How I Lost my Philippine Passport in Tokyo

How I lost my Philippine Passport in Tokyo? This happened back in December 2015 during my second trip to Japan in the autumn season. I already changed my accommodation from the Shinjuku area to Korea town and then to Asakusa. I walked from my hostel going to the train station until I found an Ichiran Ramen place for JPY 880. It was a good lunch and I loved it.

I finished my lunch and went to the train station. I decided to go to Ueno station to check out Ueno Park and Ueno Zoo. Inside the train, I was just having fun looking at people until I got out of the platform. The Japanese guy who was a train attendant greets me in Nihonggo and I did the same. I looked at the map of the station on which exit number to get out.

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How I Lost my Philippine Passport in Tokyo?

I was hugging my iPad where I inserted my Suica card of the iPad case. But I still had my Nikon D5100 around my body. While staring on the map, I realized that I felt my back was free. I remember I always bring my small black backpack with me. That I started to panic and realized I don’t have my passport and money with me.

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Just so you know, I was still near the platform so I went back where I stopped. I approached the same Japanese train attendant and told him that I lost my bag and he said okay in a calm manner. Until I said, “there’s a passport inside my bag.”

He started to panic as well. Although we had a lost in translation because he couldn’t speak in English, he told me to report it to the lost and found office. He actually accompanied me to the department and explained to the other lost and found personnel what had happened.

FYI, this was not my first misadventure in Japan because I also had my misadventures in Tokyo during my first trip.

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Going to the Lost and Found Department

The Japanese train attendant told the lost and found personnel which platform number I lost my bag. The guys asked me more questions on what color was my bag, what was inside and how much money I had inside. I couldn’t remember how much money I had. What’s important was my passport.

There were like five Japanese personnel attending to my case so they told me to wait. They started to call somebody on the phone. Probably, the person in a different station. As I never understood what they were talking about because they were speaking in Nihonggo, I told them I’ll be back.

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I need to go back to Asakusa station to check if I left my bag in the toilet room. I arrived at Asakusa station and I found nothing. Tired and almost breaking, I prayed that they could find my bag.

Hurriedly, I went back to the lost and found office of Ueno station. One of the guys told me that they found my black at Ginza station and it was at the lost and found office. Thank goodness!

Announcing on Social Media that I lost my Passport | Lost my Philippine Passport in Tokyo

Well, because I had my iPad with me, I was able to post the status of what was currently happening. Good thing, there was public Wi-Fi at Ueno station so I was able to connect. Suddenly, I received a message on WeChat that my friend from the US just arrived in Tokyo and wanted to see me again. So I told him about my situation. I also sent another message to another friend who told me to be careful of my passport the other day. Oh, jinx! So he apologized for I lost my passport. He regretted telling me how he lost his passport in Tokyo the first time he arrived in Tokyo. He added he can see me at that time to give me money to eat while waiting for my bag. I said I was fine. These two guys promised me to bring me to sushi places in Tokyo. Well, not at the same time and same day though. LOL

On my Way to Ginza Station to Claim my Lost Bag | Lost my Philippine Passport in Tokyo

That feeling that I needed to hug somebody because I was so tired already. I exhausted my whole afternoon searching for my lost bag instead of enjoying my day in Ueno. So, I chose to hug the post inside the train station when I arrived at Ginza station. Then, I went directly to the lost and found department, there it was, my bag, my passport, and my money were all inside.

Literally, I was a lost girl in Tokyo. My friend from the US just sent me an update. I have this history of losing some sh*ts while traveling like losing a key. It was a long train ride for me. So I had to go back to my place but we need to meet at another train station.

Finally, found my bag and my passport!

I was really happy when I found my bag and my passport is safe. I went to Sugamo station and I arrived to see my friend. Well, I was waiting for him so he needed to come to the station where I was.

Relieved with the sight of him but he didn’t saw me right away. I took a seat on the floor like a beggar and was just staring at him until he could see me. By the way, he looks like Keanu Reeves. LOL, so I stood up so that he could see me.

So he hugged me when he saw me because it was obvious in my eyes how exhausted I was. To keep me better, he kept his promise to have sushi for dinner. Happy tummy!

I was very thankful for the concerns from my friends I met on my travels. Do you have the same story of losing your passport while traveling in a different country? Share your comments below.

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