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| Carole in North Kyoto in the countryside. Photo Copyright Carole Goldsmith 2011 |
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Carole in North Kyoto
Peaceful Hattoji - traditional rural Japan.
By Carole Ann Goldsmith Copyright ©2011 All Rights Reserved
Hattoji is the only place that I have been to in Japan, where I rarely saw another person when walking for about two hours along the roadway, surrounded by lush greenery. Very occasionally, a sole car would pass me and the driver would wave with a friendly smile. I discovered a little friend to chat to while I was walking on one track. A small green frog that sat on a rock croaking and it was happy to be photographed from front and back.
Located in Okayama prefecture, Hattoji is an historical city in traditional rural Japan. I stayed at the Hattoji International Villa, an absolutely delightful place to reside while I explored the surrounding countryside. According to the Hattoji International Villa website, http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/villa/hatto.htm the villa was originally built over 120 years ago, as a kayabuki thatched-roof farm house. When I was there a Japanese lady with her American husband and baby were also staying there. All four rooms are Japanese traditional style, with tatami mats and futons to sleep on. There is a fully equipped modern kitchen, for guests to cook to their heart’s content. We also enjoyed our meal sitting around the traditional Japanese fireplace and sharing travel tales.
To add to the total rural experience, bathing in the very deep goemonburo (traditional Japanese bath) that resembles a caldron is a real treat and oh- so relaxing. You can of course have the water at the temperature you choose and traditional showers are available too.
Hattoji thrived over 1200 years ago as a center of Sangaku mountain Buddhism and followers lead an ascetic life in an effort to purify themselves of society's excesses. Dating from 728, monks gathered here at the base of Mt. Hattoji (elevation 539m) and built an impressive complex of temples, monasteries and accompanying buildings. Because Hattoji has retained its traditional appearance, it was the setting for the black and white movie, Black Rain by Shohei Imamura. Source: http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/villa/hatto.htm
The rustic village of Hattoji is surrounded by the mountainous forests, I saw the traditional thatched roof farmhouses. The happy frogs croaking night and day from the rice paddies and birds chirping from the trees were often the only sounds I heard during my stay at the villa.
One tip for Hattoji, you need to buy your food in the village of Yoshinaga, which is where you catch your bus to Hattoji. Although there are a couple of great restaurants in Hattoji, Cowboy Joes plus the restaurant with the cow statue out the front, there are no supermarkets or places to buy food supplies. There are really friendly folks at the Supermarket near the Yoshinaga station to stock up on food supplies. The bus to Hattoji, leaves from the stop opposite Yoshinaga Station.
For bookings of rooms at the Hattoji villa http://www.coinn.org/XXvilla_vacancy/cld.php
Details of transport and tourist attractions see http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/villa/hatto.htm
Hattoji is the only place that I have been to in Japan, where I rarely saw another person when walking for about two hours along the roadway, surrounded by lush greenery. Very occasionally, a sole car would pass me and the driver would wave with a friendly smile. I discovered a little friend to chat to while I was walking on one track. A small green frog that sat on a rock croaking and it was happy to be photographed from front and back.
Located in Okayama prefecture, Hattoji is an historical city in traditional rural Japan. I stayed at the Hattoji International Villa, an absolutely delightful place to reside while I explored the surrounding countryside. According to the Hattoji International Villa website, http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/villa/hatto.htm the villa was originally built over 120 years ago, as a kayabuki thatched-roof farm house. When I was there a Japanese lady with her American husband and baby were also staying there. All four rooms are Japanese traditional style, with tatami mats and futons to sleep on. There is a fully equipped modern kitchen, for guests to cook to their heart’s content. We also enjoyed our meal sitting around the traditional Japanese fireplace and sharing travel tales.
To add to the total rural experience, bathing in the very deep goemonburo (traditional Japanese bath) that resembles a caldron is a real treat and oh- so relaxing. You can of course have the water at the temperature you choose and traditional showers are available too.
Hattoji thrived over 1200 years ago as a center of Sangaku mountain Buddhism and followers lead an ascetic life in an effort to purify themselves of society's excesses. Dating from 728, monks gathered here at the base of Mt. Hattoji (elevation 539m) and built an impressive complex of temples, monasteries and accompanying buildings. Because Hattoji has retained its traditional appearance, it was the setting for the black and white movie, Black Rain by Shohei Imamura. Source: http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/villa/hatto.htm
The rustic village of Hattoji is surrounded by the mountainous forests, I saw the traditional thatched roof farmhouses. The happy frogs croaking night and day from the rice paddies and birds chirping from the trees were often the only sounds I heard during my stay at the villa.
One tip for Hattoji, you need to buy your food in the village of Yoshinaga, which is where you catch your bus to Hattoji. Although there are a couple of great restaurants in Hattoji, Cowboy Joes plus the restaurant with the cow statue out the front, there are no supermarkets or places to buy food supplies. There are really friendly folks at the Supermarket near the Yoshinaga station to stock up on food supplies. The bus to Hattoji, leaves from the stop opposite Yoshinaga Station.
For bookings of rooms at the Hattoji villa http://www.coinn.org/XXvilla_vacancy/cld.php
Details of transport and tourist attractions see http://www.harenet.ne.jp/villa/villa/hatto.htm
Korea’s ONE STOP Medical Tourism Service Centers - A Great Success
By Carole Ann Goldsmith Copyright © 2011 - All Rights Reserved
Going on a trip across the sea from Japan to sparkling Korea then check out the the ‘ONE STOP’ medical tourism service centers.
Following article Written December 2009 and first published then in Official Beauty Report USA.
The ‘ONE STOP’ medical tourism service centers (MTSC) opened by the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) last July (in 2008), have proven to be a great success. An average of 261 people are visiting the centers every day.
Located at both Korea’s Lncheon International airport, Seoul and at the KTO tourist information center (TIC) in downtown Seoul, the MTSC staff assists travelers with everything from visa processing to making appointments at medical clinics. Center staff also arranges link-ups with highly professional medical services including herbal medicine, dental and fertility practices, eye and skin clinics, cardiovascular surgeons and aesthetic surgery. The center’s brochure suggests that surgery fees in Korea are only a third, sometimes even a tenth of those in the U.S.A.
Ms. Sunwoo Lee from KTO’s Strategic Tourism Product Team said that as of 31 December 2008, there were 50,456 visitors to the one-stop service centers, or 261 people per day.
The KTO’s TIC ONE STOP center has medical equipment for visitors to check their health including a BMI (body mass index) machine, a stress measurement device, a blood pressure meter and a machine to detect skin aging. Visitors can discuss their results with professionals at the center. According to Ms. Lee, all medical devices are very popular especially the BMI machine used to analyze body composition (fat mass, muscle mass) by using a micro-current. Center staff then advise participants on a suitable exercise and diet plan.
The airport MTSC has a lounge especially for medical travelers, a refrigerator to store drugs and free internet connection, so travelers can browse for information on medical service providers and travel agents. Both centers including the medical testing equipment, are free of charge to use.
For on-line information on Korean Medical Tourism see:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/mt/tourism.kto?cmd=main&md=enu
Going on a trip across the sea from Japan to sparkling Korea then check out the the ‘ONE STOP’ medical tourism service centers.
Following article Written December 2009 and first published then in Official Beauty Report USA.
The ‘ONE STOP’ medical tourism service centers (MTSC) opened by the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) last July (in 2008), have proven to be a great success. An average of 261 people are visiting the centers every day.
Located at both Korea’s Lncheon International airport, Seoul and at the KTO tourist information center (TIC) in downtown Seoul, the MTSC staff assists travelers with everything from visa processing to making appointments at medical clinics. Center staff also arranges link-ups with highly professional medical services including herbal medicine, dental and fertility practices, eye and skin clinics, cardiovascular surgeons and aesthetic surgery. The center’s brochure suggests that surgery fees in Korea are only a third, sometimes even a tenth of those in the U.S.A.
Ms. Sunwoo Lee from KTO’s Strategic Tourism Product Team said that as of 31 December 2008, there were 50,456 visitors to the one-stop service centers, or 261 people per day.
The KTO’s TIC ONE STOP center has medical equipment for visitors to check their health including a BMI (body mass index) machine, a stress measurement device, a blood pressure meter and a machine to detect skin aging. Visitors can discuss their results with professionals at the center. According to Ms. Lee, all medical devices are very popular especially the BMI machine used to analyze body composition (fat mass, muscle mass) by using a micro-current. Center staff then advise participants on a suitable exercise and diet plan.
The airport MTSC has a lounge especially for medical travelers, a refrigerator to store drugs and free internet connection, so travelers can browse for information on medical service providers and travel agents. Both centers including the medical testing equipment, are free of charge to use.
For on-line information on Korean Medical Tourism see:
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/mt/tourism.kto?cmd=main&md=enu
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Ladies avoid the gropers – travel in the pink train carriages
By Carole Ann Goldsmith Copyright ©All Rights Reserved
In both Tokyo and Osaka, pink train carriages are provided for women only, in selected trains during peak hours. These are available for ladies to avoid being a victim of groping in packed trains. When travelling peak hours, I always use these carriages, to travel in peace.
Only last year in Tokyo, while travelling in a general public carriage during non peak hours, I was sitting a seat away from a man, aged around fifty years of age. I was wearing a summer skirt that covered my knee and was reading a magazine. Out the corner of my eye, I noticed that the man was moving closer to me and there was plenty of room on the seat. All of a sudden, I saw his hand moving and it looked like it was heading for my knee. As his hand got closer, I turned to him and looked him in the eye and at his hand and said in English (because I did not know how to say it in Japanese) “if you touch my leg, I will report you to the police”.
He went red in the face, because everyone was looking at him, moved quickly to the door and got off at the next stop. What I should have done when I alighted the train, was to report him to the police. If it happens again, I will do that. I guess I did not report it, as he did not actually grope me, the intent seemed to be there although.
An Australian female colleague of mine who was teaching English in Japan was travelling on a packed train in Osaka, one morning. She was groped on the breast by a man standing nearby. She shouted at him in Japanese and everyone looked in her direction. She then called the police on her mobile phone and they were at the next station to meet the man.
According to the Kyodo News agency, reported in Japan Times, October 15 2010, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101015a2.html 89 percent of train groping victims do not notify police. The National Police Agency (NPA) survey (released on October 14 2010) revealed around 9 out of 10 train women who are groped on trains, do not let authorities know.
Of the 3,256 men and women surveyed in August 2010, in the three metropolitan areas centering on Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, around 80 per cent wanted security cameras installed in trains to deter the gropers.
Among the measures to combat groping, the NPA will strengthen police patrols, make it easier for victims to report being groped and in install more security cameras in liaison with railways personnel.
So ladies - to avoid the gropers in peak hours, travel in the pink carriages.
In both Tokyo and Osaka, pink train carriages are provided for women only, in selected trains during peak hours. These are available for ladies to avoid being a victim of groping in packed trains. When travelling peak hours, I always use these carriages, to travel in peace.
Only last year in Tokyo, while travelling in a general public carriage during non peak hours, I was sitting a seat away from a man, aged around fifty years of age. I was wearing a summer skirt that covered my knee and was reading a magazine. Out the corner of my eye, I noticed that the man was moving closer to me and there was plenty of room on the seat. All of a sudden, I saw his hand moving and it looked like it was heading for my knee. As his hand got closer, I turned to him and looked him in the eye and at his hand and said in English (because I did not know how to say it in Japanese) “if you touch my leg, I will report you to the police”.
He went red in the face, because everyone was looking at him, moved quickly to the door and got off at the next stop. What I should have done when I alighted the train, was to report him to the police. If it happens again, I will do that. I guess I did not report it, as he did not actually grope me, the intent seemed to be there although.
An Australian female colleague of mine who was teaching English in Japan was travelling on a packed train in Osaka, one morning. She was groped on the breast by a man standing nearby. She shouted at him in Japanese and everyone looked in her direction. She then called the police on her mobile phone and they were at the next station to meet the man.
According to the Kyodo News agency, reported in Japan Times, October 15 2010, http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20101015a2.html 89 percent of train groping victims do not notify police. The National Police Agency (NPA) survey (released on October 14 2010) revealed around 9 out of 10 train women who are groped on trains, do not let authorities know.
Of the 3,256 men and women surveyed in August 2010, in the three metropolitan areas centering on Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, around 80 per cent wanted security cameras installed in trains to deter the gropers.
Among the measures to combat groping, the NPA will strengthen police patrols, make it easier for victims to report being groped and in install more security cameras in liaison with railways personnel.
So ladies - to avoid the gropers in peak hours, travel in the pink carriages.
Monday, December 27, 2010
the colors of Kyoto Botanical Gardens in Spring
By Carole Ann Goldsmith Copyright ©All Rights Reserved
Visiting the Kyoto Botanical gardens is one of the delights of being in Kyoto in Spring (April). Wander under the canopy of cherry blossom trees along the river as locals celebrate the Sakura (Cherry blossom festival).
View the magnificent multi coloured flowers on display or have a picnic in the treed area. I spent hours wandering the garden, painting a picture of the flowers while joining the many other artists in the gardens celebrating spring.
Many of the Kyoto Buses stop at the Botanical Gardens, ask at the bus centre next to Kyoto station for a bus map and details of buses that go to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. Take a picnic and be ready to relax in the colours of spring.
Visiting the Kyoto Botanical gardens is one of the delights of being in Kyoto in Spring (April). Wander under the canopy of cherry blossom trees along the river as locals celebrate the Sakura (Cherry blossom festival).
View the magnificent multi coloured flowers on display or have a picnic in the treed area. I spent hours wandering the garden, painting a picture of the flowers while joining the many other artists in the gardens celebrating spring.
Many of the Kyoto Buses stop at the Botanical Gardens, ask at the bus centre next to Kyoto station for a bus map and details of buses that go to the Kyoto Botanical Gardens. Take a picnic and be ready to relax in the colours of spring.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Steak, chips and vegies for dinner Lake Shikotsuko - Hokkaido
Carole Ann Goldsmith Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved
When I visited the beautiful Lake Shikotsuko in Hokkaido, I stayed at the Shikotsuko Youth Hostel , http://www.youthhostel.or.jp/English/c_shikotsuko.htm a wonderful A - framed building with a great view of the Lake.
When I arrived, the hostel manager, a very friendly happy man, was telling jokes in Japanese to his guests from around the world. I soon joined the joke group and before long we were all roaring with laughter, even though we could not really understand everything he was saying. His laughter was certainly infectious as he was very animated when telling the jokes. Then I went for an afternoon leisurely walk around the magnificent lake beside the forest. A little hungry, I bought some barbequed corn on sale from the lakeside market vendors.
The hostel staff were preparing dinner for the guests, when I returned to the hostel. I could smell the aromas from bowls of delicious looking Sukiyaki (Japanese meat and vegetable stew in a light broth) being cooked on the hot gas flames. Yum, I thought to myself, I was certainly looking forward to that delicious meal at 6PM after my natural hot spring bath at the hostel
All squeaky clean, I was feeling very relaxed after being immersed in the hot spa waters. Now it was dinner time and I was really looking forward to eating that sukiyaki, with freshly cooked rice and miso soup, that I had seen the hostel manager serving to the other guests.
All of a sudden the Hostel manager arrived at our table, which I was sharing with 5 other people. The manager said, "Carole san, it is your birthday today, and we have a special meal for you". He had arrived with a tray of plates each covered with grilled steak, potato chips (fries) and a small salad..The table was decked with knives and forks, while the other tables had chop sticks for the sukiyaki.
I am not really a steak, chips and salad person and would have really preferred the sukiyaki. I did however really appreciate the trouble that he had gone to to make a special dish for my birthday and for our table. Also I am not sure how the other people on my table felt, as they were probably also expecting sukiyaki.
This lovely meal was followed by a huge birthday cake, complete with candles all alight for everyone at the hostel to enjoy. Then everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. After dinner, the hostel manager told some more jokes in Japanese and soon we had tears in our eyes from continuously laughing at his jokes, all told in Japanese. His energy and enthusiasm for making the hostel a fun place to be,provided us all with some very happy days at Shikotsuko. I will always remember my fun and happy birthday and the hilarious time we had a Shikotsuko Youth Hostel beside the beautiful Shikotsuko Lake Shikotsuko in Spring.
Many thanks to the manager at the time for making my trip to Shikotsuko such a great time.
When I visited the beautiful Lake Shikotsuko in Hokkaido, I stayed at the Shikotsuko Youth Hostel , http://www.youthhostel.or.jp/English/c_shikotsuko.htm a wonderful A - framed building with a great view of the Lake.
When I arrived, the hostel manager, a very friendly happy man, was telling jokes in Japanese to his guests from around the world. I soon joined the joke group and before long we were all roaring with laughter, even though we could not really understand everything he was saying. His laughter was certainly infectious as he was very animated when telling the jokes. Then I went for an afternoon leisurely walk around the magnificent lake beside the forest. A little hungry, I bought some barbequed corn on sale from the lakeside market vendors.
The hostel staff were preparing dinner for the guests, when I returned to the hostel. I could smell the aromas from bowls of delicious looking Sukiyaki (Japanese meat and vegetable stew in a light broth) being cooked on the hot gas flames. Yum, I thought to myself, I was certainly looking forward to that delicious meal at 6PM after my natural hot spring bath at the hostel
All squeaky clean, I was feeling very relaxed after being immersed in the hot spa waters. Now it was dinner time and I was really looking forward to eating that sukiyaki, with freshly cooked rice and miso soup, that I had seen the hostel manager serving to the other guests.
All of a sudden the Hostel manager arrived at our table, which I was sharing with 5 other people. The manager said, "Carole san, it is your birthday today, and we have a special meal for you". He had arrived with a tray of plates each covered with grilled steak, potato chips (fries) and a small salad..The table was decked with knives and forks, while the other tables had chop sticks for the sukiyaki.
I am not really a steak, chips and salad person and would have really preferred the sukiyaki. I did however really appreciate the trouble that he had gone to to make a special dish for my birthday and for our table. Also I am not sure how the other people on my table felt, as they were probably also expecting sukiyaki.
This lovely meal was followed by a huge birthday cake, complete with candles all alight for everyone at the hostel to enjoy. Then everyone sang Happy Birthday to me. After dinner, the hostel manager told some more jokes in Japanese and soon we had tears in our eyes from continuously laughing at his jokes, all told in Japanese. His energy and enthusiasm for making the hostel a fun place to be,provided us all with some very happy days at Shikotsuko. I will always remember my fun and happy birthday and the hilarious time we had a Shikotsuko Youth Hostel beside the beautiful Shikotsuko Lake Shikotsuko in Spring.
Many thanks to the manager at the time for making my trip to Shikotsuko such a great time.
Japan's green corporate power steams ahead
Carole Goldsmith Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved
Eighteen of Japan's corporate leaders report, in a compelling book titled Japan’s Green Comeback - Future visions of the men who made Japan, the initiatives implemented in their company and the community, to help save the environment.
Published in 2000, by Pelanduk Publications and edited by Tadahiro Mitsuhashi, with translations by Junko Edahoro, Nathan Wilson and Danielle Wilson, the publication provides an insight by Japan business leader into the visions for the future of their company and the environment. Among the companies represented are Toyota, Sanwa Bank, Fuji-Xerox, East Japan Railway, Taiheiyo Cement, Shiseido, Aeon Group - JUSCO, Tokyo Electric Power Company and other leading organisations. This is a must read for global business leaders and for everyone concerned with the environment - and aren’t we all
Green corporate power examples include: Sanwa Bank Limited Midori Fund which has been set up to plant trees. Over the past 27 years, it has planted 800,000 trees at over 13,000 locations including schools and homes for the aged. Major shopping centre developer JUSCO has also planted 2.54 million trees at around 192 shopping centres.
See Also
Waste Reduction and Recycling - Cuts Costs (Australia - Japan)
http://www.manmonthly.com.au/news/waste-reduction-and-recycling-cuts-costs
Toyota's new assembly line to cut emissions
http://www.manmonthly.com.au/news/toyotas-new-assembly-line-to-cut-emissions
Eighteen of Japan's corporate leaders report, in a compelling book titled Japan’s Green Comeback - Future visions of the men who made Japan, the initiatives implemented in their company and the community, to help save the environment.
Published in 2000, by Pelanduk Publications and edited by Tadahiro Mitsuhashi, with translations by Junko Edahoro, Nathan Wilson and Danielle Wilson, the publication provides an insight by Japan business leader into the visions for the future of their company and the environment. Among the companies represented are Toyota, Sanwa Bank, Fuji-Xerox, East Japan Railway, Taiheiyo Cement, Shiseido, Aeon Group - JUSCO, Tokyo Electric Power Company and other leading organisations. This is a must read for global business leaders and for everyone concerned with the environment - and aren’t we all
Green corporate power examples include: Sanwa Bank Limited Midori Fund which has been set up to plant trees. Over the past 27 years, it has planted 800,000 trees at over 13,000 locations including schools and homes for the aged. Major shopping centre developer JUSCO has also planted 2.54 million trees at around 192 shopping centres.
See Also
Waste Reduction and Recycling - Cuts Costs (Australia - Japan)
http://www.manmonthly.com.au/news/waste-reduction-and-recycling-cuts-costs
Toyota's new assembly line to cut emissions
http://www.manmonthly.com.au/news/toyotas-new-assembly-line-to-cut-emissions
The “Losto” Locker at Tokyo Station
By Carole Goldsmith Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved
Arriving at Tokyo Station from Narita airport, (the first time a few years ago), I was very excited to explore Tokyo for the first time. “The buzzing city, that never closes”, that was how my friends had described Tokyo. This was also my first trip to Japan on my own and I was extra excited about the adventure of traveling around the country and seeing traditional Japan.
As I could not book into my hotel until 2.00 P.M., I had four hours to check out the sights around Tokyo Station. With a small suitcase and day pack, plus feeling a little tired from the nine hour trip from Australia, I went in search of lockers. There was block of lockers just nearby so I rushed over and placed my suitcase in the locker. The locker fee was Y500 for four hours, just the right time, I thought to myself.
I held the locker key in my hot little hand and placed it securely inside the pocket of my day pack. Off I went, out of one of the station’s exits, (not really noticing which exit I had left from). Armed with my map of Tokyo, complete with a subway guide, I headed off to explore the surrounding area. Wow, the subway was a maze of colour coded train lines and I somehow managed to figure out how to get to the tourist attractions by subway, not far from the station.
At 1.45 PM,, I returned to Tokyo Station to collect my suitcase from the locker. I extracted the locker key from my backpack and started looking for the locker. Not having any idea which exit I had left from and not really sure which entrance I came in, I looked around in amazement . Where on earth was the locker that I had my suitcase in? I looked at the number and looked at the lockers ahead of me and tried to match up my key with the locker. No, my locker key’s number was no where to be found. This started the nightmare of looking for the lost locker at Tokyo Station.
Here I was in Tokyo, my first day of travelling alone in Japan, I could not find my suitcase. I wandered around the station, went in and out of exits, trying to find something familiar. After an hour of unsuccessful searching for the chosen locker, I stood in the central area of some part of Tokyo station and just burst out crying. I was talking to myself and uttering some silent obscenities under my tongue and saying out loud “losto locker” – I thought to myself – maybe someone will understand my Japanese English – or Janglish. Almost immediately, I was surrounded by a group of around eight Japanese ladies, who seemed very concerned about me, sitting in the middle of Tokyo station and bawling my eyes out.
Hmmm… I did not see anyone else doing this, so maybe it was not really the done thing to do at Tokyo Station.
One of the ladies asked me in perfect English – “Can I help you?” I was in a very distraught emotional state by now and their offer of assistance made me even more frustrated. I could not tell them what was wrong in Japanese as my skills in communicating in their language were almost non existent, at the time. I waved my locker key in the air and between sobs of “losto locker”, I looked at them in a state of absolute panic. In a matter of seconds, they had called a policeman over from his police box.
I initially thought – now I am getting arrested – so I sobbed even louder. But the policeman was there to help me find my locker. He looked at the number on my locker key and smiled. Together, the policeman, the eight ladies and I following, proceeded to the “losto locker”. Within thirty seconds, the wonderful policeman found my locker. I opened it, feeling very relieved, and extracted from my suitcase, a bag of little koala souvenirs from Australia. After many “thank you very much” or “domo arigato gozaimashita .” I gave all the ladies a little toy koala and a slightly larger koala toy to the policeman. They all seemed very happy with the gift and I was certainly extremely excited to be reunited with my luggage.
The ladies then invited me for afternoon tea, which I offered to pay for, but no, they all wanted to find out about Australia as they were all travelling to Sydeney and Goldo Coasto the next month. And that was the nightmare of the lost locker at Tokyo station.
The moral of the story is to always, check the exit that your locker is near at Tokyo Station
Arriving at Tokyo Station from Narita airport, (the first time a few years ago), I was very excited to explore Tokyo for the first time. “The buzzing city, that never closes”, that was how my friends had described Tokyo. This was also my first trip to Japan on my own and I was extra excited about the adventure of traveling around the country and seeing traditional Japan.
As I could not book into my hotel until 2.00 P.M., I had four hours to check out the sights around Tokyo Station. With a small suitcase and day pack, plus feeling a little tired from the nine hour trip from Australia, I went in search of lockers. There was block of lockers just nearby so I rushed over and placed my suitcase in the locker. The locker fee was Y500 for four hours, just the right time, I thought to myself.
I held the locker key in my hot little hand and placed it securely inside the pocket of my day pack. Off I went, out of one of the station’s exits, (not really noticing which exit I had left from). Armed with my map of Tokyo, complete with a subway guide, I headed off to explore the surrounding area. Wow, the subway was a maze of colour coded train lines and I somehow managed to figure out how to get to the tourist attractions by subway, not far from the station.
At 1.45 PM,, I returned to Tokyo Station to collect my suitcase from the locker. I extracted the locker key from my backpack and started looking for the locker. Not having any idea which exit I had left from and not really sure which entrance I came in, I looked around in amazement . Where on earth was the locker that I had my suitcase in? I looked at the number and looked at the lockers ahead of me and tried to match up my key with the locker. No, my locker key’s number was no where to be found. This started the nightmare of looking for the lost locker at Tokyo Station.
Here I was in Tokyo, my first day of travelling alone in Japan, I could not find my suitcase. I wandered around the station, went in and out of exits, trying to find something familiar. After an hour of unsuccessful searching for the chosen locker, I stood in the central area of some part of Tokyo station and just burst out crying. I was talking to myself and uttering some silent obscenities under my tongue and saying out loud “losto locker” – I thought to myself – maybe someone will understand my Japanese English – or Janglish. Almost immediately, I was surrounded by a group of around eight Japanese ladies, who seemed very concerned about me, sitting in the middle of Tokyo station and bawling my eyes out.
Hmmm… I did not see anyone else doing this, so maybe it was not really the done thing to do at Tokyo Station.
One of the ladies asked me in perfect English – “Can I help you?” I was in a very distraught emotional state by now and their offer of assistance made me even more frustrated. I could not tell them what was wrong in Japanese as my skills in communicating in their language were almost non existent, at the time. I waved my locker key in the air and between sobs of “losto locker”, I looked at them in a state of absolute panic. In a matter of seconds, they had called a policeman over from his police box.
I initially thought – now I am getting arrested – so I sobbed even louder. But the policeman was there to help me find my locker. He looked at the number on my locker key and smiled. Together, the policeman, the eight ladies and I following, proceeded to the “losto locker”. Within thirty seconds, the wonderful policeman found my locker. I opened it, feeling very relieved, and extracted from my suitcase, a bag of little koala souvenirs from Australia. After many “thank you very much” or “domo arigato gozaimashita .” I gave all the ladies a little toy koala and a slightly larger koala toy to the policeman. They all seemed very happy with the gift and I was certainly extremely excited to be reunited with my luggage.
The ladies then invited me for afternoon tea, which I offered to pay for, but no, they all wanted to find out about Australia as they were all travelling to Sydeney and Goldo Coasto the next month. And that was the nightmare of the lost locker at Tokyo station.
The moral of the story is to always, check the exit that your locker is near at Tokyo Station
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