I left Winnipeg on January 5, 2005. Due to the international date line, I landed at Narita Airport on January 6.
When I first arrived in Japan in September 2003, it took me about 90 minutes to get through immigration and customs. Now that I am a legal resident of Japan, I can use my gaijin card to enter the “resident of Japan” lanes which are much faster than the “foreigner” lanes. It took me only a few minutes to get through both immigration and customs. I love my gaijin card!
I took the Narita Express to Tokyo station, and then took the Shinkansen to Mishima. At Mishima I took a regular Tokaido line train to Numazu. The Narita Express goes to and from the airport, so there is a lot of good storage space for luggage. The Shinkansen doesn’t have the same ample space, so traveling with a large suitcase can be challenging. Tokaido line is simply not fun with a large suitcase.
At Numazu station I caught a taxi to take me back to my apartment. Thanks to previous experiences, I am now fairly capable at communicating where I want to go with taxi drivers. It was a long day of travel, but it was good to be back at my second home.
Drinking in Japan 