Times and dates are where a trip is actually won or lost — last trains, checkout, opening hours, the day a temple closes. Japanese counts hours plainly, but the day-of-month readings are irregular and have to be learned rather than worked out.

Two habits save trouble. Japan runs on the 24-hour clock in timetables, so the last train at 24:30 is half past midnight and belongs to the previous day. And business hours are given as a range with kara and made — from and until — which is the pattern printed on every shop door in the country.