Starting the week with a public holiday sets the stage for a really good week. 

It was to be the week where I was to open a bank account.

I figured that would balance the week before ending with a networking event, some apartment hunting and sightseeing.

Knowing the hassles of banking in HK, I was ready for some challenges, particularly given my lack of Japanese and the expectation that I would need to draw on my extensive experience with the International Language of Charades.

Opening an account in Australia has become increasingly difficult too with the need to produce 100 points worth of identification. That’s actually quite challenging to do when you are new to the country and only certain documents are accepted, some of which, are not possible to obtain without a bank account. As with HK, there are some time consuming workarounds and compromises.

Given this, I researched online for a bank that was most likely to meet my needs and allotted two hours of my time to sort it all out with them.

I grossly overestimated the time needed.

I walked into the Head Office of Shinsei Bank figuring that it was more likely that there would be an English speaker there than at any of the other branches. I arrived at 9am figuring the queue would be shorter since the Japanese, like those in HK, seem to prefer to start their days a little later.

I was right.

I was greeted by a security guard and directed to the branch concierge who asked to see my Resident’s Card and enquired if I had my own mobile phone number. He confirmed that my status was not as a tourist and that yes, I did have a Japanese phone. He then gave me a numbered ticket (I was number 1) and asked me to have a seat.

I sat.

Roughly five seconds later, a woman came to my seat and asked me to follow her. In perfect English. I was directed to sit in a chair opposite her desk in a fairly spacious enclosure. She produced a package called “Statement Holder” and began to go through the documentation. She explained the privacy regulations, how I could transfer money online, how to set up internet banking and a few other bits and pieces. I was asked to sign that I understood the various restrictions.

She typed my name and address into her computer, had me confirm the details, checked them again herself and asked me to key in the pin I would like into the keypad. I keyed.

We chatted about credit cards while she finalised the details online. Apparently their credit card division is outsourced and they don’t tend to issue them to westerners (or ‘gaijin’ as we are known. Similar to ‘gweilo’ in HK). Her view was that I’d have more of a chance of obtaining one through a department store. Japan seems to be pretty much a cash society anyway so I’m not even sure yet if I’ll bother.

Throughout this entire process, I held a pen once and that was only to sign my name. There was no forms completed, no additional paper wasted in the obtaining of this account. 

No cash changed hands.

I was then asked what colour card I would like as my cash card. I figured yellow but she produced a booklet of 32 cards, all with great sounding names (like Wild Berry Cocktail), and if I chose one of the first eight, I could have it that day. In 30 minutes, I would have set up an account, completed no paperwork and had a card. Impressive and one of what I’m sure will become 974 things I like about Japan.

Naturally the colour I wanted was not in the first eight.

I didn’t care. I have the best colour ever on its way to me in the post.

A colour that will make me smile every time I see it.

Passion Yellow.

* Thanks to Radiohead for the title to this post.