When you look for a Japanese apartment to rent, you might be a little surprised that almost all of them are completely unfurnished. And I mean completely. Seriously, we didn’t even have lights¹! To not become one of those crazy—minimalist people, we decided to buy some stuff.
As I try not to be wasteful I searched through groups like Tokyo Sayonara and Japanese craigslist to find some used items. I found a company that buys, fixes and resells furniture and appliances, so apart from a desk, computer chair, kettle, rice cooker and fridge I also decided to buy a microwave from them.
It was a very simple device, it only had two knobs! One for setting the time and the other that could switch from 生もの解凍 (which was basically defrosting/thawing raw food) and あたため (warming up). That’s it, no deciding on the temperature or power just two modes and a timer, brilliant.
What now?
I read somewhere that if you buy a new device from any electronics shop, they will take the old one (for some small fee). I didn’t really needed a new device, so I contacted the furniture seller to check if they could do with a similar offer, they would get rid of the old microwave, and I would buy another one from them.
During two separate conversations, they have sent me photos of some promising cooking devices, but each time I asked them if they could take the old one, they ghosted me. Well, shuck. I’m not going to try for the third time; I understood the message. It’s was time for a new microwave then!
When now?
Being a master procrastinator, I pushed the timeline on getting a new kitchen companion so many times that after like 6 months, my wife convinced me to just get rid of the broken one. Thanks to my indecisiveness, we became accustomed to heating food using our trusty fish grill (yay, procrastination won again). So now I just had to find out how to actually dispose of it, I remembered reading somewhere that a trip to the city office was needed, which made me dread and procrastinate even more…
Rusty glimmer of hope
One faithful day, we noticed some broken heaters and other kitchen stuff left out in our building’s dedicated trash zone. Excited, I ran up to take the microwave out of the apartment and placed it near other devices. I was kinda doubtful that it will work, but I thought that since some japanese neighbours placed those there, they had to be on something.
Welp, it didn’t work. A couple of hours later, I returned to check if my microwave is long gone to microwave—heaven, but it was still there. Looking at me angrily with its two knobs. It was bearing a mark.
Last goodbye
My microwave now sits patiently, with two stickers glued on its head. Old and tired waiting for it’s last adventure. Goodbye, my old friend! I’ve used you like 10 times but I really apprieciated your design and that cute ding.
The plot twist
I’ve put the microwave out at around 8 in the morning, and I noticed around 9 that it wasn’t there anymore; usually the collections happen around noon, but I didn’t really think about it. Well, around noon I got a call — I didn’t manage to answer it, but I checked the number and it was collection office… I peeked out of my balcony and saw pickup and workes collecting used electronics! That means someone stole my microwave! Well, muncipality microwave now, since it was already scheduled for collection and paid for.
I’m kinda mad, they could have taken it last week… I could buy some そば with that 粗大ごみ (sodaigomi) cash. I just hope that parts of the microwave will be used for something useful.
¹Toilet, closets and kitchen hood were the only sources of light, so I guess there was something at least
You can read more about sorting and recycling Japanese trash on the official site.