Thanks to cell group member dear Inez - i managed to enter the NATAS fair free of charge!!! wahaha! the queue was horrendous. Apparently, Inez said they were queuing since 9am >_< And i just waltzed through the entrance doors with a skip and a jump! PTL!
Anyway, Inez directed me through my hp STRAIGHT to the Yokoso! Japan booth which could be found right next to the entrance. As she would be joining me later, i just wondered around aimlessly looking at the STACKS of brochures they have and the lovely photos on their display boards :) i went in from the right, which was the osaka kansai region, then there was the hokkaido region etc etc
Then i saw some Tokyo brochures, so i headed in that direction to get more information for my trip in October! Then this funny cute Japanese guy approached me with tour brochures to the Kanto region, telling me that if i book today i will get good discounts!! haha i proceeded to ask him if he has any information on Hakone, because Hakone information from the web is not enough. So he went "Ah! Hakone! Wait wait" (in cute Japanese english accent) then went off to hantam his colleagues in rapid Japanese if they have Hakone information. LOL
So one cute young Japanese guy saw his chance and approached me to fill in a survey about Japan, promising free souvenirs LOL. I dun really go for such stuff but since he was so earnest (and cute), i took the clipboard and proceeded to fill in the survey >_< ... in the meantime some singaporean aunties started harassing the poor guy on why this souvenir pen no ink, why this why that. but he was so nice to them about it God bless him.
Then i realised it was a TWO page survey! I had a hard time trying to turn the page on the clipboard because of my Tokyo brochures, handbag etc. Then the nice guy realised he forgot to tell me that there were 2 pages and hurriedly took my stuff from me - so gentlemanly God bless his heart ^_^
So after breezing through the survey, he proceeded to show me the whole array of souvenirs that i can take - and he said "Choose two, choose two" (in cute Japanese english accent which i realise i have a fetish for XDDDD). I saw two little purple shell handphone chains so i just shyly said "Ah, these two, thank you *smile*". And he was a little taken aback that i was not the typical singaporean who would plough through the souvenirs LOL!! then he kept thanking me and bowing like i did him a HUGE favour for not being kiasu about the souvenirs and for doing a multiple choice survey o.O
In the meantime, the previous guy came back with a whole bunch of pamphlets and brochures with him. He proceeded to take all my stuff from the other guy to place it in this cute green plastic bag with a adorable cartoon horse on it LOL. While he was telling me he found the Hakone stuff and proceeded to place them into the bag, Inez called me! I quickly thanked him and picked up my phone. Inez asked me where i was - i said "ah i am at the yokoso japan booth". She was like "eh? i'm here too, but i dun see you" LOL. Then i was ilke "oh! i'm at the Kanto region" - here's when the helpful Japanese man who was busy stuffing my stuff into the bag, literally paused, looked at me, nodded and smiled at me and to himself like i just recited a whole essay in Japanese XDDDDD
So when Inez finally found me, he was very friendly and warm - asking "is this your friend?" and then proceeded to bombard Inez with more brochures and pamphlets. i tell you i have never seen someone who wants others to visit his country so much! After we left the Yokoso Japan booth, Inez gave me a tour of the whole NATAS fair, whilst searching for Japanese Tourism Board for info on the Japan Rail Pass. But sadly, we walked one round and couldn't find it!! So i suggested why don't we ask the Yokoso people, i mean should be their なかま right? LOL
So we went back and Inez asked the first guy at the Kanto booth:
Inez: "Excuse me ..."
Guy at booth: "Hai!!" (XDDD)
Inez: "Do you know where is the JTB booth?"
Guy at booth: "JTB, JTB ... chottomatte kudasai" (Dawn luvs this XDD)
Guy at booth (lets call him 1) turns to two other guys at booth:
Guy 1: "JTB はどこか？"
Guy 2: "え？JTB, JTB..."
Guy 3: "あ！JTB ..."
Guy 2: "JTB 入ってるか？"
Guy 3: "入って..入ってない、入ってない"
(Inez - *staring blankly* ???)
Dawn to Inez: "Oh don't have don't have"
All three guys turn to look at us in shock (HAHA XDDD)
So they proceeded to ask us what we were looking for because maybe they can help! So Inez said Japan Rail Pass. But they did not understand - so they hurriedly waved over a colleague who understood English and we said Japan Rail Pass again. She went "Oh!! JR Pass" and the three Japanese guys went "おお！JR パス" (Dawn XDDDD). So a helpful Japanese lady gave us some pamphlets on JR Pass. But she was advising us to only get it if we are traveling around Japan on 新幹線 shinkansen, if not it is not worth it. So we were asking her what about to Hakone? Then she told us just take the normal train from 新宿 Shinjuku station via the 小田急線 Odakyu Line to 小田原 Odawara Station. Inez and Dawn - O.O "Ohhhh".
Then one guy (he is singaporean) asked:
"JR パスはほうがいいですか？"
and the lady went
"いいえ、そんなじゃありません。JR パスは高いです。"
Dawn to Inez: "ohhh we just take the normal train lor. Very expensive leh!" *stares at the ridiculous rates*
Japanese lady: "Yes! it is very expensive!" *nods vehemently*
Then the Singaporean guy suggested that we take the day tours to Hakone, because he say if you do not speak a little Japanese, it will be hard if we go there ourselves. I just humbly nodded and decided not to say anything LOL XDD
So after thanking them furiously for their help, we were about to officially leave the Yokoso booth when i saw that they were giving out free premium green tea for people to try!! *glint in dawn's eyes* so i told Inez *glint in inez's eyes* and Inez went to ask them and they said to wait 10 minutes (whilst bowing and apologizing) cause its still brewing haha XD. So we hung around the booth - got Tokyo Disneyland brochures and info, walked around, resulting in more Japanese people pouncing on us to try the Kansai region which Inez said she has already been to.
So this funny Japanese guy introduced us to the Lake Biwa region - claiming that the lake is the same size as Singapore, pointing to the east saying "this will be changi airport" and to the west "and this will be tuas" and to the south centre "and this is orchard road!!" *grins* Inez and Dawn "BUAHAHAHAHA". He also claims "No tourists there!" and Inez played along saying "oh! so we will be the first Singaporeans there if we go?" - Japanese guy "Yes Yes!" *nods vehemently* BUAHAHAHA XDD
Later this lady approached us with our tea and APOLOGIZED for letting us wait >_< OMG i felt so bad LOL. She also proceeded to tell us that this is the number one tea in Japan, from the prefecture called Shizuoka and also told us about green tea's health properties. So we took a sip of it - OMG it was so fragrant, yet clear, not strong, yet not too light ... it was like drinking fresh spring water with green tea taste XDDDDDDDD. Inez and i could not stop gushing over it LOL.
So finally we reluctantly left the booth and had a hard time finding the exit because it was located WAY over the other side >_<
Thank you Jesus for this lovely experience at the NATAS fair! I love Japan! I love Japanese people! God please hurry up save them!!
