If you happen to be a foreigner who have been in Japan for three months and rely on the public transportation, you would say that it's very reliable, well-organized and on time.
You would be familiar with people queuing nicely and patiently.
Saturday, July 23 we went to Meguro for lunch invitation from the Finance Attache. We could actually just go home at around 2 pm, but we decided to go to Kinokuniya at Shinjuku.
Around 4.30 pm I felt the building was shaking. I know that Japan is one of the most earthquake-prone areas, but when I had to experience it, it's a different story.
Due to the earthquake, the elevators were disactivated and we had to take the escalators from the building. We still could find something to eat around the Takshimaya area and people seemed not to be affected by the earthquake.
Then at around 6 pm we went to the JR station heading to Yokohama. We saw a long line for the JR, but we thought it was just like any other ordinary Saturdays. When we checked the time table, the train would not arrive until 8.30 pm. Hmm... this is unusual. My husband suggested that we took another train so we went back to the hall where people buy tickets. Then the nightmare began.
Gradually, people came from different exits and were concentrated at the hall. Some people looked confused and asked questions to the station officers. Some officers blocked some train platforms. We just stood there not knowing what was going to happen.
In less than 5 minutes there was a big crowd there. We could barely move then we stood in front of elevator. I held my 5-week baby tightly while my husband carried our 2 year old son. Fortunately both of them were sleeping. People went nuts. They no longer behaved like Japanase usually do. They pushed here and there trying to make ways. The police were invisible. I shouted for help but most people do not understand English. Even if they do, they were in a rush trying to get to the platform. We did not know where to go, or who to ask.Before we knew it, we were squeezed in the middle of panicked people. We screamed for help begging them not push us aside. I was so terrified that I bursted into tears not knowing what to do. My husband tried to protect us, but people kept pushing. Some of them started yelling loudly in Japanese but they kept on pushing.
In my desperation, there was a young Japanese woman passing by. Seeing me crying frantically with my baby in my arms, she said, " Come on, go ! Don't stay here". I yelled at her, " Where to? We can't move !They kept on pushing! We can't get through". She asked again," Where are you going?" . I shouted, "Out. to an open space, my baby can't breath". My tears ran down on my face. The lady was also squeezed by people. She yelled in Japanese at another lady wearing blue shirt who was standing behind me and had been hugging me trying to calm me down. From their body language I guess they were trying to figure out how to get us out . Then both of them shouted in Japanese, I don't know what they were saying, but those people stopped pushing and gave ways to us. At last, we could leave the crowd and get some fresh air.
I did not know how to thank them. What I felt was that I could not stop my tears and my body was trembling --imagining what could happen unless they dragged us out of there.
Then, those ladies mentioned that the trains were suspended due to the earthquake. It means we definitely could not go back to Yokohama that night. My husband was trying to make phone calls to his friends. The chances are staying at Odaiba or staying at a hotel. Hotel, yeah right, we could not afford it. To go to Odaiba means we have to take a taxi and it might cost a fortune for us. Luckily there were some friends from JDS program who were still staying at the Washington Hotel. A friend from Odaiba contacted them to pick us up to the hotel. We waited at the South exit and mbak Asni picked us up there. I could not help shed my tears when telling mbak Asni what we had been through. Thank God, we have lots of nice people around us.
Mbak Asni allowed us to use her room that night. A very nice room. For free.
The four of us slept there, together, peacefully.
In the morning, we left for Yokohama, the trains went back to normal.
Lesson of the day: Pray wherever you are. Your life is on God's hand, no matter how reliable human-made transportation is.
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