Special Feature: Envoyage - Nagoya

First Japanese Trip - Nagoya - Allan's Jottings

Saturday 03.12.05

06:32 Kamome white train, Japanese efficiency pulled off at exactly 6.30am without even so much as a beep… as if to say “Be here or be screwed”

06:50 I remember watching TV when I was younger, of people always dreading when the train would go through tunnels. I just found out why!

06:59 I just got Punked! Pulled into a station alongside another train after a 31 second pause the train began to pull off again, of course with no warning as usual. As I watched the people in the cars of the other train go by… Only to realize after the last car that the uncanny quietness of our departure was not from brilliant Japanese engineering, but rather my blondness in realizing we did not pull off but rather it was the other train that did… in the opposite direction !

07:10 Taking my first nap on a train. Sun just came up too.

08:20 Awoken from my slumber in a slight panic by the halt of the train. But luckily that wasn’t my stop. 15mins again… I’ll use the “Toy-ray” (toilet, as they say in Japanese) at the station.

09:20 With the kind help of the station man I boarded the Shinkansen (Japan bullet train) in Hakata, Fukuoka, bound for Nagoya after having a small sandwich in the station. Got a seat with a Japanese crew bound for a bit of sightseeing in Kobe, my return stop off.

Train stop en route to Nagoya from Nagasaki: Hakata, Fukuoka -> Kokura -> Hiroshima -> Okayama -> Shin Kobe -> Shin Osaka -> Kyoto -> Nagoya... my stop. The train continues on to Shin Yokahama -> Shin Egawa -> Tokyo.

I’m hating myself for forgetting a map or my Lonely Planet Japan travel guide. I don’t know where I am in Japan, just place names… that sucks! Most disappointed!

09:45 The lady (train hostess I believe would be here title) is passing around with Bentos (Japanese lunch boxes) and assortment of drinks and snacks, but I don’t know how to ask what’s in them. Hope she comes back later, I’ll just buy it and hope for the best… a hungry man doesn’t ask what’s in the box, he just says thank you.

*Ticket procedure at station: The first 2 tickets at point of embarkment (Nagasaki). The All 3 tickets when entering transfer station (Hakata) where only 2 will be returned by the gating machine. Finally the last 2 at destination station where none will be returned.*

10:54 I offered a guy who fell asleep and missed his stop at Hiroshima some potatoes chips… feeling for him as he stoops in between cars until we get to the next stop 50mins away or so.

12.10 Final destination approaching and I’m getting the “never been there before expecting to get seriously lost and freeze doing it, but still happy like a dog that didn’t get spayed” jitters. Just about 30mins again. I really should have checked the map properly; although it doesn’t seem long, it feels awfully far. As said, my seat mates when they left at Shin Kobe – “Nagoya wa toi desu ne~!” Trini translation… “Nagoya real far dred, I sorry for you. Doh dig no horrors.”

12:39 Trying to gauge the weather outside before I depart the train… you know its 85% mental 7% physical and the rest just mouse. From the droplets on the window from a little rain a while back, I could tell it’s livable temperature, because despite the train’s high speed the drops haven’t frozen… “Mamonaku Nagoya desu…”… here we go!!!

18:02 The University Open Day was very good impressive but they don’t have the programme I can do anymore but hope to bring it back later. I didn’t explore Nagoya more that the street from the University to the train station. But from what I see it is a very peaceful modern city. I get a real cool fee from it. Will have to revisit in tourist mode sometime. Now leaving Nagoya 30mins… awww, the lady I’m sitting next to on the train just gave me Okinawan Black Candy. SUGOI NE!!! Anyway 30mins late because I was standing at the wrong train track. Spent the 30mins eating beef udon soba (600yen) to warm me up. It’s very cold but I’m well dressed. Not too sure but hopefully this train is taking me from here (Nagoya) to Maibara, then transfer to Biwako line heading to Kyodo, Osaka then Sannomiya, Kobe.

21:03 After worrying more than necessary we are finally approaching my Kobe stop. Whew!! Taihen ne! (hard time isn't it)I enjoyed my day of train rides actually. Quite enjoyable. I definitely learnt a lot. Time to see what Saturday night in Kobe is like!

Sunday 04.12.05

16:45 Sitting on floor behind the last seat in car 1 of the Shinkansen from Shin Kobe to Hakata. I opted for the unreserved seat so that I can cover as many experiences as possible in one trip. (I came on a reserved seat ticket which is only about 1000yen more). I hope I get a seat on the next stop because I was blessed with meager portions in the derrière division so not sure I’ll comfy for long. Had a great time in Kobe… BIG city, real cool people, lively atmosphere. Always good to meet up with Bryan. The weather wasn’t the best… rainy and very cold but still bearable. It’s mainly my hands and face that take the brunt of the cold. Otherwise I’m properly dressed. Totally love traveling. I’ll be sure to explore some cities (this time was just business visit really) on my own in the future.

17:40 Train slowed a bit (not by much) and they finally… (Eewe!! Someone let one rip!) anyway, they finally put the speed up on the screen. We are traveling at 300km/h. Sugoi!!

18:21 Train stopped at a rainy Okayama. I think I’ll take a sleep from here to Fukuoka. A guy came on the train with jacket and gloves so I guess the rains signal the drop of 1 more degree in temperature. Whoopee ding.

18:30 Check meh nah! Big time traveler sleeping on the train. Yuh tink it easy!

18:55 Not much of a rest. We are already at Hakata and I have to be alert. The transfer to Nagasaki is only in 5mins! No time to get lost.

20:30 Met James on the train to Nagasaki. I’m happy the train I was supposed to take was cancelled, because I ran to the wrong platform… would have surely missed it. So now I’m standing in a packed train (just like you see on TV, big jam up and squeeze up in here. Man cya even scratch he head, fuh fraid he lick way man eye with he elbow)

21:57 Yatta!!! Owarimashita!! Now on the bus (just in time for the last few buses to my apartment) on the way home. WOW Nagasaki feels colder than Kobe. I suppose that I just came from the warm train into a rainy, windy, chilly night. But it’s all good. I really enjoyed the occasional panicked rush and discomfort of a journey. More memories God bless Japan. But wait! Is that snow falling outside there!?!?

22:22 I can’t believe that. What the perfect end to a great trip and I not back in my equally cold apartment after jumping up and screaming at the top of my lungs at my first sight of snow. Was this close to licking it off the street at frustration that none would fall on my outstretched tongue. Very brief… all of 1min of snow (found out from temperate friends that it wasn’t snow but rather sleet… who gives?! All ice to me) but it was great!