Category Archives: Japan

Some of the Things You Need to Remember when in Tokyo

I say “when in Tokyo” because aside from Tokyo, I haven’t lived in any of the cities or prefectures of Japan. Everything I will write here is based on personal experiences and some are opinions or ideas of my Japanese friends. They are the most basic reminders to help you get through your visit.

Recently, I have seen and I have heard of people I know who were in Tokyo, who are now here in Tokyo or who will be in Tokyo anytime soon. So I thought that it will be helpful if I can share some of the things that they have to know to enjoy their stay here.

  • Your credit is good, but cash is better. Yup, as modern as Tokyo is, there are still certain establishments that do not accept credit cards. Usually, the smaller shops, like the traditional ramen shops, only accept cash because they make use of the vending machine-like method of ordering food. You drop your money in this machine, press the button of your order, then a small paper will come out and you give this to the people in the counter. The paper has your order written on it. So in short, you pay in cash as you order. If you don’t see these machines near the entrance, there is a possibility that the restaurant or the food stall you entered into will take credit. So before eating out or before buying those precious souvenirs, it will be a good idea to first ask if they accept credit cards. If they do, they often accept VISA, Mastercard, AMEX, or JCB. If the cards you have are not the same as the ones mentioned, please don’t hesitate to ask those who are in charge.
  • Tips are not necessary. When you eat out, you don’t leave any tips on the table. One time, I was eating with my kids at a restaurant in Roppongi and the foreigners on a table close to ours left some cash before they headed towards the door. The waitress who was about to clean up their table saw the money and she chased them outside just to give it back. So to avoid the embarrassment of being chased down by waiters or waitresses, it’s better to just keep that yen in your wallet.
  • They have slow lanes and fast lanes in escalators. When using the escalator, it is not a good idea to occupy the entire space you are on, not unless you want to experience being yelled at or being pushed by people who seem like their lives depended on how fast they get through those flight of moving stairs. It is pretty simple actually—the left side is for those who have all the time in the world at that moment and the right side is for those who seem like they are running for their lives.
  • There are unspoken rules by the door. The rule of thumb: when entering a door and someone is coming out, you will have to wait outside before going in. This is especially true at the stations— bus and train stations alike. When the door opens, you will have to let everyone out first before you go in.
  • Being loud inside the train or the bus is a big NO! When inside the train or the bus, people should be talking quietly. I admit, I sleep inside these public transport  everyday when going to and from work…and honestly, I appreciate the peace and quiet. Also, and please remember this, no one is allowed to talk (except for emergencies) or chat on the phone while inside the bus or the train…oh yes, especially in the bus! I learned this unspoken rule the hard way when one day, I did just that: I was inside the bus and I was on the phone. I was whispering through the mic of my earphone so I know that I wasn’t being loud. But then obviously, the driver heard me in spite of the silence because, while using the mini microphone attached to him, he announced for everyone in the bus to know that talking on the phone is not allowed. He even called my attention by saying “Okyaku-sama! Okyaku-sama!” (Ms. Customer! Ms. Customer!). When I looked up, he was looking straight at me on the rear-view mirror. Just imagine my embarrassment!
  • It is very safe. You can walk along the streets in the middle of the night without the fear of being mugged…just the fear of seeing something supernatural like a woman in white and with long black hair. Remember Sadako from The Ring and Kayako from The Grudge?
  • Tokyo doesn’t have a 24-hour train. Tokyo may be a very busy city but the trains (or the people working at the stations) need some rest as well, right? Usually, the last trains run between 11:30 pm to 1:00 am. You can always hail a taxi, of course. But it will be very expensive. I know someone who didn’t catch the last train because of work and had to walk 4 hours from Tokyo to Saitama…whew!

For now, these are all that I can think of. If I missed something, just drop me a note then I can include them in my next post.

Determination

It was in 1999 when I first came to Japan. My reaction: I was totally astounded by how clean and beautiful Japan is. (Well, until now, I feel the same way and I still think that I am lucky for the chance to live here.)

I was excited and happy the first couple of weeks.  But as the following weeks went by, culture shock, homesickness and the language problem had set in. I couldn’t read and speak any Japanese at that time so it was always a frustration to go out of the apartment to do anything.

It was the time when computers were not popular and the internet was nonexistent. My mobile phone was a small rectangular device that can only do two things: to call and to receive calls. Touch screen phones were still a thing of the imagination. So, in short, I had no way of translating anything instantly. My only help then came from a pocket-sized Japanese-English dictionary that was with me all the time. The people I knew were so busy to help me out that most of the time, I was left to do things by myself.

In spite of the frustration, I forced myself to be useful and to learn the basic. And as expected, experience (mostly embarrassing) was my best teacher. Like that one time when I didn’t know that I took the express train instead of the local one or that one fateful day when I went to the wrong train platform at the Shibuya Station. Of course, in both instances, I didn’t reach my destinations so I had to go back to the station where I came from and board the correct train.

When I did my grocery shopping, there was a time when I was supposed to buy salt but got the sugar instead. So just imagine how sweet my chicken adobo had become. Yes, I know what you are thinking…I made the mistake of not tasting it before I put it in the pot.

So to avoid these blunders…one day, I decided to stay inside the supermarket for as long as I needed just so I will remember which one is which. And when I was done memorizing the grocery products at the Tokyu Store, I felt this deep sense of fulfillment! Yay!

So many times, I had thought about going back home out of frustration. But I didn’t. I was able to surpass all the obstacles through determination.

If it hadn’t been for my determination to make a life in Tokyo, I wouldn’t have been here with a job which I realized just a few years back was the job that I really wanted: teaching kids.

So how did I end up being a teacher? That’s another story.