That was a pretty smooth flight all in all, and very speedily through Japan’s new photo and fingerprinting system for foreigners. Just took a matter of seconds. I am currently on the Narita Express service to Tokyo Central. I’ve always taken the longer and cheaper ‘Limited Express’ ticket before, but stops at Ueno. I need to get further into the city this time to connect with the JR Chuo line to Kokubunji, so hence this train. It cost a cool NZ$64 to get my one way tickets today. Probably would have cost more like $45 only a few months ago. Ah well – steep but it’ll get me to my destination all the way across in West Tokyo pretty speedily. My business hotel is pretty much attached to Kokubunji JR Station, so I hope that’ll be easy to find. It has been a clear sunny spring day in Tokyo, and is still pretty warm, so I’m getting a tad overheating in my merino jacket and Wellington Phoenix baseball cap.
One interesting change from a year ago is the JR station English-language announcer at Narita Airport now has an English accent. A touch bizarre and out of content. I suddenly thought I was back on the London underground. Really.
Now ,the ommuter train from Tokyo Central to Kokubunji out west is something else. At times, it was the classic not-being-able-to-breathe-as-jammed-in-so-tight like you see in movies about Japan. I forget it gets like that at about 7pm. I was pleased to pop out of the carriage like a bar of soap after almost two hours traveling. Sorting myself out to go to bed pretty soon as I speak. Might just pop down to the Family Mart for supplies.
All starts tomorrow. I’ll keep things up to date as I can and post pics too.
