The Last Day... Monday, March 5

Luckily we are scheduled to go home today, total amount of money left in our pockets: 3200 yen (about 28 dollars). Bus back to the airport - 2100 yen, giving us a budget of 1100 yen or 9 dollars until our 3 pm bus.

The itinerary is to walk around the city, checking out the waterfront. The rainy early morning may hinder the loose plan. On the way down from our hostel on top of the mountain I am thankful that we will not have to hike back up it. We pass a small shop with a kimono-looking robe in the shop,

"Oh, Gino, wait, look, only 500 yen," I said as our budget is reduced to 600 yen.

I'm not feeling bad about it because it's adorable, however, my grumbling stomache is.

I get a novel idea, "How about we feed our tummies with my new American Express?" So now the search begins for a place in Japan that accepts credit card.

Danielle: "Koko do kurejitto ka-do tsukaimasu ka?"

Shop 1: "Kurejitto ka-do?"

Danielle: "Hai, kurejitoo ka-do."

Shop 1: "Dekimasen."

This "Can you use a credit card here?," "Oh sorry you can't," conversation went on for two more shops until the trendy, globalized coffee shop that I absolutely loathe brightly popped into my head.

"Starbucks!"

They are everywhere and accept credit cards. Ah, relief. My arch nemesis among coffee shops saved the day.

With our bellies full and pouring down rain outside, we didn't have much else to do than roam the underground, above ground, half inside, half outside ingenious shopping arcades that make Japan the smartest shopping country in the world.

Imagine this: You've got a huge interesection. 1 corner is the city's main transport station, 2 corners house towering department stores and the other corner has two spread out department stores. A network of underground shops span the whole area. In between the two department stores is an outside arcade shopping area that makes it seem inside. This outside shopping area is three floors itself. A perfect solution for any rainy day.

Oh wait, look, a pair of fake glasses for only 390 yen! I have to have that! And this, plus one green tea from the vending machine, concludes the trip with 90 yen to spare.

Oh no, what will we do about the 540 yen bus ride home? That's a worry for later.