Moving out for the first time comes with a ton of emotions. Stress, anxiety, uncertainty, and optimism all rack your brain as you look towards your future.
23-year-old Ryo Shindo went through all of those emotions. About a week ago, he had moved into the Sky House Hamarikyu, a hotel-like apartment tower overlooking the Tokyo Bay. The building, completed in March of 2011, had a steel structure along with 25 floors and two basement levels. It could also withstand powerful earthquakes. Shindo's place was Room 10 on the 17th floor, and it came with a monthly rent of 265,000 yen (roughly $2,400). A typical one-bedroom apartment seemed perfect for someone like Shindo to start a new life.
Shindo, a college graduate with a degree in computer science, recently got a computer programming job at an indie video game studio called Chiptune City. This studio's main focus involved creating retro-looking games to appeal to modern audiences. An efficient way to get to the building involved taking a ten-minute train ride from the station located near Sky House.
After getting ready for bed, Shindo lay down in his bed, hoping for tomorrow to not be as bad as he thought it would be. Even though programming was one of his best skills (ask his college roommate), tomorrow would be the first time the gaming industry would put his skills to the test. Before earning the job, though, he spent one summer learning about programming from a how-to book, which provided some comfort.
Beginning to relax a bit thanks to remembering the book, Shindo drifted to sleep.
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