Day 1, life of an Indian in Japan.

My first day in Japan was like a complete revision of what I had studied in Japanese until that date. 😂

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I landed in Japan on a surprisingly cold day. Excited. Happy. Nervous, scared. And repeat 🔁. In my head, I knew that there is nothing to worry. I had money. I knew the place I wanted to go. I had a map with me. Above all, I knew I can ask anything since I could speak Japanese. Or so I thought. First few days. I was on mute.

Kansai airport is an island, connected to Osaka via a long bridge. But wait, let me briefly take you through the process after you land. So, like every airport, Kansai airport also has very clear directions of what you have to do until you reach the immigration counter. There, people divide. It's almost a moment of pride if you have a visa. Haha. Tourist visa holders have a separate line. Student/family/work visa holders are invited in the other section.

There, you will have your Registration Card　在留カード　(zairyu card) with all your details. This is your identity. This was the first time when I was in a full fledged conversation with a Japanese official. Of course, I have had chances to speak to Japanese people before, but, they were more like 'What's your name?', 'Why are you learning Japanese?', 'What do you like about Japan' etc. You get it right?

After getting my residence card, now was the time to get my luggage. But Oh ! My luggage was damaged.

Japan is famous for its awesome customer service and that day I saw it. After just a couple of questions, I had received a completely new luggage and in the same color! WOW!💜

I went out of the airport and there I could see the station. I got a train card (IC Card). Got inside the station. Taking luggage downstairs was a task. I did it, painfully. Now I had to find out the train system. When I was studying Japanese, we were taught about the train system a number of times and that kind of helped me.

Slowest is Futsu (普通） Local train, stops at every station

Then comes Kyuukou (特急）Semi express train, Faster than Futsu

Then is Toukyu (東急）Express train, stops at a few station only

And ofcourse Shinkansen

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I had already booked myself a room in a share house and they had given me all the details of how to reach them. I knew the name of the station. Now I just had to figure out the best way. I couldn't find any station attendants (Eki in 駅員). My heart was racing (well I had dragged all the luggage). I peeped inside a train. Couldn't find a friendly face. Peeped in another. None. What do I do ? Damn it. I just turned to someone and just said it 'sumimasen, kono densha wa minato eki made ikimasu ka' すみませんこの電車は湊駅まで行きますか/ Excuse me, will this train go to minato station?', like the whole sentence. Haha. Never did this again. Felt stupid. Anyway, that person helped me and I reached some station. Many people started getting down. The person who had helped me, looked at me and said 'This will not go' (cute Japanese accent), and smiled.

Turned out, the train that I had taken was an express and my station was on a Futsu line. This was one of the many things Japan taught me. Later, I learned all the ways. So much so that my friends who are still living in Japan (not Japanese people) , sometimes call and ask me for directions. Haha.

Every station in Japan, has a Family mart/ seven eleven or some other convenience store attached (conbini コンビニ in Japanese). That's where I first went. To ask directions. Later I would shop, of course. The real struggle started here. Call me dumb but I did not have an international pack in my phone and therefore I could not access the internet. I had a map. A map that I couldn't understand. I wandered here and there. With all my luggage. Tired, sleep deprived, cold and scared. One very kind person helped me. He took the map and guessed. I was going the wrong way. He also took one of the bags from me. How kind! When he couldn't understand, he asked others.

A lot of people gathered to take me to my share house. This is the beauty of Japan. Not only this, they apologized to me. Why? They felt sorry that they couldn't help me faster. Gomen ne. Gomen ne. And I was like 😮😳🙏🏻.

That's how I reached my share house. It was huge. My room was on the second floor. 211. Beautiful place, beautiful people. I had such nice friends there. Ate together, sat together, heard each other. Still do. On call, that is.

There is so much to tell. Every minute was precious. でも今日はここで終わります But, ending here for today.

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Attaching some of the pictures from my first day in Japan. ↡

← Ready to leave from India.

Did not cry but eyes were heavy. Heart too and luggage too 😁

← Landed in Japan.

At Kansai airport.

Probably waiting for Visa process.

Less emotional, more excited.

← Share house people welcoming me in different languages!

Can you spot Namaste written in Katakana?

What else can you read?

← This one was right in front of my share house.

These automatic vending machines are called

Jidouhanbaiki

自動販売機

This one was really cheap, any drink for 100 yen.

Ah ! The flavored drinks!

Can you spot peach flavored Coca Cola?

What else can you see?

Anyone of these in your list of things you want to try?

First meal.

The first thing that I did after settling in my room was→ MAKE TEA. Haha

First grocery shopping.

Milk 　Miruku 　ミルク　ぎゅうにゅう

Apple 　Ringo りんご

Oil 　Abura あぶら

Eggs Tamago たまご

Chicken Tori niku とりにく

Writing this blog made me so nostalgic!

Feels like yesterday.

I don't regret coming back to India.

I missed my family and friends.

But, the fact that I won't be able to go back this year breaks my heart! 💔💔

Should I write more like these? If yes, what topics would you like?

Till next time

Love

Indu