Erek Speed

I’m going to begin a series of posts to map out my entry into Japan and anything else interesting happens while I’m here.  Smaller updates get posted to twitter at http://www.twitter.com/melink14.  In general, everything I do is low traffic since I’m pretty low key but the things I do post tend to be things that are hopefully a tad bit interesting.

This post is about my journey to Japan.  As you know, I was on a road trip previously, but my papers came in so I left in the middle to file my visa application.  I’d been waiting for more than 3 months so I didn’t want to be the cause of any delay.

My COE (Certificate of Eligibility) came through perfectly in the category of Engineer valid for a 3-year visa.  With that, my passport, a visa application and 3 days I had all the documents to ensure I could enter Japan.  (Assuming they didn’t find drugs or child porn or Chinese nationalist propaganda on my person.)   I sent Square Enix a copy of my visa and they said I was good to go.

My plan was to fly first class because I’m kind of a big deal, but American Airlines decided that my request was not compelling so I picked up a last minute ticket on Air Canada and jetted over to Japan just in time for Silver week.

The plane ride was fine.  I slept at first and then watched some movies.  At Narita, the guy didn’t see my visa so tried to set me up with the temporary visitor landing permission, which is useless to me.  A small complaint and 20 minutes later I’m going to pick up my bags with a passport that says I can chill in Japan for 3 years as an Engineer.

I sent my heavy bag ahead via the convenient door-to-door delivery services that Japan is good at and grabbed a train to Shibuya where I would be staying until more permanent accommodations could be found.

Besides the annoying lugging of luggage through stations and up mountains, I arrived at the hotel unscathed, checked in and settled down for a long stay in the land of the rising sun.