I felt the want to share this experience we had at Namba station last night after losing some expensive items, and having them returned by a kind stranger.
Yesterday my Dad and I chose some beautiful Japanese knives which he gifted to me. After shopping and a last-night dinner, we made the subway journey home with my fiancé who was holding the gift bag of knives. On our walk through Namba station to get back to our accommodation, my partner used the bathroom and must have set the bag on the floor of the bathroom and left it there. However, he hadn’t realised he left it until we got to the platform, so he assumed he left it at the ticket booth. Not there when he ran back to check it, of course.
We went to the Station Master’s office three times that evening to check if the bag had been handed in. We knew Japan is generally very safe, but it was 11pm on a Friday night and lots of intoxicated people around, so we thought the worst.
The Station Master was very helpful, he gave me a number to call the next morning in case it made its way to lost property. Being our last day today, I was eager to recover the lost goods worth over ¥100,000. Not only expensive, but already held much sentimental value to me! I called the lost and found line the next morning, and the clerk was extremely helpful. They gave me an interpreter over the phone who translated everything for me as they were talking in real time to the office. Lost and found had our bag!
I was feeling so deflated last night that we had lost such special momentos of our travels as a family. The honest and humble Japanese system restored my faith!! I know not everyone has this experience, but Namba being such a big and chaotic station even late at night, we thought for sure someone opportunistic would have taken these expensive knives to pawn them on.
All in all, amazing trip. Whirlwind of an exit, but we are better for it!
TLDR: Japanese are very helpful and honest when it comes to lost items. If you have lost something, especially in a train/train station, going to lost and found the next day is always the best bet that the item will make it to the right person.
by fernmel