Oh yes of course, apartments probably wouldn’t work, depending on how many there were I guess! There is an apartment on our block, I assume they are exempt, like the neighbour right next to us is for god knows what reason.
I really love that idea! Our streets FB page is filled with spam - i love the idea of a clipboard going around with the important news of the day! Like, can we pick those oranges on the berm yet? Who's kids are doing the ding dong ditching? Someone's cat seems very lonely!
Im about to drive out to Feildays in the Waikato. The observation about Kiwi farm houses being so far away from each other is super interesting- does seem to fit the Kiwi 'she'll be right' toughness attitude. Seems like Japan has that part right! Even from a mental health POV, which is super important in the tough times, the isolation our farmers impose on themselves purely from where they plonk their houses seems mad.
Thanks mate! Yes, it does have its uses! Low tech but effective!
As for the houses, it is very noticeable in New Zealand. I never thought about it until I came out here, where you hardly ever see people with their own house way out of the way. They’re always grouped somehow. It could also simply be a population thing, although the population here is falling rapidly, and also, admittedly, noticeably.
Back in the 1990s much of Japan did not take credit cards and ATMs were shut (along with most other businesses) Jan 1-jan 3. At that time I lived in Tokyo and a friend of mine and I went skiing for NY but we came back Jan 2 to avoid the traffic jams. Jan 3 morning I realize I have a problem. No food in the house and no cash - well technically not 0 but under 50Y because I used the remainder from the ski trip to buy stuff to eat the night before. The conbini was open, but it didn't accept plastic, nor did anywhere else I could think of... hmm what to do?
Then I remembered big international hotels took plastic so I cycled to the closest and had their brunch buffet. And did the same in the evening and then, next morning, I could get cash and go shopping
Genius move that! I had similar once when I got back to Narita airport on a very early morning flight. Of course I used all my cash on holiday and I had to wait for a few hours so the ATM would 'open' and I could withdraw the cash I needed for the train. I'm pretty sure those days are over now though, thanks to credit cards :)
Our local neighborhood uses a LINE group for the Kairanban. But it's a relatively new one mostly built just over a decade ago but with one plot just starting construction now.
Most people here are young(ish) families. They were young families when they moved in, but by now some of the oldest kids have just graduated high school so not so young any more. It's an odd place, if I ignore the old people's care home I believe there are more kids than adults as long as you count the recent high school graduates as kids
On my block, the only kids I know are my own... although our kids' cousins do live very close. My wife jokes that when I inevitably become leader of the local community centre group thing, which apparently will happen seeing as we live there and it goes around to each house, the first thing I do will be to get rid of the Kairanban! Although I don't actually think I can, seeing as some people can't do tech...
Good article. I live in an apartment now and kind of miss the kairanban I used to get when I was in a house.
Oh yes of course, apartments probably wouldn’t work, depending on how many there were I guess! There is an apartment on our block, I assume they are exempt, like the neighbour right next to us is for god knows what reason.
I really love that idea! Our streets FB page is filled with spam - i love the idea of a clipboard going around with the important news of the day! Like, can we pick those oranges on the berm yet? Who's kids are doing the ding dong ditching? Someone's cat seems very lonely!
Im about to drive out to Feildays in the Waikato. The observation about Kiwi farm houses being so far away from each other is super interesting- does seem to fit the Kiwi 'she'll be right' toughness attitude. Seems like Japan has that part right! Even from a mental health POV, which is super important in the tough times, the isolation our farmers impose on themselves purely from where they plonk their houses seems mad.
Fun read!
Thanks mate! Yes, it does have its uses! Low tech but effective!
As for the houses, it is very noticeable in New Zealand. I never thought about it until I came out here, where you hardly ever see people with their own house way out of the way. They’re always grouped somehow. It could also simply be a population thing, although the population here is falling rapidly, and also, admittedly, noticeably.
ATMs with opening hours.... reminds me.
Back in the 1990s much of Japan did not take credit cards and ATMs were shut (along with most other businesses) Jan 1-jan 3. At that time I lived in Tokyo and a friend of mine and I went skiing for NY but we came back Jan 2 to avoid the traffic jams. Jan 3 morning I realize I have a problem. No food in the house and no cash - well technically not 0 but under 50Y because I used the remainder from the ski trip to buy stuff to eat the night before. The conbini was open, but it didn't accept plastic, nor did anywhere else I could think of... hmm what to do?
Then I remembered big international hotels took plastic so I cycled to the closest and had their brunch buffet. And did the same in the evening and then, next morning, I could get cash and go shopping
Genius move that! I had similar once when I got back to Narita airport on a very early morning flight. Of course I used all my cash on holiday and I had to wait for a few hours so the ATM would 'open' and I could withdraw the cash I needed for the train. I'm pretty sure those days are over now though, thanks to credit cards :)
Our local neighborhood uses a LINE group for the Kairanban. But it's a relatively new one mostly built just over a decade ago but with one plot just starting construction now.
Smart! I guess my problem is living around a few octogenarians! (well, one that I know of)
Most people here are young(ish) families. They were young families when they moved in, but by now some of the oldest kids have just graduated high school so not so young any more. It's an odd place, if I ignore the old people's care home I believe there are more kids than adults as long as you count the recent high school graduates as kids
On my block, the only kids I know are my own... although our kids' cousins do live very close. My wife jokes that when I inevitably become leader of the local community centre group thing, which apparently will happen seeing as we live there and it goes around to each house, the first thing I do will be to get rid of the Kairanban! Although I don't actually think I can, seeing as some people can't do tech...