Tokyo, Here We Came
After almost seven hours' flight,
we were approaching Tokyo Narita Airport.
We came to Tokyo in June 2004. At that time we
joined the five days' tour
and met Mr. and Mrs. Toyoda on one of the evenings.
Mr. Toyoda felt that the time we met was too short.
He hoped that we could come to Tokyo and stay
in his apartment for a month. In October 2004,
Mr. and Mrs. Toyoda came to Singapore.
They came with a Chinese friend, Miss Chang Feng, who was from Shanghai.
Miss Chang Feng was here to be an interpreter. She said that
Mr. Toyoda wished that we could go to Tokyo and stay in
his apartment. She said we could buy the air-tickets and not
to join the tour group.
When she said that I should make it a point to go
because Mr. Toyoda was going to retired soon, it suddenly
touched me very much.
After a long discussion, we finally made up our mind
to visit Tokyo from 5 June to 14 June 2005.
Receiving by Mr. and Mrs. Shaoji Toyoda
After collecting our luggage and passing through
the immigration, we saw Mr. and Mrs. Toyoda were
receiving us at the airport. They traveled about one and
a half-hour from their house in Itabashi-ku to the Narita Airport.
It was on a Sunday afternoon, the traffic was very smooth.
By about 6 p.m., we arrived Mr. Toyoda's apartment at Tokiwadai.
The apartment is near their house. It is within five minutes'
walking distance.
At Tokiwadai Apartment
At the apartment, Mrs. Toyoda showed us how to use the
water heater, gas cooker, washing machine, and
bathtub, etc. She also got ready three big bottles of
mineral water in the refrigerator for us. They were
also tea, coffer and sugar, just like staying in
the hotel.
Mr. Toyoda placed many copies of traveling maps
and traveling information of Tokyo on the table.
He left his personal global handphone for me to use.
They said that an hour later, they were be back to
take us out for dinner.
Before leaving, Mr. Toyoda gave me an envelope and
said that that was the money for the three air-tickets.
After they left, I opened the envelope and was very surprise.
Mr. Toyoda not only giving me the money for the fare of
three air-tickets, it was as large as the fee that joining
the tour group. I was very touched and also uneasy.
Thoughtful Hospitality
We started to put our luggage in the storeroom and got
ourselves ready for dinner.
At 7.30 p.m., Mr. Toyoda came by himself. Although he
had the key, he did not open the door. He pressed
the doorbell. He let us have the privacy in his apartment.
When we were walking to the nearby restaurant to meet Mrs.
Toyoda, I told Mr. Toyoda that the money he gave us was
much more that the fee for the air-tickets. I wanted to
return the envelope to him. He refused to take and told
me that that was a souvenir.
Welcome Dinner
The Dream Restaurant (Yume An) is near the apartment.
It was cool in the evening. But it was warm in the restaurant.
My wife and me usually do not eat much.
Our appetites were different from that of Mr. and
Mrs. Toyoda. Our teen-ager son Solomon eats much
more than we do. As I am a vegetarian, there was not
much choice for me. But the Japanese vegetarian meal
was very delicious. I liked the vegetarian Tempura very much.
Before the meal, Mrs. Toyoda was planning for us to
go to the Nagoya World Expo on Friday. They would
bring us to visit the Expo.
Orientation
After dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Toyoda brought us for a
stroll around the apartment. They showed us the
Tobu Store. Mrs. Toyoda told us that we could come
at 10 o'clock in the morning to buy breakfast
when the Store was open.
We went to a "99 Yen" shop, the supermarket where
sold goods at 99 yen. We walked all the way to
the Tokiwadai Station where we could take trains
to Ikebukuro.
Mr. and Mrs. Toyoda sent us back to the apartment
and they walked home.
