Getting Lost...

Now that I have completely recovered from my surgery and can drive again, I decided it's time for me to bite the bullet and start figuring out how to get around on my own in Misawa City. I've pretty much mastered the art of driving on the wrong side of the road, so that is not a problem. However, navigation in Japan is very difficult for two reasons. First is the obvious language barrier. It's very difficult to find things when many of the shops look similar and all of the signs are in Japanese.

But there is an even more challenging aspect of Japanese culture that makes navigation really, really hard for a new person. You see, in Japan there are almost no street names or addresses. Consequently, you can't really use things like Map Quest to help you figure out how to get where you need to go. You have to rely completely on maps (not much help when they're completely labeled in Japanese with no street names) or on directions from friends. But every time you give directions around here, it has to be done entirely in terms of landmarks, which drives navigators like my husband crazy. It makes more sense for us women folk since that's often how we think anyway, but it is very easy to miss a landmark that someone else uses when they give you directions (especially when driving at night or in inclement weather).

For example, here is a copy of directions I received for how to get to the house of one of our Bible Study leaders:

* Go out the POL gate (an alternate gate leading out of the base) and go straight

* Continue past Universe/Homac (Universe is a big grocery store and Homac is a home improvement store) and the Jam Friend Club (giant Pachinko parlor, kind of like a Japanese casino. They have a giant light-up sign that serves as a good landmark.)

* Keep going until you see an ENEOS gas station on your right. Turn right at the intersection just past the gas station. You will see an orange Torii gate on your left as you turn.

* Take the 4th left just past the big green house with white poles and fake dog statue on the porch (we missed the turn the first time we went to their house because we were looking for a full up street, but we were supposed to turn down a tiny alley behind this random house...)

* Drive down the alley until you come to some orange American style houses. Ours is the 3rd on the left.

Crazy, huh? Often you have to count the number of streets you pass in order to know where to turn, or be on the look out for signs and banners with certain recognizable characters. We don't know what many of the stores are properly called so you'll have to figure out what someone means when they tell you to turn after "the bunny store" or something like that.

I'm generally not a very confident driver and hate venturing out into unfamiliar territory because I have a tendency to get hopelessly lost, even with a map and great directions. My plan when it came time to start driving off base was to ask someone to type up a list of driving directions to important places off base like the train station, the 100 Yen store, Miss Veedol plaza where they hold outdoor farmer's markets, and some of our favorite restaurants. But each time I asked someone, they told me to go get lost. Literally. Everyone kept insisting that the best thing to do is take an afternoon and go get lost in the city, because that forces you to figure out where roads connect and how to find your own way around.

I hated the idea, but didn't seem to have any other choice. So I grabbed the map they gave us at our Right Start orientation (which is a very poor one printed from a computer) and set out. I spent about two and a half hours driving around, trying my best to figure out how to get from one side of town to the other, and the easiest routes to important places. Each time I found my way, I'd highlight the road I took on the map so I could remember later. For the most part, the trip was a success. (I made it back to the base ok so I guess I can't complain TOO much.) But I did get very lost around the train station multiple times and almost ended up leaving the city by heading the complete opposite direction I should have in an attempt to find my way home.

With some practice, I should be able to get around just as easily as I used to back in the States. Then I can work on showing James what I've learned because he was only in Japan for a couple weeks before leaving for Korea and does not have the knowledge of the area that I do. It will be a big change having me drive him around and be the navigator! But I guess there's a first for everything in marriage... ;^)