Japan General

New Japan general, guys. Sorry I messed up, here is the old thread. >>1060767

Note that I have tweaked the top page a bit, adding information about the JR rail pass. Please try to use this version if you make the new thread after this one.

>>1065313
>My main problem is getting lost and such. Has anybody that has traveled to Tokyo or Japan in general ever gotten lost or how did you get around? Did the taxi drivers speak some English? We're there signs located?

All the stations have signs with things clearly marked in English such as station names, exits, and general important things/points of interest in the immediate vicinity of the station like major buildings. Taxi drivers do not speak English, my advice would be to simply show him your destination written out in Japanese on your phone if you can. Stations are good reference points and usually any place you want to be is near some kind of station. The Japanese word for station is "eki."

>P.s: not related but is it true that Japanese women love foreigner?

Some are into foreigners, some aren't. Generally, any Japanese woman who can speak English at least decently well will be okay with dating/hooking up with foreign guys. Japan is NOT Thailand or the Philippines, and you will not have women crawling on you just for being foreign/white. Anyone who is normal, fun, and gets himself out there can definitely do just fine with women in Japan. Don't expect women far above your league if you are some spindly, awkward otaku. You can get a Japanese girl as that guy, just don't expect her to look like she's in AKB or anything.

are there any areas of tokyo or kyoto that i should be careful of due to safety concerns as an obvious tourist?

> tfw spent 2 weeks in Tokyo last year
> tfw would love to visit more of Japan, but also want to know new places/cultures
> tfw would love to see Japan during the Sakura season, but I'm too late and flights are already expensive

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>tfw no average Japanese girlfriend to hang out with and kiss her vagina good night

I fucking cry every night, brah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S62d4lEBW9M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga9gVPtOmSo

>fuk this ghey earth

>>1065451
Not really, Japan is probably the safest country in the world. The only thing you have to watch out for are the clip joint touts in Kabuki-cho and Roppongi. If anyone approaches you asking if you want to go meet girls at a bar or want a "happy ending" etc. etc. just politely but firmly tell them no thank you or ignore them. They're not that persistent.

>>1065593
> just politely but firmly tell them no thank you or ignore them

I found just outright ignoring them to be the best option, as I found them very persistent, at least if you're alone. The first guy that approached me kept following me for almost 5 minutes until he fucked off.

can anyone shed light on tattoo stigma in japan? personal stories? whenever i google it, i seem to get mixed signals. i've been told i probably won't be able to enter a hot spring, but can i at least wear a t-shirt while walking down the street?

>>1065618
What do you think you are gonna get arrested or something?

Fucking retards i swear to god lol

>>1065593
>>1065611
cool, thanks. and i'll be with my wife and 2 year old son, so not too concerned about being chatted up by a pimp.

>>1065623
no, you fucking moron. i'm asking about the social stigma of having tattoos in a country i have not visited that has a reputation of rejecting service to people with tattoos. learn how to read.

>>1065632
>has a reputation of rejecting service to people with tattoos

This only applies to saunas/hotsprings/public baths.

>The first guy that approached me kept following me for almost 5 minutes until he fucked off.

>5 minutes

No he didn't, you're exaggerating. And if he did, you clearly initially showed some kind of interest/asked him a question/etc.

5 whole minutes is a very, very long time. No tout would spend that much time on one person, unless *maybe* you looked like you had money and you actually expressed interested at first.

They might spend 5 minutes trying to convince a sucker on the spot who naively shows interest, but if you're walking, no one is going to follow you for 5 minutes away from their bar.

>>1065313
When I took a taxi, I showed the driver the address then read the romaji slowly to him while he put it into GPS. He showed me the screen before we set off to confirm it was in the correct area. I don't recommend you take a taxi unless you are desperate - they are quite expensive. A 30-40 minute ride cost me 6000 yen.

>>1065632
From what I've read in books and online, unless your tattoo is gigantic, most public baths will look the other way so long as you cover it with a bandage. I imagine most if not all the onsen you'd be visiting would be more foreigner friendly; they are likely going to be more chill regarding tattoos. The staff generally do not soak in the baths along with the customers so unless the tattoo is visible when you walk in the establishment, you won't get shit for it unless another customer tattles on you. The worst that will happen is that they politely ask you to leave.

While it's still uncommon to see someone with ink, people in general will not stare (aside from a brief glance) or comment. You might have elderly sitting anywhere but right next to you on trains, although they tend to do this with all foreigners in general.

I'm kinda concerned about running out of ideas on my trip to Tokyo. What do you do in situations like that?

What would be more useful for a 2 week trip? Learning to speak Japanese or to write/understand the writing?

>>1065849
learn yes, no and thank you, and brush up on your local etiquette.

>>1065843

Have you been there before? If not don't worry about it there is tons to do. If you have and are looking for more places to go then where have you been before?

>>1065880
I've been to Shinjuku and surroundings, ie. Shibuya, Akiba, Ikebukuro, etc. I'm not that big into temples and stuff, unless there's some hiking involved, since I've seen a ton already in my time. I mostly wanna be in places where I can enjoy people, food and surroundings without it getting overbearing like in Shinjuku and Shibuya.

>>1065886
You can try Ebisu or Daikanyama.

Ebisu is in the Yamanote line and looks nice. In my experience it hasn't been anywhere near as crowded as Shinjuku/Shibuya.

Daikanyama is a little more fancy and has some interesting cafes. There's like a bed a cafe that's pretty neato (if you got a girl with you). Not implying sex or anything. Just better with a girl. Look up where Tsutaya is in Daikanyama and you'll find a really good area to chill and have a coffee

>>1065880
>there is tons to do

People always say this in regards to travel but I never really understood it. Do people just wander randomly until fun shit happens?

How easy is it to find jobs kn a working holiday visa? What's the options? I'm 22 from Denmark. Got skills in construction and trades but nothing on paper. Got highschool exam and I speak fluent english

>>1065890
I found this Tsutaya Bookstore, but I can't find any cafe that fits your description.

Something I haven't seen talked about is tipping for meals and such. Would 15% or so be a normal tip rate in a restaurant?

>>1065896
You don't tip in Japan, ever.

>>1065897
is it all right to leave 2000 yen as a thank you thing in your hotel room? Used to do it when we were in HK... just saying thanks for the cleaners and what not.

>not murican

Is there some interesting stuff to do/see in and around Chiba?

>>1065894
http://chano-mama.com

Google is your friend

>>1065891
You need to do research. Walking around aimlessly might help you find some things but it would all be luck. Yes, there is tons to do but you have to look for and research the things you actually want to do

>>1065897
Niiice. This was the response i was hoping for but didn't want to be called cheap.

>>1065893
I think your only options would basically be working at a hostel or a foreigner bar.

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I want to do a month, maybe 2 this summer in Japan. I just got back from a two week trip in Japan. It felt pretty rushed but I enjoyed it a lot.
How are prices for accommodation in the summer compared to winter? Are places more likely to be booked full? I feel like summer might be more of a high season for locals and foreigners to travel in Japan.
I plan on going either in June, July or August depending on my work situation.
I budgeted $2,000 for two weeks in the winter but only spent around $1,200 total and that includes some Christmas shopping that I did.

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anything cool to do with a barely 2 year old in tokyo or kyoto in january?

already picked up ghibli museum in last general. (thanks again to that anon).

>>1065901
I don't think it would be unwelcome but usually people are paid enough that they don't rely on tips, many places have an added "service fee" that's already basically a tip.

>>1066012
There's Toei Studio park outside of Kyoto but mostly if he's into sentai/Power Rangers.

>>1066007
there's Obon in August where stuff's gonna be more booked out generally, but other than that it should be fine

I wouldn't recommend going in June or July though unless you really like rain

>>1066154
>Toei Studio park
i think if he was 6 or so that would be awesome, but probably a bit much for 2. thanks for the suggestion, though.

i've been in japan in 2008, now I want to work my ass off and go back this summer.

Is WOOF a good option?
how much is the flight, roughly?
can I get a part time job there with a holiday visa?

>>1066251
>can I get a part time job there with a holiday visa?

Yes, generally if you don't know any Japanese you could work at a hostel, or foreigner bar or do modeling if you're aesthetic.

>>1066251
I WWOOF-ed in Japan for a month on 2 farms. It was fun although hard work so be prepared to spend 3 hours bent over in a rice field pulling weeds out of the mud in the sun. Would do again. Just a warning apparently some hosts don't feed people well so make sure you get more than 1 meal a day haha.

Any recommendations on hostels in Tokyo? Preferably somewhere close to PT and nightlife.

I might be interested in teaching English .
What do you need to do that?

If else is it possible to be a bartender if you're already one in another country?

how well can I do for 3 months in japan with 6 or 7 grand?

>>1066318
Bachelor degree in anything from a university in an Anglosphere country.

>>1066322
You might just make it unless you want to be anywhere near the happening wards of Tokyo for an extended period.

>>1066318
Possible, but not legally.

You can only be a gaijin and a bartender legally on a spouse or business owner visa or as a permanent resident.

>>1066318
Find a program and have a bachelor's degree already. If you don't have that don't bother with the teaching programs. Only pick a program that will provide you with housing close to the school and won't give you crap pay with the promise of more if you work extra.

>>1066318
University degree and preferably a native speaker. I think the big companies like AEON and ECC only hire native speakers.

>>1066325
>You can only be a gaijin and a bartender legally on a spouse or business owner visa or as a permanent resident.

Not true.

>>1066322
Biggest factor is how much your accommodation is per month. If it's under like 50,000yen a month you could make it several months on 7 grand. 7,000 usd is like 830,000 yen.

>>1066344
Tell me which visa status you think allows you to tend bar legally and I'll show you how you're wrong.

>>1066367
What do you work for immigration or some shit? (not that guy you're replying to btw).

>>1066367
How about a Designated Activities visa?
If anon is from one of the five countries with a Working Holidays Agreement with Japan.

>*Working Holiday Agreements: Based on bilateral agreements, working holiday programmes permit young people (between 18 and 30 years of age) from the countries concerned who are visiting a partner country on vacation to engage in work there so as to supplement their funds to travel and stay in that country, thereby providing them with an opportunity to get to know that country's culture and general lifestyle. At present Japan has such working holiday agreements with five countries: Australia, Canada, France,
New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.

>>1066445
Nope.
www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html
See section 4.

>>1066429
Nah, just autistic as fuck.

>>1065317
Are there any good traditional hotels in Osaka, Kyoto or Nara? I would like to go on a week-long trip and plan to stay for five days in Osaka, then move to a new hotel (hopefully traditional) in Kyoto or Nara. Would that be a good idea or do you guys recommend going on day trips to Kyoto and Nara instead? To be honest I am just going to Nara to pet the deer.

>>1066456
>Week long trip, 5 days in Osaka
No no no no no no no no no.

Base yourself out of Kyoto and do day trips to Osaka and Nara. USJ, shopping, drinking and maybe seeing Osaka Castle is all there is to do there.

Can't help you with ryoukan (AirBnBer myself) but there are plenty in Kyoto and I believe they're all of a good standard.

>>1066459
Thank you. Is there a lot of good food in Kyoto? The main focus of my trip is eating and I thought it would be a good idea to stay near 黑門 (sorry don't know the english for it) and Namba. I am afraid there is nothing to do except sightseeing in Kyoto.

>>1066462
*there will be
I beg your pardon. It was not my intention to be sarcastic.

>>1066462
>foodie trip
That changes things. There's good food in Kyoto like everywhere, but the only unique experience I can think of is the Izayaka of Gion, the sorts of places that will happily help you dispose of all those burdensome 10000円 notes.

Osaka is probably the better place to stay. Day trips to Kyoto and Nara are easily doable (one-way trip times are 30 min to Nara, 50 min to Kyoto on Hankyu/Keihan/SlowJR or 15 mins on the Shinkansen).

Even if you're averse to sightseeing, I still think you'll want to give Kyoto more than a day easily.

>>1066274
Are you speaking from experience? Is it easy to find a job?
Also why would they need gaijin models?

>>1066465
*izakaya

>>1066467
They can't get enough gaijin in Japan.

Provided they're on the other side of a television screen.

http://becomeuberhuman.com/tokyo-guide/

Good luck anon

>>1065849
>>1065856
I would add learning to read hiragana and katakana, the latter specifically. While most important signage is in English (trains, emergency stuff, street signs), knowing how to sound out basic hiragana and katakana can help you out sometimes, and it's fun to be able to actually read some stuff.

>>1066282
how was the experience for you? did you get a chance to vist other places at all?
I don't mind working hard, i'm kinda of a workaholic, but I odn't wanna get right our exploited you know?

I have dual citizenship (USA and Mexico), and thus two passports, which one should I use when traveling to Japan?

PS: Any good places for a back massage?

Hey.

A couple of friends and I are really interested in traveling to Japoan. The thing is, however, we don't want to go sightseeing. Actually, we really want to travel some rural, uncrowded part of Japan with beautiful scenery and nice weather, but where we can also get drunk, talk to people and experience their culture.

This may sound weird, but we want to keep it really cheap. Like, we want to only travel by bike and maybe only sleep in a tent. I haven't really traveled before and this is necessary.
Life in Denmark makes me want to hang myself.

Is all this even possible? If so, what is a good location that fits our needs? We want to stay in Japan for 3 weeks and just ride the bike from a place to another every day. We want to go in July this year.

>>1066635

Let's say we want to do a vagabond trip.

>>1066635
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qAZ1yhS2Yk

this might give you some perspective. They also have a book on their website

>>1066607
USA. If things go wrong, you'll have more trouble on a Mexican passport.

Been in Tokyo for a day. Note to self it is 10x more depressing in Winter.
Bring friend for more fun times.

>>1066635
>Life in Denmark makes me want to hang myself.
Since you haven't travelled before, you should know that your problems get on the plane with you.

Hey, so I'm going to Japan next month. The main thing I want to do is check out Akihabara to buy some figures, go to a maid cafe, etc. Does anyone happen to know the exchange rate between the Yen and Good Boy Points, currently? I've heard the Yen is weak these days so I'm hoping that works in my favor.

Thanks, /trv/.

>>1066761
I believe the current rate is kill yourself.

Couldn't really find a general questions thread, so just asking here since it's about my trip to Japan -
Never tried sleeping in a dorm before since I have a problem with privacy, but I want to give it a try just for a few nights in hopes that I can get over it.

I've found a capsule-style hostel but have trouble choosing whether I want to stay in the mixed dormitory or the women's dormitory.
Is there any real difference? Is it less fun for women to stay in the mixed rooms?

JET here. I live in a town of around 70,000. The job is great and I'm truly grateful for it. The town, however, is so boring, has few dating prospects, and all the limitations you expect of a small town.

Should I stay with JET in the small town or try for eikaiwa in the big city? The big city seems so much better and more fun. On the other hand, the job seems so much worse than my easy, cushy, overpaid JET job. Is it worth taking a shitty job to be in the city or is it better to stick with a good job in the countryside?

>>1066771
If you're a JET, why not try to get a direct-hire ALT position in a city/suburb? Eikaiwa and ALT dispatch just seems to get worse and worse.

Just yesterday:
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2016/01/06/issues/japans-english-teachers-rays-hope-amid-race-bottom/

>>1066761
Lol, going to all the pleb places.

>>1066787
It's a shitpost.

>no substantial questions
>reference to Good Boy Points

Living in Japan for a year, studied Japanese 5 years prior, so no problems on that front, suggest what should I do.

>>1066789
i suggest you ustilize those 5 years of learning ask a Japanese person in whatever town you're going to be in instead of flexing on a bulgarian toothpick art forum

>>1066789
Assuming you're >>1066771

I don't have experience but hear it's a well trodden path. Apply for ALT listings in places like Ohayo Sensei (http://www.ohayosensei.com/current-edition.html), go hassle some ex-JETs on a forum or just Google people who've done it.

It's probably not easy to jump to a direct ALT position, but remember you're in a pretty good position right now as a JET in the first place. Be a little bit patient, don't throw away your current position just to work at some shitty eikaiwa just to placate your penis.

or ladypenis, since your gender is not specified

>>1066465
Thank you again. I am not sure I will have so much money to spend haha. Do you know any good places to visit or eat at in Osaka Kyoto and Nara? Maybe I will change my schedule to include two days for Kyoto.

>>1066775
>If you're a JET, why not try to get a direct-hire ALT position in a city/suburb?

Direct hire positions are quite rare outside of JET.

>>1066771
>Should I stay with JET in the small town or try for eikaiwa in the big city?

ECC is quite an okay company to work for actually. The pay is only 250,000 a month but their teachers work 6 hours a day. 6! 7 weeks of paid vacation.

I worked for AEON and while the 10 hour day with shitty hours was hell, the salary was decent 272,000 starting, 285,000 for my last 6 months. AEON is an honest company, but they are conservative and do crack the whip.

>>1065317
So, I will be living in Japan for two years (military), and would like general information about adjusting to being in a foreign country like Japan. I'll be living on base, so I won't be too culture shocked, but I'd like to know what kind of things to kind of expect in Japan.

What is the general attitude of Japanese people towards foreigners? (I'm white)
Any tips on how to not unintentionally be discourteous?
Also, how do I overcome the language barrier? I know very little Japanese outside of common greetings and such. I do plan on trying to learn Japanese, though.

>>1066775
>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2016/01/06/issues/japans-english-teachers-rays-hope-amid-race-bottom/

Not exactly defending the behavior, but these complaints are generally overblown and come mainly from the 40 year old ESL lifers who have to support their shitty kids/boring Japanese wife and do it as a "career".

The 29 1/2 hour work week thing is not as big of a deal as it's made out to be. What is not emphasized here is that Japan has a good universal national healthcare system that is pretty cheap. As an employee at AEON, I did not receive company insurance, nor did they help me pay for healthcare (as the article alludes to). But I was enrolled in the National Health insurance plan. The deductible is reasonable. One time I got a brain MRI at the bourgie-as-fuck Roppongi Hills clinic and my out of pocket was like $50. Probably would have been cheaper somewhere else.

>>1066804
>What is the general attitude of Japanese people towards foreigners? (I'm white)

Ranges from truly friendly, helpful and open to wanting you out of their country secretly inside--but would never make that known publicly and will still treat you with a degree of kindness and respect.

>Any tips on how to not unintentionally be discourteous?

Just relax and don't worry about it too much. Just be friendly and polite. You're a foreigner so you don't have to know all the rules.

>Also, how do I overcome the language barrier?

By studying and practicing Japanese, but beyond that subway signs are all in English, etc. and living in Japan without knowing Japanese isn't too hard, though certainly more rewarding if you do.

>>1066807
>but would never make that known publicly
Witnessing the nth middle-aged salaryman clicking his tongue as he walks past me would tend to make me doubt this.

>>1066809
>Witnessing the nth middle-aged salaryman clicking his tongue as he walks past me would tend to make me doubt this.

Resident of Tokyo of 8 years here and I have never experienced a phenomenon like this. I think you are lying that such a thing happens to you all the time.

At any rate by "make it known publicly" I did actually mean openly confront someone about it or discriminate against them openly.

As a foreigner here, these are the instances in which I was made to feel unwelcome or ostracized for being foreign.

- I was once refused service at a bar in Golden Gai. (Although understand that some bars in Golden Gai only serve members or those who know the owner/manager so they may very well turn away other Japanese too).

- (Not proud of this one) Went to a "delivery health" service and while the establishment was willing to serve me as I speak Japanese, the girl I most wanted to see would not service me because I am western (even though I speak Japanese).

- Once when I lived in the western suburbs of Tokyo, the cops at my station had a proclivity to ask me for my foreigner card randomly and without provocation. They would just stop me and ask for it, and one time they even checked my bag. It happened about 4 times in the year and a half I lived there. A similar thing has never happened to me with cops at any other station.

>>1066821
>Resident of Tokyo
>I think you are lying that such a thing happens to you all the time
Cool thanks man

>>1065632
>>1065842
I'm not exactly sure how they feel about bandages, but if you want to go to a bath house and do have a small tattoo, you shouldn't take a risk and just cover it. The general rule is that it just isn't allowed and you won't find bathhouse that have a "Tattoos Allowed" sign or anything. I've read a blog story about a group of girls who went to an onsen, and when they were done and were about to leave, one of the elderly women who worked there (or owned the place), noticed she had a small 1.5 inch tattoo on her ankle and started scolding and pretty much shooing them out of the place.

Nothing's gonna happen outside of bathhouses, except if you have huge sleeve tattoos or something similar, in which case you might get some stares. In the most 'extreme' case an older Japanese person might be somewhat more rude towards you.

>>1065896
>>1065897
Pretty much this. And in most cases, you pay the same way you pay for your stuff in a grocery store, so you just hand them the money and you get change and a receipt.

>>1066284
You can go from place to place in Tokyo really quickly and cheaply, so don't worry too much about it. But if you really want to be right where the nightlife's at, then look for a place in or near Roppongi/Shibuya/Shinjuku. Got no recommendations, though, 'cause I spend my time in Tokyo in a hotel near Akiba.

>>1066804
From my experience there as a tourist, most Japanese people are pretty friendly and the younger they are, the more accepting they seem to be. Young adults think it's cool that peers from other countries are so interested in theirs. Older people might be less accepting, but that obviously isn't true in every case.

Wikipedia actually has a great page for Japanese etiquette https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etiquette_in_Japan

About the language, you'll have to choose to either spend a lot of time learning to speak it (and even more time learning to read it) or not. It's not absolutely necessary to get around at all when you're on vacation, but 2 years is a long time.

Hi everyone !
I'm doing an internship inTokyo, the office is in Idabashi. What would be a nice neighborhood that makes it easy to go to idabashi (either by train or bike) in reasonable time ? I'm looking for something a bit traditional if possible.
Thanks !

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>>1066657
>If things go wrong
Oh god like what? I hope they're not still mad about escuadron 201.

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I had been to Japan for about three years ago and I want to visit Japan again. This time I want to travel from Osaka to Tokyo in two weeks.

>Osaka > Kyoto > Nara? > Iga-Ueno > Nagoya > Yokohoma? > Tokyo

I'm planned to travel on April because Iga-Ueno will have the yearly Ninja Festival.

But my biggest concerns is deciding if I should overnight at Nara, Iga-Ueno, Nagoya and/or Yokohoma? The reason is because I will need to book rooms.

>>1066012
>toddler
You can do a day trip to Nara (nearby city) and visit the deer park. There's also the Kyoto International Manga Museum that's kid friendly.

>>1067025
Manga? For a 2 year old?

>>1067029
The museum is really interesting to visit, and has numerous displays of animated characters which children should find appealing. It's in the same vein as the Ghibli museum I mentioned earlier.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3946.html

Does anyone have experience with airbnb in Japan, specifically Tokyo? It seems really cheap and good.

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Any food you recommend going out of your way for? The mizu shingen mochi seems cool but it's kind of out of the way in Yamanashi

>>1067071
Stayed in a private apartment in Sugamo. I believe the host's name was Hiro, though I never met him. Would recommend. The ambient sound of the apartment was a gradeschool field next door and the street outside the apartment was constantly flooded with old people and small shops.

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>>1067025
>nara deer park

i was skeptical because we live innawoods and have wild deer around all the time, but then i saw this pic and holy shit!

>>1067097
how much was it/day? Considering something simple like this
https://www.airbnb.se/rooms/6635417
Want to keep it as cheap as possible because I want to keep my budget low, going there in summer so aside from location I guess AC is important

>>1067072
Miso Nikomi udon in Nagoya
Ise Ebi and Matsuzaka beeg in Mie
Motsu Nabe/ Hakata Ramen
Suppon and Namafu in Kyoto

you don't have to go to the ends of Japan to find good food.

Is there anything worth seeing or doing in Shiga?

>>1067130
Southern Shiga is basically a big commuter town for Kyoto. Pretty uninspiring unless you like pachinko and soaplands.

I went to Shirahige, which by train+foot is a pain to get to. Nice torii.

I doubt there's much worth seeing unless you're spending a while in Kansai though.

>>1067152
Yeah I figured as much, thanks anyways.

Also, a fun fact about Shiga: Apparently Otsu had the dubious record of the highest rates of train chikan in the country by some measure, which then attracted ass-grabbers from around the country in some bizarre, messed up display of domestic sex tourism.

How common is weed in Japan and what are the prices like? Also, would it be easy to get hold of any in Tokyo? Any tips?

>>1067178
I recommend abstaining. If you're caught with it, you're fucked.

>>1066797
Bump. Does anyone know any good places to visit or eat at in Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara?

>>1067178
You'll pay more than you paid for the most expensive weed you ever bought and it will be worse than the worst weed you ever bought.

Plus you're fucked as the previous guy said if you're caught. There are no drug levels in Japan.

>>1066871
I don't think they necessarily act rude towards you, more like try not to be anywhere near you so they don't blip on your radar. I'm an asian with bleached hair and the number of elderly people who chose to sit next to me on public transport is exactly 0. Pretty much every other seat in the car will fill before they venture over to my bench.

>>1066922
>Iidabashi is on the Tozai subway line, you can go all the way from nakano area in Tokyo to Chiba prefecture. Both options can be relatively cheap.

So I've done the meme thing and applied for a TEFL course. Is there any reason to not try for Japan? Is there any destination that's way cooler?

Any general advice from TEFL folks in Japan? Somewhere else?

Consider that, while decently traveled, I would not even jokingly refer to myself as Real Traveler TM. I've moved countries before, so that's not much of an issue, though English was a breeze to learn compared to Japanese.

English IS my second language, but I have an MA in a humanities subject from an English university.

>>1067025
>>1067099
way to knock it out of the park. i showed my wife that pic and she freaked. it's one of the things she's most excited about now. thanks.

>>1067230
just be careful. Those deer may look nice, but they can turn aggressive AF pretty quickly. When I was there, I saw one just attack an old guy with a walking cane who was just walking by. Had a bloody nose and everything. And when you get those deer cookies, make sure to only get out one at a time from your pocket, otherwise you'll have deer jumping all over you

>>1065317
>the main post has "info on prostitution"

Can't the average 4chin nerd get laid without paying for it? Pathetic.

>>1067233
that was mostly added because the threads were flooded with questions on how to fuck Japanese girls. They drastically decreased since the info on prostitution was added

>>1067232
>make sure to only get out one at a time from your pocket, otherwise you'll have deer jumping all over you
Yeah. I held a stack out like a fuckwit and ended up getting mugged by an alpha deer. Unsatisfied with half the deck, it started gnawing my thigh until it got the rest.

>>1067101
Yeah, I went during low season but that's a reasonable price for summer it seems. Check the reviews and make sure it's near a rail line and you'll be good.

I know this is probably a stupid question, but it's simple:

To people that have moved permanently to Japan,

Are you happy there? What is the worst thing in your day-to-day life that you did not expect before moving?

>>1067232
>>1067238
so like feeding the goats at a petting zoo, except they weigh a hundred pounds more. thanks for the heads up.

>>1067268
Not me but a friend has been in Nagoya for 4 years and she says a lot of little old ladies like to remind her on a regular basis she's not Japanese and never will be.

>>1067227

I was recently offered a teaching job in Japan but turned it down due to a number of reasons:

1) I would be living in Tokyo (pretty expensive) and will have to travel to different schools within the area.
2) The apartments in the area are very small and expensive, looking at over 82000 yen. Some people said you can get it cheaper, but i've looked at leopalace and sakura house and cannot find anything cheaper.
3) Would be teaching kids - quite a lot of teaching jobs in Japan is like that.

To be quite honest, I think a TEFL course will not help you. Try and do a CELTA (or equivalent). This is due to you being a non-native speaker, even though you have a really good level of English. Many employers want a native English speaker. Heck, I am a native English speaker but don't have a western name and I was finding it hard getting jobs.

Japan is a great country to go and teach; the pay is good and the country is great. You just have to hold out for that really good job offer or get a few years experience to be offered the better positions.

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Do you have to be Japanese to join Yakuza? Also ......how good are the drugs there and how often do people get caught?

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>>1067334
The Anglosphere is more accepting of drugs than almost anywhere else in the world. Even if drugs are accepted socially, they are much more likely to be heavily regulated legally.

Japan is notorious for treating all drugs as heroin.

>>1067227
If you have an MA you can teach at a university in Japan, and that is generally speaking a very nice job.

>>1067268
Been in Japan 8 years. There's nothing I really didn't expect. I like it here. Worst thing is now crowded it is.

>>1067321
This seems like a lie? The Japanese are not a blunt or overt people and generally do not address strangers unless out of necessity. What would even be the context for this? I don't know, I've been here the better part of a decade and this anecdote just doesn't ring true for me.

>>1067334
If you're a foreigner you have to be at least N3 level Japanese. Only N1 can become made men.

But in all seriousness, what's with all these people popping up recently who want to score drugs in Japan? Like what have you people heard.

>>1067362
>If you have an MA you can teach at a university in Japan, and that is generally speaking a very nice job.

Easier said than done. Most university jobs I've seen advertised are also asking for a high level of Japanese competence, previous university teaching experience, and published academic research. Plus (at least in my area) universities seem to be cutting down on full-time English teaching positions and outsourcing the work to local ESL schools. For teachers this means no financial incentive to teach at university (hourly salary for private lessons and university classes is the same, but university classes require prep time, giving and grading tests, etc., all of which are unpaid).

>>1067362
If you're the
>Resident of Tokyo of 8 years
try leaving the Kanto bubble before making pronouncements about all Japanese people.

So going to Japan for the second time soon. First time was just Tokyo. I just wanted to ensure my itinerary is good.

Tokyo: 7 Nights. Two of those are going to be day trips outside of the city. One to Nikko and one to Kamakura.

Kyoto: 4 Nights just outside Gion. This should be more then enough time I think to fully see Kyoto. Maybe too much?

Nara: One night at a Ryokan just for the experience

Osaka: 3 nights. Plan to go to Himeji for the castle by train from there leaving 2 actual days in Osaka which I think will be fine.

Anything I should change now or focus on? We are going primarily for history and culture but we are slightly interested in nature.

>>1067403
Spending 4 days in Kyoto isn't too much!
Kyoto has lots of place to see even for Japanese.
I also recommend you to try some hot spring in this season. Ex. Hakone, which is close to Tokyo.
If I were you, I'd go Kyushu reducing Tokyo days by 4.

>>1067406

I have been to Kyushu already. Although I only saw Nagasaki and Shimabara. If I wanted to I guess I could try Tokyo-Kyoto-Nagasaki/Fukuoda-Nara-Osaka. The flights are done already so I am arriving in Tokyo and leaving via Osaka. One of my friends going with me went with me to Nagasaki the first time so I don't think he really would want to hit it.

And when I say soon I mean late March soon.

>>1067412
It's good you've been there already.
If so, just look over Kyoto a bit more and you can enjoy your stay in Japan perfectly.
Hope you can enjoy Sakura.

>>1067402
You think in 8 years I have no extensive experience with the country outside of Kanto? Get real. Nagoya is a large cosmopolitan city in its own right.

Explain the context of this apparent gauntlet of old ladies telling your friend she'll never be Japanese and "don't you ever forget that."

Sorry, but I stand by my assertion that the anecdote just doesn't ring true for me. People in Nagoya aren't magically less Japanese than Tokyoites. Meaning, they are still polite, reserved, hate confrontation, emotionally distant from strangers, illusory, and keep most of their true feelings inside. The concepts of "honne" (true belief) and "tatamae" (front/facade/face) manifest in every society to come extent, but they are a special breed of potent in Japan.

Just explain the context, because I can't think of a feasible situation/circumstance where your friend would be routinely reminded by old ladies that she's not Japanese. It's absurd.

>>1067417
I'm the OP from that post not >>1067402
I've asked for some more context and it was only one bitter oba chan of a friend whose family she has dinner with often.

>>1067417
I dunno about this specific situation, but I can understand where their coming from. I'm cbc (Chinese born Canadian) and can pass off as Japanese by first glance and I speak basic rudimentary Japanese. And when natives ask where I'm from and I explain I'm Canadian (watashi wa Canada jin), their reaction is surprise and delight thinking I'm some long lost son doing a pilgrimage back home to the land of the rising sun. And than when I explain I'm Chinese (eto chuugoku), their reaction immediately changes to complete indifference towards me.

This is the regular reaction I get when traveling around Japan, so I can see where their coming from in being regularly reminded that I'm not Japanese.

What's this smell that appears in small pockets around tokyo? It's the same one in all of them and its terrible.

>>1067444
Sewerage probably.

>>1067406
I honestly feel if you go from early morning til the evening you can see everything of interest in Kyoto in a day if you try. 2 days max if you don't try. Its very small and if you have been to anywhere else in Japan you'll have seen a lot but better. Osaka is the much better place to be in Kansai

>>1067435
Japanese people have two belief systems about their language
If you're not Asian, its amazing you can even utter two words in Japanese because the language is so difficult. Most people can't even wrap their head around someone knowing a few kanji.

If you're Asian you're a fucking dumbass if you aren't fluent because you should just get it and you get nothing but frustration even from the smallest mistakes

What is the best way of exchanging my currency to yen? What places or methods will have less fees or give more favorable rate?

So how come people have a problem with tattoos on gaijins even though gaijins are obviously very unlikely to be yakuza?

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What's a good way to find people to travel with?

I'm not confident in traveling alone, and the few friends I have aren't interested in Japan or travel at all.

>>1067502
People in Japan follow rules. The rule is no tattoos in the onsen.

>>1067541
check couchsurfing, maybe reddit's Japan travel, meetups.com etc. You can still go there alone, but you'll be with people every day, especially if you stay with hostels

Alternatively, you could just do an organized group tour kind of thing

Going to japan this february for one month with my gf. Is this enough? Does anyone have a itinerary I could use?

Working holidays in Japan ? I studied japanese at uni before dropping out, I have good basics and would like to be a bit more fluent. I was thinking about a language café in Osaka, since I'm already fluent in two languages.

>>1067579
>平成28年
>dropped out of uni
Best of luck lad.

Any audio sources (preferably podcast like) for learning basic spoken Japanese? I'm only going to be there for 2 weeks, but I'm relatively good at picking up languages. I have no interest in weeb shit, so it would have to be for bar-smalltalk and the like.

>>1067718
Michel Thomas, Pimsleur in that order

>>1067575
Also, in what area should I stay in Tokio?

>>1067718
>I'm relatively good at picking up languages
It's not French, mate.

>>1067718
>bar-smalltalk and the like.

Lol, J-girls aren't going to be impressed by your "Anata wa kirei desu"

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>>1067545
Well, I'll most likely go for another guided tour again (already did one in October, it turned out awesome), but I'm still interested in alternatives.

My main problem is that I don't know how long I can keep myself motivated to follow my own itinerary and check out stuff instead of just loitering around.
How easy is it to find people to take along on a day trip or for visiting tourist spots together in a Hostel?

I also thought about checking out a local Japanese culture association, but the makeup seems kinda burgeois.

What should I stock up on in the cities before I head out to the inaka?

I'll be in Japan from August until Christmas on a WH visa. I'm not sure when exactly, though, which is why I haven't booked my flights yet. It it possible to reschedule an existing flight with airlines going to Japan from Germany without wasting too much money or even for free? I'm currently living in Singapore and it's never been a problem to reschedule a flight, sometimes it was even for free.

>>1067876
Real airlines or budget airlines? Budget airlines, you usually have to buy a 'flexibility' add-on when buying the ticket to be able to change dates at all (and you have to pay the difference if it's more, and pay a change fee)

I'd normally ask questions about the language in djt on /a/ but this is more of a meta question about it and most everyone in that general only uses the language for reading and the like, not actually speaking with japanese.

The questions more of how frequently do they use pronouns and whats rude and not rude. Like "君", " お前" and to a lesser extent あなた can be rude or assuming correct? When I'm referring to someone is it most polite to just assume they'll know I'm talking to them by the context? Also what about referring to yourself? If I use 俺 with someone who I'm not very well acquainted with is that rude of me?

>>1067887
I use 僕 with people in my same age group who I'm not familiar with, 俺 if I know them well already. Don't use 君 or お前. If you really don't know the person you might use あなた but usually when introducing yourself, you'll exchange names anyways and you should address them by it (e.g. blabla-さん). They'll usually let you know if you can drop the さん or not (when people refer to me with it at the end of my name, I just tell them it's fine to drop it because it sounds weird to me)

>>1067887
If the context is such that you're worried about being rude, the best thing to do is avoid second-person pronouns all together.

This is what two non-familiar men using second-person pronouns looks like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiywljDQFRs

>>1067892
what's the context of this?

>>1067895
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/21/japan-hate-speech-debate-abandoned-toru-hashimoto-makoto-sakurai

>>1067884

I mean real airlines that go long-distance from Europe to Japan. The ones where I had no problems with changing the dates were Singapore Airlines and Emirates, but that wasn't to Japan, so now sure how it is with other airlines (probably Lufthansa, ANA or JAL).

>>1067887
Adding some thoughts to this...

>If I use 俺 with someone who I'm not very well acquainted with is that rude of me?

It would range from rude (said to an older or higher status person whom you do not know well) to pretty off-puting (said to a peer whom you don't know well--especially if you said it to a female).

>>1067889
>Don't use 君 or お前

These are fine in certain narrow contexts. True, you can almost never use お前. 9 times out of 10 お前 is QUITE rude. It is acceptable to say only with close friends who are equal or lower age or status (generally other males). I would never use お前 outside of a *close male friend who is the same or lower age and/or status*. 君 is used sometimes by superiors to refer affectionately to subordinates. Or by older siblings to refer to younger siblings. It can be used by spouses too. For your purposes you'd probably find more situations to use お前 than 君. Don't worry about kimi.

But yeah, the easiest thing is to just avoid "you pronouns" altogether. あなた is the safest bet, but only when completely necessary. As the other guy said, just use names. Yes, you are right, it can be kind of rude when a name is better (most of the time).

Use 私 in formal interactions with strangers or others in a more formal and/or public context. As a man, if you use 私 in any kind of private, casual context you will sound feminine. For example, I would use 私 speaking to a bank teller.

僕 is safe to use in most casual, familiar contexts. It is soft and humble. I use 僕 with peers who are acquaintances, some female friends, and even with male friends if I'm trying to convey a particular feeling or mood. 僕 is a flexible and safe pronoun and you should focus on it for casual contexts. You run the risk of sounding wussy to certain people in certain contexts, but generally it's safe.

>>1067979
>>1067979
>>1067979
continued...

俺. Only use 俺 with those very close. It should be the pronoun of choice with close male friends. I have found when it comes to females they usually have a preference. Some prefer 俺 some prefer 僕. It also depends on context and what kind of mood/point you're trying to convey. I would say 僕 is favorable outside close male friends who are generally your age and status.

Especially If your Japanese isn't very good, limit your use of 俺. Particularly in someone who isn't fluent, 俺 can just sound really offputing even if the addressee is close.

>>1067203
why are japs so freaked out about that kind of thing? I know that traditionally only the criminals have tattoos but would people in more touristy areas not realise that lots of westerners who aren't criminal have tattoos? You'd think they'd engage their critical thinking and realise that it's really common for white people to cover themselves in tacky body art.

>>1068192
Japan is quite different from the rest of the world, with a homogeneous population and conformist society. So anything that doesn't fit within their rigorous standards of socially acceptable is considered taboo. This ranges from eating, drinking and smoking in public outside of designated areas, to multicoloured hair, unkempt clothing, tattoos, etc.

I understand where you're coming from, and it's fine to disagree with this viewpoint. Just don't take it personally. Frankly it is what it is.

>>1068192
They probably think those westerners have highly questionable judgement.

And they'd be right.

Are shrines always really fucking busy in Tokyo or just now because of the long weekend? I just wandered into meiji shrine yesterday and visited Asakusa today and they were both absolutely packed.

>>1068317
It's the New Year's holiday.

>>1068317
Shrines are only ever busy on New Years and the days around New Years

>>1068336
Not really? Meiji is a pretty major shrine and most major shrines are busy with foreign and domestic tourists on weekends.

>>1068192
Yet another salty-ass tattoofag who is butthurt about the tattoo rule.

>would people in more touristy areas not realise that lots of westerners who aren't criminal have tattoos?

They do. They're aware westerners with tattoos are not gangsters. Clearly they are. But rules are rules, and the rule is enforced uniformly. There is nothing wrong with that. They cannot be sure about the Japanese people with them, and they're not about to say "foreigners with tattoos are okay, Japanese are not" It's just easier to enforce the rule uniformly.

Also, can we please stop saying "Jap." It's not acceptable. It's a wartime slur that was used by combating soldiers. I'm baffled at the number of people who casually still say "Jap" like it's okay. Pull your head out of your ass, please.

>>1068199
>Japan is quite different from the rest of the world
M8, it's not like Japan is some magical whacko place that's different from the whole wide "rest of the world." ALL countries have their own cultural norms and societal rules and conventions.

>>1068336
Clearly you've never been to Sensoji. Or Kinkakuji. Or Kiyomizu... or...

>>1068362
>Also, can we please stop saying "Jap."
Where do you think we are?

>>1068369
Not /pol/ or /b/ or /int/ that's for sure. I think /trv/ is a pretty "normal" board.

>>1068362
Fuck off

>>1068362
>Clearly you've never been to Sensoji. Or Kinkakuji. Or Kiyomizu... or...
RealShrines™ and RealTemples™ don't charge entrance fees.

>>1068362
>M8, it's not like Japan is some magical whacko place that's different from the whole wide "rest of the world." ALL countries have their own cultural norms and societal rules and conventions.
How about 'it strays further from the global Western monoculture than pretty much any other developed country'? What I suspect the quoted poster was getting at.

>>1068382
Wonderful, intelligent comment.

>>1068382
Is that a fact?
Regardless of what you consider a "real" temple or shrine, the fact remains that those places are all religious sites with real priests and other religious staff working at them. At the very least any fees serve as insurance against any liabilities with so many people tromping around.

>>1068388
Whoops, sorry, my first comment was supposed to be directed at this guy.

>>1068381
>>1068381

Not,

>>1068382

>>1068362
>Also, can we please stop saying "Jap." It's not acceptable.

not sure if mega weeb or just new to 4chan but come on m8

>>1067482
I don't know exactly how many options there are, but I know you could either exchange your money at your bank beforehand, exchange it at the airport or withdraw money in Japan at an ATM in a konbini. The worst option is probably exchanging it at the airport, because they're just trying to get some money out of travelers who thinkt they'll need a good amount of cash right after arriving.

>>1068404
This board is for people who enjoy travel, and as such show at least a modicum of respect for other people and cultures. It is not for basement dwelling troglodytes who spew slurs. /pol/ exists as a containment board for a reason.

>>1068404
Not all of 4chan is /pol/ and /b/. Don't blanket all boards of 4chan as one thing.

>>1068464
>>1068468
christ guys, get a grip. Not everyone saying "faggot" or "jap" suddenly belongs on /pol/ or /b/. As much as this is /trv/, it's not a completely PC zone. Getting triggered over somebody saying "Jap" or "Amerifat" or "Yuropoor" is ridiculous

>>1068468
Getting pissy about language hasn't ever been a thing on any 4chan board, not just the shitposty/racist ones. You stick out like a Redditor when you moralise like that.

>>1068464
I don't see why saying Jap is offensive.. It's like saying Brit or Paki it's just a shortened version. Sure I'd understand getting pissy about chink or nigger but jap? Seriously?

>>1068471
I understand where you're coming from but you have to draw the line somewhere, /int/ failed to do that and the board is irredeemable shit now.

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>>1068475
Not the same guy, but "Jap" is a slur from the war. It has a negative connotation. Context matters. "Jap" has a derisive context. Pic related is the context.

"Paki" is pretty impolite and offensive as well. Lol, go ahead and call a Pakistani a "Paki" and see how they like it.

Britons refer to themselves "Brits" Pakistanis and Japanese do not call themselves Pakis and Japs. So no, it's not like saying Brit.

I'm not getting my panties in a bunch like the other dude. This is a Burmese Play-Doh sculpture website where it's acceptable to drop "faggot." So people shouldn't be so sensitive. I'm just saying, if you don't know that "Jap" is a crude slur you're pretty damn dense and need to learn some history bro. Don't use that word outside of here.

>>1068478
Thank you for maintaining posting excellence in /trv/ with this high-quality derailment.

>>1068485
I see. Sorry this is not well known in Asia.

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are these any urban or rural places in Japan where people aren't extremely xenophobis and mean towards foreigners?

I think I read some rural town's population consists mostly of english/spanish speaking people and brazilians but I forgot the name

I'm thinking of bringing my inline skates to Tokyo. Does anyone have any exprience with that? Is it a hassle to get them on the plane? Are there good spots to skate on?

>>1068317
The famous tourist spots are - especially if admission is free.
Just wait until you get to Kyoto...

Visit a lesser-known shrine, and you'll be pretty much on your own.

>>1068504
>are these any urban or rural places in Japan where people aren't extremely xenophobis and mean towards foreigners?

Not really sure what you've heard but whatever you heard is overblown.

Japanese people are not "mean" and treat visitors with kindness and respect. So long as you act appropriately you will have no problems.

>>1068609
>So long as you memorise and unfailingly apply the insurmountably complex system of rules governing Japanese social conduct you will have no problems

>>1068618
Dude. Stop. You're embarrassing yourself.

>>1066012
It's too bad he's not old enough to enjoy the carpentry musuem in the osaka/Kyoto area. He'd have to be at least 6 to really enjoy playing around with sharp chisels and saws to cut wood and make things.

>>1068618
Fuck off

>>1068317
It was the coming of age holiday.

>>1068618
Generally speaking foreigners are given a pass. They are not expected to know all the rules. Being a normal level of respectful and polite is fine. Same as you'd be anywhere.

Japanese people love Japan and they are pretty patriotic. Not as flag wavy patriotic as Koreans but pretty patriotic. As such, they want foreigners who come to Japan to have a good impression of Japan and its people. Most people, especially anyone under 50, will be welcoming of visitors in Japan and will treat you with a base level of kindness, respect and patience. Of course there exists an element of deep mistrust and fear of foreigners in the population, but generally speaking this is mainly directed at Chinese and Koreans, and in any event would be kept inside.

The very complex system of rules governing social conduct that you have alluded to basically means that you will have no problems in Japan as a foreigner. The concept of "tatemae" basically assures this.

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I have an open case. Would this be an impediment if I were to try to visit Japan?

I tried going to Canada and was turned away at the border, but my friend went to Spain and was let in.

I really dont want to waste over 1k for tickets just to be told I cant enter.
Does anyone know where I can find more info or whether they have had similar experiences?

FYI its a misdemeanor and not a felony.

>>1068672
Don't commit crimes

>>1068673
You didnt answer my question.

Do not talk in a loud voice in a subway if you want to come to Japan

So I get that I need to get a Suica card if I only plan to travel within central tokyo, but what do I need to get to and from Narita Airport and where can I get the Suica card? Is it possible to get it on place on the airport? And do they have pocket wi-fi's you can rent there too?

>>1068867
You don't really need a Suica card for travel around Tokyo, it's just more convenient. You can pay for each individual ticket using yen.

>>1068867
www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/e-ticket/en/ticket/91/

You can get a Suica or Pasmo on all the ticket vending machines. When you go downstairs after picking up you luggage, you'll run straight into the Keisei counter and next to it are ticket machines. It's child's play.

>>1068870
This. Much easier to just drop 3000-4000 yens on the Suica and swipe it at the turnstyle than stand at the ticket kiosk and figure out how much you need for your next stop.

>>1068873
And faster, too. The ticket machines can be quite crowded.

>>1068867
you can use a Suica to get from Narita to Tokyo

>>1068627
>It's too bad he's not old enough to enjoy...
yeah, it's going to be a challenge with the little guy, but fortunately we're going with my folks and my brothers and their wives, so we'll have plenty of support, we're all pretty experienced travelers, and he's used to being dragged all over crazy places (wife and i are rock climbers).

>>1068870
>>1068901
>>1068885
>>1068873
>>1068872
>>1068870
Thanks for the answers, anons!
Just booked my trip for April. Can't wait!

Anyone still up for meetups? I'll be in Tokyo in March and April

>>1068905
Days?

I'm there mid-April

A first time visitor

It is better to get a JR pass if I'm only going for 10 days, or just induvidual tickets?

>>1069140
going where?

>>1069140
Read the OP

Hi /trv
I am going snowboarding in Niseko for 2 weeks leaving next friday. Just about booked an AirBnb in a pretty cool lodge but the host is saying ill need a 4wd car.
How are the roads and driving in Japan?
Im from Scotland so used to driving on left
Also having a bit of bother with car rental companies as they cant really guarantee a 4wd. Is it best to just book a bigger suv style car?

>>1068672
I have a theft by unlawful taking charge on my record from 2010.
Didn't stop me from getting in for my ten-day trip on 2013, my thirty-day trip in 2014, or my 1-year trip now.

>>1069140
I'm getting a 7 day to cover all the stops we're taking between Hiroshima and Tokyo. The pass will be up when we get to Tokyo and we'll get a Suica to cover the Tokyo trains which is chump change.

>>1068870
Dumb dumb dumb advice. Tickets are not only slower, but you have to keep up with them, you have to wait in line to get them, AND they cost more than using your Pasmo.

You should never use paper tickets unless you're riding the shinkansen, and even then if you're visitng more than 2 places you should have the JR pass

Would a gaijin house be the best option for affordable accommodation for a 6 month tourist visa stay?

>>1069400
If you're just staying in one city yes. I did it for a one month stay last year in Tokyo with Sakura house

>>1069288
Saving cents on the dollar, dude. You're being autistic.

Expressway tolls are another story. You pay double without an ETC.

>>1069403
I'm planning to visit quite a few cities but I'll be based in either Kyoto or Osaka most of the time.

How was your experience at the gaijin house?

>>1069123
24 April to 4 May. During Golden Week.
It's also my first time.

>>1069288
It wasn't advice, it was just a matter of fact. Definitely buy a Suica card if you'll be in Tokyo for a while.

In Tokyo till Monday. Been enjoying the sights and sounds and meeting friends.

I want to see a maid cafe with an interesting gimmick and go to a wacky-themed love hotel before I leave, but I can't find good information online, just bullshit listicles about places already closed with no names or details. Walking around Akihabara I saw a few maids in interesting outfits but I'd prefer some kind of online listing. I've also heard love hotels are pretty nondescript so I'd like to know where I'm going instead of walking the streets.

Any tips?

>>1069445
There's love hotel hill but I don't remember the district probably Kabukicho.

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I will be in Japan from March 31st to April 14th.

I will have a 7 day rail pass for a middle trip to Osaka. (Make sense, and even if I had the 14 day pass it would expire on the 13th)

My problem is how to best handle to trip to and from Narita and Tokyo. The round trip ticket is 14 days. I cant figure out if it would last until our return on the 14th.

Two one ways?

>>1069410
There the week before

Smdh senpai

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hi guys first time posting on /trv/ :3

I'm from Canada. Is there a time of year that flights to Japan are cheaper? Also what length of time are you allowed to stay as a tourist?

>>1069533
google
Kayak

>>1069445
>wacky-themed love hotel

I don't really ever see those here desu. Yeah, most of the love hotels are just nondescript like you said.

Got a one week trip in Nagano coming up soon. Planning on snowboarding and seeing monkeys. Any other recommended things to do there?

Also, is Okinawa worth visiting in winter?

>>1069548
Thought you were trolling, was actually really helpful thanks.

>>1069404
Can you give me one reason why you should pay more money for less convenience ever no matter the amount?

hello /trv/, I may not come here often but I want some advice, since now I'm a college dropout I wanted to finally fulfill my dream of travelling to japan for maybe 1 month or 2, so I've got a few questions

1. how do japanese people treat foreigners from countries that are not in the anglosphere? Argentinian here

2. I've already been taking japanese courses and trying to use memrize to at least figure out the basics of how to ask for directions, food, train stations, and both hiragana and katakana alphabets, is 1 year enough time for being a little fluent in japanese? already know a couple languages but I don't think it may influence it

3. is it possible to only use trains as public transportation to go around the country? I heard about that JR pass thing and it looks really useful.

4. what are the best places to visit from december to february?

thanks in advance

>>1069551
That's so sad. It sounds like they were popular in the past, at least.

Is there nowhere to even start looking? I mean, I'm familiar with Google dot com but there's not a lot of actual price/location/availability information to be found amongst kotaku articles about Crazy Japan.

>>1068504
Nobody is mean to you for being a foreigner unless you are acting like an obnoxious faggots.

>>1069580
http://www.nippon.com/en/views/b02702/

There's no market for wacky love hotels in CURRENT YEAR. You may as well go looking for the used panty vending machine.

>>1069588
>You may as well go looking for the used panty vending machine.
Those exist, they just exist only in adult video shops and they're not actually used. They never existed out on the street at any time either.

>>1069575
1. I went with a Mexican friend and the two of us were treated equally well so far as I can tell. 2. You'll be fine. 3. Yeah for the most part. JR pass works a maximum of 3 weeks though. If you're going for two months then you might want to set base for a week or two, travel all around with the pass for 3, then use the last day of the pass to go back to your final destination for a while. 4. I've never been myself but I hear good things about the Sapporo Snow Festival.

>>1068485
who's getting offended? are you japanese?

Hey /trv/,

I just got back from a 3 week trip around Japan with friends last month and I'm already having major withdrawals. I realise it's not quite like one of my Japanese animes (pretty close though from what I saw and experienced) but I'm already considering living there or at least staying for several months.

I'm almost in my last year of my bachelor's degree and was hoping to do student exchange over there some time this year. I've just learned that this is not an option, and neither is next year and I'm wondering what my options are.

How can somebody with little money and little proficiency in Japanese (I'm getting lessons and studying privately, I'll get good soon I promise) realistically spend an extended amount of time over there? I understand that I'd find it difficult getting a job unless I at least spoke and read a bit more Japanese, and if studying with a scholarship isn't an option, what is? I'm willing to do just about anything at this point and I'm willing to take the year off study to do this. I just don't really have a plan beyond saving up and holidaying for as long and cheap as I can over there at the end of the year. Anyone been in a similar situation or have any tips or suggestions?

Thanks anon bros

So what exactly is the process to purchase a JR pass?

1.?
2.?
.....

>>1069575
Hey anon. I recently went for about a month with 3 months of Japanese lessons behind me and I did fine. Just study a bit more on your own if you need to (I found Japanesepod101.com to be quite helpful, sorry for shilling). You'll find most people seem to speak at least a little English and you can usually get by in conversations that are 50/50 English/Japanese.

Yes, for the most part you can get anywhere via public transport. Can be a little tricky to get used to and figuring out the buses got me in a bit of trouble but read up on the transport system over there and you'll be fine. Can't say how many rural areas you could get to though but any major destination you can get to. I didn't get a JR Pass because I did the math and it was cheaper not to, depending how much you plan on moving around, it might be cheaper to just buy individual tickets. Use hyperdia to tell you current fares for different journeys.

Best places are definitely subjective. As far as cities went, my favourite was Osaka. Just friendly people and a good atmosphere everywhere. Anywhere with snow will be good this time of year, the Sapporo festival thingy does sound good. But legitimately everywhere I went was well worth visiting in my one month's travels, I'd say just find places you like the look of and go there. If you're staying in hostels and the like, ask other people where they've been going and where they'd recommend.

>>1069622
>As far as cities went, my favourite was Osaka.

Why is everyone on 4chan an Osakaboo? I've noticed this.

>>1069620
Sounds like you should just do WWOOF

>>1069620
>>1069630
Three-month stints at beach/ski resorts are an option if you're not American.

>>1069622
>a good atmosphere everywhere
Really? It just seems dank to me.

Everyone's wearing their skimpiest tatemae though, so the city has a good vibe for people who value sincerity.

>>1069620
Once you complete your degree, you technically qualify to become an English teacher in Japan through programs such as JET. This is probably your best bet imho.

>>1068504
In general I would say 90% of my interactions with Japanese locals have been quite positive. I've never had an outright mean experience with any Japanese I've met during my travels. The only negative experience I've encountered is just complete indifference towards me after finding out I'm of Chinese descent.

>>1069533
Fellow Canadian here. You're allowed to stay for about 3months (90days) in Japan with just a regular visa. In terms of cheap travel, your best bet is during the fall and winter (excluding New Year's). Prices range from about $800-1100 CAD for round trip tickets.

What is the best place for wwoofing in japan this spring?

>>1069409
sorry for the late reply

was relatively pleasant I would say. When I arrived I had to go to their office, fill out a shit ton of paperwork (nothing too complicated though) and afterwards they gave me the key and a description of how I could get to the house. Paid the money upfront in the office, though I'm sure that if you stay 6 months that would buy different. When I arrived I searched for my room and from there on it was pretty much just like living in a shared apartment. They may ask you to check that everything on the list they gave you is actually inside the room, otherwise they'll charge you for it even if you didn't steal/break it. Would definitely recommend if you're staying for a month or longer

>>1069714
This. Japan is racist to everyone that isn't Japanese but it's rarely in an intentionally mean way. Depending on how "exotic" you look people might come right up to you and touch your hair and ask you a ton of questions or try to get free English practice. You might feel uncomfortable but never unsafe unless people are calling you into clubs in Kabukicho.

>>1069801
and even this is a very long stretch of term of the word "racism"

However if you try to get an apartment, marry a girl with conservative parents, or fuck a picky hooker, then you'll probably run into actual racism.

>>1069801
>Depending on how "exotic" you look people might come right up to you and touch your hair and ask you a ton of questions or try to get free English practice.

Dude. What the fuck. No they won't. Touch your hair?? Why would you lie this hard?

Seriously, anyone who truly doesn't know a lot about Japan and might be coming here to get information because they're visiting, don't listen to this bullshit.

I don't know what compels people to just spray verbal diarrhea.

Japanese people very much keep to themselves and generally do not bother interacting with strangers unless absolutely necessary. What's more, they are thinking adults, and not fucking *children*.

So, no, no one is going to run up to you and grab at your scalp. No one is going to grill you, nor ask you for English lessons. This pure rubbish. Absolute nonsense.

>>1069628
Perhaps it's the hipster nature of 4chan. Not that I disagree with it, I love Osaka too.

>>1069876
I was there for only a few weeks and about once a day I had somebody say something about my height and had a few old ladies come up and compare their height with mine a few times (I'm 6'4"). "Sugoiiii, okiii gaiijin!"

>>1069801
The only blatanty racist thing I've experienced over there was a drunk old guy stumbling around Osaka who yelled at me really angrily for being white. Can't quite remember what he was saying, something about 'America' (I'm Australian) and 'shame'.

Everyone else will occasionally comment on your foreignness (mostly if they're drunk) but it isn't a huge issue

>>1069410

Different anon here but I'll be in Tokyo during golden week! Should be good fun, I've heard that it's actually not a bad time to be in the city.

>>1069876
I agree that he exaggerated on all fronts, but it's not really THAT baseless. I was only out in the countryside for 2 weeks and I had a kid ask to touch my hair actually. (i said sure, he said waaa sugoi, and we kept it moving) I don't understand how shit like that can bother the same people that dream about fucking a japanese girl just because she wants to fuck a gaijin.

People of course ask the standard gamut of foreigner questions if neither of you really look like you're in a hurry and if they're any good at English and they think you speak it, they're going to use it. Why the fuck wouldn't they?

>>1069876
I dunno about the hair touching thing? But I have seen a group of young school girls in Kyoto approach a young Australian couple asking in broken English if they could take a photo?

Also the free English lesson thing is legit. I've had it happen to me before unfortunately.

>>1069936
>>1069876
>>1069910
If you're a black woman you will get asked about hair touching plenty. If you're a black man you might get the hair touching but more likely kids will ask if you have a "biigu diiku"

>>1069910
>countryside
>kid

Well there you go. You think adults would do the same shit. No.

>>1069897
Awesome then, I was a bit nervous about it going to be crowded. Which I still expect it to be since it's Tokyo, but still. It's going to be fun.

>>1069940
If you're black you'll get people asking to touch your hair in America. Shit is fucking annoying

>>1069897
>not a bad time
>everyone is off school/work/everything

Its literally the worst time for tourists who want to sightsee and travel around the island

>>1069940
I'm a dude actually. Was never asked about my dick at an inappropriate time. Though I wouldn't have been surprised if it happened eventually.

>>1069949
I don't think that. My post was literally "I don't think that, but acting like the things he's saying are otherworldly fairy tales is also wrong." I do agree with your overall sentiment that the more normal people expect Japan to be, the better though.

Another good example is despite my decently athletic build only one (1) person ever asked me if I played basketball. When they did I had an "aha! there it is! the stereotypes!" thought. After I talked to this person a little longer though I realized she just really fucking liked playing basketball. If I hadn't wasted time reading posts from bitter expats whining about whatever they can find "wrong" with a country they live in out of spite, I probably would have never even thought about it being a stereotype or whatever & that low key pissed me off. That's why I think we're relatively on the same page.

>>1069969
This is also true. Which is why Japanese people (who actually don't see us every goddamn day) asking about it isn't a big deal.

>>1070006
>If you're black you'll get people asking to touch your hair in America. Shit is fucking annoying

Yes. I'm aware this is a thing. But Americans are different in character than Japanese. They are more outgoing and brash and casual. It makes sense that some Americans might do such a thing. Not really for a Japanese, unless maybe it's a child.

>>1069971

But we're not talking about travelling around the island are we? We're talking about being in Tokyo for golden week. I don't know about the other bloke but I won't be making any long distance public transport journeys or visiting any tourist spots (eg Kyoto) which will be rammed.

>>1070007
It's actually only happened with people who know me well enough to know I won't flip out and act like I'm getting Selma flashbacks because they're curious about my hair.

Either way my point is shit like that doesn't matter in Japan. Dragging your racial injustice baggage (or deciding to create it because you *finally* can) into the country is fucking stupid and will net no positive results.

What are the nicest places in the Japanese countryside to visit?

Going to Kyoto this weekend, any must see spots?

How long in advance should I book my flight and is it possible to change the date by a couple of days later (with non.budget airlines)?

>>1070012
Tokyo is at its busiest during golden week

Tokyo is where everyone is traveling to

>>1069560
It is usually rainy and is too cold to go swimming. If you don't mind that it is pretty cheap since it is off season.

>>1070046

What even those who live and work in Tokyo?

>>1069962
The more crowded it is the more fun it is.

>>1070108
This is only true of clubs and bars and even then only to a point

Crowded subways and streets are not fun at all and you obviously have no experience with Tokyo size crowds

>>1070013
You seem like the type that lets your white friends call you nigger as a "joke"

>>1070276
I walked across to Harajuku from Meiji shrine last week or whenever the coming of age holiday was. Around omote-sando people traffic slowed to a crawl with people almost climbing over each other as if it were a giant mosh pit but I still had a lot of fun.
I can agree that the subway wouldn't be enjoyable like that though.

>>1070277
I do not. Best of luck adding a 3rd subcategory under mos def and ben carson in your black people organizer tho.

>>1070322
Man, this shit's getting way too complicated.

do I need to do any kind of visa before going? American, I'm going next month

>>1070439
http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/travel_and_visa/visa/short-term-visit-us.html

How is it that people can find 4chan but they can't find Google?

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Any advice on reasonably priced travel from Hong Kong to Japan an then back to the UK?

I'm a student traveling to see some buddies in HK in summer and have gotten a fair amount of money from an internship (~£9-10,000 saved by June hopefully). If possible I'd like to also go to Beijing, and I know they aren't exactly close but I would love to also go to Japan, particularly Tokyo. Though money isn't a dire issue for me right now, I still want to be smart with my cash in terms of travel and accommodation.

>>1070470
take a plane

>>1070470
90% of your expense will be on the flights

what do for 2 weeks alone in Japan (early may)?

I don't want to be lonely

I can also go to Okinawa, but Mainland seems more interesting

Does anyone have any experience with WWOOF in Japan?

I'll spend a couple of months in Osaka and I'd also like to improve my awful Japanese while I'm there. Do you think the Kansai accent makes it harder to communicate and improve or would they switch to standard Japanese anyway?

Heyo. In the not too distant future I'll be heading to the Philippines for a business trip, and thankfully my company is letting me piggy back a week's vacation in Japan once I'm done. The job sucks, but my managers are some wonderful folks.

Does anyone have recommendations for a decent, cheap hotel in Tokyo? Some initial research showing that the Shinjuku Park Hyatt is 400+ a night so more than one night there just isn't going to work. (Hell, even one night is too damn expensive.)

Since I'm only there for a week I won't be heading out of Tokyo, sadly, so would I be able to get by with just a Suica?

Any recommendations for places to visit in the city? Something like a hole in the wall type of place, or a decent gaijin joint to briefly refresh myself post-Philippines. I'm an arcade junkie too so a good arcade would be welcome as well.

Thanks!

What's with all the seedy tittt bars in Ueno?
Was just walking through that market area today and went to go to the park with all the musems and found myself in a series of three or four alleys of South East Asian strip clubs and what I assume were whore houses.

>>1070763
>What's with all the seedy tittt bars in Ueno?

That back alley area has been a red light district for a very long time already -- at least 35 years.

>>1070514
I'd recommend Tokyo-Osaka/Kyoto maybe with Nara and a side trip in Tokyo. Also beware that it might be golden week at the time you're going so make your reservations early if you don't want to sleep in a McDonalds or on a bench
>>1070702
you might pick up some typical Kansai speech patterns but if your goal is to improve it shouldn't matter where you immerse yourself

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Woke up to a surprise, people kept telling me it doesn't ever snow in the city.

The snow is pretty thick, couple of inches high. My friend in saitama experienced the same.

>>1071043
Tokyo gets a snow like this like once a winter. It generally melts the same day or next.

Help. What do I do with these hundreds of ten and single yen coins I seem to acquire at every step?

>>1071071
you pay for higher priced items and give some thing like 1,000.67 so you can get back change in 100 yen coins or larger.

Coin management is key in japan otherwise you are fucked

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>>1071043
right now it is miserable

>>1071086
Kek, being from Wisconsin this is laughable. It's a dusting.

>>1070036
Depends on what your interest is. I liked going to Kyoto's Eigamura... but then I was a big fan of cheesy japanese samurai dramas as a kid.

http://www.toei-eigamura.com/en/

If you ever have the opportunity go and watch the movie 'Uzumasa Limelight'.

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>>1071086
the world is gonna end on TV

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>>1071093

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>>1071094

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>>1071096

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>>1071097

>>1071089
Ill have to check that out when i decide to go again in a few months

>>1071071
Toss the singles pretty worthless imo, but i live here so maybe it makes a difference

>>1069621
I'll try to answer, since nobody seemed to have replied yet and in case you're still wondering.

If I remember correctly you first have to order one online. There are several websites to do this. You choose the duration of your pass (either 7, 14 or 21 days, I believe). Then you select the from-between dates you want your pass to be active. Then you fill in your personal info and order it.

After a few days it'll arrive at your house. At this point you don't have to do anything except for not losing it. When it's time to go on vacation, make absolutely sure you bring it with you.

When you're in Japan, you'll have to look for a JR office (bright green banner with JR on it), which can be found at the airports and main train stations. There will most likely be other people, so you'll have to get in line and, when it's your turn, fill out some papers and put your autograph on it. Then they'll print you an activated JR Pass, which you can use from the starting date you chose when you ordered it online.

I'm planning a trip at the end of March 2017 to Tokyo/Kyoto. Are there any fun weeb activities to do besides going to a maid cafe or an arcade? I'm not really interested in buying overpriced merch or in going to J-World.

New bread >>1071418

>>1066764
And there goes my laugh for the day, thanks.