A Day of Shopping

We wake up to a beautiful morning. The weather is now definitively springlike even though spring is technically still a few weeks away. On a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji from our balcony. Can you spot it in the photo?

Neither Hiro nor I have started working yet, so the morning is another slow one. We eat what is now a typical breakfast of yogurt, fruits, muesli, and toast. Breakfast service and getting ready for the day takes over an hour. By the time we are ready to go, it is nearly half past nine. 

Today we decide to go to my mother-in-law's so L can practice the piano. She had her first lesson on Monday. We enrolled her in a few trial lessons to see how she likes it. If she does like it, we would consider getting a piano. It is still too early to tell. For now, L will practice on her grandma's piano. 

It is about a 15 minute walk there. In Chicago, L scooted around the neighborhood for fun. In Tokyo, it is an essential mode of transportation for her. Without it, the 15 minute walk would become a 20 minute walk.

Walking past the shrine just next door to our building. 

A nice day like today is a perfect one for doing laundry. It was raining the last couple of days, so today there are lots of laundry drying on balconies. 

Piano "practice" lasts for two minutes. We eat a quick lunch with Hiro's grandma before heading to the department store. L is starting school in April, and we have a bunch of school things to buy. She will be wearing a uniform and needs black shoes to go with it. She also needs rain boots, a backpack, and a swim suit. 

We head to the shoe section first. Japanese department stores seem to be thriving compared to their American counterparts. There are definitely differences in shopping culture. For one, returns are limited if allowed at all. Perhaps because of this, in person shopping is very much alive. You are more likely to spend both more money and time buying a pair of shoes, but you are also more likely to take home a suitable pair of shoes. 

Forty-five minutes later, we have a pair of black leather shoes and a pair of rain boots. 

I still have to pick up a few random household things and get groceries, so school shopping ends here. But first, a snack. On the restaurant floor, we stop by a Hawaiian restaurant, which are really popular in Tokyo. Here is the "snack" we order:

The food section is located on the basement level and divided into three subsections: groceries, prepared foods, and gift foods. Fruits are a popular gifts, so these are mostly meant to be gifted. $40-50 for a cantaloupe. $50 for a watermelon. It will never cease to be shocking. 

Buying some seafood for dinner.

Prepared foods, ranging from Chinese to sushi to salads and much more. We pick up nikuman / baozi / steamed buns and potstickers from the Chinese stand. 

Here we are at Maison Kayser, my favorite of the many, many boulangeries in Tokyo. 

It is not easy making my way through the department store, confronted by one temptation after another. We finally do, laden with shoes, cleaning supplies, stationary, groceries, takeaway, and baked goods. 

Dinner prep is easy because I bought sashimi. We stew some pumpkin (kabocha), sauté the brussel sprouts, and plate the sashimi. Everything is on the light side, so I supplement by heating up potstickers from the Chinese takeaway station. A semi-homecooked meal. 

Then, finally, it is time to unwind and enjoy the sunset.