AkibaJiyuu's Journey in Japan

Here I am, in Yokohama.
After an arduous journey through Haneda International Airport, I quickly rush to my realtor’s office to pay my fees and pick up my apartment key.

It was already night by then, and so, photos had to be taken the day after.

It’s actually already the end of day two. Day one ended quickly with me, planting myself face first into the hotel bed because I still don’t have one in my apartment… nor did I have electricity or gas at that time, either.

Day two had me waking up in the early hours, setting myself off to the Kanagawa Ward Office the moment they opened, 8:45 am. My business there was to get my apartment registered on my Residence Card「在留カード」, get my social insurance number (lovingly called a “MyNumber” on a document known as a juuminhyo「住民票」), and apply for the National Health Insurance, or Kokuminkenkohoken「国民健康保険」. I was a little early, so I spent some of that time wandering around the vicinity. Next to an ice rink that greatly piqued my interest, there was a nice, picturesque park named Tanmachi Park「反町公園」.

The rest of the day involved the gas technician coming by to the suite to connect the gas line, as well as running around the city, buying household goods from Don Quijote (called “Donki”「ドンキー」in Japan), a department store chain. No tilting at windmills here, but a 4 storey store with an additional basement floor makes for a challenge to the psyche. That, and the nonstop theme song being played on the store speakers (You really do end up singing, “Don-don-don, Donki! Donki Hoteeee~!” in your head, and no, it doesn’t go away).

Last, but not least, I acquired my Transit IC Card. My choice? I ended up choosing the Suica over the Pasmo.

There really isn’t any advantage that one card has over the other, from what I’ve seen so far, but this little watermelon (a play on the word Suika「西瓜」and the name of this card) has already managed to save my skin at the convenience store from what may have been a serious case of social embarrassment for one forgetting one’s own wallet. The IC card, if one does not know, can be charged up with money and be used for transit purposes. For those of you reading from my hometown (the oh-so-expensive Vancouver), it’s like a Compass Card. The difference, however, is that the Compass Card cannot be used in convenience stores and vending machines, whereas the Suica (or Pasmo) can. One tap, and all your problems go away. That is, until you’ve run out of money. You’ll need to fill it up again.