Train rhymes with bureaucratic pain

In the long run, I won’t be able to explain everything about my days in this blog. But I’ll share some funny stories that I’d like to remember later! Here’s one from Tuesday.

The story

Today, I wanted to go to 府中市 (Fuchu) to buy a pillow and blanket and bedclothes, since I didn’t have any. And a wifi router and an electric adapter for charging my computer.

So, I walked to my station and took the next train to that direction. I didn’t bother checking with Maps - come on, I’d lived here for almost 24 hours already, I know my stuff. Anyway, I boarded the train and realised that the seats looked fancier than in the trains yesterday. Oh, cool, I sat down to enjoy the ride.

Some minutes later, a ticket inspector walks into the car. They were holding a tablet in their hand and walked right past me. Then, they stopped for a second, and slowly backed up next to me. They told me something in Japanese and I gave my trademark answer “sumimasen, wakarimasen” - sorry, I don’t understand.

They used a translator on their tablet (handy!) and told me that on this train I need a seat reservation. Whoops, I didn’t know. I also had realised the train doesn’t even stop in 府中市, it goes right past that station towards the center. I told them both of these things and they kindly explained how I can get to 府中市 from the next station. They also give me a piece of paper with 700円 (yen) printed on it.

It wasn’t a fine, it was just the price of the seat reservation. I didn’t have cash to pay for it on the train, so they told me to take that paper to the station office in 府中市, once I get there, and pay it to them. I apologized and thanked them and told them I’d do that.

Of course, staring at my little 700円 paper after they left, my young criminal mind quickly realised that they didn’t ask any identifying information from me. They would probably never find out if I didn’t pay. But hey, it’s just a couple of euros. And I promised them. And I felt like going to the office could make for a funny experience.

So, once I got to 府中市, I walked into the office and handed them the paper and said I’d like to pay. They told me something in Japanese and I smiled™ at them. Then, they started filling papers. First one. Then another. Then they reached to a drawer behind and took out a big folder full of train timetables (?). They browsed it for a while and started filling another form. They went between the folder and the third form many times.

Then, they asked for help and another person walked in from the back of the office. They were talking in Japanese looking at the timetables and the three forms together, pointing at various parts of the papers. They stopped once to ask me which car of the train was I on. I told them I think it was six. They stored two of the papers in some box, and took a fourth one and started filling that in together.

Soon a third employee walked to the counter, apparently wondering what was going on. Once the three of them finished filling the last paper, they finally turned back to me and asked me to pay. In cash.

I explained through their translation software that I didn’t have any, and that the inspector had mentioned I could pay with my Suica (travel card) here. They all looked a bit tired - were all those forms filled for nothing? But then I think they broke the rules a bit and allowed me to pay with a Suica. After I left they all probably hoped there will be no more crazy foreigners who actually come to pay these things.

In general, I think Japanese bureaucracy has been pretty smooth from my side. But I am reeeally happy that I’m not on the other end.

Bonus: My favorite moment today

Afternoon, lying on my bed on top of my new blanket, the sunlight falling on my legs, the room feeling warm, with my laptop charging with the adapter and wifi working.

Also, in the evening I spoke with some nice people in the kitchen of the sharehouse. So not everyone here is strange. Not in a bad way anyhow.