Bunka Jutaku

Bunka Jutaku:
Bunka: Culture, Modern
Jutaku: Housing, Apartment
Bunka Jutaku or Bunka are also called Nagaya.
These housings were built after the war to cover the growth of population especially in the urban area in Japan.

Very first memory of my childhood was with the old TV set with wooden frames placed in the centre of a small living/dining room of bunka jutaku that my parents rented. I was three years old or so. My three-year-older sister was singing with a plastic-made toy microphone in front of the TV. There was a pop duo on a program.

I saw orange rays of sunsetting light from the small windows in the kitchen of the bunka jutaku. I heard noise of bicycles that the neighbours rode. My mom's bike had a different noise. I could tell if she was coming home from the corner.

It was spring or summer time. I was alone at home. I was playing with Pla-Rail (Plastic Toy Train). I was in the middle of making a station for my Galaxy Express. I didn't really use any batteries back then.

Fusty smell.

Opening the fridge, there, smell of Calpico drink. I was very very small, but I thought I could do many things by myself.

I could hear that my mom was talking to her neighbours in front of our Bunka Jutaku. I smelled of curry. I wanted to eat my mom's curry rice.