The first time that I ever took public transportation in Japan was when my friend and I decided to go shopping at Kuzuha Mall, which was 30 minutes away by train from Hirakatashi Station. It was the most memorable experience that I have on navigating transportation in Japan. I had to learn how to fill the IC Card, Japanese metro card, through the card machines and I also had to learn how to use the Google Maps option. While Google Maps significantly simplified the travel process, I still had to use my skills to figure out where the platforms in the station were or to confirm whether the trains would actually stop at the correct station by looking at the train maps. And although I had done my research beforehand, I had to learn by observing others in order to understand the rules and etiquette of the Japanese public transportation. On our way back, we decided to take the bus from the Hirakatashi train station to our college because we were carrying a lot of shopping goods. This was the most tricky and confusing process since there were several buses around the station, making it difficult for us to confirm our bus number. We were basically walking in circles for approximately 15 minutes, until we decided, as a last shot, to ask a bus conductor, using our beginner Japanese skills, to see if the bus went to our stop. On the bus, my friend and I had to stay alert to make sure that we got off at our stop on time. We almost missed our stop until I remembered how the MTA buses work in NYC and pressed the stop button on one of the poles!
While taking public transportation was confusing during the first few times, I believe I have improved tremendously. I now understand how to read the signs and maps.
