NAGOYA, JAPAN — I’m writing this post while travelling from Tokyo to Nagoya on the Shinkansen. A high-tech high-speed train that reduces the Tokyo-Nagoya journey to just 1 hour and 39 minutes.
It was still dark when I started my activities today, Thursday (14/3/2024). At 03:30 Japan time, I woke up for my nightly prayers. Then, I ate Suhoor and prayed Fajr in congregation with the family of Mr Yazid and Mrs Gina, Chairman and Founder of Ainul Yaqeen Foundation, at their residence in Adachi City Tokyo. After the prayer, I spent some time with Mrs Gina and her family to learn tahsin Qur’an.
At 09:30 Japanese time, I arrived at Tokyo Station. I met the Director and Management of Dompet Dhuafa Japan, Ustaz Ach Firman Wahyudi and Muhammad Ridwan Apriansyah or Pak Wawan.
Tokyo Eki, as Mr Wawan calls it, is one of the busiest and most vital stations in Japan. Japanese people walk back and forth at high speed. But uniquely, they do not collide with each other. The atmosphere of the station is clean, and what is also good is that people patiently wait for their turn, without elbowing each other.
Seeing the atmosphere of the station made me stunned at how fast they walked. I imagine how systematic they are at work, high work ethic, so that this country deserves to be a developed and dazzling country in the eyes of the world.
At this point, I wonder if Indonesia can reach this point? A developed country and prosperous people? Because if we go back to the teachings that most Indonesians believe in as Muslims, of course a high work ethic is a teaching of Islam. Look at how Ramadan teaches Muslims to be disciplined, starting from the time of sahur, breaking the fast, to Tarawih prayers. All of these acts of worship must be precise, fulfilling the conditions and pillars, in order to be valid. Isn’t that why Ramadan is also known as syahrut tajribah and syahrut tarbiyah, the month of testing and education?
Waking up from the dialogue in my head comparing Indonesia to Japan (while remembering the song ‘Ojo Dibanding-bandingke’), I rushed to the platform, after Pak Wawan gave me a print out of my boarding pass to board the Shinkansen.
Originally, Pak Wawan wanted to take me to platform 16, where my Shinkansen would begin its journey. However, given the hour and time constraints, there was no way I was going to wait for Mr Wawan to buy another ticket and enter the platform.
By the way, this is indeed my first experience riding the Shinkansen in Japan which qadarullah is the wasilah of Dompet Dhuafa Japan. A long-dreamed wish that, thank God, could be achieved with the wasilah of the Ramadan da’wah safari as a Dai Ambassador of Dompet Dhuafa.
Long story short, I finally decided to enter the Shinkansen platform myself. From the first time I entered the Shinkansen, the staff welcomed me and helped me. Even though I don’t speak Japanese, the officers were still able to explain what to do when entering the Shinkansen platform gate.
A few tips from me if readers will be travelling by Shinkansen in Japan:
- Check the platform to board according to the carriage
- Check the Shinkansen train number
- Queue to enter according to carriage and seat number
- Don’t be late, or you will be left behind.
- Use earplugs to minimise ear pain once you’re on the Shinkansen. Because, I felt a bit of ear pain when I was on the train. Similar to what I feel every time I go to Bandung via the Purbaleunyi Toll Road.
My Shinkansen journey is still not over. But for now, I’ll leave it at that. Inshallah, soon I’ll be back writing about my next da’wah safari experience in Japan.
Last but not least, may our Ramadan be the best Ramadan ever as we pray for Allah to give His love, forgiveness, and mercy to all of us. Aameen … allahu a’lam bish showab.
Thursday, 14 March 2024
Cutra Zwan, Dompet Dhuafa 2024 Dai Ambassador