Key

Jeff and I have both managed to break our house keys since we've been here on Okinawa. The keys seriously are as old as the house, 40-50 years old.

So you are probably thinking to yourself, "No biggy, just go to the hardware store." Our thoughts exactly.

Our first stop, Makeman "the monkey store". They have everything for car, home, tools and garage. They also have plants and outdoor stuff. There are even fish, rabbits, dogs and ferrets. I take the key to the key counter. It was written in Japanese, so who knows what it's really called. The clerk looks at the key and then give me an "X" with her arms in front of her face. Yep, that means NO WAY CRAZY AMERICAN!


My next stop is the little concession mall on base that does plaques and keys. Guess what, THEY ARE ALL OUT OF THAT KEY!

After that stop I was done for the day. I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

From our house we can see a place called Sun Sai and have received recommendations to go there for the key. So I brave another place here in Japan. Jason and I walk in and I show the clerk my key, she points me to the back. We continue to the back where the beer is, yes beer in the hardware/housewares store that has toys and car parts. The lady looks at my key and points me to the back door. I'm thinking that she is kindly telling us to leave. We walk out the back door and there are plants and another building. It's almost like a bad dream.

We enter the other building which is full of all sorts of stuff. I show another clerk the key and she asks, with her finger of course, if I want 1. I put my hand up with all 5 fingers. She takes my key. I am so relieved that I am finally getting my key!!!!

Jason and I are looking at all the fish and turtles and pet supplies. Five minutes later a guy walks up to me and gives me my key and shakes his head no. I think I'm gonna cry!!! We leave, convinced that we'll have to spend the next 2 1/2 years with one house key.

Maybe Colonel Sanders knows where to go.



Day 3: Gonna waste another day trying to find a stinking key! The colonel speaks to me and says, "Go to the housing office and ask them". After finally getting to ask someone, they tell me to go to the place that is out of the key. Then they tell me to go to Camp Foster and try the concession mall there. FINE.

Jason and I get there at about 9:40 a.m. and guess what..... They don't open until 10 a.m.!!!! So we walk to the BX and look around until they open. I try to be sure we are the first ones there but of course we're not.
Ok so there were only 2 people in front of me, but it sure felt like it was this many. 15 minutes later it's finally my turn! The clerk takes my key and is comparing it to all the keys that he has... ok... find the stinking key already... "Sorry we don't have that key here"

WHAT?!?!?!??!?! WHERE CAN I GET A KEY LIKE THIS?!?!?!?! "Ma'am, you could try Jusco."

By this time I'm numb with the thought of trying to find the key place in Jusco.
Jusco is basically a huge mall. I don't even know the first place to look here!

Why can't I just find a little place like this, I'd surely know that he made keys here.

We walk into Jusco and BAM, there is a key guy with more keys than I have ever seen in my entire life! I give him my key, he gives me the face of how many, I say 5. He types up on his calculator that it's going to cost 3750 yen, which is like $40. WHATEVER I DON'T CARE! He types in his calculator 20, I'm assuming minutes. We come back and they are done. AND THEY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!

So, if you are ever in Japan and need a key made, I highly recommend Jusco be the first place that YOU GO!