Stressful Win!

Date: 05/04/2025

Mood: NERVES WRECKED!

 

Ahhh!! What a ride!

So, basically I read that I'd find out the results for Sanji's Restaurant Lottery on the 5th of June. I assumed it would be at noon, since the lottery OPENED at noon (11pm my time).

Naw man, it was goddamn midnight. So, I stayed up late waiting for the results like AN IDIOT. The next day, work was so busy and so stressful that I accidentally blew past noon JPN and didn't actually check until my noon, which is an hour later.

And I saw it

I STG, my eyes popped out of my head in shock. I was so sure that I didn't get it since it had been such a goddamn awful week and suddenly - WINNER? ʕ≧⌄≦｡ʔ

So, I was OVER THE MOON! Work kept being stressful and shitty (it's been a fucking week) and I was like, this sucks ass BUT I WON! This time I double checked and the purchasing time was 11pm my time for that night.

So, 11pm rolls around. I have my credit card and I AM READY - ٩ʕ•͡וʔ۶

But, I joined a USJ group on Facebook to be sure to have the right information and I KNEW that many people have trouble with foreign cards on the USJ website. So, I had asked my mom ahead of time if I could borrow her card. It worked on a Palestenian website! So, I should have no issues, right?

Anyways, I had to fill out FIVE pages of information, put down my hotel information AND had to write my name in Katakana (thank god I had that ready) and BOOM! I hit purchase.

Declined.

Message said that the purchase is blocked on my VISA's end. 

So, I try not to panic and tell myself that I'll just try again in the morning with my mom's cards! I had until Sunday 11:58PM JPN! Lots of time!

It goes without saying that I slept like absolute horshit. BUT I WAS READY TO GO! ʕง•ᴥ•ʔง

My mom happen to be up at 6:30 so we went right to it.

Tried her VISA? Declined.

Tried her Mastercard? Declined.

In a panic, I opened a WISE account - tried to pay with that. Declined.

I'm like, okay, let's try calling VISA.

At this point, I started working. I'm trying to work with one hand, on the phone with VISA on the other, laptop on the bed besides me as I kept turning around to follow the instructions. 

VISA Desjardins rep was like "We don't see anything wrong on our end, but we'll forward you to VISA-VISA and see if they can help!" 

And I'm like cool, please.

And she starts. "But before you go - how excited are you for this trip to Japan? Have you been planning it long? When are you going? Where are you going?" 

Like USUALLY I'd indulge this, but I answered her questions super fast bc PLEASE, I NEED TO BUY MY TICKET. 

She passes me along to VISA-VISA, he asks me to try while he's watching my account. So, gladly. But at this point enough time has passed that I have to redo the WHOLE FIVE PAGES of information. But I'm a pro at this point (all my windows/notes are still open lol). And I try. Declined.

VISA is like "oh weird, I see you tried five times, but it blocks. Try again, I'll remove the security setting." So, I do.

Declined.

Now at this point, I KNOW it's the USJ website that's blocking me and not my card (LIARS) and the VISA rep felt SO bad but I was like 'naw naw, not your fault.'

 

But now what? Am I going to lose my tickets? ʕ； •`ᴥ•´ʔ

In desperation, I did a quick google and I saw someone say "I had my friend who lives in Japan finish the purchase for me at the 711."

And a desperate idea formed in my head.

A moot I have, told me in DMs that they're living in Japan, and if I had any questions or anything to let them know. But also that they were keeping it on the downlow - PROBABLY so nobody asks them to do shit.

Which is why I felt like a complete fucking ASSHOLE!! 

I sent them a massive paragraph being like "YOU CAN SAY NO AND I WON'T BE MAD" and etc etc, basically "Can I send you money and you go pay for this for me?" 

And they were like "Oh yeah no problem, 711 is across the street"

It took 10 fucking minutes between me sending the money and them paying for it. I got my confirmation email and now I could take it easy. 

But holy fucking shit. This was for ONE RESTAURANT!! For the actual USJ ticket and One Piece show - I'll be using Klook!! 

 

 

 

First Lottery Done!

Date: 05/04/2025

Mood: Super nervous!!

 

I did my first lottery!!

It was SO nerve wrecking! It said “Lottery opened on May 3rd at 12:00”. So my ass thought it meant like, midnight?

I booked the slot as busy in my schedule, had my laptop on the page, the dates I wanted on a post-it on my laptop. I was READY!

So, at 11am EST, I tried to get in and it wouldn’t work! So, I was FREAKING out! Anyways, it meant like NOON! So, my stupid ass got all nervous for nothing.

I usually go to bed at 10:30 when I work the next day, but now I was waiting until 11pm to do the lottery. At 11pm on the dot, I was able to get into the site! I was filling out my information as best I could, but then when I had to pick the dates – it wouldn’t work!! I was FREAKING out! But I realized that it was because my browser had automatically ran a translator on the site and THAT was probably the cause of the issues. And it was exactly that! So, I put the site back to it’s original state and used my phone translator to translate the screen on my laptop. LOL, it was such a mess, but I did it!!

You got to ask for three time slots, so I picked the 2nd of October at 4pm, 3rd of October at 2pm and 4pm! Since it’s a supper, I wanted it closer to when we usually eat here, but hopefully we’ll get lucky!

But it’s DONE! I’ll only know in June if I got a slot, but this is such a relief that it’s done!

 

 

One Goal Off My List!

Date: 03/29/2025

Mood: excited!!

I found out this weekend that the Chainsaw movie was going to premiere in Japan on September 19th! I really wanted to try going to the movies in Japan so I’m SO excited that a movie that I’m actually interested in is playing. I heard that a movie ticket is near 30$ over there, but you get a booklet and other stuff. Regardless, I’m legit SO HYPED.

The movie is actually of my fav arc of the series and Reze is my fav, so this is actually legit really fucking awesome for me!

It just sucks that I can’t buy my tickets ahead of time without a Japanese credit card. Not that I think it’s gonna sell out or anything, but more that I’m excited as fuck! The JJK movie will be playing soon in theatres so I hope I get lucky and I can watch that La Rose de Versailles movie on the plane by the time I leave!

Urgh 187 days to go, sob

 

 

Some Real Stupid Motherfuckers Out There

Date: 02/28/2025

Mood: annoyed

For the month of February, one of my goals was to work on planning my trip every day for at least 30 minutes. Which means my trip is so beyond set, LOL. Right now, why I’m working on is improving my Japanese (I use the Mango app, I have cue cards and my old workbook from that one semester I did Japanese at the Japanese Language School.) but also on looking up little lists and stuff with suggestions.

I’m clearly not looking into adding more stops, but things like ‘this place makes a great melon pan’ is what I want.  But I find myself annoyed with them too. Because it’s filled with ‘tips’ like ‘Dress very modestly, no shorts or tank tops if you’re a woman’ Like uhhh if it’s hot as balls, I dress like I want. Like clearly not if I’m going to a temple or shrine because that’s a RELIGIOUS site – but everyday wear?? Fuck off! Like I’m not going to dress like I’m going clubbing but come on!

‘Cover your tattoos’ - I shan’t!! They’re on my fucking forearms!

‘Don’t put soy on white rice, you’ll look like a tourist’ - But I am a tourist?? Lemme eat my fucking rice like I want?? Like I’m fat, white and have red fucking hair and green eyes and don’t speak the language – they KNOW I ain’t local??

Like I totally get the don’t be noisy rules or not sticking your chopsticks in your food – because there’s a difference between being a tourist and being fucking rude.

Like practical advice like ‘don’t roll your luggage on a tatami mat, I’ll break the mat’ is USEFUL! Telling me to dress like a fucking nun ain’t it, chief. Like, I’m clearly not Japanese!

Like I bought a small booklet of basic rules of politeness and stuff for Japan, I’m clearly down to following rules. But some of them are batshit and it’s always ‘This is what a local would do’ – well cool, but I ain’t one? Like don’t blow your nose in public? That’s no issue! I can def do that! But policing how I dress? Naw son. Me and the Gals are about to be BFFS!

But I keep finding that there’s no middle – either a tourist acts like the country is their playground or they go to the extreme of ‘I must make them think I am one of them’. Which is ridiculous since uhhh bitch you white.

I admit I was worried since anybody that knows me in RL knows that my voice is SUPER loud without me trying. And I was terrified of bothering people around me but since I’m traveling alone it’s going to be much easier to keep my voice down. My goal thought was never to appear like I was a local – it was to not be a bother to the locals! And I feel like that it’s the happy medium that ALL tourists should strive for in any country!

 

 

Hello!

Date: 03/02/2025

Mood: proud

The site is finished! (for now) - It looks like ass on mobile but she is here! 

 

FRUSTRATED

Date: 02/28/2025

Mood: impatient!!

Ahhh, I just want to book my JRpass already! Also I want to book my tickets for Universal Studios! But I want to go to Sanji Restaurant and it's a gacha to get those tickets! So I can't even plan what day I do what because I don't even know! Same with the Nintendo museum! All of those are 3 months prior and I stg I will fucking perish!

And do not get me started on how theme collab cafés won't announce shit until a month or two prior!! 

ARGH

 

Haven't Made a Site in Years

Date: 02/24/2025

Mood: frustrated

BLEAH

I lowkey hate that the desire to build this site comes from the fact that nobody in RL that I have constant communications with in person seem to want to look at the massive fucking holder I put together for this trip. But people who I don't often see in person, or are online only...are the ones who want to see it.

 

Whatever, at least it was fun putting this whole site together

©repth