Gig in Japan 1: Element of Surprise

Finally, I’ve settled in back in Hong Kong and am starting to jot down all those wonderful sights, sounds and experiences during my 10-day stay in Japan. And here is where the adventure all began.

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I love surprises! Getting them is great, but giving them is much more awesome. The emotional rush of seeing a person’s face all lit up with joy and astonishment is something that is – according to the MasterCard campaign - priceless.

Early this year, my siblings and I gave my parents one of their biggest surprises yet. They celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and we told them we’re planning a small get together for them. Little did they know that we organized a church wedding and a lunch reception.

But that wasn’t the biggest surprise. Biboy, my brother living in Georgia, sneaked in the country to join the festivities. They had no idea he was going to Manila and will be my co-best man. When Dad saw Biboy in church, he was moved to tears. And my Mom, she was in a state of happy disbelief and obvious bliss.

Mom is a big believer of the “pay it forward” philosophy. After the surprise we gave her last January, she became the impetus for the next big surprise I was going to give this year. She gave me a free trip to Japan so I could surprise Mark on his birthday.

Having lived abroad several times, I know how difficult it feels to be in a foreign land on your birthday. In fact, I always come home for mine, no matter where in the world I am. This year, Mark was going to celebrate his birthday in Japan – away from his family and home – for the first time. In some of our conversations, he’d allude to his fear that his birthday this year might be a bit sad because of his current situation.

That was something I didn’t want to happen. Thanks to Mom, the prospect of surprising him and putting a bit of “happy” on his happy birthday was set into motion.

The time span between the day Mom gave me the ticket and Mark’s birthday was about 6 weeks. So, the surprise had to be prepared and executed in that short span. This would have been easy if I had an empty plate. But I had 2 shoots, and countless other projects running. Good thing my juggling skills didn’t fail me.

What had to be done? Get a Japanese visa, find out where he’d be on his birthday, find out how to get to where he’d be on his birthday, file my leave, fix my schedules, try and learn a few key Japanese phrases, and find people in Japan who can help in case of little glitches. Whew! And that’s just the trip part.

People who I’ve shared this “surprise plan” of mine had two common reactions: 1. “You’re awfully nice” and 2. “You’re clinically insane.”

Truth is, I haven’t been to downtown Japan. All my trips have been limited to Narita Airport and Narita town because my flights to the US have always stopped over there. Reality is, I’m going to a strange land where only a few people speak English, and I’m going to try and find a person who doesn’t even know I’m there.

They all voiced out their concerns: “What if you get lost?” “What if no one can help you?” “What if he isn’t even there?”

Judging by those comments, reaction number 2 would be more appropriate. But strangely, that never bothered me or made me think that my task would be more daunting. In my mind, I was going to make a person happy on his birthday, and all the supposed “risks” were inconsequential.

Sir Conrad once told me that if you look too far ahead, you tend not to notice what’s in front. To a certain extent, that was my mindset during the planning stage of this trip. My eyes were set on the goal so much that I’ve chosen to overlook the obstacles. It was a good mindset. Insane, maybe, but still good.

Surprisingly, I was able to map out the plan with a week or two to spare. This I credit to the power of Google, and the assistance of a few acquaintances in Japan. I found out where Mark would be on his birthday, and what Shinkansen to ride in order to get there. I’ve pinpointed the location of IUJ, and even booked a hotel within that vicinity as a fall back. The surprise was set, and all it needed was for it to be sprung.

Like any person who has a surprise up his sleeve, there was a mounting feeling of excitement and giddiness when I took the PAL flight to Tokyo that Friday. It was a bit difficult to move around because I was carrying so many things (including a Chocolate cake that my sister prepared. What’s a birthday without a cake, right? Big thanks to Ate for it.) At the check-in area at NAIA, one of the lady guards inquired about the cake I was carrying and I told her about my planned surprise. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and was telling everyone about it. That added to my excitement, of course.
A few hours later, I was already in Shinjuku. I had a night to spare so I went around the environs first, met up with Cathy, and breathed Tokyo air.

The strange thing was, the fact that I was in Tokyo didn’t sink in just yet. My mind was still busy planning and processing tomorrow’s surprise. This is probably the by-product of my training in advertising – single-mindedness, single-mindedness, single-mindedness. Plus, Tokyo as a city felt just like Causeway Bay here in Hong Kong, so there was really nothing novel or breathtaking about it.

Then the day came, Saturday, September 16. It was the day before Mark’s birthday, and I thought of springing the surprise a day earlier just in case he’s already made plans for the day itself. I took the Shinkansen and found the station I was supposed to get off at. I found the hotel where I’m supposed to check in, and did so without any difficulty. (Yup, my Nihonggo phrases worked.) And of course, the cake was still intact. Everything was set for the surprise.

At around 5pm, there I was, in front of his room. I knocked on his door and acted as if it was the most normal thing to do. In a few seconds, Mark opened the door, and I said “hello there” in the most nonchalant way possible.

What happened next was some sort of a déjà vu. Just 9 months ago in a church in Cubao, I saw my parents with this look that’s a combination of happy disbelief and obvious bliss. Now, I’m here in Urasa, Japan seeing Mark with this same look that’s a combination of happy disbelief and obvious bliss.

Yup, I can tell by Mark’s face that I did put a bit of “happy” in his “happy birthday.” And yes, judging by the "Oh my gosh" he let out upon seeing me can attest to the fact that he was definitely surprised.

And with that, I’ve accomplished what I set out to do and i've seen what I came here to see.