TOKYO TALES
Sayonara
adly, this is the last to us.
Tokyo Tales to be On another occasion, we had new
S published in this tyres fitted to the car. Upon
magazine. returning home, the shop phoned
Although we aren’t leaving us, having found someone who
Japan for a while, at some could speak English just for this
point in the next year or so call, to ask if we had received the
we’ll be moving elsewhere, right monetary change. They had
possibly to another country or found a couple of hundred yen
maybe back to the UK before they thought might be ours. At
moving on again. At the time that time, this equated to less
of writing this final article, we than £1.
are in an unsettling limbo as I will also miss the petrol station
we don’t actually know when attendants who guide you in, fill
we are leaving. We may end up your car with fuel - just like the
up staying for another 2 years, “old days” in Britain - clean your
or we may leave this summer. windows and mirrors and take your payment
My time in Japan has been one of the without you having to leave your car. Finally,
happiest periods of my life and it will be a they walk into the road to stop the traffic to
wrench to leave this incredibly beautiful, allow you out of the garage.
culturally fascinating and remarkable country. The postal service is also incredible. If I’m out
There is much I will miss. when a parcel is delivered, a note is left; nothing
Japan is secure, clean, attractive, full of unusual about that you might think. But what
history and cultural arts and crafts that I adore. happens next is rather amazing. The note lists a
The people are wonderfully polite, caring, number for help in English, which is answered
friendly and open. There is a very special quality within two rings. Then the parcel is redelivered
in everyone here that is lacking in the UK: a that evening at a time specified by me. I’ve even
deep and natural respect for all other humans. ordered something on Amazon Japan and had it
This is encountered in every aspect of life from delivered the same day! This is something I will
courteous and calm driving to simply walking definitely miss.
along the safe streets, where people bow a Having spent nearly half her young life here,
greeting to you. When going for a coffee, you and her entire school life, the eventual move will
reserve a seat by leaving your handbag on a be an even more difficult transition for my
chair before going to the counter to place your daughter. However, her Japanese language skills
order. The bag will still be there when you leave us shamed and she helps us a lot when out
return to it. and about.
A couple of encounters will remain in my We arrived in November 2006 with a just-five
memory forever. We were sitting in a hotel bar year old daughter and two cats. We will leave
in the mountains, enjoying the antics of a tiny with a 9 or 10 year old bilingual girl,
girl, aged about two years old, who was running unfortunately just one cat, but also a new dog!
around playing while her parents enjoyed their And a lot of good memories.
meal. We got up to move to our table and the I’d like to thank you for reading Tokyo Tales
little girl was hurtling through the door at the and also for the numerous emails and
same time. With no prompting from any adult, complimentary comments I’ve received from
she promptly stopped, moved to one side to let many of you.
us through and, very touchingly, bowed deeply
By Carole Hallett Mobbs
51
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