Visiting Japan

[kayos]

Originally Posted by CTU:AGENT_HOGAN

you mean anime is NOT huge in JPN

WOW

this is weird for a country that where anime for came from "inside japan"

can i ask you another thing is there a catholic church in japan "not religeous but curious "

Dude there's more to life than anime, most people are probably just trying to make a living. They don't have time to watch anime or they're just not materialistic of the nonessential things.

After hearing your reasons for moving to Japan, I'd also recommend you visit before moving. I just don't think you have a solid reason but that's just me. Hell if it's your dream than go for it.

Oh and for the Catholic Church, I'm gonna guess they do (just using my common sense).

If you do end up moving, good luck and may the force be with you.

[darkcloud]

1.I'm considering to moving to japan but i dont speak any japanese just "bits and pieces" so what will be the best ways and also should i lived in a part of japan that is mostly gaijin that speak english and/or if they speak another language with english

2.Working in japan - i know there are "bilingual >japanese/english " place to work but my like of work fall under "Construction/Maintenances/Laborer/Driver" is there any company or jobs site that is bilingual friendly "since i'm a gaijin"

3.About driving in japan can can you tell me more about it

4.I heard that some japanese mock gaijin / make fun at them who try to speak there language is that true

5.Housing can you tell me more also " i want to pay the rent only no hidden fee "

6.Utilities work "Electricial,Water,Other " Tell me plz

7.is there any tv and radio is that englsih/japanese station

and to let you know i look at other site about

work and living in japan but is gave me a " smoking picture " so any info let me know

1. Well there is Rappongi inside Tokyo, but, it's not really what you're talking about....

2. *shrug*

3. Bikes, lots and lots of bikes.....

4. Are there American's who mock Asians and the way they talk?

5. Well the fee isn't exactly hidden.... You'll have to pay it, but, as it's so well documented no problem.

6. Yes you get water, electricity and stuff........ :-/ They do work.... If you pay..

7. .... :-/ Not on standard TV....

You got a smoking picture because people get a hard time from people when they have thought it through..... You haven't thought about anything. :-/ You sound really clueless....

Anime and manga is a *VERY* small part of the country's culture, many gaijin make that mistake.

you mean anime is NOT huge in JPN

WOW

this is weird for a country that where anime for came from "inside japan"

How did you get that? He was saying there is so much more to learn about the country then anime and manga. :-/ Anime and manga is huge but it's not all you need to know..... Go back to the drawing board..... :-/



Reading your other thread I feel like maybe you are a joke character..... hmmm...

[CTU:AGENT_HOGAN]

Originally Posted by kayos

Dude there's more to life than anime, most people are probably just trying to make a living. They don't have time to watch anime or they're just not materialistic of the nonessential things.

After hearing your reasons for moving to Japan, I'd also recommend you visit before moving. I just don't think you have a solid reason but that's just me. Hell if it's your dream than go for it.

Oh and for the Catholic Church, I'm gonna guess they do (just using my common sense).

If you do end up moving, good luck and may the force be with you.

What is the best place to find a good deal to fly to japan " flight / hotel / car rental " - just curious

and also what will i expect before getting there

and i know you going to say this

>learn some japanese phraise and when i get there get to know there language

right !

and also let me add something else

Japan Town / Little Tokyo - how that is compaire to japan " the same amount of stuff or just give your input "

[kitto-chan]

I dunno where some of the info you guys are providing are sourced from. But my experience in Japan is. First, Learn the phrase "(insert destination) doku desu ka?".
Secondly, memorize the Kanji for your city you are staying at. Third, The train stops running at 11:00pm. The green line stops are 10:00pm. So if you planning on going more than 7 stop be prepared to sleep at the train stop till 5:00am.

Purchase a train pass at the window. They have 1 day pass and 1 week pass. Trust me it will save you alot of money than shelling out 200-700 yen each time.

The toliet is not what you will be used to. Remember this is Japan, public restroom toliet requires you to squat, to do a number 2. Number 1 you can still stand but your shoes may get wet.

Don't get mad at the acarda if someone challenges you. The gaming system over there are far more advance, The acarda we have in the US the 2 control are side by side, in Japan if very different. You might be challenge without ever seeing your opponents faces till you walk to the other side. (of coruse we're not childrens)

Last piece of advice. Don't walk in the park alone at night. Trust me on this. If you see a couple walking in the park, chances are eventually they will dissappear into the brush and you might interruprt their good time. (I was embrassed the first time I did that). Oh and always have at least 7000 yen with you, never know when you will need to used the taxi.

[kayos]

Originally Posted by CTU:AGENT_HOGAN

What is the best place to find a good deal to fly to japan " flight / hotel / car rental " - just curious

I don't know, you're going to have to try all the different airline travel service.

cheaptickets.com
travelzoo.com
orbitz.com
cheapflights.com

But I usually use Jetblue, I found it to be the cheapest airline. I don't know if it goes to Japan though.

Originally Posted by CTU:AGENT_HOGAN

and also what will i expect before getting there

What do you mean? You mean what's gonna happen when you get there or what to expect? I don't know, personally I haven't been to Japan. But expect to see a lot of asians folks.

Originally Posted by CTU:AGENT_HOGAN

and i know you going to say this
>learn some japanese phraise and when i get there get to know there language
right !

It would help alot but you don't have to. I've traveled all around the world to at least 14 different countries and did you think I actually took the time to learn the language before going there, no.

Here's some lesson in life, all you have to do is be respectful and show kindness. Learning things as you go along is very helpful. Like it was said before, getting to know the custom and tradition is a plus. But all of that you can do over there. If you really have no clue, I'd suggest you make friends with someone that's fluent in Japanese or just get a guide (guide tour).

Hmm... that's not a bad idea, there's some japanese language courses that takes trips to Japan. Why not sign up for that, it'll be the perfect experience for you.

Originally Posted by CTU:AGENT_HOGAN

and also let me add something else

Japan Town / Little Tokyo - how that is compaire to japan " the same amount of stuff or just give your input "

Are you talking about Little Tokyo in Los Angeles? If so, I don't think you can compare that small part to the actual Japan itself. It's like comparing Little Italy in NY to Italy.

[darkcloud]

dunno where some of the info you guys are providing are sourced from. But my experience in Japan is. First, Learn the phrase "(insert destination) doku desu ka?".
Secondly, memorize the Kanji for your city you are staying at. Third, The train stops running at 11:00pm. The green line stops are 10:00pm. So if you planning on going more than 7 stop be prepared to sleep at the train stop till 5:00am.

If you're in Tokyo you don't need to really know that phrase.... It's easy to find people who know English there.. Infact, I found someone who spoke in english in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hokkaido (Hakodate). Just go to a train station and you should be ok....

.....Which green line? You mean in Tokyo? Cross country trains? What? In any case ever train line I travelled on stopped running at 24:00.... Even if you did miss the last train you could stay in a capsule hotel.... That's what they were intended for....

[quotePurchase a train pass at the window. They have 1 day pass and 1 week pass. Trust me it will save you alot of money than shelling out 200-700 yen each time.[/quote]

Or if you are just visiting the country then get a JR Rail pass..... Well that's if you are going cross country.....

[quoteThe toliet is not what you will be used to. Remember this is Japan, public restroom toliet requires you to squat, to do a number 2. Number 1 you can still stand but your shoes may get wet.[/quote]

...........Yeah some toilets occasionally are the tradition Japanese style...... all the ones I found are modern though.. My girlfriend was telling me a lot more female toilets do have traditional style toilets though..... It isn't really a worry though. Everywhere that served food had a modern toilet and places that had traditional toilets also had a seperate place for modern ones....

Don't get mad at the acarda if someone challenges you. The gaming system over there are far more advance, The acarda we have in the US the 2 control are side by side, in Japan if very different. You might be challenge without ever seeing your opponents faces till you walk to the other side. (of coruse we're not childrens)

That's standard everywhere isn't it? Here in England people sit directly next to you and challenge you... It's the way things are done..... We also have some old machines which are opposite each other...... Is this really not done in the US? :-/

Last piece of advice. Don't walk in the park alone at night. Trust me on this. If you see a couple walking in the park, chances are eventually they will dissappear into the brush and you might interruprt their good time. (I was embrassed the first time I did that). Oh and always have at least 7000 yen with you, never know when you will need to used the taxi.

..........Ermmmm I never saw this once............... Also whhy would this stop you walking alone? Were there no love hotels in the area you stayed in? :-/

[Scifience]

Originally Posted by kitto-chan

I dunno where some of the info you guys are providing are sourced from. But my experience in Japan is. First, Learn the phrase "(insert destination) doku desu ka?".
Secondly, memorize the Kanji for your city you are staying at.

This is great for a tourist. If you're living and working there, your language ability needs to be on a totally different level.

Third, The train stops running at 11:00pm. The green line stops are 10:00pm. So if you planning on going more than 7 stop be prepared to sleep at the train stop till 5:00am.

What the hell are you talking about? There is no "green line" as far as I am aware, and there is certainly not a train line in any large city that stops running at 10PM. Most major train lines in Tokyo close around midnight: certainly not 10PM!

Purchase a train pass at the window. They have 1 day pass and 1 week pass. Trust me it will save you alot of money than shelling out 200-700 yen each time.

Different train companies have different passes. Different cities have different passes. What trains is this advice supposed to be for? Further, most commuter passes are monthly, not weekly and certainly not daily. There are some places with tourist day passes, though, and if you are a short-term visitor you can buy a JR pass (which only works on JR trains) before you leave for Japan.

The thing that *does* make sense to do if you will be spending time in Tokyo, though, is get a Suica and PASSNET card (which will be combined into one card, PASSMO, in March). Instead of buying a ticket each time, you can just preload the card with money and use it on most of the trains and subways in Tokyo.

The toliet is not what you will be used to. Remember this is Japan, public restroom toliet requires you to squat, to do a number 2. Number 1 you can still stand but your shoes may get wet.

I'm beginning to wonder how many years ago you were in Japan. Almost everywhere has western style toilets these days, and most of these have "washlet" features - that is, heated seat, bidet, dryer, etc - and you are unlikely to find many restrooms, even public ones, in large cities without at least one western style toilet.

It definitely pays to learn how to use the "squat toilets" - you never know when you might really need to use the restroom and find that this is the only option.

Don't get mad at the acarda if someone challenges you. The gaming system over there are far more advance, The acarda we have in the US the 2 control are side by side, in Japan if very different. You might be challenge without ever seeing your opponents faces till you walk to the other side. (of coruse we're not childrens)

Wow. Very useful advice: absolutely essential for anyone thinking of spending any time in Japan.

Last piece of advice. Don't walk in the park alone at night. Trust me on this. If you see a couple walking in the park, chances are eventually they will dissappear into the brush and you might interruprt their good time. (I was embrassed the first time I did that).

There are some parks that are known for this sort of things and others that are not. I certainly wouldn't let this stop you from walking through a public place, though, since this certainly does not apply to all parks.

Oh and always have at least 7000 yen with you, never know when you will need to used the taxi.

Japan is very safe, and as such people usually carry a lot of cash with them. This is good advice, not just because of needing to use a taxi, but because many (probably even most) shops and restaurants will not accept credit cards.

[kayos]

Originally Posted by darkcloud

That's standard everywhere isn't it? Here in England people sit directly next to you and challenge you... It's the way things are done..... We also have some old machines which are opposite each other...... Is this really not done in the US? :-/

Nope, here in the US, the challenger stands next to you and there's no chair (or bench) for us to sit on. All participants have to stand up. I guess it's better for communication between challengers and let you see who you're up against. You could say it's a face to face competition, sometimes it gets kind of intimidating.

[darkcloud]

Originally Posted by kayos

Nope, here in the US, the challenger stands next to you and there's no chair (or bench) for us to sit on. All participants have to stand up. I guess it's better for communication between challengers and let you see who you're up against. You could say it's a face to face competition, sometimes it gets kind of intimidating.

Yeah, in England a lot of the time you get lines of people challenging (well not a lot, just for popular/new games) and if they want to challenge they put there money down on the machine waiting for someone to lose...... If you see one person playing a two player game though you can just go over put money in and challenge...... :-/ Depending on the set up you might or might not see the person...


Hmmm scifience seems to agree with me on the things that confused me most about Kitto's post.... Did you by any chance go to a really small town Kitto? :-/ That's the only thing I can think of, but, even the small town I went to had modern toilets........

By green line I automatically thought of the yamanote line Saikyo line as both went through Ikebukuro...... I never noticed one of them closed before 12pm and that was my hub to Japan as I mainly stayed at the hotel star plaza there.... :-/
One other thing that poped into my line was that there was a green JR pass, but, that wouldn't be it. lol

[kitto-chan]

Originally Posted by Scifience

What the hell are you talking about? There is no "green line" as far as I am aware, and there is certainly not a train line in any large city that stops running at 10PM. Most major train lines in Tokyo close around midnight: certainly not 10PM!

Where are you basing this off, the internet??? There are 3 lines , The Black (local), the red(intermite), and the green(Express) all operated by the JR Line. What do you mean they shut down at midnight? If so I wouldn't had to sleep at the Ebisu subway.

Different train companies have different passes. Different cities have different passes. What trains is this advice supposed to be for? Further, most commuter passes are monthly, not weekly and certainly not daily. There are some places with tourist day passes, though, and if you are a short-term visitor you can buy a JR pass (which only works on JR trains) before you leave for Japan.

There are only 3 companies that operate the trains in Japan as far as i know it. But the commuter trains that I used and that most japanese use is controlled by JR.

The thing that *does* make sense to do if you will be spending time in Tokyo, though, is get a Suica and PASSNET card (which will be combined into one card, PASSMO, in March). Instead of buying a ticket each time, you can just preload the card with money and use it on most of the trains and subways in Tokyo.

Are planning on staying for an extended period? If not then get 1 week pass.

I'm beginning to wonder how many years ago you were in Japan. Almost everywhere has western style toilets these days, and most of these have "washlet" features - that is, heated seat, bidet, dryer, etc - and you are unlikely to find many restrooms, even public ones, in large cities without at least one western style toilet.

1999-2001, when was the last time you were there?

Wow. Very useful advice: absolutely essential for anyone thinking of spending any time in Japan.

If you have childrens you will know the feeling.

There are some parks that are known for this sort of things and others that are not. I certainly wouldn't let this stop you from walking through a public place, though, since this certainly does not apply to all parks.

you might be right. But then again I was in toyko was I stumble thru a session. The park near the castle with a 47' trench.

Japan is very safe, and as such people usually carry a lot of cash with them. This is good advice, not just because of needing to use a taxi, but because many (probably even most) shops and restaurants will not accept credit cards.

Correct, most shops don't accept cards, except that almost always within less than 1 mile there is an ATM or a Sumitomo bank, or a HSBC. The reason I adovacte carrying that much is not for spending but as I stated after 11:00pm Say you out partying in Roppongi, andyour hotel is in say, Chiba. that's 12 stops away. Well the express line is closed and the black line will only take you 4 more stops. Then what??? you either sleep at the station or catch a cab.

[kayos]

Originally Posted by kitto-chan

Say you out partying in Roppongi, andyour hotel is in say, Chiba. that's 12 stops away. Well the express line is closed and the black line will only take you 4 more stops. Then what??? you either sleep at the station or catch a cab.

Or you could carry a map and make your death defying journey to your hotel room. With two legs and a map, you can travel far.

[Scifience]

Originally Posted by kitto-chan

Where are you basing this off, the internet??? There are 3 lines , The Black (local), the red(intermite), and the green(Express) all operated by the JR Line. What do you mean they shut down at midnight? If so I wouldn't had to sleep at the Ebisu subway.

See this: http://www.jref.com/practical/transp...on_tokyo.shtml

Look at the pictures. I can count quite a few more than three train lines there. Also of note is the fact that there are two metro companies, JR, and seven listed private rail companies that operate trains in the Tokyo area. There are some that are not even listed there.

There are only 3 companies that operate the trains in Japan as far as i know it. But the commuter trains that I used and that most japanese use is controlled by JR.

Again, see the page I linked to above. There are far more than three companies operating rail lines in Tokyo alone. In other areas of Japan, there are other private companies as well.

Are planning on staying for an extended period? If not then get 1 week pass.

Yes, but the OP was mentioning *moving* to Tokyo, not going as a tourist. Even as a tourist, the pass isn't always the cheapest route, depending on how often you will be using the trains and where you will be going.

1999-2001, when was the last time you were there?

November 2006. And I will be back in Tokyo starting this Tuesday.

If you have childrens you will know the feeling.

Quite possible. I'm still a teenager in high school, so I wouldn't know.

you might be right. But then again I was in toyko was I stumble thru a session. The park near the castle with a 47' trench.

I believe you. I was just pointing out that this is certainly not always going to be the case, and there is no need to stay clear of parks because of this.

Correct, most shops don't accept cards, except that almost always within less than 1 mile there is an ATM or a Sumitomo bank, or a HSBC. The reason I adovacte carrying that much is not for spending but as I stated after 11:00pm Say you out partying in Roppongi, andyour hotel is in say, Chiba. that's 12 stops away. Well the express line is closed and the black line will only take you 4 more stops. Then what??? you either sleep at the station or catch a cab.

The only problem with the ATMs is that most of the ATMs close after regular business hours or begin charging a hefty surcharge. That is one thing that has always baffled me: in a country with so much technology, what is so hard about having a 24-hour ATM?

[Loniat]

CTU:AGENT_HOGAN, don't go to Japan, it is sinking, or so some people believe.

[kayos]

well considering the fact the the artic is melting, you could say all the lands are slowly sinking.

[Chobits*]

So whats everyones guess on how long Japan will be underwater?

[Ewok]

Errgh, this thread (the last page at least) makes me queasy.

Going to Japan to work is not just a thing you do because you want to. There are conditions and requirements that you need to consider and pass before you can enter the country.

First if you want to work you need a working visa. If you don't please immigration, you can't enter the country for work. You have to have a company that is willing to hire you (that means finding an employer before you go to Japan), and generally you need to have graduated from college or university.

Once you have a company willing to hire you and you meet immigrations requirements, the paperwork is sorted, and several weeks or months later you get your visa and you can go to Japan.

When you get there hopefully your company will organize accommodation, or you have to do it yourself. For a normal apartment (not a more expensive guest house or monthly apartment) that means having somebody in Japan who will be your legal guarantor, having enough money for at least 4months rent (first month, broker fees, security deposit, and key money), and then you need to phone the utility companies and request they they turn on the gas, etc.
In Japanese of course, this being Japan and all.

Before that you will need a bank account so that you can pay for the apartment (you cannot pay cash), as well as receive you wages, and apply for things like a mobile phone. To do that you need to go to city hall and apply for an Alien Registration Card (ARC), which takes about a month. So for that first month you are a little stuck.

Then after all that everything is not-too-bad. You need to renew your "visa" before it runs out, your company will help with that.

[Loniat]

Originally Posted by Chobits*

So whats everyones guess on how long Japan will be underwater?

Japan will be underwater and will become a legend, a mystical land were wonderful animes were produce, but nobody will believe because archaeologists will just find remnants of Hentai in H.264.

Now, sorry, back to the topic please..

[CTU:AGENT_HOGAN]

Well you gave me the info but

the consulat of japan located in new york gave me EVEN more info but you have gave me the good amount of info

so they did explain to me about the whole processure

but let me ask you this "for the people who lived in japan"

1.what part of japan that you dont pay alot for rent in japan

2.can you ask for translated bill "Electricial,Water,Telephone,Tv,Cellphone,Auto Insurances " ?


and also with a twist " unrelated to this " i email the consulet of ireland about the same time that i email the consulet of japan about moving & working in ireland and guess what "nothing " so this is what irish people think of me and irish-american

IRELAND + Goverment = RACISM !

[Ewok]

Originally Posted by CTU:AGENT_HOGAN

1.what part of japan that you dont pay alot for rent in japan

Anywhere away from the city centers. You have to travel further to get to work (which means that it costs more), or you work for less money outside of the cities.

2.can you ask for translated bill "Electricial,Water,Telephone,Tv,Cellphone,Auto Insurances " ?

Some you can, some you can't, some theres no point.

Water, Gas, Electric, Auto insurance, TV, telephone/internet are in Japanese, but simple to understand. They generally have "Gas Bill" written on the front and the important items (like when to pay, how much) will have an English note, with the majority of it being in Japanese.

Most cellphone companies will arrange an English bill if you want.

Remember Japanese people live in Japan and speak Japanese. English is a foreign language, and very little use to them.

and also with a twist " unrelated to this " i email the consulet of ireland about the same time that i email the consulet of japan about moving & working in ireland and guess what "nothing " so this is what irish people think of me and irish-american

IRELAND + Goverment = RACISM !

They just sound lazy. I can take a few days to reply to emails, don't mean I'm racist or hate you

[Quarkboy]

So, I'm going to be coming to Japan for 2 years on a JSPS Postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Tokyo, Komaba (Researching string theory with the physics department).

So, for 382,000 yen a month, where should I live?

I'm a single, 20-something american male.

I was doing some internet apartment searching, and it seems like it might be worth it to pay more for a nicer place that's not too far away (yoyogi-chou or nearby).