Getting to Japan

Manga e-book in-flight entertainment

How long does it take to get to Japan?  A long time.  We started our journey in San Diego, boarding a JAL 787 at about 1:30 pm Thursday.  We arrived in Tokyo at about 6 p.m. Friday, after 12 hours of flight and an additional 45 minutes of circling over Tokyo Bay due to airport congestion at Narita airport.  In flight we enjoyed English language manga (comic books) as part of our seat back entertainment system, courtesy JAL Moooove!.  Here I'm enjoying the adventures of a pint-sized pirate who can't swim. After a calming flight over the vast Pacific, we passed through immigration where, surprisingly, our fingerprints and picture were taken. They know who we are now.  We had to fetch our suitcases, and even though we tried to rush, due to that 45 minutes of circling over Tokyo Bay, we missed our connecting flight to Osaka. Not to worry, a JAL employee got us train tickets to Osaka.  That's where the real adventure began.

sample Japanese train ticket

Our JAL gentlemen walked us from the JAL counter to the entrance to the train station where we promptly received 12 mysterious train tickets, somewhat resembling the picture above.  We were to take the train to the Tokyo station, then transfer from there to the Shin-Osaka bullet train.  Then he left us with a smile and we were on our own.  Between the four of us, we managed to figure out we had reserved seats on a thirty- minute express to Tokyo station, and we sailed through on a virtually empty train.  Then we had to navigate one of the busiest train stations in the world, Tokyo station.  (But wait, we get to experience the busiest train station in the world, Shinjuku, later this week!).  The station was packed with Japanese who knew where they were going.  We asked for help at the JR (Japan Rail) information station, and then we were off to find platforms 14-23, for the Shinkansen (express train) to Osaka.  The smell of good food from a plethora of shops within the train station wafted past us, but since it was already 19:30 (Japan is on a 24 hour clock), we didn't stop.  At platform 14, we politely lined up behind salarymen for an unreserved car.  At 12:20, the doors open and we (politely) scrambled for a seat.  We were the only Americans in the car.  Much to our surprise, the car filled up with more salarymen and well dressed ladies at the next stop.  Standing room only.  I would have taken a picture, but I was much too tired at this point.  So, I followed the lead of the other passengers and took a nap.

We rolled into Osaka close to midnight and discovered the city was hopping.  Everyone was out on a Friday night.  But we waited in an orderly line for our taxi behind some twentysomethings off for entertainment.  Our taxi driver sat up front on the right side and the seats were covered in lace.  We flowed into the traffic jam and 2,000 yen later, we were at our hotel.  I have never been so glad to see a bed in my life. But to top off the evening (or rather early morning), the hotel staff served us butter cookies and sweet hot cider in our room.  A good ending for a long day.

Steven enjoying hot apple cider in our hotel room