First Report from Japan (5-Apr)

This is my first report from Japan. I still do not have access to the internet from my room. So I’ll just have to type everything out from my laptop using Word, save it up in a thumb-drive and upload it into the blog later when I come across a place with internet access. This is only possible with some kind Malaysian students or until I get my student card for access into the university’s computer lab.



I have written an email earlier about the excitement when I reached Tokyo. But here is more….

My flight to Tokyo was smooth. Managed to get some sleep even though it was abit cramp, you know economy seats, can’t expect much. First taste of Japan was in the plane when they PA-ed in Nihon-go (Japanese Language), then English.

When we touched down at 6.45am, we were 10 minutes early. The queue for foreigners was extremely long. The zig-zag line reminded me a lot when I was in London, only this time it was much longer. It took me an hour to get my passport stamped, then went to the baggage claim and got out from the airport. Am glad I took the student identification tag and wore it on the chest area. There were JASSO (Japan Student Services Organisation) staff all stationed at the exit points to greet the students with the tag. We were then ushered to group at an area. I thought there were only 17 of us in the plane. There were actually many other students from all over the world waiting in the area. I think they came much earlier and waited for the Malaysians. Most of them were very friendly. I guess when we are in an environment where we come for a common purpose (the scholarship) and need each other; we have to be united as one “family”. Within a time frame of an hour, I managed to get on very well with scholars from Chile, Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, South Africans, Chinese and many other Malaysian scholars.

The first sign of hiccup happened to me (always me I wonder why). The list of Malaysian students appeared to have left me out in the list. I was half happy if they needed to send me home because I would wanna bring another bag of stuff, but also half disappointed because I never expected the Japanese to make mistakes. O well, maybe they do, just that not this silly one.

I had my big luggage of 30kg sent to Niigata using the airport service with a fee of 1600Y, that was the first spending. JASSO arranged the rest of the transportation to Niigata. At first we took Narita Express from the airport to Tokyo Eki (eki=station). From there we took the Joetsu Line Shinkansen (shinkansen=bullet train) to Niigata. Anyone who wants to pay me a visit has to remember this process. I am glad the JASSO staff was around. It is really tough if you don’t know nihon-go or Chinese characters because most of the instructions are in those two. I am glad I play-a-fool with nihon-go with some of my friends and read some of the basics before I came here, so it assuaged the blurness of not knowing anything at all. Then again, it is still as helpless.

The bullet train ride was much better than sitting plane. Usually it’s the other way round. Leg room was generous, the seat was adjustable in two planes, the speed was impressive and the scenes were just magnificent. From Narita to Tokyo, cherry (sakura) trees were blossoming. In some places, the whole stretch was perfect for o-hanami (watching of cherry blossom). Nothing beats this until you see it yourself. I got bored actually because almost everywhere was sakura. The shinkansen ride left the trail of sakura for something more spectacular. When the train reached this place called Urasa, it was all filled with snow! Snow is not interesting but switching from one place with a scene of spring to another with a scene of winter is really something awe-inspiring, and this is especially when this view just open up as the train come out from a tunnel. I believe the snow has begun melting and will soon be gone by the end of April.

We reached Niigata at 1.30pm. We were greeted by a member of the university who brought us to the university by public bus. O yes, again if you intend to come, the bus prepaid ticket is ¥1000 and the bus ride is ¥450. Again, I’m glad there was someone there for us (Sarah, Farhana and myself are coincidentally going to the same university under the same scholarship for nihon-go) because the instructions and bus schedule were all in nihon-go. So, there was no way we were able to get to the university without knowing how and where.

The guide, Lee, brought us to the Kokusai Koryo Senta (International Communication Centre) for registration. At this point our energy was all drained from the bout of traveling and last meal since 6am in the plane. We never had anything else to chew on since then.

We were brought to the apartment owner’s (oyasan) house just down the road to sign the tenancy agreement. We are staying at this apartment called Takadaisho which is only 5 minutes walk from the university. Our monthly rent is ¥26,000 (RM 850). The oyasan’s 3 year-old baby daughter is just too cute not to take a picture of her. She has a big fat pinkish cheek which anyone who sees it will pinch it. My room has a spacious kitchen, an attached bathroom/toilet and a bedroom that can easily put in 6 to 8 people comfortably and yet have the extra space to fit all luggages. I am impressed with the space that I pay. If you know Japan, you would know that there is a premium for space. Because of the emptiness of the room now, I am now thinking of getting some simple furniture to fit all the space. There would be a Bazaar on Saturday where used electronic gadgets, furniture and appliances are sold at really cheap prices. People get their microwave ovens or hi-fi sets like ¥2000-3000 (RM 6 to 10) and that’s like even cheaper than Malaysia. However, I can’t get many things so that it would be easier when I move out from Niigata in less than 5 months to continue my postgraduate study in Urasa.

I haven’t gotten the chance to check out Niigata city or Tokyo at all because of the running around to do the Gaikoku-jin Torokusho card (Alien Registration), opening of bank account at the Daishii Bank and a postal account at the yobinkyoku (post office) for scholarship monthly allowance. I just finished doing that and am looking forward to classes on 11 April. Just got my schedule and the nihon-go classes are from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 4.30pm. It’s really intensive. In an environment where you have no one to talk to you in English except Japanese, I think I have to do it as quickly as possible. I even hoped I could master it in 2 weeks but that’s a bit unrealistic.

There are 8 scholars in my class. Two white South-Africans, one Bangladeshi, one Paraguay, two Malaysians and another two coming later. Of them, more than half would be going to IUJ. So it will be real fun meeting everyone again in IUJ in September. Monbukagakusho scholars are well taken care of. Niigata University for example, has a reserved computer lab just for the scholars to use and access the internet. We are separated from the main computer lab which could get a bit crowded at times. Even the Bazaar selling used goods are confined to international students only. Local students are not allowed to enter and buy the goods. Ironically, these goods are sourced from outgoing Japanese students.