10 Fun Stories from Japan – a Miniseries: The Matsumoto Story

by The Flamingo

Dear reader, you already know what big fans we are about all things Japan. The Flamingo wrote a 10 stories miniseries about funny/awkward/eccentric experiences that can only occur in Japan. I will share with you some more or less embarrassing moments that happened during the trips there, that always make top conversation topics.

3. The Matsumoto story

The Matsumoto castle is one of the most beautiful castles in Japan, but not the most touristy one, being in a very small town between mountains.

This happened thirteen years ago, when rural Japan was not used to so many Western tourists. My boyfriend and I were visiting the castle together with a French friend. We were at the highest level, after having climbed a lot of stairs. I sat on the floor, out of people’s way, just admiring the scenery, while the guys were studying different objects and taking pictures. The beautiful garden outside, the black swans gliding on the pond, it was all so new, so mesmerizing, so…Japanese.

I was lost in my dreamy thoughts, when suddenly I found myself looking at two little school girls seated just in front of me. Then two become four and then four become eight. In a couple of seconds I was surrounded by eight girls, watching me with their little mouths open. I froze, very self conscious and confused. They started whispering to each other and pointing at my face and at my hair, all sorts of amazed sounds coming out of their tiny mouths. I felt my cheeks burning and my uneasiness rising.

Then I heard the guys laughing. Our friend told me that the girls are not used to seeing a blonde strange looking woman and that nothing was wrong with me. I began recognizing their sounds and some adjectives they used and I relaxed a little bit, offering them a small smile. I let them take their fill, until their teacher hauled them away bowing and apologizing a hundred times. I don’t know who was more embarrassed: the teacher or myself?!

This did not happen with just little girls, but this is the funny story I’m going to share with you.