I got up early today, at 7am, to use the private indoor spring. Aaah, luxury. Planned possible routes for the day, then went down to the local Lawson store to get some breakfast. And as I walked down the road and Hakone’s gorgeous mountains appeared, I thought “I should live here.” Bet it costs you though. And you’re two hours from Tokyo. (Well, 4o minutes by Shinkansen.)

I tried to think of excuses to hang around the lovely hotel, but eventually I had to leave. I decided to walk down to Togendai, get the cable car (again), go to Gora (again), and then catch the train to Hakone-Yumoto station.

At the bus stop, I met the Polish guy I saw at the hotel. We exchanged greetings.

Walked through a field of Hakone’s speciality, pampas grass.

“Uwaagh!”

“Captain!!”

“Go, Aida, keep going!”

“But I won’t go without you!”

“You fool!”

“Argh!”

…anyway. Walking got pretty old, so I got a bus to Togendai, and then the cable car again. Just had to see Fuji-san. No cloud today, so it was fully visible:

Ahhhh.

And at Owakudani, I met the Polish guy, again. Small world, eh?

I went back down, the car to myself:

And then cable car to Gora/train to Hakone-Yumoto.

Back in Shinjuku for 1pm, where I picked up my Alien Registration Card! Yeah! It lets me open a bank account and … confirm my identity, and the Japanese government can keep tabs on me at all times! I have to carry it by law!

So, happily, I walked into Shinsei Bank to open a bank account. Wait patiently after filling in the form.

Repeat of the Softbank fiasco. I have to be over 20.

So…

…uh…

…I’m quite stuck, and I can hardly turn up to my second interview at Gaba with no bank account, no proper shoes, and little teaching experience. Bah. I’m… quite stuck.