05.25.07: Lone Adventure in Tokyo Part III: Pain and Getting Detained

Long Long Long Long Walk

It was already 5:30pm when I finished walking around the first floor of Takashimaya. I was supposed to leave Shinjuku station to Chofu around 5pm! I called Aki to report in and to ask her the shortest way to go back. She told me to go back the way I came from. I tried to remember how I entered Takashimaya. I quickly ask a store attendant for direction. I exited the building accordingly and there it was the JR line entrance that I was supposed to get out of, starring at me. My jaw dropped and I cursed it. I can't believe I actually exited on the other side of the station; totally further.

Unfortunately, the line that I was supposed to take was KEIO. Regardless, I had to walk back through Shinjuku Southern Terrace, Sazan Terrace, MYLORD and Mozaic Street. I stood next to the railings of Times Square over looking the area that I had to return to and silently cried. Even though it was useless, I approach two American guys standing close by and asked them, "Is there a shortcut to go over there?", I pointed towards the direction of the MYLORD shopping center. Of course they said no.

With my adventurer spirit almost gone, I walked back using my last bit of energy. My shopping bags turned heavy, my purse was digging into my shoulder and my feet were suddenly sore and stiff. I didn't even peek through the stores I was passing by; my shopaholic self was dying. It took me more than 20 minutes to complete my walk. I had never been so happy to see a train station in my life.

Rush Hour Train Ride

Aki made my life easier by writting down the platform number of the Express Train that I was supposed to take. Much to my relief, I only had to wait less than 1 minute for it. But it was rush hour; it was packed like sardines. Somebody pushed me and made me pull my right arm muscle. I lost all power to hold on to the overhead grip. I had to transfer my shopping bags and purse to my bad arm and use my good arm to hold on to my dear life while keeping my balance. Suddenly, I realized that I had lost track of the stops. If I didn't ask a middle age salaryman where I was, I would had missed my stop; the train doors closed right after I stepped out. I figured out later that I was on the super express line, instead of express.

Getting Detained at the Police Station

At Chofu, I again exit on a totally different side. I ended up in the back entrance which led me to a neighborhood instead the bus/taxi hub. Lars and Aki had to stay with me on the phone for about 10 minutes until I figured out where I was. It took me another 5 minutes to walk to the correct side. My feet were about to fall off.

Unfortunate event after another, my keitai (cellphone) died when I entered the cab. Aki was supposed to give the cab driver directions, since their place is really hard to find. The cab driver had no idea how to find the address I gave him and kicked me out. Embarrassed and exhausted, I dragged myself to the nearest public phone and called Aki. Rejoice! Lars was picking me up with his bike (not bicycle).

I picked up my shopping bag, turned around, and saw a policeman (Cop A) standing in front of me. GASP! Why did the public phone has to be next to the police station!?!?! Cop A started asking me a lot of questions in Japanese, like where I was from, etc. I tried my best to answer him with my jumbled Japanese. He asked to see my passport. I told him that I had left it at my friends place. I mean, I always leave my passport in the hotel's safe deposit during travel. He told me to go inside the station for further questioning. GASP! I was getting detained!


Chofu Station on the left hand side; the police station is the black building with circular hole next to it.

Inside the station, there were 2 other cops. Now three of them tried to question and comprehend me at the same time. They requested Aki's phone number and I quickly produced it. A younger cop (Cop B) made the call and talked to the must had been surprised Aki. He asked Aki to bring my passport to the station. But Lars had already left. Cop B handed me over the phone. I told Aki what had happened. She said that she had to take the cab to the station. I felt guilty that I had troubled my hosts.

Lars suddenly appears, and I screamed his name on the top my lungs. I knew that people were probably looking at me, but I just wanted to get out of this place. Aki asked to talk to an officer and Lars soon after. After much peaceful talk with Cop A, Lars headed back to pick up my passport. At this point I was feeling super guilty.

As I Was Waiting

I was instructed to pull up a chair and sit in a corner. Feeling like an inmate, I sat there and looked out the glass windows for Lars. A moment later, a girl walked in to file a missing item report. Cop C was helping her attentively. He gave her a form to fill out and called another station to see if anybody had turned it in there. I lost interest when I figured out that the lost item was just an umbrella.

A minute later, Cop A started to scream on top of his lung. Cop B bolted out and disappeared. The next time I looked out, Cop B was using an electronic device on a bicycle. The owner was standing behind him, trying to fix his torn umbrella with a sour face. Later on I found out that it was illegal to use an umbrella while riding a bicycle. He was just too stupid to pass the police station while doing that, and plus it was not raining much anymore.

Lars showed up around 10 minutes after he left. That was quick! Cop A asked him where he lived and looked at his watch. Lars totally broke the speed limit. No ticket was issued though, not even for Lars' illegally parked motorcycle right in front of the station.

I survived

I was glad to arrive at Lars' and Aki's place. The first thing I did was open my shopping bag while we were chatting about the day's event. Aki told me that Cop A picked on me even though I look Japanese enough because I was speaking English and looked lost. Talking about bad luck. Nevertheless, I survived my lone adventure in Tokyo.

***I'm sorry that this entry lack pictures. I was too exhausted to take any. Next is story is about Sushi and I did take some pictures!***