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?