A few observations

That strange music that comes on in the evening.  I found out it plays to announce 6:00.  I don't know why...maybe it has something to do with when most people get off work.  Maybe people don't have time to look at their watches.  But it announces the time of 6PM.  Mystery solved.

There are random big and little restaurants in the middle of a bunch of houses.  I used to wonder how people would know where they were.  I discovered that they have teeny little signs near the main streets, and then when they are open, they have those red flashing lights like the ones on cop cars.  I walk past one every day.  It's got a cute garden and everything.  It's called Godan.  There's also a tiny Takoyaki place a few blocks up.  I'd love to try that sometime, but I'll have to wait for a Saturday.

It gets light here at an absurd hour.  I got up at 5:40 today just to see if it would be light out.  Surprisingly light actually.  Tomorrow I'll get up at 5, just to see if the sun is still down.  It's hard to stay asleep when the sun is already up. All I know is that it has to be between 3 & 5:40.  I woke up at 3 one night and it was still pitch black.

I've learned that some of those time-saving measures aren't worth it in the end.  For example, if you are planning on wrapping up some onigiri for lunch tomorrow, don't make rice the night before.  Make it in the morning, so it keeps it's stick and doesn't get that slightly hard feel once rice has been in the fridge for a night.


Sheesh.