Welcome to Japan

Well, actually, it says Welcome to Haneda at the nice pictures next to the glass windows separating the arriving travellers from the humidity and warm temperatures on your way from the aeroplane.

First, you are sent past quarantine where you can get rid of your fruity snacks that are not allowed in. The cameras and people at the first booth seem to be there to measure your temperature.  But that is only a guess on my part as we just passed by.
The next hurdle was the friendly person who asked whether you had a QR code or if you wanted to fill out the disembarkation form he had in his hands.
Funny thing about the QR code…. You can fill out a form at home before even starting the flight by registering at a government website. But there are two more pages you have to fill in about customs declaration and forbidden goods you might carry. Unless you did not fill those in too there will be no QR code. And guess what I forgot to do?
So after managing to get connected to the interwebs, finding my password to the site and filling out the required forms, I finally managed my first challenge, and I could pass the nice guy.
Now into the queue for immigration, at the end the next gatekeeper making sure that the immigration officers each got a fair share of the load. By the way, they don’t do the immigration stuff with the officers standing on a platform behind glass with only a small slit to pass your passport through. No, it’s a fairly open booth you pass. They check your passport while you scan your QR code and get your fingerprints and picture taken.
After they stamp in your visa (yes, I’m one of the lucky ones that have a passport allows on arrival visa), you are off to baggage claim.
But if you think that was all you are mistaken. Before you can pass through customs, you have to register your QR code again using your passport. Well, at least you got something to do while waiting for your luggage to arrive. For some reason this kiosk didn’t want to read my passport and a friendly helper materialised to help me.
If you forget. – There are additional kiosks right before the exit.

After that hurdle, getting out to the arrival hall was easy going. It was here that the group gathered together again to get IC cards (suica) for those who did not have one yet. And to top up the brought ones. That I forgot to open my credit card for Japan, and I was declined at the ATM is no longer really worth mentioning I guess.

From the airport to the hotel was a direct train ride, so nothing special there. After check-in off to a konbini to get a snack and then the first touristy action because – of course – we were too early for our rooms to be ready.

So off to to Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji to pray for good weather and a successful trip. On the way there is a nice overview over the temple grounds from the 9th floor terrace of the Asakusa tourist information.

To get back to my hotel, I strolled along one of the rivers with nice views of the Sky tree building and some “interesting” sight lines of the “flame”.

Dinner was ramen at one of the nearby shops. Maybe not the best choice for summer. But it was good, strong, and tasty stock. And it hit the spot before finally going to bed at local night time.