The Madanbashi Matchbox

Before I left Houston I made a few new friends, and one of them was a JET about ten years ago. She warned me that the apartments would be small. I had been informed of this while doing research before I applied for JET. I knew what I was getting into--or so I thought. My new apartment is small. Really small. Think of a dorm room and then shrink it by about ten percent. 

If I walk the apartment heel to toe I can take about twenty steps from the front door to the back patio door. Across it's about eleven steps. It has a teensy tiny washer. There's no dryer, but I can hang my clothes on the clothesline outside like everyone else does (except during rainy days when I can walk across the street to the coin laundry). 

In the kitchen area there is one burner (induction heat type) and one sink. I read a comment, more of a complaint, asking why the Japanese haven't gotten onto the garbage disposal bandwagon and I completely agree. There's a lot to clean in these sinks in a place where mold grows very quickly. I have a little dorm refrigerator. I'm told I'm lucky because I have what passes for a tub in my bathroom, but that's only if you go by a strict definition of a tub being a receptacle for holding water. I've used it once and it wasn't very relaxing. It is deep, though, which is nice. The toilet has an interesting how to sticker:

Really, though I think my apartment will be perfect for me--and me alone.