Okay, this is on my mind and I need to address it.  Earthquakes.  They are frequent in Tokyo and usually go unnoticed.  But when you feel one, it surely makes you think about what a BIG one might do!  We all remember the horrific March 2011 earthquake off the coast of Sendai that devastated the region.  What if a BIG one hit the city of Tokyo, metro population 28 million?  The last time Tokyo had a severe earthquake was 1923 and it did almost total destruction.  What would happen in a city with a population density of 15,663 persons per square mile??  To help the situation, every household is strongly urged to have an emergency kit available.  

In our apartment we currently have on reserve:  2 quarts of water, 2 bottles of wine and 2 candy bars in 2 bare cupboards. Since I need to give this situation additional attention, I did some reading online.  Apparently kits are available for purchase at department stores.  Well, for a bustling city like Tokyo, department stores (like a Macy's or Dillards) are surprisingly rare.  The most popular one is allegedly Muji.  That's a pretty cool name not just because I can remember it, but also because it means "no brand."   Perhaps I will look for another Muji tomorrow.  In our last quest to find a comfy western pillow, we located a basement Muji but it had a going out of business sale.    
 

On the subject of pillows, we have been unable to find any to replace the little buckwheat pillows.  We finally ordered two from Cosco's Internet website called "The Flying Pig."  They should be arriving Friday morning and I simply cannot wait.

I almost forgot to share some additional information, it's about the thing that awakens me at night (besides the buckwheat).  The guy above (who appears to be standing in front an MRI machine?) tells me that since the Sendai earthquake, scientists are finding that the earth's structure in the region has been impacted, and that is why earthquakes seem to come with more frequency and intensity now.  That, my friends, makes a BIG one more likely.   No predictions are being made per se, but gentle warnings are given that things just could be more unpredictable and volatile.   Having that emergency kit available is looking more intelligent every day.