Flight and Arrival

So today I finally made it to Japan! My flight left at 1:00 PM from Logan Airport on August 3rd. Mom, Dad, Mike, and Reid all came with me to see me off. After checking my bags, we all got some breakfast. I went through security around noon since the line was very small. We started boarding around 12:30 and I was surprised at how quickly they got everyone on the plane. We were in the air about an hour later.

I was lucky enough to fly on a non-stop Japan Airlines flight. I was flight 007 on the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which was amazing. I sat in the middle of the second to last row and it was a little squished, but I was able to stand up and walk around whenever I needed to. There's a USB port in every seat so you can charge any electronics that charge via USB. Some seats also had outlets, but mine did not. There's a personal TV in the back of all the seats and you can watch anything from Finding Nemo to Game of Thrones. The food was also good as far as airplane food goes and they even have complimentary wine and beer. (I believe they have other alcohols free, too, but I do not know for sure.) All this made for a pretty enjoyable flight!

Once arriving in Narita airport we headed for immigration. We all had stickers on to show we were in the JET Program and when an attendant saw us, he opened up a previously empty immigration room for us to go through. This obviously made going through immigration much faster! Immigration is also where we got out Residency Cards. Japan up until very recently used Alien Registration Cards, similar to a Green Card in the United States. The only probably with the Alien Registration Card was that it took up to a few weeks to process and ship. You need this card to sign up for more permanent things in Japan such as internet or a cell phone. Now, however, when you go through immigration they just check your visa, take your index finger prints, and snap a photo of you. They print out your Residency Card right there on the spot and send you to baggage claim.

After we had all gotten our bags, it was time to go through customs. We had received and filled out our custom form on the plane and there was no line, so we got through rather quickly. Walking into the Narita main terminal we were greeted by many JETs all wearing bright green shirts. We were directed where to go and when we got there, they took our luggage that was getting shipped to our placement and we got on a bus that brought us to our hotel. Once at the hotel we all got name tags, tote bags with various JET material, and our room keys.

I went out for dinner, but am now extremely tired since I didn't sleep much on the plane. Breakfast is at 7:30 tomorrow and then we have orientation all day. We have orientation for most of Tuesday as well. Tuesday night we are free and then early on Wednesday I will be heading to Kitakyushu. I'll be very busy these next few days, but I'll do my best to keep you posted on orientation!

Leaving for Japan!

It's finally the day! My JAL flight leaves from Logan airport at 1:00 PM today! I will take the 14 hour flight non-stop to Narita, where a bus will pick us up and bring us to Keio Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo. I will have orientation for two days in Tokyo before flying down to Kitakyushu! I could not be more excited!

I will miss my friends and family a lot, but I had a great send off last night. Mike, Reid, Allie, and I all went out and had a great time! Now that I'll be in Japan my posts should become more frequent. Thank you to everyone who helped me get here!

Luggage

Packing has been the most prominent thing on my mind as I prepare to leave for Japan. I’m still working on getting everything I need together, but I figured I’d write something quick about the luggage itself.

How much luggage you are allowed to bring without a fee will vary depending on the airline you take to Japan. Different cities will take different airlines, you will find out your airline probably about a month and a half before you leave. You don’t really have a say in which airline you take or if your flight has any stops because it is all coordinated by JET for you, but the baggage restrictions are all fairly similar. I am flying on Japan Airlines, which is one of the best airlines to fly in my opinion. Japan Airlines allows two checked bags with a weight limit of 50 pounds each, one carry on, and one personal item. More information about Japan Airlines bag restrictions can be found here. Other airlines used by JET and their baggage restrictions are: Delta, American Airlines, United Airlines, All Nippon Airways.

Everyone starts by flying to Narita airport near Tokyo for orientation. A few days later you will head off to your placement via bus, train, or airplane. You are required to send at least one of your checked bags directly to your placement once you reach Narita airport. I plan on sending both checked bags to my apartment in KitaKyushu and living out of my carry on while in Tokyo. I would suggest this to everyone.

Narita is about a 40 minute train ride from where you will be staying in Tokyo for orientation. Do you really want to drag more bags then you have to? Not only will it hold you up to have a big checked bag, but it will make everyone’s trip to the hotel slower. You are going to feel gross from the long plane ride and the easier and faster it is to get to the hotel the better. Same thing when you leave orientation for your placement, it is much easier to travel with less luggage.

Orientation in Tokyo is only for three nights, so you don’t need many clothes in your carry on. You will, however, want to bring nice clothes. Don’t worry, orientation will start the day after you arrive; you can be super comfy on the plane ride without having to worry about dressing up on that first night. I plan on bringing three nice shirts, a blazer, a long pencil skirt, and a pair of slacks. On the plane I’m going to wear some comfy jeans and a t-shirt. There will be a 24-hour ironing room in the hotel in case your nice clothes get wrinkled in your bag. I don’t know for sure, but I’ve heard the irons are not the best there. If you need to get wrinkles out of your packed clothes, I would take a warm shower and hang your wrinkled clothes in the room to steam.

Check your airlines bag restriction, pack light for orientation, and send your checked bags directly to your placement would be my suggestions. Also, if you have more to pack than is allowed by your airline, figure out what you need most that will fit in the allowed bags. Have a friend or family member mail you the rest. There is a good chance it will be cheaper than checking an extra bag.

I will talk more about what exactly to pack once I get to Japan because I’m sure I will realized there was something else I needed once I get there.