On the Mall Bus

Since it has become fall and I don't really want to pay a lot of money for heating yet (Japanese buildings are notorious for being badly insulated) I decided I needed some kind of quilt/blanket to keep me toasty at night. That meant I had to brave the crowds and go to the AEON mall. I'm lucky to live where I do - with my work subway pass I can get to Kanayama station for free and then take the free shuttle bus to the mall.

Sunday afternoon I found myself jammed into the bus with about a hundred other Japanese shoppers all ready to spend money on cute things. The mall kind of scares me. Girls get super dressed up in their teeny tiny miniskirts and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman high boots and parents drag their kids around. Bon Jovi music drifts through some stores, mixed with the occasional Christmas carol from the main part of the mall. Don't even try to get food - there are super long queues at every restaurant and fast food place.



I started by just browsing but after about 20 minutes I decided that I wanted to get my bloody blanket and get out of there! I headed to Beaux-arts (aka the Black-Grey-Brown store...not to be confused with Muji, the Navy Blue-Black-Tan store) where they were having a sale. I could have bought a ton of stuff in this store but I restrained myself (Laura, remember you are travelling a lot this month...save your money!) and headed to the bedding section. I didn't see anything really on sale but wait, what was that folded on the bottom shelf?? It was a pretty chocolate brown quilt...ok the moment of truth...how much was it?? Well, hmm..not really sure...2 price tags? Either it was 5000 yen or 2900yen..

I scanned my eyes around the store to see if any other sale crazy shopper was checking out bedding before carefully folding it back up and tucking it WAY back on the bottom shelf. Then I almost ran to Jusco (think Japanese Target) to check out their blankets...Yuck all fuzzy with flowers and pastel colours and a lot more expensive. Back to Beaux-Arts, where I grabbed MY quilt and went to the cash. When I pointed out the two price tag situation the clerk very nicely pointed to the 2900yen one. WOOHOO! Super shopper Laura strikes again.



To congratulate myself I headed back to Jusco with my quilt (take that Jusco I don't need your ugly quilt!) and bought some real cheese (the only place I can find real, inexpensive cheese) and splurged on a sashimi dinner (actually not that expensive). Then I went back home, wrapped myself in my quilt, ate sashimi and avoided my lesson plan for my follow-up training the next day.



On Monday I had follow-up training at headquarters. In my group there was a really nice Australian girl who arrived in August and then there was Super Bitter Guy. I wasn't feeling so great so it turned into a very long day. Super Bitter Guy didn't shut up the entire 9.5 hours. He went on and on about how much he hated aeon and his manager and how he was tempted to go home for Christmas and not come back. By the end of the day I wanted to tell him he should do it.

This week I'm on the hunt for some autumn foliage! Here's some pictures of a park in Obu (It's the one where we went dad, on the hottest, muggiest day and I was attacked by mosquitos! It was quite different yesterday - cold and silent)