Stamps

<sarcasm>
I love banking in Japan... not only do they have great hours and cater to us business people who are working hard to put our money in the bank, their service and security is top notch! </end sarcasm>

Here's an accounting of my fun at the bank:

I received some money from my parents in the form of a check (Thank you guys so much!!) So I thought I'd go to the bank to deposit it. First, I show up at the bank with my check and tell the receptionist what I want to do with it. I'm directed to sit in a chair and wait, although there are no other people in the bank, I mean, it's like a ghost town, just me, the receptionist, a security guard and 3 employees crowded around a monitor. After waiting for 10 minutes, I'm taken to an account management booth I sit down and am told it's about $50.00 in transaction fees to deposit the money, and my bank account didn't have any money in it, so I had to go to a 7-11 ATM, get the money there, go to my bank's ATM and put the money in, because the teller apparently can't do anything. Up til now, all the identification I've been asked for is my cash card. It has no picture of me, and I haven't been required to put my pin code in to anything...

Finally, the teller copies the check and asks me to write my name, address and reason I'm receiving the check on the copy... and then I'm told I can't make a deposit without my hanko -- a hanko is a stamp with your name written on it, it's similar to a signet ring from the days of yore... apparently, this is the epitome of security for 21st century banking because even with a passport, government identification, a signature on file, and my insurance card + my bank card and pin code, without this stupid stamp, I can't do ANYTHING, I mean absolutely nothing... but I am allowed to SEE my account, just not touch it... delightful right? The reason I switched to the stamp is the last time they asked for my signature, and I had to sign a sheet of paper nearly 30 times before my signature matched the signature they had on record... with coaching from the teller: "More loops" "you only dotted one 'I'" etc...

So in conclusion... forget your ID, but don't forget your Hanko or you won't be able to get your money, or put money in.

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