Welcome to Japan! 日本へようこそ

My 14 hour flight from NYC to Haneda Airport in Tokyo was smooth and I slept the entire way.  It was wierd to eat dinner on the plane after take off, and then eat dinner again before landing.  We touched down at the airport at 9:50 pm.  After collecting my luggage, I withdrew some Japanese yen from an ATM and went to the information desk to get help finding my way to the train station. 

Chihiro gave me directions as follows:
1. Get on train on Keikyu-Kukou line from Shinagawa station
2. Transfer, for JR yamanote line to Takadano-baba station
3. Transfer for Seibu-Shinjuku line.  Take local train.  Get off at Shimoigusa station.

I asked the lady at the information desk for a subway map.  I think it rivals London's tube map in complexity!  She highlighted the trains I needed to take. 

 

The first train did not have signs in English and I wasn't clear where I was supposed to get off.  I asked the man sitting next to me.  His English was poor but I understood that he was going to be transferring with me and I was to follow him.  We got on the next train which did have signs in English.  I made the correct transfer.  On the last train, I asked a man for help.  He said, "You did a great job making it this far on the train by yourself!" I said, "Thanks! I had people help me."  I said, "there are tour groups that take you everywhere but it's more adventurous to do it yourself".

 

The train was packed! It felt like rush hour on a NYC subway train. He said most people were coming from work. Crazy! At 11:30 at night!  I asked if I could call my friend on his phone and kind was enough to let me.  When I got off the phone I told him, "Actually I've never met her before."  And then I told him about couchsurfing and how I've stayed with strangers in Philadelphia and Atlanta.  I said, "The one in Atlanta gave me her keys the day I met her!".  His eyes bulged out. 

I got off at Shinagawa and another man walked me to the police station.  Chihiro was outside waiting for me.  My immediate impression of her was that she was a friendly, happy, and warm person.  She laughs a lot.  We walked about 10 minutes to her apartment.

Her apartment is adorable.  The door is a lot shorter.  Her room is full of color and decorations.  She was very hospitable.  She had a bed made for me which was mat with a comforter and blankets on the floor next to her bed.  She then gave me a warm pair of socks, and warm set of sweat pants and a sweater!  What more could I ask for! 

 

Thursday morning we were up early.  Her shower is so different.  There is a tiny bath tub and outside is a floor that drains so you can take a shower in the room.  She said she likes taking "Japanese" baths, meaning filling up the tub.  I said, "The British do it that way too!  I love baths". 

When I got out the shower, she was drinking tea and asked if I wanted a cup.  I said, sure.  We sat drinking Japanese tea, which is very bitter.  Then we made a fish bowl for breakfast.  We put rice in a bowl, then topped it with slices of medium-rare fish.  I'm not a big seafood person.  I don't like sushi.  I also don't like undercooked food.  But in the spirit of travel, I wan't going to let my own diet preferences interfere with experiencing something new.  We added spring onion, ginger, and soy sauce.  We had strawberry and bananas for dessert.

Wow!  It was delicous!  It was so good!  I wasn't expecting it at all!  I asked her if she ever gets fish frozen or is it alway fresh. "Frozen fish!" she said, like it was an abomination to mankind.  "Haha, well don't ever eat fish in NY because its always frozen".

We shared pictures.  She saw some of my party pictures and said, "Americans like to party!".  I said, "We do.  And I love to party!".  She said they don't have house parties in Japan but sees them on American movies.  I told her about the dance I was in last Friday and tried to teach her some step. 

I was super anxious to get outside and see what the city looked like.  We left for the train station and I felt like I was in a different world.  Yes there were cars, and roads, and houses but it was so different!  It was so clean and manicured.  It was peaceful and quite.  A group of juinor high students passed us on thier bike.  We passed by supermarkets, car dealerships, and resturants. 

We took the Seibu Shinjuku line to Seibu-shinjuku.  We walked to the bus station and I bought bus tickets to Mount Fuji for Friday.  On the way back, I took pictures of landmarks becuase tomorrow I have to find the place by myself.  I have no map and even if I didn't it wouldn't be helpful because there are not many street signs. 

We walked around some of the clothing stores.  I got so jealous of their fashion which I would describe as "playful".  There fashion is mulit-colored and cute.  Then we went to Starbuck and relaxed on a rooftop terrace.  Then we went to Karokee.  I loved it!  She sand Japanese songs and I sang Beyonce, Goo Goo Dolls, Florenc and the Machine and Bruno Mars. 

 

 

One the way back home, she had me lead her to see if I could find my way back on my own. I took 2 wrong turns! Tonight she's working.  She a receptionist at a dentist office but has some work tonight.