Surviving and Thriving in Japan

So, here's the deal: before this year, I did not include Japan among my list of places I'd like to see before I die. Sure, I've read a bit about Japan and seen a lot of movies either from or about the country, and there was definitely something intriguing about the place, but I just couldn't bring myself to even consider going there due to a little something folks like to refer to as "fear." The reason for this fear is simple: the language gap was something I was convinced would be too much for me. Sure, I've visited lots of places full of people who spoke something other than English (France, Germany, Costa Rica, and much of New York City for that matter), but there was at least the ability to decipher the written language for the purposes of navigation and the ordering of meals, etc. Japanese, on the other hand, is not something easily worked out casually and, as I learned over the course of my stay, my suspicions about the difficulties resulting from this problem proved true.

So, if my fear was keeping me from going, then how is it that I ended up there? Simple. In February of this year, I got the invite to go to Nagoya, Japan as an artist guest for one of Magic's Pro-Tour events. I ended up in Japan because I got an opportunity that even my feeble brain could see was great enough to make my fears seem irrelevant. Add to that the knowledge that Amy had long wanted to visit Japan and would likely have killed me had I turned down the opportunity, and you've got Steve on a plane. Next to a kid. With motion sickness. Who vomited for twelve hours straight.

But I digress.

©Amy Belledin

Usually when preparing to invade a foreign country, I like to spend about a month beforehand listening to language tapes and reading up on customs and the like. This time around, my schedule just didn't allow for that much prep. I had ten days to cram what I could, and of course it turned out to be woefully inadequate. What I could not have guessed was how little that would matter. Turns out that Japan was far more user friendly than I could have imagined.

Our first task upon arrival to Kansai airport was to find our way to the train station. Piece of cake. English signs. The next task was to buy tickets to Nagoya. Also a piece of cake. I had the choice between ticket machines that had an English setting or ticket clerks who apparently did, as well. Having managed those two things the rest was a simple matter of deciphering the mysteries of the train system, which, after about two minutes were no longer an issue, either. To my surprise, the train trip from Osaka, Kansai to Nagoya involved no confusion, and a rather relaxing ride on one of Japan's famous high-speed trains, the shinkansen. The final step in was to navigate Nagoya's train station and find our hotel. Given the fact that the hotel was actually in the station itself, it wasn't long before I was standing at the front desk, then in our room, thus ending 24 straight hours of travel.  All without freaking out once.

©Amy Belledin

The next day, Amy and I met up with the other artist guest, Mike "Daarken" Lim, and his wife, Kat, in the hotel lobby and the four of us set out to the event which was being held 20 minutes away. Waiting for us was a really nice set up with shelves, tables, security and the usual white chains, as well as about a dozen or so fans sitting between those chains patiently waiting.

Me, Mike, and Kat
©Amy Belledin

The line I encountered upon arriving each day.
©Amy Belledin

Either my bio in Japanese, or Ron Foster's manifesto railing against such institutions as the Society of Illustrators and Spectrum...but probably just my bio.
©Amy Belledin

All in all, the time I spent signing went rather smoothly. For the most part, it seems, signing is about the same wherever you go. Folks in line hand stuff to you, you sign it, you return it to them and thank them.  Lather, rinse, repeat. Occasionally you stop to take a picture with someone or you're asked to draw something and you take the time to do it. All the while, Amy is abuzz behind me keeping things organized. Generally, she'll handle any transactions that need doing so that I don't ever have to stop signing or drawing, thus allowing me to cram in as many signatures as possible. It's a really great system and I'm going to take this opportunity to thank her.

This was the best shot I got of her.

If it weren't for Amy's diligence, there would invariably have been fans who didn't get cards signed because I got too tied up in making change or because I needed to stop and grab a Coke (though the fine folks at Wizards made it so that I never wanted for anything). I am so very grateful to have Amy keeping my act together at events like this, and I confess that I'm rather proud to be the Robin to her Batman.

©Amy Belledin

Daarken and Kat signing diligently.

©Amy Belledin

Me displaying some excellent posture while fans look on.
©Amy Belledin

Despite the relative normalcy of the event, there were two things that made this signing noteworthy.  One was the gifts bestowed upon me by the fans (something I am going to write about in just a few days time more thoroughly).  The second was the fact that I was down for much of Sunday with an upset stomach due to overindulging with the Wizards' staff the night before. Suffice it to say that I ate too much, drank WAY too much, and mixed things that should never, ever be mixed.  Still, I toughed it out and signed until my line was gone.  I even managed to make it to the very end of the event and do some further signing for the tournament judges, which I think is kind of important as they work their tails off.  Unfortunately, it also meant that I was asleep in the back room for long stretches and was thus unavailable, and that there were a few fans who unfortunately bore witness to sights that they likely wish they could unsee.  For this, I apologize.

Delicious fish.
©Amy Belledin

Sake. The bull's eye pattern was trying to tell me something, I'm sure of it.
©Amy Belledin

Me and Ron Foster.  Believe it or not it went downhill from there.
©Amy Belledin

Now, my trip did not end with the Magic event, but for the sake of this entry's length I'm going to wrap things up and save the tales of the following week for another day. In the meantime, I want to take a moment to thank everyone for the Nagoya Pro Tour event. Thanks to Ron Foster at Wizards for giving me the opportunity in the first place, for the help he provided in my subsequent travels, and for a really, really good time. Thanks to Matt Danner who made an unreasonable number of trips to the Circle K, found me a garbage can, and made sure that I wanted for absolutely nothing while I was there.  Thanks, too, to Toby Maheras, Mark Purvis and everyone else at Wizards. I really had a great time and I appreciate everything.

I swear there were more people there than this photo indicates. 
However, it's a pretty cool photo in my opinion.
©Amy Belledin

I'd also like to once again thank the fans who were awesome, as always.  I continue to be very fortunate to have folks who seem to dig what I do for some reason or another.  Truth be told, if it weren't for the fans, I wouldn't have a career in illustration and I am very grateful for their continued support and kind words.  Thanks a ton!

©Amy Belledin