My dream apartment in Tokyo

Instead of doing my homework I am day dreaming about moving back to Tokyo. I know that everyone thinks Tokyo is expensive, but its way way way cheaper than Melbourne, Australia. For example the rent for our 2 bedroom apartment in Melbourne is $1500 a month (shared between 3 people its good, but alone that's crazy!) A similar apartment in Tokyo would be about $600-$1000 per month in TOKYO not boring old Melbourne! Plus I'm talking about in a cool area in Tokyo. Admittedly it won't be as spacious as our apartment, but really not by much. Buying an apartment there is even better. I have found this website that lists properties in English and have fallen in love with this apartment in my fave area of Tokyo, Shimo Kitazawa. I lived close by when I lived in Tokyo, but living in Shimo would be AMAZING. This apartment is approx $350,000 AUD which is a fair bit for a 1 bedroom apartment, but to live in Tokyo I think its a fair investment. There are cheaper places on the website for $200,000 that are 2 bedroom apartments but their location isn't as central (but still pretty central) as this one. To compare Henry's brother just bought a shit box unit in the far far far away suburbs of Melbourne for $270,000 AUD. Totally not worth it. It takes over 1 hour by car to get out there, they live near nothing fun and the Unit is dead ugly. The selling point for me for this apartment though is the RED KITCHEN. Wow my total dream kitchen.

Another nice apartment is this one. Its a 2LDK (which means a 2 bedroom with lounge, dining and kitchen combined) in Shinagawa, a popular expat area because the apartments are more "western style" meaning big and no squat toilers (these are so gross!) This apartment is HUGE and has such a big balcony, Hachiko would have the best time and our house wont be so smelly. This apartment is $310,000 AUD which is also very reasonable, especially for a 2 bedroom apartment (our apartment in Melbourne is valued at over $500,000...so crazy). I like the idea of having a spare bedroom for visitors, a study or maybe a baby??? This apartment is probably more ideal, but the location isn't as fun (its kinda a business area, not a party/shopping area)




An example of a cheaper place. A 1 bedroom apartment 2 stops from Shibuya Station for only $200,000. Wow. There are no interior shots, so maybe its ugly, but at that price its such a bargain and we could renovate, or as they say in Japan "renewal".




This is how I would decorate the apartment thanx to polyvore. Similar to what we have now, but better cos its in Tokyo! Also Ikea Japan is cheaper than Ikea Aus so I could sell all my furniture here and buy all new there and not really lose out, I will in fact maybe gain more furniture for my money!

Nearly everything on this balcony is by Ikea. The balcony shade, parasol, outdoor set and the watering can are all from Ikea's summer collection (not yet released in Aus). Prices start from $14 (in Japan, maybe it will be more here) for the balcony shade. It will look so FUN! Hachiko will love it.

The bedroom. Again similar to my bedroom here, but with that amazing yellow bed from ikea that I love. I wont be able to send over my retro dressing table to Japan so I will have to try and buy something similar. Tokyo has so many little interesting furniture shops I'm sure I'll find something cute though. Kartell is also very cheap in Japan so I could easily get a Kartell chair or 2.

The lounge will be set up similar to our current house. Maybe with some nice yellow wallpaper. I want a black sofa because it's classic. We will have the same ikea shelf and dining table. The colours will be the same as our current house, reds, pinks, yellows, whites and black. I think it will look amazing. I'm not sure if a Chandelier would be such a good idea in such an earthquake prone city, but it will look cute don't you think?

This also isn't an impossible dream, its a reality. I will be moving back to Tokyo in 2010 and I am thinking about buying an apartment there as I plan on living there for at least 5 years, so it will be a good investment, I can sell if I want to move home and the buy here, or keep it as a holiday house. Another plus is interest rates in Japan are crazy crazy low at about 2.4% (I only got taxed 1.4% when I lived there too, instead of the 14% here) Basically I don't understand why people think Tokyo is so expensive. Yes it was in the 80's but the bubble burst and now its so cheap. You can eat out at a nice restaurant and have 3 courses and only pay about $8-$9 per person instead of maybe $20-30 here. An apple in Tokyo at a department store can be about $20, but at your local supermarket it will be $1. So there are some things that are crazy expensive, but you can always find a cheaper alternative. I wish I didn't have to wait 1.5 years to be able to go back, but at least I know for sure 100% what I want to do with my life now, open a shop in Tokyo and live there for at least 5 years...the only problem with this is will I have children in Japan or Australia...I read a few blogs of expats in Tokyo who have had babies and they make it seem fine, but I still would like my children to experience Australia, and really I don't want them to go through the Japanese pressure cooker schooling system, its just too intense. I have loads of ideas for a baby nursery, but I'm not going to be having babies for about 3 or 4 years so there is no point in thinking about it now, by then I will like something else.