First Day In Japan: Part Two

Now on my own, I found a seven eleven and used their free wifi. I chatted with a friend who was going to be coming to join me in a few weeks. It was my job to find us real accommodations, as this friend was a girl and had slightly higher expectations for what was an acceptable place to sleep than I did. After locating a hostel on google maps, I set off to check it out. I google mapped directions to the hostel. I took the bus but wasn’t able to find the right place to get off. I ended up riding the bus till the very end of the line, and got back on the same bus line, just heading in the opposite direction. On the second bus, I got off at the wrong stop. I soon found myself lost in Tokyo.

One thing I held dear to my heart was the idea that being lost was more a state of mind than a state of being. With that in mind I walked on. Eventually it started to rain. And ohhh did it rain. Luckily I had the umbrella gifted to me by my grandfather’s friend. I tried to get on some wifi but was unsuccessful. Eventually I popped into a convenience store to ask for directions with some of the phrases I recently learned. I’m pretty sure the counter worker told me to go to the bus stop across the street and catch the next bus. Out I went and there was the bus, pulling away. I ran over to try to catch it, but was not lucky. It was the last bus of the night.

I started walking again, and asked for directions back to Shibuya at the next convince store. As I walked in I set my umbrella into the umbrella holder that was just outside the shop. This time I was drawn and handed a map that would lead me back to Shibuya. When I exited the shop I went to grab my umbrella but it was not there. I had my umbrella stolen.

I started walking, making sure to follow the directions. The rain hadn’t stopped, and without an umbrella to shield me I began to get wet. I started to cry. I had reached my breaking point. Here I was, my first day in Japan, lost, wet, and tired. After a good amount of crying I collected myself. I told myself that this is why I decided to travel. This was what I wanted, to have the ups and the downs of travel. My morale was soon back to normal levels and I was eventually back in Shibuya. As I neared the internet cafe I was planning to sleep at I saw a smoke shop. I popped in and there were two young men -about my age- in front of me making a purchase at the counter. They made their purchase and left, and I turned around and exited the shop also. I introduced myself and tried my best Japanese I could but was mainly using English. At first they brushed me off, but I persisted.

Soon, they were inviting me back to their apartment. We took a taxi to their apartment and had an amazing night. They introduced me to a band called Fishmans. This band would prove to be one of my favorite bands of all time, partly because of the two gentleman and the night it reminds me of.

The next morning they both left and let me stay in their apartment alone. I was given one of their phone numbers. I left their apartment a few hours later and was on my way. That was my first day in Japan… and I would never wish it be any other way.