24th July

Awake all night. Watched a rubbish film with Lou Diamond Phillips and Coolio.

Set off for head office at 9.30 following Tomoko’s instructions. Saitama Shintoshin here we come.

About 9 o clock fatigue kicked in. Felt like miniature weights had been hung from my brow.

More miscommunication in Starbucks and I ended up drinking some coffee. This normally sends me round the bend. Today was no exception and soon was racing across Tokyo literally and chemically.

Watched Tokyo go by from the comfort of a gorgeous, air-conditioned carriage.

Can something be so ugly that it is also beautiful?

Tokyo is a mess, but it’s all the better for it. An iggledy-piggledy pile of dirtily-coloured cubes, webs of black telephone wires and gaudy bubblegum fonts. It’s like a messy child’s toy box.

You can never predict what’s coming next. It’s like the city planner had Attention Deficit Disorder.

Skyscraper, baseball stadium, skyscraper, abandoned towerblock, factory chimney, shopping centre, shopping centre, ultra-posh residential block, shitty shanty town, factory chimney again, shopping centre, shanty town, shanty town.

Arrived at Saitama Shintoshin. Home of some pretty futuristic buildings and HQ for DoCoMo (huge Japanese telecoms company) which houses biggest phone mast I’ve ever seen. If you can’t get a signal there, you’d want your money back.

Absolutely lathered. Heat is incredible. Go into Macca D’s and order pancakes. “Hottu-cakey, kudasai”

Into office. Meet Helmut, from NZ, very nice guy and has been living here for many years. Perfect Japanese (even the hardcore alphabet).

Induction was very straightforward, but felt protracted due to my now all pervading tiredness.

Assistant Director of Studies Mike, from Canada, tells me I have to register for my “gaijin” card at city hall, and that I should register for it “like now….buddy ”

Exhausted. Went home for a quick kip before setting off for city hall.

New alarm didn’t wake me up. Bloody F Hinds jewellers.

Resolved to go next day before work.

Went shopping. Not a good experience. Couldn’t read any Japanese. Could be anything in these packets.

Found what looked like shrink wrapped burgers and noodles. Burgers were damp and oniony.

Luggage delivered. Heard him clatter up the three flights of tin stairs

Fell asleep at 9pm.