LOL Tokyo

I cannot tell you how much I value having access to the Internet. (We’ll discuss shortly.)

I moved back to Japan for the second time lookng for this BIG VISION. I felt like I had to be here for something to happen.

Instead, I realized I CAN JUST MAKE THE THING.

In less than four weeks of living in Central Tokyo, I learned to navigate major stations and neighbourhoods, figured out Shinagawa and daily life, where all the good AC and Wi-Fi was. I explored Omotesando, Ginza, Shibuya, I attended bonsai school and continued thinking about ikebana, I was offered interviews and started building a serious employment pipeline. I made connections from scratch, found other creatives, and slowly integrated into community spaces and became a familiar face in my new city.

My ideas became very LOUD.

From florals, resin experiments, textured art, 3D painting, marbling, calligraphy, greeting cards, sewing, fonts, bonsai, ikebana, photography, and social media; my brain went through it all. I felt like I flashed through past lives.

But this time, I realized my creative language: texture + light + layers + composition + emotion

Whether its florals posed in tai, you, fuku formation, layered in resin, colours in cake decoration or calligraphy- I always come back to objects that make people stop and look. And the things I had already made were wow-worthy to Japanese folk doing it for years. My work was praised in bonsai class by the teacher amongst other classmates- ‘pretty good for her first time.’ ‘You’ve got the sense’ when showing my ikebana to ladies who have been gardening and practicing for decades.

I kept hoping to find a strong mentor or teacher here in Japan. I trekked to Saitama Bonsai Village in the dead heat of a 35 degree summer, visited 6 different bonsai gardens and the prefectural garden. And along the way realized that I dont have to be “a painter” before I’m allowed to paint.

I kept looking for permission when really I’m learning by making the work.

My Internet issue that became its own Tokyo chapter, actually ended up being the biggest sign that I DONT NEED TOKYO TO PURSUE MY GOALS.

I gained soooooo much insight and now I’m acted on so much research from this chapter. I applied to several job postings and with only experiences from 3-10 years ago, I found multiple jobs intersecting with the things I’ve already done, and willing to interview me after only a quick glimpse of my online profile. Don’t need any further proof or confirmation that the things I like and want to do have been an asset all along.

If I was able to adjust and settle so quickly into the busiest metropolitan city in the world, If I felt so ready to approach my neighbourhood cafes with floral arrangements, while also getting ready for part time work that I loved and would align with my goals, then surely the common denominator has to be ME.

Now the struggles of the Internet *BIG SIGH*: (email chain in full Keigo Japanese, currently 47 correspondences and still counting)
– July 9: moved in, apartment has promised wifi, (had confirmed prior to move-in that instructions would be as simple as entering the wifi password), WIFI NOT CONNECTED
– July 11: (Yes, correct I did post on my blog. They shipped me a rental pocket Wi-Fi, by the next day I had gone through the 10GB data limit on the device, thus rendered useless)
– July 12: technician sent to my apartment, replaced the router, dropped of a cable, left without confirming wifi was working on any devices
– July 21: “there is a possibility that your wifi contract was never set up for the Internet provider in the room” NANI?!?
– July 27: I asked for a contract extension because DESPITE this Internet issue, the room is still available, I have adjusted to Shinagawa, decided to lock in with getting a job and the neighbourhood. I speak to two different staff about extending my rental agreement
– July 31: a measly compensation of $2/day for everyday the Internet is offered (only my credit card and phone provider knows that I have been walking 20 minutes to Shinagawa station in 35 degree heat, spending $6 each time to sit at a coffee shop for hours just to get somewhere I could work, and have already hotspotted myself 91GB of data just to get some basic administrative work done)
– August 7: FOUR WEEKS later, another technician comes and fixes my internet in THIRTY MINUTES…. AND THEN, they tell me they have given my room away to another client…
– August 9: by 9am, I clear my belongings out of there in record time, pack up my two live bonsai plants, ship back an additional home router I ended up ordering, visited my favourite neighbourhoods again, bought my train ticket to Joetsu, a flight back to Canada, still volunteer for 5AM Shibuya Garbage Cleanup, get the cutest Hello Kitty train bento, and make it all the way back to home base in Niigata.

^For my readers who have been here since 2019, of course you know I can handle things. BUT THANK GOODNESS I dont do things like that on the regular anymore.

The blessing in disguise is that along the way, I had already begun to reaize that I got what I needed from Tokyo.

I’ll never be able to explore it all. Not Japan, not even Tokyo itself. Even the Japanese cannot. And like I say always, Japan is always here for us!

So with the vision even clearer than the last time, I’m finally building it in Joetsu, and then Vancouver once I return.

And we’re not just imagining it, we’re living it!

Beautiful sunroom working space, lush green plants I keep watching grow, stable Wi-Fi, slowly processing my 160,000 photo archive, floral work every weekend, portfolio photoshoots, calligraphy commissions, having family nearby, friends and community, a strong partner who supports me while I support him.

So thanks Tokyo for all the fun!
I most certainly will be back.