Note: the Operation Saga on Fire ramble will come out soon. It is certain. I’ve just been lazy. I’ll be writing a lot more, that’s guaranteed. There’s just much to talk about. Moushi wake nai desssuu!
Hotto Heddo in Japan
It’s official. I came to and started my life in Japan 10 years ago. Arriving in a claustrophobic budget airline, I flew in wearing jeans, and continued to wear a pair almost every day that humid summer. The day after I arrived, I went over to the Unilife office in Takadanobaba to sign the lease on my Nishi-Tokyo apartment. My temporary accommodation before was on the Seibu-Ikebukuro line where I became enamored by Ikebukuro, the closest station that connects to the Yamanote Line. I remember aspiring during college to move here as I saw it as my first impression of downtown Tokyo. I did indeed ended up living here from 2024 to 2026!
University came and went. I somehow graduated. I somehow lived through the pandemic and got a job. And now, I somehow moved to a new city in Japan.
I decided to celebrate with dinner at a local wagyu place near the station, then headed to the highest building in Ishikawa Prefecture (Saga on Fire Ramble will address this.) : a hotel called the Hotel Nikko Kanazawa. I had some drinks at the top floor at a place called the “Sky Lounge Le Grand Chariot.”
Straight Up
There was live music, piano and flute, and I ordered whatever looked interesting. I went ala Fallout: New Vegas and just mind confused myself like I’m at the Aces Theater at the Tops; ordered some bourbon to start. And for my second drink, I remembered the first encounter with Saki in Making Lovers. Realizing all these years that I have never tried a Mimosa, I decided that this night would be the day. Very sweet like orange juice. It’s apparently a brunch drink but damn it I’ll have it any time I'm fanging for it!
Saki Onee-san!!!
It was disappointing how a lot of the foreign patrons, for sure tourists, were just in t-shirts and shorts as I definitely recall the website saying a jacket was required to enter. I guess with the weak yen, they’d take in anyone!
Intending to get sentimental, I entertained myself through people-watching. There was a Slavic couple in front of me, and two Japanese ladies behind me. Observing the couple, the male seemed to be easily irritated and would argue loudly with his partner even during performances. I was curious, but never took the chance to look at the two ladies behind me. When they left, I was just about to feel disappointed when a solo lady came in. However, as soon as she came in and ordered some cocktail, she got her tab and left. Perhaps she’s just like me wanting a sentimental moment, only that she is a lot faster in taking things in.
I peered outside and tried to take in the city lights. I could barely make out Kanazawa Castle, with the Nezumita-mon illuminated in the distance, panning to the left there was pure darkness that is surely Mt. Utatsu. The indoor lighting didn’t enable a clear view and I could see the reflection of the indoor lights and of myself. I ordered some signature cocktails and proceed to start some reflection.
A bit egotistical of me, but most of my thoughts boiled down to me taking pride in still standing. I came with a few mates to Japan for university and I’m all that’s left. Most international students I went to school with went back to their home countries, and I’m one of the rare leftovers.
Zama Miro!
But I “made it” at a cost. On the flipside, I’m pretty much at a lonely point in my life, with the move and all, (again, context pending) so I’m no better. I do have colleagues and even family, but I have a feeling all my peers in uni have a healthier social life than me… -and that’s where my train of thought comes to a halt.
Wanting to call it a night and losing interest from the live music playing a sequence of Disney songs, I paid my bill and made my way to the exit. Just when I was handed my receipt and parted from the register, they started playing Fly Me to the Moon, which led me to loiter a bit between the entrance of the lounge and the elevators just to listen a bit.
As the elevator pulled to the 30th floor, I entered and watched as I slowly descended down back to the everyday.
There is actually one other time that I remembered my “anniversary of living in Japan.” It was my one year anniversary.
It was back in 2017, when I went for Summer Comiket. I went to visit the Four Leaf Studios booth, I believe it was their second to the last presence ever. I went up to pick up some Katawa Shoujo doujin and spoke to a certain dev that worked on the game.
“Wow, It’s been exactly 1 year since I came to Japan!” I remember commenting, at some point in our conversation, something along those lines. I’m sure, at 19 years old, there was a spark in my eye at the moment. Perhaps even more so than this night. You can’t just force these things.
Well, how about that for a sentimental night.