results. It would almost have been preferable if they had been mad at me, thus reflecting how mad I was at myself for not being able to reach the level I thought I should.

Sales people, those who actually love the thrill of the chase and are motivated by bonuses and KPIs, are amazing. Watching my sempai in action was a masterclass, as he took hold of the power balance and brought huge accounts in again and again.

But it isn't for me. And that, I eventually figured out, is ok. No matter how much you may want to, you can't be good at everything, or make yourself like something you truly do not.

Now I have found a position much closer to my interests (travel), that uses my language skills, and that is challenging without making me an anxious mess. It is still IT-related (a must), venture-like and allows me to tell stories, which I love.

I have figured out what I can and cannot live with, although my pride took a giant hit in the process. 

The more you know, right?

Children and the Workplace

My stance on progeny (aka nope!), is pretty well known amongst my friends, but at work I have not discussed it, besides a oblique comment during my interview that quitting work to be a shufu is not one of my life goals.

Also, I know that my direct managers all have or want children. It is a fact that many of those who have kids can get very defensive if someone mentions that they don't want them, and last thing I want to do is antagonize the people I work so closely with. 

Keeping this balance can be very difficult. 

I was at a work dinner, when one of our clients asked: 'What will you do about your vegetarianism when you have kids?'.

I froze. My usual 'uuuhm, nah' is not going to cut it, especially since the gentleman in question is a father. I did my best with 'ohh, I've never thought of it, どうでしょうね' but for some reason they got stuck on it, with me getting progressively uncomfortable. 

Even in my relatively young area of tech, the female = mother monolith is alive and well.

How does one deal with this? I don't want to lie, but the truth is a maaaajor conversation stopper!

New Year, New Job, New Experiences

My new office is much, much larger than my previous one, and is located in Meguro, which has a lot more going on. Also, the view from the office is fantastic.

After a week of training in Boston, I returned to start the on the job training in Tokyo...and, I'm not going to lie, it has been tough. This is completely new industry for me, and there are a lot of technical terms I need to learn in Japanese. However, my manager and team members are all really awesome people, and keep on telling me that the first three months will be hard, and then level out.

My manager took myself and another new team member out for lunch a bit away from the office, at an incredible little Italian restaurant called L'Asse. If you didn't know it was there, you would walk right past it, which would be a terrible pity.

Apparently it has a Michelin star, and well-deserved. From the service (where they kindly accommodated my non-carnivorous lifestyle choice), to the quality of the olive oil, nothing was half-handed. The daily lunch set is probably somewhere around 2500-3000 yen, and includes an amuse bouche, starter, main dish, dessert and coffee. As you can see, the presentation is splendid.

Since my manager appears to be a regular, we were also surprised with a platter of beautiful mini desserts. My favorite were the 'satou gashi' with blueberries and micro tomatoes.

For a romantic, intimate dinner, L'Asse would be an excellent choice (please note, however, that prices will be much higher in the evening).

I could totally get used to this!

Back to Normal: Fall in Tokyo

Now that things have returned to normal, I am happy to be able to fill my corner of the web with more pictures of pretty narure and tasty food.

Although some readers are already aware of the fact, the past month I have been very busy interviewing for new jobs. Since I continued working full time for the entire duration, looking for my replacement, and also had a koto concert and marathon training to deal with, my stress levels were considerable.

I have now happily accepted a new position in a totally new industry (IT), and am very pleased with the results.

It also feels like I have gained back 80% of my mental space, not to mention time and creativity (below you can see my latest マイブーム, watercolour pencils!... I make up in enthusiasm for what I lack in talent).

To celebrate, Matcha-kun (who also just got a new job) and I went for lunch at the Park Hyatt. I am a huge fan on their brunch, and the lunch set (for around 5200 yen) is a good deal for the delicious food, quality of ingredients and sublime service. My truffle pasta and the series of desserts that followed were wonderful.

Now I am free to enjoy the joys of fall, and hope you are all getting a chance to do the same! I look forward (if a touch nervously) to the new challenges ahead, and hope they make for some awesome stories and insights that I can share.

Food News Flash

Harken to the food gods、for they have seen it fit to answer my prayers!

In Minamiazabu, walking distance from my office, I found a tiny falafel shop, and it is phenomenal. There are few things more satisfying than a giant pita stuffed with fresh falafel, hummus, veggies and pickles, topped off with tahini... and yet more hummus. With the weather getting really raw, and the ever present danger of catching a cold, it is important to make sure you are properly fueled at all times, and this is a delicious way of doing so. The nice lady at King Falafel even gave me a free sample of her homemade black sesame hummus, which was pretty sinfully tasty.

With everybody rushing about to get things done before New Years, and clients coming by to pay their respects, we end up with some odd things stacking up in the office. While most of it is paper (endless supplies of calendars, greeting cards and coupons), some are edible.

The Pinanciers from Fukuoka Airport were pretty good, although the Amao strawberry coating didn't taste any different from regular strawberries. The low brow version of the famous Royce chocolate-covered potato chips (which has now been launched in stores, if you are curious) was quite weird. If nothing else they are good for those times you cannot decide between salty and sweet!

Just four more days until my 48 hour onsen vacation... I hope to have good things to say upon my return!



どうしょもない

Definitely one of my favorite expressions in Japanese, it perfectly encompasses the uselessness of trying to change/help a situation/person.

Since I am mostly aquainted with people who have a strong interest in broadening their experiences, learning new things or taking on new challenges, I am not sure what to make of those few who drift along and complain without trying to fix their situation.

Conversation this Sunday:
X-chan: 'Omg I am so bored... what am I supposed to do? Is it like this for all people who work?'
Me: 'You could take some kind of fun class? Yoga is great and not too expensive'
X-chan: 'But that costs money'
Me: 'Go for a run or a walk?'
X-chan: 'But it is sunny out, I might get burned'
Me: 'Well, if you want to make more money and are bored, why not get an extra job one day per weekend?'
X-chan: 'Mendokusai...'

Okay, I get it, you don't actually want a solution, how unfeminine of me to not get that...

And every time I am preparing to go off on a trip all I hear is 'iinaaa, I want to go somewhere toooo'.
Then go! But no, it always goes back to 'my boyfriend doesn't wanna' (as if it is impossible to travel with friends or *gasp* by yourself) or 'you make more money than me' (false, actually you make more, I just manage it better).

If you want to have fun, you need to be proactive about it. Admittedly I may have taken it a bit far, with running AND koto AND yoga AND freelancing AND traveling, along with the usual nomikai and other stuff that pops up. I would love to take drawing classes, and am thinking of taking a course in real estate too. This kind of lifestyle may be busy but hell, you meet a lot of people and have a lot of fun!

I have also recently been dealing with several clients who have little to no life outside of work. Some say they play a sport or do an activity once a month. Others say that playing with their kids is their hobby (no, sorry, that is called 'good parenting'). Seriously? You only get to live once (unless you believe in reincarnation), and you are okay with spending that life at work?!

Such as waste... perhaps in their previous lives they were ants or other such industrious critters?

A Sunday of Surprises: From Russia with Love

Like pretty much everyone in this whirling, twirling city, I am busy. And one of the (few) downsides of my occupation is that I sometimes have to work on Sunday. This is okay, except when all of Saturday is dedicated to koto lessons and rehearsals after a long week, and the stress piles up.

 

But sometimes surprises come at the least expected times. After finishing up the event on Sunday, I saw that the usual suspect had sent me a message, to meet up in Shinjuku. Odd, as it is not a typical location for either of us, but off I went, to then be whisked away to Russia.



       

Sungari was (apparently) started by a Japanese ex-spy, who spent most of his career in Russia.  Russian and Baltic cuisine are not something I am very familiar with and, to tell the truth, being rather exhausted, the Japanese/Russian menu was a bit intimidating. So, I left all the choices up to my dinner companion.

They have a decent selection of Georgian wine, which is rather awesome stuff. Blood red and sweet, with a heady aroma. This was followed by a couple of salads, including the most delicious treatment of eggplant (which I usually dislike) ever. Next was a creamy asparagus and mushroom soup, capped with buttery pastry, which seemed to sap the tension right out of my shoulders... although that might have been the second glass of wine. Dessert was a cheese and sour cherry tart, followed by Russian tea. Instead of sugar, you sip through or stir in jam, in our case more sour cherry, peach and berry, and the amazing rose jelly. Glorious.

The prices are quite decent, and the atmosphere lovely, if a bit crowded. Sungari feels like a hidden retreat, with an interesting selection of Russian, Ukranian and (if I am not mistaken) Bulgarian folk music (which will keep any ethnomusicologists on their toes).

In summary, I have no clue about what exactly I ate or drank, but it was great! I could get used to surprises like this :)

Dating in Japan: Expectations

Last night I was stranded on the Toyoko line for an hour, waiting for the worst of the typhoon to pass, after the last of a series of long days and nights of work events. While listening to the wild winds buffet the train, my thoughts turned philosophical (perhaps aided by the rather large G&T which one of the attendees foisted on me).

One of my friends here has a boyfriend (although I am not sure if that is the best term to use for him) she only sees once a month. He lives 20 minutes away, but is always 'too busy' to meet and doesn't want to come by the sharehouse. Personally, these sound like incredibly lame excuses, but she swallows them whole.

With long work hours and commutes, I understand that meeting once a week may be the max for many people, especially if you want to maintain a decent social life. But unless you are in a long distance relationship, once a month sounds kind of silly...can you really consider someone who does not call you or try to meet with you a boyfriend/girlfriend?

However, this seems to be a common arrangement. A couple of my sharemates are in the same situation, and one of them is male! Is it that meeting once a month is enough for them, or are they afraid to be hated if they ask for more time? I cannot help but remember what my mother once said: If you really care for someone, you will do anything just to spend a few hours with them.

Strange how a few words can influence one so deeply, especially as she was speaking to someone else, but I took those words to heart. I have flown to another EU country when the object of my affection was passing through there, and been visited on less than 12 hours notice by the same person. Flown back and forth between Japan and London, taken night buses and shinkansen between Kobe and Tokyo. I do not regret any of it.

I am not willing to settle for someone who 'allows me' (as my friend said) to meet them, and is not willing to put in work and effort. I analyze everything to death (thank you, liberal arts education), but still feel that knowing that someone will drop everything to come be with you or help you ranks much higher than money, looks, status or even attraction.

Enough pondering now... thankfully there is a Hash tonight, nothing like a 8k run to relieve one of overly convoluted thoughts!

Jidouhanbaiki temptations and other small pleasures

Despite the fancy-smancy location of my office, on my walk to work there are a series of 100 yen vending machines. Usually I can resist the temptation of a cheap shot of caffeine and sugar... until they started stocking Fauchon drinks. I have fond memories of eating wonderful Fauchon bread as a child in Paris, and am probably seeking to recreate those memories in tea-form.

So now each morning starts with a battle between myself and the vending machine, which seems to blink its lights more alluringly whenever I start to approach:

"Just one little matcha latte won't hurt...or how about some nectar tea on this lovely warm morning?" it seems to wheedle in a vaguely obaachan-esque voice... or perhaps I just anthropomorphize too much?

A slightly more expensive (and certainly healthier) little pleasure arrived by mail from Glossy Box, which sends boxes filled with samples of expensive cosmetics and beauty products for the very reasonable price of 1500 yen. I signed up to receive a special edition, with all-natural and organic cosmetics, and have been thrilled so far!

The face products from Trilogy are amazing, and have somehow tamed my skin. The GloMinerals powder foundation, something I usually steer away from, is also a hit. However, the jury is still out on the Chess hair care set (what does 'organicoside' mean anyway?).

The other samples I will try out during my upcoming trip to Taiwan (me, excited?! no, not at all...). The main reason I would recommend this small pleasure (besides being able to try products that usually retail around 10000 yen a piece), is that a lot of the cosmetics are imports from the US and Europe, which means they tend to be very good for Caucasian skin.

Any little pleasures you want to share?

Weekday Away: Fukuoka

It has always been a dream of mine to step on a plane with nothing but my ticket in hand.

Well, I have come close, as I flew off to Fukuoka for a turn-around business trip, with just my purse. And speaking of purses, apparently now there are Samantha Thavasa planes...hopefully not as frilly as the actual bags themselves. Haneda Airport also purveys incredible matcha/white chocolate muffins, which are very sweet, but just the thing after getting up at 5am!

I have a soft spot for Fukuoka, a wonderfully flat and bikeable city of water and bridges. The cool salty wind is such a pleasure, even if it does ruin my hairdo, and it is nice to have a change of scene, a quick break from Tokyo. Due to the location of the event, I was not able to have Hakata ramen for lunch, and instead settled on a plate of sara udon, a specialty of Nagasaki. Spending less than 10 hours in the city is really quite a shame, however professional obbligations must be fulfilled...

From the plane home, the view of Tokyo and Yokohama at night was breathtaking. Gone are the never ending rows of boring gray houses, replaced by millions of pinpricks of warm yellow light, like a flood of stars (or Dust, for those who get the reference). It was enough to distract me from the really tasty inari-zushi (stuffed with wasabi root from Oita), and the delightful omiyage sweets my boss and I scoffed as a reward for a job well-done.

A Week of Sweets

It is once again the time of giri-choco, tomo-choco... and just general overconsumption of sweets. However, my sharemate Wave-chan takes it all to the next level. Since she works in a cafe, her dessert-making skills are sublime. Wouldn't you be thrilled to receive one of the beautifully decorated cakes above?

Fortunately she was kind enough to share her talents, and after a nice brunch on Saturday, even I got wrapped up in making truffles (which was actually surprisingly easy), that were later scoffed with apparent appreciation by both Matcha-kun and my sharemates.

However, my Valentine's gift was even better. My boss (have I mentioned that my boss is awesome? 'cause she totally is) gave me fresh ramen, wonderful, tasty shoyu ramen! She certainly has me figured out! Is there any better way of spending an evening than with a bowl of ramen, banana chiffon cake (Wave-chan's creation again), a cup of tea and friends?

A Sunday at Ryogoku

Conversation last Sunday.

T-chan: Okaeri, you're back late.
Me: Un, I went to Ryogoku for the Senshuraku, and then got invited to a hasami-ire party afterwards at one of the stables.
T-chan: Oh, thats nice.
......
......
T-chan: Wait, WHAT!?!

To clarify, my boss is a huge sumo fan (pun not intended). She travels all over Japan to see the big matches, and is friends with several rikishi and sumo stable owners. She is too shibui for words.

Last Sunday was Senshuraku, which is the final big match after the major 15 day tournament, where all the famous wrestlers appeared,  with the awards ceremony for the winner at the end. This year the winner was the famous Baruto, who is Estonian. It was amazing to hear the crowd call out for him and praise him, even though he is not Japanese :)

 

My boss invited two business associates to come along to the match, and we shared one of the little private booths, a stones throw from the ring. As thanks, I made snacks for everyone.

It was amazing to be so close to the action, and despite my initial skepticism (come on, two huge guys throwing themselves at each other? really?) I throughly enjoyed it. The matches go from 8 am to 6pm, with the highest ranking wrestlers at the end. Showing up around 1pm to lounge, drink sake and talk with your friends, while observing some of the new up-and-comers, is all very iki (chic)... elegant, and somehow belonging to a different time.

It was fascinating to see that about half of the ozeki (high ranking wrestlers) are from other countries. Mongolians are de riguer, but there was also a series of Eastern Europeans, and a very muscular, trim Czech rikishi. I was really taken by the cool, colourful advertisement banners, which became more and more frequent as the final match approached.

Also, these guys are tall! Many are around 1.90m... perhaps I should start looking around for retired sumo dudes... How do I know they are that tall? Oh well, you know, by hanging out at a retirement party for a wrestler at one of my boss's favorite stables... and participating in the hasami-ire, where they have their top-knot cut, to show they are no longer an active wrestler. This was all very surreal. And delicious, as we got to eat chanko nabe prepared and served by some of the wrestlers. So, so good!

If you ever have the chance to see sumo up close, I thoroughly recommend it. It is a fascinating world, as well as a great excuse to have a couple of glasses of good sake in the early afternoon!

The Office- Things my clients write

There are several reasons I cannot go into detail about my job here (most prominently that my contract forbids me to do so), but occasionally there are some hilarious, non-illegal things I can share.

One of the doubtful pleasures of my job is reading through and correcting essays and CVs. These are usually written by highly intelligent people who, unfortunately, often still are not at home with the English language. Below are a few recent gems:

* 'I was impressed by my team leader's leadership and learned the virility of my leadership' (oh my...)

* 'I would assume that it is because he was educated in the US that he thinks rationally and wastes no time' (uhm, I pretty sure everyone I know from college, including myself, minored in Procrastination)

* 'I learned the importance of the effort, the concentration, the fellow, the sincerity, and also patience' (which fellow?)

* 'Given this challenging spirit that he owns' (....poltergeist?)

* 'I want to be a global business leader' (x1000) (everyone writes this, but what does this mean?!)

Some could perhaps accuse me of being mean-spirited for posting these. However, I well know that my own mistakes in Japanese have literally brought my sempai to tears with laughter. Plus, slogging through those things day in and day out should allow for a bit of slack!

And I actually do like most of my clients, or people I meet at work-related events. Some have even been kind enough to express their appreciation in tangible form... such as huge boxes of sembei and the glorious confections which have been tempting me and my boss for the past few days.

Toyoko Line Love- Home Edition

I live on the Kanagawa side of the Toyoko line, up a bit of a hill and some stairs rather reminiscent of Nagasaki's twisty byways. Recently, trying to get more pictures for a photobook (a Christmas present for my grandmother in Italy), I decided to explore the area even higher up on my little hill.

After only 20 steps, I looked around and there, silhouetted against the bright cloudless sky (why is it that Tokyo doesn't seem to have many clouds?) was the snowy top of Mt.Fuji!

The owner of my sharehouse was shocked to discover this fact. In over a year, he has never felt the urge to explore the neighborhood... and this seems to be a common problem!

I think we all know far too many people, both here and abroad, that travel widely, but know little about their own hometowns or current places of residence. I guess it is a classic "the grass is always greener" situation. Tsuki-kun, whom I met for drinks, also lamented this lack of interest.

I love exploring close to home, especially now that everything still feels so new. The tiny shoutengai near the station, hidden under a single shadowy arch. A little oden place, all counter and no tables, where the oden may be mediocre but the atmosphere and slightly deaf owner are great. And of course, the view of Fuji-san, juxtaposed with the Shin-Yokohama Prince hotel.

When I work from home, during my supposed lunch hour, I have decided to go for runs around the neighborhood, using my patented method of getting myself lost, and then having to find my way home (very effective for adding a couple extra kilometers to a run!). Today I found a temple close enough to walk to on New Years, a tiny vegetable stand, and a very confusing roundabout.

Azabu Juban

The Hiroo/Azabu Juban area is a strange and fascinating little corner of Tokyo, a mish-mash of winding streets and faded turquoise bridges, mixing all that is extremely new, shiny and expensive with the old, charmingly run down little buildings of a shitamachi.

On my 15 minute walk to work from the station, I always pass the ladies of leisure of Hiroo (no doubt wives of embassy employees) who lounge in the Illy Cafe' sipping extremely expensive coffee in their workout gear. Continuing on, I sometimes take the long route through an oddly vertical park, saying hello to the statue of General Whoever on his copper horse.

On a sunny fall morning it is a lovely walk, passing either by several embassies (including the rather impressive Algerian one), or the blocked-off portal to a shrine. Getting closer to my office I turn into smaller streets with beautiful feats of modern architecture, scented by both a nearby tatami-maker and temple (the smell of incense on the wind means a funeral). A little design shop pops up, filled with iron and house goods, housed inside an old office building.

And this is only the beginning. Closer to Azabu Juban station there are a zillion restaurants, from little more than smoky shacks to fine dining so exclusive they only have a sign, and no menu. A completely unimpressive front houses the best soba in the city, surrounded by patisseries and sweets shops at every corner, including the famous Dolce Tokyo.

It is a joy to wander about, under the bright blue, cloudless sky, happily tucked into one of my many coats. On my short walks around the neighbourhood (which I do instead of taking time off for lunch) I find more curios. A vegetable shop, with unbelievably cheap prices, considering the area. A French restaurant, Molleaux, with only 4 tiny tables. A temple with a plaque to Townsend, under a gloriously tall gold and yellow tree. And as the day winds down, from the nearby elementary school comes half a minute of ethereal music, chiming and sad,to notify the closing of the school gates. I still have two hours of work to go, but it is a signal. Soon my time will be my own again.

Work

Life has been rather hectic, since the share house I was supposed to move into is not finished yet (however, yay for brand new buildings). So, I have been commuting from Shin-Yokohama (where the building owner rented a room for me and T-chan, who also had no place to stay), which adds a good deal of stress in the morning, since norikae are not exactly my favourite thing in the world.

Nonetheless, today makes for exactly one successful week at The Office.

I have not been yelled at, accidentally insulted anyone due to my shaky keigo or deleted any un-recoverable documents.

I have hung out at ridiculously expensive hotels, met a lot of very interesting people and learned how to use Excel.

            

     Jacket: Elizabeth and James, scarf: Missoni, shirt and pant: The Limited, shoes: Michael Kors, bag: Furla

It was a rather odd week, and I have ridden more taxis in three days than in the last three years. I went along with my boss to do a sales pitch in Shinagawa, and got to eat great vegetarian sushi on the 46th floor of the company's very tall, very shiny building, overlooking the Imperial Palace. Then for a MBA fair event I got to spend two evenings in the New Otani, the over-the-top decor of which still seems to be very Bubble-era. However, on the less oshare side, the boss took me to a live music dive in Shinjuku, to watch a friend of hers perform. I was fine with it, but she looked like she would prefer to be anywhere else.

Food-wise it has been either feast or famine. I didn't have a kitchen (or time) and so my own hurriedly eaten lunches (when I remembered to eat) were from the cheapest side of the combini. 

Oh, but the business dinners... wow. Tohoku-style cuisine in Shinjuku (before hitting up the live-house) with some of the best sake I have ever drunk in my life. The aforementioned 'sky sushi' in Shinagawa. And finally a strange but beautiful izakaya in Aoyama (seemingly run by guys who may moonlight as hosts a couple stations over), whose delicately fried satoimo and ume-ochazuke I will dream of for years to come.

Let's just hope these perks make up for the hours and hours spent in front of Excel sheets...