My Bank Account, Gaba Contract & Hanko

Big morning, not day, just morning.

I got up at 7am (the earliest I've been up the whole time) to get into my business clothes and get to Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Bank for their opening time at 9am.

Something I feel is very important for you to know, is that I had 'What Hurts The Most' by Cascada stuck in my head for the entire day. Which was very annoying, as it sucks!

I left my guesthouse at about 8.15 and walked to Ningyocho station on the Hibiya line. I was all psyched up for a Tokyo rush hour but I was very disappointed to find that there were about 2 people standing on the entire train and there were free seats! So I went the couple of stops to Kodenmacho and followed the map MUFJ Tsukiji branch gave me yesterday. I didn't actually need it, it was just round the corner from the exit. I waited outside the bank (it was 8.40), watching the world go by. It was another very clear, cloud-less morning so it was pleasant enough.

As soon as the metal gate came up inside at 9 sharp, I ducked under it and showed my documents and the letter from the Tsukiji branch to the first person I saw. She got me the first ticket of the day, 601, for me and asked me to sit and wait. I was there for 5 minutes, then I was called.

I didn't even have to speak that much. The letter and the documents spoke for themselves. The woman went through it, asked for some help from an older worker a couple of times, and filled in other forms. I was terrified the whole time, watching the clock behind her click past 9.30.

She asked me to wait on the chairs again, after getting me to sign about 500 pieces of paper, squeezing my signature into a Hanko stamp-sized circle. She needed me to fill in one document again because I'd written my name the Western way and it needed to Japanese-style i.e. surname followed by first and middle names.

She kept biting her lip and asking for help. I was eyeing her pleadingly, expecting her at any moment to say "Sorry. Is impossible".

But that moment never came! She gave me my bank book and paid Y10,000 (£50) into my account. I didn't really know what she wanted me to do. She pointed at a box on a form and said "Write money. Your money." I was thinking: All my money? What is this for?

But I had a Y10,000 note on me so I paid that in. She gave me my bank book, passport and proof of Alien Registration back. She said that my cash card would arrive in a week's time, which I already knew. I had to choose my PIN there and then. I just had to write it down on a form she gave me. Not very private really...

I left at just gone 10 with a smile. One down, two to go!

I got back on the Hibiya line (I don't really like the Hibiya line, it's old and there are no cool screens) and headed back to Ningyocho and onto Ebisu for the Gaba Recruitment Centre.

I stood for the beginning of the journey, then grabbed a seat when it opened up. Two middle-aged women got on and one sat next to me. The other stood and chatted. I felt bad so I stood and said "Douzo" (please), pointing to the seat. She smiled and sat down, thanking me. Then the other offered me a little chocolate liquer. I smiled broadly and thanked her very much, saying it was delicious. She said it was whisky. I said, "I KNOW!"

When I got off at Ebisu, they both smiled and waved as I thanked them again. How nice...

On the way to Gaba, I passed a shop with a board outside proclaiming 'Seruraito for Ladies', which sounds suspiciously like Cellulite for Ladies. Then I used a toilet that had a seat warmer, bottom cleaner (shockingly I didn't investigate that) and deoderant, all that could be controlled by a control panel built into the toilet's 'arm'.

I got to Gaba half an hour early, but that gave me a chance to read the contract thoroughly to make sure I wasn't selling them my soul or anything. We went through all the documents until about 12. Then came the embarrassing part! Students at Gaba choose their instructor through an online profile with a picture and video so we had to smile and say a bit about ourselves. How hideous...

I start my Gaba Certification (three days unpaid training) on Tuesday.

Then I walked back to the station with a woman who had to borrow my jacket for the photo. She thought I was Australian (probably the hair) and much older than I actually am (18 if you didn't know). She said I spoke very clearly and I said it was probably my British accent. She suggested that on top of that, I was used to speaking as clearly as possible for non-English speakers. She asked how long I'd been in Japan and was shocked when I said "two weeks", she thought I must have been here for much longer.

Went all the way back to Kodenmacho, this time for the Hanko shop there. I showed the man my letter from the bank and he asked me what type of Hanko I wanted. It looked like he was offering me half my name on one, or all of it on another. So I took the one with all of it! That cost me Y4,300 (about £20), and considering there were some there for Y70,000 (£350), I thought it was a pretty good deal!

The man there was very nice and helped me out with my Japanese. He asked me where I was from (he thought I was American) and explained that I could pick the Hanko up on Monday.

Then I headed back home for lunch at 14.00, a little tired but pleased.