Day 96 Nagoya

Monday, 1/19/09, overcast. We were packed and waiting for the agent after breakfast, at 0800. The agent kindly drove us and assisted us through Immigration and then Customs. Afterwards, he drove us into Nagoya, and helped us make hotel reservations at JR Travel. JR is Japanese Rail. I've been to Japan 14 times before, and this Immigration and Customs experience was unique, and very different from Narita. We were apparently a great exception. After the agent brought us to the facility, we waited for 3 Immigration officials to arrive from another facility. They were very courteous and polite and formal and thorough. We were instructed to only fill out the right side of the Immigration card, pending successful individual interviews. After we each explained that we were passengers on the freighter, George opened his computer and showed the Rickmers web page for freighter travel. We were then invited to fill out the rest of the Immigration card. Next, they took our pictures and recorded finger prints from both index fingers. Next, the agent drove us to Customs and agents there searched our overnight packs.

At JR travel, my Visa card wouldn't work, for hotel reservations or train tickets, despite 3 month advance notice to Visa. My credit line is adequate and my account is current. The merchant's charge request came back with a request to call a local Visa number. The merchant tried to call the number 8 or 9 times, but it was always busy. Later, when I got through on the number, I got a recording in Japanese. When I called Visa in the US, they claimed they blocked travel agents in Japan until they called for the recording, supposedly requiring merchants to check IDs. This happened to me a few years ago with a Visa card from another company. My opinion is that if you are travelling to Japan, don't rely on Visa, because they have left me hanging twice. Fortunately for me, George was kind enough to pay my expenses, and I repaid him in USD. So, after that, we checked into one of the station hotels, and did a little exploring and looking at the stores. We went to this amazing store called BIC Camera. Finally, we had a delightful Japanese dinner, of beer, miso soup, sushi, sashimi and other goodies, before retiring.