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:
As always, feel free to ask about:
>Traveling to Japan
>Living in Japan
>Teaching in Japan
>Joining the Yakuza
>Getting your weeb fantasies crushed
*Info on prostitution*
>http://rockitreports.com/category/sex-in-tokyo/
>http://erolin.net/
*Note about the JR Rail Pass*
Many people ask about whether or not the JR Rail Pass is worth it. It depends on your itinerary.
>http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Plug your itinerary into Hyperdia to determine ticket costs, then compare to the below JR Pass options:
>7 day Pass: 29,110¥
>14 day Pass: 46,390¥
>21 day Pass: 59,350¥
Please check the /trv/ sticky before asking questions. It's filled with links to great resources, many of them specific to Japan travel.
Please refer to the old thread while it's still up: >>1105120
>>1108092
>Kabukicho has the best kappuru-kisa
Olive21? It's good, but my gf and I are trying to find a different place. Olive21 is crazy and very good for just pure action, but we'd like to find something that has more space and actually has a legit bar and lounge area.
If anyone has any good couple kissa (or happening bar) recommendations I'm all ears.
How much did you spend every day in Tokyo? Aside from lodging.
>>1108251
You mean how much will you spend? On average? I live here so I've never strictly experienced Tokyo just as a visitor/tourist, but I would say it really varies depending on what you're into. Obviously if you're a clubbing/nightlife person you will spend significantly more than someone who is not.
The whole "Japan is really expensive" thing is somewhat of a meme, it's pretty reasonable compared to big international cities like New York and London. But an expense that will add up fast is transportation. Trains are kind of pricey here.
It's hard to give an estimate, but I'd say at least have 5,000-10,000 yen in your pocket a day, adjust according to your plan. I mean some days you will have a nice dinner at good restaurant, some days you probably won't. You can eat quite cheaply here. Any establishment where you press buttons to choose your food and then give a ticket to the server will be quite cheap, usually 500-700 yen per meal. Of course for me, when I travel, food is probably the main attraction, so obviously you don't want to just eat at Matsuya all the time.
Are there some open karaoke where you could go with a friend and meet other people? Does it exist?
>>1108269
None that I know of, but there are karaoke establishments that are tailored for people who want to do it alone lol.
>>1108270
Too bad, I'm going with my cousin but it would be funnier with other people a d could be a way to meet some.
I guess we'll go with people we'll meet at the guesthouse
Any tips on how to get raped in Tokyo?
>>1108296
Are you a guy or girl?
>>1108298
Male ;_;
Best time to go to akibahara beside winter? Hunting for those retro music cds.
>>1108305
Why is winter the best time to go to Akihabara? Akihabara is the same year round.
How could I go about living there for a short time and make money to just fuck around when I could?
Teach English? I mean, I don't even know where to go about that except you usually need a B.A. or higher in most cases.
How much time minimum should I spend in Japan? I am thinking of going this December but I would also like to fly to a few other countries as well, and am not sure if only staying X amount of days would be worth it... currently thinking 4 or 5.
I would like to explore outside of Tokyo but given the possible time constraints this doesn't seem like a viable option
>>1108270
The alone places are tailored more towards people that are trying to break out in the music industry. They're basically mini studios, although some people do go just to practice so they are better when they have to do company karaoke outtings
>>1108319
>Teach english with a degree
>Get transferred there
>Invest in a company and have a lot of money in the bank
>Marry a Japanese girl
>Be not from the US and do a working holiday
These are the only reasonable ways to get a working visa in Japan.
>>1108352
Just wondering if there are any special events I'm not aware of
>>1108354
Wonfest in Chiba, sort of related.
>>1108251
Food wise, maybe 1500 for lunch, 4000-7000 for dinner & drinks
>>1108299
go fuck yourself
>>1108373
Akihabara them. Buy a nice dildo!
>>1108371
You can get for much less if needed.
>>1108352
Guess so. But then there are aslo comiket too.
>>1108393
but that's not in Akibahara?
>>1108418
Akihabara*
>>1108321
Depends on what you want to do or why you want to visit the country.
First day there I was pretty sick from the flight, so don't underestimate the jetlag.
If you're going on a cultural trip, I'd go to Kyoto instead. You can easily spend two days there and go to Osaka and Nara as well.
Tokyo itself is pretty interesting and you can spend 4 to 5 days there, depending on your interests. I was there for a day or 3 and didn't even see half of what I originally wanted to see.
Exploring outside of Tokyo might be a bit hard. Other large cities are pretty far way, and given the time you're going to be there, I don't think a 3h train ride is much of an option.
What was that trick mentioned in these threads about 7-11 ATM and comission, someone said that you should pick a certain option, which was it?
A bit worried about cash... I have a silver Visa and I plan to withdraw at Haneda airport.
My currency is RON (romanian leu), I think they will apply o double conversion... Or should I exchange RON to dollars here in my country and then exchange dollars in yen?
>>1108319
There's a few different ways.
Teaching with a degree is usually the way to go, but there's a few other options e.g getting married, ancestry (very difficult, you can only take this route if you're grandmother is a native japanese who hasn't renounced their citizenship for whatever reason), or taking a language school.
Language school however, only allows you to stay on a student visa, and you'll only be permitted to stay your allocated time period. You can work on a student visa, but you'll have limited working hours. I think it's somewhere around 35 hours a week.
To actually convert your student visa to a work visa, you'll need to prove to the government that you can sustain yourself on whatever (reasonable) income.
>>1108423
just exchange from RON to yen at your departure airport...
>>1108341
>Be not from the US and do a working holiday
What's the difference between EU and US in this subject?
>>1108430
Hope they have such currency... I know my city doesn't have...
You think it's guaranteed to be less comission than in JP?
>>1108434
US does not offer working holiday visa period so all the other countries are pissy and don't allow any American's working holiday visas
It's really hard to find good info on this.
Anyone know if you can purchase the Hakone Free Pass at the Haneda airport?
>>1108373
I would if I could, bitch
>>1108505
Why would you want to bother to do that?
You can buy it at the bus office where you'll take the bus.
>>1108526
The Hakone Free Pass allows you to take the train from Shinjuku (and back) so it's a pretty good deal.
>>1108527
Can't you only access Hakone by bus and railway?
>>1108533
Yea, you travel from Shinjuku on the Odakyu Line to Hakone. But being able to buy the ticket at the airport would be useful since we're heading to Hakone on the day we arrive.
>>1108535
Well, isn't it just as easy to buy it at the Shinjuku station since you're going to depart from there anyway?
>>1108537
The thing is I don't even know if they sell it at Shinjuku station, the ticketing system for Japan is really fucking with my brain. There's tickets you literally cannot buy whilst in Japan and some you can only get in some places, others in others etc. It's really confusing.
>>1108538
you can buy the Hakone Free Pass in Japan
>>1108539
Yea I know that much, I'm just confused that they specifically mention that you can buy it at Narita Airport as well as Odawara station, but fail to mention Shinjuku.
>>1108538
You can buy it at the station.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2358_008.html
>>1108544
Thanks for that.
Should I wrap gifts? Flute for kid, bottles of alcohol, some chocolate box and a piece of garment
>>1108545
No problem, anon. Have a nice trip.
Japan-guide has a lot of answers if it's your first time going.
>>1108552
Yea, I've bookmarked the site. It's a better explanation than most of the original Japanese pages.
>>1108549
wrapping is what matters, you should have it wrapped by a professional. but i guess they don't eexpect it from you as a foreigner so do whatever
I am researching in Japan for about 12 weeks this summer. I am trying to find the cheapest option for having a mobile phone with data for that time.
My current phone plan in US is w/ AT&T, so I know if I wanted to go the SIM card route, I'd have to get a new non-GSM phone. Does anyone have any recommendations for specific companies?
All the rental companies I've seen so far are directed towards people staying more two weeks or less...
>>1108570
You can rent pocket wi-fi if you don't want to buy a new phone. A quick googling shows 12000 yen+300yen/day after the first month. Otherwise there is 200mb/day for 4000 yen/month
>>1108563
and the presents should be given after departure?
I can't do that I really want to see them try my dad's homemade alcohol.
As for the wrapping, won't the bottles have to be unwrapped in the baggage when going to the airport?
>>1108585
pretty sure they should be given right away, but are opened in private
>>1108244
On vacation in Kyoto and Tokyo right now,
What do? love food, zoology, history, martial arts and warfare.
I might be able to afford a rail pass for my trip to tokyo later this year. What cities should I check out?
>>1108296
>going to one of the safest and lowest sex drive countries in the world to get raped
what do you want to next, surf in mongolia?
>>1108641
Kyoto and Hiroshima would be my top 2.
>>1108641
Are you into Art?
The Setouchi Triennale is running again this year.
Is a day trip from Tokyo to Kamakura a good idea? It seems like there's just enough stuff to do there to last a day and the train ride is only an hour from where I'll be staying.
>>1108673
If I remember correctly yes, did that years ago
>>1108673
There's a bunch of nice temples aand shrines to see, for example...
Kotokuin Temple with the Great Buddha statue
Hasedera with nice temple gardens that offer a great view of the bay and the city
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu looking down through the shopping street
Zeniarai Benten Shrine where you can launder money for prosperity
...and many others.
The also have a beach, but it's ugly.
You could also travel on to Enoshima while you're at it.
Has anyone ever stayed at GRIDS hostel in Akihabara?
http://grids-hostel.com/index.html
Looking to stay here for my month over there.
Any recommendations or experiences?
>>1108673
Yep, lots of people do that. It's a very nice day away from the big city of you're so inclined.
>>1108673
Highly recommend it. I did 2 weekends there. The first one was in August - I did a day in Enoshima then hopped over to Kamakura. Was super wiped out from hiking (sweating) all over Enoshima so I stayed the entire day on the beach. Sat down next to these 2 girls and made small talk with my limited japanese and their limited english for damn near 5 hours. Made out with the one on the left at the train station that night but she said she was married. :|
I came back about 2 months later and did all the usual shit (big buddha, etc...) after I found out they only have the beach cabanas open during the summer season. Still a great place to visit.
>>1108244
If I stay there for 2 months would I lose 25-40 pounds because of the proportion size, food, and food culture there? Also, do the Japanese exercise often or go for daily strolls? I get the impression they're skinnyfat.
>>1108649
Which countries have the highest sex drives?
>>1108717
Japanese people are always standing and walking everywhere
>>1108717
Mate that's not nearly enough information to know. How much do you weigh now? Even then, it all depends on you. /fit/ here by the way
>>1108707
Not the poster you replied to, but that sounds pretty awesome
>>1108319
working hoiday visa.
wikipedia that shit. no degree, no japanese, no experience.
What would be the best or most memorable places to propose in Japan?
>>1108741
Tokyo tower like some lame ass drama
A school near me is offering study abroad in Beppu, but I heard it's kind of boring to stay in since it isn't very city-like. Does anyone here have any experience there?
>>1108755
What a cute-sounding place
>>1108717
Not unless you make an effort to get thin. Food is everywhere and amazing, you can get fat cheap in Japan. The Japanese are Asian, seen a person like that? Skinny.
>>1108756
Beppu :3
>>1108767
Every single person i've known that has spent more than a month in Japan, including myself, has dropped 15 pounds just by being int he country.
>>1108786
Are you American? I guess you'd lose 15 pounds in a month going anywhere outside of burgerland.
>>1108755
Easily the worst city I stayed in Japan. Maybe it's less crapy if you study there, but if there's any other place you can study at, I would choose that
i'm in shinjuku and i don't know what to do, any suggestions for the afternoon/night?
>>1108801
Depends on what you like. Pretty much anything you want can be found in or around Shinjuku.
>>1108801
You could meet up with a 23m beta from ireland
>>1108786
True. American food has some fat poison in it or something because I knew a guy who moved to Japan for work but didn't like Japanese food and pretty much ate Japanese McDonalds for every meal and after a year he lost like 60lbs. He wasn't working out or walking to work or anything, he was just existing in Japan. Same thing happened to everyone else I know who went there for a while. The thin guys who went there ended up getting really into hardcore exercise and getting ripped. It's weird, it's like the country has some gas in the air that makes you fit as fuck.
I need to send some stuff home, need to buy a parcel or box to do so. Does any post office sell that sort of thing or just the bigger ones? Is it relatively easy to get an English international post form?
>>1108741
Most memorable - probably in a soapland. She definitely won't forget it!
>>1108549
Wrapping is appreciated in Japan. I notice whenever I give wrapped gifts they take their time opening them, trying not to rip the paper much. I guess it's a sign of respect for the effort put into it.
>>1108804
ok then, i'm a 22m beta so we'll get along. how do we meet?
I've been contemplating visiting Tokyo this November. Would there still be things to do? Or does everything die off in the winter?
>>1108810
[email protected]
Give me a location and I'll come up to shinjuku within an hour or two
>>1108810
Sorry, Emails stopped working, you still there?
>>1108830
i'm here. i just send you a mail. did you get it?
>>1108805
Pretty sure it's just smaller, more expensive meals.
>>1108811
yes tokyo the worlds biggest city with 13 million people is dead 1/4th of the year
Assuming I'm not a socially awkward faggot and I'm reasonably well groomed, are the ladies open to one night stands with foreigners?
>>1108847
Dude just fuck off with this tired-ass shit.
>>1108847
No. Aren't there a sex tourism thread up?
anyone in osaka? will be there may 4 - 9. looking for cool shit to do, helps to have company
>>1108863
>No
M8, stop lying.
>>1108244
most people on japan talk english ? in rural areas to ?
>>1108879
WHAT ? im screwd then , how to comunicate easely with japonese people ?
>>1108244
That photo is on Guam
>>1108890
Correct. It was taken on Tumon Beach, looking north toward the Nikko Hotel. From the looks of it, I'd guess it's an old photo - maybe 10 years old or more.
>>1108878
Most people are total garbage at English
What is Nagoya like? Looks like I'll be living there. How far away is it from the 3 big cities and what kind of train passes are there that I could use?
>>1108903
Nagoya is fine. Certainly not an unpleasant place to live, and will have your standard urban diversions but it's not as cool or charming as Tokyo or Osaka.
By "the 3 big cities" you mean... Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka? Those are the 3 biggest cities in Japan in order.
It is not close to Osaka or Tokyo and Yokohama (this could be easily Googled, you know), but closer to Osaka. There's no train pass for you if you are going to be living here. You will need to take the shinkansen, or the cheaper option: flying.
>>1108908
Yokohama is a major city like Funabashi is a major city.
Its so close to Tokyo that you might as well go to Tokyo, not worth exploring unless you live there, but unless you're buying a house for your family you shouldn't live there if you can live in Tokyo
>>1108244
Under the assumption I am 6'6 and in good shape. What are the odds I get laid? Will I just intimidate everyone as usual? Do chicks dig foreigners?
>>1108880
Bro you can hardly speak English aswell. You'll fit right in.
>>1108877
Why ask..?
What are the outer suburbs of Tokyo like? Is it cheap to get around that area?
how much moneyz do i need if i dont want to spend super cheap 2 weeks in japan?
for comparisson i spent:
350 € 5 nights in barcelona
250 € 7 nights in marroco
150 € 4 nights in belgrad
>>1108946
fuck you
>>1109001
capsule hotel 22$/night
cheapest possible food 15$/day
You can sit in your comfy capsule all day, will only set you back about 500$ total.
>>1109014
Not the same person, but how much would a basic en suite room cost in comparison? I don't care if it's a sardine tin like the capsule, but being able to come back after a whole day of walking and just taking a huge shit or having a nice relaxing shower without having to wait for the shared facilities is way better.
Is it possible to enjoy Mt. Fuji without joining some sort of tour or guide? As in getting to/from and being able to explore the general area? I'm not really one for learning about the history and stuff about it, but I'd like to really take my time and just walk around to take some photos. I feel with a tour guide, I'd be pressured into moving on all the time. Also any recommended vantage points?
>>1109020
couchsurfing bro
will be staying at the base of the mountain...almost
didn't have any reference but they accepted, be sure too look for hosts with very little refferences
>>1109018
More than triple that most likely, and you'll get a shitty location.
Use Airbnb though and you can get a good deal, typically 40-50$ for a small room with bed, "kitchen", portable wi-fi, toilet and shower. Not hostel either but your own apartment. Location is good too, usually for that price you can get your flat 10 minutes walking distance from a central area like Shibuya/Shinjuku/Akihabara, or at least 5 minutes away from a rail/metro station.
>>1109014
I really wish people would stop pushing capsule hotels on unsuspecting people. You would go insane spending 2 weeks in a capsule hotel. They are worth it for maybe a night for some people for the novelty because they are uniquely Japan, but they are not made for backpackers. They are made for drunk businessmen who missed the last train.
If you want cheap accommodation, try a hostel, AirBnB or couch surfing.
>>1109023
Climbing it or just being around it? I wouldn't recommend climbing it by yourself especially without experience and definitely not if its the season for it
>>1109001
>>1109014
NO.
Capsule hotels are NOT a good idea for travelers unless you're doing it for 1 night as a novelty. They're meant to be used by business people who missed their last train or are otherwise clearing out in the morning. You can't keep any of your stuff there and they make you leave for a few hours in the mid-morning or afternoon. You basically have to check out and check in again every single day. Terrible, terrible idea.
If you're really hurting for cash, find a guesthouse and see if you can talk to the manager and stay for only 2 weeks. I stayed in guesthouses that were about $400 per month so maybe you could get one for $250 or $300 for 2 weeks.
>>1108847
Not great. Girls aren't usually into foreign guys who don't live in Japan and don't know how to speak Japanese. If you're tall, well dressed, cool, live in Japan, and speak Japanese then you'd do pretty well if you put yourself out there.
>>1108840
I had a Japanese roommate in Tokyo once who was this singer in a rock band and he idolized Elvis, but only the parts where he was fat as fuck and addicted to pills and died on the toilet, he thought that was the coolest part about Elvis and wanted to be like that. Every day for the year that I lived with him he would bring back a giant bag of McDonalds with FOUR meals in it. 4 different burgers, 4 sets of fries, 3 sodas, and 1 milkshake or whatever the ice cream drink thing they have there is called. He was still rail fucking thin at the end of the year. He was also crazy, but that's another story.
>>1109073
>He was also crazy
yeah no shit m8
>>1108805
Well American food DOES have a lot of fat bullshit in it so you have to REALLY watch what you eat and buy completely different things, which are a lot more expensive. But it's hard as fuck especially when you live with skeptical, crabby parents like I do.
>>1109070
>Girls aren't usually into foreign guys who don't live in Japan and don't know how to speak Japanese.
Stop. In the age of Tinder any jack-off can fuck j-girls in Japan. And If it's a party atmosphere with alcohol involved, your JLPT level isn't going to be the primary thing on her mind. Of course Japanese ability helps, but you'd be surprised to find that it can also be a hindrance. Unless of course you have top tier handsome privilege, foreigners speaking Japanese in a nampa context can be possibly offputing. Girl will wonder why you speak Japanese in the first place (Japanese people are genuinely curious why foreigners would take the time to learn it) and may come to a couple conclusions based on this: you're a pathetic weeb and/or you learned Japanese just for nampa which is mecha kimoi.
It is quite easy to hook up in Japan **as long as your expectations are in the right place** That is to say, expect a girl on your level and don't fall for the "I'm-white-so-I'll-be-rolling-in-idol-tier-girls-even-though-I'm-a-skeezy-dweeb" meme. Because that is bullshit.
I'm looking for places to eat in the Tokyo area. Are there any places I should hit up that is within 3000 yen? Mostly looking for washoku (和食), but others are okay too (including snacks).
>>1109098
Close your eyes, turn around in a circle and throw a rock. Where ever it hits will have better Japanese food than anywhere you've had outside of Japan
>>1109099
>Where ever it hits will have better Japanese food than anywhere you've had outside of Japan
LOL, weeb detected. This is a stupid meme; all it does is prove two things -- (1) you have very little experience with food in Japan and (2) you have very little experience eating Japanese food outside Japan.
>>1109107
I've lived in Tokyo for 4 years and one of the best things about the city is how quality pretty much all the restaurants are. Anywhere that isn't good is gone within a year. Theres tons of excellent flavor of the month places with long lines out the door, but what makes the city so great is that you're rarely disappointed with any random place.
The only time that Tokyo disappoints is when it comes to food that people don't have much experience with like Mexican food.
>>1108296
Not toyko, but I would go to the US marine or army bars off base, all those career military fags are collisoive faggots ( you genearally dont get posted to a nice chill place like japan till you reup.)
>>1108635
Bump
>>1108549
if flying out of US, security can open wrapped gifts, and technically you are supposed to use gift boxes with loose lids. I assume Nihon customs would as well.
>>1109109
>how quality pretty much all the restaurants are
Restaurants in Japan are like restaurants anywhere else -- roughly 20% of them are good, 70% are mediocre, and 10% are terrible. If you really think "pretty much all" restaurants in Tokyo are good, I'm sorry but you have bad taste in food.
>>The only time that Tokyo disappoints is when it comes to food that people don't have much experience with like Mexican food.
I'd say non-Japanese food in general. With the exception of high-end French places, and a few dozen other foreign restaurants scattered around the country, non-Japanese restaurants in Japan run the gamut between depressing and terrible. The dishes are either substantially altered to fit Japanese tastes, or lack the proper ingredients, or are simply not prepared properly.
>>1108717
if you are a fat Walmart dibituss American, yes
>>1108805
That seems true almost for any country vs america though, I'm basing this off living in Los angeles and knowing Russians, euorpoors, English, that all gained weight after they moved to America. EVERYthing cheap here either has trans-fat or corn syrup in it. Lots of it. The only difference with japan vs rest of world is the portions are a little smaller. The rest of the world still eats real food mostly
>>1109113
I'm talking about Tokyo specifically. I know the quality of the food, especially non-Japanese food and even more so for non-Asian food, rockets down significantly once you get outside of Tokyo, but I maintain that restaurants in Tokyo tend to be good way more often than they are bad.
I'll be in tokyo for 2 weeks around next easter.
1. Can you buy a 2week all-you-can-ride intra tokyo train/bus/rail pass or do you have to buy day passes/single tickets? I imagine i'll be out and about walking/exploring every day and i'll be using public transport a shit ton.
2. How much money i'll have at the time is pretty up in the air atm, and I really like expensive things. I'll probably overspend my budget massively some days and I want to have other days where I basically use no money. What are some great ways of spending a day using no money except for meager transportation + some cheap streetfood/ramen?
I'll be able to fill quite a few days just walking around sightseeing I think, but any ultra cheap must see's in tokyo would be appreciated.
>>1109116
LOL, OK. We agree on the stuff outside Tokyo (a lot of it is really horrendous), so let's agree to disagree on the stuff in Tokyo. You say more often good than bad, I say more often mediocre than good.
>>1109115
To be fair, if you regularly eat junk food/cheap food/convenient food in most developed countries you'll gain weight. You have to cook for yourself if you want to eat good quality, healthy food on a daily basis -- I think this is true wherever in the world you live.
>>1109119
7/11 bento boxes for food
>>1109119
Pretty sure your only options are day passes, monthly passes between two specific stops, or a JR gaijin pass thats only good for the above ground trains
>>1109122
>7/11 food is cheap
Why does this meme persist? It's really not that cheap. Any time I pick up dinner at 7/11 it's like 750-900 yen. Going to Matusya or another place with a ticket machine is generally cheaper.
>>1109130
Same here -- because of my schedule I have to eat a conbini dinner once a week. Small main dish+a small side (salad or fruit)+a cheap drink comes to over 800yen. You can eat in a cheap restaurant for that if you have time.
>>7/11
Lawson is better, at least where I live.
>>1109132
i remember seeing a guy post a youtube video about how cheap it is to eat in tokyo to debunk everyone saying tokyo is so expensive. He walked down an alley filled with small resturants where you could buy dishes with a 500yen coin. The dishes looked delicious.
>>1109136
There are some places that have good cheap food, but most of the time its going to be very small portions, disgusting and/or low quality 牛丼 if you're not buying your food at the grocery store
>>1109136
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urJWjS3KRaI
here's the video. I would imagine you'd have places similar to this in walking distance of most downtown areas of tokyo?
>>1109142
I recognize most of the places he went and have had the meals at all the chains he went to and eaten similarly cheap food at the non-chain places.
>>1109141
What I said was totally accurate. The only decent meals were the ramen and you're getting the plainest most barebone ramen you've ever had in your life. Half the places, like the 500 yen yakiniku set would always be part of a larger meal.
>>1109136
Food in Japan is expensive, period. Even in grocery stores, even at vegetable stands, etc. Restaurants are in business to make money. If a dish costs Y500, it must be made from shit-tier ingredients or must be a really small portion or (very frequently) both.
>>1109145
Lunch and grocery stores tend to be very reasonable and I'd argue regularly cheaper than the US, but only if you eat like a Japanese person. If you want a pound of steak with lots of cheese you'll pay out the ass, but if you eat a typical bento or just cook Japanese food its usually cheaper
>>1109142
that was the only vid i've ever seen of him but I checked out more vids now. Man his restaurant review videos has my mouth fucking watering. I'm gonna eat so much shit when I go to japan, fuck budgeting on food although i'm definitely eating a different cheap lunch every day to get a feel of different foods i've never tried before.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NYZmXpBdg
Looking for restaurant recommendations in Kyoto. Less than 100 dollars per person.
>>1109150
100 USD to clarify.
>>1109146
>I'd argue regularly cheaper than the US, but only if you eat like a Japanese person.
I'd argue the opposite, unless you mean a really, really cheap Japanese person. Food in the US is inexpensive for the most part, and the average Japanese person eats a lot of pre-prepared (and/or frozen) foods, which aren't especially cheap (unless you're talking about instant ramen and other chemical-enhanced shit). The only way to eat cheaply here is to eat a lot of white rice plus whatever vegetable is cheap plus whatever fish is cheap. This is a really bland diet and will drive you crazy. If you're talking price+quality+quantity, supermarkets in the US are infinitely preferable to those in Japan.
>>1109119
IIRC the passes are shitty and expensive. Buy a suica card and charge it with money, 100-300 yen per fare.
Curious about my phone's network availability...
Since Vodafone isn't available in JP as of 2009, will I be able to make phonecalls to JP phone numbers? I imagine it will be like 2 euro's per minute
I have sim card on my Nexus 4 with lots of credit
why are jap women so shallow and picky? even the old ones
I was talking with this 40 year old MILF over skype for a few years that eventually deleted me because I asked to see a 'sexy' picture of her. we were supposed to meet when I came to Japan, but I never ended up going. I wanted to fuck the shit out of her but apparently I wasn't attractive enough for her.
I don't know where all you people saying that food is shitty or portions are small in Japan have eaten, but you must have some serious bad luck (or bad taste).
I was there for three weeks, ate in places picked on the spot and mostly paid 500-1000 yen per meal.
The portion size was big enough for me every time, even though I'm not a light eater (the Japanese actually eat a lot, I even had to skip free rice refills) and everything I tried turned out to be delicious.
Just what the fuck were you doing wrong?
>>1109218
Is this post bait?
>>1109218
>jap women are shallow
>writing with a 40 year old woman for the sole purpose of having sex with her
>even asking for a 'sexy' picture
Gee, yeah. It's the Japanese who are shallow, amirite? Deal with it, uggo.
>>1109197
Its all about calculating how often you're going to be using the pass. They save you a pretty good amount of money if you use them to goto atleast 4 locations and limit how often you're changing companies
Do toilets in Japan have words written on walls? Should I do it? I'd feel bad if the wall was clean...
What about on airplane, should I write my site's name in the restroom?
>>1109235
The Japanese don't vandalise, no. You shouldn't write your site's name anywhere on any walls.
>>1109068
for his desire thats the best option
so what if you have to check back in at night? who fucking cares, its like 20 dollars, its perfect
>>1109068
he wanted the cheapest garbage one could get, i guess he could try couchsurfing but i doubt that works in japan.
>>1109259
You can have the same in a hostel or a airbnb for that price. Seriously, capsule hotels are not meant to be stayed in for a day or two max
>>1109218
If this is actually real and not just bait, it's the best thing since that autist who became booty annihilated when some J Girl he tried to make small talk with in a conbini blew him off. REEEEE'd hardcore and condemned Japanese as stuck up/anti social/etc.
Any regulars lurking who remember that gem?
>>1109262
what hostel/airbnb is cheaper than 22$/night?
Payed through airbnb some old dude to rent his apartment.
If I like it I might extend my stay, but I don't want to pay through airbnb but with cash, I imagine most hosts would agree to this. What are the risks, getting kicked out after paying? Getting banned on airbnb, very unlikely how will they know that I payed him cash?
>>1109262
arent most hostels also capsuls?
>>1109266
Airbnb knowing is obviously impossible, but he can just kick you out and call the police after taking your money. Basically anything you do will be uninsured and he will have no accountability.
>>1109276
Chances of an old japanese guy doing that are low me thinks. Even when giving him present
>>1109277
Go for it. But remember that while japs are polite they aren't particularly friendly or good people.
>>1109264
just type in Tokyo in booking.com or something and you'll find plenty, same with airbnb if you bother searching
>>1109271
yes, but they have the advantage that you can leave your luggage inside your capsule as long as you're there and you're not forced out of your room for 4 hours each day, even if you just want to get something really quick. Plus, unless you have massive social anxiety, a hostel also has the advantage of meeting new people, organizing events, friendly staff, sometimes free breakfast etc.
>>1109263
Didn't he make a comment on the girls shirt or something? She didn't engage him in conversation which led to the guy reaching the conclusion that the entire nation are emotionless anti social cunts.
>>1109287
ok, i thought you mean by avoiding capsul hotels all kind of capsuls.
i also prefer hostels over hotels.
>>1109062
Ah, definitely not climbing it. Just being able to see it nice and clearly for photos and preferably somewhere quieter/with little tourists teeming the area.
Hey guys, got a few questions for you if you wouldn't mind:
1. Is anyone here studying, or applied to study, in Japan on the MEXT scholarship?
2. Out of all the English masters eligible for MEXT, the one I'd really like to study is at Uni of Nagoya. Any experiences with the city/uni there?
3. Anyone in Japan/been to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa? If so, what kind of jobs are out there? I cancelled an interview with ECC because I realised that despite wanting to go to Japan, it wouldn't be fair on the kids or myself that way as my heart's not in teaching. I might have made a mistake if English teaching is the only option a Britbong like me could have
>>1109235
please don't come to japan till you grow up.
>>1109235
Global rule nr. 2.
>>1109263
Don't be a faggot weeaboo pretending your precious Japan like you're a Ryan Boundless subscriber.
Most Japanese women are shallow as fuck, and won't settle for anyone that doesn't look like David Beckham or Ryan Gosling. This is a fact and a problem.
Chinese and Korean girls are easier. Jap women are extremely shallow and have a Western woman's sense of entitlement. Somebody explain this.
>>1109319
>all women are shallow because they won't sleep with me
Fuck off you pathetic virgin. You sound more shallow than anyone else.
I'd really like to visit the Setouchi Triennale in October.
Takamatsu is a nice, comfy city with a nostalgic feel, the rural islands are really charming, the weather was great last October, and the art sprinkled around is just the right interesting pretext to go exploring.
It's just that I have no friends and I'm not confident in traveling alone, plus it seems daunting to make an itinerary with all those different sites to visit.
T_T
>>1109337
If you've already been to Japan before and since you say you have no friends, did you do it alone last time? Seems a little strange that you're not confident in it if you've already done it before.
Also you've got from now to October to sort an itinerary out. How is that not ample time to sort every last detail of the trip out?
>>1108244
>Planning to go to Japan
>Not sure when or where to go
>Thinking winter I like the snow
What is the best time to visit when its snowy and the best place?
Also general advice welcome
>>1109347
>General advice welcome
I know this is said a lot here on 4chan, but in your case it's true:
Lurk more.
>>1109350
Not the same poster, but I haven't had any interest in Japan at all until I learned recently that I'll be moving very close by, so travel there is finally an option.
I'm wondering the best time of the year to go too...
I can travel at many different times. I'd like to see the cherry blossoms and snow monkeys, but of course that stuff I can easily find out about on my own. Apart from cherry blossom/snow season, when is a good time to go?
>>1108244
About how much does 3 meals a day cost you in Kyoto?
Planning on goingfor two weeks in december
IFirst thing I'm gonna do in Japan is get my dick sucked at Hinomaru.
>>1109339
I went with a group tour last time. Had a good time and it's a very comfortable way to travel, but they don't really go towards the places I'm most interested in with their other tour itineraries.
But yeah, I do guess I could manage an itinerary.
I can just group one or two islands and plan per day, and then be flexible about the order I do them in.
I'd base myself in Takamatsu anyway, so I don't necessarily have to organize any extra accomodation. Shodoshima really is the only island that needs two days.
Which leaves me with the problem that going alone is kinda lonely and I have trouble motivating myself to do stuff on my own due to depression.
>>1109353
Generally avoid summer because it's hot and humid.
>>1109353
>I'm wondering the best time of the year to go too...
spring/autumn in my opinion
Summer is too hot, and winter is well, winter.
>>1109363
Is it worse than Hong Kong? I'm from the UK and last time I went to HK in March-April time it was pretty hard going.
>>1109370
Not quite as bad (it's further North) but it's still terrible. Last time I went in July we had 40 degrees Celsius on some days.
any tips for flights to nippon from south west germany? my main airport is Frankfurt, paris isnt a problem to if the price is more than 100 € lower...
what should i pay?
>>1109319
>Most Japanese women are shallow as fuck, and won't settle for anyone that doesn't look like David Beckham or Ryan Gosling.
Pfffft, haha. What.
We found the combini sperglord, evidently.
>>1109387
go to a flight booking website select your dates and airports
>>1109319
Have you ever actually talked to a Japanese girl?
Reminder these threads are full of weaboos who think japan is a perfect haven with no flaws but have never actually been. So ANY signs of complaint or criticism of the country or its people is met with the wrath of angry neckbeards
>>1109219
They too have the perception of "american size" portions. Its a misconception on both sides
But taste? Sure theres some good food but overall no japanese food is below par
>>1109433
Japan has tons of flaws.
But shitty girls who apparently "will not settle for anyone who doesn't look like Ryan Gossling" isn't one of them. The statement reeks of assblasted virginity, my main reason for knowing so coming from the fact that I deployed a similar mindset and rationalizing tactics when I was a frustrated virgin. "REEEE girls only like this kind of guy, REEEE girls are awful and impossible and stuck up, REEEE"
It's pathetic. Who is really the neckbeard here.
>>1109219
>I was there for three weeks
Then you know little to nothing. The anons you're replying to actually live in Japan.
>>1109434
>overall no japanese food is below par
Again with this ridiculous weeb meme. A lot of food in Japan is bad to mediocre.
>>1109433
>Reminder these threads are full of weaboos
No shit. They regurgitate the same nonsense over and over, thread after thread.
I personally find Japanese food somewhat bland and overrated in general. It's not bad, but compared to elsewhere in Asia, I just don't see it.
Raw tuna is meh. Deep fried pork cutlets, raw eggs, white rice.
Maybe I'm an edgy jadedfag because I live here but I much prefer Korean food and the food of Southeast Asia.
I do love miso soup though.
Idk why people here think they're food critics. what fucking criterias do you use to judge food bad/mediocre except for personal taste?
People in japan have has more pride in the food they serve in general, whereas in europe you have immigrants setting up shops everywhere because they have no other skills and they can't get employed, not because they're good at cooking or enjoy it.
not liking food doesn't make it bad food. bad preparation and ingredients make it bad food, and quite frankly i'd never take the word on some teen/twenty something 4channer on that. You should be more confident that you get served proper food in japan than pretty much anywhere else in the world. I'm norwegian, the richest country in the world, and I can assure you i'd be 100x more picky in choosing a place to eat here than in japan.
>>1109452
Thats the most weeb shit Ive heard in this thread. Japan isn't filled with fucking food artists like you think, its a country like every other where people set up shot to make money.
>>1109461
I'm not talking about food artists or any shit like that, i'm talking about not getting scammed on the ingredients/cooking method. Something that is very possible many places in Norway which as said is one of the richest countries in the world. get some fucking reading comprehension faggot.
If food is made proper and with correct ingredients, you calling it bad is just your personal taste and not something you can state as facts here.
What i'm stating as fact is that Japan is one of the least likely countries in the world you'll get bad food, so don't be afraid of eating anywhere.
can someone crush my weeb fantasy
>>1109461
You're right.
>>1109452
>>1109472
You're wrong.
The Japanese food industry is the same as the food industry in France, Italy, Germany, the U.S., etc., etc., etc., etc. It is not unique, no matter what your memes tell you. They have no more or less pride in their food than anyone else; you're just as likely to get mediocre food in Japan as you are anywhere else.
>If food is made proper and with correct ingredients, you calling it bad is just your personal taste
LOL, do you really think every single restaurant in Japan uses ancient, time-honored cooking methods and only the best ingredients? LOL.
Cheap meat is cheap meat, cheap vegetables are cheap vegetables, stale fish is stale fish, etc. There are tens of thousands of places in Japan where quality and portions are cut to the bone in order to arrive at a particular price point. Nor does "made proper" count for much -- again, there are plenty of places in Japan where the food is pre-prepared, frozen, and then freshly microwaved just for you.
tl;dr Stop looking at the world through weeb-tinted glasses. "Japan is exceptional" is the oldest and silliest meme of them all.
>>1109492
Eh, I honestly feel you never eat out in Tokyo or you never ate out in your home country. Theres plenty of room for improvement, but after moving out of Tokyo I miss being able to go to any random place and getting a decent meal.
>>1109494
Not him but I live in Osaka and have eaten out every day for months now and he's right. I even had fresh fish from Tsukiji when I visited Tokyo and while it was good fish it wasn't anything spectacular. You can get good or bad food anywhere and unless you're shelling out over 5,000 yen for a meal, it's probably not gonna be much different than a meal you can get in America. Much better ramen here, though.
>>1109494
>you never eat out in Tokyo or you never ate out in your home country.
I live in Japan (although not in Tokyo). I've eaten at hundreds of restaurants here, hundreds of restaurants in my home country, and thousands of restaurants around the world. I worked in the food industry for a long time. There's good food in Japan and there's bad food, just like there is in any other country. To pretend otherwise makes you naive at best and delusional at worst.
>>1109498
Thanks. The tempura is generally better, too.
>>1109489
What exactly is your fantasy? Honestly Japan is pretty great. The only people who complain are bitter pathetic lifer English teachers.
I mean obviously Japan isn't like your Burmese macaroni art demonstrations for adult virgins, but it is a nice country.
>>1109511
What about the Japanese people who complain? Are they bitter pathetic lifer Japanese teachers?
I like Japanese food
>>1109512
Japan is an awesome place to visit.
Japan is a horrible place to live.
>>1109512
No, certainly not. Some things to consider.
For one, Japanese people can't just simply leave Japan if they don't like it like foreigner crybabies easily could. For this reason and others, I think natives of any country have more of a right to criticize their own native country. Also, Japanese people, being Japanese, are generally under more weight of history, culture, societal norms and other points of conformity within their own native society. Generally speaking, foreigners are given certain passes in terms of behavior and are exempt from a lot cultural/societal expectations. In terms of English teaching jobs, no matter how hard a foreign teacher works, the Japanese teachers and staff guaranteed work harder and have their bosses breathing directly down their necks.
>>1109523
Speak for yourself, man. I've lived here the better part of a decade working in the legal industry and I quite like it here.
>>1109527
>the Japanese teachers and staff guaranteed work harder
Do you mean "work longer hours" or "are more productive"? The former is true; the latter, not so much.
>>1109547
You've obviously never met anyone outside of Kantou
>>1109537
Seriously, I got a friend who works at one of the major toy manufacturers. Everyone fucks around all day doing basically nothing, then after dinner is when people actually do the little bit of work they need to do just so they are seen working late
>>1109564
You've obviously never gotten them drunk
Giung to Japan all August, any advice on sumo, kabuki and noo (eg which town, when, price, famous actors athletes)?
Also, what to see in Kagoshima?
>>1109565
Muh anecdotal evidence.
>>1109569
>Kagoshima
Drop it and go to Yakushima, if you're already that far south.
>>1109573
It was the same shit in all the companies I worked at besides the foreigner run start up as well. People fucking around all day and only working in the evening and/or doing complete bullshit nothing work after 5 until the boss decided he was ready to go home, then suddenly everyone in the office that didn't have a superior there was flying out the door.
>>1109492
are you purposefully acting retarded or do you just have 1st grade level reading comprehension? fucking christ you're a moron.
i'll just restate my point to the people of this thread that aren't completely retarded: don't be afraid to eat anywhere in japan, it's not a guarantee that you'll like the food but it's pretty much a guarantee that you get what you ordered prepared in the advertised/correct way.
Some real crybabies in this thread that got really butthurt when i called them out on not liking food because of their personal taste and not the food being bad. feel free to take their word on shit, you just know this random person on the internet flexing is super qualified determining if the food is demonstrably bad or if they just don't like the taste. the guy literally has a personal vendetta it seems lmao, wonder how much food he has to eat and don't like before he starts looking inwards instead of critiquing the food?
>>1109452
>>1109472
>>1109492
>>1109494
>>1109498
>>1109504
Could one of you foodies help me out?
Is there a name for that super lightly battered/fried chicken in japan that tastes like heaven?
It doesn't taste like American fried chicken at all (which I hate).
I had it once at a temple festival in Los Angeles, and I've seen it in anime, but I'm not sure what it's called. It was on a stick I think. not katsu.
>>1109635
Probably 唐揚げ or some kind of 焼き鳥
>>1109498
I moved to Chicago after living in Tokyo for a few years, and there has been a considerable drop in the low to mid-end when compared to Tokyo.
so im gonna stay in hirakata for 2 years, and thinking of buying a place there, because ill be paid to live there whether i rent or own, so might as well invest the money
so whats a good realtor to get in touch with? who can basically make the entire process hassle free?
>>1109641
>Foreigner buying property in Japan
>Hassle free
Pick one, renting is already a massive pain since theres apparently no anti-discrimination laws when it comes to housing.
>>1109639
sorry to be a spurg but 唐揚げ is からあげ、right?
>>1109642
and renting is for fucking idiots who want to flush thousands of dollars down the drain because >hassle
so im asking whats good realtors in japan, if you dont want to answer, dont be a fucking cunt about it
>>1109646
Even if you just have a passing interest in Japanese you should have Rikaisama or atleast Rikaichan installed
>>1109569
there's the lookout with the park, really nice view over the city
If Sakurajima isn't freaking out again, you can go there
Other than that, I haven't really done much there desu, might do a side trip somewhere nearby
I'm moving to Japan soon.
Background: JLPT N1, Good job offer in Tokyo (Not English teaching).
Is there any non obvious stuff I should be careful about?
Also, what's the best way to bring my money? I'd like to bring around $20K USD with me, but the exchange rate is bullshit right now. Is there a problem with just pocketing $20K in my pocket and bringing it to Japan and depositing it as USD in a Japanese bank account? I just want to exchange the bare minimum to cover the 礼金、敷金、etc...+ whatever things I need to buy to fill up my new apartment.
>>1109701
>JLPT N1
All of my why. You must be a turbo weeb unless you're like Japanese American or something. What is the job if I may ask?
>>1109726
>unless you're like Japanese American or something
I'm actually "Japanese American or something"
>What is the job if I may ask?
Financial related stuff.
>>1109701
>Is there a problem with just pocketing $20K in my pocket and bringing it to Japan and depositing it as USD in a Japanese bank account?
Maybe other than the simple fact you would be walking around in public with 20,000 god damn dollars in your pocket for time, no? If it's a Japanese bank like Mizuho I don't think they're going to let you have an account in USD? Maybe I'm wrong.
>>1109736
>walking around in public with 20,000 god damn dollars
That's my only concern, but realistically nobody is going to know aside from maybe the TSA. $20k in actual dollar bills isn't really that huge physically speaking, so it'd fit in my carry on just fine.
Also, Japanese banks offer 外貨貯金 so I thought I'd use that for a bit until the exchange rate sucks less.
>>1109646
Yes, that's right.
>>1109565
>>1109576
This is my observation as well. There's a huge amount of social (and frequently financial) pressure to work overtime though there usually isn't enough work to justify it. So people drag their asses in order to stretch 4 hours of actual work into a 13-hour workday.
>>1109612
Butthurt weeb. Japan isn't all unicorns and rainbows; just like everywhere else, some things are good, some things are bad, and most things are mediocre. That includes food.
>>1109635
If you're talking about chicken nugget-type stuff, it's called karaage in most of the country, and zangi in Hokkaido. The chicken is really good, but IMHO octopus is better. If you're talking about meat grilled on a skewer, the generic name is yakitori (for chicken) or kushiyaki (for other meats).
>>1109647
The other anon is right, though -- renting is a pain in the ass. Buying is scarcely better. Are you aware that building prices (i.e., houses, apartments) in Japan depreciate rapidly every year? Unless you're lucky, you'll end up selling for way less than you paid.
>>1109701
Just bring the cash. There's no problem having both Yen and USD (or other foreign currencies) accounts with any large Japanese bank. The exchange rate is unlikely to improve much before June.
>>1109752
>The other anon is right, though -- renting is a pain in the ass.
For whom is renting a pain in the ass in Japan? Any half way decent employer worth its weight would act as a guarantor for housing.
>>1108649
lowest REPORTED rapes
>>1109760
Having a guarantor helps, yes, but that's not the entirety of it. Discrimination is alive and well in Japan.
>>1109818
So be more specific. Who can't find am apartment.
>>1109819
I wanted to look at about 6 apartments and had a Japanese guarantor. 4/6 landlords said they had problems with "Chinese" (I'm not even Asian) before so they were going to increase either my security deposit by double and/or add 10-30% more for rent, 1 completely refused totally, all because I was not Japanese.
Not to sound SJW, but between this and the guy who had an encounter with the old man in Korea, I think it's hilarious how these whiteys experience racism for the first time and they're so incredulous lol.
>>1109829
I bet you're an ABC or a gook. Japs don't like you either, Kim.
>>1109829
>Not to sound SJW
Don't worry about it. Personally, I think you sound more like an asshole.
I want to work at Disneyland/sea as a mascot
what do
>>1108786
I got here 3 days ago and I've dropped like 5lbs, it's fucking ridiculous.
>be me
>limited japanese, remembering more daily
>shy
>I can't even english when put on the spot
>embarrassed about being baka gaijin trying to order food
>water and rice balls it is!
until I feel more confident about ordering food
>>1109813
japs don't dare to rape lest they dishorror famiry
