Highmill House, Saginuma

Room with a view

It was home. On 25th March 2007,  I left it. I guess never to go back there again. 

I lived there for two years. It was a small house with ample spaces for 2 persons. 2LDK they called it for short - 2 rooms (living room and dining room) and the kitchen, to be precise.

My room had 2 huge windows. Each windows had a steel flap/door attached to it, that could be pulled down to protect the window and house from strong winds or typhoons.

My smaller window overlooked a tiny garden and in spring, roses bloomed. The garden was the main reason I chose the house.

Our kitchen was basically the wall fitted with a small stove (with 2 cook top burners plus a griller) and a sink. The small kitchen continued into the dining room, which flowed into the living room.

This tiny kitchen housed more spices than we (my housemate and I) could ever cooked. In fact, the rezoko (refrigerator) at most times held more food than what could be consumed by two people - what with all the halal beef and chicken ordered online (a whole years' ration??). 

2 girls who had never cooked triumphed there - Chinese herbal chicken soup, chicken kurma, biryani, the Malaysian soto, curry noodles, etc. 

Life was peaceful most of the time. The most serious crisis we had in the house was when pigeons made a nest in our smoke shaft! OMG, did it stank! According to the pest control guy, such "pigeon-invasion" was something quite common in Japan. Looking back, it was quite funny. Imagine a chirping smoke shaft...

In summer, locusts sang. I would open my room's huge window to let some breeze in, as I read a book, listened to music, watched a movie or simply just lie down on my bed, listening to the fading sounds of shoes hitting the road as neighbors walked to and from the train station.

Highmill House, Saginuma - that was the place where love blossomed and was nurtured, hearts got broken and nursed. That was where I last saw you.

The small rose garden