You went for the "slow life"
I know what you mean, but I love Tokyo.
The costs are worth the trade off in convenience for us now as our income allows it.
My wife is also a die-hard Tokyo girl, born in Ota-ku as well and would be very hard to move away. Speaking of cars, my wife never got her license as she never needed it
Maybe when I retire in ten years things will be different. I'm open to possibilities.
Ten years until you retire? Where does time go. A lifetime fly's and a
minute drags.
I will speculate that you will never come back to live. Not new news to
you I am sure. It is in your blood now with family bonds and obligations.
You are 'spoiled' now in a certain way but not in a bad way. You are blessed
and can afford to live and work in a very special place.
The few times and the amount of time I have spent in Tokyo with relatives
(and branching of on our own for a week or two) was just delightful.
I think I have said this before, I can easily see why you like it so much.
When my cousin and husband moved to Tokyo, it was when he worked for
Tower Records (remember them? . . . I am dating myself), managing the
Tokyo store. They swore it was just for a couple of years. Then they had a
baby girl. Well, we will move back before she gets in kindergarten. Then
a baby boy came along. Same thing. Then it was we will move back before
they are in high school. Then it was after high school. (He was doing very well
then, opening and operating all the tower Record stores in the Asia Pacific.
And everything, and I mean everything was paid for. They had a huge house
with a yard. Must have cost a small fortune, Kids went to the best International
schools, etc. They never saw a bill. Ever.
Then things fell apart. Tower Records sold, Sony bought them and gave him a job
that had an short end date. Finally they could not afford to live there any longer
and had to move back to the US. Really sad. I have such wonderful memories of
Tokyo and other places we visited. Always felt safe and secure and welcome.
I remember going out with him in downtown Tokyo late at night to early morning,
visiting clubs, listing to music with him. What a a trip. He had by then started a
sideline business signing bands and copyrighting their music, hence the all nighters
in the clubs. Got to see an entirely different side of Tokyo that people rarely get
to see. But all good things must come to an end.
Sorry, I am rambling here. Please forgive the grammar and spelling errors.
Living here is good and bad as is living anywhere. Tradeoffs for certain. People
who have traveled know this. There is no perfect place as near as I can tell.