I went to Ikea today to meet some AFWJ (Association of foreign wives Japan) girls for early lunch and chat. I had met two of them before and the other two, today was the first time…Had a lot of fun chatting and getting to know each other though- I can see many more lunch and coffee dates ahead. Then I picked up some Ikea essentials (as you do!) before heading home…
I had to come home once before heading out again to the supermarket but that wasn`t a problem as for some reason today, despite spending the morning out, I am very “genki”.
Went first to get some money from our Japanese account and then also to the international atm to get some money from the Aussie debit card. It wasn`t until I was in the supermarket and checking something in my wallet that I realized I must have left the debit/credit card at the ATM (literally in the atm it seems) since it was not in my wallet (or bag or anywhere) so quickly returned to the scene of the crime (hehe!) but it was gone.
I debated whether just going home and canceling it once I got there by ringing my bank in Australia and ordering a new one but I had already been in contact with my Aussie bank once this week since they had cut off the card for “suspicious and fraudulent activity” despite the fact I have explained several times and asked them to make note of the fact that purchases in Japan are NOT TO BE CONSIDERED SUSPICIOUS since that is obviously where I live. So I had already switched it back on once this week and waiting for a new card from Australia would take a couple weeks as they would need to send it to mum first.
Due to the fact I had already been in contact with bank once this week I figured I should at least report it to the koban (police box) in case some nice little old Japanese lady had handed it in or something (You would be surprised- people hand in wallets in Japan WITH THE MONEY STILL IN THEM not to mention lost mobile phones). I arrived at the koban on the other side of the station all flustered and pregnant looking (due to carrying groceries!) and started speaking to a guy that seriously looked like he was 12 but anyway- explained that I had left my card at the atm on the otherside of Tobu and went back but it wasn`t there so wanted to file a report in case someone handed it in and would wait 12 hour before reporting it stolen in Australia.
Then another policeman stood in and said “whats your name” and I explained my name but said that the card in question was in my maiden name. He said “what`s your old name” I explained- he said “what colour” I said orange suncorp visa and he said “someone has already handed it in” so he took over asking for ID (that was a hassle since the only ID I have in maiden name is Aussie license he was concerned it was in English) and my gaijin card and he made copies of both while the other cop asked me to fill in an incidence report (ie, lost credit card, where, and what time) and then I needed to fill in another form to say “yay, getting credit card back, I am prepared to sign here and say it is mine and receive it” -this whole process took almost half an hour.
Then I proceeded to leave without the card- I was halfway back through the station when the 12 year old cop come running after me “marushima sama, marushima sama” to give me back the card- seriously I think I have a severe case of pregnancy brain!!!!!
I didn`s ask who handed it in- but thank you to whoever it was. I am happy you didn`t go out and spend all our money with my card! And even though it took awhile at the Koban this was one of my first “happy” experiences at a Japanese police box (ie, they are not yelling at me to show my gaijin card or bike papers)
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I am just a twenty something Aussie girl living in Chiba, Japan with my Japanese husband trying to make sense of the crazy Japanese world we live in! We welcomed our first son in December 2009 (Noah) and a second son in January 2011, 2 months premature (Shion). I am working hard at raising them to be confident, bilingual, happy kids!
Yay for happy endings! It’s such a sick feeling you get when you realise you’ve lost something important. I did a similiar thing when we got back from Aus to London a few months back. I got £60 out of an ATM the morning after we got back. But I took the card and then walked away – leaving the cash in the output hole!!!! How silly hey?? I was very jetlagged (or that’s my excuse!)
I went into the bank and explained the situation. They said they could do a report/machine reconciliation and if the money had been eaten up again, they could refund it.
Well, props to HSBC because they refunded the £60 in full! I think the machine must have eaten it because it was 8am in the morning and no one is around at that time in London – well certainly not theives it seems!!
Oh and I LOVE IKEA. It’s such a fun place to go. It was great as kids in the ball room and the meatballs. Now it’s great as little budding homemakers to nab cheapie functional items that also look great!
x
ohhhh too funny! That sounds like something I would do though! Are you going to take some cookies or something to the person who handed it in?
Ahhh that is a good koban san experience! I’m so glad you got the card back! Shame about the paperwork, but what you described is sooooo typically Japanese!
Your first sentence had me GREEN with envy! Great that someone handed in your card. That would’ve been a nightmare. I’m with you on the filling out forms thing though. Had the same thing at the bank today. Is that a Japanese thing, or just a general international annoyance? As for the pregnancy brain, I am wondering how long I can keep using that excuse. It has changed it’s name to Mummy brain now, of course. I think it is a real phenomenon…
Oh wow, how great that someone found your card and handed it in! Do the ATMs there eat the cards if you leave them in past a certain number of minutes? Here there’s no chance of someone finding it if you leave it in the ATM because the machine will take it. I think once the machine takes it though there is really no getting it back.
How funny that you almost left without it again though!
So glad someone handed in your card. I had the same experience with my cell phone, leaving it at the atm (not sure why it was out of my bag in the first place) but luckily someone had handed it in.
Ahaha… I love how you left the Koban without it, after allllll that XD
Japan is great with returning things, people not stealing wallets hanging out of back pockets, or purses placed on the ground in stores =) Gotta love it! So glad someone returned it and you got it back safe and sound.
I have to admit I’m kind of jealous of the amount of coffee/lunch dates you seem to go on lately! Can’t wait for ours in a couple weeks!
That’s awesome that they turned it in. It’s nice to know that in Japan people do that
I forgot a bag on a commuter rail train here in Boston yesterday and didn’t notice until I got to work. It had two graphics cards from my bf’s computer we had to return to Dell within 10 days. All I thought was he was going to kill me as they weren’t cheap and if I didn’t get them back Dell would charge him. So I jumped out of my seat at work and took off to find it. Thank god the train conductor found it and turned it in. I swear I am never bringing anything on the train again that won’t fit in my bag!
I love IKEA, have vacation in a few weeks and plan to go to see what’s new
I’m so glad that you got your card back!! I can’t imagine anything similiar happening in Japan!!!
I am going to have to plan a day up to visit you someday in the not so distant future with Naoki so you can take us to Ikea!! I want to do some shopping
And this is one big reason I love Japan- seriously, how awesome is it that you can leave important stuff around and be surprised if someone actually stole it.
So glad you got your card back.. YIKES– I am always losing things…
Thanks everyone for the comments. Luckily I got it back (and so promptly!)- gotta love Japan for the “honest” people!
I need to remember to be more careful- I did just leave it in the machine but there was a huge line-up so I imagine the person who used it next took it out. They even took my receipt and returned it with the card. HAHA
Wow that is a great story. Switzerland is also very friendly when it comes to returning things misplaced or lost. A friend of mine left her purse in a bier garden this weekend, went back 20 minutes later and it was still there – no money gone or anything. Ahh to live in a safe society.
Found you via Blogher. I am married to an Aussie, I am American, we live in Switzerland. Can’t wait to hear more!