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 about to die
As always, feel free to ask about:
>travelling to Japan
>living in Japan
>teaching in Japan
>how do I become a Yakuza
Please refrain to the old thread while it's still up >>954114
>tfw you're so hyped for Japan that you don't feel like doing anything
>your trip is at the end of summer
Welp, time to waste half a year with no motivation
>>958691
just go with the flow..
- just have a basic itinerary where i list down what you 'might' want to do if you are in the city.
-short list down few cities that you may consider checking out, and the attractions
- short list some accommodations of each cities (keep in bookmark etc)
YOLO
basically you can work the rest when you get some feedbacks from other travelers at hostel lobby on what to check out n what to skip.
>>958681
Expat hangout spots/ side work/ where can I find English speaking friends when I move Sapporo. General Sapporo advice?
My friends and I are planning to visit Japan after we graduate college this June. What would be the cheapest and best time to visit Japan?
>>958718
there is no cheapest, but you should avoid goldenweek, summer, or times when the japanese have long holidays. accommodation will be scarce..
however if you manage to secure booking early, then good to go
>>958725
We are thinking about going in August but I have heard the humidity is really bad. We are from Southern California so the heat is something we can handle but not sure if the humidity would be a big problem.
Also how long do you think we should stay in Japan for?
Is it best to be clean shaven?
>>958726
Pussy's over blow the humidity. Its bad but its nothing that anyone who has visited or lived on the east coast during summer hasn't experienced.
Summer is easily my favorite time in Japan, despite the heat.
I'm moving to japan to do the ESL thing in less than a week. Packing at the moment.
How conservative do I have to be while teaching? Like could I get away with a banker's collar (pic related, the exact shirt)? The ALT company said "casual business attire" for taking classes.
>>958745
>the exact shirt
o i am laffin
>>958726
Humidity makes it fun, though.
>Wake up, take a shower
>Go out for breakfast and a stroll
>Get back to hotel room all sweaty, take a bath
>Go out for daily sightseeing
>Get back to hotel room all sweaty, take a bath
>Go out for dinner and more
>Get back to hotel room all sweaty, take a bath
But really, I didn't mind it that much, partly because the hotel had a free acces sentou with an open air bath on the top floor which stayed open 'til like 4 AM. It only sucks for having to wash clothes. It also sucks if you're there for more adventurous shit and will be outside all day. We're lazy fucks, but when we went to Enoshima in the morning and checked out the whole island that day, our clothes were drowning in sweat at the end of the day.
>>958741
Yes. 5'o Clock shadow might be cool, though, but everything past that will make you look like a bum to them.
>>958749
>not being /fa/
>>958745
>hey employers do you think you can tell me what kind of attire would be appropriate to wear?
Why the fuck are you asking the internet? That's great, more gaijin in Japan to not want to communicate with their company.
>>958773
I emailed them on saturday and am still awaiting a reply. I figured you guys may be able to give me a quick yay or nay but apparently you're more interested in filling your mouth with dick than helping so that's cool too.
>>958745
>that shirt
Sup, Charisma-man.
>>958745
Wear conservative colors like white or very light pastels. Dressy-casual is fine, but probably not for your first few weeks; try more dressy than casual. That style of shirt is fine.
>>958783
I've got two plain blue and two plain white. Unfortunately everything else plain is pretty bright so I was unsure. Thanks, anon.
>>958783
Oh here's the exact thing I got told by the company
>Japanese people tend to dress more formally than in Western countries. In the schools, you will be required to dress in business casual. Slacks, skirts, oxford shirts, blouses and sweaters should be fine. Jeans, shorts, t-shirts, or shirts with no sleeves will not be acceptable while in the school. You will also need to bring a suit for your first day of school and for special school events.
>>958745
Depends on your school level. For high school, you ought to wear suits and "cool biz" attire (pants and a collared shirt). For junior high school, you could probably get away with a polo shirt and pants. For elementary school, you could definitely do a polo shirt andsome sneakers.
But for the first couple of weeks plus orientation, you should be in a suit.
>>958777
>I emailed them on saturday and am still awaiting a reply.
It's Monday morning and they don't work on the weekends, and I'm willing to bet that they have more pressing matters to deal with than telling you what shirt to bring (this is the time of year when they're finalizing their contracts with both their ALTs and boards of education). They'll contact you when they have time.
>>958751
lol that shirt is definitely not /fa/, coming from a fagboy who wants to visit japan solely to visit designer locations
>>958751
That shirt is literally "faggt 15-year-old's first shir andt trying hard to appear more adult". There's a reason why light pastels and plain white shirts are staples in most professional wardrobes and not shit like that.
>ctrl-F
>nordstrom
>phrase not found
Where's the angry racist hick when you need him?
>>958726
yes, heat will be on the humid side.but hey, you get the matsuri’sand being in summer, the day time is longer, thus you can be out doing adventure longer.
it depends on what you want to see and explore, and set your time from there. I guess you are doing multiple country trip and japan is one of the stop?
i have been to japan on 6 different trips, each to different region. dont rush yourself to see everything in one go.. take your time explore, and there will be a next time to visit again
I doubt anyone has any experiences. Japanese friend wants to do something out the ordinary, so I suggested a happening bar almost as a joke and she said she was up for it.
I know almost nothing about Happening bars, obviously never been. Anyone have any experiences?
What are some English karaoke songs they're bound to have? I want to embarrass myself like a true westerner.
>>958855
Everything that was Top 40 this year, most things that were top 40 from the past 3 years, and pretty much all the number 1 hits from the past 30.
Are there any places in particular where I can listen to some bands? Restaurants or bars that have new bands?
>>958855
They have plenty to choose from. Whether your friends will know them or not is another question. The Carpenters, Beatles, Michael Jackson, and ABBA are all good bets. I went with some younger folks last month and Katy Perry seemed to get some positive reactions.
And there's always "Frozen"...
>>958875
Fuck Frozen, I'm so sick of those songs.
I'll probably sing some Queen, cliché for sure but it always goes down well.
>>958876
White people stoner music never goes down well unless it was made in the past 5 years.
>>958750
Well fuck my life. I live in Denmark and we have the most disgustingly humid kind of summers over here. Apparently DK and Japan share the same humidity levels, but I can imagine it still being worse over there since it's hotter in general.
Only time of the year I can leave for more than 5 days is July - August and while I'm super hyped for this trip, I'm also weeping on the inside because of the damn weather.
>>958889
>Queen
>Stoner
Well, I'm also on the Queen karaoke boat, as far as I know the Elevens love Freddie.
If anyone here would join me, for either karaoke, or Hanami Matsuri and general sightseeing, I'll be in Tokyo from April 7-13th.
I'll be staying in Tokyo during August and afterwards I am planning to do some travelling for three weeks. One week of that is most likely going to be spent on Ishigaki and the surrounding islands, so overall I'd have two weeks. Now I am contemplating whether to go to Hokkaido or Kyushu. Hokkaido is quite big, so I don't know if it really pays off going there just for two weeks.
On Kyushu, I could probably visit the important places and then move towards Hiroshima/Osaka, where my flight towards Okinawa would be departing.
Which one would you go to if you had two weeks in September: Hokkaido or Kyushu?
Just going to copy paste this from the last thread. Pretty certain this is going to be my plan and will probably book my Kyoto accommodation and flights this week.
2 weeks in Kyoto, from the 20-04 to 05-05, followed by 4 weeks in/around Tokyo. Getting cheap vacation apartments for both.
No strict itinerary beyond that. I'll just suck it up and pay for unecessary nights if I decide to venture out and/or stay elsewhere, although I can't imagine it being anything other than a capsule hotel (if I can be bothered to go out for drinks) or something like a ryoukan, which would be a one off excursion.
Good or bad idea?
I was thinking about staying in Kyoto for longer because I loved the scenery last time I went, but now I'm thinking more time spent around Tokyo would be better due to the potential to do something, even if I want to do nothing most days.
I wanted to make stuff like Hanamatsuri and the Sakura blossoms, but I don't think it's going to happen.
Im thinking of spending twice a year at least one month in Yokohama. Are there any things I could do, besides shopping an the scenery?
Like a language course, can you think of anything else?
>>958937
if you already have end destination Okinawa, might as well go south.
Tokyo -> Hakone / Kawaguchiko -> Nagoya -> Takayama - > Matsumoto -> Nagano -> Kanazawa -> Kyoto -> Osaka -> Kobe -> Hiroshima -> Fukuoka -(Peach)> Okinawa
the above flow should be easily doable as theres express train, shinkansen and night bus connection
However, you can always head up Hokkaido and rent a car. The only problem with Hokkaido is that theres no shinkansen. From west to east will take lots of hours on train. The night bus is so limited you need to book so far in advance (ie Sapporo->Abashiri or Kushiro)
>>958946
IMO 2weeks base in Kyoto seems a little too long. Theres not many adventure park there anyway. i think you should switch place at least every 4days, move along kyoto all the way to hiroshima, or upwards to Nagoya/Takayama/Kanazawa/Nagano prior reaching Tokyo
capcha: geeta(h)
>>958946
Everything worth seeing and doing in Kyoto can be done in a weekend if you try hard enough. The only good thing about Kyoto was that all the temples and shrines weren't bombed to shit. Outside of those things it doesn't have much and is actually pretty boring.
>>958996
oh yeah Should have added that this is my second time in Japan so I've already seen most of the usual route (Hakone, Osaka. Kyoto, Kanzawa)
Unfortunately, I can't fly directly to Ishigaki from Fukuoka, but I might check if I'd have enough time to transfer at Naha
How easy is it to get around Hokkaido without a car? Don't have a license unfortunately
>>959004
by train, Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa, Wakkanai, Furano, Biei, Toya, Hakodate are easily doable as the express trains are frequent.
However from Asahikawa to get to the east, it consume time and not all cities are connected w/ express train (need to transfer to local JR or bus).
I will spend 16 days in Japan next month and I will be in Osaka. When I saw that Kobe is close, I was excited, because I always wanted to try the famous kobe beef. Where can I eat a lot of kobe beef in Kobe for a decent price?
Sorry if the other thread I made was too close a topic, any ideas how to buy Japanese concert tickets from the US? Thank you.
>>959206
Look for venues, see if they have a website and if they're selling tickets. If they won't ship to US you can use a third party to mail it to you. A few companies do it for cheap, they act as your japanese mailbox then send it to you.
That's my guess at least.
>>959202
You don't want to eat 'a lot' of Kobe beef. It's something you have a small serving of - look at how much fat is distributed through the meat. It's like biting into butter. You'll pay a lot of money for a pretty small amount (a hell of a lot smaller than a Western-style steak).
And it's gonna be expensive anywhere you go, just go wherever or whatever the closest place on Google Maps with a decent review score is etc. You can't really fuck up eating Kobe beef in Kobe.
I went to Japan3 times in the last two years and now I just can't think of anything but Japan.I want to live there and to do so I want to start as a teacher before finding a better job.
How hard is it to be an English/French teacher in Japan, any advice?
>>959223
As hard as it is to teach any other ESL program, if not easier depending what you're called to do. Your biggest problem will probably be with just adjusting and working with Japanese society and business.
One problem with your English/French background is that they want native speakers, or speakers with exceedingly high capabilities--like a native speaker will have. If French is your main, it'll be hard but not impossible. If English, you'll have a breeze.
I'm in Tokyo right now wandering around aimlessly. Is there anyone else here that wouldn't mind doing the same? And if you could read Japanese, that would be great cause I feel too intimidated to go into restaurants.
>>959252
Just go in and point. What do you think they're gonna laugh at you and kick you out?
>>959272
I've seen pictures of those "no foreigners allowed" signs and am not sure how true that is across other places to eat here.
>>959276
Then you should just go home if you're too big of a pussy to order food before you die.
>>959276
Dude you are fucking rediculous... Some of my best freinds in Tokyo don't speak a lick of english, find my shit Japanese cute, and are restaurant owners... Go have an experience, quit being a pussy and walk into an establishment for food... Repeat after me... "Tah-bay-moe-no Oh-nah-guy-she-mahs" When they say anything point at anything in the menu and say "ko-ray gah iiiiii (pronounced E) des"
Go to Shinagawa station honestly and just order anything anywhere... you poor lost bastard
My friend and I are traveling to Japan the whole month of July.
We're flying into Tokyo and staying there about a week (hostels/hotels already booked), then we're planning on climbing mt. fuji. After that we're going to Kyoto, then Osaka over the course of another week, maybe Kobe too since it'll be close.
We want to go to Sapporro since it's our sister city too but don't know if we'll have enough time and we're a little confused about transportation (what type of JR pass we should buy/when to activate it).
Any advice on other places to go? Was thinking maybe Nagoya on the way to Osaka.
If you are really having trouble with that i can help you out. I'm gonna be in Tokyo until may 25 so if anyone wants to go for some drinks or something i'm in.
>>958681
Someone in osaka right now? Wanna meet two finnish travellers?
Fucking Draghi and the ECB man. 1 Euro in Yen is 130 right now. If this continues going down for 10-20 more yen, I'll probably cancel my trip this summer ;__;
>>959214
By "a lot" I mean like 300g or so. I dont want to pay 100$ to eat 100g of it.
>>959336
I am personally hoping the euro falls as much as possible so I can go there cheap in summer. A lot of people are saying Euro is going to keep falling too. Maybe go now and cut your losses?
>>959357
yeah target is probably going to be 1 € to 1.05 $..
Don't have time right now and I don't really enjoy traveling to places where it's below 20-25 degrees. Maybe I am just going to stay in Europe then
>>959359
I really hope GBP stays strong, who the fuck knows what'll happen. Current rate is £1 - 180 yen.
>>959336
it's not all draghi's fault. dude. if you live in the eurozone there's no excuse to be more ignorant on this issue than an amerifat.
>>959379
how is it not his fault? QE is his plan, with the goal to raise inflation and make the Euro cheaper
Hello guys, I'm going on a whim and flying from Incheon to Tokyo this weekend for my birthday. It'll be for 3 days, where could I sleep? I don't mind simplicity but would love advice! I speak very small amounts of Japanese
>>959410
depends what you want. theres five star hotel all the way to capsule.
for the experience, try the capsule for a night .
and Kanto is big. you can be at Chiba, or the other side Shinjuku
I'd like to travel to Japan later this year, and i'd like to learn at least some japaneese so as not to make a complete ass of myself. Any good resources?
How do i go about finding some native japanese people to hang with and karaoke with in tokyo?
i'm hispanic but i don't look "scary" or anything so i hope to maybe find some who are curious in learning some spanish , but that doesn't really matter i'd just be fun to teach them some spanish .
Are there any particular apps/websites you guys use when travelling solo to japan to find some locals to hang out with, maybe locals who are really party "animals"? (and drink alot with, i intend to drink a ridiculous amount and karaoke untill i cough up blood)
>>959466
How about going to Spanish/latin-themed restaurants?
>>959468
it feels a bit odd walking into a restaurant alone and talking up people who are minding their own business/eating . its rude imo
>>959467
i'll give that a go, i had no idea there would be meetups in japan with that website but i guess it makes sense. i just hope it isn't filled with foreigners because im not going to japan to hang out with other travellers exactly
>>959320
I appreciate the offer but realized I was being a pussy and just walked in to random places. Everyone was really accommodating. I was just dumb
>>959466
I just ask a good looking group if I could join the party . haven't tried that in japan yet , but I'll try it next month
I need to get out. I need a new job. I need a new city. I'm so tired or marketing and fake teeth.
Why not Japan? If I can score a gig teaching engrish or something then all I need to do is find a Yakuza den and win a few games of riichi mahjong and I'll be set for life.
Moshi moshi, this kawaii ass dank plan wouldn't fail.
Pic related. It's what I look like when I win with a Yakuman hand without knowing any Japanese.
>>959466
International parties
>>959345
300g is way too much (A) it will wind up being overwhelming and gross B) it's unlikely any restaurant will sell it to you in one slab and C) will cost you a fuck-tonne), and 100 bucks for 100g is about what you'll pay. You might pay a little less for lunch instead of dinner, but not down to a third.
There are literally 3000 cows that produce Kobe beef. Total. There's a lot of really high quality, graded, ultra-tasty, ultra-rare beef in Japan. Kobe beef isn't that. Kobe beef is the 1% of the 1% of beefs. You're not going to be able to order a 300g steak of it for 50 bucks.
So to go from Tokyo to Kyoto on Shinkansen, do I just flash my JR pass at the station and get on the right bullet train or is there some special thing I have to do beforehand?
Anyone tried working Holiday in Japan? How difficult is it to find jobs as a foreigner WHO doesnt speak a Word japaneese?
In Fukuoka for 2 more days. Was on a work visa run then I'm heading back to Korea. Staying at a hostel and I'm going to try to find a good ramen place. I don't know jack about the city but I'm enjoying it so far.
>>959648
I always liked Ichiran at Nishidori (hidden close to a bookstore).
It may be a chain, but that store never failed to deliver good ramen to me.
>6'4"
>250ish lbs
>white (hazel eyes)
>bearded
What should I expect when in Japan? Will anyone give a fuck that I'll stand out?
Getting work visas in Japan is not easy, in case anyone is wondering. Their reasoning behind not hiring foreigners is the same as any other country, "why can't out people do it?" Even if you have a highly technical, training intensive job. Good luck to anyone who thinks they can just pack up and go get one.
>>959661
I'm brown as fuck and I find people staring at me out of the corners of their eyes. It's kind of amusing actually but everyone that I've interacted with has been more than accomodating. The kawaii girls though look at me and when I look back they look away. But since you're white they will like you more.
>>959662
I find once you have a work visa and you can speak Japanese it becomes about the same as a Japanese person. Sponsoring to come over is expensive but once you have a visa its not too difficult to switch if the company wants you.
>>959336
128.5 ;__;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUFWXpYJKaI
>>959276
>"no foreigners allowed" signs
"foreigner" basically just means chinese or nignog
>>959465
Go be racist somewhere else.
>>959718
>Thinking that Japanese people are racist based on skin color instead of country.
Unless the girl has a fetish for white with blonde hair or is really into rap music, race is not going to be a big deal if she is willing to date a foreigner.
>>959726
wrong
like the rest of the world, they are capable of recognizing patterns. as such, they are capable of realizing that people of certain non white races are a good deal more violent than others.
their racial heirarchy reflects this.
>>959746
>Whites not having the all time record for most killings.
Only people that come close are the Chinese.
Also
>Lemme tell you about being black in Japan
I experience the same racism my white friends experience but so far nothing more. There are the girls seeking a trophy gaijin boyfriend and some of them want a white blonde only but theres just as many wanting a black guy only.
>>959648
You need to find a ramen yatai (food stall), they should be around most of the city centre. I know for a fact you can find pretty good ones in Nakasu.
>>959661
Yes and no. People might stare but they generally won't give a fuck. The attention you'll get will most likely be positive anyway. Kids going "Haroo", adults going "Haroo". At some stores the cashiers might get a scared look on their faces when they see a foreigner but if you even attempt shitty japanese they'll relax a bit immediately.
>>959642
Bump
>>959773
>http://www.jrpass.com/blogs/reserving-seats-boarding-the-bullet-train
literally the first result
>>959642
yes, no
if it's not completely booked out, you get a reserved seat in a non green car (unless you have a green car JR Pass)
>>959661
japanese people aren't retarded kids that immediately lose their mind when they see a tall foreigner
like the other guy said you might get a few looks but that's it
I want to visit temples, shrines and some rural areas for research purposes.
Obviously how many and how far I want to go are huge factors. But is there any idea how much something like that can cost for say a month, transportation and hotel wise?
Has anyone been to British Hills? To be honest I never would have though about going to Japan to see an imitation of another country's culture, but the exchange trip I'm going on has it as an optional part of the orientation. Anyone have any experience there?
>>959000
>>958996
I guess I should have said I'm not really too fussed about doing the whole sightseeing thing in Kyoto specifically; I powered through Kyoumizu, Kinkakuji, Ryoanji, Gion and a few others when I was there for two days in 2008.
I'm mainly going just to be boring. Blogging aside, I left med school a few years ago to look after my disabled parents, this is more for me to decrompress and unwind a little bit and just live every day life without having any responsibility for a little while and having absolutely zero chance of being called out to do stuff for other family members, like taking my nephews in for a day/night as well.
I figured that Kyoto being relatively central, would allow me to make day trips to cities like Osaka, Nara, etc.and at a push, Wakayama or even Hiroshima. It's not so much seeing stuff in Kyoto, but just having a little bit of stability and not having to lug shit around; although I'm not sure if that's better or worse than having to catch the last train back. Airbnb has places in Kyoto for like £15 a night, so if I journey for a day to Hiroshima and decide to stay, it's not like I'm wasting that much money, although I will admit that it's still a waste.
>>959310
Hey, I'll be in Japan the month of July as well. Would you like to meet up?
What are the best Airbnb-like sites? Couldn't find what I was looking for here or on Booking...
>>959934
The fact that there are any listings at all on AirBnB is amazing. People rarely see the insides of their closest friends homes. Having someone stay over is usually out of the question and most leases have clauses saying people can't for any extended amount of time. But there are some people who break the rules and they are almost allon Air BnB
Is Japan racist towards Latin people?
>>960035
they're racist against everyone. Don't worry about it.
>>960020
In Japan now and I booked a few Airbnbs. First one sent me the wrong address and I ended up having to pass out in a Manga cafe after a 19 hour commute and like 4 hours of walking around with luggage. Got my refund, thankfully. Next booking, Su and Mu in Kyoto, was a great time. Staying in a spare room with the family for the first time tomorrow, expecting it to be way awkward but it's just for a night.
>>960039
Don't do airbnbs. Go to a ryokan where the people speak passable English.
>>960036
What about them germans?
Will spend a semester in nippon next year
>>960056
Are you Japanese? Then you're the same as everyone else except for Chinese and Korean. Germans always like wink and nudge Japanese people when they first get there, but Japanese people under 40 barely know that WWII was a thing besides the being bombed to shit at the end part. My ex was literally shocked to see the American propaganda posters where a child Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito were playing together.
>>960058
>Then you're the same as everyone else except for Chinese and Korean
Care to explain why Koreans and Chinese? Do they hate german people?
>>960060
No i meant that Japanese people group pretty much all foreigners together except for them. They think lesser of those two groups, but at the same time expect more from them.
>>960062
Literally any other developed country in the world. People only get asspained about Japanese racism because they're not used to being on the receiving end of it.
I'm thinking of going to Japan on a working holiday in the summer but I'm only 19, do you think that will stop me getting work in a eikaiwa as I still wouldn't be of age?
>>960067
I've met a lot of people on working visas out here.
But I've never met anyone that didn't graduate from college already that actually had a job.
Staying few days in nagoya, give me some tips about this place and also is there anyone who might want to meet?
>>959751
Those from commonwealth countries commit far less crime than the national average, those from African countries commit far above the national average. Anon obviously wasn't referring to wars.
http://www.wa-pedia.com/gaijin/foreign_crime_in_japan.shtml
>you can't infer race from country
An association between the 2R allele of the VNTR region of the gene and an increase in the likelihood of committing serious crime or violence has been found.[4][5][6]
>5.5% of Black men, 0.1% of Caucasian men, and 0.00067% of Asian men carry the 2R allele.[6][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_oxidase_A
>inb4 you report this post for hurting your feelings
>>960081
Gero Onsen
Takayama
Kamikochi
Shorakawago
Would you ever meet up with a fellow /trv/ler?
>>958691
study japanese.
>>958691
Seriously, study Japanese. I love the time I've spent here and have been having SO much fun but I feel like if I knew Japanese, I would have élan even more amazing time here. Next time I clme, I'm definitely gonna try and learn a bit.
>>960098
>>960154
Good thing I've been doing that since May 2013
Though outside grammar, about 90% of the kanji/words I know come from the fact I've started doing Anki cards in September 2014. The site I was previously using wasn't any useful.
I should know about 1500 common kanjis by August, which should be useful enough.
Plus, even if I don't know a kanji, I can at least differentiate them easily now, which is useful for example if I need to find my way to a particular location.
Anyway... I should probably move on to reading manga or something eventually. So I can learn to form coherent sentences out of the words I know.
So I'm not sure where the time went, but I'm leaving for Osaka in 6 days to start graduate school (classes don't start until the beginning of April but I can move into my apartment next week so that's when I booked the flight for). Any advice at all on stuff to bring? I likely won't be back in the states for a year. So far I've stocked up on clothes and shoes since I'm tall and have big feet.
>>960171
you should learn how to speak most of all if you want to communicate with people there
>>960188
I should be fine, my native tongue has sounds that are overall pretty similar to Japanese, so combined with the fact that Japanese is phonetically simple (no ambiguity on how a word is pronounced), it shouldn't be hard to adapt my written knowledge.
The hardest part I think will be to learn to understand the different accents/dialects.
I can't even do that very well in English yet though
>>960191
>it shouldn't be hard to adapt my written knowledge
might be harder than you think, at least it was for me after studying for one year. Took me a good week and a half to somehow get used to actually speaking the language
People will probably try to tone down their accent when speaking to you. Was fucking hard when speaking to somebody who used really thick Kansai accent though. Same with Okinawa
>>960171
If you're only using Anki, especially if you dont have a front and back side you're going to find that you know a lot of words in Anki and the moment you need to use them in real life you won't be able to recall them. Anki is the best tool for review, it sucks for learning.
>>960191
>I should be fine, my native tongue has sounds that are overall pretty similar to Japanese, so combined with the fact that Japanese is phonetically simple (no ambiguity on how a word is pronounced), it shouldn't be hard to adapt my written knowledge.
...huh?
I don't fully grasp your logic here, but if you think that your knowledge of kanji and kanji alone will help you understand people and speak to them....well, no?
Japanese has indeed a very simple grammar (at least on a basic level), but if your aim is to have conversations with people, you should focus on mastering the grammar and vocabulary first.
Also, don't overestimate your abilities if you're studying by yourself. I started studying by myself and though I understood a lot of grammatical concepts before a real teacher explaining them to me, and me realizing I had completely misunderstood a lot of stuff. "You + a book" is nowhere near half what "you + a human teacher" could be. (depending on the respective qualities of book/teacher, of course).
>>960220
My logic (hypothetical):
>I can read and write Japanese
>and
>I can formulate Japanese sounds
>therefore
>I can talk Japanese
And of course I'm not overestimating myself; but it's not like I'm using Japan as a test. You know what they say though, the best way to learn a language is immersion.
I'll just help myself learning Japanese the way I wanna meanwhile
>>960228
>I can read and write Japanese
Yeah but can you really?
Have you learned and mastered all verbal forms? Have you learned and mastered all levels of speech? Have you learned and mastered all grammatical structures? Have you learned and mastered colloquial and formal expressions?
Can you actually comprehend japanese sentences?
Knowing 1500 kanji doesn't mean you can "read and write" japanese.
>>960234
>Yeah but can you really?
Do you not know the meaning of hypothetical?
I was only explaining the logic there
Which line is this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epOf2RLqLdw
>>960228
not that simple. it's obvious you've never actually learned a foreign language.
the brain has different areas for recognition, reproduction, and fluency. there is very little overlap in the way the areas of the brain handle them.
are you stupid?
>>960248
>it's obvious you've never actually learned a foreign language.
Of course I did. I'm talking to you right now in a foreign language.
My logic only applies to Japanese, as this is something I've observed as I was learning its grammar.
But you know, I would usually bother explaining further but I don't think you'd understand explanations coming from someone stupid.
>>960254
you obviously don't understand the recognition reproduction divide, or different levels of competency, otherwise you would know it's not that easy
have fun babbling like a 2 year old
>>960239
>Do you not know the meaning of hypothetical?
I fully understand the meaning of "hypothetical", which is why I'm telling you: your "hypothesis" does not work. It's not viable.
If you've only memorized a thousand kanji, you are NOT "speaking japanese". You can merely recognize different signs that compose its written language. You have to learn to actually *speak* japanese in order to...speak japanese. Do you understand that logic? What saying I'm to you is: 漢字を大体読めるからといって日本語の把握できているわけじゃない。
What's your native language, by the way?
>>960240
That's the Yurikamome line.
>>960268
>Good thing I've been doing that since May 2013
>Though outside grammar, about 90% of the kanji/words I know come from the fact I've started doing Anki cards in September 2014.
this implies that he has been studying grammar since may 2013
>but if you think that your knowledge of kanji and kanji alone will help you understand people and speak to them....well, no?
that's something you pulled out of your ass to start an argument.
>have you mastered this this and this?
he could get by with <1000 vocab and simple grammar, he is going to be a fucking tourist you idiot, people aren't going to be discussing their thesis on under actuated robotics in japanese with him.
Going to Tokyo in a week. Any suggestions on things to do? I'll be there about a week before going to Nozawa Onsen, what is there to see there other than skiing and hot springs? Thank
I'll be graduating with a bachelors soon and I'm curious about traveling to Japan.
Are there any jobs available to non-japanese speaking people other than teaching english?
What are the best programs for teaching?
Are there any areas in which westerners are more or less welcome?
How easy is it to get laid? I've heard mixed things about Jap chicks.
Can any former/current english teachers tell me about the weekly life of an English teacher? How much free time do you have? Is the pay good enough to live comfortably and have fun on the weekends?
>>960304
As a general rule no. It's going to be very hard to get a job without knowing at least basic conversational Japanese.
No idea on the programs.
Within the big cities people are more used to westerners, but as a general rule, there's nowhere you won't be "welcome". You'll get a fair share of stares and attention anywhere. Getting outside the cities increases the frequency of this.
The most repeated mantra here is "If you can't get laid at home, you can't get laid in Japan". There are gaijin bar's where the women congregrate to hunt on gaijin cock, outside of that the women are somewhat more reserved due to cultural differences.
Not an English teacher, sorry.
>>960304
>Can any former/current english teachers tell me about the weekly life of an English teacher? How much free time do you have? Is the pay good enough to live comfortably and have fun on the weekends?
Depends on a lot of things. If you go the conversation school route, the pay is generally better but you have to work long and odd hours (ex. 12 - 10 PM), and while you do get 2 days off per week, they are rarely Saturday and Sunday. It would give you more money to play around with, but less time in which to use it.
If you go the ALT route, it depends on your placement and the number of schools you visit.
While the salary is lower than that of a private tutor, your hours are pretty regularly 8 - 4/5 with weekends off - plus summer, winter, and spring vacations and national holidays.
If you live in a big city, your rent will be higher but you won't need to travel far for entertainment. If you live in the countryside, your rent will be cheaper but you'll have to shell out extra dough for a bus or train every time you want some trace of civilization.
I visit just one school, so it's a piece of cake. I take the train in the morning, arrive at school, have a class or two, prepare materials, study Japanese, and otherwise kill time until 4 when I take the train home.
You can easily earn enough money to live fairly comfortably and take the odd trip or party on the weekends.
what is good place to meet other travellers in nagoya?. I Havent seen gaijins for a days
Hey everyone!
Thinking of going to Tokyo June 8th - June 30th by myself
I possibly might rent an airbnb at Taitō-ku, Tōkyō-to, Japan
I'm aiming to go to two concerts-- Yokohama Arena (June 15th) and Zepp Tokyo (June 25th)... but I have no idea how I would get there from the airbnb place. Heck I don't even know how I would get to the airbnb place from the airport....
Also I'm a poor college student so my budget for busing+food = $600-800
How screwed am I?
Hostel I'm staying at made me fill out a copy of my personal info like address and whatnot and then made a copy of my passport. Should I be worried. Other places I've been to haven't done this.
Should I bother going to Japan if I hate seafood?
>>960376
Yep. I don't eat seafood at all (and hardly any meat) and I've been enjoying myself just fine for the past 4 years.
Next week i'm going to spend 2 weeks in tokyo
What's the cheapest/most comfortable way to travel in tokyo? What should i see/do while i'm in here?
God, i can't wait!
>>958691
I know that feel ;-;
>>960302
You should check out the following:
- Tokyo Disneyland
- Ghibli Museum
- Robot Restaurant
- Yoyogi Park
- Tsukiji Market
- Akihibara (obligatory visit to Maid Cafe)*
>>959875
I did two weeks in Tokyo, followed by almost another two weeks in Kyoto before returning to Tokyo in order to catch my flight back home. And I did what you suggested, I stayed at a hostel in Kyoto and made it my home base as I made day trips to the surrounding area. I visited Nara, Osaka, Kobe, Hiroshima and Sakai. If I were you, I would switch from Kyoto to Osaka. Osaka has a better transportation system than Kyoto and is easier to get around the city and to and from other cities as well. There's also more things to do in Osaka vs Kyoto. After a couple of days, I was really bored of visiting various temples/shrines in Kyoto. Osaka has a better big city life to it and was easier to navigate for a foreigner like myself.
>>960376
sure. The only time I ate seafood while I was there for almost a month was when I got Udon with a fried shrimp and Sashimi. Japanese cuisine offers a lot outside of seafood
>>960361
Let's see, the basic breakdown for you is you'll be spending roughly 22 days in Japan. You should allocate approximately $20/day for food and another $10/day for travel. You won't be eating too extravagant, mostly ramen, take-out, bento boxes, convenience food, etc with this budget. If you intend to splurge on things like sushi (low to mid tier quality), you'll need to up your budget to about $30-40/day. Otherwise:
$20 x 22 = $440
$10 x 22 = $220
Total = $660
You'll also need to allocate another $30-40 each way for the train from Narita airport to the Tokyo train station. So add another $60-80 on top of the above total.
>>960288
I don't care if he's going to Japan as a tourist or an exchange student or whichever else. We're just talking about his hypothesis of him going to japan and actually speking with people based on his actual knowledge, or what he's telling us this knowledge is.
>this implies that he has been studying grammar since may 2013
Yeah sure, and :
>>Anyway... I should probably move on to reading manga or something eventually. So I can learn to form coherent sentences out of the words I know
This implies the motherfucker can't even form coherent sentences yet. That's why I was inquiring about his knowledge of grammar. Because he seems to be at a state where he's learning kanji and actually...nothing else. When you study japanese in a school, forming fucking sentences actually comes BEFORE learning kanji. So him saying "oh I gotta start reading manga to learn to form sentences" rightfully made me think he was somewhat not really doing things the practical, right, or even not mroronic way.
(and don't get me started on learning to speak japanese with fucking *mangas*, and how dumb that actually is)
Oh and, you're a rude asshole. There.
>>960403
>Tokyo Disneyland
In my opinion a waste of time. If you go to Japan you should experience this country and not another world (Disney).
>Ghibli Museum
I agree.
>Robot Restaurant
Nope nope nope. Typical tourist spot where you pay way too much money for a boring show. I never get why tourists like to go there. Just walk around Kabukicho and drink in a cool izakaya or go to ramen restaurant.
>Yoyogi Park
Yes, especially on Sunday it is very interesting and there are many acts to see.
>Tsukiji Market
Definitely one of the most interesting places in Tokyo.
>Akihibara
If you wanna buy animu stuff better go to Nagano Broadway. Everything is much cheaper and there is a maid cafe as well.
Is Genki 1 enough background knowledge to get by in Japan for a month?
>>960466
Are you going to suddenly forget English? If so then no, it's not enough.
>>960436
forming coherent sentences is more than just understanding the grammar and vocab. he already described studying vocab and grammar and so he needs more exposure to japanese to recreate the sentences.
obviously things like like practicing with people is going to be more advantageous, but if reading manga lights his fire at least he will do it, and the extra time he will put into studying/being exposed to japanese is far more valuable than doing another method which he will do less often.
especially considering his goals, his plan is fine.
>>960375
Regularly done pretty much everywhere in my country so I wouldn't be too worried. I believe it's mostly incase something happens to you or if you try to skip town without paying.
>>960375
I had to do this at basically every hotel I went to, even though I paid in advance. They probably don't trust Australians.
>>960466
Yes. It's the basics, you're there for a holiday. Take a dictionary app too and you're sweet brah.
My last night is in Tokyo tomorrow and Id like to check out the club scene. Is there anyone else here that wouldn't mind hanging out with me and showing me around?
What's a good way to find cheap hookers where you go back to their place? I suppose love hotels are fine too.
>>960580
Let me qualify that, where can I get cheap hookers and the whole situation isn't a scam or shady.
>>960582
When I was walking around Kabukicho (red light district) in Shinjuku, I was solicited with offers ranging from $20-30,000yen. If you go to Roppongi, rates are about the same but it's mostly Filipino, Thai and Ukrainian girls. I never took there offer so I dunno how legit everything is, but those were the rates solicited to me.
>>960406
Thanks
Japan's metro system is so complex... I finally looked at Tokyo Metro and I think I'll get the Tokyo Metro All-line Pass
Now I need to know-- will my phone be able to connect to their wifi? And should I rent a wifi walker?
Will anyone here be in Japan, June 8~30 ?
>>960644
Tokyo Metro All-line Pass is a waste of money. Get a Suica or Pasmo card load it up with a few thousand yen and ride to the sunset. Recharge when needed.
http://www.thejapanguy.com/how-to-get-a-suica-card/
>>960647
Hmm I guess I should
It's because I was thinking of going to different places a day, but now that I think about it... I'll be super tired at the end of the day, legs will start hurting, etc.
With the way things are looking with my spending, I will have a sizable portion of money left before I leave. Like 10k yen more than what I thought I needed. Where are some good restaurants I can use that money at that welcome foreigners?
>>960625
Prostitution is illegal, but Japan defines prostitution as "intercourse with an unspecified person in exchange for payment", so non-coital sexual services are legal apparently.
>>960658
>that welcome foreigners
The myth persists I see. Just go anywhere. If you maintain basic manners and know how to say hello and point at what you want you will not have any sort of problems 999 times out of 1000.
>>960644
I would definitely get wifi in some shape or form. I went with a prepaid sim card that only allowed wifi access (no phone calls). The sim grants you 100mb/day data usage, last two weeks and cost $3500yen. There are other cheaper alternatives, but this worked out well for me.
Google maps was a godsend! Tokyo has a lot of English signs and the transit system is very user friendly even if it's intimidating at first glance. But trying to find a specific address on your own is pretty much impossible, so google maps is clutch.
Where do you guys get info on all the coming conserts and whatnot? Is there a collective place, or do you lurk multiple pages in Japanese for information?
>>959644
I'm wondering this as well. Has anyone here done a working holiday in Japan? What are the typical jobs you can get? I have a bachelor's degree in computer science, will that be of any use? I would like to have a job related to my degree but it's not a necessity.
I know it isnt likely, especially not in Tokyo, but are there any Japanese cities with suburbs that are relatively close to city centres? either by train or bus.
Want to teach there with my girlfriend, but were looking to be a bit cosier, have a bit more room than an apartment and maybe ill grow a little weedplant in the cupboard
>>960717
Are you me? I might just get a job that helps me out in working to and from Japan.
>>960725
Relatively close is pretty relative. I'd say Tokyo anyway. Probably most cities, public transport is actually useful in Japan. 便利, they would say.
Anyone know a good source as to whats in the various ufo-catchers?
Anyone wanna hang out in Tokyo?
>>960747
If you're looking for anime figures in UFO catchers the best way would probably be to check anime figure sites or myfigurecollection.com for any 6"+ figures made by SEGA/Furyu/Banpresto under the £20/$40 ish mark or smaller figures around the £10/$20 price range that were released in the last month or so and head to an arcade in a major area like Akihabara. Examples of the types of figures you'd be looking at:
>http://www.animuk.co.uk/shop-by-anime/kill-la-kill/kill-la-kill-satsuki-kiryuin-1-8-premium-figure-sega.html
>http://www.animuk.co.uk/shop-by-anime/attack-on-titan/attack-on-titan-levi-chibi-kyun-chara-the-survey-corps-levi-team-figure.html
Not everywhere will have up to date prizes though. I've been in a few ghetto looking arcades where there's been some machines full of prizes with "2012" branding plastered all over them despite it being 2014/15. If there's a specific prize you have to have then I'd recommend looking in Mandarake or a the 2nd hand toy section of a book store rather than blowing money on ufo catchers.
If you're after weird shit like plastic crawfish or llamas plushies out a ufo catcher then god knows how you'd find out what the newest shit is.
Can I stay for 90 days in japan with $10k without going hungry? I mainly want to go to there for hot springs and fishing. I also don't want to go to places where there are a lot of foreigners like me so maybe Fukuoka?
>>960799
>I also don't want to go to places where there are a lot of foreigners like me so maybe Fukuoka?
There are still a decent number of foreigners in Fukuoka either on vacation or on business. You won't be that much of a special snowflake in any big city, really.
>>960725
>maybe ill grow a little weedplant in the cupboard
Then go live in the countryside, because if you're in an apartment, you're really gonna have to pray to god that noone around gets a whiff of what you're smoking. Drug laws are stupidly harsh in japan, it's no joke. And the public opinion on weed users is not that they're lovable idiots, but problematic criminals. Your neighbours would not hesitate to rat on your dumb ass.
>>959644
>>960717
If you don't speak any japanese, your choices are limited to being an english teacher (=a fucking parasite) and...yeah actually that's pretty much it.
You can look around for job offers on various anglo-centric sites (daijob and so on) and hope you'll find something computer related that doesn't require english: it is *possible*, but rare.
>>960820
its possible to get a job at like ski fields or some other shit or some other touristy shit where white ppl go2
>>960822
>some other touristy shit where white ppl go2
I think you're vastly overestimating the quantity of tourists in Japan, and the actual existence of "shit where white ppl go2" that would require employees not speaking a word of japanese.
>>960805
>You won't be that much of a special snowflake
>implying
I don't want to go to Japan to be surrounded by smelly gaijin I want to be surrounded by Japanese people and have a hard time because of the language barrier. Basically I want to experience an authentic Edo period Japan. It's the only way I'll feel close to being in a good anime.
![416sKP1ByrL._AA300_[2].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/PApu24I.jpg "416sKP1ByrL._AA300_[2].jpg")
>>960835
>I don't want to go to Japan to be surrounded by smelly gaijin I want to be surrounded by Japanese people
>I want to experience an authentic Edo period Japan
>I'll feel close to being in a good anime.
>>960820
>english teacher (=a fucking parasite)
Why?
>>960856
>Why?
Because it's the "by default" job of pretty much any foreigner that comes to Japan looking for some sort of good time (be it for love of manga/anime, japanese pussy, whatever) but has in reality absolutely nothing of value to offer to anyone. Most of them don't even speak that good of an english. But the japanese system is equally at fault here: they believe that any native speaker *is* a good teacher. That the mere fact that you were born in an english-speaking country qualifies you to teach english to an actual class of japanese adults.
Which is of course ridiculous.
Calling them all fucking parasites is of course a gross exaggeration for comedic effect...but being an english teacher in Japan is not really a respectable status either.
>>960862
>Most of them don't even speak that good of an english.
Can anyone recommend an extremely country-side yet easily accessible city or town near Osaka where a person could spend around 2 days just relaxing/walking/hiking/taking in nature/onsen etc..
I want something the exact opposite of city life
>>960716
There probably is a collective place but I just go on my favorite artists' websites to check if they're having a concert
Are there any restaurants in Tokyo that serve Kobe beef and you can walk in? I'm looking online and these websites all seem like high end places where you have reservations and maybe a dress code. Is there anything NOT like that where I can drop by for lunch?
>>960776
Nameko, we are all about the Nameko in this house.
Ukanon here, will be going away to Japan for a year with a working holiday visa, do I need to tell the taxman?
Not like I'll have any UK money for the bugger to claim off me.
>>960835
go here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs-q-2893uw
>>960799
Is the $10k exclusively on food? Or is it suppose to cover other things like transportation, shopping, accommodations, etc?
>>960926
10k for everything
>>960899
Kobe beef *is* high end, so no, you won't find it in normal restaurants for lunch. You'll find wagyu at the most, but no kobe beef. Gotta go to a nice teppanyaki or steak house. Dress code isn't a given, reservations might be, and a 10000 yen check is to be expected.
>>960929
You're probably better off going to Hokkaido than, if you're interested in more rural region of Japan with fishing and hiking as an option with very few tourists. For accommodations, I used the average cost to stay at a good hostel ($30-40/day). Though if you spend some time searching, you may be able to rent an apartment for cheaper. In terms of costs with a base of 90day stay duration:
90 x $10 = $900 (transportation)
90 x $20 = $1800 (food)
90 x $35 = $3150 (accommodations)
90/14 x $35 = $245 (wifi)
Total = $6095
You'll probably have other miscellaneous expenses like train tickets to and from the airport, renting fishing gear, etc. So add another $1000 to the above total. If you drink/smoke, these items are surprisingly cheap in Japan. And it's easy to go overboard, but I would allocate another $500-1000 for these vices.
Ok so here's my plan:
I'll have around 4000€ to spend after flights and accommodation (only for August)
>Fly to Tokyo
>spend August in Tokyo in a share house, with little side trips and friends visiting
>travel around Japan for a week or so afterwards
>fly to China and/or South Korea with friends
>fly home towards the end of September
First, will I survive on 4000€ for one month and three weeks? going with this >>961007 calculation I'd spend around 1300-1500€ on food and maybe 500-600€ on transportation inside of Tokyo (minus flights to China etc.), leaving me with around 2000€ as a travel budget during September. Does this sounds about right?
Also is staying in Tokyo for one month really worth it? I'd be doing some work, so I needed an internet connection and a relatively quiet workplace for 1-2 days/week, that's why I thought staying at a share house might be a good idea (+it kind of saves money)
Any thoughts?
I'm spending a couple days later this month in the Mt Fuji area, about 45 minutes by bus from Kawaguchiko Station. I've got my route planned for getting to the hotel, my problem is getting back to the station. Ideally, I'd like to catch the first train out, but the first bus to the station isn't until several hours after that. If I walk, it's about 11.3 miles, which is nothing to me distance-wise, but would be on the side of a mountain road after dark, and that just doesn't seem like a great idea. I'm also guessing it's too remote to be able to call or schedule a taxi, and if I did, it'd be outrageously expensive. Anyone have any ideas for options other than "walk at an ungodly hour in the morning" or "ain't fucking happening"? I was thinking of asking the hotel if they had a shuttle, but I don't see it advertised on their page or in their booking, so I'm guessing not.
Anyone going to Anime-Japan this weekend?
