Japan General

Reposting, as I was 5 minutes late for the last thread...

I'm planning a trip to Japan for August 2017.

My plan is to fly from Fankfurt to Tokyo stay there for 5 or 6 days, continue to Hiroshima, visit Kure from there and do some general sighseeing, continue to Nagasaki with a visit to Sasebo. From there on I'd take a flight to Okinawa and finally back to FRA.

I intend to do this in 3 weeks, however I have a few questions.

Is 4 locations too much for 3 weeks? If so, should I skip Tokyo or Okinawa and save it for another visit? Hiroshima and Nagasaki are both a must-see.

How much of a hassle is it to transfer from HND to NRT? The flighs I have planned now has a transfer time of 12 hours, which I guess should be fine. There aren't any connecting flights with less time and more would mean a single night in a hotel which I think is annoying.

Are there no direct flights between HIJ and NGS? It seems kinda pointless to go right back to HND just to turn around south.

>>1172815
If I'm just going to stay in Japan for 10 days, would it be worth going to Okinawa for two days? I'd love to visit Okinawa but I'm afraid of losing too much time on it when I could be visiting Osaka/Kyoto instead. It would be my first time in Japan and probably my last one for a big while.

In the Tokyo area:
Akihabara, of course, is the electronic district in Tokyo. You can spend all day just walking around there and looking.
The Meiji-jingu temple near Harajuku is a really nice temple and Harajuku itself is an interesting place to walk around (especially on "cosplay" Sunday)
Ueno has a nice park and zoo and also a lot of museums.
You can visit the Emporer's palace a few blocks from the Tokyo station, but they wont let you in the gates except 2 days a year, in December and January. It has a nice park, though and you can see some of the buildings over the wall a bit.
Tokyo Tower near Akabanebashi station is cool as well as the Zoujoji temple near it.
The Kiyosumi garden was a nice place to visit near the Kiyosumishirakawa station.
Shibuya for lots of shopping for clothes (in asian sizes), but expensive.
Roppongi for the night life. It is foreigner central, plan to stay out all night if you go there and don't bring any credit cards. The clubs and bars like to rip you off if you do.

Outside the Tokyo area:
About a 30 min train ride south is Yokohama. There, visit Sakuragicho (Cosmo World) and the Landmark Tower.
About a 45 min train ride south on the Yokosuka JR line is the really old capitol of Japan, Kamakura. There is a large temple district as well as the largest sitting Buddha in Japan.
If you want to travel a couple hours west, you can go to Odawara and see the beautiful Odawara castle.
About a 45 min train ride northwest of Odawara is Hakone where there are some great Onsens (Hot Springs) and gardens.
Another 30 min bus ride (or a series of trains and a gondalier) north of Hakone is Owakudane where the sulfer springs are at boiling temperature and is a sight to see. They will even boil some eggs for you to eat in the springs.

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Reposting once per thread:
Tokyo meetup in December!

Dec 28th dinner/drinking, get to know each other
Dec 29th we split in two groups:
- Comiket/Akiba/Mogra (the weeb group)
- Tokyo trip (tbd) (the real traveller group)

Drop me a line to stay in touch
Kensamameetup (at) gmail.com

Dropping this hunk of autism again.
I know how much you get this, so I'll condense it.
22 years old, NEET for a few months, putting off getting a job because I hate not being completely prepared in every way and don't ever forgive my own mistakes, and thinking of going to Japan alone with my savings as shock therapy.
I've been to Japan before with no broken Animeland fantasies, speak conversational Japanese that's nevertheless too rough (mainly learned from a lot of variety and comedy TV), take respect and research very (too) seriously, and the one thing I hate the most is failing in public.
I know there are plenty of people here who've been in the same position as me, so I just wanted to ask if there was anything fundamentally off with my plan. I was thinking of two weeks in Tokyo, because I've been there before and just plain like the city (and I want to keep the amount of bother I cause to a minimum, with as few hotels and trains as possible).
I'm willing to compromise on places to go and see if it reduces the potential amount of bother or interference it causes - I have no interest in gaijin-smashing my way in if I don't have interest and serious knowledge on the topic.
I have spergy hobbies which must go unmentioned and might try to head for Fukuoka or Nagoya for those, but still like Tokyo.
The main thing I'm nervous about is if I'd be able to find something to do during the stay, or if I'd just end up shopping all the time (considering a total budget of up to 6000 USD).
Who am I kidding - if anything, I want some success stories from worse spergs than me, because I really do want to go and really do want to learn how to be better at dealing with people (without just being a tactless gaijin smasher). What I want to hear and what I'm going to hear will probably differ, of course.
It's just a lot of money and a lot of time, and I want to retard-check the plan first.

>>1172862
And to the guy who asked before - a gaijin smasher is a foreign tourist in Japan who uses their being foreign and Japanese face culture to get away with rudeness, aggression and even breaking the law.
I'm sure that the many people here who travel exclusively wearing sunglasses, baseball caps, white wifebeaters, cargo shorts and sandals with socks (the quintessential outfit of the quintessential American gaijin smasher in his late twenties) will enlighten you with stories on how they exploited politeness, face culture and a more than mildly strained relation to foreign countries to cheat, steal and muscle their way across Japan.
Gaining something that a Japanese person would not be able to gain for the same price and under the same conditions - whether it's access, a good, a service or whatever - solely because one is foreign is gaijin smashing.
If you can't speak Japanese but instead keep on acting angry in English until you're given service or let in, you're gaijin smashing.
If you stall services or act like a public nuisance without immediately apologizing and backing out, you're gaijin smashing.
If you in any public way blame your own failure to read up on the culture or learn the language on the Japanese, you're a gaijin smasher.

>>1172862
I don't understand your question. You are asking if it's possible to spend 6k in Japan while being polite?

Yes.

>>1172821
>Is 4 locations too much for 3 weeks?
No I did Tokyo, Hakone, Osaka, Kyoto and Okinawa on my first trip in that time frame

>How much of a hassle is it to transfer from HND to NRT?
well they are quite far from each other but you should be fine if you don't arrive at a retarded time

>Are there no direct flights between HIJ and NGS?
why not just take the train?
>>1172830
if you really want to go there, why not?
>>1172862
nice wall of text, but I really couldn't distill the point of it. Might want to get a more concrete
>>1172884
yes and no

>>1172888
I'll most probably go to Okinawa, it's just that I wouldnt like to waste 2 hours going to the airport, two hours waiting for the airplane, etc.
That really makes me insecure on how worth would going to Okinawa be.
Anyways thanks for the answer, I should just go so I can fulfill my stupid summer fantasy.

me and the gf are headed to japan in late summer and are staying in a sort of bed and breakfast i guess? she stayed there when she was studying japanese and i was wondering how loud we can be in our room if anyone else has stayed at one.

>>1172923
You expect us to know the layout of a Japanese bnb by describing the time you are going to visit Japan? Why don't you ask someone who stayed there?

>>1172929
I guess you misinterpreted or maybe I miss-typed.

In a normal Japanese bnb how loud can one get in their room?

>>1172932
It depends on how it's formatted.

off to Japan again in a month today and taking the missus with me this time for her first time.
Tokyo 5 nights
Sendai 2 nights
Kyoto 5 nights (+Nara/Osaka)
Hiroshima 2 nights
Ito 2 nights

>Anyone got any top tips of Sendai/Tohoku area to visit/other tips?

>>1172932
as long as you don't make enough noise to wake up/keep up other people in neighboring rooms you'll be good m8
an Airbnb could be a better choice if you plan on making plenty of 'noise'

>>1172862
say it in 20 words or less

Is Nagoya worth a day trip from Osaka? And Nagasaki from Fukuoka?

I'll be in Osaka and Fukuoka and know that those trips would be doable time-wise, but I'm not sure if they are worth it because the trains are pretty expensive.

>>1172976
I'll be there in April. Planning to tour the Nikka Whiskey Sendai distillery, and do a day trip to Hiraizumi and Geibikei Gorge.

I fucked up really badly. I'll stay in Japan for 91 days instead of 90, I'm freaking out and I don't want to go to jail. I know that I can spend the night in Haneda airport, but I want to know if I can do it in my situation.

>>1173005
Take a side trip to Seoul, or Hong Kong, or Taiwan.

>>1173007
No. I'm fine, I was freaking out but looks like the first day doesn't count. I'll be fine.

>>1172932
Typically Japanese houses and apartments are built with thin walls so you can't be sure until you arrive

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There is now a /trv/Japan LINE group!
If you would like to join, email your LINE ID to:

trv4chan@gmail dot com

>>1173036
How many people are there?

Any massive pros/cons for going late December versus early January?

Will be going alone for around 2 months and trying to justify to myself those extra (particularly expensive) days will be worth it.

>>1172858
>>1173036
Are you two affiliated in any way?

>>1172997
Nagoya from Osaka, absolutely not. Nagasaki from Fukuoka, I'd say maybe yeah if you go early. There's not tons going on in Fukuoka anyway so..

>>1173080
Fyi, most things will be shut down January 1st-3rd for New Years.

>>1173080
new years most things will be shut down, late december things will be booked out

pick your poison

>>1173089
>>1173091
C-comiket?

Well fuck me, what do tourists usually do around that time then?

>>1173085

Ok, so there's nothing really to see in Nagoya?

>>1173103
Look up more info on the holiday, but Japanese people usually go to their family's home and eat special pre-made meals. As a tourist or busy Japanese person you can get it the supermarket. They're expensive, but you can buy some and stock them up in your hotel. Hopefully you have a hotel with an onsen and give yourself a multi-day rest/spa day. Plan for the rest of your trip during that time. Go for a walk and find little hidden shrines in the area.

>>1173107
Sorry, I forgot to add something.

On New Year's Eve everyone goes to a shrine, throws a few coins of money in the offering box and makes a quick prayer for the year. It's the only time some locals even go to a shrine. Some people dress casual, other dress in kimono with winter accessories. It's really fun and the big shrines normally have a bunch of vendors set up on the grounds with snacks and drinks to buy. Just don't be surprised by how busy it is. I waited two hours last year with a friend to make an offering and a prayer, but we had a good time and ate a lot of fair food. Then you can sleep in Jan 1st with no regrets.

So some mates and I are planning a trip to Japan for next year (towards the end of June) and I was wondering if anyone could point me towards a resource with some must-dos/tourist traps to avoid.

I've always wanted to go to Japan but after I started really thinking about going I realised I didn't know anything specific I wanted to do apart from wandering Tokyo, hiking up Mt. Fuji and seeing Kyoto.

I think we'll be there for at least 2 weeks, and the cities we'll most likely be going to are Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Osaka. What are some other cities that could be worth considering?

Also, for any of you who have been multiple times, are there any things you really enjoyed seeing/doing that are often overlooked? No matter how mundane - I am the type of person to be excited just by the novelty of being in another cunt.

Cheers, and sorry if my post was too general/long-winded.

>>1173081
No

>>1172997
Nagasaki takes about 2 1/2 hours from Fukuoka, so it's definitely doable, but you may want to figure out exactly it is you want to do. I'm assuming Peace Park? Glover Gardens is a nice stop as well. Chinatown I'd recommend stopping by and grabbing some Nagasaki Champon as it's their signature dish. Nags is really a nice place in my opinion, but I'm also a fan of their nightlife. Drinking is super chill with the locals, but since you would only be there a day, that doesn't seem feasible.

>>1172863
>>1172862
If you still have to ask, then by your own standards, I would suggest you don't visit Japan for now since you're clearly not Japanese enough yet.
If you go to Japan in this ill prepared state you will undoubtedly inconvenience someone, and we wouldn't want to export our rude Western rape culture, now would we?
If you don't look Asian enough, you should probably also consider plastic surgery so you don't stand out too much - wouldn't want make some poor Jap feel obligated to be nice to you because of face culture since you look like a tourist. It will probably also keep all those crowds of poor Japanese women safe from sleeping with you to save face when you accidentally speak nicely to them as an exotic
Westerner.

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>>1172976
Yamadera (Ryūshaku-ji) and Matsushima are the two locations I'd like to visit if I ever go to the vicinity of Sendai.

Also, Ito is nice. Good choice.

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>>1173148
>>1172694


Another FIRUSTU CURASU pic for that anon

>>1172863

this level of autism

>>1172834
>Roppongi for the night life. It is foreigner central, plan to stay out all night if you go there and don't bring any credit cards. The clubs and bars like to rip you off if you do.

I'm staying near Roppongi (Akasuka) now in my third lodging on this trip but for the love of god, why do people recommend this?

It's a complete fucking shithole. What a sham. Is this a ruse to keep the idiots in one spot while you can enjoy the rest of Tokyo's nightlife in peace? In which case yes, please don't come to Golden Gai and the other wards where there's actual fun nightlife and people are friendly and the bars are great.

>>1173150
Thats either really shitty first class or business class

>>1173153
>Roppongi sucks because a black person talked to me the post

The clubs are smaller in Roppongi but the music is usually newer and better. I find that the clubs in Shibuya are usually massive, but they play a lot of old music, but most importantly the girls tend to not leave their groups. They all come together, dance together by jumping up and down in their group, and leave together. Picking one off is hard even when you know Japanese. Girls in Roppongi tend to come in group of 2 or 3 and are simply easier to approach.

I plan on visiting my friend in Japan for two weeks during Christmas. Tickets are around $1,000, which was a pleasant surpruse, but how much will it cost for everything else like food and stuff? I won't need a hotel, since I can stay with her. She lives in Tokyo. Sorry if this is a common question or something, I have not posted in these threads. Also how do the trains work? I know you buy passes, but I don't know how often I'll be using those. Can you just pay a little bit everytime at the stations?

>>1173173
100 usd per day would be perfect for those days that you plan on doing some activities and also eating out etc. But on days that you plan on doing pretty basic things and also eating 7 eleven bentos you could aim for 40 usd Or even lower.

One of my roommates and I are heading to Japan (Tokyo and Osaka most likely) in June. Both of us are fans of Japanese fashion but on two sides of the spectrum basically. I dress pretty feminine due to being a teacher at a classical academy, and she dressed pretty edgy alternative. We both don't want to look like complete sloppy tourists (which will be inevitable to not stick out,I am black and she is white). However fashion wise, what do women in their 20s wear in Tokyo? Or what is the fashion like in around May/June?

>>1173176
Are there any must do Christmas things and how are they?

>>1173176
I found it challenging to spend my 45€ daily allowance for local traffic fares and food when I went. I didn't travel far, though, and I mostly ate in simple restaurants for like 700-1500 yen per meal.

>>1173173
For subways, you usually pay the fare to your destination at a ticket machine (there's usually a map with the prices). There are automatic ticket gates; at the entrance you put in your ticket, walk though, and pick your stamped ticket up at the other side. At the exit, you put in the stamped ticket and then you can leave. If you've underpaid by accident there's usually an extra machine where you can pay the remainder.
The more comfortable way is to get a Suica or other IC card which you charge with money. You can buy and recharge it at the ticket machine. You just put it on the gates when entering and exiting and the ticket fee is charged (often with a bit of a discount).

I want to go to Sapporo from fukushima but since its quite a long trip, i want to spend one night ata transit town. I'm thinking between morioka or hachihone. Any suggestions?

>>1173186
You can pay in most places with suica/pasmo.

>>1173176
I lived with 10 usd per day (only food). Don't understand how people can spend that much in a day (not that I didn't the days I went shopping)

>>1173186
It always depends on the activities you are willing to do. It's pretty easy to go out drinking and spend a lot of money.
Also if you want to try lot of different foods, candies and beverages it all adds up.
I would say 100 usd are ok if include different activities, foods and stuff you want to bring home (eg flavoured kit Kats).
Also planning a little bit extra money comes always to be helpful, you don't have to spend it all.

Hello everyone, I'd really appreciate some advice travelling around Tokyo.

I'm using a combination of Google Maps, HyperDia and Wikipedia to try to plan my travels from Shinjuku to Tokyo Tower. It seems from my searching that the best thing to do is take the Toei Oedo subway line from Shinjuku to Akabanebashi, then walk to Tokyo Tower.

Unfortunately, I'm finding it difficult to figure out where in Shinjuku I take this line. HyperDia tells me it's Shinjuku(New Line/Toei), Google Maps doesn't tell me anything at all and Wikipedia hints that it is Shinjuku-Nishiguchi. Is this true? Also, how do I pay for subway tickets? I get the impression the Suica card won't work as it isn't a JR-operated line.

Thank you for your help!

>>1173183
You're gonna stick out no matter what. Just wear what you want to wear.

Would it be worth going to to Sapporo in the summer?

>>1173183
You're both in the age group for an-an, one of the leading women's fashion mags in Japan.
Google it and try to get a feel for it. In general, legs and ass are more common to draw attention to than in the West, but shoulders and cleavage are seen as provocative.

Hey /trv/, long time lurker and first time poster here. Need some advice. I'm going abroad through university to Japan next semester, and they offer three locations to go: Kyoto, Tokyo, and Hirosaki. Any recommendations on which is the best choice?

>>1173126

Ok thanks. Well to be honest, I haven't really looked that much into Nagasaki yet, but the Peace Park looks interesting. I'm not sure if the Chinatown would be for me because I lived in Singapore for two years and have been to China and Chinatowns all over the world a couple of times. I think the Chinatowns in Yokohama and Kobe were not that great. Is the one in Nagasaki better?

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Heading to Tokyo at the end of February.

Still trying to decide between an AirBnB and a hotel, I've read really good things about both Shinjuku Granbell Hotel and Remm Akihabara for Tokyo, doing 11 days in Tokyo, 2 days in Kyoto and then 1 travel day to get back from Kyoto to the Airport and head back.

Does anyone have any Golden Gai bar suggestions other than Death Match In Hell?

Also any other activity suggestions in Tokyo other than Ghibli Museum / Robot Restaurant? Making those reservations on November 1st.

Realistically, with flights and accomodation taken care of, I'm not going to be able to spend $6500 AUD in three weeks in Japan, am I?

tl;dr I have the option of moving somewhere comfortable and nice, or saving a further 2k that I'm almost certain I won't need but am being neurotic about.

>>1173216
Google maps is solid, although it doesn't tell you the location of the actual ticket gates at the bigger stations. I'd stick with the one so you don't get too confused.

The easiest way to get to the old one line would honestly be to ask the station masters at Shinjuku. Shinjuku is easily one of the most confusing stations in Japan, even confusing locals.

You can use your suica for just about all of the public transportation in Tokyo aside from some taxis.

>>1173106
>so there's nothing really to see in Nagoya?
Not really.

>>1173183
Just be true to yourself and wear what you'd usually wear. No one is really going to notice you or care anyway. Harajuku is definitely more suited to your friend's style than yours, but with Harajuku the main fashion strip consists of Takeshita Street and Harajuku Street. Takeshita street is the really sort of meme gaudy section: goth, loli, African-run bootleg hip hop stuff, etc. Harajuku Street is more normal boutiques not aimed at teenagers..

As for young women in Tokyo I've noticed that knit caps are very popular. They wear a lot of denim. Like denim overalls, loose denim skirts... Vertical stripes... In general Japanese girls will wear heels more casually than western women.

>>1173267
For Golden Gai literally just pop in anywhere. That's half the fun. Most places will accept you. There's really only a couple Japanese only/members only places.

>>1173281
Ah gotcha, I always thought it was more exclusive to locals, thats good to hear.

>>1173272
nigga your tldr is longer than the post. Anyway yeah you could manage to spend that much in 3 weeks with lodging and flights already taken care of, but realistically if you're concerned about the budget you'll be fine on less than half of that. Honestly I think I'd have to make an effort to spend 6500 AUD in 3 weeks.

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>>1173281
>knit caps are very popular

I live in another Japanese city, and they're very popular here too. Truth is, a lot of Japanese fashion is pretty terrible. Knit cap + short stubby legs makes them look like garden gnomes.

>>1173150
Would you say that was worth however much you spent over flying economy?

I'm thinking about going to japan for two weeks in the spring, if I don't want to deal with the crowds for two weeks, can I see most of Hokkaido in a week? (tourist trap/parks).

>>1173272
I spent like $1200 USD and never felt that I had to hold back, it might be a person to person thing but I'd say you must be retarded not to fit that budget.

>>1173272
Exchange rate is pretty shit since the last time I went. $6500 should be a comfortable sum unless you're buying hookers every night.

>>1173302
>can I see most of Hokkaido in a week?

Depends what you want to see. Hokkaido (because of the mountains) takes a reasonably long time to get around -- more so if you don't plan on driving. I live in Hokkaido and have seen pretty much all of it. If you have any specific questions, please ask.

>>1173323
Fug I'm about to go to bed, but I'll get a big list tomorrow if your willing.

I have done a lot of browsing tonight and it does seem a bit bigger than I first thought.

While I figure out everything else I want to ask, two questions:
If I already am sure I want to go up north to soya just to say I was at the North most point, is it worth planning a visit to either of the two islands as well?

Cost wise it seems reasonable to buy some of the tourist only flight vouchers before getting to Japan, would you suggest them over renting a car/train/bus if I don't find them cost prohibitive for the sake of time?

Thanks anon.

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Just relaying the spreadsheet of things to do in Japan from the last thread again for others to use

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15aUdRKHxU_zq8-4_bkGwIEpSGT4dz-8cNqYJJCv6EYQ/edit#gid=1354156061

>>1173330
>if your willing.

No problem. I have to go to work now anyway. I'll check back in tomorrow afternoon, Japan time.

Soya is OK if you like propaganda; there's not too much else man-made up there. What 2 islands do you mean, BTW? Rishiri and Rebun? Plane is better than train/bus (faster), but not necessarily cheaper. Car is the best if you really want to get out of the cities.

Anyway, gotta go -- will check tomorrow.

>>1173183
Wear conservative, as in no cleavage or thin strapped tops, and loose clothes. It will be very hot, so maybe buy some armpit pads at the drugs stores there that you can stick inside your shirts to absorb sweat. Also buy a fan to fan yourself.

Tokyo likes short skirts and heels. Osaka doesn't care as much. Make sure you both check out Closetchild's Tokyo and Osaka locations. The Tokyo locations normally have their goth/punk brands upstairs. If otome and Lolita styles are too feminine for you, most regular women's clothing stores have a lot of feminine clothes. Your friend will find it easier to wear her style in Harajuku, Tokyo and Amemura, Osaka.

>>1173273
Google Maps helps me most of the time, but I usually cross-reference it with HyperDia and get a different result about 20% of the time. The journey to Tokyo Tower is a big difference between Google Maps and HyperDia. Google Maps doesn't seem to recognise the subway system and is telling me that it takes 20 minutes and two trains to get to Akebanebashi Station. HyperDia? Two minutes on the subway. I hope the staff in Shinjuku won't mind this dumb gaijin bothering them.

>>1173338
What are these armpit pads you mention and why I didn't bought them before?

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>>1173352

>>1173354
Is it a women only thing? Or a men version of the thing?

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>>1173355
There are men's, too.

>>1173356
I love you so much right now.

>>1173357
I'm not the anon that posted all the pics, but you can also buy deodorant shower sheets. Those are great for wiping yourself down and they come in many subtle scents. Some even are made with cooling agents so you feel less hot.

>>1173359
Yes, those were amazing. Especially the cooling ones.

Don't know if it happened to somebody else, but I find japanese deodorants less effective that the ones in my country. By any chance is there a brand that works well?

so how exactly do you use the JR pass for regular trains (not shinkansens)?

>>1173361
Japanese deodorants don't have aluminum chlorohydrate like western antiperspirants. It won't stop you from sweating, it's supposed to make you not stink so bad. Apparently Japanese people don't have as many sweat glands as foreign people? Is that honestly true? Anyway, try import stores for western antiperspirants. I endure the armpit pad+sterile deodorant spray+shower wipes combo since they don't break me out.

>>1173365
far east asians genetically have sweat that doesn't stink as much as people from the west although not all of them have it. its a trait that is exclusive to east asians

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_odor

>>1173365
Thanks for the tip, I'll try that combo out.

so disneyland and disneysea can be accessed with one ticket?

>>1173372
Depends how long you're going. You can't park hop on a single day pass (if you wanted to visit both in a single day, you'd have to buy a single day pass for each park).
With a 2 day passport, you can visit one park the first day and the other the second day (you have to pick which day is which park when you buy), but you still can't visit both in a single day. With a 3 or 4 day passport you can park hop on the 3rd and 4th days, but still need to pick one park or the other for the first two days.

>>1173362
You just use the JR lines? Most stations will have a regular station and a JR station. So go to the JR one obv.

>>1173346

They are bothered by literally hundreds of idiot foreigners every day, you're a drop in the bucket.

>>1173397
On the flipside, the bucket's going to spill over at some point, no matter if every foreigner is just a drop.
It's at least a good gesture to limit asking to when you actually need it, because the person right after you might just be the one that takes the attendant from annoyed to actually bitter, and on top of that you learn to deal with things on your own.
As a rule of thumb, if not asking would lead to you being severely inconvenienced as in not getting something to eat, not having a roof over your head for the night, possibly being apprehended by the police or having to walk for hours in a place you don't know, ask.
If not, get a bit of experience and understanding for the country on your own.

>>1173399
Even if the guy is on the verge of suicide he would never show it. Especially in Shinjuku. It's their job.

One time I fucked up majorly and ended up on a bus that took me to the middle of nowhere late at night and the bus driver gave me an umbrella, let me use his phone, and helped me find my way back home. I doubt you could inconvenience someone more than that.

>>1173399
I understand what you mean, but I swear I have been thoroughly researching and planning every route I need to take during my trip to Tokyo. I'm using three sources of information and I'm making maps, taking notes of frequent lines I need to use, how much it costs, what platform it usually departs from etc. The journey from Shinjuku to Tokyo Tower is the only one that's caused me problems so far. It's even frustrating me a bit because I've been so good at planning everything so far, I feel like I'm fucking up by not understanding the journey to a popular tourist destination.

>>1173402
are you OCD by any chance?

it's really easy to find shinjuku and tokyo tower

it'll be disorienting at first if it's your first time being in a big city, but if it's not your first, it's like all the rest

>>1173406
I'm not OCD, I just have the best organisational skills of my friends so I'm pretty much in charge of organising the holiday. None of us speak the language very well and I'm afraid of being responsible for leaving us lost in a big city with a language barrier.

Our hotel is based in Shinjuku so I know how to get to Shinjuku Station, I'm just baffled that three different websites are giving me different directions on how to get to Tokyo Tower.

>>1173408
there are multiple ways to get to tokyo tower because tokyo is an efficient, modern system, with efficient, multiple ways to get where you need to go

this shouldn't be surprising unless you come from a third world country, which includes america

Just got back from 6 days in Tokyo.

- Akihabara was a lot of fun. I didn't realize how much I missed on the first day so I explored it again on the last day. Really glad I went back.
- Ueno park and the area in general was really nice. I did the whole park walk but skipped the zoo.
- Sky Tree and Sky Tree Town was pretty cool. Very busy though.
- Shibuya had the most people I've ever seen in my life. It was absolutely packed left to right so I had to get the fuck out of there after a few hours.
- The train system was cool, but people were wrong about them being orderly. It's the same as everywhere else in the world in terms of public transportation. People aren't like pushing you out the way or anything but sometimes you'll have to force yourself out of the train because they'll start coming in first.
- The food was bad. Probably just not my thing.

>>1173413
it is extremely orderly. I don't know where you come from, but in any european country half the people jump the ticket gates, so they've had to install ceiling high gates in order to stop it, and the immigrants STILL skip it by getting so close to you that your wallet is being lifted, or you're about to be robbed

oh, also, you can be robbed in broad daylight in any of the platforms

no, I'll give A+ orderly to the japanese, thanks

>>1173415
Canada.

>>1173413
>The food was bad

Faggot

>>1173408
> I'm just baffled that three different websites are giving me different directions on how to get to Tokyo Tower.
The truth is there will ~always be a handful of ways, albeit all ~equally efficient, to travel to X in Tokyo. Whether you travel by train or subway––regardless of the proprietor––is usually a matter of which one happens to be nearest to you on foot. There is an entry point for the train or subway on ~every corner of the street. Pick whichever one first falls into your field of vision. In my experiences, I mainly used the Metro (subway) because there is a subway heading towards X nearly every minute.

It can also be helpful to refer to the official website or "japan-guide.com" for directions to popular attraction X. Either of these resources will give you several ways, play-by-play, to reach your destination.

>>1173418
you guys are a lot less crowded, I think you're nitpicking a little

they're orderly when they can be. have you even seen the post-tsunami footage?

when they're trapped in a human hamstercage, things get difficult.

>>1173422
>It can also be helpful to refer to the official website or "japan-guide.com"

Thank you, this helped. I went to Japan Guide's page on transportion and it turns out that Toei Subway have a very good English page. I downloaded their route map and I've found the problem - there is both an Akabanebashi and Akebonobashi station. Google Maps and HyperDia were pointing me towards the latter, but it is Akabanebashi that I need to get to.

Thanks a lot for your help, this would've been a big source of confusion had I not noticed that.

How much pocket money are you guys bringing, i want to go hard shopping while im in japan and im not sure how much is too much to spend

>>1173413
>The food was bad
Confirmed for either McDonalds drone or the kind of tourismoid who only eats at places they find in travel guides (i.e. a mixture between exploitatively gimmicky, nearly racist stereotypical foods and tourist-friendly Westernized restaurants that paid to make it into the listing.
Japanese food is more varied than that of multiple European countries at once, and the Japanese care for ingredients and preparation at levels that would put most foreign restaurants out of business if they had to do that in their own countries. The Japanese do even foreign food better than many of the original countries (the winner of the pizza world championships is usually either Japanese or Italian), and menus are generally many times larger than in most Western restaurants.
You ate at touristy and/or bad places, or you're absurdly picky. There is literally no way that you could have not liked most of the food without making bad choices or just wanting everything exactly like at home every time.
The food is the one thing you can't fault the Japanese for, and you choose to knock it. You sound like a by-the-books tourist who shouldn't have gone outside his house in the first place, because you obviously don't want to experience other countries.
Stick to mail-order, because you obviously treat Japan and the Japanese like a product that you can buy and throw away because you paid money.

>>1173429
is this the new copypasta please?

japanese food is good but you can't deny the role of preferences

for one, it has TONS of salt, very little spice of any sort, and very little fat

not everyone likes that

>>1173413
> bad food
The only place which could compete with Japan in terms of food quality (eg grocery stores) isFrance, and nothing beats jap restaraunts quality. I tell you this as someone who likes Michelin meme and travels extensively.

>>1173431
But that isn't true of basically all the most popular foods except for sushi and ramen?

Tonkatsu, Gyudon, Ebidon, Curry, Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, etc

Sure theres some Japanese food that is like that but its not really that common unless you're eating at people's homes. Really the only valid complaint is that you get less food for the same amount of money.

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>>1173429
>Travelin' on the edge...

>>1173442
u gotta be shittin' me m8

90% of japanese food has more salt, not just junk food, and 90% of japanese food completely lacks spice, and 90% of japanese food has little fat, even fast food

you can play the "but that's just a generalization" card til the cows come home. fucking generalizations can be true. they happen to be in this case

people can like it or dislike it, but it's fucking true

>>1173455
>>1173442

One thing to bear in mind is whether food is, say, salty, may depend on what you are used to eating and how salty food is where you come from. Why they invented salt shakers on the table -- there is no objective measure of the "right" amount of salt.

Which leads me to wonder if maybe inventing the "fat shaker" is an idea that could make us rich...

>>1173429
I just ate wherever. I didn't have a set list of schedule. Also you're a fucking weirdo.

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I'm saving money to go to Moonland next summer or fall, somewhere between late June and early October. I would be going by myself, college moonspeak professor told me that with $3000 I should be fine.

I want to go to Tokyo and hopefully make my way down to Kyoto and Osaka and then back. I want to go for about a week to 10 days. I will be going out from San Diego or LAX as they are my closest bets, especially San Diego.

I won't have the money until around march, how should I start planning this? It would be my first trip by myself.

>>1173425
10 days and I'm bringing 1500 usd in my pockets.

>>1173460
Start from reading this fucking thread and stop asking stupid unprepared question, go be lazy somewhere else

I'm going to be staying in Osaka for 5 nights in late November. I already have an Airbnb booked so I was considering what Ryokan/Onsen options I might have. Since I already have lodging I was thinking there might be day-options where you just rent access to the bath an hour or two, preferably a private bath. I'm willing to travel in the greater Kansai region, only been to ryokans in Hakone and Fuji-five lakes before.
Anyone have any tips or a notion if it's even possible?

I'm going back to Tokyo in a couple of weeks and my friends' girlfriends and a couple of female friends I know are always really nice to me when I'm up there and give me little gifts. I want to give them something nice like a small make-up thing or charm but would like to get them something that's hard to get there and popular. I'm from the US.

>>1173460
>>1173461
You can pull out cash from 711 ATMs, if your bank allows it. I usually just bring under 100usd initially unless the exchange rate is really good before I leave

>>1173476
Gifts are usually something typical from the place you come. To japanese people the fact that you care about them enough to bring something is more important that the thing itself, so it's really up to you whether you want to spend a lot of money or little.

About gift suggestions I can't help you, don't know a lot about US, but I would bring something more local.

How's Tokyo towards the end of May? I want to go before it starts to get too hot and crowded

>>1173263
Tokyo is modern and hip (plus huge), Kyoto is historical, and Hirosaki is out in the sticks.
If I were you I'd rather check which uni has the best rep and classes you can get the most out of.

>>1173476
Don't buy anything expensive, try to match their price point as best you can, you don't want an escalation, it'll just annoy both parties

>>1173263
If you think you'll go to japan more times I'd go with Hirosaki. You can probably visit the other locations for fun during the semester but most importantly, there will probably be far less foreigners there so you'll be a big fish in a small lake instead of a small fish in a big lake in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Can someone here help me out?

I'm about to make a LIFE CHANGING decision.

I've been saving up my life savings for 3 years, i'm at $8,000

I decided, after 3 years. Time to bite the bullet.

An anon on /pol/ recomended me to check out JLS (Japanese Language Schools), and I came across one on Shinjuku

My question to /trv/ is, do japanese scholarships apply to JLS?

http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0302e-10.html

There is an option for people between years 18 and 30 to have one academic year of "Japanese language training", this has to be for a JLS right?

Would spending money and pursuing this scholarship be a wise idea, if my goal was to eventually move/live in Japan?

>>1173476
Edibles are the preferred gift to bring, local specialties are usually a good choice. For girls, sweets are probably a safe bet.
Keep costs reasonable. Depending on how close you are, it might be perceived as a burden if it's too extravagant. For the same reason, gifts are often downplayed in valuehen handed over.

>>1173512
kek

3 years and you saved 8k

nothing personnel kid, but you need to have a rudimentary education to even stand a chance

try again when your balls have dropped

>>1173516
two jobs

$300/month rent

yeah i barely scraped by $8,000.

Minimum wage cuck for the time being. I'm running low on time. Guess I don't have an option now but to enlist in the military.

>>1173513
>>1173503
>>1173508
Thanks, I got them some local snacks last time but I guess I'll go that route again.

>>1173524
300/month rent is nothing. I don't know or particularly care what your finances are, but this is a huge red flag to me you're doing something wrong, and wouldn' be capable of understanding what, even if it was explained to you. Not trying to lecture, but I've seen this too many tmes before. but yeah, you need a basic education to even begin thinking about it. 8k is scraping the bottom of the barrel of a semester's worth.

I wouldn't personally endorse military service because of the experiences my family has had, but you do what you have to. If you do the military though, do it for YOURSELF, not for japan. that's just setting yourself up for a long string of mistakes and misplaced ambition.

what I've seen the process is
1. REALLY think they like something they don't actually like
2. make "sacrifices" half assedly such as "saving" money, and when that fails, they think they need to get more "serious" buy by serious they mean extreme in the extent they'll go
3. hate their life because of military service
4. finally "get there" and then realize they want out, or can't hack it

might be a country, might be girls, might be a particular job. people incapable of getting a bachelor's on their own without massive state aid, or incapable of saving money are generally not the types that can start from scratch in a new place in a foreign language, which is TEN TIMES harder than the basic stuff they ALREADY FAILED at in their own country. just warning you, m8

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>>1173531
Committment isn't an issue for me.

I haven't bought a car, and basically live off dollar tree shit to save money. I walk to and from work (90 minutes each way), even when it's 10 degrees outside. A cab ride is $25 so I try to avoid the cab at all costs, no matter how shit the travel is.

If i've able to do that for 3 years straight, I think i'd be fine in Japan in the end. The only thing that would be shit is sacrificing my romantic life for it. I've already turned down a couple of girls, including my ex who was ready to marry me but didn't want me to go to Japan.

But, you know anon, I don't want to live a life where I regret not pursuing my dreams. In life, I need to have that fulfillment, to know that I had a dream, reached for it, and seized it. To live any other life would be a life where I looked over my shoulder and said "Where would I be now if i didn't give up my japan dream"

That thought alone will give me the drive I need in the end. And it's -that- thought that gives me the determination to keep pushing forward.

>>1173533
Are you in the US? Have you ever been to Japan or studied the language during these past 3 years? I think I've seen you post about this before a few months ago.
You don't need to feel like you have to defend yourself to every post that asks you (including this one), if you really want to go, stop posting about it and just go.

>>1173533
did you pull that post from chicken soup for the teenage soul?

do what you want. you're clearly intent on rejecting advice from people who have seen dozens of kids exactly like you fail.

just so you're aware, we tell people who don't struggle with basic aspects of life, such as getting an education, or saving money, to DO it. it's the people who are already failing at life that we counsel caution to.

it's not that we think some arbitary piece of paper makes someone smart. it's the fact that it's so EASY, and yet you haven't done it, which indicates to us that you're not capable of something much harder.

but whatever man. you probably didn't listen to your friends or parents, why would you listen to me?

>>1173536
I only post about it because i'm looking for help I guess. Perhaps there's some avenue I didn't know about, so i've been searching, and it all ends with "Give up" or "Join the military".

Yes, im in the US, which is the problem. Bachelor's degrees in America are fucking asinine to obtain.

Believe me, if I felt it was viable to get a student loan, go to fucking UMass and get a foreign exchange to a japanese school for 4 years, I would already be there. But it's not a viable option at all. I'd be stuck in japan with a 40k american student loan which is probably a VERY BAD IDEA in the country of Japan, with how their economy sucks you dry as it is.

>>1173537
fuck off nigger, you think you know me

the reason I stopped doing college was because my parents suddenly died throwing my entire family's financial situation into turmoil

it had nothing to do with me or my personal values. i could always go back to my community college and finish my associates. That avenue is not lost to me yet. However..the student loan is where the hard part comes.

>>1173546
I don't know you. I can only know the things about you that you've presented by putting your best face forward. I'm just telling you that what I see isn't so hopeful

if you've come away from a life experience full of nonstop people telling you "go for it, dude!" "seize the future!" "your imagination is the limit!" which seems to be the case, then I understand why you are noticeably jarred and offended by what I said.

nonetheless, 98% of people who try this fail. from what you've provided me, I have no reason to believe you're different, especially when your posts are more about "muh dreams" than about financial reality. a smart person would be crunching numbers, not idealizing.

I can help you with numbers, IF you ask for numbers. I can't twist the strange ideals into your head into a pleasing shape though, sorry.

fact is, anyone worth their salt got paid to go to college. you didn't get paid is strike one. you "follow your dreams" is strike two. you're struggling with basic bitch financial shit, and somehow didn't have life insurance for your parents, that's strike three. there's nothing here to indicate that you or anyone in your family is remotely competent.

you think I'M being harsh? wait until you get to an interview with a company that is expected to spend tens of thousands of dollars sponsoring you, and you have to present your background to the embassy.

if you're already getting angry that people are scrutinizing you because it's "mean" maybe you should stay in your adolescent bubble a bit longer, bubby

>>1173533
Get a fuckin bike man

>>1173546
The strongest mark of a stupid man is his angry rejection, without consideration, of things told to him by older and more experienced people. Keep in mind your reaction is just reinforcing his opinion of you. Is this the kind of character a "successful person" projects? Bitter rejection of the world around him?

>>1173550
>>1173550
>fact is, anyone worth their salt got paid to go to college

I did get paid to go to college. G.I Bill from parents in combination with successfully getting the Pell grant four times. I didn't pay a single cent for my community college run.

I had to put -everything- on hold when my parents died, unfortunately, and since then, i've grown too old to be part of the G.I Bill (25 years old), and need to enlist to get the G.I. Bill benefits back.

Yeah, I've been number crunching.

Start with: $8,000
>Next step: ???

I determined JLS is a shit option. Even though japanese scholarships cover tuition for a JLS for an entire calender year, it doesn't advance me to a bachelor's degree and i'd still get kicked back to America at the end, making the JLS step worthless

So, I could find a university and get a student loan, go to a foreign exchange program, and do that. But that's a bad idea in other ways because I would be in Japan with a student loan of tens of thousands of dollars. You're right -- that would look HORRIBLE in front of the Embassy

The thing that would probably look best to the Embassy is the military avenue, am I wrong?

you're right about one thing-- i've been thinking about this too selfishly. I have to think about the people who will be fighting for my case in the future. What will be best for them...

>>1173558
you dont need to join the military to pick up where you left off in terms of college unless your grades were horrible. this is where you need to start being honest with us if you want decent advice. Our advice for a "rockstar GI bill pimp with hueg grades" is going to be different from someone who wasted 4 years in community college and still didn't finish an associates.

1. What were your grades
2. everyone knows CC is for idiots
3. how far did you get? if your grades WERE good, they are STILL good, and you will qualify for a scholarship under your own power, rather than hiding under your dad's skirt.
4. taking a loan is unreasonable for a full four year load, but thankfully, if you're not an idiot, you only have two more years to finish.... RIGHT?

see, these are the things you're deliberately not asking, because you know you won't like the answer.

believe it or not, I'm trying to help you.

not sure where you got this obstinate streak from, but it's equally damaging to someone's impression of you as your financial situation, to be frank

>>1173562
My grades were good in some classes, shit in others.

I probably need to do two terms to finish my associate's. I'm half the required credits and i've done four semesters I think.

That was about four years ago now.

It's possible i'll need to pay out of my own pocket for the first semester and i'm okay doing that and all, I have the money for it.

My community college has a policy where after taking a hiatius and you come back, they'll erase bad credits so you can start again.

The problem is--that degree WON'T help me with Japan. My community college does NOT teach Japanese. It did teach History of Japan, and I got a B- in that class, but it doesn't teach Japanese

To learn Japanese i'd have to transfer to a college in Boston which is possible after an associate's, but my current degree is Computer Science.

I need to find a degree that a japanese university would want. If I find a college in Boston that has foreign exchange to Japan, even better, but that would require I start getting scholarships again.

I wish rent wasn't an issue, I really do.

FYI: Once I leave this house, I can't return. My family depends on my rent to keep the house going but I doubt it'll last a year. This gives me a time limit of 1 year to GTFO this house, which is why I feel like i'm on a time limit to start my future now.

>>1173566
you need two terms to finish an associates? which means it took you HOW long to complete a SINGLE year of an associates curriculum?

the japanese get a SINGLE go at this, and if they fail, they don't get a second chance. how do you think they look at someone with your kind of history?

your inability to learn japanese has nothing to do with your community college. it has nothing to do with your financial situation. it has nothing to do with your parents.

it has to do with YOU. YOU are the common denominator to all your life experiences.

you didn't even give me a GPA. but honestly, anyone who can't get straight As at a CC probably doesn't belong in a uni. I met a dumb as rocks dude at UCLA who got into UCLA via affirmative action because he was the only mexican at his school who got straight A's.

you literally don't have an excuse. It won't work on me, and it definitely won't work on some japanese dude who studied five times as hard as you, and who works 60 hour weeks. he doens't CARE about your excuses. no one in the country does.

join the army, you need a swift kick in the ass.

just keep in mind that the army essentially brainwashes you. I've met approximately one veteran out of 20 that was capable of readjusting to a civilian job where they had to actually meet performance standards and think flexibly after more than six years in the service, it becomes nigh impossible because they mold you so thoroughly. or, maybe incompetent people who think rigidly are just more liable to join up.

think about it this way, if you can't even pass a CC clas with a good grade, in which you are required to write an essay in ENGLISH, because your english language abilities are THAT poor, then what makes you think you cna learn a different language?

gotta walk before you can run. you cna't walk, right now.

Japanese people are nice, but they don't tolerate incompetence or excuses.

Just go join the military, buddy.

>>1173571
Yeah, I suppose you're right.

I fucked up community college, it wouldn't look good even if I turned it around.

I need an external factor that changes it around. The military is probably that avenue.

>>1173571
>Japanese people are nice, but they don't tolerate incompetence or excuses.

I'll keep this in mind. If I have to completely throw away my history in community college, oh well.

I'll keep in mind what you said about the military's brainwashing. I'll do my best to think only about the college afterwards. I guess in some ways it'll be the hardest test to my determination that i've seen yet

Is there any age limit for japanese student visa's I need to know about? The military will tie me up for 4 years active duty, and I plan to do the 4 years inactive duty at the same time as my college shenanigans.

So I'm about to finish Uni with my history degree and I'm thinking of teaching English in Japan hopefully for a couple of years, save that money, and pay my debt back home. Where should I be looking? how much money could I potentially make?

>>1173571
btw
thank you anon

I needed a slap in the face. I'm actually thanking you. I can't slip up anymore.

I know you were pressing me to continue my community college endeavors, but I really don't think that's an option for me regardless. I'm going to lose my fucking house next year. My community college doesn't even have dorms. I'd be fucked ten ways sideways.

Damn it. Definitely....without fail, this is it. Next year, I pull this fucking trigger.

>>1173578
japanese bureaucracy is not transparent. I don't think there's a de jure limit for student visas, but I think the defacto limit is 30. there has been political talk of axing ALL student visas because of abuse that has been occurring. they don't like outsiders, let alone outsiders who are fleeing to the country because they couldn't hack it back home (which is at least half of them in teh country.)

join the military for you, and protect YOURSELF against it. drop the dreams, though. you need to become an adult more than you need to live in a fantasy. the military will help you become an adult, just, hopefully, not a rigid and easily tamed one.

but seriously, give up on the anime fantasy.

>>1173584
I'm about 90% sure one of the major screening factors for a work visa is debt. if you have too much, theres a strong chance you'll be denied.

the pay is awful and never improves. you might want to explore other options first, but that depends on wat you can do with a (((history))) degree

>>1173587
NP. I'm glad you listened to me. I had a friend about 10 years ago who was like you and he didn't listen and he suffered for it.

you don't seem like a bad guy, which means I want to help. on the other hand, your history is far from stellar, and while you DON'T deserve to have a history better than you've earned, you do deserve to be told honestly about it, which is not something most kids get. they just get 100% positive bullshit. we live in a pretty sad age when people can't tell each other the truth anymore.

I wasn't necessarily encouraging you to go to CC. I couldn't have made a recommendation like that without knowing how booksmart you were, how far along you are, your career plans, etc. In general, I think for most people ANY college is a bit of a waste of time and money, and becomes more of a waste the more difficult it is for them, I just don't count it out because it is a baseline legal requirement for many things.

I'm sorry about the house. In light of that, the military seems even better. The benefits begin t ramp up quickly inthe service and the only reason most of them come out poor is because the majority of hte people you serve with will be stupid as fuck. so they ramp up the benefits, and then more of it gets wasted, and so they cry the veterans are poor, so they get more benefits....

one temptation you should ABSOLUTELY resist if you go in is using the housing stipend to invest in property. this goes south for 80% of the people who do it.

there are literally entire businesses that crop up around military bases that just suck money out of te american taxpayer by conning 90 iq servicemen into impossible mortgages.

anyway man, good luck. seriously though, I'm happy, but dreams are stupid. dreams are a honeypot for guillible people. be happy in reality.

>>1173589
shit, I'm gonna be like 30k in debt once I'm done, guess I can throw that idea out, back to original plan of just a trip over there.

>>1173592
not sure what the threshold is. 30k might not disqualify you. like I said it's an opaque process. for myself, I had a MUCH better job and zero debt, so it wasn't an issue at all for me. I know for a fact that many people go over to teach, most of them with some debt. but they DO ask the question and at some point it does become a problem. there's probably a better place to ask than here.

>>1173593

Imma ask one of the uni Japanese profs if they know of a program or something.

>>1173589
>but I think the defacto limit is 30

The scholarship limit is basically 30

http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0302e-10.html

Let's say I join the military at age 25, I'm off active duty by 29, this would give me less than -one year- to apply for a japanese student visa, but at that point i'm in military inactive duty so i'd be fucked because i obviously can't complete the military inactive duty while in japan, well, maybe i could, who knows

Even though I accept the military life, you're telling me to give up despite that? Holy fuck man. You're doing your very hardest to stop me.

I know that in your view, you're trying to stop me from ruining my future into the ground. But in my eyes, it's different

>>1173591
Again, telling me to stop the Japan dreams. I decided it at 18 years old

Am I truly doing something rash and stupid? Probably. But i'll find a way. I always do.

The key to my success is the connections I will build, and the friends I make. I know that. I'm not retarded. I'm not pressing forward without a gameplan.

That's exactly why i've been trying to decide between "Acquire $40,000 student loan and go to japanese dorm college" and "Do 4 years of military and get free college"

However -- what you just brought up, is a major red flag for me. Is there honestly a risk that in the next 4-8 years, japanese stupid visas will be revoked? I swear to FUCKING GOD AND SAINT CHRIST HIMSELF if student visas get restricted a year before I finish my military service someone is going to fucking die.

>>1173594
a program wouldn't change the visa qualification process. the employee needs to meet criteria to submit to the consulate through which the visa is issued. employers choose from their list of candidates based on how closely they align with the criteria, as well as job skills, because a worker with debts is a liability that they might have to cover at personal expense if something goes wrong

a program wouldn't waive any of the qualifiers, it would simply change the pay, or something.

try asking on an expat forum

>>1173597

got it, another question, 3k USD good for a 10 day trip?

>>1173596
Japanese people are just people. the soil there is just soil.

I find your racial obsession a little off putting to be honest. I lived there for nearly a decade and MOST EXPATS HATED IT. I knew japanese people who grew up abroad partially and who returned who hated it.

You NEED to be more circumspect

>visa revocation
they're fully within their rights to do this. it's THEIR country. you need to accept this. you need to accept that when you get over there, there WILL be racism against you NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, and it will be persistent, and permanent.

and NO, you are NOT allowed to blame someone else for any of this. you're talking about killing someone over your anime dreams. you're not in a good place. if you think americans can be cruel, you haven't seen anything yet. if you hurt someone over there, there's teh very real potential they'll throw you in a 5x3 isolation cell for 20 years with no sunlight.

oh, by the way, 90% of them hate veterans because they cause so many problems.

can you handle that? it doesn't sound like you can handle that. I'm just telling you the truth and you're getting upset. this is just the surface.

part of growing up is that you let go of childhood fantasies. you're WAY too old to be crying that santa claus doesn't exist.

I don't like america. I moved. I'm not asking you to like america.

What I'm telling you is to accept reality. If you gamble your future on a fantasy, and that fantasy evaporates, and it WILL evaporate, you'll be more ofa broken person than you already clearly are.

I'm not telling you not to find a country to move abroad to. I'm telling you to let go of your childish fantasies before you gamble your life. I had this same talk with a friend who was gonna marry a stripper. SHES THE ONE BRUH I LOVE HER SHES MY DREAMDESTINY BRUH.

He was being stupid. So are you. it wasn't stupid he wanted to get married. it was stupid how insistent he was on some woman (country) he knew nothing about.

>>1173600
inclusive of plane ticket?

I'm most situations it should be more than enough. It probably wouldn't be enough for a spoiled baby boomer, but I would assume rough price parity with most first world countries with the exception of hotels.

>>1173605
Let me ask you something anon

Is it better not to try?

To know that I reached for my dream, even if I failed, knowing that I tried would be enough for me.

To give up because the chances are small...

You're right. If I went so fucking far, 10 years from now, and hit a dead end in the end. I would be so fucking destroyed.

But...I have to try. Would you deny me even that? Maybe I will fail, maybe I will succeed, who knows.

I'll show you something I haven't shown anybody in the past 6 years. NOBODY has seen this until now. It's a letter written to me from my ex.

You are the first person to fucking see this and it's been 8 years. This is the point you've gotten me to. Anyway...I made a promise to her, that someday we would meet in Japan together. Even if she's gone, even if we're broken up, I feel like I have to keep that promise. I can't give up. I have to fucking try.

I wish I was able to add you to something and we'd have this conversation again 10 years from now and we can find out where we ended up.

(P.S. Deleting file as soon as you respond)

>>1173612
anon, don't think I don't understand some of the pain you're going through

I do, especially in regards to your ex.

here's the problem: you're emotionally frail and not seemingly capable.

if you were more resilient and academic, I wouldn't hesitate to tell you to go for it.

the problem is: you struggle with community college classes.

I don't think you realize how big of a red flag this is. I could go into excruciating detail about how BAD this is, if you would like me to. I could tell you about how and why, and how UNWAVERINGLY japanese will disparage you for this. and more than their opinion mattering, if you cna't do something that EASY, you're going to have a hard time keeping up with japanese standards of ANY sort. I could tell you more, you might be hurt by it, though.

I have an ex from 5 years ago I can't let go of either. I'm warning you, this weakness will ruin your life. it's just a comfortable habit you're running back to in order to AVOID having to actually THINK about what you actualyl want to do with your life. This is probably the most important thng in this post.

By CLINGING to your past, you're just avoiding thinking about the future because you already have an easy answer.

don't do that.

your ten year plan is to end up in japan teaching engish, speaking at he level of an elmentary schooler, making minimum wage.

that's not a good plan. and no, you probably won't become fluent. the rate of fluency among western expats in japan hovers somewhere around 2%.

you've internalized too much bullshit american propaganda. your DREAMS are NOT the most important thing in your life. that's just a slogan to sell you nike air jordans and expensive cars with high interest rates. maybe you never picked up on that.

>>1173621
listen to this guy

traveling won't solve your problems

>>1173621
>to end up in japan teaching engish

I actually don't want to teach english in Japan. That was never in the cards. Fuck JET and its cancerous shit.

But, you know, can I tell you something?

I think if I were to take even a 3 month JLS class, this one actually:
>http://en.kaij.jp/fee/#gc

I would have been able to see it for myself, with my own eyes. I wish I had the money for it, but I don't.

I can...improve my academics. When I was getting bad grades, it's because I was never seeing the bigger picture, I didn't have the determination I do now...

I have zero doubt that when I go back i'm going to fucking ace that shit, because when I do go back, i'm going to enter a "Do or fucking Die" mindset, especially after all the brain drilling you're giving me now. I'd go through school as if a fucking gun was put against my head, if that's what it'd take to get better grades.

I -can- do better. I know I bloomed late in life, but...i'm not going to let my past control my future.

I know what you're saying, I understand it, I trust it, and if I were any other person I would be backing the fuck down right now.

But...I -can- do this..I have to.

If I were to give up I would just kill myself right now. Not even joking. My uncle hung himself 3 months ago and if I gave up i would just hang myself like him. Not some practical joke. I would do it.

I just...have to do better...

this thread is reading a lot less like /trv/ and a lot more like /r9k/ and /one guys personal blog/

BACK TO TRAVEL

food: are there any restaurants or stands that are absolutely recommended? i have a few ideas already, but would appreciate more

>tendon in asakusa
>the kurosawa themed restaurant near the palace
>an udon place called tsurutontan in roppongi
>kaisendon in tsukiji
>an ice cream parlor in ebisu
>chanko nabe near the ryugoku kokugikan
>street vendors in shibamata

>>1173632
you've imprisoned yourself into making choices that you think you NEED to do, but which you're incapable of

let me clue you in, people who got straight A's in CC and HS NEVER STUDIED

if you need to study to not fail, you're a mediocre student. that's the harsh fucking truth in america.

do what you want, you're clearly not going to listen to reason. I've seen a million people like you go by and all of them fail because they never listen to facts so their friends LIE to them to make it easier, and then they all end up enmeshed in lies that they believe wholeheartedly

do whatever you want. you're clearly unstable.

>>1173633
tendon in asakusa I wholeheartedly recommend

Ichiran ramen in shibuya is wholeheartedly recommended. I fucking hate ramen too. DO check this place out, it's right next to the crossing, as well. great before a night out partying.

>>1173637
i will definitely check out ichiran, really wanted to try some good ramen. thanks dude

>>1173634
it's not that i'm not listening to you, but did you honestly believe you could stop 6 years of psychological build-up in 45 minutes?

We should have honestly taken this conversation elsewhere, to steam or something, I feel sorry for distracting this thread from its true purpose, and i'm regretful for the thread derail.

Sorry guys..go back to your daily scheduled shit...i'm going to just disappear now.

>>1173641
if there's some anonymous online chat we can use I'd bash my head against a wall for another 30 minutes or so. I don't have steam. I'm just killing time right now

>>1173640
NP. a lot of the good restauraunts in tokyo are regional, actually. This gets lost on most foreigners, and is probably not worth, for them, the extra expense.

tendon and ichiran and places like that hit that solid lower-mid cost bracket where the food is still decently good. kind of like fusion or theme restaurants in america

>>1173633
Also, if anyone is every in Osaka, they have pretty cool jazz bars where for a couple of drinks, you can feel free to go up to the stage and play set pieces of improvise with the other patrons. not sure how they stay in business

not really food, but I thought it was worth mentioning. there's nothing like that where I currently live.

>>1173644

https://chatstep.com/#Japan_General

password is 4chan

>>1173607

hmm ok, my main concern once I do start figuring shit out is where do I keep my shit, especially since I want to do a Tokyo > Kyoto > Osaka > Tokyo type shit, even though it might end up just being Tokyo > Kyoto > Tokyo

>>1173048
6 as of now~

>>1173632
Holy fucking shit, all this conversation has somehow fixed my mindset.
I was working 14 hours a day because I didn't want to keep studying.
I have only two years left for becoming an economist. Next year I'm getting back at studying, just to at least show myself that I'm capable of doing so.
I can't be a crying baby my whole life, thanks to both of you guys.

so who do I ask about hookers?

>>1173670
well, dunno what we did, but good luck anon, kek

>>1172815
What's the best way for a yellow skinned gaijin like myself to woo nip qts?

Also where is a good place to buy cheap, gimmicky electronics (dumbphones, PDAs, portable emulators etc)

>>1173675
Police. Since it's technically legal, they're very helpful about it, just as they are for directions anywhere. Head to your nearest Gohan, or corner police box, and say "Shinjuku ni chome wa doko desu ka?"

I just want to go to Japan and praise their homogeneity!
ARIGATO MONO RACIAL
ME WANT TO GET AWAY FROM OTHER RACES EXCEPT MY OWN TOO!

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>>1173682

nigga please

>>1173687
>nigga
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Imagine never having to ever see, hear of, or even know of a black person.

>>1173688

jokes on you, I'm Mexican

>>1173689
Or a Mexican.
Imagine never having to ever see, hear of, or even know of a Mexican.

>>1173690
That's Japan
That's why people love Japan
People don't all want to go to Mexico, faggot.
'bout time you REtards start figurin' out why.

>>1173690
wait you're talking about japanese right?

what about Brazilians, they got to have seen a brazilian

>>1173692
Not in the deepest, dankest regions of Japan.
I imagine they are only around their own race and have achieved supreme enlightenment, peace of mind, and true happiness.

>>1173693

but, Sao Paulo Brazil has the largest japanese population outside of Japan!

And that's why I'm going to make my way down there one day, talking 'bout dem half-brazilian half-japanese bitches. goddamn!

>>1173216
So I checked Hyperdia but 0min transit is just false. Hyperdia would probably be better for longer distances than shorter.
Aside from Google maps, you may want to check out "Navitime Japan travel" app.

Dont listen to what the others are saying, as long as you're polite they won't have any problem trying to help you. Even Japanese people ask them directions when they are not sure.

>>1173695
ugh....to think I've spoken with such a plebian....my life is about .25% worse off than it was before.
Enjoy poor infrastructure, AIDS, and getting shot/robbed.
Only true ENLIGHTENMENT can be brought about in a glorious homogeneous country like Japan. The world needs to give that to Europe like the Energy for the spirit bomb so we can attain world peace and technological advancement that surpasses use of fossil fuels.

>>1173697
>never having to deal with brown people
stop guys, you're gettng me all teary eyed about trump's inevitable victory, right before we throw all the leftists in america and europe in prison for covering up migrant rapes and murders

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>>1173699
E-Gads!

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>>1172815
Hey op, whats the best way of going aout getting to japan? aren't there english to japanese schools that will teach you english themselves? and how much do they care about your GPA? inb4 slacker in high school, Id like to major programming or maybe be a history teacher, I love japan and its history especially the bushido era, and no I dont wear a fedora.

>>1173704
A free child

>>1173702
>>1173702
me again, I seriously want to gain citizenship, I know its a long and Arduous process and Im just wanting to figure out if I need pay for a tutor here or join a club or some shit, or maybe even go back to college.

Been doing a lot of research about the do's and don'ts of japan as far as public routines, its so bizarre yet interesting. I know I should at least visit there first, Im young and I tend to be frugal with my money, any advice is welcome

>>1173587
I dont know if you are still here but trade school might be an option, skilled technicians are lacking all around the world

>>1173708
You ought to just fight to make other countries homogeneous so people don't have to dream of Japan and they can just be comfy.
Europe used to be just as comfy if not MORE comfy than Japan until the lame people started coming.
Ugh, we have such a caveman mentality now.
But not glorious Japan, the rising sun, the hope of the new World!

>>1173704
Same as the penalty for most crimes: Execution.

>>1173710
I dont know if you think im trolling, but Im not any real information would be appreciated, I mean we can wish for something all we want, doesnt mean its gonna happen... I really just want help to outline a plan thats best for me on being able to live there.

>>1173713
Nothing will help you man.
You're just more male competition to them, specially annoying cause you're considered "exotic" there.
If you really like Japan you wouldn't be selfish to the ones who built it.

>>1173714
their birthrates are at an all time low, most of the males there are too shy or marry their 3ds. Yeah im exotic, and yes I think asian women are beautiful, but im also a huge fan of history and really just want to learn about the culture firsthand.

>>1173715
>muh dik
So basically you want to destroy.
Enjoy hell.
Most of the males are helping not only their country, but the world, by creating robots, helping their old, working overtime so they don't have third world slave labor like the West. They are being economically choked(meaning they can't have many children) so they have less people like you around.
How does that feel?

>>1173716
you make it sound like i just wanna go over there and spread baby gravy all over everything that has 2 legs and a hole between them, im 23 and I know the ramifications of creating life without the economic resources to provide for it, I would not wish that on anyone. As i stated before I want to learn more about the culture through firsthand experience.

>>1173717
Nah you want to fuck Japanese chicks and waste more of your life.
Cause you think it's all about having fun.

>>1173718
With all due respect, you dont know shit about me.

Have you ever been there? or are you just being a condescending cunt over the internet.

>>1173719
I've been to Japan.
They don't like foreigners.

>>1173720

I hate to repeat myself, but I know its all about respect, what did you do while you were there? and what part did you visit? I know some parts are extremely racist.

>>1173708
>I know its a long and Arduous process
nigga you literally just chill there on any non-tourist visa (yes student visa counts despite what the first hit on google says) for FIVE years and then apply. just don't commit any crimes during that period or in your home country before you arrive. also, have a means to support yourself and be able to speak japanese at a 3rd grade level.

Japan has one of the easiest naturalization processes in the world (ignoring ones where you just drop a ton of cash and get it via "investment"). seriously. it takes 10 years to get PR, and only 5 to become a nip.

>>1173721
I visited Tokyo and went sight seeing. Even the people I was staying with didn't like me until I told them I just wanted to see what a mono-racial country was like.

>>1173723
oh, and if you get married (a legit non-sham marriage), it's only 3 years. godspeed, anon.

>>1173723

Thanks, I currently have 2 misdemeanors charged on the samething for threats, which will eventually go away after I get off of Probation, other than that im clean. I guess I just need to hire a tutor and apply to a college at some point.

>>1173728
>>1173728
Same, also got misdemeanors. Seriously though you aren't going to make it in Japan friend.
What is your ethnicity? White?
Go to Russia or Europe.
Brown?
Go anywhere south.
Yellow?
Go to China
Red?
Go south

>>1173728
as long as it won't show up in the FBI record request the government makes when you apply, you'll be fine

i haven't read the whole thread (came here from another board) but you need a minimum # of hours of training to even get a student visa, but there are schools which specialize in giving you that training and then transitioning you to a student visa immediately (like Genki in Fukuoka)

i myself will be going the entrepreneur visa route, but i've also lived in japan for a while before and know what it's like. if you haven't spent at least a month there, please go do so before you commit to any long-term plans.

>Check escort site
>$400 USD for 90 minutes
WEW LADS, am I better off at a soapland or should I pay for quality? All these girls are fluent english and solid 8s-10s

>>1173732
White, and fuck russia and europe, I truly want to blend into their society

>>1173733

I plan on getting it expunged, and its not a felonies so i guess thats ok?

The school genki, are you saying i apply to the school without a student visa, attend work my ass off and then they eventually give me a visa?

Tell me about the entrepeneur route,, googling questions is one thing, hearing from people is completely different sorry in advanced if im being a retard

Also i plan on visiting their eventually :D

>>1173736
>>1173736
>muh diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick
Aw man, "blend"?
You're making it obvious now. I'm White too, and trust me, Japan is vastly inferior to certain areas in Western countries. You'd be limited there.

>>1173737
what is it with you and my penis anon, japan is alot like america in the sense that if you work hard, and respect the society you will succeed there.

>>1173740
Nah
Japs hate whites coming in and waving their dicks around.

>>1173742
you make it sound like im going full Nord, on the little people

>>1173744
that's basically how they're going to see you, specially with you living there for awhile.

>>1173745
even if im nice, respectful and go out of my way to help people?

>>1173736
yup, genki is an accredited school and can directly issue you a student visa. there's quite a few like that.

you basically complete the hours requirement on a tourist visa (they help with housing and all that), they help you do all the paperwork for the student visa, you get the student visa, you fly to busan and fly back and enter japan on the student visa. you can't switch from tourist to non-tourist while in the country.

one of my friends went through the whole process with them but he had been teaching himself japanese for like 5 years so he was already like N3 by the time he went there. he just needed the official classroom hours to get the visa

>>1173747
Yes.

>>1173748
thanks so much for the info anon, so I guess ive got my outline then

I just need to work my ass off and save money, you've been alot of help.

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>>1173749
are you a neckbeard? if you are its okay, I respect the sage, I know many IRL, im just trying to understand your reasoning.

What is with the influx of /pol/- and /r9k/-tier posts in the last few threads? Can't we just discuss travelling to/living in Japan like we always have?

So, anyone know of any good spots for birdwatching? I assume ut's not very popular amongst the users of this board, so I won't restrict it to one location. If you have any good experiences, please share!

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>>1173646
This sounds really cool. Where is this? I found a metal bar in Umeda which was really cool. It's called Meridian, I think.

>>1173682

>>1173752
Ive seen some rare birds in Roppongi, and overall experience was quite nice, I too decided to stick with watching

I've been in Japan for about 10 months now and it's meh to me because:
1)I am not a history person
2) Not a culture person
3) Not a sightseeing person
What should I do to enjoy my time in Japan?

>>1173780
Travel. Taiwan is fucking godlike for food. Korea is decently cheap and the women have more personality than Japan.

>>1173780
What kind of person are you then. You sound boring as shit.

>>1173476
whenever my dad and stepmom (who live overseas) visit, they always buy small things for my female cousins who are also overseas. Things like lip gloss or body spray from Victoria's Secret, OPI nail polish, and scented candles (from Yankee). Each of these should cost you less than $10 a piece. For OPI nail polish, you can get them from Ulta, and most likely your mom or a female friend may have a coupon you could even use.

>>1173780
What do you do for fun back home and why can't you do the same in Japan? Also, what are you doing that you're in Japan for so long? Work?

>>1173785
>>1173790
I'm in the military. I usually surf the web and play games but about a year and half ago, it hasn't been the same. I've tried sightseeing, walking trails but it's not doing it for me.

My friend and I are staying in Japan for 4 weeks or so and don't have anything planned besides 14 days for Tokyo and 13 for Osaka,Kyoto and Hiroshima. Which is pretty fucked but we don't know any places besides Fukuoka/Oita for the onsens. Are there any places/cities you guys would recommend? I don't know whether spending all my travel time just exploring these cities is worth it or not.

>>1173734
That's actually cheap by your description.
But escorts (outcall) don't actually always provide full service.

>>1173793
> surf the web and play games
It's not Japan or any other country, it's you who are boring, dear anon

>>1173683
hi pol, bye pol

>>1173752
ever since people were asking to delete pol and ban all it's users they've been spreading and shitting up every board.

can anyone recommend some travel vlogs or videos from tokyo?
i want to be inspired

>>1173724
>tokyo racist

You must have been unlucky as fuck. Literally no racism wherever I visited, I was informed about their culture and polite though.

I'm gonna be in Shibuya from 11-2 to 11-9 if anyone wants to hang out. My friend that lives there is taking off and we're always down to meet cool chill people.

>>1173709
>I dont know if you are still here but trade school might be an option, skilled technicians are lacking all around the world

Trade school? Like what, engineering schools and stuff? Or are we talking carpentry and stuff?

>>1173838
The racism only appears for the most part when you actually have to do meaningful things like secure housing, get a credit card, trying to get promoted at work, etc.

>>1173752
Nanko Bird Sanctuary in Osaka

I'll be going to Japan next month with three friends. We're all clueless Gaijins.

With that said, I read that some young people live in the 'internet cafes' there.
Is it a good idea for us to try to use an 'internet cafe' as a place to sleep?

>>1173927
My friends slept in manga kissatens for a month until they found a place to rent. It's frowned upon and kind of shitty to do but possible.

>>1173916
Nice, I'll look into that one. Thanks!

>>1173455
>>1173431
How is having little fat is bad? Fat in food can go fuck itself. It's disgusting.

>>1173866
So bad I'm traveling in 2018. I wish I could meet some cool people for hanging out a few days in Japan. It would be awesome.
Have lots of fun.

>>1173935
Every time I go I meet cool new people, I'm sure you will too when you go!

>>1173935
Yes, meeting people from 4chan sure seems like a grand idea.

>>1173709
>>1173897

What's the deal with trade schools and how does that correlate to Japan? Do they accept student loans or something?

if trade is something lacking in japan, it might be an avenue looking into before I sign my life away in 5 months.

>>1173866
Are these times or dates?

>>1173930
Oh! I thought it was a normal thing to do, I won't do it in that case.

So is AirBnB the accommodations of choice for Japan General?

>>1173927
It may not be as comfortable as a hotel or things like that, but they have free drinks and you'll have all the porn you can watch. Plus it's really cheap.

>>1173951
oh yes, my favorite time of day, 11:90

>>1173977
11:90 blaZe it

>>1173944
We are not Pol, b, or one of those shitty boards, I have some faith that people from here are cool dudes to hang out with.

what are the tourist traps in tokyo that are absolutely played out and should be avoided?

anywhere that a midwestern soccer mom would see on a tripadvisor website and say "ooh that looks nice, let's go there"

>>1173987
Not really anything, to be honest. The touristy stuff is all worth hitting.

If anything I guess Skytree. It's expensive and it's just a very high lookout. Tokyo Tower is a fraction of the price.

People cite the Robot Restaurant as a tourist trap, but I think it's fun and worth it.

>>1173987
English menus.
Western like places.
If it's full of Chinese, it might be a trap.
Disney.
Niggers.
Chinese fake Buddhists.
Etc
It's not hard to detect traps.

>>1173989
ah cool, thanks for the tip. i was trying to decide between skytree and tokyo tower and wasn't sure which to go to

skytree is twice as tall, but i doubt the experience will be twice as good

>>1173986
People that travel a lot are pretty chill usually.

>>1173989
oh and speaking of observation decks, is the hachitama observation room in fuji tv worth checking out? i'll be in the area anyway for gundams

>>1173990
>>>/pol/

>>1173990
Vote trump, waste your vote, and kys. The world isn't meant for people like you, stay home

>>1173337
Hokkaido anon, sorry I am a day late, ran into some internet problems yesterday...

>Soya is OK if you like propaganda; there's not too much else man-made up there.
Can you elaborate a bit on the propaganda? I mainly just wanted to do it to say I was there.

>What 2 islands do you mean, BTW? Rishiri and Rebun?
Correct, Is there anything worth seeing/doing there? I know I can rent a bike and take a ride around the island, is that or anything else worth doing? If I can only pick one island, is that worth it?

Also re: planes, good to know, I don't mind paying more if it's faster. I'll look into car rentals too.

Ok, I think I got all my questions figured out:

First of all, now that I check my dates, I see that I might very well be there during golden week. How crowded does it get? Is it still worth going?

Next up: Hakodate, is one day enough to see most everything of note? (asa-ichi, russian orthodox church, Motomachi, anything else?)

Sapporo: Hokkaido shrine, this is what I would be expected to see the most crowded if I went during golden week,is it worth seeing? Also same question for the historical village (hokkaido kaitaku no mura) and the botanic gardens. I assume I need at least 2 nights here.

Otaru: are the canal rides fun? Anything else really worth seeing?

Shikotsu-toya park:Do I really need a car to get around and see things here or are the bus systems good enough? Will it actually be warm enough/anything to see at the end of april to make it worthwhile? Also, do they still do the fireworks in the evening and is the Toyako Onsen/is it worth the stay?

Jigokudani: Worth the visit? Anything else around I should consider?

>>1174011

(cont)

Kurodake Ropeway: Same question, also are bears really a big problem in Hokkaido?

Asahikawa: I don't see anything of note here, skip it?

Tomita farm: Probably too early for any flowers, skip it?

Abashiri:Is the Ainu museum worth a visit? Anything else cool?

Shiretoko park: I just read that the trail to the Kamui falls are not open in the spring? Is there any other way to get there? If not, anything else worth seeing? (Maybe the 5 lakes?)

Finally, I already asked about Soya, is there anything in Wakkanai or anywhere else in Hokkaido I should consider I have not already mentioned?

Thanks again for your answers, I really appreciate it.

>>1174012
Forgot to add: with everything I listed, I'm looking at probably 10 days at least, what would be the first things to cut and slim it down to a week?

Friends and I are traveling to Japan this December from the US.

Should we exchange some money before the election in case of a Brexit like outcome where the exchange rate tanks?

>>1174011

LOL, just checked in and saw your post. Coincidence, no?

>Can you elaborate a bit on the propaganda?

It's for the northern islands the Soviets took at the end of WWII. There's an eternal flame and tons of monuments, plus a small museum (with telescopes!) and a large souvenir stand. It's worth a stop if you're up north already, but hardly a destination in and of itself.

>>Is there anything worth seeing/doing there?

You should be able to see "alpine" wildflowers in the late spring. The islands are good for hiking/biking and the food is quite good. Accommodation tends to be expensive. They're both very laid back places; Rishiri is the more developed of the two.

>>golden week. How crowded does it get? Is it still worth going?

I wouldn't worry too much about Golden Week in Hokkaido -- apart from Furano (Tomita Farm) it won't be crowded at all. I drove northern Hokkaido (Nemuro to Shiretoko to Wakkanai) during Golden Week last year and had no problems at all. Prices are a bit higher, of course, but you can't avoid that during Golden Week in Japan.

>>Hakodate, is one day enough

Pretty much; a day or day-and-a-half are enough. Hakodate is really spread out but there's not a huge amount to see. Highlights are the old buildings (Motomachi, 1 or 2 hours walking around), the fort (Goryokaku), and the ropeway (nights are best) up to Mt. Hakodate. The morning market is really touristy but actually pretty cool. If you're in Hakodate and have a car I strongly recommend going to Matsumae and Mt. Esan. The former has a castle and tons of old temples and shrines, plus cherry trees. The latter is an active volcano and has some nice hiking.

>>1174036
I'm from the future and know for that the yen to cent will be 1:0.70 at exactaly 7:45PM EST 10/26 until 11/6 8:33 AM EST. Just wait until then.

>>1174038

>>Sapporo: Hokkaido shrine

It's the biggest shrine in Hokkaido, but the only time I've ever seen it really crowded is on New Year's day. If you want really empty, go to the shrine in Nakajima Koen (right outside the Horohirabashi subway station). It's pretty big and there's hardly ever anyone there. For bonus points, it's the Yasukuni of Hokkaido -- lots of big WWII monuments behind the shrine.

>>historical village (hokkaido kaitaku no mura) and the botanic gardens

I've never been to the historical village but have heard good things about it. It's on the outskirts of the city so will take an hour or so to reach. The botanic gardens are downtown and nice, but not very large. Two days for Sapporo is enough; it's a modern city and probably better to live in than to visit.

>Otaru: are the canal rides fun? Anything else really worth seeing?

If time is tight I'd skip Otaru. It's OK but nothing special and there's not much to see there (unless you're interested in buying really expensive glassware).

>>Shikotsu-toya park:Do I really need a car to get around and see things here or are the bus systems good enough?

I can't imagine going there without a car but suppose it's possible. There's an onsen town (not interesting). The lake has those ubiquitous swan boats and there's an island in the middle you can walk around. It's all nice but nothing really special. Nearby there's an abandoned town (destroyed by an earthquake or volcano, can't remember which, and I can't remember its name) that's a fun hike.

End-April it'll be pretty warm in southern Hokkaido; you'll really only have to worry about snow in the northern part of the island.

Fireworks I don't now about, sorry.

>>Jigokudani: Worth the visit?

Yes. There's a lot of hiking available in the area and the volcanic stuff is quite extensive. This is all in/around Noboribetsu, which itself is probably the most well-known onsen town in Hokkaido.

Holy shit /trv/ isnt very popular it seems, Guess m a newfag to this board, Anyone here? if so lets chat it up about the beauty of japan and its women.

Do any of you practice pick up in Japan? I've heard Jap girls love white guys and would like to hear some success stories of fellow guys in the game.

>>1174041

If you want to do an onsen stay I'd recommend Noboribetsu over Toyako.

>>are bears really a big problem in Hokkaido?

Yes, but only in the countryside/forests. It's not easy to find them unless you're seriously into wilderness and/or mountain hiking.

>>Asahikawa.

Has a zoo. That's it. Can be skipped no problem.

>>Tomita farm: Probably too early for any flowers, skip it?

Will be absolutely packed to the gills with Chinese and other Asian tourists. All of Furano is this way. It's all fake (i.e., 100% developed for tourists only) and really a giant waste of time. Better off to go to Bie or Sounkyo (both sort of nearby), which won't be as crowded and have much better nature.

>>Abashiri

If you're in the neighborhood then it's a good stop for an hour or two. The Ainu museum I didn't go to - I went to the prison. It has a nice gift shop, LOL.

>>Shiretoko park: I just read that the trail to the Kamui falls are not open in the spring?

There's almost certainly still going to be snow that time of the year, but this mostly affects driving over Shiretoko pass. You can take a boat tour out to the end of the peninsula; this is worthwhile. You can probably hike out to the lakes, even if they're closed, but you'll need to be careful with your footing.

>>is there anything in Wakkanai or anywhere else in Hokkaido I should consider I have not already mentioned?

I think I've mentioned a few places already. Wakkanai isn't interesting, but really most of the cities in Hokkaido aren't. The drives between the cities, along the coast and through all the small village, are however pretty cool.

>>I'm looking at probably 10 days at least, what would be the first things to cut and slim it down to a week?

With a car, I'd to Sapporo + Hakodate + Matsumae for about 5 days (drive back to Sapporo along the northern route, i.e. through Shakotan -- it's much nicer). You could then do Nemuro + Shiretoko + the drive up to Wakkanai in 4 days, easy.

>>1174045

Sorry -- didn't see your last bit. If you want to do it all in a week, then do the Sapporo - Hakodate - Matsumae - Esan - Sapporo drive for 5 days. For your last two days, fly somewhere that's interesting for a night or two -- Rishiri, Shiretoko, or Nemuro.

If you have any other questions, please ask.

>>1174044
>went to club in shibuya
>drunk as Fuck
>dance like an idiot
>meet aussie guy that knows jap
>want to kiss a girl? Come on mate, don't be a cunt
>introduces me to a girl
>kiss her
>get out
>go to the hotel alone
>puke everything on the futuristic bathroom
>decide I want to drink something cold
>get out of the hotel
>everything is closed
>see a vending machine
>fucking suica Is not accepted
>get depressed
>go back to hotel
>sleep

Not like a wow situation, just a normal day on a normal club from Japan to Buenos Aires. The same shit everywhere if you try.

>>1174044
>If you want to do an onsen stay I'd recommend Noboribetsu over Toyako.
You're gonna have more luck in places like British style pubs, those places get the typical "want to practice english/fuck" girls that also knows a bit more english than the typical

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if I like aimlessly walking around in cities and just going down random alleyways / in random buildings but also really enjoy rural-ish areas, where should I go in Japan?

I generally don't care for typical tourist things, like when I went to Hong Kong the highlight of my trip was finding the universities and walking around every part of them / exploring around each MTR stop

>>1174012
Asahikawa is the easiest way to get to Asahidake and Daisetuzan National Park. Best to make a day trip of it, unless you like hiking, then stay at one of the onsens in Asahidake. The one I stayed at was a traditional Ryokan with the oldest onsen in the park.

>That feel when you'd like to live somewhere in Hokkaido, but you're not qualified to be a teacher, and you feel like the locals would get tired of you even faster than a place like Tokyo.

Fuck, I was so happy about the climate and the hiking opportunities there.

Let's say i graduated high school and I want to continue my studies in Japan

If my japanese is currently shit, should I first attend a japanese language study school then go to a regular college from there? are there scholarships for that sort of thing?

>>1174279
how old are you?

>>1174284
Just turned 22, why?

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>>1174285
Oooh, that sucks.

you just invalidated yourself from every government scholarship available for high school graduates by turning 22

http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/toj/toj0201e.html

If you applied 6 months ago maybe you would have been okay

>>1174257
I spend all my nights in Tokyo like that. I keep exploring hidden shrines, train stations and various other gems.

>>1174286
Goddamn, there is so much dream killing and bloodshed in this thread

>>1174299
Are you from the US?

>>1174307
yes, so no working holiday visas for me

however, in JLS land, that Kyoto location is looking very cool right about now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxCB-qx4oQ8

>>1174308
Anon, that's a university prep school. Don't tell me you plan on going to university INSIDE japan?

>>1174308
>Kyoto

poor man's osaka

Anyone use the NTT east free wifi? How good is it? Going to Tokyo.

>>1174308
Why don't you work to pay everything? If I could do it, (I come from a third world country) you can. My money isn't worth shit and could pay the trip and the enrolment, working of course. I don't understand how someone with a lot more opportunities than me cannot do it.

I don't have the intention to make someone angry o such, just exposing my opinion.

anyone consider teaching english to japanese businessmen as a viable job?

seems similar to what i'm doing now with much less babysitting

>>1174340
OP probably won't listen to you. The fact that Chinese can do this, when they earn a dollar an hour, but OP somehow cannot, is just proof that he's incompetent.

>>1174348
You have to be good at it, and you don't earn much more, maybe 200 more a month, because advanced curriculums are rare, and generally don't finish.

That's just how it is.

>>1174048
Oh wow, thanks for this detailed overview/answers. I'll have to do some more research before I ask any other questions, but for now, the only other one I can think of is are there any good SCUBA places you suggest in Hokkaido?

>>1174368

No problem. Feel free to ask away.

As for SCUBA, it's not such a big thing here -- the water's too cold. The only diving I'm aware of is in Toyako, in the spring and summer. The visibility is really good. There may be other diving spots, so you should Google around if you're really interested. If you like adventure-type stuff, there's also whitewater rafting in Niseko and parasailing in Rusutsu. Both are pretty great; both make a nice day trip from Sapporo.

Anyone did Japan without the blasted JRpass everyone and their mother seems to buy? I'm on a seriously shoestring budget and the damn thing would cost me more than airfare, on top of wasting many days when I'll be just sitting on my ass in cities or moving around the more densely packed and cheaper to travel Kansai.
How were the Willer buses if anyone has tried them? The price of that 3 or 5 day pass coupled with saving on accommodation due to overnight trips is very tempting. Any hidden catches you've experienced?

>>1173188
Morioka is good choice because that has interesting history and culture with beautiful mountain view, but a little bit far from Sapporo.

Another option I recommed is Hakodate, which takes around 4 hours from both Sapporo and Fukushima, where you can enjoy fish foods like Sushi, and one of the famous castles "Goryokaku" exists.

>>1174397
travel is not for poor people. please plan your life accordingly.

>>1174451
Nope.

>>1174451
Thank you for this insightful comment. Please consider writing a self-help book, your wisdom is unprecedented.

>>1173963
>I thought it was a normal thing to do
These are the type of people who make Japanese hate gaijin.

Use your common sense faggot.

this is a little more /v/ than /trv/, but would i be able to find an english language flashcart for a 3ds somewhere in tokyo?

i have a bunch of .nds roms i've been meaning to play

>>1174397
The pass is recommended because generally time is valuable when you're traveling. If time is not as precious a commodity for you, there are buses and regional trains that can do the job, albeit it at a slower pace (obviously). I have personally not taken a bus but I spoke with someone who had. She took a sleeper bus and said that the driver is supposed to take to take a break every hour which is why it takes so much longer to reach the destination. The drive is quite boring but it's cheap.

>>1174397
The buses I've taken in Japan have all been super comfy with plenty of stops, granted the farthest I've gone was Tokyo to Kawaguchiko. They're not a bad option but it can limit the distance you can go at once. I never did the sleeper bus though.

going to tokyo in dec, and i cant find any details on anime cafes in tokyo(i am talking about official ones). The only one i found were the animate cafe in ikebukuro. Anyone has been to different ones, mind to share them here?

>>1174633
There's a Gundam cafe in Akihabara. That's all I know of.

>>1174638
*ahh shit* you ask for anime cafe. sorry. im not familiar with children stuff.

>>1174639
>tips fedora
>psssst nothin personell kid

>>1174639
bro, how do you into hookers then?

I'm planning on going to Japan, mainly Tokyo, around the new year, but of course it's internal tourist high season and bookings for a flat two weeks are hard to get.
The part I hate the most about travel is that period of insecurity between hotels where things are most likely to go wrong, and if possible, I'd like to stay at one hotel in one go, or go to another city for a few days and then return to the same hotel.
Considering that just searching the Internet for a hotel is pretty risky, what with booking scams and shills all over most popular sites and at the paid top of Google results, does anyone have a hotel pick or two that I can look at for a longer booking? I'm mostly looking for a cheap Tokyo business hotel that's not out in Saitama and isn't littered with party tourists or too many gaijin families. I speak enough Japanese to handle non-English-speaking places, but don't have anyone in Japan to make bookings for me for those hotels that don't take foreign credit card payments.

>>1174683
hotels.com and other notable booking sites are safe, but hotels.com is fucking swamped with love hotels nowadays
check out airbnb too, or couchsurfing.

>>1174633
The cafe at the ghibli museum, has a nausciaa beer you can only buy there.

Just passing through the airport in the US for my connecting flight made me immediately miss Japan.

All the dickhead TSA yelling and being condescending at O'Hare, the cops acting like assholes. The rudeness. Everything.

I know it's just grass is greener, rose tinted glasses shit, but I really miss the quiet and politeness that I experienced in Japan. Even when people were rude to me, it wasn't anywhere near as overt.

>>1174708
That's a no.
I'm going to be alone on the trip, and a service that's illegal in Japan as well as being completely unregulated and relying solely on good faith is not what I want to tackle there.
You can literally get locked up for up to four weeks and then kicked out for years if you're caught using Airbnb or couchsurfing setups - and I see the reason. Taking money out of the hands of people who run proper businesses with proper licensing and putting it into the hands of people with no legal obligations who could be literally everyone is not something I want to do.
On top of that, there are booking fees and bureaucratic walls between a booking service and the hotel, and once you discover a possible scam, you're already in another country being told that there is no reservation in your name and there are no rooms free. I'm going to have to insist on ordering directly from the hotel's site or by phone.

>>1174718
It's not illegal though, unless something changed recently. It's just grey area

>>1174723
Even if the stories I've heard of police leaning on people for using it are all lies, there's still the fact that using it is all a matter of trust in complete strangers. It's also going to make you a prime suspect in any crimes around the area, since Japanese police focus very hard on cases involving hideouts, stashes, illegal residence and other forms of crime that use temporarily owned housing and property.
On top of that, again, I don't like the idea of cheating people who actually worked for their locations and their licenses out of their money to put some extra booze money in a Brazilian immigrant's account while he's home for New Year's.
At some point, the scams and crimes perpetrated using Airbnb, Uber and other illegal replacements for qualified and regulated services are going to overflow, and people will realize why we don't have African conditions where you just buy all your services off the street from complete randoms. People have gotten postmodern and pampered because they haven't experienced actual adversity, and they're willing to leave their stay and travels in the hands of unqualified randoms because they think they've "figured out what no hotel owner wants to tell you" and can cheat the system.

>>1174718
Yup, better to not go out of your house or you might do something illegal!

>>1174718
Dude, even the people at customs told me and others to just put AirBnB on our immigration card if that's what we were using.

So I'm a total fucking weeb and would like to go to japan and see some idol concerts while I'm there. How hard are they to get into? I would imagine fans buy out all the tickets pretty fast and assuming I just want to hear some well sung jpop, not specifically one singer/group, are there any better ways to go about it?

>>1174792
As an idol fan, let me tell you one thing.
If you aren't into idols enough to have an oshi, or even a favorite member, you will feel out of place there.
A huge part of it is the fan experience, and people who aren't into it will probably feel alienated.
Idols are more about the variety shows, dance, social media interaction, radio and concert experience all in all than the music - it's a big part of it, sure, but if you want J-pop, it's probably better to go to a normal band's concert.

>>1174796
I mean, don't get me wrong, I do have a favorite, but I already looked up their tours and none of them match my trip, so I only asked in regards to best places to see.

>>1174718
You better don't get out of your country without having a laws degree in Japan, I've heard that foreigners without one can be kicked out of the country for at least 10 life times.

>>1174633
Not strictly anime, but there is a FF Eorzea Cafe in Akihabara. It was pretty cute.

How do I find a cute Japanese countryside wife to marry and move in with?

Is it reasonable to buy a one way ticket to Japan and buy one home when I'm ready to leave? Has anybody done this?

>>1174900
Depending the agreements your country have with Japan you may not be allowed to leave unless you have a return ticket. You should do some research on that

>>1174393
>parasailing in Rusutsu
Oh wow, I never knew I needed this in my life, I hope I don't die. Thanks for the suggestion.

One other question for you: It seems like a lot of places are already all "booked" but it looks to me like they just don't have rooms listed that far in advance.

If I called one of them with my broken japanese and just asked about booking during golden week do you think they would be able to help me?

I'm going to be in Japan on Halloween. Anyone got any advice on candy? I was thinking of grabbing a bunch of different chocolate bars and some snacks from the liquor store.

>>1174864
you don't

unless you're rich and white

I've traveled from North America to Asia.
I've also transited through Narita/Haneda back to North America.

Any 'gotchas' when traveling from another Asian city to stay in Tokyo?

Also, are there /trv/ approved review sites for hotels?

>>1174393
Also one more question for you: Any suggestions for flights around hokkaido? The sapporo -> Nakashibetsu then ->nakashibetsu ->Rishiri (cant go direct it seems so it costs more? At least on ANA, only people who seem to fly around the north) seems expensive, so ideally I find a better way to do this.

>>1174718
I haven't had any problems using booking.com, hotels.com, or japanican. Just keep in mind you'll be getting the rooms that guests usually complain about because it's far from the elevator or has a bad view from the window. I personally don't care since it's a place to sleep for the night. I always print out a copy of my reservation, but I've never had an issue with it. Now I can just book through a Japanese website, but that's because I understand enough kanji to do it. I couldn't do that at first, so don't feel bad if you have to default to a booking service. A lot of places just hold your credit card info to reserve the room, then you can pay cash at the hotel, which probably ends up going back to the booking service on their end.

New bread >>1174950

So are there any escort agencies that go past the standard schoolgirl,maid costume setup etc?

I kind of want to screw a touhou/anime character cosplay escort if possible while im over there.