Off to Tokyo.

Along with a couple of other friends we decided to go on the train to Tokyo on a Saturday afternoon. There were no lineups and the attendants stayed in the background when the train arrived.

But first we wanted to get something to eat. Japan, at that time was awash in vending machines so we didn’t need to know the language as we could see what was for sale. And everything was for sale. We settled on sandwiches and a surprise special treat…Beer!! Out of a vending machine! Not only that one of the machines supplied small bottles of whiskey!

Well supplied we boarded the train . Man that thing could go! We didn’t get much of a chance to see the countryside as the tracks ran between buildings and built up areas. But we loved watching the people getting on and off.

Finally we arrived in downtown Tokyo, slightly pickled so brave enough to enter the crowds. And crowds there were! Even on a Saturday afternoon the streets were full of people. (I’m writing this in 2022) One memory I have which has followed me through the years are those Japanese faces. They didn’t  all look alike. There were about 4 or 5 different types. The only example that has stuck with me are the old, tired people carrying stuff obviously destined for market. This is all I remember about that sensation.

We saw very few faces other than Japanese. A few American soldiers but that was about it. Consequently we were the center of attention and stared at throughout our whole visit. We didn’t wear uniforms so, perhaps, that was part of our uniqueness.

Hungry. Suppertime. All the restaurants had very well executed models of the food in their windows so it was easy to choose. The food was great and the service was very, very attentive. The whole restaurant,  including the waiters and staff, stared at us throughout the meal.

It was getting dark. Let’s go home! We decided to take a cab all the way to the ship. We figured with the four of us it wouldn’t cost much more than the train. Besides we’d get to see the countryside between Tokyo and Yokohama. The cab driver really enjoyed the trip almost as much as we did. There was no countryside! It was urban the whole way. Occasionally we’d drive through low rent areas and would spot prostitutes’ and what looked like drug dealers but mostly it was buildings and people and traffic! Lots of traffic.

Finally we arrive right at the ship. (the border guards allowed taxis to pass right through.)

-to be continued…

In our wanderings we came across the rail line and Yokohama Station. The interurban train was fast! Where a road crossed the tracks a horn would sound when a train was about to go through. Nobody attempted to  run or drive over the rails when they heard this sound. Two gates came crashing down and the train whistled through going like 200 miles and hour(at least that’s what it felt like.)

The station itself was something to behold. We observed it in rush hour. You know those videos of guys pushing passengers into the cars? Along the waiting area were ranged young men in uniforms and white gloves. When the train stopped and a few people got off (most of the huge crowd waiting was going to Tokyo) the people started getting on. This was what the uniformed guys were waiting for. When  the train whistled it’s intention to leave the men with the white gloves started pushing the last folks on board. There was no pandemonium the people being pushed had stoic looks and endured the pushing. The train couldn’t go until the doors completely closed so there were a few moments when the attendants got together and finished off their chores, pushing and squeezing the last of the travelers so the doors could close.

We were planning on going to Tokyo but not that day. Not that day…

-To be continued…

Wandering…

The ship was unloading quickly so Ron and I spent as much time as we could in Yokohama. One day Ron spotted a guitar store and couldn’t resist going in…

Wrote this sometime 20 years later. Ron was 17. Hadn’t yet turned 18. Although there were tons of ships in the harbour and lots of seamen going downtown the sight of European faces still attracted attention. There were almost no foreigners in Japan at the time and our presence always drew attention. People would just stop and stare!. We were unique and felt it.

to be continued…

OK, this is my 2022 memory. It’s not complete but, I promise you, these are the best parts.

Ron and I got pretty drunk that night. We ended up with two girls who would take us home. As soon as we got to their apartment they wanted to go to bed. We said OK!!

They put on some long thick gowns, took us into the bedroom and laid us down. I was too drunk to take advantage of the situation (I’m not sure about Ron but I doubt he felt any different). Close to dawn I woke up, reached over to grab the girl. She wacked my hand and that was that.

After a quick breakfast we grabbed a taxi back to the ship and since this was Sunday spent the rest of the day in bed.

The work days were shortened. (There was really nothing to do until the ship was unloaded). Ron and I would head downtown, eat a dinner, then wander the streets just looking around. (ogling, I would say today) 

One time we wandered with another shipmate and  were invited into a bar by a Japanese guy who wanted to buy us drinks. After I while we figured out he was gay and wanted to have some kind of orgy with the three of us! He could only speak a kind of pidgin English so we made plans right in front of him. First Ron would say he was going to the can. then he would wait outside while I did the same thing. We decided to get away from there, leaving the shipmate to fend off the guy. We found a bar, sat at the window and just managed to see our friend run by followed by the Japanese guy a few minutes later. We couldn’t find our friend and he later told us that he too had hidden in a bar.

to be continued..