Solo Traveling; Tokyo

2^nd of March 2017

It was not a typical day for me; 5 months of waiting finally came to an end. It's finally time to go to The Land of the Rising Sun as the westerners called it. My name is Faris and this is my story. The flight from Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) to Haneda (Tokyo) took about 7 hours and oh boy, it was smooth as hell.

As I stepped off the plane, a gust of cold wind hit my face. At that moment, I knew it. This is going to be an awesome trip.

Bewilderment took over me as I walk through the immigration gate, not knowing what to expect. The officer on duty asked me for my old passport, “Ha? Why do I need to bring my old passport if I have the new one?” Maybe he had a little suspicion, seeing my new, unstamped passport. He asked me for any documents on the accommodation and the return flight boarding pass. “There you go, officer.” Looking at my “innocent” face and well-documented travel plan, he let me off the hook. “Arigatou gozaimasu.” I passed through the custom check like a breeze. Yes!

I was perplexed for a moment, trying to digest the fact that I was actually now in Japan. A sense of insecurity started to build up in my heart because I had no idea what was actually happening around me. All signage are written in Japanese. I had no clue to what other people around me were saying. I saw a Caucasian lady speaking fluent Japanese with her friends as I walked out through the exit gate. I assumed that she might be a student here, maybe.

First thing first, I kept reminding myself about this while I was on the flight. Don’t forget to buy the 3 days pass train ticket! I went to the counter just near the exit gate. I was greeted with a beautiful smile by the staff working there.

“I want to buy two tickets for 3 days train pass, please.” He replied, “Yes sure. Can I see your passport?” and that was basically the process. I gave him the money in exchange for the ticket. “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.”

My next mission was to get in contact with my Airbnb host. I turned on my pocket WiFi and asked her where should I wait. Based on the Airbnb description, her place is just 10 minutes from the airport. She told me to wait at the taxi stand. I managed to go there with the help of a nice lady at the information counter. The taxi stand is near the escalator.

As I waited for Mrs. Megumi to come, the strong, cold wind utterly made my hands tremble. Dear god, I should have brought thicker clothes and a pair of gloves. Not long after that, Mrs. Megumi arrived and she welcomed me warmly. I felt relieved when she turned on the heater in her huge Toyota MPV. She called it a grey square car.

I reached the house around midnight. I got a bit intermediated when I saw the house. The house was located on the outskirt of town. I believed at that moment,  it was a lorry workshop beside the house. That feeling wore off as I stepped into the house. The place was amazingly tidy and neat! Mrs. Megumi told me that my roommate is an Aussie guy. ‘’Ohh sou desu ne. That’s fine.” Amazed how bad my Japanese was, she just grinned and gave me a little tour around the house. She taught me how to use the water heater and other equipment. I took a warm bath, had a brief chat with Bailey (the Aussie guy) and went to bed. Tomorrow morning shall be the start of my adventure in Tokyo during Spring time.

The flowers are fragrant, you are lovely

Light dances on the surface of the water

The wind rustles, the town is brightly colored

Spring bewilders my heart.

Hana Wa Sakura Kimi Wa Utsukushi, Ikimono Gakari.

3^rd March 2017

I woke up early that morning. 6.30 AM in Haneda appeared to be like 7.30 AM in Malaysia. I had a quick shower and made myself a cup of coffee. I went through my itinerary that I came up with for the last 1 month again and again just to make sure that I won’t screw up the day. Otoori station is just a stone throw from my house. 10 minutes of brisk walk should get me there. As I walk towards Otoori station, people in Ota were preoccupied with their daily routine. I saw a bunch of high school students on their way to school and I must say that they dressed up pretty well. I find it adorable how mothers would put their babies in a small carrier at the back/front of their bicycles.

7 Eleven and Family Mart are everywhere in this town. You could find one in almost every corner of the road. Stopped by 7 Eleven, guess what I found? A pair of black gloves! I bought it together with some snacks to keep me energized during the day.

Asakusa was my first stopped. From Otoori station, it would take around 40 minutes to get there. It wasn’t that hard to buy the train ticket. There is a step by step instruction in English, just follow the steps and you’re good to go. “Shinagawa Plat-form doko deska?” The officer on duty pointed me to the right platform and there it was, my first ever train ride in Tokyo.

Tokyo station is huge. It is the main station that connects all of the major train lines in Japan. You can think of Tokyo Station as KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur. The only difference is that it is 3 or 4 times bigger and much more complex. I worked my way from here to Asakusa station.

The sudden snow rendered you speechless,

Our third winter is ending now,

I get on the train

To chase the dreams, I scribbled in the Tokyo sky.

Kira Kira Train, Ikimono Gakari

There’s a huge temple standing tall in Asakusa. Tourists were busy savoring the delicious local snacks. Some would snap tons of pictures and some would try to bond with the locals. Their Matcha ice cream tasted really really good! I bumped into a group of teenage girls dressed in colorful Yukata, Osharee! “Sumimasen, can I take a picture with you guys?” One of the girls replied, “Yes, sure.” That’s awesome! They understand Ingrisu. Asakura was great. They retain the traditional features of the stores and this made me feel as though I traveled back in time.
 

Next stop, Ueno Park. This place is huge. So huge that you can spend one whole day here. You can find many tourist attraction spots here like the zoo, the museum and the beautiful Sakura trees. I had my evening snack at a small kebab shop near Ueno Park. The shop owner is from Ghana. He’s been staying in Tokyo for almost 17 years. He also mentioned that he spent 3 years of his life in Saudi Arabia. “Owhh, can you speak fluent Arabic then?” He replied, “It has been a long time ago. I have forgotten few of the words but I have the basic understanding of the language. I performed Hajj three times when I was there,” he added.

The day passed by so quick, my legs were exausted. All I need now is a good rest. It’s time to get back to Ota, Honhaneda. I managed to take a look at Shibuya crossing through a glass window while I was at Shibuya train station. As much as I wanted to go down there but my legs were tired. Let’s save it for another day.

4^th March 2017

Rise and shine! Sitting alone on a wooden chair while sipping a hot cup of coffee made me think about how far life will take me. We are always dragged by the past and anxious about the uncertainty of the future. Everybody is constantly in a state of fear and trepidation. Shall we seek refuge in God from the anxiety from the past and future. 

 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Robert Frost

Speaking of the past, I admit that I have limited knowledge about the history of Japan. I made my way to the National Museum of Japan. I used the same route as yesterday. The Museum is being taken care of quite well. It’s incredibly hard to find rubbish, not only in the Museum compound but in Tokyo in general. I watched a montage on a big screen. It shows the steps of preserving old artifacts from centuries ago. The processes are meticulous and it requires the skills of experienced artisans. Not everybody can get the job done. Enough about history, let’s go to Akihabara! The city of anime and advanced technology.

Yodobashi-Akiba is a must-visit place for gadget and toy lovers. I gaped a lot while I was there as I saw abundant toy collections in the 8 stories building. I spent most of the time at the headphone section here but I explored other sections as well. It was 4 PM, I promised to meet my high school friend at Odaiba. He works at a well-known automobile company in Japan. We went to this amazing Sushi restaurant. 100 Yen per plate was a good deal. The Sushi was as authentic as you can get. I spent the night at my friend’s place and 4^th of March ended with a full stomach.

5^th of March

Waking up in the south of Ota made me shiver maybe because the temperature here was much lower than in Tokyo. My awesome friend prepared me some chicken nuggets for breakfast. Thanks mate! We talked about life in Japan and how he managed to earn a living there for a couple of years. We had UCC canned coffee as we were having the conversation. He’s the only foreign worker in the company and being the only foreigner gave him the advantage to improve his Japanese language skills. His Japanese language skills are top notch, even the native speakers might mistake him for a Japanese. He dropped me off at the nearest train station. Back to solo walking for me!

Meiji Jingu, a forest in the city. This Shrine was actually destroyed by the fire during the last war.  However, it was reconstructed in 1958. Walking across Meiji Jingu to Shibuya was therapeutic. The shades of green that I was seeing was different from the usual one. Shibuya Crossing, this busy street was actually featured in one of the Fast and Furious movie. I think if I mention about Shibuya Crossing to people, an image of a jam-packed street with people walking at a fast pace might come to their minds. Enough of walking, let’s eat. I had Luke Lobster for snacks. This scrumptious lobster sandwich costed me RM70! But it was worth it. It was already late as I see the sun set on my way back home. I was feeling tired and a little bit lonely. Who knows I might be seeing a new guest in Mrs. Megumi house.

6^th March 2017

Nobody was around in the house when I reached Hon-Haneda last night. I had the place all to myself.  Bailey (the Aussie guy) left me a bottle of isotonic drink in the refrigerator, with a handwritten note. The bottle looked quite weird but the drink tasted good though. Thanks mate! I planned to visit the skyscrapers today. Tokyo Metropolitan Building was the next destination. I made use of Google Maps to go there. Thanks to the high-speed internet connection, the details popped up quickly. If it wasn’t for Google, I might be struggling here. God bless Google.

I got my bag checked at Tokyo Metropolitan Building. “Can I check your bag?” the guard asked. “Yes, sure.” I walked to the nearest elevator and up I went. I was greeted by a volunteer when I was admiring the aerial view of Tokyo. I swear I forgot her name. Anyway, we talked about many things like the closing of Tsukiji Fish Market and how the locals are not happy about it, the population in Tokyo, Olympic  2020, the places that I should visit next, the weather in Tokyo, the number of students that enter the universities every year. She also mentioned about her teenage son who is very eager to live independently. I felt like I was a counselor, trying to understand her problems. Thanks a lot for the insight, lady in the orange coat!

Next I went to Ameya-Yokochō, is a wet market but at the same time it’s not really a wet market. It’s like a mix of both. No weird or interesting thing happened here. Let’s skip. I went to a coffee shop near Taito, Ueno. I sat and enjoyed a cup of latte while charging my phone and power bank.

7^th of March 2017

After a couple of days experiencing the hustle and bustle in the street of Tokyo, I figured I should take some time off. I texted Mrs. Megumi, asking if she wanted to stop by that morning. I had no idea that she would stop by to clean up the house while I was out for the passed few days. While waiting for her to come, I went to 7 Eleven to have my breakfast and I bought a mini cheesecake. It was too sugary for me. I can taste the sweetness down my throat. 

Mrs. Megumi’s mother came at the right time. I just got back from 7 Eleven. Mrs. Hyun Ja doesn’t speak English at all. We relied on Google Translate to communicate. Again, God bless Google. She visited Malaysia a few times for holiday and golfing. She showed me a picture of her daughter’s wedding in Indonesia. It was quite a grand wedding, judging from the picture. I’ve always wanted to go a hot spring so I asked her about a hot spring nearby. She did little bit of googling and she suggested me to go to a hot spring in Kamata. Mrs. Megumi came in as Mrs. Hyun Ja and I were occupied with typing things into Google Translate. They agreed to give me a ride to Otoori Station after cleaning the house. 

I stopped at Keikyu Kamata station to go to the hot spring. Like all the hot springs in Japan, you need to strip off all of your clothes to get in. One thing that separates Kamata Spring from any other hot springs is the black hot spring or as the locals named it, Kuroyu. It is black due to the underground hot spring source containing fossil of a plaint. Based on my reading threre, it is not dirty. Well, I take that statement with a grain of salt. Submerging my whole body into the hot spring felt like heaven. All of my muscle were relaxed. Chilling in the hot spring about an hour here made me feel like a boss. Time’s up! I packed up my stuff, returned the towel and dashed to Yanaka Ginza.

Yanaka Ginza, this place was actually a suggestion from a youtuber, InternationallyME. Check out her channel! It was drizzling as I made my way there. One of the main features of this place is the double staircase. I felt this place was used as a shooting location for films and as mentioned by InternationallyME, you can witness a beautiful sunset here. This area is also popular with stray cats. I found a black kitty!

I went back to Hon-Haneda kind of early. It came to my surprise that there were two new guests in the house. One was from United States and the other was from France. I didn’t manage to have a chat with the American lady. She just briefly asked Melanie and I about where to buy some food. Afterwards, she just locked herself in the room. The next day Mrs. Megumi told me that she had lost her luggage at the airport. Tough life, I hope she will get her luggage soon. 

 

I had a long chat with Melanie. She is from a city called Chambery in France. We talked about lots of things. She actually studied Japanese Language as her first degree. The first impression when I see her was, “Is she a hardcore punk rock fan?” Apparently, it was wrong of me to judge her from the haircut. Little did I know that she is actually a cancer survivor. She explained to me how she was diagnosed with cancer and the steps of recovery. At the beginning of our conversation. I totally understand when she explained about the bone marrow transplant but towards the end, I was lost. I pretended to understand the things she said. I’m sorry Melanie! I guess an IT guy like me could not comprehend the complex medical terminologies.

We got along well. We exchanged stories about Malaysia and France. We had fresh strawberry that I bought at Yanaka Ginza while chatting. It was delish! We ended the night by exchanging postcards. The conversation I had with Melanie was fruitful. I wish I could visit France someday.

8^th March 2017

Today is the last day of my trip. I visited Camii Mosque in Oyamacho, Shibuya. This is a historic place for the Muslim community in Tokyo. The mosque was built by immigrants from Russia who fled to Japan during the October Revolution. In 1986, the mosque had to be reconstucted because of the structural damages. The architect of the building is Muharrem Hilmi Senalp. Around 60 craftsmen from Turkey worked on the finishing details of the mosque. The marble used for the building was imported from Turkey.

 

 

I saw many Japanese people who are interested to know more about Islam on that day. I met a preacher inside the main hall of the mosque. He explained something to the visitors. I didn’t really understand what he said but he kept on repeating the word “Russia”. I bought a couple of postcards and went back home to prepare myself for the long return flight. Mrs. Megumi dropped me off at Haneda airport. I arrived at the airport way too early. I spent the long hours to look back at all the pictures I’ve taken for the past week. It gave me a sense of satisfaction. Time passed by and it was time to depart. My return flight was a pleasant one. Thanks for the great hospitality, AirAsia crews!

"Come, come whoever you are,
heathen, fire worshipper or idolatrous, come!
Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving, come!
 It matters not, ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come for even if you broke your penitence a thousand times,
Come, come again, come as you are"

Rumi