[MG1]

Oh, forgot to mention. If you're going there soon, try to get your hands on the limited edition "Welcome to Japan," Suica Card. It's a collectors item as well as a card that you can use just about anywhere, even Donki (Don Quixote), shops, and 7-Eleven. Oh my god.......... 7-Eleven, called something slightly different in Japan is just beyond cool. They sell nigiri, bento items, sandwiches, teriyaki this and that, and every cool drink that's available in Japan.

Along with the special edition Suica Card, they sell this lanyard that's meant for the Suica Card. It was so convenient. You could store your JR Pass in the other pocket that's opposite of the clear plastic window. It also pulls out and retracts. Built like a tank. I had that sucker around my neck at all times. Both these items are available only at the airports and select JR booths at major train stations.

As for credit cards, most places, except small shops, take cards. I loaded the Suica Card in Apple Wallet. Instant reload capability (I used Home Trust Visa to load the Suica) Also Home Trust Visa card itself using Apple Wallet. No Foreign Transaction Fee. I also discovered that MBNA Amazon.ca Mastercard gives back the Foreign Transaction Fee (as amazon credit, though).

I topped up my Freedom Mobile with unlimited International Calling (to an from Canada) Cost me $30/month. There's WiFi just about everywhere. Trains, buses, entire neighbourhoods. In remote areas, I used my number one son's Pocket WiFi. Damn that thing was a game changer. First day was a nightmare, as it was a dud and looked beat up. They sent a brand new one via courier the next day. Worked flawlessly. Youngest son went the eSim route. My daughter also went with the top up plan, so I could call her at any time. My daughter can be very stealth. One second she's there, the other gone like a ninja in a cloud of smoke. "Let's ditch dad, hee hee.........." My wife worked her magic without being there. I've never been so close to the children. There were some tense moments, but family, what can you say?

Now for the weird stuff. Toilets are everywhere in Japan, but they are in very tiny spaces. If you're not careful, you'll hit your head and bang up your elbows and knees. Oh, we complain about toilet paper. Their toilet paper is like single ply. Disintegrates if you look at it long enough. No Kirkland or Charmin. I get it though. One word. BIDET. Heated seats, music, different sprays, dryers. No real need for toilet paper. I just couldn't do it. Hit the wrong button and you'll be spraying your dick instead of uranus. The other one is meant for Venus, not penis, jbol.

They are really technologically superior while at other times, so far behind. You tap your IC (Suica) Card and it's instant. You put your train ticket or JR Pass in the receptacle and it's out on the other end in milliseconds. Everything is instant. Has to be to handle all those people going through. The locals are very efficient in the way they go about their business. 400 million people in Tokyo alone, jesus........... Canada has how many people in the entire country?

Having seen and experienced all this wAnderful stuff, I still looked forward to going home to my, Mansion of a bathroom with Charmin Super Stong and comfy mattress and pillows. I had the longest shower of my life when I got home.

When I got home, I realized how filthy our city is. My Uber app went wonky on me, so I transited home (first time on SkyTrain for a hella long time). Get to Waterfront and there's a crackhead passed out on the bench. Garbage everywhere. In downtown Tokyo i didn't see a single piece of garbage. There's no garbage cans out in the open. People just don't litter (only tourists do).

I was waking down the hilll from the Mt. Fuji Viewing Platform and witnessed this caucasian guy with two chicks. He had a bag with him. He picked up tiny pieces of paper and garbage along the way. I caught up to him and thanked him. He was appreciative. Not sure if he was local or not, but that made me look for garbage as well. Felt good to do my part. I'm sure there are parts of Japan that are not sparkling clean, but I can't imagine a DTES anything in Japan. I could be wrong...........