Japan General
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You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
You are currently reading a thread in /trv/ - Travel
New Japan General since the old one is past the bump limit:
As always, feel free to ask about:
>Travelling to Japan
>Living in Japan
>Teaching in Japan
>Joining the Yakuza
Also info on prostitution http://rockitreports.com/category/sex-in-tokyo/
Please check the /trv/ sticky before asking questions. It's filled with links to great resources, many of them specific to Japan travel.
Please refrain to the old thread while it's still up: >>1041660
If anyone have advice on this post, please tell me thanks. >>1046044
>>1046277
Is joining the Yakuza simple or something?
>>1046279
Do you have something specific you want on Comiket? Otherwise it's kinda crazy to go. You'll never have enough time to just browse randomly.
When/where should I go if I don't want to run into these fuckers?
>>1046306
I've never been to Comiket before. Though going to Comiket has been one of my lifelong dreams and I want to go there before I turn 30. I don't know if I'll go since I don't like traveling alone. I know come New Year's, I'll want to get on the deals for Lucky Packs at the lolita brand stores.
I'm in a sad state of affairs atm and I don't want to celebrate Christmas, but I have the money to go. I'm kinda of like the weeaboo version of Don Draper.
>>1046298
Yeah, just go to their website and make an account.
>>1046277
What's there for a 19 year old to do alone in Japan? Friends sure as shit are not going so I figure I'll bum around myself, go sightseeing, maybe go to Comiket, I don't know. Honestly I'm either considering Japan or Italy, Italy would at least have the family factor in there but Japan I'll be all alone
Thoughts? Not planning on going until next summer so I have time to ask around before making a final decision
>>1046366
Comiket is a lot of fun, and I think you'd even have fun going alone (just be prepared! And buy the guidebook, you'll need it).
There's plenty to do alone, depending on what you're into. If you like anime and manga there's a ton of shopping to be done (especially in Akiba). And maybe going to a maid cafe would be less embarrassing if you're there alone...
There's the obligatory sightseeing too, and there's tons of cool historical stuff to see.
If you're going to be getting the rail pass (which you should), you can do a lot of adventuring as well. It's only 3 hours to Osaka by shinkansen, and it's not too far to head over to Hiroshima from there. (Osaka has kinkakuji and such, as well as Takarazuka and the Tezuka museum if either of those are your thing).
If you have any Japanese ability you can probably make some friends in your time there, or before, so you can have company. Even if you can't speak Japanese you might be able to, tbh.
>>1046371
>If you have any Japanese ability you can probably make some friends in your time there, or before, so you can have company. Even if you can't speak Japanese you might be able to, tbh.
This is part of what I was hoping for, making friends with some locals but I figured they'd hate foreigners (I'm indifferent, personally, as long as they're not rude assholes. I live near Seaside NJ so there's a fuckton of them at the shore during the summer, not all bad people tbh)
But yeah I'm hoping Comiket will be fun if I do end up going, then after that I'll just spend the rest of the week doing what you said; looking at history, shopping for clothes, just a week of as much fun as I can have.
Although are there any other more special towns I should go to? Should I stay away from non-tourist towns? How much of the island should I see and how much can I really see in about 4 days? Also, what about women?
>>1046373
>This is part of what I was hoping for, making friends with some locals but I figured they'd hate foreigners
There are people like that here, but there are also a lot of people excited to meet foreigners! It's really hit and miss, unfortunately. Good luck!
>Although are there any other more special towns I should go to? Should I stay away from non-tourist towns? How much of the island should I see and how much can I really see in about 4 days?
Hmm well, if your Japanese isn't very good, you'll have an easier time in touristy places, to be honest. If you can get by without too much English, you will have fun exploring non-tourist places. If you're only staying for a week I'd suggest exploring Tokyo mostly, and maybe making a day trip down to Osaka or Kyoto (If you plan well, you'll be able to get back to Tokyo in the day).
Tokyo is a really big place, but it's been awhile since I went there. I'd suggest Akiba, Harajuku, Shinjuku, etc. You can probably look up events going on or check travel and sight seeing guides.
>Also, what about women?
Unfortunately, I can't help much with this. ;w; but good luck!
>>1046298
Easier than it used to be, actually, with globalization. There was a time when you needed to be N1, but these days they'll take associates that are N3. You'll never become a made guy, but you can make some pretty decent money on the side doing odd jobs for the Yakuza.
>>1046322
Well friend, you can join us at /jp/.
>>>/jp/14284291
Comiket after-orgy is already being planned.
Walking around the Imperial Palace from the Tokyo station.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNw6NHvOiwg
Real Talk
How much should I really expect to pay for a Japanese vacation? For anons who have gone, how much did you end up spending, where did you travel from and to, what did you do and how long were you there?
Priceline has late winter hotel+flight packages for 1,150 and it's super tempting. I'd imagine I would end up spending almost double that though because food, public transport, misc costs in Japan and I'd need a hotel for my 20 hour layover.
>>1046373
>Also, what about women?
Go here:
http://mickeyhouse.jp
It's for Japanese to practice their English, but it's also a chance to socialize in English and not worry about the social conformity of Japan, so flirt away.
>>1046456
Nice, thanks for sharing! Getting keen for my trip.
>>1046474
I'm thinking of paying them a visit, maybe even volunteer. Have you been there?
I asked this last thread but I guess I'll ask again since I didn't get much of a response. I will be visiting Japan for three weeks either next spring or summer, Tokyo, Kyoto, and possibly Osaka to be exact and I don't have too much money to spend. My question is, based on your experience approximately how much money should I take with me in USD? I'll do some of the typical touristy stuff as well as just wander around the cities. I'm not planning on staying at expensive hotels and eating at restaurants every day or buying everything I like at a mall like some big baller. I've heard people say that buying meals like a bento box at 7 eleven is a great way to budget eat, how true is this? What are some decent cheap places to stay? What is the best way to get mobile internet? Any small things you did to save money? I've never traveled outside North America. Any input from someone with experience like this is appreciated.
>>1046519
In case you didn't see my response
>>1045141
>>1046519
>My question is, based on your experience approximately how much money should I take with me in USD?
Bring your cards. Don't bring dollars with you to the currency exchange, you'll get a bad deal. If you have a card that does not have a foreign transaction fee or out of network ATM charge, use that.
>I've heard people say that buying meals like a bento box at 7 eleven is a great way to budget eat, how true is this?
You should have some variety to your meals. Don't eat from 7-11 every day. Example, go to DevilCraft in Akihabara and enjoy some Japanese craft beers with Chicago deep dish pizza. Roppongi is another good craft beer place. Try the pancakes too. Mister Donut is good breakfast place.
>What is the best way to get mobile internet?
Buy a pocket wifi.
>>1046529
Should be more than enough.
I don't even think you'll have to skimp on that much food. How much are you spending on the flight?
>>1046532
About $1000, the $3500 is separate. How much did you spend and how long did you stay?
>>1046533
Stayed 3 weeks. Paid about 2400$ in total including flight. Only stayed in Tokyo though, and my accomodation was super cheap. About 26$/night I think.
>>1046539
Damn, $26? Where was this and do you know if there is a similar place in Kyoto?
>>1046542
It was a sharehouse in 府ä¸. They are all over the place. Do some research. You might even get a cheaper deal on Airbnb.
which parts of Kyoto are good to tour/walk through while renting Kimono? I'll be going there with my friends late January.
>>1046322
I went there this year, really great fun. The commercial booths are fine, check out some stuff you want to see beforehand maybe but just browsing is fun too. And the best thing is of course the cosplay area. I just spent 4 hours or so each day there taking pictures of cosplayers and looking around
Has anyone visited Fuji TV? How's the tour? I want to go since they made some of my favorite shows, like Iron Chef and Game Center CX.
>>1046552
Are you Japanese? Do you look Asian?
>>1046309
They're only really common in the summertime in the countryside.
>>1046552
Ken-Sama?
Any electricians here? I want to use my 250V surge protector(fucking euro socket devices, that's why) in JP. Is it going to be okay?
>>1046615
Look on the surge protector, see if it has a label that talks about what voltages and shit it designed to accept. Electronics have that, never thought to check a surge protector.
But plug adapters are cheap as chittlin's...
>>1046619
"16A 250V
max 3500W"
really, that's all it says
Anyone know of a store in Shinjuku that sells power bars?
>>1046625
They are staring to be more widely sold in all of Japan, be on the lookout they are often in pharmacy and healthfood stores
How do I become a yakuza? I'm currently affiliated with La Eme though. Any thoughts?
Not sure if anyone here would even know but I like to get tattoos in places I visit. Would a white person getting a tattoo in a Japanese tattoo shop be a problem?
>>1046322
If you're not looking for anything in particular, I highly recommend going in the afternoon. The rush is brutal in the morning and there's no reason to be part of it unless there's moderately popular artist(s) you're tracking down.
>>1046615
Japan uses 100v two pronged plugs. You should not need a surge protector for Japan, although a plug adaptor would probably be necessary.
>>1046644
Well, why would one go to Comiket if they didn't know Japanese? Everything they could buy the will be in Japanese.
Well well, why would anyone go longterm to Japan unless they know Japanese? It's a mystery.
For a 29 year old foreigner with great language skills, what's the gay dating scene like in Tokyo or other large cities?
Is it sort of mistrusting or superficial? Can a foreigner have a serious relationship in Japan even?
>>1046706
there's stuff you can buy that doesn't require you to know Japanese (photo books, merch, artbooks, music etc.) and for doujinshi, you only need to understand one language: dick.
I've been studying japanese for almost 2 years now, will be taking the JLPT N3 in December. The thing is, I'm progressing very slowly, not much time to dedicate to it etc etc. I've been thinking of taking a 6 month japanese course in Japan, do you guys think it's a good idea? I was browsing gogonihon.com but their prices are absurd (480.000 yen for 6 months, 16h of classes a week), I'll try looking for cheaper ones. Do you guys think it's a good idea?
>>1046734
480.000 yen for 6 months, 16h of classes a week
that is cheap bro
>>1046734
>2 years now,
you should be N2 level EASILY
>>1046734
genkijacs.com/long-term-japanese-course.htm
Can't recommend these guys enough.
If you've got the money and the time, absolutely do it, you'll never learn japanese faster.
Thanks for the quick response!
>>1046738
If you consider I'll also have to pay for food, acomodations, etc, it can get quite expensive. Plus, the exchange rate of Brazilian Real is shit right now.
>>1046741
2 years of studying by myself, at my own pace. Without knowing how much time I put into it you can't make that assumption :) Plus kanji is f-ing hard.
>>1046742
Thanks, I'll look into it! It is more expensive though...
>>1046749
>Plus kanji is f-ing hard.
boohoo
>>1046749
It's 20h per week though. And it's in the middle of freaking Shinjuku.
any podcast/audio for studying japanese?
anything like "talk to me in korean" but for japanese would be great
>>1046711
lol fag
Heading to Japan in 2 months time, what's the fastest way to learn some barebones spoken Japanese? Im looking for the easiest method to communicate on a basic, functional level, so I'm at least not totally helpless when I travel there
Tokyo waterfront area's fantastic night view from Yuricamome.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNka5saiVrc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQTBoi2oguE
However, the daytime view is a bored warehouse town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4wEep0egF0
>>1046741
>you should be N2 level EASILY
>>1046749
>2 years of studying by myself, at my own pace. Without knowing how much time I put into it you can't make that assumption :) Plus kanji is f-ing hard.
Dude, why did you even take his bait? Peacocking your apparent language prowess and speed of acquisition is somewhat of a meme in general. There was a dude on one of the Japan threads on /int/ who claimed he went from 0 knowledge to passing N1 in two years. Realistically speaking, about 4 years of serious study should put you at N2. This would be the length of a standard Japanese major in university. Most Japanese majors graduate basically ready for N2. Some don't, but some do.
Anyone been to Nabana no Sato?
I can't figure out what is best since I'd be staying mostly in Osaka with a side-trip to Nara and Kyoto. I was thinking Kintetsu rail pass but it wouldn't cover the cost of going around IN the city itself.
At 6'5" tall, just how fucked am I gonna be using public transportation? I'm imagining I'm gonna smash my head into stuff all the damn time.
>>1046876
Pretty much all the Japanese language schools in Japan guarantee N2 within a year if you have zero knowledge and N1 if you come with a working understanding of the basics. Its possible but extremely hard to do outside of Japan and outside of a very intensive Japanese school
>>1046886
At 6'5" you probably snag your head into all kinds of shoot in your home country, what makes you think it will be different in another country?
>>1046886
John?
>>1046887
Citation fucking needed. That's ridiculous, and no one would promise that under any kind of normal circumstance. What are we talking, a year intensive course where you are in a Japanese classroom 6 hours a day 5 days a week?
And who has the ability to do that?
N2 tests basically all 1000+ kyouiku kanji (and then some), N1,1,000 more (and then some). Both levels are filled with obscure and rarely used grammar, or that used only in writing.
>>1046907
>What are we talking, a year intensive course where you are in a Japanese classroom 6 hours a day 5 days a week?
Yes, but I think actually maybe even a couple more hours depending on the program. I know people who went through it and its frustrating that Im behind them. But Japanese education in America is pretty fucking shitty. Here in Japan the teachers are Japanese, but usually have little to no English ability so from the first hiragana lesson the teacher is explaining everything in Japanese. When I took Japanese in college pretty much everything was taught in English until the advanced level except for my language labs. Even then it was still a shit ton of English being used.
>>1046907
Plenty of people can pass N2 within a year to 1.5 years even when studying abroad.
Don't make excuses for your own retardedness or the ineptitude of your classes.
>>1046876
>who claimed he went from 0 knowledge to passing N1 in two years
not a rare thing you'll find, for those who are dedicated and not half dimwitted.
sorry to burst your bubble but you might not be as smart as you think.
where is a nice place to visit in 北陸 ?
>>1046907
As a point of comparison, the US Defense Language Institute's Japanese course is 64 weeks. That's pretty much full time, except that student soldiers are also expected to keep up with physical training.
>>1046959
show me some of your N1 abilities then senpai :^)
>>1046969
I got N2 after 1.5 years of about 15hr/week studying. If I can do that, and I'm not a genius by any means, then I think N1 in 2 years with 30-40hrs/week is easily doable.
>>1046886
I have a 6'7" friend where I live and he's doing fine. He just slouches enough to destroy his spine later in life
I'm planning a trip during the winter for 1 and a half to 2 weeks and I'm looking for suggestions on some must go to places in Honshu. Anyone got some places they highly recommend? Preferably in the Chuubu, Kansai, and Chugoku regions.
So i'm going to Japan for three weeks with some friends. and I need advice for the planning phase.
With Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto as givens. I've also hear Nara and Osaka are great.
Does anyone have any advice on the order and time we should spend travelling around?
>>1046908
>Yes, but I think actually maybe even a couple more hours depending on the program. I know people who went through it and its frustrating that Im behind them.
This pretty much sums up Japan dorks I've met here to a T. It's all a bunch of cock fencing and snobbery about Japanese ability--who passed N whatever faster. I came to Japan on company transfer and I am literally not even going to bother. I don't like Chinese cartoons and you don't need it to bang girls, so like what's the point? Why would you guys study this language so hard. It's not even useful.
Fucking weebs, man.
>>1046993
>yeah fuck all those people in other countries who won't even bother to speak my language in their country
Fucking Americans, man.
>>1046971
What was your strategy? Were you specifically studying for the N2? How did you handle memorization of compound kanji? Different anon btw. Don't care how smart I am, I just want to give whatever you did a shot.
>>1046993
The only people who think Japanese is unneeded and doesn't affect your experience in Japan are the ones who can't speak the language. Anyone speaking to you in English is trying to sell you something or use you for free English lessons. Sure you can turn that into fucking the girls if you have any kind of game, but theres already a very small percentage of Japanese interested in foreigners and an even smaller percentage that have English ability that isn't completely shit. Its a totally different place even when you can have just a basic conversation.
>>1046993
Typical corp expat in Asia, you are missing out a whole lot, but again, you probably aren't interested in the stuffs you've missed.
>>1046990
Where you're flying into and out of would help as well as your interests and budget and all that. But as far as Nara goes just tack on an extra day at Kyoto and make it a day trip. And Hiroshima is good for 2 days, one for the A-Bomb stuff and one for Miyajima.
>>1047053
Is there anything else by Amanohashidate? When I was in Kyoto I knew about its existence but opted out due to the distance, seems a far journey for just the one thing.
>>1047060
Depends, I just saw the spot but the entire area looks really nice. Theres a geo-park nearby that looks good and if you like scenery and out of the way spots it'll scratch your itch.
>Really want to eat at a ramen place
>Can't stand slurping
Wutdo?
>>1047065
>>1047065
Don't often say this but nut the fuck up you pussy bastard.
Is Japan worth going to for a honeymoon? We talked about seeing shrines or temples, not big on overly touristy areas though. Where is the best places for local food?
Oh and how hard is the language to pick up?
>>1047082
Most people consider Chinese and Japanese some of the hardest languages to learn as a second language. Which I think is largely because you're learning two languages almost with the kanji and how to actually pronounce the words. So you're not going to pick up anything on a honeymoon. Get the basic greetings and questions down or a quick phrase book to help you out.
>>1047092
Learning it is more of a personal venture and something to kill time with at my frankly very boring job.
>>1047082
Japan could be a pretty nice place for a honeymoon, if you got some cash to spend.
Japanese guest houses (ryokan) would be a great experience on a honeymoon, especially when combined with hot springs and traditional japanese dinners. However, the nicer ones will also cost a bit.
Kyoto and Nara have plenty of temples and shrines to see, and while quite touristy, in my opinion totally worth it.
Local food is absolutely everywhere, but bigger cities obviously have more variety to offer. Some consider Osaka to be the culinary capital of Japan. Kyoto-style traditional dinners are also famous in Japan.
>>1047082
Shrines and temples ARE overly touristic in Tokyo and Kyoto. There are some not-so-famous temples in Kyoto which have fewer visitors... so while you should visit those popular ones (they are popular for a reason), you always have the choice of visiting more serene and remote ones, sometimes they are pretty much beside the popular ones, it's just a matter of walking 15-20 minutes usually.
As for the other anon's suggestion, Ryokans are great for honeymooning if you have the money to spend *and* you love japanese food, as it's well known that food is half what you're paying for, since a somewhat luxurious breakfast and dinner are commonly included. If you don't like japanese food then it will certainly not be worth your money. Consider an onsen ryokan around Hakone for that shit.
Spoken language is very easy, at least the spelling is nice and straightforward. As for the written one, they have 3 systems, two of which are phonetic and relatively easy to learn: hiragana and katakana. Katakana is used mostly for loan words, most of which come from english so learning katakana can help you understand some menu items and a few signs here and there. You can learn basic kanjis for man, woman, entrance, exit and such in little time.
Tabelog is your best friend for restaurants, it's like the yelp of nipponlando.
So next semester (and possibly one after that), gonna go to a college in tokyo japan. Closet otaku, and want to pick up girls/explore. Quick question though
>I look and dress like a biker, should I tone it down?
Blue jeans, leather jacket, tatoos, bald with goatee.
Do jap girls go for the bad boy look? Am I gonna have problems from police? Etc etc. (I have a harley, not a poser but not 1% either)
>>1046993
Idiot.
>>1047128
surely bait
>>1047170
>>1047021
>>1047045
He's a twat but you kind of have to admit, this
>This pretty much sums up Japan dorks I've met here to a T. It's all a bunch of cock fencing and snobbery about Japanese ability--who passed N whatever faster.
is true.
Also much like TOEIC the JLPT is not a great indicator of your actual Japanese ability. Autism cramming for a standardized test is not the same as actually learning and acquiring the language. I have two Japanese coworkers, one of them has a 550 TOEIC score and the other has an 830. The 550 guy is actually better at conversation. I've met Chinese people with N1 who have pretty solidly bad Japanese.
>>1047019
I started studying out normally for about a year and then 6 months with the N2 study books. For kanji, I wrote them over and over or used iknow.jp. I really enjoyed the whole thing which made it a lot easier and fun.
Never helped me once in my career though. Better off learning Mando.
So, how long am I allowed to stay in Japan with a regular visa?
I don't have the credentials to work in Japan and get a work visa, but I want to stay in Japan for a few months at least...I was thinking that I'd use airbnb and hostels for lodging. I work online, so I'd be able to work and make money while there as long as I have access to wifi and can use my debit card. Does it sound like I'd have any problems with any of this?
>>1047269
Where are you from? The American tourist visa is 3 months. Canadians can apply for a working holiday visa which gives you a year.
Heading to Japan solo in December and looking to stay at a hostel. Does anyone have stories to share in terms of experience? I'm hoping to meet new people to experience Japan with
>>1047269
most of the countries you don't need a visa from is 3 months. But really, why didn't you just check your country's embassy?
>>1047082
I'd recommend somewhere countryside if you really want to enjoy the company of each others.
For the shrines, do your research and stay away from anything that shows up in English. Google translate + rikaichan + wakan will get you far. Local food is everywhere but might be hard to find without a local to recommend the places for you.
I know this is a stupid question, but I'm still going to ask it. How much should I save up if I want to stay 2 weeks in Japan next summer? No fancy hotels or anything, preferably traditional inns/onsen hotels/whatever. All across Japan as well, so I'll have to get one of those railcards.
>>1047197
99% of the foreign born English speakers I've met that haven't passed N2 or higher have totally shit Japanese and most can barely communicate at all. Its not a perfect indicator of Japanese ability but if the person hasn't spent significant time in Japan (5+ years) its almost always a good indicator of their general ability.
The military guys and the people with useless majors that have spent nearly a decade in Japan and can hardly read hiragana however prove that you do actually have to sit down and study Japanese and I've found the JLPT to be the best way to stay focused
>>1047335
>No fancy hotels or anything
>preferably traditional inns/onsen hotels
anon....
How the fuck do you guys deal with life back home? I'm really grateful I was able to spend a good chunk of my summer in Japan but every time I even so much as think about my host family and all the people I met I get instantly depressed. Is the only answer "by studying Japanese and saving up to move" or what?
>>1047390
either that or killing yourself
>>1047390
Same here. I try to stay focused on learning japanese and connecting with as many japanese people as I can. Also, planning the next trip.
>just submitted for a reservation at Tapas Molecular Bar
guys did I just commit a horrible mistake
>>1047390
Well I like it a lot there, so much that I have been going about 2 weeks every year for the last 3 years or so. However, the prospect of working there is not enticing at all given their work culture. I am considering looking for a remote job and just chill there and study japanese part time, and try to extend my visa to be there about 6 months or so.
I love it there, but I would never want to live there permanently.
>>1047390
>>1047408
Why do you guys want to live and work there given their work culture?
Anyone taking the holiday to go to a happening bar during the day. No idea what kind of crowd will be there, but I'm just worried about getting hungry while I'm there.
>>1047463
I probably wouldn't want to live there permanently either. As of now, I wanna try and make a trip happen every year, or at least every other year, depending on my financial situation.
>>1047390
Honestly I fell into depression (i.e. really severe post-vacation blues) after studying/doing homestay in Japan too. You get over it eventually.
>>1047408
>>1047467
These are good too. Thinking about only the extremes is pretty common with depression. It's not like you have to choose between never seeing them again or moving in next door. This is the social media age too, you don't need to feel so disconnected.
>>1047463
By work culture I'm assuming you mean unpaid overtime & stuff.
I'm not going to act like Tokyo doesn't have an abundance of shitty work situations, but ask a few sales & marketing people (of which the work culture horror stories mainly come from) in New York how much overtime they put in. If you tally that up and compare it to what you can read on an expat forum or something, the results might surprise you. Let's not forget that their rush hour is the same relative time as ours too. If the unpaid overtime was that certain, they'd be notoriously packed in like sardines much later that 6ish I'd think.
I've worked shit jobs here too. (55+ hour weeks as a mover, literally on call every day, $11/hr. having bugs and literal shit all over you some days and if you flinch and scratch the furniture, you pay for it not the company etc etc) My goal is to work in IT, never worked in it formally so I have no clue what to expect, but at least I don't have to worry about having a 200lb table crushing my legs because my arms gave out on the 3rd flight of stairs. If after a year I can't handle whatever they throw at me and can't make ANYTHING else lucrative work I guess I'll just have to go back to America with my tail between my legs, settle with a theoretically cushy job and stick to Japan just being a vacation spot. :'(
Thinking of going to Japan. I want to play video games, see castles, maybe check out an onsen, and definitely eat some interesting food. Planning on checking out Akihabara and SE's HQ, what else would you guys recommend?
>>1046860
these videos are comfy
>>1047065
The fuck is wrong with you?
>>1047128
You are going to look like Hard Gay, a popular tv personality in Japan and you will be celebrated as such
>>1047390
Having married a Japanese woman and spending some time in Japan I am content with visiting once a year. Living there was like treading water in a sea of xenophobia and shock at the fact I could use chopsticks
Guys, today's the Culture Day in Japan.
Any good places to see in Tokyo?
>>1047519
How xenophobic is it, really?
anyone ever stay in a manga kissa? is fapping accepted or expected because some days, i just really need to bust a nut. you know how it is
>>1047390
What is it about Japan that makes people say this kind of stuff?
Serious question. I'm traveling there next week but I don't really get it yet.
>>1047537
it's called being obsessed. That type of behavior is unhealthy and is often displayed by delusional persons (weeaboos in this case).
Japan may be a great place to visit but living there is a different story. everyone who lives there is either lonely or too busy to feel any human emotion and will shun most foreigners out of fear of conversing with them
>>1047538
>it's called being obsessed.
Or, you know, really connecting with your home stay. I do acknowledge it's short term compared to living in Japan and not something everyone does or has the chance to do.
>>1047526
Different anon here. Less xenophobic and more completely ignorant of life outside Japan.
>>1046322
I went to Comiket in summer 2014, it was pretty fun, but I was a bit disappointed with the fact that there was basically only porn, and not much else. The cosplay area was cool though, I can dig up a few pics if you want.
Any Okinawa specialists on here?
I'm here with a friend right now and we had a blast so far. We have only few days left, but maybe one of you mightstill now something that would be absolutely worth visiting.
So far we have explored all directions of the main island. We are staying at a very conveniant place in Furugen, which is rather central. We are living in a nice upper middle-class Okinawa house with two persons, which has enough space for 8. And by the way, we only pay around 600€ for 10 days, which I found rather cheap for the "luxury" we are having here. In case anyone is intereted, I can post the air bnb page, the owners were really friendly, too.
We went to Naha, the American Village, Ikei Beach (picture), Zanpa, Ikei Island, the southern area, the northern area (just today), Okinawa World and of course the Ocean Sea Expo,
With a little luck we might go diving one one of the last days, but this has yet to be confirmed.
Any special recommendations from anyone here?
>>1047592
Oh, e also went to a small anisong Halloween party which was a lot of fun.
An Halloween at the american village seemed to nice as well, even though everyone os crazy about shibuya Halloween.
>>1047577
>basically only porn
Actually it's mostly not porn. There is only one porn centered day and the rest varies (Shounen/BL stuff etc.)
>>1047592
I loved Okinawa so much. Go diving for sure.
>>1047538
Japan is a great place to live if you find the right job. I like it here very much. Have you ever tried it out or are you simply parroting what you've read from bitter expats who got themselves trapped in shitty relationships and jobs with no grasp of the language?
Tokyo, at the very least, has been changing in recent years.
For example, I work from 9 to 5 with an hour's lunch break. I've never done overtime except when I was enjoying my work too much to leave the office. I have great friends, both foreign and Japanese, who I assure you are capable of normal human emotions. My use of chopsticks has never been commented on, and the closest thing to xenophobia I've experienced is some wide-eyed looks from shop clerks, which quickly went away when I didn't try to speak English with them.
It may be a bit silly to be so set on living in Japan after only taking a short trip here, but dismissing the possibility out of hand without having any experience yourself is at least as nonsensical, if not more.
>>1047606
What kind of job do you have, if you don't mind me asking? I'm in software, wasn't sure if that was a feasible approach to working over there or not.
>>1047607
Software engineer. Tokyo office of an American tech company. I started in the US and transferred over, though. Work/life balance is a big deal throughout the company but we're falling behind in our market so maybe that's not really the best strategy after all.
There are a lot of foreigners working in Tokyo as programmers, but I hear the conditions aren't always so great. If you end up applying be really careful about the contracts and don't accept if anything seems off. It's better to keep Japan as a fun travel destination than a prison you grow to hate.
>>1047601
Thank you, we just got the confirmation! We will go to the Kerama islands by boat and dive there.
I t will be my first time diving, so I'm quite a bit nervous. But I hope to counter my nervousitiy regarding open waters when wearing a wetsuit and being instructed properly.
Blogs say the Keram Islands are one of the world's most beautiful diving places after all.
>>1047608
I believe the company I'm going to work for has a Tokyo branch, how did you go about making the jump? To whom did you show the proper interest? And yes, I've plans to make my first trip this December, so the consideration for working there is far off, but I thought this a good opportunity to ask for someone's experience.
>>1047609
just watch out for those habu jellyfish, got stung by a few of the smaller ones when I went diving off Okinawa a month ago. Not really painful but it burns a bit and itches though those were just small ones that I got away from quickly
>>1047609
If you have a beard or stubble, shave that morning, so your mask has a tight fit. Nothing ruins diving like having to clear water from your mask every 30 seconds.
>>1047606
>>1047608
Good to hear & I'll take your advice to heart. I figure I'm young, why the fuck not? Worst case scenario I'll still have a year of work experience under my belt and will at least be able to say I gave it a shot.
My first plan was to work there as a teacher for a year (also to get a better idea what living there is like) then try to get an IT job, but I'm definitely interested in hearing more about how you transferred over too.
>>1047597
Huh... I guess I went the porn day, then.
Not that it really matters, I'm not much of a weeb.
>>1046277
Question. I was treated for adhd when I was about 5 years old until about age 10, when it no longer gave me any problems. When I applied for JET last year, I made it to the interview stage (which I bombed for different reasons.) Predictably, I didn't get into the program. I decided to ask them by email if they retain records of past attempts at applying (I know they ask you if you've applied before) but they said they do not keep your records.
Since my ADHD has never given me any problems as a grown adult, should I leave it out, or does anyone here think they are lying about not keeping records, and thus I should leave it in?
>>1046456
By your name I'd say you're a fellow Dutchman, right? How's the height difference in Japan? I'm planning on going next year and I just wonder if it's true that I'll be towering over the local people. I'm 6 foot 4 myself, and though that's somewhat average in the Netherlands, I wondered if this would give me a lot of strange looks from the locals (aside from being an obvious foreigner).
How was your time there anyway?
I have a question
I will be going to Japan in a few months, and I cannot eat fish or anything from the sea. If it's a very small amount I wont be bothered though. I understand that miso soup is made with a fish based broth and is served with every meal. Is this a very fishy broth, or would I be okay eating it? Also, are there any other foods that aren't obviously seafood based that I should watch out for?
>>1047498
My point of reference regarding the work culture is first-hand source, from Japanese people who I know. Whenever I go to visit, they often have to work late during the weekdays so we can only meet during weekends, another person works full day even saturdays too so she's only available on Sundays. I know some japanese people who have fled the country looking for a place with less pressure and a more relaxed culture. So yeah... not very enticing.
I am IT by the way, the thing with IT is that you can usually move around the world getting by with just english. Japan is definitely an exception in this regard, as you must have japanese proficency to attain a web development job. It is quite ironic that, even tough they need developers, they need them to be advanced japanese speakers. Obviously my N4-ish japanese does not make the cut.
>>1047065
> Want to enjoy their food culture
> Can't stand their eating culture
>>1047693
I'm not the other guy, but I am 186 CM and you will get strange looks because you look like a foreigner regardless of whether you are tall or not. This should not bother you or stop you from going.
>>1047700
Whether it's too much or too little it's up to you, but miso usually does not taste fishy. They do use fish as condiment or stock very often, tough... so you might want to stick with the chicken and pork which are also somewhat prevalent.
>>1047700
I also don't eat seafood and have done fine here for the past five years. The stuff you're talking about in miso soup is katsuobushi, dried fish flakes that add a bit of saltiness to the broth and are then removed. You really can't tell at all. But some establishments do put seafood in their soups so be on the lookout for that.
>>1047704
>My point of reference etc
Sounds tough. Thanks for the insight. I haven't even looked at the IT industry outside of Japan and the US so I actually just assumed you needed to have a good bearing on the local language no matter where you moved. Good to know there's more options.
How is airbnb as an option for Tokyo and Kyoto? Looking to spend about 4 days in each, is that too little to commit?
>>1047644
Not certain myself, since I had to to deal with
depression after losing my dad, and am reapplying. Anyone on here know whether this is true? If they don't keep past records, I'm just withholding telling them this time around.
>>1047734
A friend an I are using AirBNB exclusively on our trip. Staying in Tokyo for 9 days for $430. Small ass apartment, but it includes a portable wifi. Many AirBNBs seem to in Japan. Probably worth it.
>>1046306
I spent three days at Comiket buying stacks of doujin and loved every bit of it. Just watch out for day 2, because day 2 is BL day.
>>1047734
I also stayed at one on Tokyo, close to Shibuya. Really central and I paid 40€ in total per night. Small room, yes, but it contained everything I needed. And it was very clean.
can anyone give me some tips on converting AUD to JPY? it's not an option to get a citibank travel card at this point, since i'm leaving for japan really soon.
my partner has a commonwealth bank travel card, so obviously i could just use that but i'm worried about it being dodgy when it comes to fees and conversion. should i get traveller's checks instead, bringing enough yen to get me through the first night until i can cash them somewhere? what are your experiences with conversion?
i'm hoping to convert 5.5K as efficiently as possible. this is my first time overseas and it's rushed as fuck but i'd like to make it work.
>>1047819
Pretty much you're screwed in Japan when you try to exchange actual cash (or Traveller's Cheques, if anybody still takes those). Forex rates in Japan are shit; you'll lose from 3% to 5% (versus the actual rate) every time you exchange. Plus, if/when you exchange at banks it's a lot of paperwork/wastes a lot of time. Use your partner's bankcard and withdraw at ATMs; I can't imagine Aussie bank fees being worse than the deep dicking the Japanese financial system will give you..
>>1047821
What? Japan is like the one country I've been to where its easy to get a fair rate for exchanging cash and by a lot of paper work I assume you're talking about the 2 minutes it takes to fill out the form saying what kind of bills you're exchanging.
Its extremely safe to bring large amounts of cash. If you already know how much you want to spend I'd just do that.
>>1047821
my worry with my partner's bankcard is that the ATM fees are said to sometimes be huge (depending on the ATM), along with the fact that some people have complained about dynamic currency conversion. plus, their rates look terrible right now (81JPY per 1AUD), although i'm not sure if that's normal when converting any money.
>>1047822
i'm going to sound like an idiot, but i've never had to do this before - how would you suggest i convert the money? traveller's checks, at a bank or elsewhere?
i've been reading a lot of mixed opinions everywhere i look, so i'd much prefer some first-hand opinions and experiences (hence why i'm asking here)
>>1047798
Yeah, I'm thinking I don't need anything too fancy as far as rooming goes, as I plan to spend most of my time not in it. I want to spend at least one night in a Ryokan, was looking at this one:
http://www.seryo.co.jp/english/index.html
Any thoughts?
>>1047822
Really? I live in Japan and check rates regularly. Without a bank account you get screwed here -- rates in other Asian countries are much better.
>>1047826
>81JPY per 1AUD
No, that's really bad. Real rate is a bit above 87 so you're getting screwed to the tune of 7%, plus of course any access fees on top of it. Even the Japanese banks are better, so bring cash.
Japan is safe (at least the Japanese won't steal from you, although other travelers -- people in hostels, for example -- are another story) so it's OK to bring cash. I'd avoid Traveler's Cheques. Shop around for a good exchange rate; in my city the Cook's office generally is better than the banks. Don't change money (or change as little as possible) in hotels and at the airport.
What is a cheap way of getting around Japan? Me and a few buddies from my exchange program are planning a trip around the South part of Honshu to Hiroshima and Kyoto and we aren't eligible for the JR pass since we have Student Visa's. Train or bus preferred. and a night bus or train would be very nice also to not waste time traveling.
>>1047840
when? check out the Seishun 18 if it's available at that time. Otherwise night buses or budget airlines are good options
>>1047841
Starting December 26 and ending before January 10. According to the dates, the Seishun 18 is available.
>>1047844
that's an option then. Met many Japanese who used it to travel within the country cheaply. It's gonna take some time but using local trains, you'll see so much of the country other tourists normally don't see
>>1047845
What about after the 5 days is up? We plan on traveling for around 1 and a half weeks.
>>1047847
well you have to find a way to get back differently then. Where are you travelling from?
>>1047831
that would be ideal, but the issue is that i don't trust myself to keep that amount of money safe for the whole trip. i'm looking more for travel money cards, but so far from what i've seen they're scammy as hell. are there any cards with decent rates and fees? i'm not expecting anything spectacular, but i'd rather not get completely ripped off.
i'll be taking a good amount of cash with me to last the first few days, but i don't think i'll carry any more than that to be on the safe side.
>>1047821
Why are you not using the post office? Best place for me to get exchange; not as good as the bank, but very low exchange charge, and much less paperwork.
>>1047649
Can someone please answer this for me? I apologize for being annoying, but...
>>1047886
Fuck off.
Rate my trip /trv/
>Going to Japan for two months next summer
>Close weeb friend has been really hyped that I'm going over (live in bumfuck nowhere so this trip is giving me a legit celebrity status in the local community)
>Offer friend to join me for a week on impulse cause he keeps saying "I'm so excited for youu!!!" "I wanna go tooooo" etc etc
>Friend started asking for economic details and shit, looks like he actually wants to go through with it
>Friend hates walking, hates the heat, has never traveled outside of the country before, has never traveled solo before.
>Friend wants to only stay in the city for the week they join me, I'm gonna be out of the city for 3 days during that time period to do nature stuff that they hate. (Granted, I had forgotten about that when I told him when it would be best for him to join me)
The above translates to = I can expect to hear complaining the whole time because I prefer walking to public transport, have no problem with the heat and highly prefer to travel alone. And if I don't invite him on my nature cruise then I can expect to be called a shitty friend cause I was the one who told him he could join me in the first place.
I know the obvious answer is to stop being a pussy and tell my friend no, but I would just feel horrible since he's so hyped about coming with me. 1 of 8 weeks, should I just go with it and take all the whining I might get when we're there?
>>1047936
well first off you should probably know your friends better than us
That said, travelling with someone else always has the risk of them not wanting to do the things you want. If you end up in the minority, you might just end up doing the things they want. Unless you just end up doing things solo but as you said, that might lead to some resentment.
Also if you're there for 2 months, why are you doing the "nature shit" during that period?
>>1047936
Why don't you just tell him to come at a different time? Or is everything cut and dried already?
>>1047940
>Also if you're there for 2 months, why are you doing the "nature shit" during that period?
Only time period I could fit it in. I'm technically only there on holiday for 1 month, the second month is work related so I don't get much freedom to go and do what I want. Still a vacation, just a different type.
Everything has been booked up well in advance to save cash, so can't really change any plans which is a big reason why I'm thinking this might have been a bad idea.
>>1047942
The only other time I'll be staying in a bigger city (he only wants the big city vacation), I will be joined by some foreign friends. He's an awkward guy who is horrible at speaking english, so he doesn't like the idea of hanging out with my english speaking friends he's never met.
Typing this out has kind of helped me make up my mind a bit. I'll have a talk with him the next time he starts rambling about Japan. Guy has no idea what the country is about, beyond a traveling program he's seen on tv, and all that program shows is just modern whacky Tokyo.
Hopefully if I give him a generous 'reality check' I can stop being anxious about this ending up shitty for both of us. It'll either end with him declining my offer to come along, or him studying up on the country so he's a little more prepared than not at all when we do go.
>>1047890
Make me. I have every right to ask.
>>1047727
There are many options in Europe, particularly in the startup segment. Corporate places will more often than not ask for proficiency in the local language. Most opportunities I have seen are in Spain, Germany, Netherlands and Finland... but in the event you wanna try, you should consider either Netherlands (30% of your salary untaxed for like 1-2 years for foreigner workers), or Germany (well connected to other european countries and some of the best salaries in western europe).
However, bear in mind that tech EU salaries are usually lower than in the US, while taxes are higher so your disposable income might also be less... Despite of that, there are a few Californian gringos in the company where I am currently working at in Germany. Life here is good for traveling as you usually get 25-30 days off a year plus national holidays, and there are several big-ass hubs nearby so you can have flights to Japan, some east coast USA cities, China and such for less than 500 euro.
>>1047649
>Question. I was treated for adhd when I was about 5 years old until about age 10, when it no...
Autist much? Of course you should leave it outside. If it's not a problem for you anymore, they have absolutely no reason to care, and you should not care either. The fact you were diagnosed with a disease when you were a kid should have no bearing in your adult life.
A couple of times while I was in Japan on my own, I'd explore parts of the city and walk and walk and walk and then just stop and think "what am i even doing?" and just turn around. I somehow get tunnelvisioned sometimes it seems, preventing me from appreciating my surroundings at all. Anyone else ever felt similar? Any ideas on how to alleviate this?
Working on my application for the JET Program. I'm at the part where it's asking for any placement requests. I selected Kanagawa since it's close to Tokyo and since the host family that I stayed with when I first went to Japan lives there. How good are my odds of getting my way?
If not, I'm not particularly picky as to where I'm assigned, but do you guys have any recommendations of places that I should check out or avoid? Part of me would like to be stationed in Okinawa but the idea of living on a secluded island sounds like a pain in the ass.
>>1047991
Well, the sense of novelty only lasts for so long. I think it's perfectly normal not to be in awe of your different surroundings all day long.
>>1047997
That's not really what I mean. I kind of start to get self concious and question why I am there and feel like I should be doing something else or what I do is utterly pointless, although I have nothing really planned. Maybe it is that lack of planning.
>>1046636
1. Be a gangster ( O )
2. Move to Japan ( X )
3. Do gangster shit ( X )
4. ???????
5. PROFIT!
>>1046711
I only know what I've heard online, but it's not like American gay scene.
1. No pressure to not use condoms
2. No political or cultural movements condemning gay butt secks
3. Lots of gay men looking for flings
4. Lots of gay men looking for relationships
I don't know about life partner type relationships, and obviously marriage is out of the question, but it seems like a refreshing change of pace from the US . . . being gay in Japan is seen as kind of funny or maybe a little weird but it's not seen as evil or disgusting like in the US.
Never been to Japan, it's just what I can remember from online
>>1046711
Also, it would probably be hard to get PreP in Japan, but at the same time HIV rates are much lower. Japan has extremely low HIV rates, except among sararimen who are banging ex-AV idols in soaplands everynight (look up super gonnorhea)
>>1047996
Okinawa sucks as a place to live
>>1046907
As a rule of thumb, you should be able to speak a language fluently after 2 years of studying for 3 hours per day. Adjust accordingly. If you study for 1.5 hours a day, it would take 4 years. If you study for 45 minutes a day, it would take 8 years. I believe the reason people think it takes so long to learn Japanese is because people don't practice enough. I seriously doubt most people in my Japanese class at uni study for the class for more than an hour a day. Extrapolate this through an entire undergrad degree and you get people with Bachelor's of the Arts in Japanese who can barely pass N3 . . . but they know the ins and outs of Japanese novels published 8 centuries ago.
N1 in two years is really a modest goal for a serious language learner or polyglot.
>>1047858
>i don't trust myself to keep that amount of money safe for the whole trip
I don't know what to tell you then. Your partner's bankcard is giving you a horrible rate and Traveler's Cheques are a giant PITA (and not accepted in many places at all). In your situation, cash (in large denomination bills) is the best choice.
Have you thought about using a credit card for cash advances?
>>1047885
>post office
Thanks -- I had no idea they were doing this. I live here now so have a bank account (Shinsei Bank, rates are excellent) but will check the Post Office the next time I'm in one.
>>1047953
Play up the heat, if he doesn't like it. Especially Tokyo/Honshu are hot and humid as fuck in the summer and can be really unpleasant.
>>1047996
>Okinawa... a secluded island
LOL, Okinawa is about as far from secluded as possible. If you're looking to avoid "middle of nowhere" places in Japan -- and there are plenty of them -- pick a city as far from Tokyo as you can, i.e. somewhere in Kyushu or Hokkaido.
>>1047981
That's true, but I mentioned it last time I applied, and made it all the way to interview (I bombed the lesson plan questioned, which is when I knew I wouldn't make it,) and I wasn't certain if it was kept on record. On one hand, they ask if you applied in previous years, and I said yes. On the other hand, after being turned down, I asked through email if I had to resubmit everything next time, and they said yes.
So I only ask due to conflicting information. In any case, I already decided to leave it out.
Thanks anyway though.
>>1048034
>avoid "middle of nowhere" places
Not really. I actually wouldn't mind living in a rural area. And if there's any point I wanna go out and explore the big city I can easily take a bullet train.
>>1048044
>bullet train
The shinkansen is (a) expensive and (b) doesn't stop in the countryside. If you want better recommendations where to go you really need to be much more explicit about what you're looking for.
>>1048050
OK then. Like I said I'm not too picky and I wouldn't mind being in the sticks, but at the same time I would like to not be too far away from the city. That's why I picked Kanagawa.
>>1048031
>As a rule of thumb, you should be able to speak a language fluently after 2 years of studying for 3 hours per day.
High level ability I think, but fluently is another realm and a word that people throw around too loosely.
>>1048031
Also it truly does depend on the language. An English speaker can absolutely speak Spanish very well in 2 years. Japanese? Ehhh... it's iffy. An English speaker can be solidly conversational in Japanese in two years and effectively "speak" it, but fluent?
>>1048051
>>explicit : adj. : fully revealed or expressed without vagueness, implication, or ambiguity : leaving no question as to meaning or intent
If I'm going sightseeing/shopping Tokyo/Kyoto area, how much Japanese do I need to know?
>>1048069
Ikura desu ka
>>1047852
From Beppu to Hiroshima, and then a pitstop to Tottori on the way to Kyoto. Then from Kyoto head to Osaka and then take the ferry back to Beppu
I love this website.
http://tamagazou.machinami.net/
>>1047996
I decided on no preference. I'm not picky, and stating a preference is less likely to get me picked. In any case, I'd rather a rural area, which you're most likely to get anyway, but a suburban or urban area would be nice.
>>1048105
Pretty sure stating a preference has no effect on whether you get picked.
Whats up
I'm 19, heading to Japan solo for a month in january. 2 Weeks skiing/boarding at Hakuba, a couple days to a week skiing/boarding at Nozawa, then ~1 week in Tokyo.
I was slowly learning a little bit of Japanese, but exams swamped me. Since I leave in about two months I don't think I'll learn a lot. Does this matter? Should I still put effort into learning something beforehand?
Thoughts? Advice? Recommendations?
Any cool places I should definitely check out in Tokyo?
Is everything really expensive?
And any clue what the weather is usually like around jan-feb on the slopes? Are off-days due to bad weather very common?
A little feedback on the diving i Okinawa / Kerama islands.
The wether was a little cloudy, but the sea was absolutely beautiful nevertheless. For our first time diving it was a very good experience. My ears had quite a little trouble adjusting to the pressure, but we stil managed to see a seaturtle, lot's of small and bigger fish as well as nice coral reefs and those funy looking and eels.
The guides seemed to know their places which are worth diving and I felt well prepared.
Definitely will do he license next, but probably in Germany as I don't know when the next chance for diving will come.
Thanks for the advice in any case, we were both well shaved. :3
Is there a particular area (bar or otherwise) big with salarymen that you'd recommend? Shimbashi? Is there a particular timetable? After 9-12?
I-It's for my friend. She has a mid-to-late 20's asian fetish. But hates club types.
>>1046619
>But plug adapters
My AAA people said I could exchange currency at their office, is this recommended? Or should I just go with other methods in this thread?
>>1048028
>obviously marriage is out of the question
Read the news today.
Civil unions are a thing now, or some Japanese equivalent.
>>1048215
any bar really after working hours close is going to be full with salarymen in busy parts of Tokyo.
>>1048079
so you're looking to get from Tottori to Kyoto then?
>need to present $1k usd in cash per week I'll be staying in japan when I arrive to the airport
thanks mexico
>>1048231
You are misinformed. That civil unions thing is ONLY in Shibuya Ward of Tokyo, to say nothing of the rest of the city, prefectures, or country as a whole. It is largely a symbolic gesture and carries virtually no legal weight. The ward office has said they will crack down on landlords or whatever who try to discriminate in renting, but that's about it.
He is quite right, a real marriage or civil union is out of the question.
>>1048215
Yeah pretty much any Izakaya after 9 PM will be filled with white shirts. There are some problems though. Izakayas are not a good place for pick up or meeting people. Generally the guys will be with all their coworkers being noisy and smoking cigarettes. It's not really a good atmosphere for game.
Apart from the club/nampa guys, Japanese guys are generally kind of "beta", and being approached by some random foreigner probably would end in awkwardness, especially considering the language barrier. But you never know. I think Japanese guys are honestly just more into Japanese girls than they are foreign girls anyway. Sure they'd all like to bang a pretty blonde European girl for bragging right and shit, but I don't think Japanese guys are intently interested in Western girls really. Not the way a huge subset of Western men are interested in and fetishize Japanese/Asian girls.
Good luck, Anon--er, Anon's "friend."
>>1048275
Yea pretty much. Problem is that there aren't any night buses that run from Hiroshima to Tottori or from Tottori to Kyoto. At least one's that I haven't found yet.
What's the best way that you've personally found to meet people while traveling in Japan? Either locals or other travelers, whatever. I'm leaving for there in a few days and have just read that it's particularly difficult to meet people as a solo traveler in Japan.
>>1046277
I'm currently in Sapporo. Does anyone know of any arcade areas? I'm talking over the top computer game zones. Thanks if you know anything.
Lads, would £2000 ($3000) or so be enough to spend 2 weeks travelling around Japan?
>>1048417
Learn some Japanese, be friendly and sensible, ie. don't be a Sperglord. Go where people go to enjoy themselves. You won't make friends on the street or the subway.
Has anyone else had the experience where a Japanese guy will randomly approach you and just start talking to you? They weren't wearing uniforms or holding clipboards/flyers; they're just wearing normal clothes or suits and it usually happens when I'm waiting at a crosswalk or near the train station. Once I tell them I don't understand Japanese they apologize and go away. What are they after? For the record I am Korean so I assume they think I am also Japanese when they approach me.
>>1048541
probably touts trying to get you into some bar with prostitutes
>>1048498
Depends on the flight cost but yeah probably. Let's say 1000$ flight, $400 2 week railpass (depending on if you need one), then $30 a night on lodging ($420.) Still leaves a cool $75 a day for food, better lodging, and various entrance and transportation costs.
>>1048541
One time a younger guy in tight leather pants with a big blonde haircut came up to me and whispered "sex?" into my ear in Roppongi. I shook my head no without looking at him and he just kinda looked at me for a few seconds then walked off.
The other time in Shibuya some guy who looked like he just rolled out of bed asked me to model for him in a week, I told him I can't, then he said "please!!!!!" and I told him I was leaving in 2 days and he just said "ok sorry" and walked away.
Also some a homeless guy tried to "help me buy my train ticket" but other than that no strangers tried to talk to me out on the street.
So basically who knows what the fuck they wanted, yeah probably just to get you into a hostess bar or something.
What do you bitches know about muscle cars in japan? I'll google later. Would love to head over there with a camero from the states.
>>1046464
Last time when I was in Japan I had spend about total 2300 US dollar for 9-10 days, include flight, business hotel, food, transport and rest of the money is spend on enjoyment.
>>1048498
I did three weeks for around £2200 two years ago, so you should be fine. Return flights and 3 week rail pass came to around £1000, most hostels were around £15~20 a night. The yen was around 150 to the pound back then, now it's about 180 to the pound so your money should go further.
>>1046901
Yup!
>>1048541
Thats how the majority of girls are picked up for AVs. Usually they'll say its for modeling or something and sometimes it is, but often times they get you in the office say how little the normal gig is and how much more money you can get for just peeing or something and then they keep trying to get you to come back for more. Theres less of a stigma in Japan for being in AV although there obviously is some, but theres so many one and done girls its nearly impossible to actually find someone specific
>>1048662
dammit, I hadn't even thought about that. I absolutely would've at least seen what they had to offer. too bad i wasn't approached a week earlier.
I lost most of my savings for my Japan trip a few days ago to bills, so now I'm having to re budget stuff.
Wondering if 7000-8000 yen a day on average is perfectly doable?
>Shopping:
Looking to buy sex toys and food items to bring home + the typical souvenirs you'd buy to remind you of your trip, w/e.
Also planning on checking out at least one Mandarake and plenty of ~cute stores in the 30 days that I'm there, as I'm a shameless weeby fan of kawaii culture. - I have plenty of self control though, so this shouldn't be a big deal.
Keeping in mind that I might need to buy clothes while I'm there as well.
>Food:
I don't really like to eat in restaurants, especially not when I'm traveling alone, so I'm mainly gonna binge on street food and food from the convenience store. (That said, I am staying at a few ryokans with dinner and breakfast, so that's 3 of 30 days with most food taken care of already.)
>Transport:
I'm getting a JR pass for 14 days. Got 6 days in Osaka (Which includes a trip to Nara, Wakayama and Mt. Koya), 7 days in Tokyo and 4 days in Kyoto without any transport pass.
>Entertainment:
I'm heading to Universal Studios for one day, possibly spending half a day at one of the Disney parks. Besides that most things I'm looking to check out are 1000 yen or less, but I know that + unplanned things can quickly add up.
Accomodation is taken care of.
>>1048662
>Thats how the majority of girls are picked up for AVs.
Actually, not at all true. The *majority* of girls in AV register with an actress management office in advance and are handled through the office. The studios contact the office and the office gets the girls jobs. There are many of them. Many AV companies also have actress recruitment pages with a form you can fill out to apply. Certainly there are guys on the street constantly scouting for new girls, too, I'm not saying there aren't, but this is not how most girls end up in videos. The whole thing about lying and getting you into the office--I'm not sure where you heard that. Generally, touts are pretty straightforward it's for porn and they try to emphasize that it's easy money.
Basically, if a girl wants to be in AV, she knows you wants to, and she knows where to go from there (which is generally an actress management office). One and done amateur girls will often apply online and go from there. Girls who have the willing-to-do-AV gene generally do not need to be convinced by a tout to do it.
>>1048688
Are you still in Japan? If you are interested, I might be able to make something happen for you. Are you interested in being in AV? I can tell you as a first time amateur the pay will most likely be less than fantastic. Think between the range of 30,000 - 100,000 yen depending on the kind of shoot. Bankable names can make 250,000+ a shoot--or girls that have rare assets like big breasts. If you are incredibly busty and they're natural, I can most likely get you a job for 200,000+ as long as you're willing to show your face.
>>1048698
Disney and Universal alone would take up more than a day's budget just for tickets. Same with the rail pass. And you're not going to be able to get many souvenirs if you're trying to stretch that money.
It'd be easier if you said how much money you have altogether to spend and for how long you're going. Then we'd be able to see how you can move things around to accommodate splurging.
>>1048700
Oh, the JR Pass is not included in the budget I listed above, forgot to mention that.
I'll have around $1900 / 230700 yen in total for 32 days (The amount of full days is 30).
I also forgot to say that I'll be walking as much as I can to say transport costs within cities. Again, the JR Pass is not included in the above budget. That, flights and accomodation has been taken care of.
My choice here is basically to sell things that I own for extra cash, or deal with what I have now. Everything is booked up so I can't really back out now unfortunately.
>>1048702
A full month on two grand might be pushing it desu. I'd say two weeks at the most on a budget like that. Any longer than that and I feel like you'd be running yourself pretty thin and not being able to fully enjoy yourself in the way you'd want to. Especially if you're trying to go to theme parks and buy a bunch of weebshit.
But it largely depends on what you want to do I guess. A month is a long time but if you're just going to be walking around and not really spending any money on anything other than food maybe you can stretch it?
>>1048702
I live in Japan, so I have a good idea. If all you need to spend on is food and getting yourself around, 7700Yen/day is doable. Go to/near train stations to eat lunch; you should be able to find plenty of places (Yoshinoya and the like) for 500-600Yen. All of these will serve tea and/or water for free. Dinner you can do the same, or go to supermarkets near closing time to pick up discounted bento items. I know conbinis are a favorite with /trv/, but I honestly think they're not a very good deal -- portions are small and prices higher than in supermarkets. If you need to drink booze, stick to wine -- you can get passable 750ml bottles for 400Yen. If you're really careful with your spending I see no reason why you can't go to Disney/Universal (I think they're both a waste of time/money, but it's your trip, not mine) and/or get a few souvenirs, plus of course spend a full 30 days here.
>>1048709
If you need to drink booze, stick to wine
How about Chuhai? Shit, a can of 9%ABV liquid for like 150yen.
>>1048699
Nope I left months ago
[spoiler]also i'm a guy[/spoiler]
>>1048753
Oh, LOL. Then believe me, they were not trying to recruit you for porn haha.
Probably trying to get you into a hostess bar or brothel.
Serious question:
How difficult would it be to be a male performer in a JAV, if I'm staying in Tokyo? Even just another cock in a gangbang or bukkake scene.
Who should I even reach out to if my Nihongo sucks?
>>1048754
That's what I was thinking with the "sex" guy. "Please make an appointment with me for next week" seems like an odd way to rope someone in to a hostess bar or something, but then again if that was their intention they totally would have gotten me lol. I doubt it was porn too but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't still curious to this day.
>>1048699
Is the market for bigger white dicks non existant in JAV porn?
>>1048759
>>1048768
even though there's a lack of male JAV stars, as another anon pointed out, the general Japanese male is more interested in Japanese people than in whities when it comes to sex. I think there's a total of 2-3 male porn actors that aren't Japanese over there because there's just not a high demand for them
>>1048768
>>1048769
Japanese people want to see other Japanese people. The average white dick is slightly bigger than the average Japanese dick but the people who care about dick size in porn would rather see much bigger black dicks. Hence why all the Japanese porn features Japanese guys with a small percentage featuring black guys
>>1048759
There are so many guys who want to be in porn, it wouldn't be worth their time to even talk to someone who can't speak Japanese. How are you going to get all the necessary STD free documentation. How are you going to follow directions on set?
>>1048858
>There are so many guys who want to be in porn,
actually there's not so many guys who want to be in jav. there's a significant lack of male actors. I was hoping for some more interesting answer
>>1048859
Theres enough that they don't have to deal with someone that will certainly give them a bad scene because they can't understand whats going on
Hello.
Me and my gf are visiting Tokyo in a couple of weeks and it suddenly occurred to us to maybe take a couple of nights to visit Kyoto, since apparently it's not too far away (and 15 days seem like too much for just Tokyo). I was looking at hotels and found one that seems both nice and affordable, but we're on a pretty tight budget, so I was wondering if it would be worth it to get a train pass for just that one trip (maybe just a 7 day one?). I'm just wondering if the train ticket save + whatever we save on locomotion for the rest of those days in Tokyo would offset the price of the train pass. Also, I was wondering if it was indeed worth it to visit Kyoto just for two days or so (my gf likes the temples and things, and I hear Fugu is better in Kyoto, that's the extent of the interest on my part desu lol).
>>1048862
>2 weeks is too much for one of the biggest cities in the world
I've lived here 3 years and haven't gotten to see everything I've wanted to
>>1048864
Haha, yeah I've been to Tokyo before as well, but a lot (most?) of the cool stuff you can do requires money, while visiting temples and such is less hard on the wallet. I haven't been to Kyoto either, so I don't know if it's anything like Tokyo.
Maybe they're too similar to warrant the visit, barring the temple stuff.
>>1048864
Oh, and the "traditional japanese" vibe is also a big draw for my gf in particular. I figured Kyoto is more like that than Tokyo as well, but idk.
yo guys, new to /trv/. There's 3 countries that I really want to go to and those are Japan, Argentina, and Spain.
I'm just wondering how much would it cost to go, say, a week to 10 days in Japan mostly for sightseeing and enjoying the place.
I live in So-Cal and it seems plane tickets there can be anywhere from $900-1200. How much more would I need to spend to stay in, say, tokyo for a week at least and move around the region.
I am this
>>1048699
guy.
>>1048759
>How difficult would it be to be a male performer in a JAV, if I'm staying in Tokyo? Even just another cock in a gangbang or bukkake scene.
>Who should I even reach out to if my Nihongo sucks?
With no Japanese skills, quite difficult.
>>1048768
>Is the market for bigger white dicks non existant in JAV porn?
Yes, it's non-existent, meaning no one cares about "big white dicks." Most Japanese guys, being Japanese, want to see Japanese male performers. True, there is a prominent niche genre of black guys with Japanese actresses in Japanese AV, but this is because that caters to the kek guys. Black guys, given the stereotypes about thuggish nature and big dicks, can be fetishized more easily than whites. A huge thing in Japanese AV is male dominance, degradation and humiliation. Black guys fit that better than whites. I think because Japanese view blacks as less than whites for the most part, this dynamic works for porn. They might as well be a tentacle monster. I think I have seen maybe.... 10-15? distinct white male actors in a Japanese AV over the years? Of those, probably 4 had/have regular work.
>>1048858
It' not just that, it's also a visa thing. Understand that AV is a business, obviously, and the male actors are paid. Depending on your visa (or if you have no visa) it is technically illegal to perform in an AV.
>>1048859
It is true, there is a severe lack of male actors in AV against thousands of girls. Honestly, if you are white, have decent Japanese language ability and are persistent I think you could certainly make performing at least as a one-shot soupman in an AV a reality. The biggest barrier is not really whiteness, it's language barrier, then visa issues. But really mainly language barrier. Also being a first timer. There is nothing more frightening to a porn director than a first time male. If you have even at least some demonstrable experience I think your chances go up.
>>1048867
1k per 10 days or so, for something average
>>1048871
wow, 1k for 10 days? how is that distributed?
I'm planning a trip from America to Japan. I just applied for a passport and it will probably get here in a few weeks. Do I have to wait for six months to go (as I've been told) or can I go right away?
>>1048862
bump
