Life in Tokyo

Japan — 2023 / 2024

After much anticipation, my move to Tokyo takes form rather suddenly. There are only two weeks between the approval of my visa and my flight from Zurich to Haneda. I book a room in a Sakura Share House in East Ikebukuro (along the subway line that leads to my office) and repack my things — from boxes into 2 suitcases and 2 backpacks. And then the time has come. After a 24-hour journey, including a connecting flight in Hong Kong, I arrive in Tokyo. But the Odyssey isn’t over yet. I drag my luggage halfway across the city to pick up my apartment key in Shinjuku. Because the Yamanote line is out of service that very day, I then treat myself to a cab to Ikebukuro.

On my first day back in Japan, I meet up with a friend whom I haven’t seen in ages. We first visit the Meiji Shrine and spend the afternoon eating good food in Shimokitazawa. Then we make a detour to Ueno, where we end the day in an Izakaya. I am glad that I quickly got into the new daily rhythm and set my alarm clock for 8 a.m. so that I will be at the office on time the next day.

My first day at the office starts with a walk through Gokokuji Shrine. There I hop onto the (rather full) train on the Yūrakuchō line. Fortunately, it’s only 4 stops to Kojimachi, where I get off. When I arrive at the office, I meet my work colleagues “for real” for the first time in 6 months. We have just as much fun in person as in the group chats and for lunch I am introduced to the world of food trucks. I finish work at 6pm and decide to walk two metro stops before getting on the train later.

Thursday of my first week is another public holiday, which means: a day off. I sleep in and spend the afternoon in a Japanese-style city park near where I live. Afterward, I have an appointment with another friend whom I haven’t seen for a long time. We visit an art exhibition in Roppongi and then make our way to one of the dozens of Christmas markets in the city. Over mulled wine, “tornado sausage” and pretzels, we talk about the past year. She gives me a few tips for restaurants in Ikebukuro before making her way back to Ibaraki.

Over the next few weeks, I’m busy with administrative tasks for immigration. I register my address at the town hall in my district. Then I get a Japanese SIM card — this involves a whole load of to-dos. I have to change my app store to Japan in order to download the activation app. To do this, I need a payment method in Japan. But I can’t open a bank account until weeks later. Fortunately, the online payment service PayPay offers a loophole and I manage to activate the phone number. The next hurdle, which requires a lot of patience, is health insurance and the My Number card.

The whole move takes a lot of energy, and so my Japanese self-study has taken a back seat for the time being. Instead, I enjoy spontaneous restaurant visits with my colleagues after work. From authentic tacos to ramen and udon, as well as the odd izakaya, someone always has an idea for a culinary experience. This is how I explore different parts of the city that I have never visited before. My own discovery tours through Higashi Ikebukuro are also very successful. One Thursday I visit a famous onigiri store in my neighborhood almost without queuing, and another time I find a great udon store.

One of the highlights of my first few weeks in Tokyo is definitely my participation in a “monitor tour” organized by the Odawara Tourism Office. Together with some colleagues, we drive towards Fuji-san and visit the Enoura Observatory. The facility is located high above Sagami Bay and offers a wonderful view on this sunny day. We are welcomed by orange tea and a traditional musician. We then explore the open-air art museum, which has its own bamboo grove and a small shrine. In the Ocean Gallery, we are invited to a meditation session with Zen monks — although I have to say that the final Noh performance is more contemplative for me.

On the weekends, I am drawn out of the city and into the surrounding nature. The hunt for the colorful autumn leaves takes me to Akiruno, where I suddenly come across the sign “Beware of bears” while walking to a cute café. Remembering my stay in Kamakura last year, I am also drawn back to the sea. On my first visit, I get off the bus late for Enoshima. I then sit down on the beach with a bento to watch the surfers enjoying the strong swell. Unfortunately, some of my lunch becomes an offering to the birds of prey circling overhead.

On another sunny day, I take the train to Zushi, from where I explore the small village of Hayama on foot. The view of Fuji-san from here is almost better than from Kamakura and Enoshima. I sit down on a breakwater and watch the fishermen and shrine visitors. With this peaceful scene in front of me, it’s hard to make my way back to the big city with its high-rise buildings. But all good things come to an end, and so I board the train back to Tokyo in the late afternoon. Another excursion takes me to Ibaraki, where my friend Marina lives. She has invited me to a sushi party at her parents’ home. We eat, drink, chat in a mix of English and Japanese and end the day with a visit to a nice café in Tsuchiura.

In January, I finally am able to open a bank account. (At Japan Post Bank, all I really needed was a residence permit and to show my business card…). That leaves only the last administrative to-do: the tax return. But there’s still time for that. In the meantime, I’m already busy with the next project: looking for accommodation outside Tokyo. The share house options are varied: Kyoto, Kanazawa and Kurashiki all seem promising. Now I have to weigh up my priorities alongside price and availability. & in the meantime, I continue to enjoy Tokyo’s gastronomic scene 😉

I’ve tried to record all my favorite restaurants and bars across Japan on Google Maps. Some may have been forgotten, some are now closed, and the ones I haven’t visited myself have been recommended to me by friends: Eating and Drinking in Japan.