Ohayo Gozaimasu (Good morning), Konnichiwa (Hello or Good afternoon), and Konbanwa (Good evening): these were several of the first words in Japanese I ever learned. My family had always loved to travel, so I was exposed to other cultures and traditions from a young age. I have visited 9 countries so far, and Japan is one of the places I’ve always loved visiting. So who would have thought that EDI Staffbuilders would help me make that dream a reality?
When our President, Mr. Cesar Averia, mentioned during one of the meetings that our team, which handles Japan accounts, will visit our key clients this year, we had mixed feelings. We were both excited and anxious at the same time. Then we were overjoyed when our Japan visas were issued. Finally, we could plan our itinerary for our 6-day trip. This was my second time to visit Japan– the first was Osaka in March 2019.
We (Maron Flores, Fernalyn Co, and I) met at NAIA Terminal 3 at 9:00 a.m. on our first day and proceeded directly to the counter where we had to pay our travel tax. We went to the airline counter after paying to check our bags and get our boarding passes. Following that, we waited in line for immigration. We were terrified at first because we had heard so many stories about being offloaded, especially since one of our teammates is a first-time traveler abroad. Thankfully, our team passed the interview with the immigration officers. We finished checking in and the immigration process in an hour, and we still had 4 hours until our flight. While we waited, we made sure that all of our documents were in order, especially our passport and boarding pass. When our flight number was called, we began boarding the plane.
Our 6-day trip to Tokyo was truly memorable and unforgettable for us. We had a series of meetings in Tokyo with one of our major clients and we were able to visit and tour the factories of our two clients outside of Tokyo, which was about a 2-hour drive. In addition, we were able to introduce EDI-Staffbuilders to other potential clients, from whom we received positive feedback.
The best part of our trip aside from visiting our clients was visiting some places and ensuring our trip would be worthwhile.
Places that we visited:
Shibuya scramble crossing – world-renowned and iconic intersection, as well as the “busiest pedestrian intersection in the world”.
Hachiko statue – Hachiko was an akita dog who waited for his owner, Professor Ueno, in Shibuya station but his owner died of a cerebral hemorrhage while on the job.
Yoyogi Park in Shibuya – one of Tokyo’s most popular parks, ideal for outdoor activities such as basketball, soccer, and baseball fields, as well as a stroll or a relaxing picnic with family and friends.
Hie Jinja shrine with red torii gates – one of Tokyo’s most important shrines. The shrine is situated on a forested hilltop between the neighborhoods of Akasaka and Nagatacho. The monkey deities that guard the shrine are a unique feature of Hie Shrine, as well as the back entrance with a tunnel of 90 bright red torii gates.
Sensoji Temple in Asakusa – one of Tokyo’s most vibrant, popular, and historic temples.
Gundam Statue – The life-size Gundam statue in Odaiba, Tokyo is the best way to get a massive dose of Japanese otaku and pop culture!
Team Lab Planet – a digital art museum where you walk barefoot and immerse your entire body in the vast artworks alongside other people, including walking on water.
My main takeaways from our trip to Japan were:
- Japan offers excellent business opportunities for Filipino workers.
- Work with experts to navigate local regulations.
- Always be on time, especially when meeting with clients.
- Before eating, say “itadakimasu” to express gratitude for the meal, followed by “gochisosama desu”.
- Try some of the tasty food available at the convenience stores.
- It is not advisable to walk while eating.
- Keep your voice down when using public transportation.
- Take off your shoes.
- Master the art of bowing.
- Learn some useful and practical Japanese words.
