Japan Trip
Report - Part I

Editor's note: This series of columns features a report on poker in Japan, as well as Linda Johnson's experience of being in Japan.

This column is being written aboard a bullet train traveling at a speed of 200 miles per hour from Kyoto, Japan, to Osaka, where I will be boarding a plane to head back to the good old United States. The past 11 days in Japan have been incredible, one of the best trips of my life. This story began several years ago at the Tournament of Champions, when I met Hiroshi Shimamura, head of Team Japan. He invited me to send a video message to the players in Japan, and told me that someday he would bring me to Japan to participate in the Japanese Poker Championship.

I had seen Hiroshi several times in the past few years during his frequent visits to Las Vegas. At the beginning of the year, an invitation came from Hiroshi for Jan Fisher, Mike O'Malley, and me to go to Japan to give some poker seminars and play some poker. Mike had another commitment that kept him from going, but Jan and I accepted immediately. Without exception, everyone we told of our impending trip to Japan asked the same question: "Aren't you afraid of SARS?" After some quick research, we learned that there have been only two reported cases of SARS in Japan and no deaths, so we felt we would be safer there than at home. On May 1, Jan and I boarded a plane and arrived in Tokyo 12 hours later.

Hiroshi met us at the airport and suggested that we grab dinner at Denny's. Since we were guests, we didn't object, but were secretly disappointed that we weren't going to a Japanese-style restaurant. Driving through Tokyo was an eye-opener. Twelve million people reside there, and the city seems to go on forever, with one skyscraper after another. The thing we noticed immediately was the cleanliness; there was virtually no graffiti anywhere, and no litter on the streets.

After dinner, Hiroshi took us to his poker club. It is really more like a social club than a cardroom. There are no live games, only satellites and tournaments. Although it cost money to enter, cash is not allowed to be paid to the winners. Instead, prizes such as airline vouchers are awarded. You must climb a long spiral staircase to get to the club. We were warmly greeted by the players and made to feel very welcome. Although most of the players smoke and smoking is allowed in the cardroom, before we arrived they all had agreed to go outside to smoke while we were there … thanks so much!

There were four tables set up, and a two-table supersatellite began as soon as we got there. The play was fast and furious, since it was a rebuy event. It resembled the camisa tournaments in Costa Rica, and players were on the honor system, paying at the end of the rebuy period. Three seats to the Japanese Poker Championship were awarded.

Jan and I both busted out early, which was a good thing, since we were already sleep-deprived. Hiroshi drove us to our hotel, the Tokyo Hilton, which is about 20 minutes away from the poker club. During the ride, we made many observations:

1. The cars in Japan are equivalent in size to ours. We had expected to find smaller cars, like those in Europe.

2. There are many vending machines on every street, with everything from iced cappuccinos to authentic green tea.

3. There are not enough parking lots, so cars are stacked on top of each other by using hydraulic lifts, car elevators, or Ferris-wheel type caddies.

4. The lights from the illuminated signs on the street are incredible. There is a lot more neon than there is in Las Vegas, and many of the city's streets are so well lit that they remind you of Times Square.

5. Even though it was midnight, there were thousands of people on the streets. They were out seeing and being seen.

6. Stores and restaurants are open very late.

The Tokyo Hilton is a beautiful hotel, equivalent to many of the fanciest hotels in the United States. As we attempted to tip the bellman, Hiroshi told us about another Japanese custom: There is no tipping expected or required in Japan. Hiroshi spent several hours answering our many questions about Japan and the Japanese culture. He had planned our entire 11-day trip for us in advance. I will be writing more about the trip in my next column.

Change of subject: Card Player Cruises has a new local phone number: (702) 567-9938. The fax number is (702) 567-9930. The toll-free number, (888) 999-4880, is unchanged. Please call today to register for the World Poker Players Conference on July 11.

Now, let's play poker!