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Yawarakaijin · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 504 Location: Middle of Nagano

Ok here is the situation. I just recently moved in to a rather spacious 2LDK and in less than 2 weeks my neighbour has called the rental agency and or the actual landlord on me 4 times! I mention this not to boast but to give an idea of how large the apartment is and how much space I have between me and my neighbour.

The first time was the very first day I moved in. I had misunderstood which parking spot was mine and she rang my door bell and merely looked at me, pointed to my car and tersely said "chigau." I apologized and said it wouldnt happen again. She still deemed it necessary to call up my rental agency to inform them that I had parked in the wrong spot. It wasn't even her spot by the way. Unbelievable.

Second time it was because my tv was too loud. Does she come over and inform me? NO. She calls the rental agency again. Keep in mind that I had previously spoken with her in Japanese before. She decided narcing on me was the better option than merely knocking on my door.

Third time, again it was my tv. This just infuriated me as I have even started closing my large balcony windows even though my place is boiling hot. I even went as far as to go out on my veranda and stand as close as possible to her side to see how loud my tv was. It was barely audible. I mean hell, I have to be able to hear the tv too don't I?

I've just been informed that she has complained again. Apparently my guitar is setting her off. I have played about a total of 40 minutes in the 2 WEEKS I have lived here. I don't even use a pick for god sakes, its mostly just light finger picking. She must have picked up the faintest sound of me playing because, as i have said, its freaking hot a hell and i like my windows open a little. Note; I ususally pick up my guitar around 2pm on a saturday or sunday afternoon.

I am not worried about being evicted or anything like that as I am aware of tenants rights in Japan. My question is, do I have any recourse against a neighbour that is constantly making unjustified complaints? Should I just ignore it and hope the rental agency sees her for what she is? I don't even want to talk to this hag as she has made it quite clear that the word dialouge is clearly not in her dictionary.

A little background, she is a 30-40 something "chimpira" who just exudes bitterness. I have learned that the apartment I am in now had been previously vacant for nearly 6 month, an anomoly for a brand new 2LDK that only costs about 60,000 yen per month, located in a fast growing city. I get the feeling that she sent the previous family packing and has been relishing complete control of the upper floor since before I moved in. The building only has 4 floors, two units per floor.

If anyone has any advice or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

fluffyhamster · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:56 am Post subject:

Make it quite clear to the rental agency that you do not expect to continue to be bothered by her bothering them bothering you, and if they keep ringing, say very firmly and coldly (you know, like Japanese themselves eventually get) a few hai's, sumimasen's, moshiwake gozaimasen's, and seppuku shimasu's! before claiming that you're too busy and hanging up each time. I think they'll get the message. It's not your fault that Japan is a sociopath's paradise because nobody here can seem to say 'Come off it', 'Don't you think you're being a little unreasonable' or even <GASP> 'No' and its corollary 'F off you old hag'.

All that being said, I'd consider investing in some headphones for the TV (if only so you can't hear your phone ringing or knocking at your door LOL).

Yawarakaijin · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 504 Location: Middle of Nagano

Well she doesnt even have the courtesy to come speak to me at my door so no worries there. I guess I will simply have to learn how to live like a hermit, using headphones in my own home...fuk.

khusam · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 16 Location: Oppama

She sounds like a nutter, for sure.. but a question about the guitar. The last place I rented had a clause in the contract that "no musical instrument may be brought into the unit".

Well, I figured bringing the stuff was OK, but we sure didn't play them. (Did think about MAKING something in the apartment.. but not cheeky enough to actually do it.)

Weird clause, seems unreasonable to me, but perhaps standard?

parrothead · Joined: 02 Nov 2003 Posts: 342 Location: Japan

Sorry you are having neighbor problems. I'm sure a lot of us can sympathize with you. Many Japanese tenants are more likely to address their concerns directly to the landlord rather than their neighbor. Maybe she is worried about communication difficulties, has a fear of talking to foreigners, or is, as you say, a hag who has nothing better to worry about. I personally think it is cultural, preferring not to have direct confrontation. But she may well be a hag too.
Having lived in Japan for a few years now, my at home behavior is very conditioned. My floors and walls are relatively thin, so I am always aware of my movements, music, and tv volume. I find that neighbors are understanding enough during the daylight hours. At night however, everyone makes a greater effort to curb their noise. I'm not sure if you are playing your guitar and watching TV at night, but if you are I can see how a neighbor might be upset. If it's during the day, however, I think you have every right to jam on your guitar as much as you want or watch your Maury Povich program (sorry, I don't know what you are in to).
I've gone as far as buying a 100 yen shop mini speaker for my TV and holding it close to my ear. I know how sad that seems, but I am on relatively good terms with my neighbors and I think they appreciate that I am much quieter than the previous tenant, who was also a foreigner. As far as the guitar goes, perhaps you can find a silencer than covers the soundhole. If that doesn't work, you'll just have to play something she likes.

fluffyhamster · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:13 am Post subject:

Actually I've just remembered an account by Donald Richie of a nightmare neighbour that he had (apparently called Hisako Shiraishi). Do a search for his excellent Japanese Portraits: Pictures of Different People (Tuttle Classics of Japanese Literature, 2006) on Amazon, then search inside it for the keyword 'neighbor' LOL. (This chapter is also available in The Donald Richie Reader). The demented hag called THE POLICE in on him for making the slightest noise, despite there being far noisier tenants in the building (namely, a piano teacher). You'll be pleased to hear that he eventually felt compelled to move. Confused

Yawarakaijin · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 504 Location: Middle of Nagano

fluffyhamster · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:27 am Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

What has the rental agency said to you about all this, and how have you responded?

Your neighbor seems to dislike you and the peace of mind she had for 6 months. If your rental agency is cool with things, let it ride. If not, have a nice, POLITE talk with them and explain your situation. (Heck, you could rat on HER on some days, but that's just petty.)

If the rental agency is not presenting you with any harsh reprimands, go to the neighbor again. Bring a peace offering (food or hand towels). Make it clear that you are doing your best to be a good tenant, but that she is acting unreasonably. Getting to know someone sometimes helps.

Also, you might want to consider asking the rental agency and building manager about her. Has she made complaints in the past about other tenants?

Yawarakaijin · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 504 Location: Middle of Nagano

The rental agency has said nothing more than please try to be careful. Even when she complained directly to the landlord all he did was ask me to be more careful. He even tried some english out and seemed like a personable guy.

Up to this point I am not worried. I'm just wondering how many "small" complaints she is going to launch against me and if they will eventually add up.

I had intended to do the whole Japanese new neighbour thing before she had acted so rudely at our first meeting. I do not intend to go over there grovelling to her now.

I have spoken with a few of the guys at work and the suggested going to the rental agency and firmly but politely insisting that I have rights as a tenant as well. Primarily the right not to be harrassed by a neighbour.

I've gone over the contract rules with a trusted co-worker and he said it is a standard contract. It seems to me the hag next door has read it as " any noise whatsoever, at whatever level whatsover, if audible is grounds for a complaint.

I agree that one should mimimize the noise one makes but being asked to live your life completely noise free is totally irrational. What did this hag to when the previous tenants' child had a toothache or ran around the house like any normal kid would do?

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

As long as you're not making excessive noise at two o'clock in the morning, I'd politely agree with the rental company and then tell her to piss off.

There is no way in hell I'd hold a miniature speaker up to my ear or buy headphones to watch T.V. in my own damn apartment.

If she keeps complaining, start making noise at two o'clock in the morning. Seriously. I'd almost relish the challenge to think up new ways to bug the shit out of her.* Make it clear that the more she complains the worse it's going to get for her.

* A few right off the top of my head:

Buy a very loud alarm clock. The kind that will not shut off on its own. Set it for one hour after you leave in the morning. If she complains, "Sorry, I must have forgotten to turn it off when I left."

Buy a basketball. Throw it against her wall at least once a night. Then twice a night. Then back to once a night. If she complains, "Sorry, I dropped it" or "I guess I need more practice."

Lift up pieces of furniture such as the edge a coffee table or chair and drop them at random times. "Sorry, I bumped it."

Rearrange the pictures on the wall you share, tapping in new nails each time. "Oh, sorry, I'm almost done."

If you drink, collect your empties into one large plastic bag. Rattle them around often. "Recycling."

Buy a pick for your guitar.

Yawarakaijin · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 504 Location: Middle of Nagano

Ideas I am currently mulling over.

Rounding up every Pakistani and Indian I can find in town for a curry night, forgetting to close my windows of course. This should happen at least once a week in my opinion.

Buying a cd of cat noises. Tricking her into calling my landlord accusing me of having a cat and then call them up myself while at work giving them permission to enter my house to find said cat. When none is to be found they might just accuse her of being a vidictive nutter. Wink

Buying a few of those giant horned beattles and shoving them through her mail slot.

Planting some "incriminating" evidence in my trash that would cause her to freak out, along the lines of the cat ploy and then accuse her of tampering with my garbage. I've heard garbage men can go through it but it is illegal for your neighbour to do it.

Any more suggestion? Wink

BradS · Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 173 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Actually, perhaps the building you're in just has really bad (or most likely no) insulation and the noise you're making is disturbing her.

I'm currently living in a brand new building but I get woken up daily just by people talking in the room next door or pulling a chair out from under a table.

You have a right to watch tv but if she can hear it in her apartment, surely she has a right to live in quiet in her own place. She's also paying rent afterall.

Maybe you don't think you're being noisy.... but maybe you are?

Canuck2112 · Joined: 13 Jun 2003 Posts: 239

What do you mean by "chimpira"? I always thought that meant a low-ranked male Yakuza, unless I'm missing something.

Lets look at the situation. You have, based on your accounts, a less-than-desirable neighbour. Bad. However, it sounds like you have a sympathetic, reasonable landlord. Good.

Tonari no chimpira sounds like a sad, petty individual full of misdirected anger. She probably doesn't have a lot in her life, and the little fifedom she had over the floor was shattered when you moved in.

Realize that it isn't YOU she hates. This isn't personal. It's the idea that another human has taken residence on "her" floor. The Dalai Lama could have moved in next door and she'd probably complain about the smell of incense.

From what you've described, she has managed to, for all intents and purposes, make previous tenants move. Probably by doing the exact same thing she's doing to you now. People like her get immense satisfaction by seeing that their tiny little arrows are drawing blood. Don't give her the satisfaction.

My advice...be nice to her. Greet her when you see her, even if she responds with a scowl and silence. Be nice to her as genuinely as you possibly can. In my experience, people of her type tend to freak out when their boorish, low-level behaviour is responded to with kindness. They don't know what to do.

I don't mean that you should make any concessions for her little complaints. Live your life as you're doing now.

I think Glenski's advice is the best, even though it may go against your natural instinct. Buy her some kind of peace offering...Tokyo Bananas, Utsukawa manju, spray-on tanning bronzer, whatever.

Heck, you might get lucky and have HER move out!

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

Ha. Ha. I've　given this some more thought and here's what I really think you should do.

The next time you see her, point at your ears and yell: "I'M PARTIALLY DEAF! MY HEARING HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE! I CAN'T REALLY HEAT ANYTHING, BUT I'LL TRY TO BE MORE CAREFUL!"

Then go home and turn up the volume on your T.V. even louder.