Today, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, was my second attempt at becoming Japanese.

I was scheduled to go to the Legal Affairs Bureau in Fukuoka City at 1:00 in the afternoon. Because of the modified train schedule caused by yesterday’s earthquake, I decided to take the bus instead. I didn’t want to risk missing my appointment.

I left the house a few minutes after 10:00 a.m. to catch the 10:06 Bus No. 26 bound for Tenjin. I preferred this route because I only needed to transfer to another bus at Tenjin 3-chome that would take me toward the Fukuoka Legal Affairs Bureau. From the bus stop, it was only about a 300-meter walk to my destination. I thought it was the more convenient option, especially during these hot summer days. Taking the train would have been faster, but I would have needed to transfer to the subway from Hakata to Akasaka and then walk for about 15 minutes.

The bus ride was nice because I got to see many places I normally don’t. Since I was sitting by the window and there was no one sitting beside me, I took out my study notebooks, along with a pencil and eraser, and started reviewing one more time. I rewrote the questions and answers I had prepared for myself and practiced writing kanji. I wanted to make sure I was ready, especially because I knew how important this test was.

But as the bus continued moving, I found myself becoming more distracted by the view outside the window. I was fascinated by the scenery passing by—the streets, the buildings, and the everyday life happening around me. Eventually, I closed my notebook and put my pencil away.

I thought, “I’m done preparing. I’ve done what I can.”

From that moment, I decided to stop studying and simply enjoy the ride. I wanted to relax, take in the view, and let myself have a peaceful moment before facing the challenge ahead.

 It was a long journey—almost two hours—and the bus arrived at Tenjin 3-chome more than 15 minutes behind schedule. According to the timetable, it was supposed to arrive at 11:45, and I would only have needed to wait two minutes for my connecting bus. Because of the delay, however, I would have had to wait about 20 minutes for the next one.

When I checked Google Maps, I realized I could simply walk to my destination in less than 15 minutes, so I decided to do that instead. It was a cloudy day, so it wasn’t as hot as usual, but I could still feel the warm summer air against my cheeks as the breeze blew while I walked through the streets of Tenjin.

At around 12:15, I passed a Lawson and decided to buy an onigiri for lunch. There was a bench outside, so I sat there and ate before continuing my walk. By about 12:25, I had finished eating. I hurried on and arrived at the Legal Affairs Bureau around 12:40.

I went to the restroom to freshen up before heading straight to the Nationality Section, where I would have my application reviewed and take the Japanese test.

There was a sign on the door that said not to knock and to simply come in, so I did. A kind lady greeted me and asked whether I had a reservation. I told her my name, and she confirmed my appointment.

She said it was still a little early, so I could wait outside on the chair by the door. She would call me when it was time.

I waited there for about 15 minutes.

Another lady came and sat beside me, while a couple waited on the other side of the door. I guessed they were there for their oral interviews. Then I saw the same staff member who had given me the written test last year. He was explaining to the couple that they would be interviewed separately.

I was ready to smile at him—the same man I had cried in front of after failing the test last year.

He seemed busy helping the couple, so he never looked my way. Or maybe he did and simply pretended not to notice me.

When the clock struck one, the lady sitting beside entered room. We had a very short chat a while ago -just confirming if we were all here for our appointments and not just random visits.

A few moments later, an elderly gentleman called my name.

It was my turn.