Japan Edukaizen Trip 2017: Day 6 and 7 - Leisure visits with many lessons

Day 6 was a leisure day for us. Everyone could go wherever they liked. Some went to Chiba Mosque, others just went exploring. Muhaimin wanted badly to go to Disneyland Tokyo. I on the other hand had no clue about what places to visit, and I certainly didn’t want to go to Disneyland, having been to the one in Paris 10 years ago. So I tagged along with Kak Shaz and Kak Huda. Our first agenda was to drop Muhaimin off at Disneyland. Along the way Kak Shaz explained and reiterated to Muhaimin the train routes he could take for the journey back to the hotel. When we were about to get on one of the trains, Kak Shaz drew our attention to a cleaner who was wiping the floor of the platform using a cloth with his hands. That’s how thorough they are in their duties! Mopping alone is not enough. They take pride in whatever they do and thus do it properly.

After dropping Muhaimin off – which felt like sending him off to college rather than to a theme park – we went to Odaiba Park. We saw some amazing icons like the Gundam robot, and a miniature statue of Liberty. It was a beautiful day with clear skies, perfect for photos. Later, we went to the famous electronic city Akihabara and found a mall with a prayer room. We prayed Zuhr and Asr and then went to meet a friend of Kak Shaz, a middle-aged lady with whom she stayed when she first came to Japan as a student. It wasn’t too long before we found her waiting in front one of the shops. She was very happy to see Kak Shaz. They hugged each other and then Kak Shaz introduced her to us. She was the lady whom Kak Shaz told us about earlier in the journey, the lady who scolded her for leaving a single grain of rice on her plate and gave her a lecture on how hard farmers work so people can have rice for their meals, and that people should appreciate that hard work by not wasting even a single grain. It was quite an amazing story, given how people in our country think nothing of throwing whole plates of food, let alone a single grain of rice. What the lady said to Kak Shaz is not extreme actually, even if it may seem so to some of us. It is an important teaching of our religion. Wasting is such a serious crime in Islam, that Allah calls people who waste the brothers of Syaitan. Not followers, but brothers (ikhwan asy-syayaateen). Because people who waste are ungrateful to their Lord for whatever He has provided them, and it leads to abuse of resources which inevitably results in other problems like poverty, discontent amongst members of the community and destruction of the environment. In addition to avoiding wastage, we also learn from the lady’s scolding how the Japanese value every member of the society and the different roles they play in the community. This too is an important teaching of Islam, the appreciation of every member of the ummah, as each has a role to play in making the ummah successful.

Gundam Unicorn Mode!

Dekat je rupanya Jepun dengan New York ni... :p

Electronic city, Akihabara

Together we made our way to a little Halal Japanese restaurant down a quiet street which served all sorts of curries for lunch. It was a really small restaurant with a long counter for us to eat, rather than tables. We each ordered our meals according to a spiciness scale. I asked for curry with cheese. The combination of a mildly spicy curry with melted cheese was really something I tell you. It was filling and delicious at the same time. Although I eat curry all the time, that was the first time I tried it with cheese and I don’t regret it at all. It’s got to be eaten hot though, so the cheese doesn’t solidify. What a sumptuous meal it was and a nice change from the typical Japanese food we’d been eating daily since the start of the trip. Perhaps we might’ve even been craving for a taste of curry subconsciously, which would explain why the simple meal felt very delicious. After our meal, Kak Huda and I decided to make our way back, leaving Kak Shaz behind with the gentle lady. They had a lot to catch up, and we didn’t want to intrude. We walked to the train station, took the train to the station nearest our hotel and walked back to the hotel.

Later that night I went to pick Muhaimin up from the station near our hotel so we could walk back together. It involved a little bit of a mental puzzle, not because I didn’t know where the station was, but because I didn’t have wifi connectivity outside of the hotel and so couldn’t tell if he had arrived already or not. It was never a problem before this because Muhaimin had the dongle and I was always with him. Now that he wasn’t with me, things got slightly complicated. So I paced up and down the station, trying to catch any hot spots and luckily there was one albeit with weak connectivity near a McDonald’s outlet in the station. It was late, and all the shops were closed, so I didn’t feel that awkward walking and standing around like an aimless soul. After nearly 30 minutes of waiting, Muhaimin’s message got through and he told me he was waiting in front one of the shops, which I had passed when I was coming into the station. So I went there and we were reunited after a slight panic. We took a slow stroll back to the hotel in the mildly chilly wind. The route had become familiar since we walked back to the hotel after shopping the previous night. Once we got back, we deliberated about where we wanted to go the next day, and went to bed.

Day 7

Day 7 was the last day for us in Japan. We had time to do whatever we wanted until the hotel airport shuttle came at 6pm. Muhaimin and I decided to go to Gyoen National Park in Shinjuku. Checkout time was at 11am, but we extended our time by an hour so we could pray Zuhr at 11.30. Dr MAZA and En Fakhri came to our room to pray with us. After prayer we took all our stuff and left it in the lobby. Everyone had their own plans. Dr MAZA decided to tag along with us, since he had no other plans. We had to change a few trains until we got to Gyoen National Park. Along the way, I took the opportunity to ask Dr MAZA some fiqh questions and the three of us just chatted about stuff. Gyoen National Park was a beautiful park with various gardens of different themes. Most of the trees had yellow or red leaves since it was late autumn. Some had shed all their leaves completely. There were so many spots for great photos. While we were there, an acquaintance of Dr MAZA contacted him and asked if she could meet up. She was a participant at one of his programs and just wanted to say hello since he was in Japan. We met her after a rather confusing search of the suggested meeting place given how big the park was. She was completing her PhD studies in social work at one of the local universities and just came to say hi. We chatted about the Japanese government’s excellent social services, which on the flipside reflects a sad reality about how certain sections of society like the elderly or disabled have no relatives willing to care for them. I mentioned a recent news article about an old Japanese lady found dead in her house.  At this point, she told us that the Japanese government has a specific agency to go around looking for old people who may have died in their homes all by themselves, presumably after getting a report from the hospital or friends, of their prolonged absence. She also told us about Ubasute an ancient Japanese practice of abandoning willing elderly parents at the top of mountains or forests. Mount Fuji is said to be a famous spot for this practice along with the infamous Aokigahara Forest at its base, also known as the suicide forest. I suppose, the rat race has left many Japanese youngsters with no time to care for their parents. They don’t even have the time or means to consider a serious relationship, which is why the birth rate in Japan is falling. The conclusion of our rather brief chat was that, Malaysia has a lot to learn from the Japanese government in terms of the social services it provides it citizens, but that we must be cautious too, so relatives don’t wash their hands off their responsibility completely of caring for their own family. This problem is growing in Malaysia even among the Muslim population which is a terrible predicament, especially since how much emphasis Islam places on caring for our parents. Everyone is becoming more materialistic. Providing better social services is needed but will only help remedy the symptom of this materialism namely abandonment of responsibilities towards those we are meant to care for. A more holistic approach to this problem is needed, and I daresay the waning of religious values is a core problem that must be addressed.

Just before she left, she informed Dr MAZA of a bookstore that offers secondhand books at a very cheap price. Maruzen was the name of the building the shop was in, and she urged us to go there. She bade farewell as she had to attend a class, and went on her way. Maruzen was not supposed to be in our plan, since we intended to go to Asakusa and get back to the hotel early for some shopping. Luckily though, despite being a lover of books, Dr MAZA did not insist on going to the bookstore. After spending another 30 minutes at the park, we decided to go to Asakusa. We were running late and did not want to get caught in the rush hour, but still decided to stop at Asakusa for a while. I had visited Asakusa when I went to Japan in 2013, but felt Muhaimin should visit the place since it was a popular tourist destination, with its famous Asakusa Nakamise street lined with souvenir shops, at the end of which is the famous Asakusa Temple and Pagoda. Dr MAZA was happy to go to Asakusa again because he wanted to buy the oranges he bought the day before, but unfortunately the shop could not be found. The vendor probably did not open his stall that day. So we just took a quick walk along Asakusa Nakamise street whilst perusing the various items sold in the shops, from food to clothing.

Amazing scenery at Shinjuku Gyoen National Park

Pagoda near the temple in Asakusa

After a rather hurried tour of the area, we went back to the station to make our way back to the hotel. I was already in a daze given the number of people in the station by then. Luckily, we managed to get back without much difficulty. All of us were tired, but still we wanted to do some last-minute shopping. So off we went to the nearest shopping centre (can’t remember what it’s called) and shopped for things to take back home to Malaysia. Many of us bought strawberries. The strawberries were really big and delicious. It would’ve been a terrible mistake not to buy them.

By the time we got back from shopping, it was close to 6pm. I had one more bento left from the previous meal and so I ate that. When I was done, I wanted to throw the packaging away but could not find a bin in the hotel lobby. I went out, and still couldn’t find any bins on either side of the road. There were recycling bins but no rubbish bins. “How peculiar,” I thought. Then Kak Shaz told me that the Japanese government does not provide bins for its citizens except in a few select places like train stations or airports. The reason is, if bins are provided, they would also have to pay for removing the rubbish every now and again which they are not willing to do. The money could be used for more useful things. The Japanese people are okay with that policy and keep their rubbish with them until they find a bin. I observed this amazing behavior when I went for a picnic at a riverside when I came in 2013. A group of Japanese youths were having a picnic. They brought their own barbecue set and crisps and other foodstuff. At the end of their picnic, they took everything and put them in the boot of their car, because there were no bins to be seen anywhere in the area. What amazing behavior! Here in our country, a bin can be 10 steps away, but still people will leave their trash around without an iota of guilt. It all boils down to our worldview and attitude. If we look at the environment as something solely to be manipulated, then we will not care for it. But if we view ourselves as an extension of the environment, as a part of it, as beings living in and dependent on it, then we will care for it because we will realize that if the environment is corrupted, then we too will not be able to survive. This is a key duty for Muslims as khalifah of Allah upon the Earth, but sadly, Muslim nations are the dirtiest in the world. How very unfortunate especially since we should have even more reverence for the Earth, knowing it belongs to Allah and that He will call us to account for how we use or abuse it.

Anyway, I kept the trash in my bag so I could throw it away later at the airport where bins are provided. As we were waiting for the shuttle to arrive, we realized some people were missing. Guess who? Yes, Kak Shomi again! And Afiq. They had gone shopping but had not yet returned. It was 6.30 and the shuttle arrived. Luckily, they arrived as we loaded our stuff onto the bus. Kak Shaz estimated that we would have to make two trips since there were many of us with huge bags, but thankfully, the bus was mostly empty except for 3 passengers. So all of use managed to get onto the bus, except for Mr Auslan and family who decided to extend their stay in Tokyo for a few more days. As an added bonus, the bus driver took us straight to the international terminal instead of the usual local terminal, saving us the trouble of unloading and reloading our baggage onto the airport transfer shuttle. We were most grateful for his kindness.

Haneda airport was quite a pretty sight. There were holographic light shows on the walls and ceiling which made for a nice view. We prayed Maghrib and Isya’ at the designated prayer room in the airport and checked in after that. To our surprise, the ANA staff who helped Mak Tok with her lost baggage when we arrived was on duty that night too. She recognized Mak Tok straight away and went to her. Mak Tok was overwhelmed with joy and hugged her too. How very courteous it was of her to approach Mak Tok and ask her if she still remembered her. Most people would have avoided such an encounter.

The airport

Our flight was around midnight, so there was plenty of time to just sit and let time pass. We walked around the terminal for a bit then sat and rested. Just before departure, all of us took turns to take photos with Dr MAZA, since we weren’t sure if that opportunity will be available once we landed in Malaysia.

Kak Shomi, Dr MAZA and me

The time to board the flight came. We weren’t all seated together. I was seated next to Kak Shaz. Kak Huda, was seated not far from us which would be a relief for a dramatic episode that was about to occur. Midway on the flight, while I was just about to doze off, suddenly a familiar voice called out panickily, “Is there a doctor on the plane? Is there a doctor on the plane?” It was Kak Yanti. I was hoping to ignore the call, since I was sure there would be far more qualified doctors on board to deal with an emergency. But Kak Yanti spotted me, and said, “Aqtar, you doctor kan, cepat tolong tengok!” So I groggily got out of my seat to see what had happened. Meanwhile I asked them to look for Kak Huda. If there was anyone who could save someone in an emergency situation, it was Kak Huda since she was training to be an anaesthetist, and so would be very well-versed in emergency medicine. She was sitting about 2 rows in front of us and Kak Yanti called her. I went to the back to see what happened. An elderly lady had collapsed but she was talking and there was another person taking her pulse, who I would find our later from Kak Huda, was an ophthalmologist. Seeing that things weren’t too bad, and Kak Huda had arrived at the scene, I went back to take my seat. Not because I couldn’t care less, but because I knew it wasn’t anything major. In all likelihood, the lady experienced a sudden drop in her blood pressure when she got up from her seat and went to the toilet (postural hypotension). Luckily for her, she fell onto Kak Yanti who happened to be standing nearby. It is quite a common problem in the elderly, and would resolve spontaneously. Of course Kak Yanti’s panic was justified, since she wasn’t used to seeing people collapse like that. But from a medical standpoint, it was a really minor problem. Alhamdulillah nothing worse transpired. Or else we would’ve come out in the papers again!

That aside, I personally had experienced a slightly frightening episode later during the flight. I suddenly developed severe stomach pain which made me feel very faint and nauseous. I knew a vasovagal syncope was on the way. That’s when the tone of the blood vessels suddenly decreases, resulting in a sudden drop in blood pressure and fainting. Usually I would just lie down, and that would solve the problem since blood in the legs would not have to work so hard against gravity. But lying down wasn’t an option in the flight. So I just sat there feeling absolutely terrible and closed my eyes. To my horror, when I opened my eyes, everything was black. I couldn’t see anything at all. I thought it was because I had closed my eyes and since the plane was dark, it would take some time for my eyes to adjust. I closed my eyes, rubbed them a little and reopened them. Still to my horror, it was completely black. I had literally become blind for close to 30 seconds. I was experiencing what is known as cortical blindness. That’s when the eyes are perfectly fine, but because there is not enough blood flow to the brain, the visual parts of the brain cannot interpret perceptive information coming from the eye, hence the blackness. It’s what people experience when they get a stroke or a mini-stroke also known as a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). I told myself, this will pass as I knew it was a vasovagal attack, and so I didn't panic too much. After a few more seconds, I regained my vision slowly.

It was quite scary thing I tell you. Because you can open your eyes perfectly fine, but you see nothing but complete blackness. If I didn't have the prodormal symptoms of nausea, sweating, sudden warmth etc to indicate that it was a vasovagal effect, I would've screamed in terror at the sudden loss of vision, because it would’ve meant I was experiencing a TIA. Alhamdulillah, it wasn’t a TIA. I’m fairly certain it wasn’t because I don’t have the risk factors associated with such an attack like being overweight, smoking, elderly etc.

The rest of the journey was uneventful. Not that we needed any more events. Upon landing, we went past immigration, and waited for our bags to arrive. Some of us were in a hurry to catch connecting flights, or had other things to do. So we shook hands with each other and bade farewell for the last time as we all went our separate ways.

The trip to Japan truly a great and enjoyable experience. We made new friends whom we keep in touch with until today, learnt many new things about Japanese culture and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. If I was given an opportunity to join such a trip again, I would take it right away without thinking twice. The only hindrance might be the cost of the trip, which I believe can be reduced. I look forward to more of such trips. This trip has been so wonderful that I seriously considered, and still am considering moving to Shizuoka to stay there for a few years maybe. It’s still a dream with no concrete plans, but it’s something I would like to do. Who knows what the future holds?

Japan Edukaizen Trip 2017: Day 5 - Keiyaki-No-Sato, Little Edo and Tokyo Camii

Our first visit for the day was to Keiyaki No Sato, a center for mentally disabled persons, mainly those with autism. It was in Saitama prefecture and so we had to leave very early in the morning. Upon arrival, we were taken on a tour of the site, which included buildings for accommodation and for skills based work like carpentry. The guide told us that the government is starting to feel the financial strain of operating centers like this, and so many centers are closing down and those that remain only take those who really have nobody to take care of them and are not independent. Many have very old parents who themselves need help with self-care, let alone care for disabled adult children.

We met adults with a range of mental disabilities. Some hopped around vigorously when they saw us, others were shier and quieter. Those with mild autism worked in the adjacent building, doing repetitive tasks like stapling pieces of wood in a specific order. After that we went to another site further away, which had a building like a dorm, but homelier than the previous one. We also saw some of the occupants doing cloth work either by hand or using a loom. Most of us bought some of the items they made like little purses, mats and mittens, not so much because we needed them, but as a show of support, moral and maybe financial, for the caretakers and the occupants themselves.  The guide was kind enough to let us use one of the rooms upstairs for prayer. The room however was extremely cold as the heater was not switched on. We quickly prayed and made our way downstairs and back into the bus for some warmth. We bade farewell to the guide for taking the time to show us around and explain everything in detail, and resumed our journey to our next destination, Kawagoe, also known as Little Edo.

One of the features of a great nation is that those who are weak in society are taken care of. Although there seems to be a stigma associated with mental illness in Japanese society (like many others around the world), the government tries its best to provide the necessary care for them so they are not left neglected just like that. It may be the case that this stigma and the associated lack of care for the disabled are more prominent in cities. Perhaps it isn’t too farfetched to claim that people in very busy metropolitan cities like Tokyo tend to care less about others because they don’t have the time to do so, while in the suburbs and the country, close knit communities made up of individuals with a strong sense of affinity to their families and community mitigate this problem. Here in Malaysia, our awareness towards the needs of disabled people is improving, which is good, but there is still much room for improvement. People suffering from disabilities, whether mental or physical, might need lifelong support, but with adequate help from society and the government in the form of basic support and suitable work programmes among other things, they can lead fulfilling lives without losing hope that nobody would care for them once their carers, usually their parents, are gone. The first step is to accept them as a part of society like everyone else, and for that, we need a community with a deep sense of empathy.

Kawagoe

Kawagoe, a city in Saitama prefecture is also called Little Edo because most of its buildings are from the time of the Edo dynasty. One feels as if one has travelled back in time when one walks in the city. Since it was difficult for Mak Tok to walk long distances, she, accompanied by Afiq decided to ride on one of the many rickshaws offering tours around the city, while the rest of us walked. Kak Huda and I walked much further ahead of our group to explore more of the city’s iconic buildings and architecture. Most of the houses on the main street were now shops selling all kinds of things. Kak Shaz explained that real Edo-themed houses were known to have many sliding doors properly aligned so that if all the doors were opened, one could see the garden all the way at the back of the house. 

Old bell tower

After exploring all the nooks and crannies of the city whilst taking photos, Kak Huda and I rejoined our group, most of whom were either shopping, or seated outside the shops, too tired to walk. Kak Shaz suggested we buy knives since the prices here were comparable to the same type of knives elsewhere. These were not any normal knives. The last time I came to Japan, I bought Kyocero ceramin knives, which are really sharp, but not suitable for daily use involving rough cutting and chopping because the knives can chip easily. So this time, I decided to buy normal metal knives but they’re not your usual mundane knives you can get in any shop. These knives are specially made by families who were in the business of making Samurai swords. Since there are not many Samurai left in the world, the families have had to look for ways to sustain their business and venture into different markets, and what better item to produce than knives given their ability to make swords! Every knife is engraved with the surname of the family that made it, which gives it a special feel. I bought two such knives. On the way back to the bus, we bought some black coloured sesame seed ice cream since it looked exotic, but did not taste very nice. Once of all of us got onto the bus, we made our way back to Tokyo, specifically to Tokyo Mosque, to meet another great luminary involved in da’wah, Imam Sulaiman Akira Hamanaka.

Tokyo Mosque

Tokyo Mosque, also called Tokyo Camii, is the main mosque of Tokyo. It was built and continues to be maintained using funds from the Turkish government, hence the name Camii. Although it is the main mosque, it is not very big. Many of our suraus are bigger. It consists of 2 floors, with the main prayer hall on the 2^nd floor, accessible from the outside directly via a stairway leading to the balcony outside the prayer hall. The architecture is distinctly Turkish, and although Dr MAZA is an advocate for mosques to retain the architecture of their own culture, he said that having a mosque with such magnificent ‘Islamic’ architecture can be a source of attraction for the Japanese to come and visit the mosque. We prayed Maghrib and combined Isyak to it and then went downstairs to have a short discussion with Imam Hamanaka and sister Yuki, a local Japanese Muslim who works part time at the mosque while studying at one of the local universities. The discussion had to be brief because according to Dr MAZA, if we were in the mosque when the azan of Isyak is given, then the men must join the prayer, even if we’ve prayed Isyak already earlier together with Maghrib.

Sister Yuki, who is conversant in English, told us that on a regular week day, they receive about 20 local visitors who wish to learn about Islam, while on weekends that number can soar to more than 100. There were other volunteers too, mostly foreign Muslim students studying in Japan. After a brief chat with sister Yuki, we adjourned to one of the bigger rooms to speak with Imam Hamanaka, who is actually the Imam of Shikoku Island Mosque. He happened to be in Tokyo because he was supposed to receive the badminton delegation lead by Datuk Norza later that night. Imam Hamanaka converted to Islam 50 years ago when he was on a vacation in Malaysia. He then studied in Malaysia in one of the madrasas for a period of about two years (hence his fluency in Bahasa Malaysia) and went back to Japan to spread Islam. He is the founder and administrator of islamjp.com, which contains information about Islam in Japanese, for the reference of Muslims and non-Muslims proficient in the language. He met Dr MAZA when he came for the sunnah conference in Perlis some months earlier, and then met again him again when Dr MAZA went to Japan a few weeks prior to our trip as part of an official delegation from Perlis lead by the Raja Muda of Perlis. It was comfortable to hear him speak because he spoke in BM, talking about the issues faced by young Muslims in Japan. Among them was the lack of opportunity to study Islam properly, especially for new converts. Not many Muslims live near Tokyo mosque since housing in the area is quite expensive. A lack of funds means it is difficult to hire teachers and open more centers of Islamic studies. As a result, many Japanese Muslims are weak in both knowledge and practice of Islam. Imam Hamanaka admits this problem affects his own children. Even though he himself is an imam, he echoes the same sentiment of Imam Sugimoto whom we met in Shizuoka, that the environment makes it difficult for Japanese Muslims to appreciate the need to study and anchor themselves properly to the religion.

Dr MAZA had a few questions about their funding and the rights to print the Japanese translation of the Quran, currently held by the Muslim Council of Japan. After some further discussion on some other issues of mutual importance to us as individuals of the Muslim ummah, we decided to make a move. Dr MAZA, in his capacity as the mufti of Perlis, offered to sponsor students on short term and long-term study in Perlis, expenses fully paid except for flight tickets to and from Malaysia. They were very grateful for the offer and I believe Perlis under the guidance of Dr MAZA will be able to help them for the sake of Islam, insya Allah.

We bade them farewell. I wished I had brought more copies of my book to donate to Tokyo Camii, especially since sister Yuki said she was thinking of writing story books for children, which are scarce in Japan. Perhaps another time insya Allah.

Tokyo Camii

Imam Hamanaka speaking to us in fluent Bahasa Melayu

Night shopping

After our visit to Tokyo Camii, we went back home to our hotel to freshen up. We had our bento dinners and then went shopping together buying different things. The fruits, especially the strawberries were so fresh. We ate most of them on the way back. I spotted a funny phone cover like the one below.

Mampuihla siapa beli phone cover ni....

Muhaimin and I decided to walk home with Dr MAZA, who had explored the surrounding area the night before. We almost got lost, but thankfully, Dr MAZA’s acute sense of direction helped us get back to our hotel safe and sound. It was quite alarming to see people coming out of offices at 10 o’clock at night. No wonder Kak Shaz despite her love for Japan, says if given the opportunity, she wouldn’t work in Japan. The expectation of bosses for their workers to work as long as they have life in them – and this is no exaggeration, people have died from overwork – is taking a toll on the well-being of the whole society. There needs to be a balance in everything we do, and here again is where I think Islam can offer something to the Japanese. They are excellent in almost all things they do, achieving what we call ihsan. But Islam will give them a compass, to guide them and tell them that they are servants of Allah, not servants of men, and thus should live balanced lives according to how Allah has ordained man to live for security of spirit, mind and body.

Japan Edukaizen Trip 2017: Day 4 - Shizuoka Islamic Centre and Fuji

On Sunday morning, after breakfast we put all our luggage into the bus as we weren’t coming back to the inn anymore. The kind inn keepers walked us to the bus and bade us farewell, bowing repeatedly whilst saying arigato gozaimashita as the bus moved until they were out of sight. This aspect of a host’s kindness – bidding us farewell until we were out of sight – was something we experienced during every single one of our visits. It makes people feel welcomed and that they will be missed. Actually that’s what people do here too in Malaysia (and perhaps elsewhere in the world), but like all valuable cultural practices, it too is eroding, partly because of our modern ways of living. It’s difficult, but not impossible to see someone off if they are living in high rise buildings. Most people would just say goodbye at their doors. Those who follow their guests all the way down to the carpark, they are a rare breed and are special. These are little acts whose absence don’t really tarnish our reputation as hosts, but they add that much more warmth to our interaction with our guests.

Our first visit was to Shizuoka Islamic Center. Since it was a Sunday, the roads were quite clear as there was not much traffic. The center was essentially a musolla located on the fourth floor of one of the buildings in Shizuoka City. Our driver parked the bus by the pavement for us to disembark. We were pleasantly greeted by sister Miwa and her husband, brother Yassine Esaadi, a Syrian born Arab who met sister Miwa while studying in the US. He is the President of Shizuoka Islamic Center. We went upstairs to the musolla. There were a few Indonesian brothers there, along with brother Kyoichiro Sugimoto, President of Chiba Islamic Cultural Center as well as International Islamic Research and Foundation, Japan.

We all sat down in a circle and Dr MAZA was invited to give a short tazkirah. (I can’t remember what he spoke about :/ but I think he said something about about how we are all bound by time but not Allah, because Allah created time. He spoke about the excellence of Japanese culture and how the Japanese way of life represents a ‘sunnah’ way of life)

After him, it was brother Sugimoto’s turn to give us an introduction about Islam in Japan. He told us how Japan has been rather closed to outside influence for a long time and remains so in comparison to other countries. Even Christianity has not expanded, despite being in Japan for many hundreds of years earlier than Islam, which really only began to make an impact in the early 20^th century. He showed us photos of the first mosque in Japan, the Kobe Mosque and the first Islamic community there and explained how da’wah is progressing in Japan. He said that Japanese people generally are areligious, even if many say they believe in some kind of higher power and subscribe to Buddhism or Shintoism. Because the Japanese are a very homogenous people, they have very little real-life exposure to cultures outside their own. Islam is no exception. In fact, there is some fear and negative perception about Muslims, given how they are portrayed by international media. The Japanese however are open to knowing about the religion and in fact many who learn about it, embrace Islam. The reason is, as brother Sugimoto explained, the concept of God and Hereafter in Islam is very straightforward and appealing to them. It explains a lot of the mysteries of life like injustices occurring all around the world, and gives them hope and a sense of peace. It fills a spiritual void that many Japanese suffer from, exacerbated by strong societal pressures to comply and fulfill expectations, which is part of the reason why Japan has such a high suicide rate. In Islam, absolute compliance is only to the laws of God, for everything else is created and not worthy of absolute obedience. And that is why too, brother Sugimoto said, there is great opportunity for da’wah in Japan. Many Japanese are clutching at straws, looking for meaning in their seemingly perfect lives, and Islam can give them that meaning.

At the end of his talk, he opened the floor to questions. During the talk, he mentioned that it was difficult to bring children up in Japan in an Islamic way. I found that sentiment to be quite peculiar, since many of us Muslims from Muslim countries would like our children to grow up in Japan because of how Japanese society models the sunnah way of life very closely. So I asked him about why he said that. He said, because there is very little spirituality in Japanese life, it is difficult to instill the spiritual aspect of Islam, which is the backbone of the religion, in children. People don’t mention God but instead appreciate things for what they are. In Muslim cultures, a beautiful scenery prompts the beholder to say Subhanallah. People greet each other by saying Assalamulaiakum. If a tragedy strikes, people say, Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi raji’oon. If they feel thankful, they say alhamdulillah. Even though these phrases are often used meaninglessly by Muslims in Muslim majority countries, and sometimes even deceptively, they still provide a scaffolding of spirituality for the community. In Japan, mosques are scarce so even the adhaan is not heard. Children in school don’t talk about God or prayers. So, brother Sugimoto said, it is difficult to instill God-consciousness in children when there is hardly any spiritual element in Japanese culture. It’s easy to teach them to be good people and lead upright lives, but it’s not easy to infuse that uprightness with the most important aspect of being a Muslim, namely being God conscious, for it is that God consciousness that ultimately determines one’s destination in the Hereafter.

His response provided us a view of the issue from another dimension which we never considered. And it somehow resonated with what I felt when I studied abroad for a number of years, but strangely never thought about in this matter of bringing up Muslim children in Japan. The other side of the coin in this problem that requires scrutiny and deliberation by us Muslims, is the question which is likely to be in the minds of many Japanese, that is why should they convert to Islam when Islam has so little to offer in terms of living orderly lives based on their experience of visiting Muslim countries. Here, brother Yassine shared with us a rather sad and frustrating story about how a Japanese young man came to Shizuoka musolla to convert because he wanted to marry a Muslim woman and not because he was really interested in Islam. Brother Yassine asked why he felt that way and he related an incident about when he visited Egypt. He was in a cab when he heard the adhaan. The cab driver pulled over at a mosque and asked for permission to perform his solah. At that moment, he said he felt impressed and wished that he had order in his life like that of the cab driver. After solah, the driver returned and they got on their way again. Along the way, the driver ate something and after finishing, wound down the glass and threw the plastic packaging out the window. When the Japanese guy saw this, he said to himself, “If this religion was good, this man would not have done what he did.” Subhanallah, I was so sad and disgusted when I heard this story. The analogical image of what I had just heard was that of a man who gives someone a lighted candle to illuminate the darkness around him, and then himself blows the flame out. Of course a rational person should not blame an ideology because of the actions of its followers, but that is the reality of how things work, which is why having good akhlaq is of utmost importance. The light that shines from good character if cultivated sincerely for Allah and not just for show, is a powerful light that can attract others unto the path of Islam. Unfortunately, we all know the terrible state of affairs of Muslim countries. We have some of the dirtiest environments in the world, low levels of integrity, and overall have failed to portray Islam as a mercy and a solution to the problems of this world.

That said, Brother Sugimoto stressed the importance of da’wah. He said that it’s true that having a Muslim community made of members with good akhlaq is essential but it is only 90% of overall da’wah. The remainder 10% is having da’ees to call people to Islam, because even if everyone in the Muslim community portrays excellent akhlaq, people will not automatically embrace Islam unless they are called to it. This is especially relevant in Japan because people already live orderly and moral lives, but have a spiritual craving which Islam can provide only if they know about it. The caller’s job is made easier in a Muslim community which embodies Islam properly, and vice versa. But having the callers (da’ees) is a necessity for Islam to spread. Thus, brother Sugimoto made a plea to us to help the da’wah efforts in Japan. Dr MAZA asked what kind of help he needed. He said he just needed someone to sponsor 10 people to do da’wah full time for the whole of Japan. By sponsor he meant, pay them the minimum wage Japanese workers earn monthly so they don’t have to work and can solely focus on da’wah activities. Mind you the minimum wage for Japanese workers is equivalent to 2000 US dollars per month. Dr MAZA said that is quite a lot to sponsor, but he would be willing to sponsor new Muslims to come and study Islam in Perlis for short courses, everything paid for except for flight tickets.

After the session, we prayed zuhr together lead by Dr MAZA (since we were going to combine the prayers), and then had lunch. Brother Yassine excitedly shared with us news about the new mosque they were going to build, and Dr MAZA suggested that the mosque should be built using traditional Japanese architecture so Japanese people don’t feel that a foreign force is trying to dominate their land. Islam accepts and celebrates all cultures so long as they don’t go against the moral and legal framework set by Allah. Brother Yassine happily confirmed that the architect for the building was a Japanese woman and she had been asked to design the mosque using traditional Japanese architecture.

From left: Sister Miwa, Kak Shaz, Imam Sugimoto's wife and himself, Dr MAZA and brother Yassine Essaadi

After lunch, we got onto the bus to make our way to the site where Shizuoka Mosque would be built. It was not very far from the musolla. Space is very limited in Japan, but they managed to secure a modest plot of land in a residential area. It was strategically located facing Suruga Bay, the deepest bay in Japan, with a fantastic view of the bay and mountains making up the promontory. The Japanese are very particular about not being a nuisance to others, and so they had to make sure the area around the site of the mosque has ample parking space for Jum’ah prayer. Luckily, there is a public parking space across the road from the site of the mosque, near the marina. The road in front of the mosque leads to a recreational park, and so once the mosque is complete, visitors to the park will surely see it as they drive by. That would increase the likelihood of having Japanese visitors to the mosque. See how much thought was put into acquiring a plot of land for the mosque. Brother Yassine did not just want to make a mosque for worship, but wanted to make sure it would be a center for da’wah, and hence chose a location that would fulfill that purpose. Shizuoka City Council also proposed for the mosque to have an escape platform in case of a tsunami, which brother Yassine happily accepted. The mosque will then also be a place of refuge in times of danger. What a mosque, subhanallah!

The amazing view from the site where the mosque will be built

After the site visit, we then went to visit the beautiful recreational park mentioned earlier for a short walk. I gave as a present my book Stories of The Prophets to brother Yassine and told him that he is welcome to translate the book and use the profits therefrom for the benefit of Shizuoka Muslim Association (a few weeks after this visit, he contacted me to tell me that he finished reading the book and would use some of the contents for his khutbah, alhamdulillah).

The trip to the park was not in our plan, so we only stopped for a very brief period. As we got onto the bus, we bade farewell to brother Yassine and the Indonesian brothers who came along, hoping to see them again in the future. It was a meaningful morning, meeting new people working hard to keep Islam alive. May Allah assist brother Yassine, brother Sugimoto and all others who are actively involved in spreading the light of Islam in Japan. Ameen.

The park

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was no time to waste, as we had to make our way back to Tokyo for our visit to Necco Café, a café which hires disabled persons. On the way back, we stopped at a famous rest and service area in Shizuoka with a fantastic view of the majestic Mount Fuji. We all got down the bus and took individual and group photos from different angles, with the beautiful mountain as our backdrop. Truly, Mount Fuji is a sight to be behold. With its almost perfect cone shape and snowy top, it stands out conspicuously above the landscape, visible for many many miles away, even from Tokyo! No wonder it is the most famous icon of Japan, frequently used as a backdrop for all things Japan, from postcards to travel advertisements. Interestingly, it is not as high as Mount Kinabalu, but is snow-capped while Mount Kinabalu is not because they are located on different latitudes with different climates.

Below are some pictures of the majestic mountain.

The glorious Fuji!

After the short pitstop, we continued on our journey back to Tokyo. It was a pleasant ride with nice views of landscape, until traffic started getting heavier as we approached Tokyo. We forgot, that it was a Sunday, and just like in KL, people were going back to Tokyo from their hometowns. It was getting dark and there was no way we were going to be able to make it in time for our visit to Necco Café. Kak Shaz had to cancel the appointment and we had to wait patiently in terrible traffic. I never thought traffic could be so bad in Japan, but after some further pondering, the jam wasn’t that bad considering the population of Tokyo, which is the most populated metropolitan city in the world. It means, relatively speaking, our jams here in KL are worse even if we’re not stuck in traffic for as long.

After what felt like half a day’s worth of driving, we arrived at our hotel, Mystays Premium Omori. All of us were tired. Kak Shaz had already ordered bentos for dinner, so we took our bentos and went to our rooms. I was paired with Muhaimin again. The hotel room was clean and comfortable. I put on the pyjamas provided and after uploading some pictures onto facebook, went to bed.

Japan Edukaizen Trip 2017: Day 3 - We are celebrities!

After a sumptuous breakfast the next day, some of us went ahead to board the bus, while others, including myself waited in the common room of the inn for the rest to finish breakfast. While we were waiting, the inn keeper came to us to show us our photo in the local newspaper. It was a photo taken while we were at school the day before. It was just a short news column but it felt so exciting to be featured in the local newspaper. We had unintentionally become official visitors from Malaysia to their schools. I rushed to inform Kak Shomi, Kak Yanti and Kak Izan, who were still having breakfast, of our newfound fame! They were unimpressed because they weren’t in the photo unfortunately. Only a handful of us were in it namely Muhaimin, Kak Shaz, Mak Tok, Kak Huda and myself. We took photos of the photo using our phones and resolved to buy a few copies of the newspaper later on for our own keeping.

All of us got onto the bus and set off for our next destination. Hardly 5 minutes into the journey, suddenly we received a message from Kak Shomi in our Whatsapp group, asking where everybody was. We had left her behind without realizing it. Subhanallah! Luckily we had only travelled a short distance, so it wasn’t a big hassle for the bus driver to turn back and get her. And thereafter we put Muhaimin in charge of making sure everyone was on the bus before it moved. Kak Shomi from that moment on became the symbol for the readiness for departure. Kalau Kak Shomi ada, maksudnya boleh jalan. What a dramatic and amusing beginning to the day!

  

Nishigaya Waste Management Plant

It was a clear and beautiful day. Since Mount Fuji is located in Shizuoka Prefecture, we could see the magnificent mountain through most of our journey by bus to Nishigaya Waste Management Plant.

When we arrived at the plant, Mr Shiratori was already there waiting for us, along with two workers at the plant. One of the most striking things about the place was that there was no stench at all. Not even a hint! With a view of the surrounding mountains from the entrance to the plant, it felt more like a holiday resort than a waste management plant. The compound was so clean, and the waste trucks coming and going from the plant were also so clean, cleaner than normal vehicles! We were invited into the building and as usual had to remove our shoes. We were then taken to a seminar room for a short video presentation and briefing about how waste is managed in Japan generally and at the plant in specific. You could feel how highly the Japanese regard people who work in the waste management industry from truck drivers to workers at the plant. It is seen as a noble job.

We learnt that trash is not sorted out at the plant. It is not a recycling centre. The Japanese separate their trash in different bags. Only those that cannot be recycled, true trash, will be sent to the centre. Of course sometimes people don’t sort out their rubbish, but the plant does not have the manpower to separate the rubbish especially since a great portion of it would be unrecyclable. Whatever arrives at the plant is to be melted.

The ferromagnetic metals that sink to the bottom are cooled and then separated using powerful magnets so they can be reused. The other melted materials form slag which are also reused. The promenade in the compound of the plant is made from the slag. The gases released from the melting process are used to power the plant and to keep the neighbouring hot spring hot. Any excess energy is sold to the power companies. All other toxic gasses produced are filtered thoroughly through a long and extensive filter measuring many metres, leaving only non-toxic gas to be emitted from the chimney of the plant. Only the sediment and particles trapped the filters are sent to landfills. That way, Japan saves a lot space. They need to think of efficient ways to use their limited flat land because there is very little of it squashed between seas and mountains. Nishigaya Plant is the manifestation of that effort to be efficient and environmentally friendly. Visiting the plant reminded me of a documentary I had watched about a small town called Kamikatsu in Tokushima prefecture which separates its waste into 34 categories for recycling and is aiming to be waste free by 2020. We find it so difficult to separate our trash into 3 bins, let alone 34! The resident of Kamikatsu were initially unhappy about the policy but slowly they saw the importance and benefits of the policy. It wasn’t easy at first, but with the whole community getting involved and helping each other to do it, they are doing just fine. I suppose the foundation required to achieve something so arduous yet important is a well-knit and caring community whose members support one another, coupled with strong values about what is right and wrong.

There was some discussion among us about the cost to run Nishigaya Plant. It is costly, but if you take the positive externalities into account like better physical and mental health due to living in such a clean environment, preserved ecosystems, increased tourism due to a preserved natural environment despite developments then I think it's not costly at all. Sadly, positive externalities are difficult to measure and in many countries, are often discounted altogether in cost benefit analyses, which is a shame really.

After the meeting, we were taken on a tour of all the main areas in the plant as well as the adjacent building handling recyclables. At the recycling centre, members of the public can come to learn about recycling and join classes. Some of the classes include how to melt glass and reshape it, which we saw being done in one of the rooms, how to make crafts from unused Kimonos and other classes. There was a section displaying all the different beautiful handmade crafts from various used materials. Some of them looked nicer than brand new items.

Crafts made from unused Kimonos

Next, we visited the hot water spring next to the building. There were already a few elderly folks there, soaking their feet in the warm water. Mak tok and few others took the opportunity to do the same, while the rest of us just walked around the compound taking photos of the plant and the scenic surrounding area.

Hot water spring adajacent to the plant

There was not much time to spend at the plant as we had to make our way to Gyokuro-no-Sato for our visit to a traditional Japanese garden where we were supposed to observe a Japanese tea ceremony. So after a quick soak, we bade farewell to the plant staff who escorted us, and got onto the bus.

Gyokuro-No-Sato

It was a long but scenic drive to Gyokuro-No-Sato, located in the suburbs of Shizuoka. Again, the view of the mountains with trees of varying colours, tea farms and the tranquil atmosphere was a real treat to the eye and soul. Upon arrival, we made our way across the road from the rest area to the little Japanese style house located amidst a most picturesque Japanese garden to watch a demonstration of a Japanese tea ceremony. We were greeted by a middle-aged lady dressed in Kimono who showed us to the main room where the demonstration was to be held. We all took our seats on the floor while the lady and two others prepared the articles for the tea ceremony. Each of us too were given a small block-shaped candy on a wooden tray which we consumed with the tea after the ceremony. There were a few types of pots, some cups and of course some ground green tea. One of the ladies dressed in soft peach coloured Kimono then began the ceremony with Kak Shaz translating for us as the lady explained the steps. Some of the steps included cleaning the cups delicately with some hot water, measuring the amount of tea leaves with a simple device, making sure the water was not too hot before mixing it with the tea leaves, gently shaking the mixture in a circular motion and finally pouring the tea. She then demonstrated how to drink the tea and said that it was custom for those who have drunk the tea to say something nice about the cup, as a symbol of appreciation towards the host’s kindness. It was quite a fascinating ceremony. Who would’ve thought drinking tea could involve such an elaborate ceremony! But this is what makes learning about other peoples’ cultures interesting, even though such ceremonies globally are dying out because the younger generation is too busy to be bothered learning and practicing such intricate and rather time-consuming observances. It is quite a shame really because these ceremonies, apart from playing a role in fostering strong bonds among members of a group, often add layers of meaning and beauty to activities we usually take for granted. 

View from outside the cottage

After the tea ceremony we headed back to the rest area for lunch. Some of us took the opportunity to buy the fresh fruits from the local vendors in the area before and after lunch. The restaurant owner was kind enough to give us the whole wooden platform at the back to ourselves, not just for lunch but also for prayer. After lunch, we moved the tables aside to make space for prayer. There was some confusion which I caused with regard to the Qibla. Everyone’s compass pointed northwest, which did not make sense to me because Makkah is located southwest of Japan. Actually it did not really matter that much because the Syariah is quite flexible about the Qibla. How flexible? Well some scholars say there is a 90-degree allowance on either side of the true Qibla i.e. as long as you are facing in the general direction of Makkah, then you’re fine. But this matter of the Qibla not being in the direction I expected it to be, bothered me. Only later would I discover from some research that determining the Qibla using simple geography based on a flat map isn’t accurate because the earth isn’t flat. Working out the Qibla on a map uses Euclidean geometry whereas working out the Qibla on a sphere involves non-Euclidean geometry. To demonstrate this discrepancy, imagine two points on the Equator some distance apart and draw a line from each point towards the north pole. The angle of both lines from the equator would be 90 degrees. Now if you draw another line to link those two spots on the Equator, you will get a triangle whose total internal angle adds up to more than 180 degrees. That’s non-Euclidean geometry. So the Qibla software on all the compasses was right and I was wrong.

Anyway, we prayed in the restaurant while other customers ate their lunch quietly around us, with some soft music being played from the speakers. It felt slightly awkward but we were grateful the restaurant owner allowed us to use a corner for prayer.

After the prayer, Dr MAZA treated all of us to some delicious green tea ice cream. While we were eating the ice cream outside, one of the vendors came to us with a newspaper to ask if we were the guys in the photo in the paper. It was the same picture we saw in the newspaper which the inn keeper showed us earlier. We had become celebrities in Shizuoka! Mr Auslan asked if he could buy the paper from the man but he kindly gave it to him without taking any money. Apart from the ice cream treat, we took the opportunity to buy green tea of different varieties with different tastes at the rest shop. We then got onto the bus and made our way to our next destination, Shizuoka Disaster Management Centre.

Shizuoka Disaster Management Centre

The disaster management centre is a place where people can learn all about disasters: How they occur, what to do when they occur, what preventive steps can be taken to reduce the impact of such disasters when they occur etc.

We learnt quite a lot about disasters and what the Japanese government does to make sure the citizens are safe before, during and after a disaster strikes. Japan is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is why it has a lot of active volcanoes and is prone to earthquakes which can cause devastating tsunamis like the most recent one in 2011 which caused much destruction in Fukushima.

We first watched a video showing a theoretical situation of an earthquake which caused a tsunami. The main takeaway from the video was that, there is hardly any time at all to run to safety when a tsunami warning is issued. Earthquakes themselves cannot be predicted with any reliable accuracy and so if it occurs out at sea, it will be a matter of minutes before a tsunami reaches land. Japan has loudspeakers installed in every area which are used to inform people about disasters like tsunamis. Strong steel towers with platforms have also been erected in many places for people to climb to safety. We also learnt that even a tsunami measuring two feet in height is still dangerous because it can wash away a grown man given the force of the water. The key takeaway message of the video was, never underestimate the seriousness of a tsunami warning.

We then walked around the centre, looking at the miniature exhibits with explanations about how earthquakes and tsunamis form. There was an exhibit explaining an interesting consequence of earthquake which I hadn’t known until this visit, namely soil liquefaction. It occurs when tremors after the earthquake shake the ground so much that water beneath the water table slowly saps upwards and softens the soils, causing buildings above it to sink into the soil and become severely damaged in the process. The loss of life from this consequence of earthquake is scarce because it is quite a slow process, but the damage to buildings is serious. There was a hands-on exhibit involving turning a lever as fast as possible which Omar excitedly tried to mimic the effect of tremors causing water to rise from deep underground resulting in soil liquefaction.

There was also an earthquake simulator which I had the opportunity to try. You just needed to sit in a chair, fasten the seatbelts, and ‘enjoy’ the show. The chair would move in a jerky fashion and the intensity of the movements depended on the intensity of the earthquake. It didn’t feel very scary because it wasn’t the real thing. But I suppose if one was living in a high-rise building and experienced such jerking with shelves coming off the walls and furniture moving all over the place, one would be terrified indeed.

One of the exhibits was a comparison of 2 rooms with exactly the same furniture, but with different amounts of damage, primarily due to whether the furniture was fastened or not to their places, be they the walls or the floor, with various fasteners which Japanese citizens are advised to use. One conundrum I had was about their advice to run into high-rise buildings during a tsunami. I asked our guide, wouldn’t running into high-rise buildings to safe ourselves from a tsunami be counterproductive given the danger of high-rise buildings toppling due to the earthquake itself? She said, most buildings in Japan are earthquake-proof, so the danger of a high-rise building toppling from an earthquake is quite low, especially if the building is new. Therefore, running into a high-rise building is always safer than not doing so during a tsunami.

Upon completion of the tour we took a group photo in the foyer of the building which featured a tall poster showing the possible heights of tsunami waves. The highest on the poster was 30 feet, which is about 2-3 storeys high, but a really powerful tsunami can reach a height of 100 feet (30 m) with a speed of 800km/h if travelling across a great distance.

A bunting showing the possible heights of tsunamis

Off to Shin-Kanbara

After our visit to Shizuoka Disaster Management Centre, we made our way to Shin-Kanbara for dinner. There is a small restaurant owned by a gentle old lady who is an acquaintance of sister Miwa. The dining area was quite small but the hall upstairs was much bigger, with typical Japanese sliding doors and decorations. We performed our maghrib and isya’ prayers upstairs in the hall and then went downstairs for dinner. All the food prepared for us that night was halal. We had fresh tiny prawns with blue eyes, udon, rice and sashimi. I don’t think I have ever eaten so much of raw food before. After dinner, we went back upstairs to look at and try on Kimonos the lady sells along with an array of prayer mats made by the lady using unused kimonos. She has quite a lot of Muslim customers because of her link with sister Miwa and so sister Miwa had suggested to her to make the prayer mats and sell it to her customers. There was a variety of standard sized mats as well as smaller ones the size of handkerchiefs which people can use to place in front of them for prostration. I bought one black and gold prayer mat, not because I needed it, but because of its novelty. It’s now my mother’s favourite prayer mat. It was a tough decision though, because all of them were so pretty and unique. At first I was reluctant, but Kak Shomi cajoled me into buying one so that she wouldn’t feel so guilty buying two.

After our minor shopping spree, we bade farewell to the kind old lady and made our way back home to Nihon-kaku. 

Dinner at Shin-Kibara. Just look at all that raw food! And the prawns with blue eyes....

Attempt at being The Last Jadah

Night of Secrets….

When we got back to Nihon Kaku, Kak Shaz, Kak Huda, Kak Shomi, Afiq and Muhaimin and I went out to a nearby convenience store to get some supplies. I bought some chocolates to munch on during the coming days. The others bought their own stuff. I was the first to be done with shopping and so I waited outside. Kak Huda was next, and so while waiting we both chatted about how obesity is such a problem in the country and some of her experience anaesthetizing obese patients along with the problems that entail anaesthetizing such patients. One by one the rest came out, and we bumped into Dr MAZA too who likes to take a stroll alone at night, exploring places. Kak Shaz then came out and said, “Okay, everyone’s out, let’s go!” So she happily started walking when we reminded her, “Kak shomi is not here yet lah!” Kak shomi lagi. Luckily we realized her absence and so waited for her. Kak Shaz said, “Please don’t’ tell her we forgot her again.” But of course, that is the first thing we said to her when she came out. It was all very amusing.

Because all of use wanted to get a copy of the newspaper with our picture, and because kak Shaz wanted some coffee, we went to the nearest 7 Eleven store not too far away from the Inn. Muhaimin, Afiq, Kak Shaz and I each got a copy of the newspaper, Kak Shaz got her coffee and we made our way back to the inn. Dr MAZA suddenly made a joke about how when he was lecturing in USM, he told his students, that they should be proud because the new Japanese Prime Minster was a Kelantanese. We were baffled when he told us the joke, his students we also baffled when they heard it. “Betul ka doktor?” They asked. “Ye la, sebab orang panggil dia Abe.” We all laughed and I thought, “Boleh tahan jugak lawak Dr MAZA ni…”

Upon reaching the inn, we sat in the common area and started chit chatting. Most of the others had already gone to bed. We were just talking about Japanese culture, about their punctuality and cleanliness. Kak Shaz then pointed out an interesting fact about the Japanese. They have two faces, a face they show others which is usually positive and their true face, which is what they truly feel about things. There is so much of pressure to be compliant in Japanese society, that there is a deep dissatisfaction in large sections of the population because of their inability to express what they really think. It could also be an explanation for Japan having one of the highest suicide rates of the developed world. I chimed in about something I had read not long ago regarding this phenomenon of having ‘two faces’. There are companies in Japan whose workers are actors, who can be hired to act any role they are paid to act. They could act to be a girlfriend or even a wife to a man who does not want to be in relationship but is expected to be in one by his parents. It could be a worker who must apologize to his bosses (who frequently don’t know who their subordinates really are) for a blunder but does not dare do it because of the severe rebuking his will receive. Or even the role of a father to a girl whose real father ran away. This last one was what really hit me in the article I read, that there is something really wrong with the society. The actor said that he agreed to act as the girl’s father at the request of her mother because the girl was frequently teased in school for not having a father. He has been doing it for close to 10 years now and the girl still doesn’t know that the man is not her real father, because he comes and goes, on the pretext of having to travel far for business. I suppose this is the cost of extreme compliance to norms in a society. The lack of a spiritual component to norms may also be a factor in this distressing phenomenon.

From there, we went on to talk about other related things, but the highlight of the night was Dr MAZA’s sharing with us about his voluntary and involuntary dealings with various influential people within and without the country. We were hooked to his stories whose themes were mainly betrayal and espionage. It felt like we were watching one of the Bourne series! It would not be proper for me to divulge the details of all that Dr MAZA decided to share with us since it was done upon his trust in us, but if there was something I could surmise from the anecdotes, it is that issues within the country are more connected to global politics than we think or would like them to be.

It was a long but meaningful chit chat session, after which we all decided to go to bed. I had the onsen all to myself once again, so I took a refreshing 10-minute dip and then went to bed.