Pleasant surprises in a 10-minute radius

Vanessa and I have spent the last two days walking more or less aimlessly. We have a sad map of our surroundings provided by the complex we're living in that doesn't help much, so we pick a general direction - usually some store that we hope sells the basic necessities, which we are still trying to get together - and just wing it. This method has given us a great sense of what's within a 10 minute's walk so far: a bustling few blocks surrounding the main metro/train terminus just south of us, with department stores and big businesses; a quaint suburb to the west very familiar in its averageness and to the east leading back toward the terminus, small streets with tons of streetfront eateries. At lunch time, many of them set up a table stacked with bentos for the salarymen on break.

Today was tons of fun, despite the dreary weather. We headed towards a shop called Kimble Recycle Shop - labeled a second-hand store but which turned out to be more like a clearance/dollar store. The prices were ridiculously reasonable, to the point where we thought we were being scammed or missing something. But some dude near us seemed almost as impressed so we went with it. (Figuring out how to do basic stuff usually involves taking cues from whomever is closest by).

Heading home we passed a ramen shop with colourful banner displaying giant bowls of ramen I would happily live in. Having up until that point eaten only trail mix, tangerines and cup noodle, Vanessa and I took this golden opportunity to change all that. It was a (what I assume to be) typical tiny mom and pop shop with a bar occupied by three or four salary men, and two seats left - perfect. We mulled over our menu and finally I busted out a "kore to kore, kudasai" and felt pretty pleased with myself. I watched some guy drink his broth after so hell yeah I did the same.

We left happy but I apparently wasn't done. This old man owns a counter on my street that people are constantly buying from. From yesterday's look of it he sold only one thing and was constantly making them. Curiosity did a good thing and I approached not sure what to say. I think he told me what it was but I wasn't sure. (People speak faster here than on my tapes.) I gave a number one sign and he said "chotto mate" (one minute) and started a fresh batch. A minute later he handed me a white paper bag and I gave him back 100yen. I took out my phone dictionary and asked "nante iimasuka". I'd never tried that one before. "Okonomiyaki", he answered. Oh dang, I picked an awesome place to live. "Oishii des" I said nodding to make sure he understood, he did, and my enthusiasm made a salaryman laugh out loud.

(the place.)

A few things:
I expected that intuitive dance of staying out of eachother's way in crowded spaces to be an ingrained thing but it's not. I'm frequently awkwardly stepping out of Japanese people's ways.

A lot of this feels familiar. And while navigating stores and speaking to people is challenging, it isn't alienating or frustrating.

I'm tall: