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tsurumaru · 2003-11-21, 22:28

Hmm its been three years but here's some useful stuff I remember...

Tsurumaru's guide to visiting Japan - Part 1;

Accomodation:

Ok, so three weeks accomodation and living expenses in Tokyo was equal to my entire 3 month budget in India....^^;

Try not to arrive on a late night flight into Narita airport (Tokyo), you might just find yourself stuck at the airport with an expensive overnight stay at a hotel!

If you do not already have a place to stay then try a gaijin house (Foreigner's house) usually found in the outer suburbs of Tokyo, beware though some of these places are run by extremely dubious types (ones with "Big" in the name ie Big apple etc), they also tend to attract a strange old crowd and are not recomended for the inexperienced traveller. Saying this though, they can be a great starting place to meet people both Japanese and foreign (usually also new to the country). About 3 years ago rent for a place in a dormitory was about 10-12,000 yen a week, with sometimes this being negotiable.
Some positive points to this are that if you're lucky enough, the district you are in will have a 100 yen shop, these places are essential to keeping yourself fed well without bankrupting yourself.

Money.

Think your Visa credit card is going to get you out of some sticky situations...? Think again, bizarrely enough in Japan most cash machines will only let you withdraw money with a "Magic" Japanese only visa card. Be aware any visa delta card you have too may be useless, although purchases hould be fine for both standard and Visa delta cards. Some good cards that are accepted at most cash points are mastercard and any cashcard with a "cirrus" symbol on.
Dont also get caught out by those incredibally useful ATM's that close overnight (kinda defeating the object) but don't worry of you couldn't get your cash out the Beer vending machines will have closed by now too (usually 11pm).
Japanese coins and notes are pretty easy to get the hang of, use the rough ready reckoner that 100 yen = 1 US $ if you're having trouble working out the value of an item.
It is possible as a gaijin to open a bank account in Japan but you'd have to be either masochistic, or employed to want to get through the red tape. watch with amusement as the staff try to convert your name into katakana...
Actually having a bank account is pretty essential if you are going to be working and by this I mean being properly employed, ie not basing yourself in Roppongi (A nightclub filled area where "cash in hand" work is possible).
Its can also be useful if you are going to be transferring monies to/from abroad a lot as you can usually set up a simple sort of account to transfer funds (this saves you from filling in the paperwork again and again).
Don't expect any sort of interest on any savings you have in Japan though as the interest rate has been close to 0% for many years now......

Travel.Pt 1

Like mentioned previously travelling within Japan is expensive here are a few tips;

JR -line railways.

Ah the joy of the JR lines,

Don't even try to travel peak time if you are claustrophobic, or have issues about getting friendly with complete strangers (ie having hundreds of Japanese business men crushed against you). People are actually employed to physically crush as many passengers on board some trains at the busiest stations.

Off peak though they are usually pleasant experiences, just ignore the staring.....remember it your fault for being such a Hen-na gaijin!

Each line of the JR is colour coded making it fairly easy to use. Feet marks on the platform aren't just for show, the train doors will actually stop at these points. When arranging meet someone at a station exit make sure you specify which exit! Some JR stations can have 8 or more exits...... !

Useful Japanese phrase:

Sumimasen.....Kono densha wa ......... ni ikimasu ka? - Excuse me.....is this train going to ...........? A classic for if your not sure if you've got on the right train.

Useless trivia:
Ever notice how upon getting on a train most Japanese people fall straight to sleep? Waking up seconds before they are due to get off, this one had me puzzled until I realised how,
A) punctual each journey is, each trip will vary usually only by a number of seconds from the last.
B) How some children have small ear pieces in (these can be set for a specific time period ( ie the length of the journey) and then emit small beeping noises at the end of the time period to wake up a sleeping person. This must take a long time to be subconciously absorbed but is the closest I have come to an answer to the above....

The Underground/Subway

Ok I have to admit to not even knowing about the Tokyo underground system until about a month into living there! This is not to say it is a bad system, rather that the JR lines and bus system's are remarkably prompt and cover an wide range of places efficiently and conveniently...
remember though the subway closes very close to midnight, its all to keep the below people in their jobs.....

Useful Japanese phrase:

chikatetsu wa doko ni arimasu ka? - Where is the the subway?

Taxi's

Just getting into a Taxi will cost you 600 odd yen (about 6 US $) and thats before you actually go anywhere make sure yuo know how to say the name of the place your going to and your drivers knows it too! Most taxi drivers I used understood (or claimed to understand) no English.

Therefore here are a few useful phrases:

... made onegaishimasu - Please go to ............

Mou sukoshi massugu ni itte kudasai - please go on a little further ahead.

(koko de/tsugi no kado de) Migi/hidari ni mawatte kudasai - (here/at the next corner)Please turn Right/Left

Koko de tomatte kudasai - Please stop here

Koko de ii desu - here is fine

Also dont try and open or close the taxi cab's door yourself as you will only suceed in annoying the driver (its all automatic) you will only reinforce his stereotype of the "baka gaijin").

Ok thats it for today, if you found this interesting or even midly amusing please let me know and I will go on to part two.......

2003-11-21, 22:28	Link #15
tsurumaru I refuse to die dammit! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: UK Age: 47	Hmm its been three years but here's some useful stuff I remember... Tsurumaru's guide to visiting Japan - Part 1; Accomodation: Ok, so three weeks accomodation and living expenses in Tokyo was equal to my entire 3 month budget in India....^^; Try not to arrive on a late night flight into Narita airport (Tokyo), you might just find yourself stuck at the airport with an expensive overnight stay at a hotel! If you do not already have a place to stay then try a gaijin house (Foreigner's house) usually found in the outer suburbs of Tokyo, beware though some of these places are run by extremely dubious types (ones with "Big" in the name ie Big apple etc), they also tend to attract a strange old crowd and are not recomended for the inexperienced traveller. Saying this though, they can be a great starting place to meet people both Japanese and foreign (usually also new to the country). About 3 years ago rent for a place in a dormitory was about 10-12,000 yen a week, with sometimes this being negotiable. Some positive points to this are that if you're lucky enough, the district you are in will have a 100 yen shop, these places are essential to keeping yourself fed well without bankrupting yourself. Money. Think your Visa credit card is going to get you out of some sticky situations...? Think again, bizarrely enough in Japan most cash machines will only let you withdraw money with a "Magic" Japanese only visa card. Be aware any visa delta card you have too may be useless, although purchases hould be fine for both standard and Visa delta cards. Some good cards that are accepted at most cash points are mastercard and any cashcard with a "cirrus" symbol on. Dont also get caught out by those incredibally useful ATM's that close overnight (kinda defeating the object) but don't worry of you couldn't get your cash out the Beer vending machines will have closed by now too (usually 11pm). Japanese coins and notes are pretty easy to get the hang of, use the rough ready reckoner that 100 yen = 1 US $ if you're having trouble working out the value of an item. It is possible as a gaijin to open a bank account in Japan but you'd have to be either masochistic, or employed to want to get through the red tape. watch with amusement as the staff try to convert your name into katakana... Actually having a bank account is pretty essential if you are going to be working and by this I mean being properly employed, ie not basing yourself in Roppongi (A nightclub filled area where "cash in hand" work is possible). Its can also be useful if you are going to be transferring monies to/from abroad a lot as you can usually set up a simple sort of account to transfer funds (this saves you from filling in the paperwork again and again). Don't expect any sort of interest on any savings you have in Japan though as the interest rate has been close to 0% for many years now...... Travel.Pt 1 Like mentioned previously travelling within Japan is expensive here are a few tips; JR -line railways. Ah the joy of the JR lines, Don't even try to travel peak time if you are claustrophobic, or have issues about getting friendly with complete strangers (ie having hundreds of Japanese business men crushed against you). People are actually employed to physically crush as many passengers on board some trains at the busiest stations. Off peak though they are usually pleasant experiences, just ignore the staring.....remember it your fault for being such a Hen-na gaijin! Each line of the JR is colour coded making it fairly easy to use. Feet marks on the platform aren't just for show, the train doors will actually stop at these points. When arranging meet someone at a station exit make sure you specify which exit! Some JR stations can have 8 or more exits...... ! Useful Japanese phrase: Sumimasen.....Kono densha wa ......... ni ikimasu ka? - Excuse me.....is this train going to ...........? A classic for if your not sure if you've got on the right train. Useless trivia: Ever notice how upon getting on a train most Japanese people fall straight to sleep? Waking up seconds before they are due to get off, this one had me puzzled until I realised how, A) punctual each journey is, each trip will vary usually only by a number of seconds from the last. B) How some children have small ear pieces in (these can be set for a specific time period ( ie the length of the journey) and then emit small beeping noises at the end of the time period to wake up a sleeping person. This must take a long time to be subconciously absorbed but is the closest I have come to an answer to the above.... The Underground/Subway Ok I have to admit to not even knowing about the Tokyo underground system until about a month into living there! This is not to say it is a bad system, rather that the JR lines and bus system's are remarkably prompt and cover an wide range of places efficiently and conveniently... remember though the subway closes very close to midnight, its all to keep the below people in their jobs..... Useful Japanese phrase: chikatetsu wa doko ni arimasu ka? - Where is the the subway? Taxi's Just getting into a Taxi will cost you 600 odd yen (about 6 US $) and thats before you actually go anywhere make sure yuo know how to say the name of the place your going to and your drivers knows it too! Most taxi drivers I used understood (or claimed to understand) no English. Therefore here are a few useful phrases: ... made onegaishimasu - Please go to ............ Mou sukoshi massugu ni itte kudasai - please go on a little further ahead. (koko de/tsugi no kado de) Migi/hidari ni mawatte kudasai - (here/at the next corner)Please turn Right/Left Koko de tomatte kudasai - Please stop here Koko de ii desu - here is fine Also dont try and open or close the taxi cab's door yourself as you will only suceed in annoying the driver (its all automatic) you will only reinforce his stereotype of the "baka gaijin"). Ok thats it for today, if you found this interesting or even midly amusing please let me know and I will go on to part two....... Last edited by tsurumaru; 2003-11-21 at 22:39.