Shiohama, or "salt beach" is the island on which we live, just east of Harumi. If you know where to look, you can still see some decades old neighbourhoods of early postwar Japan. This is not an alley. This is the front street for these homes.
As you can imagine, the quality of housing has improved drastically over the decades since the end of the war. The gas meter has been removed here, so this place is uninhabited. There are many properties like this, where Gramma and Grampa are gone and the family is holding it as a savings account, to be cashed in at some time in the future.
This one is still inhabited. Classic old style Japanese construction materials, techniques and architecture. The unpainted wood is cedar, so it stands the test of time.
I'm pleased to announce that this is not our apartment building. There are many older apartments like this in Tokyo, and surprisingly, the rent isn't necessarily cheaper than the more modern apartments. Unsurprisingly, they are gradually being demolished for new apartment buildings to take their place.
