Welcome to the summary of my second week in Kyoto. First up I have to send a big thank you to the authorities for designing and installing a display which is so perfect as the headline photograph for my blog! I’m not sure I could have designed anything much better – although, I haven’t seen it lit up, so not sure whether there are any colours involved. I would, of course, pick purple as one highlight colour.

Onto the week just gone. It has not been quite so eventful as week 1, but I have still had many firsts. The two main firsts were registering my inkan with the council (who knew you had to do that??) and opening a bank account, during which the aforementioned inkan was used as part of the signing process. What is an inkan, you ask? Mine is a cylindrical tube, about 6-7cms long, with a stamp at one end, which is your ‘mark’. Mine says Addams H.J. We had to have them made when we bought the flat, applying them multiple times to the contract, in various places, sort of replacing initialling I suppose.

I opened the bank account with Japan Post after researching via the online oracle – google. Seemed sensible; there are many post offices so good access to ATMs and there is a very large post office around the corner from our flat.

Also, this week I made two bits of furniture – a small side table/shelf and a cat scratching tower. The table/shelf actually involved using dowels and glue! Of course all the instructions were in Japanese, but still simpler to follow than some Ikea instructions…Similarly with the cat tower, which involved bolts and an Allen key and instructions in Japanese. I was very pleased with myself when I finished them, I must say.

My big reconnaissance journey this week was to find a pet store which had a large range of pet products and paraphernalia, not just pets (ie very cute little puppies and kittens which cost a small fortune). I decided to try the store in Aeon Mall, which was the closest possibility to the flat. I think it was around 2.5km walk to get there (again, according to google). It was a pleasant walk, and was very fruitful, not only because it was a great pet store, with everything I needed, but also because the journey provided me with another photo of the week (see below)!!!! I bought quite a bit and they offered to deliver the lot, next day, for free!

Anyway, the photo covered both criteria: unexpected and kawaii. So, instead of those giant plastic barriers that are used for roadworks in Australia, the Japanese use small(ish) plastic animals. I have to admit to seeing some before, during one of our more recent journeys here. That time the animals were yellow ducklings. Here you see pink rabbits and further down the road were green frogs (of course).

I did take some other photos, of course, and I’m sure they will come in handy in later editions. There is so much to talk about in the unexpected and kawaii categories. There is, however, one photo I just can’t resist adding in. Not sure what to say about it except it is a xmas wear item for dogs…

Would you put this on your dog?

The last things I feel are noteworthy, are that I managed to get a sneaky photo of one of the singing trucks (see below) and that on Wednesday night, just after I had turned out the light, I heard a voice singing a song that at once sounded familiar. I use the term singing loosely – my singing is better and I am banned from public singing (for public safety reasons). Not sure if it was male or female, or how old, but they were singing YMCA, in a Japanese fashion – shi instead of c, etc – and only the chorus. Lovely – I nearly opened the window to join in, but then I realised I couldn’t remember all of the words.

…and on that note…

STOP THE PRESSES!!!! It looks like we may be buying the block of land in Higashiyama! They accepted my offer (around $30,000 less than advertised). \(^O^)/