Capítulo 53: Restless Hands
It is often said that the Japanese are highly efficient, clear-minded, and possess a broad perspective thanks to thousands of years of accumulated knowledge. After Barnaby's arrival in Japan and enduring the bureaucratic processes at the local Ministry of Magic, he can now say with a clear conscience that...
It's all pure nonsense.
Three hours of heated debate with red-faced Japanese officials because they didn't know how to handle his staff!
It was simply disgraceful; they even wanted to saw it in half to see if there was anything hidden inside and confiscate the gems in the eyes "for further inspection."
All that just because it was a staff carved from Qilin wood?
Did they really think he didn't see through their intentions?
Barnaby was this close to rolling up his sleeves and showing them that just because he's young doesn't mean he's gullible. He easily towered over the officials by nearly two heads and was at least twice their size.
He could have left them with heads so swollen they wouldn't be recognizable as Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, or Korean.
He wouldn't have even cared if they fined him or something.
Banning him from entering Japan for defending his rights?
Oh, how devastated he would be, considering how often he visits Japan… (Maximum sarcasm.)
Luck was on the officials' side when a seventy-year-old man entered the room and whisked Barnaby away before they could do anything to confiscate his belongings.
"Thank you, Mr. Tanaka "Barnaby said as he checked to make sure those idiots hadn't scratched his staff.
"No thanks necessary, Barnaby-san "replied Tanaka Hoshiro as he led him out of the Japanese Ministry of Magic" Newt was worried something like this might happen, so I kept an eye out for new arrivals, but with the large number of tourists, it took me a bit to locate you.
"Is what happened back there normal?
"Well… "Tanaka felt ashamed of his compatriots" No, not really. Inspections have indeed been tightened recently, but they shouldn't have gone that far. I hope this hasn't left you with a bad first impression of our Japan.
Actually, it did.
"I'll be your host while you stay in Japan "Tanaka explained as he guided Barnaby through the streets of Kyoto, causing many Japanese onlookers to stare at Barnaby in amazement" I hope you don't mind staying in a hotel; my house is undergoing renovations, and I don't think I could be a proper host.
"I'm not too picky about these things "Barnaby assured as he took a closer look at Mr. Tanaka.
Newt's friend was a seventy-year-old man with a rather straight, no, square haircut. His skin was darker than the other Japanese people on the street, likely due to working under the sun. His hands were heavily calloused, and he was slightly hunched forward, but not enough to form a hump. His eyes were brown, while his hair and light beard were mostly gray with dark streaks.
"Here we are, the Hotel Niwa Tokyo! "Tanaka pointed out as Barnaby saw a hotel much more modern than he had expected" Initially, I wanted to put you up at the Inn Premium Shibuya Jingumae, but it's tourist season, and it's fully booked.
"Seems like a pretty good place "although the word Barnaby wanted to use was "expensive."
Not that he was complaining.
"This is a four-star hotel located in the Chiyoda district, a quiet area of Tokyo. Quite ideal for a comfortable and serene stay in the bustling Japanese capital "Tanaka explained like a tour guide as they entered and helped Barnaby claim his room.
From what Barnaby could see, the hotel's design was a blend of contemporary and traditional elements. The interior used natural materials like wood, stone, and washi paper. The gardens, however, were much more focused on the Japanese style and had a strong presence of greenery and serenity.
"Come on, let me show you everything "Tanaka urged" Newt already told me what you came for, and I'll help you while my house is being renovated, showing you whatever you need and also accompanying you so you don't get lost.
Barnaby had no problem with the arrangement; he didn't even know where to find a sweets shop in this place. His arrival was straight off the ship and into the Tokyo offices; he hadn't had time to look around.
The room was pleasant, everything very minimalist yet elegant, emphasizing simplicity and comfort. The bed was large enough for him without his feet hanging off the edge, there was a television, a desk, a minibar stocked with drinks and snacks, and room service was available 24 hours a day. All he had to do was press a button, and they could bring him anything from lunch to a change of clothes. The floor was made of quite sturdy tatami, and it also had a pair of sliding paper doors (shoji), adding more cultural influence to the place.
"Downstairs, you'll find a couple of restaurants; Yukuri serves Japanese cuisine in an elegant setting, while Dining LIEU offers international dishes with fresh, seasonal ingredients "Tanaka pointed out as he showed Barnaby a brochure.
"Would it be cheaper for me to order room service or go to these restaurants? "Barnaby asked with interest.
His appetite wasn't small, and since he was going to have to pay for his food, unlike at Hogwarts where he could take advantage of the student buffet, he needed to keep his expenses in check.
"Nonsense! "Tanaka exclaimed, horrified" As your host, meals are on me!
"Are you sure about that? "Barnaby looked at him with a strange expression.
"Naturally "Tanaka waved his hand generously" Of course, any souvenirs you want to take home and the like will come out of your own pocket.
Barnaby hoped Tanaka wouldn't regret his choice later…
"Do you go to the gym? You've got a strong build "Tanaka asked curiously" There's a gym for guests who like to stay active.
"I don't think I'll be going "setting aside that his body was already quite strong, the size of the exercise equipment was likely designed for regular humans and wouldn't suit him well.
"Perhaps you prefer reading? There's also a library by the garden filled with the best classics and modern bestsellers "he offered as an alternative.
"Maybe later, I'd rather focus on what I came here to do first.
Even though he had the entire summer for this project, he wanted to try and return by mid-summer to spend some time with Tonks if possible.
"Ah, that's a good attitude, work before pleasure, I understand "Tanaka nodded, pleased, fully understanding that hardworking mentality" In that case, find me in the garden when you've finished unpacking your luggage.
Barnaby heard the door close and was left alone in the room.
"After what happened, I'm afraid that when I return later, everything will have "mysteriously" disappeared from the room, so… I'll kill some time for a few minutes and then head down "he was in unfamiliar territory and wasn't about to risk losing what he had, even if the hotel had a certain level of guaranteed security to prevent incidents.
He simply took out some money for his day's expenses before shrinking his luggage and storing it in his inner pocket, ensuring everything was safe.
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Fun fact: Both hotels mentioned in this chapter are indeed real and quite well-known.
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