Shinjuku

I had to go and pay Sakura House my rent for February today. I can't believe I've been here for nearly a month - that's crazy!

Sakura House's main office is in Shinjuku, which I haven't been to since my first day, and I couldn't really absorb things around me then!

On the way, I stopped at a Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Bank branch and exchanged my first traveller's cheques since arriving. I bought £1,000 worth in dollars ($2,000) from my local post office (Money Saving Expert recommends buying them this way) in Birmingham. There was no problem there. I didn't even need ID, I just signed them and she got me my yen. The most widely accepted types of Cheque are Visa, American Express and Mastercard. I had American Express. It doesn't matter that I had dollars and I'm British, I thought American dollars would be widely accepted here, and they are.

My memory steered me through the crowds of Shinjuku and I found Sakura House with little difficulty. They asked me to provide an emergency contact in Japan (I couldn't when I arrived because I didn't know anyone!) so I gave them the number of a housemate.

Then I decided to do something that I've really wanted to do for a really long time.

Yes! The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building!! It's the mother of all buildings.


It wasn't a hugely clear day so I wouldn't be able to see a huge amount, Mt Fuji for example, but the observation deck on the 45th floor is free so I plan to return on a clearer afternoon and stay until nightfall.

This is a building that looks very similar nearby, but they are different, honest.
The Tokyo Park Hyatt! Of 'Lost in Translation' fame.
The lift rides up and down were quite crowded but the journey took about 1 minute each way to travel 45 floors. Everyone's ears were popping!

Here is the other tower. I was inside one of them!

Sorry about the glare. By the time I got up there, the sun was starting to go down.
I was quite high up! That's Shinjuku Chuo Park.
You hear loads of people say it, but Tokyo just sprawls doesn't it. The sound of that word describes it perfectly. Sprrrawll.
That's where Mt. Fuji should be.
Tokyo Park Hyatt again.

I don't know what this building has on top. It looked like a football stadium to me, but somehow I doubt it. Lots of buildings had helipads and gardens on top.

This view was very impressive. All these monolithic buildings just right there. The best word I can find to describe them is 'solid'. That sounds strange, but I can't think of a better term.

There's the rip-off of the Empire State building and Yoyogi Park hiding behind a building. I could actually say that I'd been in New York with this view.
Central Park...
... and the Empire State building.

At the bottom of the TMG (Tokyo Metropolitan Government building), there's a plaza with a random red structure that looks slightly like a tongue.
Sunrise... smogset.
I nearly stayed until it was dark, but decided to come for a longer period of time on a really really clear day like there's been over the past few weeks. I think the views will be even more spectacular.

As it was Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), I then went home (via the supermarket for sugar, flour and lemon) and made several pancakes. I had some batter left over so I shared with my housemates.

More job offers! I've agreed to meet another woman tomorrow afternoon for a 30-minute demo lesson. I also rejected five more offers of private students because there's just too many!

I got an email asking if I'd be interested in teaching for 4 hours on Saturday and getting Y12,000 for it! That's £60! I will have to see though as I've already submitted my Gaba schedule and said I'll work Saturdays.

The school I went to last week, Riverside, have asked me to work when one of their teachers is ill, regardless of my plans to move to Kyoto! So that worked out nicely. But I still might not get any work from them if they all stay healthy.

I checked my Gaba schedule online and 6 of the 17 lessons I put myself down for on Saturday, Sunday and Monday have been booked. You can only see the coming week so I don't know about the rest of the month yet. Two of those six were 'Student specifically requested that teacher' so yay!