32 hours in Japan (Osaka)

The story began with an accidental landing in Osaka.

On January 2, 2024, both Japan time and Chinese time, I sat on the plane, hoping for a smooth trip to Seattle with a transfer in Tokyo, Japan. However, while the plane was still in the sky, the captain received a report of an aircraft accident in Japan, and the aircraft was on fire. The aircrew decided to land us in Osaka, and we would figure out the next steps from there.

It was nearly 7 p.m. when we landed in Osaka, and I didn’t realize that I would be staying at this airport for the next four hours by that time.

There was a period when even the staff didn’t know how to deal with us. I guess they had never faced this kind of situation before, especially with an international flight, which meant there was an extra troublesome issue regarding our visas. We were moved from customs to the immigration office, with everyone waiting for a long period for them to examine and approve an emergency visa for each individual. We were then sent downstairs to grab our own luggage.

After getting the luggage, the true struggle began because I needed to figure out how to get to Tokyo and whether my next flight to Seattle, originally supposed to depart around 9, would be able to fly.

I approached every ANA staff member I could find, and it became apparent that they didn’t have clear instructions; they were passing the responsibility around. Eventually, after more than an hour, I finally found the right place to go, which was to stand in the seemingly endless line at the ANA service desk, communicate with them, and see what assistance I could get.

A staff member approached me and expressed sincere apologies on behalf of ANA. As compensation, every passenger on the plane received 20,000 yen, which is less than 150 USD. I showed them the email I received from ANA, indicating that my next flight was scheduled to depart soon. However, the staff informed me that this information was not accurate, as no planes were departing from Haneda Airport that day, and the message was merely an automatic notification.

In the midst of these challenges, there was a stroke of luck. I encountered my friend Clara at the airport, who happened to be on the same flight from Beijing to New York with me. We had met just the previous week in Beijing and discussed our plans to fly to the US and transit in Tokyo on the same day. She had even inquired about my arrival time in Tokyo and expressed her anticipation to see me there. Unfortunately, I had forgotten to inform her, assuming I would only have a brief layover in Tokyo without time to meet. Having a familiar friend around turned out to be a fortunate coincidence.

Contrary to the information provided earlier, it turned out that “the message was not true” was not accurate. The plane departed at around 12. All ANA phone lines and websites were disrupted, making it impossible for me to look up the details of the next flight or contact anyone to endorse the ticket. After Clara and two new friends she had met finally obtained their passports and joined me, we decided that our next step would be to find somewhere to rest and take the earliest Shinkansen the following morning to reach Haneda Airport. Our plan was to speak face-to-face with the authorities there to address the situation.

We made a strategic decision to opt for a hotel near the Osaka Shinkansen instead of staying at the airport hotel. After checking online and confirming the availability of rooms, all six of us (including a couple who had joined us) took a taxi directly to the chosen hotel.

Unfortunately, upon arrival, we discovered that the hotel had run out of rooms. To our dismay, after lugging our two suitcases each, we walked to three other hotels in the area one by one, only to be informed that they too had run out of rooms.

Ultimately, we found ourselves sitting in the lobby of one of the hotels, patiently waiting until 5:30 a.m. when the Shinkansen would open, allowing us to ride to Tokyo.

Though we had a good mid-night dinner in one of the fast food restaurant beside the hotel.

While some of my fellow travelers managed to take some rest, I found myself too nervous to close my eyes. The ensuing hours were spent simply sitting in the hotel lobby, waiting for the morning to arrive.

Upon reaching the Shinkansen station, it proved to be a delightful sight, resembling scenes commonly depicted in Japanese anime. The station featured convenience stores, boxed meals, and an array of colorful drinks, adding a touch of familiarity and comfort to the otherwise challenging situation.

We boarded the train at 6:21 a.m., and as the train departed, the day was just beginning to brighten up.

It was surprising that we even saw Mount Fuji on the way, as it’s rare to have a clear view of it in winter. Some of our friends mentioned that Fuji is considered a spiritual mountain, and seeing it is believed to bring good luck.

I don’t know if it’s going to bring us good luck, but that was the first time in the past twenty-something hours that I closed my eyes and took some rest.