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Sneaker shopping in Tokyo, Part 2 or 3 or whatever
Ok, no class until 5pm today so I went shopping in the... I need a nickname for Shinjuku/Shibuya. Death by Trendiness? I dunno.
Anyway, I went to the southern Kinokuniya and got two applications for this year's JLPT (one for me, one for Bret The Sub since I told him I was going to get mine) and FOUR practice exams -- the book with the exams from 2004-2006, and the 2007 book. I already had the 2006 one, so if anyone wants the 1/2-kyuu test book from 2006, I have an extra copy I could happily part with...
I also talked to a Japanese lady there who teaches Japanese (but didn't seem to get my hint about how maybe I could use a teacher). I talked to her 80% in Japanese and 20% English, and told her about some of the books I've used, since she was looking for JLPT study materials for one of her students. She said she has a lot of trouble explaining some concepts of words; I got out a book and asked her to explain stuff like "nanka" and she was like "exactly, this is one that's kind of tough". Hrm.
After that I walked to Yoyogi station and went to Shibuya, and from there I walked to the New Balance Tokyo store which is kind of a pain in the ass to find; it's OFF of Aoyama-dori so I walked by it without realizing it the first time. Plus it got hot outside in the afternoon and I was carrying a ton of books, so that sucked.
Went in on the first floor (women's shoes), said "I wear a size 26," they said "Go upstairs to the men's section". Haha. Went upstairs and there was a pretty nice staff person there who helped me. She was also wearing NB992's. Problem is, I don't like the men's 992 design AND they cost like $220 here in Japan because they're made in America, so I am thinking I will go get 992's again when I'm back in America and can pick them up for $120 AND actually get women's shoes.
Funny part: I remember how when I got my 992's, in size 26D, in Seattle, I thought my feet must be HUGE to need width D. B is normal in America, I think? Well, in Japan... EEEE is the normal width. Seriously. The entire reason I went to the New Balance company store was to find width D shoes, which are the SMALLEST YOU CAN GET HERE. And 70% of the shoes in their store don't even come in width D. I wanted black sneakers and didn't want to pay more than 10,000 yen for them... but that turned out to be impossible. I ended up buying a pair of navy/blue NB 576's, which are essentially classic walking shoes or something to that effect. This is their page but you have to click on "navy/blue" to see the right color. I'm not unhappy with them but I'd like them better in black/grey :)
I walked back to Shibuya station from there and saw a KUA'AINA so I just had to go in there for lunch (well... almost 4pm more like early dinner, I suppose). Unlike the one in Saitama, this one does not have a set menu, just that you can get a fries-drink set for 300 yen, or a soup-fries set for 400 yen, or a salad-drink set for 500 yen. I decided to do a tuna&avocado sandwich with the salad-drink set and it was awesome. Salads and sandwiches on wheat bread and yum!
Came back to work and had an average day, I suppose.
I want to go to Lawson's and pay my bills and buy Dragons baseball tickets, but it's raining, so I don't feel like riding the kilometer or so there. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow during my lunch break from work or something.
Anyway, I went to the southern Kinokuniya and got two applications for this year's JLPT (one for me, one for Bret The Sub since I told him I was going to get mine) and FOUR practice exams -- the book with the exams from 2004-2006, and the 2007 book. I already had the 2006 one, so if anyone wants the 1/2-kyuu test book from 2006, I have an extra copy I could happily part with...
I also talked to a Japanese lady there who teaches Japanese (but didn't seem to get my hint about how maybe I could use a teacher). I talked to her 80% in Japanese and 20% English, and told her about some of the books I've used, since she was looking for JLPT study materials for one of her students. She said she has a lot of trouble explaining some concepts of words; I got out a book and asked her to explain stuff like "nanka" and she was like "exactly, this is one that's kind of tough". Hrm.
After that I walked to Yoyogi station and went to Shibuya, and from there I walked to the New Balance Tokyo store which is kind of a pain in the ass to find; it's OFF of Aoyama-dori so I walked by it without realizing it the first time. Plus it got hot outside in the afternoon and I was carrying a ton of books, so that sucked.
Went in on the first floor (women's shoes), said "I wear a size 26," they said "Go upstairs to the men's section". Haha. Went upstairs and there was a pretty nice staff person there who helped me. She was also wearing NB992's. Problem is, I don't like the men's 992 design AND they cost like $220 here in Japan because they're made in America, so I am thinking I will go get 992's again when I'm back in America and can pick them up for $120 AND actually get women's shoes.
Funny part: I remember how when I got my 992's, in size 26D, in Seattle, I thought my feet must be HUGE to need width D. B is normal in America, I think? Well, in Japan... EEEE is the normal width. Seriously. The entire reason I went to the New Balance company store was to find width D shoes, which are the SMALLEST YOU CAN GET HERE. And 70% of the shoes in their store don't even come in width D. I wanted black sneakers and didn't want to pay more than 10,000 yen for them... but that turned out to be impossible. I ended up buying a pair of navy/blue NB 576's, which are essentially classic walking shoes or something to that effect. This is their page but you have to click on "navy/blue" to see the right color. I'm not unhappy with them but I'd like them better in black/grey :)
I walked back to Shibuya station from there and saw a KUA'AINA so I just had to go in there for lunch (well... almost 4pm more like early dinner, I suppose). Unlike the one in Saitama, this one does not have a set menu, just that you can get a fries-drink set for 300 yen, or a soup-fries set for 400 yen, or a salad-drink set for 500 yen. I decided to do a tuna&avocado sandwich with the salad-drink set and it was awesome. Salads and sandwiches on wheat bread and yum!
Came back to work and had an average day, I suppose.
I want to go to Lawson's and pay my bills and buy Dragons baseball tickets, but it's raining, so I don't feel like riding the kilometer or so there. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow during my lunch break from work or something.
no subject
"If you don't like rain, don't go anywhere like Yokohama."
"Someone like (as bad as) me couldn't pass the 2-kyuu."