Five Days Away

10.24.2023

Under five days and counting until my takeoff for Japan. Right now I’m working on previous trip issues particularly footwear. Yesterday I tried on my new sneakers and they just felt too tight. They felt okay several weeks ago. But I can’t forget how painful my footwear has been in the past. So I ordered another new pair in a slightly larger size. I hope these work because I won’t have time to break them in. As long as they are not tight with little movement and I can cross my front toes, they will work. During my trip in March I had to buy insoles to make my slip-ons work. I’m trying to avoid wearing the old pair from my March trip. But if the new pair is not comfortable, then I’ll have to go back to them. Walking is a big part of getting around Japan. I’m on my feet a lot when going to see Godzilla places. I gotta get my footwear right.

Another challenge is Japanese coins. Any trip to Japan will involve handing many Japanese coins. They come in 500, 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 yen. Japan is still a cash society. It is common to carry large amounts of cash everywhere. So this means a lot of coins in my pockets and carry bag. I woke up looking for a Japanese coin holder. And I found one on Amazon. I have been using a small black bag but the coins are unsorted, requiring some time and effort to find the exact amount needed for regular transactions at convenient stores, vending machines, subway tickets, and so on. This coin holder will go a long way in keeping my bag orderly. I can store and stow my coins and dispense them quickly.

This afternoon my iPhone holder and passport wallet arrived. The holder is perfect on the back of my iPhone. And the passport wallet fits fine in my front pocket. It will take time for me to feel comfortable using it as a wallet. Even if I decide not to use it, I’ll feel better that my passport is secured, protected and easily identifiable in my daily travel bag.

This morning I checked the weather forecast for next week in Japan. The weather looks sunny and warm in the low 70s most of the week except on Tuesday. Weather for Godzilla Day (Friday, November 3) looks perfect for going to the movies and hanging out at Hibiya Godzilla Square. The weather has been dicey on my last few trips. I’m grateful for a better forecast this time.

An issue that was weighing on my mind was transportation to the airport. Yesterday afternoon, it unexpectedly worked out when I was talking to my good friend, who agreed to take me early Sunday morning. That is a big check on my things to do list.

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