一番の日 - Day One

My first day of work at Microsoft Japan. People thought I was crazy to schedule to attend work the day after arriving in Japan. But, the adventure of going to work and the stimulation of the new environment kept my awake, energized and eyes wide open. I was exhausted, so I thankfully slept through the night.

Aside from bathing and acquisition of food, both great topics in relation to Japan, the commute was job zero.  Akasaka is right in the middle of Tokyo, so I followed Kinori.  His work is one stop away at Tamachi and I just had to go on to Shinagawa.  We took the Ginza line to transfer to the Yamanote line.  Yamanote line is a major JR (Japan Railways - the national railway) line that goes in a big circle around the center of Tokyo.  Each stop is a major urban center like downtown Seattle with a huge collection of skyscrapers.  But, the trains stop at each stop, so if you're going around this circle, it takes time.  People come in along spoke lines and take chord lines to cope with this circle. It's also super crowded as people inevitably need to move between these major centers. Yuriko calls this line "Jamanote" - "Jama" is Japanese for something that's inconvenient and in the way of movement.  Kinori and I changed trains at Shinbashi station on to the Jamanote line where I experienced something I had never experienced in the 13 times I've visited Japan and Tokyo.

Shinbashi became a human traffic jam.  People came in from four or more directions and but could not leave.  There was a delay on some line - perhaps because of an accident or injury. The press of bodies was profound. A woman behind me shouted "Abunai, abunai!" ("Danger, danger!"). I couldn't control my movement and had to focus hard to keep my balance and on my feet. Station attendants were standing, using megaphones calling out instructions.  Finally, a trickle of people started feeding up some stairs, which freed up others to go in a different direction and the bind gradually loosened. No one fought or got angry. People were unhappy, but persisted. Kinori and I made it through. The next day's commute was a smooth flow, but still very crowded:

I'm an employee of a new company, Microsoft Development Company, under Microsoft Japan. It's in Shinagawa Grand Central Tower (SGT) which was a complex walk from Shinagawa station, one of the largest in Tokyo. The whole area around Shinagawa station is a multi-level, 3D maze of twisty passages that all look alike. I stopped at a map and a kind passerby offered to help me.  He walked my right by Microsoft Japan and I arrived on time thanks to him!

Since traveling via congested train can be impossible with luggage, baby strollers, wheelchairs, etc, the day before I sent my luggage ahead from the airport via a delivery company and I just took my bath kit and two changes of clothes in my backpack.  This luggage takes overnight and arrives just before lunch, so was not available when I left for work. What I forgot to bring was the set of papers provided to me to bring on my first day at Microsoft including the instructions of where to go, who to ask for and when to be there. I asked at the reception desk, they requested my badge to be activated, but didn't know how to help me when I didn't know who to ask for.  I badged myself into the building and headed to the office of the HR person who I've corresponded with.  When I entered the 26th floor, there was a sign for new employee paper signing and a followed that path. The signs led to a conference room full of people with one empty seat.  I sat down and the women leading the presentation looked at me.  They said "ハーレーさん？" (Harley?) and I said "はい！" (yes!).  One of them ran from the room, so I figured I was in the right place although the running for the room posed some questions.  She came back with a stack of papers and I realized that everyone else had a stack in front of them.  All was well.  Apparently, my early morning e-mail reporting my papers in my luggage was interpreted as me not making it.  The explanation was all in Japanese and my papers were in English.  Each time they finished a section, they'd point to the corresponding English in my papers and I'd give them the answer in Japanese.  Thirty years of Japanese listening comprehension quizzes were finally paying off.

Amusingly, they explained to all the new employees that they would have 7 digit employee ID numbers while the ladies presenting had 6 digits ID numbers.  I looked down at my 5 digit employee number with some satisfaction.

My manager picked me up after the meeting and we tested my badge which now worked everywhere!  (So much for the warning of 48 hours before gaining access.) He took me to my new standing desk; I was blown away.  My back had been causing me pain for three months and I had been in PT.  A chief culprit was my desk at work.  I needed to stand, not sit.  But because I was leaving so soon, there wasn't time to change my desk in Redmond.  But I hadn't contacted Japan.  This was just pure luck.  Again, I felt I was in the right place. I set up my brand new computer, a Microsoft tradition, and attached the two largest monitors I've ever owned.  Sweet!  Remote desktop to my machine in Redmond worked great.

After a day's work, Kinori and I met at his station. Of course, I headed in the wrong direction one stop and then back to him to give him time to get there. We headed off to the Harvard Club New Year's party (新年会). It was on the 51st floor of the famous Mori building in Roppongi Hills.  While the food was great, talking with people while not wearing a suit proved to be a challenge. Still, just before giving up, we met a number of super interesting people and our new life in Tokyo together was off to a great start.

Mount Fuji in the distance at sunset looking from my desk at Microsoft Japan.  おやすみなさい。Good night!