First jishin!!

Living in Japan comes with the near-certainty of experiencing an earthquake at some point. I've been in Tokyo over 6 months now, and I STILL hadn't experienced any "jishin" (earthquake in Japanese). Until last night.

It wasn't so much the shaking that awoke me, rather: the jingling of the mobile that hangs from my bedroom ceiling. For a split, sleepy moment I thought I should close my window and stop the draft - it's been a bit windy recently. Then I realized: my windows were closed! at 1am, your brain goes blank and it takes a bit longer than usual to process what's really going on. Then it comes back to you: yes I DID feel some mild rocking in my bed (I thought I was dreaming I was on a boat), I DID hear a tap-tap-tap (must have been a hanging necklace banging against the wall). By the time I tried to grab the camera to make a little video, it was over. A 2nd quake was felt around 1:45am, and there again I was too slow... Sorry!! :-(

Scared? actually not really. I know the safest place to be is my building - advanced anti-seismic technology makes the building sway (deliberately). But I STILL have to prepare my "earthquake kit": flashlights, radio, battery, snacks, water, etc...

(PS: I just read on CNN.com that the earthquake was a 6.8 ... even though it was 100+ km away from Tokyo, no wonder we felt it!!)



I guess the seism was the second event of the day that made me feel like a true Tokyoïte: the first one came in the evening, when I found a bicycle parking ticket on my jitensha! (my bicycle). Remember I mentioned I'm a magnet for parking tickets? Even with bicycles!!!

Actually, I think it's just a "warning", not a ticket.... (though I've seen real tickets too). I guess I'll have to find another spot now...

But wait, it gets better: sometimes, in Tokyo, when you park your bicycle for a few hours, you find a few 'presents' in the basket. Like small papers (garbage). Yesterday I found a manga!! I was excited, I went home and since I was studying Japanese with my friend, I showed her the manga. She looked at the magazine, flipped it open and... I realized it was not a children's cartoon I had in my possession. Ooooops!!


As a cultural side-note, I have to say you see some people reading these kind of 'books' in the morning and evening commute. Openly. In public. All I can say is: in the morning, it might work better for some people than a double espresso.


PS: I've been compiling some photos and stories and will post them soon (especially during my upcoming vacation).... bear with me!! Life in Tokyo is... rockin' and shakin' !!