Jess in Japan, ep. 1: The Convict

FRIDAY, MAY 16
It’s 3:37am. I’m clad in central supply issued smock and slippers, ducking my face behind a locker door in order to conceal my illicit escapade. My eyes dart side to side, wishing my neighbor was still sleeping instead of positioned to spy on my clandestine activity. I know it’s against policy, but I push conscience aside as I go all in.
…the Snickers was worth it, even if it was consumed in two oversized bites.

I’d landed in Tokyo 12 hours earlier, spending the next 1.5 hours in customs and immigration lines. Finally on the other side and nearly tasting my first breath of fresh air in 24 hours, I stopped to text my travelmate Nancy to find a meet-up location. “Look up!” urged a voice from the crowd. I followed orders.
Now, I always knew Nancy was a wonderful human being, but seeing her glide across the atrium floor with arms outstretched, holding a Snickers bar out to me… what a beautiful image. 😍

We proceeded to our accommodations: a capsule hotel in terminal 2 of Narita airport. In exchange for $42, I was given a key and a goodie bag boasting towels, toothbrush/toothpaste, slippers, and a pajama smock that could double as an inmate’s uniform. I stuffed my luggage in a locker and wandered off to find water (nearly stumped by the vending machine, but I have a doctorate degree and a lot of persistence) and some cash.

I have learned from experience that dealing with exchange rates while jet-lagged is a dangerous combination, but I went ahead with it anyway. Gratefully, the ATM provided a USD currency exchange rate before I committed my withdrawal of $7000. It appears I had a few too many powers of 10 in my conversion. 😅

A water bottle and a couple banknotes heavier, I headed back to the capsule hotel to stretch out.
The hotel is divided by gender and contains a locker area, sink area, and toilet/shower stalls. I was delighted to find shampoo supplied and a strong water pressure showerhead; few things feel better than washing off 24 hours of grease and other peoples’ breath.

Clean, dry, and clad in my incarceration smock and slippers, I made my way to the pod bay. Each pod is numbered and is just big enough to lie down or sit up in, with a personal light, a duvet, and pull down privacy shade. I slept fitfully until 1 am, then caught up on emails until 3. I finally got up to break the no-eating-in-the-hotel rule to see if that would induce sleep until my morning alarm, potentially earning my convict clothing. No alarms or handcuffs yet – but at least now you’ll know where to find me.