How a stranger's metro card swap saved my day in Tokyo

I was lost in Tokyo, trying to figure out the subway on a tight budget. This local guy saw me struggling and offered to swap his day pass for my single ticket. He said it was a common hack to save money, but he had a mischievous grin. Turns out, his 'day pass' was about to expire in an hour, and mine was fresh. We ended up racing through stations to use it before time ran out, laughing the whole way. I still saved a few yen and got a great story out of it. Now I always check expiration dates before swapping anything.

2 comments

2 Comments

sam91253m ago

That's such a wild story lol. Makes you wonder, was that guy actually trying to help you out in a roundabout way, or was he just having a laugh at the tourist's expense? Like, did he plan the whole race from the start or was it a spur of the moment thing after he saw your ticket? I feel like the intention changes the whole vibe of the story. Either way, getting a fun memory is better than just saving the cash.

dakotaclark2h ago

Got duped with an expiring bus ticket once, but the guy’s laugh was totally worth it.