Okay. I spoke too soon about how sound proof the towers are. They really are unless someone is playing their stereo full blast! I went up one floor to see where the music was coming from. It wasn't directly above me, it was one door down! A young woman got off the elevator and I asked if it was her apartment and she said yes, and I said the music is a little loud. She said okay and went in and I think they may have turned it down one notch. I asked my next door neighbor who is under them if he was bothered. He's a more patient soul than I am. He said yeah, but it's not 8:00 yet (it was about 5:00). So it's almost 7:00 and I can still hear it, though, not quite as loudly as before, but geez! are they deaf? Their little girl will be if they keep playing it that loud. So, that's my rant for today. Thank you very much.

So as long as its not after hours, they can make as much noise as they please? What if you have kids trying to sleep?

See I think Japanese people are more polite about these type of situations living offbase.

I have never heard a peep from out next door neighbors.

I'm in a quiet apartment building off base, never any noise. Today I hear loud voices from the parking lot (I'm on the 6th floor). I go outside, and of course it's some American guy sitting in his car, shouting into his cell phone. From my balcony, I can hear every word & like I said I'm on the 6th floor. He was yammering on for like 20 minutes. It was disruptive of the entire neighborhood. No wonder Japanese are dismayed when they see us moving into their neighborhood! Fortunately, in this 35-unit building there are only 3 American families, all are quiet, no kids. I have no idea where that guy downstairs comes from, he doesn't live here.

When we were house-hunting, the agent showed us two other buildings where many Americans lived; we politely declined without looking any further. If I wanted to live near loud, inconsiderate neighbors, I would have stayed in San Diego.