The cost of owning a house

[NoFakie 45]

What altitude are you at Snowdude? I'd imagine its quite high up.

[snowdude 44]

850 metres.

High enough to be much colder than Kofu.

Was 8 degrees colder there than Kofu when I went this morning.

So looking forward to cooler summers.

 

[snowdude 44]

Random windows?

 

I see one of your neighbours has the "random windows" thing going on there.

 

[snowdude 44]

Yes you should go see it done.

As well as its interesting to see how the check is done you too get to see first hand what the result are and the condition of the land.

 

 

Interesting indeed.

Would like to go see mine been done too.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Random windows?

 

I see one of your neighbours has the "random windows" thing going on there.

 

 

Loads of little windows dotted about the building with no real rhyme or reason why they are there.....very common on Japanese houses

[snowdude 44]

Yes I see what you mean!

A lot of the houses in that area have small windows kind of here and there, mostly on the north facing side, it is done to keep the houses warmer in winter!

We will have smaller windows on the north side as well for the same reason, although they will have a reason for being there!

 

It is true a lot of Japanese don't really care about the window design or placement as long as they have windows on their houses!

 

Random windows?

 

I see one of your neighbours has the "random windows" thing going on there.

 

 

Loads of little windows dotted about the building with no real rhyme or reason why they are there.....very common on Japanese houses

[NoFakie 45]

Okay 850! I had some image of you being really high up in Yatsugake where they grow the lettuces. That's still pretty high though, and should be much cooler than Kofu. That's is a bonchi, isn't it?

 

If you don't want to look at your neighbours, I could list a few pretty trees you could plant to screen them out.

[pie-eater 207]

I saw a magnificent sample of the random windows thing the other day.

I wish I had taken a photo.

There must have been 12 windows on the side of a (fairly large) house.

All of them in different positions and seemingly placed totally at random.

It did look rather silly.

Did no-one think to say 'hold on, couldn't we think how this looks from the outside'.

[snowdude 44]

Well actually we had been looking at land in Kiyosato area 1400 m but too inconvinient for my wife and for my daughter to commute to her school in Kofu as need to get Koumi line then Chuo.

Plus my wife doesnt want to live somewhere as cold or colder than most parts of Hokkaido.

We both like Kobuchisawa a lot so decided on there.

Much cooler than many other areas in summer without being punishingly cold in winter where we are going to be gets down to around -16 on the coldest nights.

 

 

Yes Kofu is bonchi.

Yes thinking what to do about the neighbours not so much looking at the neighbours as some houses are second houses so hardly around but was thinking to maybe plant trees all the way around our house if I can get some nice ones that dont grow too big and tall but are enough to make a tree fence.

If you have any recommendations that would be great although not sure yet whether or not I make a fence or plant trees.

 

 

Okay 850! I had some image of you being really high up in Yatsugake where they grow the lettuces. That's still pretty high though, and should be much cooler than Kofu. That's is a bonchi, isn't it?

 

If you don't want to look at your neighbours, I could list a few pretty trees you could plant to screen them out.

[sanjo 2]

Wow thats really high up.

 

I didn't imagine Shizuoka (?) to be so much so.

[NoFakie 45]

We've been to Kobuchizawa a few times. I like it a lot. Our usual route is to go to the garden place behind the Hakushu michi-no-eki and then to the J-Mart home center. Its just so much better than the crappy Komeris and other home centers near Nagano or Matsumoto. Last summer we took the kids to the tour at the Chateraise ice cream factory just off Route 20. It doesn't cost anything and its eat all you can ice cream for 15 minutes. Some college girls there had three each. There's a whisky distillery you can visit just there too. Hopefully with college girls too!

 

Quite a lot of trees sold in Japan get coppiced so they grow as multistems which are better for typical gardens. It gives something that is lower and bushier and easier to control without drastic pruning or chopping the whole thing down. As for which ones are good, that'll depend on what you're after, such as suitable shape, dense shade, leaf colour, flowers, autumn colour, nice bark for winter, fruit, etc. That garden center and the J Mart have a pretty good selection to get started. The J mart had one I wanted to buy last year but they wouldn't post it and 4m of tree wouldn't fit in the car.

[snowdude 44]

Actually Kobuchisawa its in north west Yamanashi on the Nagano border.

Yamanashi is nothing but mountains with all the tallest ones being here!

 

 

Wow thats really high up.

 

I didn't imagine Shizuoka (?) to be so much so.

[snowdude 44]

Been to both of those, it is nice there especially in summer. My daughter also went to the ice cream factory on a school trip last year, all the schools in Yamanshi seem to go there!There is also a park and river where you can swim in summer close to the michi-no-eki, it is freezing cold water with a water fall, so refreshing on a hot summers day!

Kobuchisawa and all around that area for that matter has lots of one off places, little homely restaurants, museums, craft shops, things that you won't find in places like Kofu here.

That is one of the big attractions for us is the uniqueness of the area!

Hakushu although close is not Kobuchisawa, they are two different places! Not sure if you meant while visiting Kobuchisawa you also passed through Hakushu?

Both places are in Hokuto-shi though!

 

We've been to Kobuchizawa a few times. I like it a lot. Our usual route is to go to the garden place behind the Hakushu michi-no-eki and then to the J-Mart home center. Its just so much better than the crappy Komeris and other home centers near Nagano or Matsumoto. Last summer we took the kids to the tour at the Chateraise ice cream factory just off Route 20. It doesn't cost anything and its eat all you can ice cream for 15 minutes. Some college girls there had three each. There's a whisky distillery you can visit just there too. Hopefully with college girls too!

 

Quite a lot of trees sold in Japan get coppiced so they grow as multistems which are better for typical gardens. It gives something that is lower and bushier and easier to control without drastic pruning or chopping the whole thing down. As for which ones are good, that'll depend on what you're after, such as suitable shape, dense shade, leaf colour, flowers, autumn colour, nice bark for winter, fruit, etc. That garden center and the J Mart have a pretty good selection to get started. The J mart had one I wanted to buy last year but they wouldn't post it and 4m of tree wouldn't fit in the car.

[pie-eater 207]

Never been to those parts, sounds great snowdude.

 

When does building starto?

[muikabochi 208]

I must say I thought it was Shizuoka as well.

Just looked at a map surprised to see where this is. Looks like a good place to be.

[snowdude 44]

20th May if all goes to plan.

 

 

Never been to those parts, sounds great snowdude.

 

When does building starto?

[pie-eater 207]

And when will that be done and ready?

[snowdude 44]

Early to mid septembet ready to move in late sep

[snowdude 44]

Yes it is. We like it a lot.

Really looking forward to living there.

Lots of shizen as well as all the one off places craft shops outlet etc.

Also just 10 mins from Fujimi ski resort and about the same to Sun meadows.

 

 

 

I must say I thought it was Shizuoka as well.

Just looked at a map surprised to see where this is. Looks like a good place to be.

[ILoveZao 8]

Congratulations snowdude, nice area.

[snowdude 44]

Thanks

 

 

Congratulations snowdude, nice area.

[Metabo Oyaji 71]

Congratulations, snowdude.

 

For good mekakushi trees, I could make a suggestion that will horrify traditionalists: biwa.

We have one where our kid spit out a seed several years ago, and it grows dense and quickly.

Looks nice, too.

 

Your in-laws will disapprove, however: "invites disease." Though I read a site that claimed the biwa plant is medicinal, so the association with disease is for that reason, so actually a good thing. Up to you.

 

In other matters, our shidare ume turned out beautifully this year. Not pruning it at all for the past couple of years seems to have been the secret, conventional wisdom aside.

[NoFakie 45]

It appears we may have merely got off the highway at Kobuchizawa and have driven straight out of it ( ) but the bits closeby were very nice.

A garden center and a proper big home center with lots of proper garden stuff and high quality building materials like hardwood decking, actually attractive interior bits and bobs, and non-VOC paint and wood treatments (forgetaboutitatKomeri) both point to plenty of well-to-do people who can support some nice shops and restaurants. WIth a bit of tourist help of course. A bit of gentrification is never a bad thing in inaka, especially if it doesn't push up the price of land.

[snowdude 44]

Interesting that about the trees! If I decide on the tree route then I may well look into those trees you and Mr. Wiggles suggest and ask around as to what is best!

I know a lot about growing stuff as I am growing vegetables all the time, but don't know sod all about best trees bushes, so any suggestions is greatly appreciated if I decide on trees!

 

Congratulations, snowdude.

 

For good mekakushi trees, I could make a suggestion that will horrify traditionalists: biwa.

We have one where our kid spit out a seed several years ago, and it grows dense and quickly.

Looks nice, too.

 

Your in-laws will disapprove, however: "invites disease." Though I read a site that claimed the biwa plant is medicinal, so the association with disease is for that reason, so actually a good thing. Up to you.

 

In other matters, our shidare ume turned out beautifully this year. Not pruning it at all for the past couple of years seems to have been the secret, conventional wisdom aside.

[scouser 4]

Where is it you are now snowdude?