Japan General

>>1182127
Space station is quite fun. Definitely a gaijin bar though I did see a few Japanese of both genders throughout there might I was there.

Has anybody tried Go Go Nihon's program? I'm interested in a study trip but don't see many actual reviews on them.

Sorry if this is a stupid question but if I'll be in Japan for a couple months should I bother getting a Japanese sim card for my phone or would pocket wifi suffice?

>>1182552

How long will you be there? If it's like 6+ months, I'd just get a Japanese phone.

>>1182555
3 months max, but probably no longer than 10 weeks.

>>1182561
I'd just stick with pocket wifi, tho I'm not knowledgeable in sim cards so maybe other anons may know better.

>>1182564
>>1182562
I was considering the sim just for internet access, not calling or texting or anything like that. I guess I'll go for pocket wifi instead then though, thanks.

>>1182569
Oh okay, cool, sim it is then. I think pocket wifi seemed a little more expensive too.

The wifi has been surprisingly bad throughout japan. The free spots at stations are unreliable to say the least and every single free access point in the country has a fucking laggy web page to sign into.

There will be a fuckhuge essay about letting the terrists win, and to prevent wifi from being abused by organized crime, and then you register your email and phone number. I never never seen such a paranoid society as this.

Others need you to send a text message (which costs $$$ for overseas providers).

I had better wifi in turkey and that is a country with actual terrorists. If turkey can do it than japan can too.

Japan needs to get over their cultural fears of trash cans and public wifi if they want to be ready for the Olympics.

>>1182517

Sounds too to me. Can you tell me more about it?

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Don't judge me, I know plenty of people here are into dark tourism.

How easy is it to legally drive and walk around Futaba, Japan? My job is pretty strict, and it'd really fuck my life up to get arrested for trespassing, but is it possible to see the exclusion zone without writing scholars and the local police and hiring strange Russians who won't tell me their real name?

I really hope this thread doesn't die, because I have a lot of questions about Japan and I really need someone that lives there to answer me it. (This is literally the only place I can find people that are somewhat like me that can answer my questions properly.. :<)

Firstly, I have a Japanese girlfriend, we will marry eventually and we've got already plans to move to Japan. But I've read some facts about Japan that could really make me regret about moving there.
I study Applied Math with focus on Statistics and Computer Science. I intend to get a Master Degree on Japan itself on Economy and work with that there. My girlfriend has no college at all, she won't be able to do "intelectual jobs", but it's not really a problem. The thing is, is a monthly salary, with my degrees, of 450-500k yen something real or am I dreaming? I've seen Starting salary of around 9 million/year, but I can't really trust on that much money. It's like.. a fucking lot I guess?
Anyway, besides that.. considering I would gain 450-500k yen monthly, will I work A LOT? I've heard jobs in Japan is extremely hard and painful, will I suffer even though I would work on an "intelectual job"?

Now... about internet stuff.. I've heard it's very limited the download amount and the price is very expensive. Is 100mb of download with over 300gbs of limit monthly a real value or is it bullshit?
Is torrent really illegal? If I wanna download songs, movies or whatever, will I get fined/arrested?

>>1182607
>will I work A LOT
Yes.
>even though I would work on an "intelectual job"
Even more so

Internet is not bad at all.

450-500k on the other hand if your wife is not working is not a lot. Assuming you plan to live in Tokyo. Also, is you Japanese good enough to get into uni (especially master) there?

>>1182586
Seriously? If you don't like the protocols for the wifi you want to access walk a couple steps and try another one. Plus, you're using free wifi, you don't get to say anything about it.

>>1182615
>you'll be working 60 hour weeks or more, 6 days a week. no way around this.

Dude, come on, don't exaggerate. Hours will most likely be long, but it depends on the company and the position of course.


50-55 hours, 5 days a week would be a more accurate figure for any Japanese company.

I still don't think the guy should try to go through with this plan-- it's pants on head retarded to shoot for compsci in Japan. You could easily make double the money or more being a programmer in the US.

>>1182595
>well, their fear is working. japan is either the number 1 or 2 safest country in the world

It is the safest plave for an entirely different set of reasons than being a nanny state or other "culture of fear" aspects. The phobia of trash cans is a good example of a kneejerk reaction from a one-off incident.

The strong ecomony for the past half century, the island isolation that lets them more easily control access points, and a negligible amount of dindus or gypsies. These are the reasons it is a safe country.

The swiss enjoy similar benefits.

Well organized crime also helps prevent petty street crime (the kinds of crime that make people afraid to walk down the streets at night). Yakuza do not fuck with old ladies buying groceries or steal luggage at train stations. They actually prevent that petty shit from happening.

>>1182616
>mixing computer science and economics
Algo trading is a thing faggot. You also use COMPUTERS for economic models. People on wall street use all types of algorithms run by powerful machines.

t. CS and econ major

>>1182633
I'm the one who posted the question here: >>1182607
I'm not this guy >>1182628
Sorry if he was rude; what an asshole.
But like he said, computer science do have a lot in common with economics, but it's not a really wide field, I would say.

Also, about my girlfriend, it has been almost 3 years we are together already. We really intend to marry and move to Canada or Japan, but Japan seemed a better choice at the beginning; that's why i came here to ask these questions.
Like you said, a beginning salary of 350k isn't that much of a deal to a master degree compared to others countries, I would say?

Firstly I was thinking on using my gf sallary (that wouldn't be a lot, but would be like the minimum wage or whatever) to pay the bills and use my sallary to entrepreneurship; but a 350k salary seems lame for something like that.

Reading your feedback about my ideas on moving to Japan, I can't say I'm really encouraged to live there anymore. Firstly I thought I would, with a master degree, get paid for 5-6kk/y easily. But seems like it isn't like that.

About my employment skill set, I've been programming stuff since I was eight. I would say I know A LOT about programming, and my math skills are really good. (I'm almost finishing my math degree and I've never had any scores below 90%).
I got a freelancing income of around 2.5k usd/monthly with just programming stuff, which I do when I got nothing to study from the college (so Like 3 or 4 hours a day? excluding weekends)
But as you said that my income would be like 350k, I got really dissapointed.

Anyone ever went to the red light district in japan and gotten an escort before to a room?

How much does it cost and do they speak english?

>>1182640
Also, about my gf, we just really considered Japan because he bornt there and grew up till she was 8 and moved to my country, when we met.
But if you think all this stuff of gf is a trap, just analyse my skill sets and tell me if it's really worth it going there to live a cool life with my ambitions.
Thanks for the help, too.
I got really ashamed about this guy being that rude >>1182628
I'm really sorry for he being that asshole, even though you were helping me.

>>1182643
>she bornt there
Fixed.

So I'm going to Japan with a friend in a few weeks, living in Tokyo. I still haven't arranged where I'm going to live yet, and I'll be staying there for a month. We want to stay in an apartment but don't know which service to use. So far I'm seeing Oakhouse and Sakurahouse, are there any other options? What do you guys recommend? I'm trying to get one cheap that isn't too far from Shinjuku.

>>1182646
I'm really sorry if my English bothered you. I learnt English by myself and I've never really spoke to anyone regularly.
I'm from Europe and I met my girlfriend here. We intend to more from EU because we don't like how things are going with those immigrants.
Also, about my color, I'm literally palid white.

>>1182654
>We intend to move from EU
Fixed.

>>1182640
>>1182646
Don't listen to this troll anon. Us people of color have to stick together. We need more brown people in the US so we can combat our president who is literally Hitler.

>>1182641
>How much does it cost and do they speak english?

Use online services and dont ever accept offers on the street. Ever.

I had good results with two agencies this week offering very different services.

One JK-type agency i called didnt have any girls available until later (the one girl who was very foreign friendly was still in school and unavailable for the afternoon special). The girls are 18 but some have classes. 25,000 yen for 90 min for afternoon rate.

So instead of a 145cm azunyan sized 18 year old i got a college girl who came with jk cosplay. She worked at a maid cafe for a year earlier and could switch on the anime/maid cafe voice and all the cliched phrases. She also was a huge macross fangirl and could sing the ranka lee songs rather well. I had brought along cat ears and a tail and she gleefully yelled "nekomimi modo!" And put them on.

So not JK service, but having an escort former maid cafe girl sing anime songs and meow at you still made for a good time. I paid 2000 yen extra for a pink rotor toy option but otherwise no hidden upsells. She stayed in cat mode and made erotic "nyaaaa~" sounds during rotor play.

She spoke very good english and we talked about anime and travel in the bath after.

The other agency i used was a fetish service for a femdom duo. Neither girl know much english but they carried a little laminated booklet and pointed at the english phrases and expained what was or was not allowed. Because this was a fetish themed agency there was no upsell for toy use, but fewer sexual activities were offered. That duo was around 32,000 again due to daytime promo. Would normally be 38,000.

Tl;dr

Shop around but ymmv. Even in foreign friendly agencies not all girls will see you.

>>1182664
I've been reading about soaplands and want to try one, what do you think about them?

>>1182664

What's the first agency called? I want to try this

>>1182665

Most will outight refuse you, or they will have a foreign girl service you. After you pay the 4500 yen foreigner tax they may hit you with another 20,000 for full service. Budget 50,000 to 60,000 yen for a good time with a hot girl if you can find one. Very poor value especially if you are from a country where you can get PSE service from a hot blonde or asian college girl for $250.

Soaplands are much more affordable for the japanese. Even speaking japanese isnt enough to dodge the gaijin penalties. Just stay away and stick to escorts.

On the off chance that someone else here is a huge basic bitch:

I'm taking my Instax camera to Japan next year. Obviously I can buy more film once I get there, but it's balls expensive at retail (I get 50 for around $30aud from work.)

So I'd much rather load up with a couple hundred and bring them with me.

According to Fuji they'll be fine if I bring them via carry-on, but will Japanese customs be suspicious because basically my entire carry-on will be boxes of photo film?
Will it be alright since it's such a familiar Japanese product?

>>1182640
>>1182643
>>1182644
Can I have a second opinion?
I'm almost giving up on Japan after reading these comments ;_;

>>1182666

Jk style. They were well reviewed on the escort review sites.

Jk style is one branch of a group of agencies. The girl i ended up with was from one of their other agencies. She was majoring in communications (specializing in something about foreign companies with a branch in japan, or vice versa. Its like HR but deals with cultural/language barriers between international branches.

She spoke japanese, english, and also grmsn or french, i cannot remember.

Just a note that the websites disclaimer offers no sex but how far the girls go is up to them. Read reviews about specific girls on the forums if you are looking for something specific.

>>1182671

I can't remember if you said you speak Japanese. If you do, you have a shot. If not, stay home unless you are fine being an English teacher.

>>1182672

Thanks anon, I love you. I always wanted to try out a japanese girl.

>>1182674

As the one guy warned, some agencies mix in chinese or thai girls. You cant guarantee a japaenese girl.

This girl i had (that sang macross songs and was a former maid) seemed like the real deal. She had photos of herself in ranka cosplay at comiket and in another costume variant of a character I didnt recognize at some nico nico event. Chokaigi or something like that. She said it was a vocaloid character but I didnt recognize it.

>>1182667
i don't give a fuck where she's from as long as she touches my 3 inch nightcrawler

>>1182615
>>1182616
What are you on about? Literally half the gaijin I met in Japan were working in some kind of software company (Line, Amazon, Rakuten, Yahoo etc.) and none of them spoke any japanese at all

IT people are in high demand over there

>>1182669
Most likely they won't, I didn't travel with instant film but normal one and always had them hand check it and it was never a problem

That said, I really can't imagine that film is going to be cheaper where you're from, since Japan has usually the cheapest film you can find around the world (ESPECIALLY fuji film)

>>1182676

You're tempting me to try this. Fuck I've watched way too much cosplay JAV.

>>1182689
Okay, cool. I was just worried because I want to bring so much.

They probably are cheaper at retail, but I can get them at cost price from work.. 60c each instead of $1.50.
>desu if I couldn't I wouldn't have gotten the camera. It's ridiculously overpriced.

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Reposting once per thread:

Tokyo meetup
Dec 28th - dinner (most probably I'll book a place with chanko nabe)
Dec 29th - weebs go to Comiket together, others discuss their trip during the dinner.

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

You can also contact me via LINE group, nickname's tokyo meetup op

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Also, I can comment on working hours/conditions in Japan.

Most of well-paid, intellectual type of jobs (e.g. top tier IT, multinational FMCG) require around 60 hours on average.
Prestigious jobs in, example given, financial sector, are more brutal - think 70-80 hours per week. Even more for BB IB - 80-85-90.
Sounds harsh? It sure does, but the point is it's pretty much the same for jobs like that throughout the world, regardless of your actual location.

The key difference is that your standard 9-5 job in either a second-tier or lifestyle-oriented company will transform to something like 9-7. Another thing is mentality - ganbatte kudosai is not a meme. Boss asked to work on saturday? Gladly. Calling off your already short vacation? Fine.

But, once again, it's much worse in some other countries.

>>1182703

Yeah, I dunno either. I do 50-60 hour weeks and its fine, seems normal to me. Just one more reason to try and go to Japan I guess.

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>>1182658
> "whenever I see bad english..."
> His own posts are in Holden Caulfield-grade english

Pot calling the kettle black

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I just found out yatai aren't common in Tokyo...

Just crush all my weeb fantasies right NOW anons

>>1182697
Just looking at Gaijin Pot, the second most offered Job category behind teaching is IT, so there is quite a high demand to it compared to other industries

This corresponds with friends in Japan posting weekly about their company looking for a software developer or some other IT position

>>1182711
Fly to Fukuoka then you cuck

Alright booked my ticket from the 16th of December till the 5th of January.

Going from Osaka and ending in Tokyo for the last week.

Will japan be closed up for new years?

>>1182719
Depends on your fav type of actitvity.
Trains will be chotto crowded though

>>1182720
Well I'm gonna plan my itinerary now then, it wont be that bad for a tourist right?

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>>1182721
If I answered "yes", would you cancel your ticket?

Of course, my friend, you are gonna be ok. Prepare a bullet list of things to do during your itinerary and then we can check if it is affected by new years, which is quite unlikely to be honest.
Talking about trains, well, you might run into a rather packed one, but then all you have to do is to stand for a few hours. No big deal.

>>1182626
>The phobia of trash cans is a good example of a kneejerk reaction from a one-off incident.

Pardon my ignorance but what incident would that be?

>>1182728
I am guessing the Sarin attacks by that Christian terror cult, but could be wrong

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>>1182732

>Christian Terror Cult
>Christian

>>1182665
Lurk at Tokyo Adult Guide. There's a big compiled list of various soaplands, prices and whether they accept foreigners or not. There are also places that don't have a gaijin tax.

>>1182706
what about someone who's in their mid 20s, wants to fuck around and teach english for a year and then maybe go back home after?

>>1182699
Would something like cyber security fall under "top-tier IT", or is there not even a market for it in Japan yet?

>>1182667
>le prostitutes in Japan are all Chinese epic meme

ive been living in japan for 2-3 months and got to say if youre planning on living here or being here for an extended period of time, really plan out everything in advance, and don't go expecting "I can just buy whatever i need when i get there". japan is quite literally a second rate country. you can't even buy things like fruits and vegetables, those are rare and expensive things, most things aren't even refrigerated.
all the food in japan is just low quality meats plus rice / noodles. none of their dishes have vegetables or you know, healthy shit. and my god, dont get me started on health or cleanliness, the place is a fucking shit hole. people are so disgusting and hygiene is like a foreign concept. they don't even have soap in some bathrooms.

if youre looking for your weeb dreams and shit in japan, i got to say, its not that great. i'd suggest just visiting as a tourist, and dont move here. maybe spend a summer just touring the country, right now, its just like, fuck.

LMAO FUCKING WEEBS
I bet you've never even been to Japan
I bet you just pretend you have so you look cool while you shitpost with your anime avatars on gey forums
seriously i hope you guys all come here to japan one day and learn that we dont like fat weeaboos trying to have the sex wuth japaneese lady.
i hate anime because of you nerds .. .. ..

>tfw managed to contact a qt japanese girl i've met months ago and she told me she'll be happy to show me around

aww yea guys

>>1182763
Don't forget medicine. Those fuckers think you'll get hooked the instant you pop an advil. They're so far behind with over the counter meds it's insane. Nothing but placebos and herbal bullshit. Japan is retarded sometimes I swear

>>1182749

Even without the gaijin tax most soalands are prohibitively expensive especially if it is just a massage and vanilla sex. I have no idea why people pay 45,000 to 60,000 on the forums for such basic mundane service.

If are ok with just fucking a girls face and using toys on each other, or going for other fetishes you can save 20,000 easily with an escort.

One common service they provide is intercrural sex (like when the girl wears a swimsuit, pantyhose or spats and you lube her up fuck the thighs and/or ass crack). If you have a clothing fetish or are into cosplay can be even better than vanilla sex. The girl gets bored though so you can stuff her panties with toys first.

The japanese escorts offer this as an alternative to penetrative sex which avoids the legal hassles. Soaplands have the loophole for full service are charge you excessively for it.

Pic related:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSuIz-XrNfyQf2hAUV8X39uZUAmV9fHZ3QyOmX4sXkaAj4iRrGyT1YkrHWGFQ

>>1182746
my bad, looks like they were Buddhist that adapted some ideas from Christianity

>>1182756
I have no idea. I was talking about Google etc.

>>1182763
Can you elaborate on the hygiene bit? As a tourist I´ve only really noticed the frequently missing soap.

>>1182795
Not him but do you even liquid soap? Every single place I've been have it, even bathrooms at train stations.

>>1182797
Not all. Some stations and half the public toilets have none, just water.

>>1182795
it's a troll post anon, or one of those frustrated English teachers who hates living there but has no other perspective in life (see also the following posts)

OK, I'm heading off to Japan tomorrow.
One thing I haven't done enough research on: where can I find live music?
I'll be in Tokyo and Kyoto (at least that's what my group is planning)
I love Japanese music, used to do a radio show on it at my college's station. Is Shibuya-kei still a thing or an I two decades too late?
I'm also a noise rock fan and would love to find some of that.

I'm going to be in Japan for the month of December. The first two weeks I'm spending with friends exploring Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.
I have no idea what to do with my last two weeks.

Any ideas to help me out?

>>1182763
This is the biggest bullshit I've read in a while. Thanks for shitposting.

Why do people (Americans) need Japanese sim cards/pocket wifis when pretty much every carrier offers cheap or free international roaming?

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>>1182822
>tfw 30MB for 2 euro 70

What hostels did you like in Tokyo?

So im currently looking for places to stay in japan, much do you guys usually spend for a place a night?

also should i look at airbnb or hotels?

>>1182828
Same here, not sure which between air bnb or short-term rental apartment would be the most economical choice for a 2-3 month stay.

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>>1182822
>cheap
>implying
My carrier wanted $10 a day for roaming data usage

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>>1182822
Get a load of this guy. I was the person who originally asked about Japanese sim cards and pocket wifi. Pic related is why. Which carrier offers free international roaming?

>>1182848
T-Mobile does for Japan. Buts it's slow as shit so you can't even view pictures.

>>1182848
I used t-mobile when I last went to Japan. Slow as shit but still fast enough to use maps and messenger, no additional cost on top of the usual monthly fee. I've since switched to google fi which also has free roaming and I hear it's much faster over there.

In Japan right now, currently in my first hotel? Will I be all right without data roaming? All the hotels I'll be staying in have WiFi, but my phone is locked so data SIMs won't work. Basically no Google maps while I'm out and about, have to plan all routes in advance.

>>1182858
Get a sim, Japan without google maps is much harder. Save yourself time and trouble senpai.

Has anyone stayed in one of those cheap shady looking Airbnb "hostels" where they stuff people into a 3 high bunk beds made out of plywood and only have a single bathroom for the entire place? I'm wondering if they're any good if you just need a place to sleep and are trying to save money.

example:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/8959661

>>1182860
My phone is locked though so I don't think data SIMs are going to work. I could try one of those portable WiFi things or maybe a cheap phone?

>>1182870
I lived a month just with wifi. Just take photos of the maps and you're ready to go.

>>1182719
Are you me?

>>1182828
I prefer hostels because you can meet other people, but airbnb is better for privacy

I think the cheapest was something like 1200 Yen, the most expensive something like 3000 Yen (for hostels/night)
>>1182841
check out Gaijin houses (e.g. Sakura House)

>>1182763
>you can't even buy things like fruits and vegetables, those are rare and expensive things
u wot m8
Literally walk into any supermarket and you'll have quite a wide selection of fresh fruits and veggies. Off-season produce is more expensive, and some other vegetables in particular are somewhat more expensive than usual now because of the devastating typhoons that destroyed so many crops this summer.

>>1182925
it's a b8 post

my hotel is in nihonzutsumi, taito. will i feel like i'm far away from the city center, or is it pretty speedy to get to places like shibuya or akiba?

also, are there any places worth seeing in my immediate area?

>>1182892
No but if you want to meet up and stuff since Im solo travelling, I wouldn't mind.

How should I carry my money in Japan? Straight cash or can I use my American debit card?

>>1182952
Generally speaking cash is smarter. Some places won't accept debit cards, let a lone American ones.

>>1182953
Yeah, that's what I was planning except I heard from a friend that Japan was going on a cashless trend.

>>1182955
the cashless trend in japan is mostly with things like preloaded ic cards

it is still very cash oriented, especially compared to other first world places

>>1182955
You can buy lots of things with the Suica (tokyo metro card). But their economy runs on cash.

I can enable my bank card to let me pull money from ATMs. Research on your bank website if you can to.

>>1182994
>I can enable my bank card to let me pull money from ATMs
I thought that goes for every card, be it debit/credit ever. It's not recommended to do so with credit cards though.

>>1182586
>fears of trash cans
YEAH! WTF is up with this? "It's so clean everywhere!" except in the mornings where ther are trash bags on the side walk waiting for the garbage truck to come by.
You have to walk around with you trash forever until you find a garbage can

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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

I'll be in Tokyo and I'll want to pick up Japanese chicks. Would I be best booking an airbnb? Or would staying in a hostel be okay? How likely are they to be ok with going to a love hotel?

>>1183012
>I thought that goes for every card, be it debit/credit ever

In the Netherlands for security of your bank account they disable outside ATM use unless the user himself enables it for a specific country for a specific date. Consumer protection

>>1183039
i want your fish

>>1183042
>Hostels
>thin walls
>people might be in rooms
>they dont allow girls in

>Airbnb
>actually illegal in japan
>might get discovered by authorities

>Love hotel
>cheap
>go in and go out

your choice m8

>>1183065

Thx, just booked a nice airbnb in Shibuya. Only $50 more total than a hostel for three nights.

>>1183068
Enjoy being prohibited from entering Japan for two years after you get busted by an actually competent and transparent police force for perpetuating a scam perpetrated by Brazilian illegal immigrants and Korean gangsters made to milk money out of stingy backpackers who're broke because they don't want to work.
You'll be cheating money out of the pockets of honest Japanese hotel owners who've gotten proper licenses and certificates to prove that they can provide a proper service that they're legally responsible for, and funneling it into the pockets of criminals and illegal migrants who use the apartments as safehouses, dead-drops and drug dens conveniently guarded by the gaijin sucker who's going to take the fall when the police come.
There's a reason people pay for hotels and that the owners don't just fill the rooms with matresses and push them off for rock-bottom prices. There are a lot of fees, rules, licenses and certificates involved in running a hotel for a reason - they're there to make sure that the owner is a properly qualified professional who knows how to run a hotel, provides proper standards for the guests, doesn't perpetuate crime (for example by offering very cheap and no-nonsense rooms) and uses the legally earned money for legal purposes.
The combination of ignorant gaijin smashers who treat Japan like Cambodia, general entitled tourist greed, post-ironic backpacker cred, a strong Korean/Chinese/Brazilian criminal element and the high real estate prices have resulted in Airbnb booming in Japan, but it only perpetuates crime and erosion of the native Japanese tourism business in exchange for cheap and unsafe half-legal or illegal alternatives.
Why are you actually paying money for a shitty, potentially unsafe room with no reclamation rights and shitty neighbors that undermines the right of the Japanese people to administrate their own tourism and service industry?

>>1183075

sure dude, w/e. there's enough reviews & stuff on airbnb, and it's not technically illegal, judging by what I've read. it's a similar case to uber in many places: they might decide to shut it all down at any time.

>>1183077
I think it's always the same guy spamming this shit in the Japan General

>>1183077
I hope you realize that people like you, who only listen to other tourists and Indians paid to input positive reviews, are the kind of human garbage who give all travelers and tourists alike a horrible reputation.
You're careless, exploitative, completely disregarding of the culture and economy of the country you invited yourself to, completely impervious to logical arguments, revoltingly entitled and generally the kind of person who should never have left the womb, much less their own country.
Congratulations on learning how to split hairs - it's "half-illegal" because it's a phenomenon among backpackers and foreigners, and if they make it completely illegal, the Korean and American presses will start to churn out articles about how the Japanese are horribly isolationist and racist for wanting to shut out foreigners (read: broke backpackers with blond dreadlocks and the kind of people who wear a camera around their neck at the same time as they have their sunglasses hooked on the collar of their white wifebeater).
The criminals are mainly Korean and Brazilian immigrants, and the people enabling it are mainly foreign tourists who just want other cultures cut up alive and served to them in still-bleeding bite-size morsels.
Do you honestly think that the Japanese government would be allowed to make Airbnb illegal? Do you honestly think that the US and Korea would allow the Japanese to have a choice on the matter?
As such, the Japanese police are going to keep on doing what they can do with the zainichi Korean neighborhood organizations breathing down their backs and the US media waiting patiently for the day where Mr. Park tells them that it's time to protect their allies in Korea (as well as the thousands of arranged intermarriages between Korean women and American soldiers).
I hope from the bottom of my heart, as soberly and seriously as I can, that you get busted for the drug smuggling going on in your "nice" Airbnb.

>>1183082

thank you for your views~

>>1183082
This guy reminds me of that feel when someone makes a joke and they're the only one laughing, while others force a smile

Quick question about some language semantics.

I'm learning how to order food for my trip and I know how to request items via '[request] o kudasai' and '[request] o onegaishimasu'. However, what do I say if I want to point to something on a menu and request it? Should I say 'kono shite kudasai' or 'kore wo kudasai'? I'm getting mixed findings online,

>>1183094
You can also point to the thing on the menu.

>>1183100
I'd like to attempt some interaction with them, even if it's a simple 'This please' while pointing.

>>1183094

Nobody's ever looked at me funny for using "kore [to kore... for more than one] wo kudasai" on the menu.

>>1183094

I point to menu ite.s and say"that one" in english. Done.

If you want to make your meal into a combo (adding beer and a side dish) they call it a "set" but pronounce it "seto". Same thing if you are craving mcdonalds breakfast with a coffee. Hotels all have shitty breakfasts and can charge you $15/ day for 2 slices of bacon and a sunnyside up egg.

My APA hotel currently serves a pair of pancakes with a bitter side salad. I really regret pre-paying with the breakfast option.

>>1183103
Got you covered senpai, worked fine in Tokyo and Kyoto last August.

How easy/expensive is it to ship stuff from Japan to America? Planning on sending stuff home while I wander Japan so I'm not weighed down with all the crap I buy.

>>1182510
How does one join the Yakuza?

>>1183107
Just make sure you look at the menu properly. I accidentally ordered whitebait rice as a set option once...

My Toyoko Inn hotels throughout my last visit all had Japanese breakfast included, with miso soup, onigiri (topped with various furikake or nori), various vegetables, salads and pickles, and sometimes cheap fish/meat products (fish meatballs, wieners, etc) plus usually toast and butter (but not always jam) and coffe and tea. Regionally sourced, with nice old ladies serving you at the buffet.

>>1183125
pretty easy, just get into a post office, they'll give you a box and stuff to fill out and you're set

Cost something like 5000 Yen to get a box sent home to Europe, took around 10 days

>>1183065
Have an AirBNB booked in Osaka next week, pray for me

>>1183132
Ignore that anon. Nothing happens.

>>1182947
That would be cool. I got 14 to 18 in Osaka and I've never been so I have no idea what I'll do there, I was thinking Kobe and maybe Ise. And the rest until the 2nd I'm in tokyo.

Air BnB is totally fine. E.g. for those 3rd world anons who need a visa it works just as well as any hotel (in terms of plane/temporary residence bookings)

>>1182807
Well he´s right on the money with the veggies, they´re absurdely expensive and barely present in the dishes.

>>1182510
Any Israelis know what's the cheapest way to travel to Japan?

>>1182699
>Sounds harsh? It sure does, but the point is it's pretty much the same for jobs like that throughout the world, regardless of your actual location.
bullshit, ive worked at a big 4 in london the hours were 9-5

>>1183143
Europeans:
Jump into train through Russia and then take a boat from Vladivostok to Japan.

Americans:
Take a ship from many ports available.

Of course you don't pay for any of this and just hide under some rescue boat.

>>1183137
Join the trv line group, I'll say when I'll be in japan when im there. Probably there'll be others there at the time too

>>1183039

>>1183145
Buddy, we're not talking about back office shitters here. But props for making it in London with big4 grade salary. What % of your generous C1 grade payment went for that cozy apartment in east shitborough?

>>1183156
So earning 70k at 25 isnt enough money to live in london ? Enjoy your IB hellish 14 hour day, keep on deluding yourself "everyone works 100 hour weeks so its fine for me not to have a social life"

>>1183159
Mate, the more you write the more bs I hear. Alright, you don't have to know that 14 hrs in IB is a dream almost unheard of, but 70k at Big4 at 25...May I ask what your grade is and what department is that? Because I know advisory-valuation and other major depts all too well and it's not fucking 9-5. And if we talk fucking audit, it's not 70k.

>>1183129
How big is the box, roughly?

>>1183068
Damn I got a private airbnb with two beds near akihabara for like a week around new years. Total was 210

>>1183149
Well, I'd factor in time vs money spent. Time is money and time away from work is money lost.

>>1182707
Oh shit your right.

>>1183163
Making manager in four to six years is standard at pwc where i was, I dont know what more I can say
I worked 9-5 95% of the time

>>1183173
I think I fit a jacket, pair of boots, a sweater, a vest and some misc stuff and there still was some space left

They probably have bigger boxes as well I'd assume though

>>1183094
"kore wo kudasai" is great.

>>1183132

AirBnB definitely can't be illegal in Japan. I've been getting a lot of official ads for it on YouTube and many people have of it and used it. I've been using AirBnBs in Japan for more than three months and never had a problem with it. Many of them even openly labeled the entrance doors or bikes with AirBnB logos. That wouldn't be such a smart move if it was illegal and they were trying to hide it.

Doesn't customs require proof of where you'll be staying? How do you not get fucked if the only proof you have is an airbnb booking?

>>1183272
No, they just ask you to write down an address OR the name of where you're staying.

>>1183272
Proof? Sure, they'll ask where you are staying, but asking for proof would slow down the process too much. Japan isn't Russia.

>>1183152
Also I'll be in Osaka on the 15th onwards, i also have no clue what to do so we can meetup and find stuff to eat and stuff.

>>1182765
Don't go anywhere near akiba and you should be good senpai. Ask her about the rainbow bridge. Japanese love colorful things.

>>1183301
She's a uni student that lives in Chiba I've met on exchange months ago.

At least I'll know someone there and rainbow bridge sounds nice.

>>1183094
Maybe I'm doing this wrong, but this is how I generally handle restaurants. Enjoy your ultimate guide.

How many people are in your group that will be seated?
>Hitori desu. (1 person)
>Futari desu. (2 people)
>Sanin desu. (3 people)

If they're busy and you have to wait a few minutes they'll say, "Matte kudasai." (Please wait.)

Do you smoke? Mind you, some places are non-smoking, others have sections, and a few are smoke friendly.
>Hai, tabako wo shimasu. (Yes, I smoke. The "wo" is pronounced "o".)
>Tabako wo shimasen. (I don't smoke. You could always just say "Nai" and throw your arms up into an "X" shape.)

Ordering if you can't read will involve these steps:
>Push button to call staff over. If no button call someone by saying, "Sumimasen." (Excuse me.)
>Point and say, "Kore wa, /number of plates/ wo kudasai." (I'll take /number of plates/ of this one, please. Pronounce the "wa" normally, but still don't pronounce the "w" in "wo".)
>/hitotsu/ (one plate or order of an item)
>/futatsu/ (two plates...)
>/mitsu/ (three plates...)
>Example: Kore wa, hitotsu wo kudasai. (I'll take one order or plate of this one, please.)

When you pay you can thank the cashier for the meal.
>Gochisousama deshita.
>In Tokyo I hear a lot of "Goch-so!" instead of the full phrase, but I can't pick up if that's too casual or not for me to use.

>>1183310
The verb "to smoke" is suimasu.

>>1182765
how did you contact her? I'd like to do the same thing

Is the Universal World in Osaka worth going to?

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>>1183335
If you've never gone to any of the other ones. Oh unless you really like biohazard, monster hunter, or whatever other cross promotion they have going on.

>>1183312
TY! I've been conjugating from suru which is the wrong verb!

>>1183338
Thanks. The only other theme park I've been to is Warner Bros. Movie World in Queensland so I guess the Universal Studios might be worth going to.

>>1183343
>Going to Movie world instead of Dreamworld.

Anon, what are you doing? Even the locals only bother with Dreamworld.
>tfw it'll never be the same again after those people died last month.

>>1183344
Is Dreamworld really that much better? Well shit, I guess I should have gone to that one instead.

My family went for the Movie World, Seaworld, and Wet n Wild combo, though the last two aren't really in the same category as Movie World.

I've brushed up on Hiragana and Katakana and know some words and phrases. Are there any words/phrases in particular you guys found handy in communicating with the locals?

>>1183347

Relax, anon. I live in Japan and know lots of people who go to theme parks. The various Tokyo Disneys are far and away #1 with Japanese people. USJ is #2. I've never heard anyone ever mention Dreamworld, let alone go there.

Going to Tokyo again for 18 days at the end of March to try and catch the sakura in full bloom. I went the same time last year but missed the bloom because I went to visit a friend in Iwate and by the time I went back down the bloom was end. I plan on visiting shinjuku gyoen (which was fucking amazing last time and not even full bloom) chidorigafuchi which wasn't blooming at all yet when I went and Ueno park (also amazing). Anyone else have any recommended cherry blossom viewing areas for Tokyo? ICU's entrance probably looks super nice when the sakura are in bloom but I don't think I want to go out of my way to go there.

>>1183371
中に出してお兄ちゃん!

Saved me in quiet some situations

>>1182870
I go with portable wifi every time I'm there, it's super handy to have. It'll give you GPS tracking on google maps too in case you get really lost and don't want to ask for directions

>>1183371

'Doko ni [something]' - Where is [something]

'Wakarimasen/wakanai' - I don't understand/I don't know

Really you can get by English. Most Japanese understand numbers and basic phrases like 'this one please', 'small/medium/large', 'help' and 'thank you'

>>1183379
You need to try harder as too many people here can read it

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I live in Toronto Canada. Currently still in my undergrad in Sociology. I would live to teach English in Japan this summer, but I've been having a really hard time finding sources, any advice?

>>1183390

Your options are;

>A. Apply for JET

Highest salary for an ESL position and plenty of job security, but you'll be living in the middle of nowhere like Sendai or Hokkaido. The application process is incredibly random and difficult.

>B. Apply for ECC and AEON

ECC and AEON are the best eikaiwas that hire overseas employees. They have good worker benefits and pay. However, you have to travel pretty far for the interviews usually and the process is pretty tough due to grammar tests and demo lessons.

>C. Apply for a trash eikaiwa like NOVA or Interac and ditch them after you get to Japan

Theres a lot of shit eikaiwas that treat employees like shit and pay them almost nothing, but they hand out visas like candy and the application process is easy. It's simple to switch to a better high-paying ESL job once you'll actually in Japan.

Where can I get Christmas lights in Japan?

Seiyu doesn't have them.
Hyaku En shops don't have them.
Hardware stores don't have them.
Aeon doesn't have them.

I'm this close to just buying them off Amazon and eating the international shipping fees.

>>1183390

>>1183402
I don't want to come off as a dick but your post is a little too vague, simplistic and vaguely outdated to be of 100% help.

>JET
>Highest salary for an ESL position and plenty of job security, but you'll be living in the middle of nowhere like Sendai or Hokkaido. The application process is incredibly random and difficult.


The highest ESL salary I've ever seen listed for a non university or real deal international school job was 340,000. But yes, in 99% of cases JET is the highest salary there is. My own job is better than JET (although the pay isn't higher)--so better stuff is out there, but it's not super common and it also generally requires already being here with experience and (knowing some Japanese in many cases).

It's outdated and false to say you'll necessarily be living in the middle of nowhere with JET. It's likely, but not a guarantee. JET has always had urban placements, just not so many--and it has actually increased urban placements in a not insubstantial way as of late partly because of the 2020 Olympics.

You're overselling it so say that a JET application is "incredibly difficult." It's competitive but by no means incredibly difficult to get hired by JET.

>ECC and AEON are the best eikaiwas that hire overseas employees. They have good worker benefits and pay. However, you have to travel pretty far for the interviews usually and the process is pretty tough due to grammar tests and demo lessons.

I have applied to both ECC and AEON (and worked for AEON) and yes, the process is a bit arduous. AEON's is two days if you pass the first day and ECC's is one day but the interview is a full 8 hours long.

>>1183390
I really doubt your teaching skills as you can't even do a fucking due dil before asking this extremely original question. Hard time finding sources my ass

>>1183406
continued...

ECC's pay is average--not good. At 252,000 it's smack in the middle industry standard. But you do only work 6 hour days. So in a sense it's good. ECC offers 7 weeks of paid vacation which is incredibly, unbelievably generous. No other eikaiwa school comes close to that. But. ECC does not offer bonuses and basically does not offer raises either.

AEON offers above average pay. 272,000 which goes up to 285,000 if you hack it for a year and I believe 292,000 after the second year. They also offer bonuses. You'll get I believe 100,000 yen contract completion bonus if you complete your contract and don't renew. Paid vacation is 3 weeks which is pretty standard. 2-3 is eikaiwa standard I think. Biggest thing with AEON is that you will absolutely work your ass off. It's a 9-10 hour day.

ECC is by far the best standard big name eikaiwa to work for. It's basically a job that if you complain about it your a crybaby twat. AEON is an acceptable #2 choice.

>Apply for a trash eikaiwa like NOVA or Interac and ditch them after you get to Japan
>Theres a lot of shit eikaiwas that treat employees like shit and pay them almost nothing, but they hand out visas like candy and the application process is easy.

Interac is not an Eikaiwa school. But yes, their pay is stupid low at this point. 250,000 is the high end with most jobs paying 230,000. If you can get an Interac job for 250,000 it's okay though. It's just JET with signficantly lower pay at that point.

NOVA's pay is about 250,000 which is industry standard so really you're not being paid "like shit" at least not compared to other ESL jobs really.

From what I can see, since emerging from the bankruptcy with new ownership, NOVA is essentially like AEON with lower pay and less vacation.

I wouldn't recommend working for NOVA but if you're absolutely desperate it's not god awful.

>>1183406

>>1183411

Not to come off as a dick but your own post is full of a ton of inaccuracies.

NOVA definitely doesn't pay you 250k. I worked for them for 6 months and on average you make 200k a month unless you get really lucky with your classes. You get 37 lessons a week and make on average 1,300 per lesson (if you're lucky). They also don't give you any vacations or help you with taxes.

Interac doesn't pay you during summer or winter break so in reality you're making about 200k even if it says 250k.

>>1183403
Why not use Amazon Japan?

>>1183403
I've seen them at Tokyu Hands, but they're fairly expensive.

Hey guys, what are some good things for a family to do in Japan in July?

>>1183431
Go to a home center, or donkihote.

>>1182807
nothing about my post was trolling, its honestly what this place is like.

and like >>1182767
said, they have like no over the counter medicine at all. i had to scour for some fucking Tylenol no "convenience" stores actually have over the counter medicine , its all garbage like small liquid bottles of "vitamin water"
>>1182925
>fresh fruits and veggies
no, you fucking don't
like i said, they don't even refrigerate anything here, first time I bought a banana from a convenience store it was the most rotten banana i've ever had, instead of peeling it open it the skin fell apart into pieces from just touching it.

i've only been here like 3 months and already want to go back

>>1183438
Stay out of the country because it's sweltering, humid and rainy? Then pushing the vacation ~2-3 months to fall; or going ~2 months earlier in spring.

Theoretically you could try going to the beach, climb Mt. Fuji, go hiking in the north, visit mountain regions or some shit like that.
But really everything else seems like it'd be more pleasant at another time in the year, especially the touristy stuff you'd want to do on your first visit.

>>1183445
I've already booked the flights for the beginning of July, unfortunately it's the only time in the year when everyone in my family is available.

I have gone before in the Autumn and loved it.

I was thinking maybe we should visit Okinawa?

>>1183450
I'd say it really depends on your family's interests. Who's going and what do they like? How are they with hot and humid weather?

In general I'd visit the colder parts of Japan in summer, like Hokkaido - and avoid Okinawa or the like with it's 80% humidity and 27°C nights.

>>1183465
Thanks, I will look into Hokkaido.

Wouldn't Summer be the best time to visit Okinawa though?

>>1183403
LOOP and Tokyu Hands are some of them.

>>1183415

I work for Nova and make 250k a month right now, mate. Technically 249500, if you want to be specific.

NOVA is broken into two companies, NOVA proper and an off-shoot called G-Taste NOVA. G-Taste is the one that offers only 200k a month and also wanted me to come over and teach on a tourist visa so fuck those guys. They're mega-ass compared to regular NOVA (which is still very meh).

>>1183511

I work for regular NOVA and only make 210k if I'm lucky. They only pay 1100 per lesson unless you get a lot of man to mans, group lessons or kids lessons. I work at a smaller branch where most of the lessons are just group lessons with 1 person so I get the bare minimum

>>1183310
This is great and helpful information, thanks a lot.

>>1183513

Guess your location must be a bit slow then, which is the problem with pretty much all Eikawa is that no matter what your contract/company say, your circumstances will very GREATLY depending on the actual branch you work at.

Does anyone know of any itineraries that cover 1-2 months in Japan? I can't decide what I want to do after using up a 3 week rail pass.
Maybe I just need to ditch Japan after a month and a half and go Taiwan/South Korea/Hong Kong or something

Maybe do the best section (if there is one) of the Shikoku 88?

Or island hop around one of the clusters of islands?

How about WWOOF; anyone have experience with that?

I want to do lots of hiking and I'm taking my 1 man tent too so maybe there's an area of the country I can just wander for a couple of weeks and set up my each night.

>>1183553
there's certainly enough to do in Japan to cover a 1-2 month journey, but I don't think there area any itineraries that cover this amount of time

Last time I was in Japan for 7 weeks I did one month Tokyo and then 2 weeks Kyushu and 1 week Okinawa. Since you seem to like outdoors stuff better, you could try Hokkaido or maybe Shikoku

Will I be missing out if I miss Japanese new year? It's something I'd like to experience but my family want me at home for Christmas and new year.

>>1183530
i think you meant "vary" instead of very

>>1183569

Yes Desu.

>>1183568
Family first, your fun experience second. Sadly, It stops to sound boring only after your old fellows are no more...While Tokyo New Years is, but you couldn't care less.

>>1183564
What did you do for a whole month in Tokyo?
I'm thinking of staying there at least 2 weeks at the start of my trip, any must dos?

>>1183586
Shit man, deep post. I agree tho.

>>1183587
here's the Google Maps I created for myself back in the day with things to do/side trips and events (which are obsolete now obviously)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ZdiPQwuWIXRpgMGNRFxnq9hit1M&usp=sharing

That was my 2nd time in Tokyo after staying there for 10 days before so I didn't do some of the Touristy stuff like the Emperor's palace or Asakusa

Why do people want to see Tsukiji market? Why do people wake up early to see dead fish?

>>1183444
you don't refrigerate bananas you fucking retard

I'm going to Japan next week and I'm getting paranoid about my pronunciation after a translation app mistranslated everything I said in Japanese. For example, my attempt to say 'Have a nice day' in Japanese got translated to 'First day of the month'. Are these apps garbage or should I just try to keep speaking to a minimum? I wanted to be courteous and try speaking the language while I'm there, now I'm cringing at the idea of smiling at someone who gave me great service and saying 'First day of the month!'.

>>1183639
Translation apps are generally garbage, especially if they're free (not that paid ones are much better)

What's the equivalent of Craigslist or zillow in Japan to look for apartments for lease? English preferred but Japanese okay too.

>>1183441
Haven't seen them in any home centers in my town, and there isn't a Don Quixote anywhere near me.

>>1183639
While what >>1183640 said is 100% true, you don't really say "have a nice day" in Japan.

There is no need for a verbal translation app or a phrase book. You will come across as a retard or a patronizing tourist and the effort is rarely appreciated.

Just stick to english and speak slowly and gesture a lot. Body language will get you everything you need. The minute you enter a place and they see you are white they will hand you an english card (menu for a restaurant, and "order by number" for everything else).

With thst said the japanese to english text translation apps work a lot better and the japanese use it a lot. They will hold up a phone with an answer written in english. It seems better than normal google translate and they all seem to have this app.

What's the term for the roofed markets like Teramachi in Kyoto?

>>1183629
Don't answer to baits anon.

>>1183734
Might not be bait, he could just be a fucking idiot

Anybody here knows if the Japs are into queuing unreasonable amounts of time waiting for a pair of shoes to be released on the day? My brother and I will be taking our chances at acquiring a number of pairs and selling them back at our 3rd world country home with unreasonable profits in mind.

question about live music and last trains.

last trains are usually around 11pm-midnight right?

i am going to tokyo for a month almost exclusively to go to see some small bands play. most of the live houses are in shimokita, koenji, takadanobaba, daikanyama, etc.
i was thinking of staying in shinjuku or shibuya as those are pretty much centrally located to these places. ive never been out late in tokyo to worry about last train. will it be an issue?

and are taxis -really- that bad as long as im not way on the complete outskirts of tokyo? ive lived in nyc so im used to ridiculous prices for everything.

>>1183754
If you miss the last train just sleep in a karaoke place or manga kissa

>>1183272
You won't. That guy advertising Airbnb as a criminal offense can't be trusted. All you need to do is provide the information, the name, address and phone of the host, and they will do the talking among themselves. No need to panic.

>>1183733
I don't know Teramachi, but maybe you mean shotengai (商店街).

>>1183768
That's it, thanks.

Does anyone have bar recommendations for Osaka? I'd like to experience the Japanese when they're more outgoing than during the day and I don't like clubbing.

>>1183747
While I was studying in Fukuoka a couple years back I happened to walk past the Nike store on a new shoe release day and there was a queue going around the corner and up the next street (so probably a couple hundred people or so). They were mostly foreigners though.

>1183778

Around 8-9pm when the salarymen get off work they fill up all the little bars around the stations and get very drunk and friendly. This is true for any big city.

The smaller the bar the more friendly they become. 12 seats or less are the best.

I stopped in one for some grilled meat and a beer and immediately was asked where i was from.

>Drunk man in suit: where are you from?
>Me: Canada
>Excitement spreads and the word "canada" is passed down the bar with a lot of head nodding.
>Drunk salaryman: OH! I am from Japan!

Good people.

>>1183052
The fish was good

>>1183781
Not the anon you're replying to but any info or tip on Fukuoka? I'll be studying there starting next year, so maybe you can tell me something about your experience. (I'll be studying japanese there)

>>1183754
If you get a place in Shibuya or Shinjuku the cabs won't be that expensive from most of the places you've listed. Think roughly 500yen per kilometer and that should give you a rough idea on how much the cabs will charge you. If its going to cost you more than 2000~2500 yen you're probably better off getting a night pack at a karaoke or manga kissa as >>1183755 said.

>>1183791
This is an experience I want. I'll be drunk and saying rediculous shit in japanese and they will laugh at me like the hairy white aussie ape i am

Supa Tamade! Supa Tamade!
The cashiers there must be halfway to nirvana.

>>1183428
on Amazon Japan the lights are much shorter and more expensive. I don't even think they're meant for outside use.

Anyone been to Tanegashima? Care to share your experience?

Would it be wise to backpack in Japan for an indefinite amount of time?

>>1183885
wise as in? If you have enough money, sure why not? If they catch you overstaying your visa (which they will at the very least when you try to leave the country), they'll probably ban you from reentering for quite some while

>>1183891
More concerned about the country's general view on foreign backpackers.

>>1183894
It's pretty much the same view as foreign *insert here*.

Most people won't care in urban areas. In the countryside you will probably attract more attention, but people are generally friendly

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The button on the left immediately summons the police. The button on the right turns on the light.

What the fuck Japan. It's a real terror coming back drunk.

Where should I avoid after the earthquake last night?

>>1182671
If you're still in this thread, here's my two cents:
With your degree and fairly specialized skill set you should be able to make some demands when applying for jobs, if they need someone like you. Start out by job hunting in your current location, but with a clear intent of moving to japan. You want to work for a _your nationality_ company IN japan, or at least an international one.

So go to the big companies that might have R&D or something of the sort in Japan. I don't really know what type of work you'd do, but you get my point.

good luck!

I missed the quake tonight. I landed back home and turned off airplane mode.

Texts came flooding in:
>did you make it out before the quake?
>tsunami on its way where are you?

It was out at see so i dont even know if they felt it in tokyo.

I have a flight to Japan coming up this Sunday. I won't be staying in Japan, it'll just be a layover in Narita.

Will the recent earthquake disrupt any sort of airport activity? Has an earthquake ever led to delayed/cancelled flights before?

Bullet trains were alll halted after the quake was felt in tokyo. Not sure how long they stay down for after a quake.

Without the trains there is still the airport limo bus from airport. Things get bottlenecked when a single JR train line is down so i can only imagine the mess today.

>>1183082
You are a piece of radioactive tako mate.

>>1184072
No

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>when you fuckin around town and you seem some Engrish

Does anyone else get a warm feeling from this?

>>1184127
That's just mild narcissism, nothing spectacular about it.

>>1184127
feels superior man

>>1184127
Honestly the Engrish has gotten pretty boring. Most of it is checked and corrected now and the few times something slips through its usually just the most minor of grammatical mistakes or spelling mistakes. The most egregious stuff is caught before it ever makes it out to the public unless its on purpose

Shose instead of shoes is funny exactly the one time you see it. Especially when you start factoring in your kanji mistakes into it

going to Japan on Friday am I fucked

>>1184161
Why would you be?

>>1183524
No prob, but note that another anon corrected "shimasu" to "suimasu" for smoke.

I worked in the hospitality for a long time, so when I travel I make an effort to try and speak the native language a little. Plus, It drives me crazy when I see tourists ordering in their native tongue without gestures or emotions. It really doesn't hurt to try to make it easier for everyone.

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>>1184127

>>1183791
yeah, you get this in non-gajin bars too but I always tend to avoid those places because im afraid im being rude. Im 21 with a bunch of younger friends, dont wanna ruin those salary mens nights.

>>1184161
No japan is milquetoast travel, bland and easy.

>>1184202
>Japan
>bland

Wew lad.

>>1182647
just use airbnb

>>1184127
I always get a kick out of them confusing R and L. Never gets old.

How much can I expect a taxi ride or something to cost from Narita airport to Shinjuku?

I've exchanged $127 AUD into 10,000 JPY for the taxi ride, and the rest of the money is on a card.

Do you think I'll need more cash?

>>1184234
You could have googled this question and gotten an answer in seconds

>>1184254
Narita is super far from Shinjuku. Why wouldn't you just take a train?

According to Rome2Rio it would be like 25,000 yen whereas a train would be 2,000

>>1184257
I'm 18, and my parents refuse to let me take a train to the nearest station in Shinjuku despite me telling them that it's safe.

But it's not like they'll know once I'm there because I'll be travelling without them. At least that gives me an extra 10,000 yen to spend on shit.

>>1184259
>not letting him take a train
>let him take a plane

Parent logic.

>>1184259
How are you going to travel around japan?

Use taxi all the time? ask for more money

>>1184267
Oh, no they'll let me use public transport and all that later on, but it's just when I first arrive in the country that they want me to take a taxi straight to the apartment.

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Can somebody explain this to me? I'm supposed to be using the JR Pass from Dec 12th to Dec 24th.

This says that first day of use is 1st Dec. Does that mean that it'll expire on Dec 15th? Because that is absolutely not what I want it to do?

Should I go back to the travel agent and get this fixed ASAP?

>>1184269
You could walk from one side of Tokyo to another in the middle of the night with a big Rolex watch and a neon sign that says "rob me" and you'd be fine.

>>1184271
>Kintetsu
What
Do they sell the JR pass as a middleman for some inexplicable reason?

My mother's a big of a chav, bogan, white trash, whatever terminology you want to use. Any time she knows someone going on holiday, she asks them to bring her back cheap tax-free cigarettes. I can't believe I'm going halfway across the world and this is what she wants back as a gift.

There's no way I'm bringing cartons of Japanese cigarettes back for her, but I might buy one pack of twenty cigarettes so she can try Japanese cigarettes. Few questions:

>Anyone recommend any good brands?
>Do convenience shops keep cigarettes in concealments behind the cashier? Will I need to navigate a language barrier to get them?
>Will one small pack of 20 cigarettes cause problems in customs?

>>1183867
Unfortunately I have not, but kagoshima is a beautiful place to visit if you plan on going to tanegashima.

>>1184259
lol wut, that's retarded. my parents let me stay there an extra week with a couple of friends and no chaperones after a high school trip. it's safer than pretty much anywhere in murrica

>>1184271
When you exchange the rail pass at the airport or wherever they'll ask you what day you want to start using it on

Just out of curiosity, how common is it for eikaiwas to hire teachers straight out of college with no work experience?

After 3 weeks in Japan I am home and it feels all weird now.

I am still ducking when I go through doorways or go up stairs even though I don't have to anymore.

Anyone gonna be in Tokyo around the 14-21st of December? I know there's a group of anons meeting up for comiket, but what about us home for Christmas types?

>>1184390
That's mainly who they hire.

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I have been to Japan few times already, and will definitely come back in the future.
I was just wondering, do shops like 7/11 or FamilyMart accept credit/debit card payments? If they do, is there any minimum amount to be spent, or has anyone ever had a problem paying with foreign issued cards (MasterCard and Visa).
As a person from Europe, I am used to paying for absolutely everything with my card, even €0.50 candy bar. It would be great not to have to carry cash as much cash as I usually do in Japan.
Yes, I know banks charge for using cards abroad. Don't worry I did my math.

>>1184165
I think he's worried about the earthquakes.

>>1184172
>Austlarian

>>1184264
Maybe anon is a woman, in which case, avoiding Japanese trains isn't a totally unfounded concern.

But as you've said, it's probably a non-issue anyway. Two reasons:
1. Many parts of Japan have women-only train cars now.
2. Gaijin-onna (female foreigners) aren't as timid as Japanese women. If a foreign woman was molested on a Japanese train by a Japanese man, there's a good chance she will actually call him out on it, or better yet, kick his ass. Most Japanese women are incapable of this, for some reason.

>>1184457
There have always been and likely will always be earthquakes.

>>1184460
I forgot there are femanons, but still is like you say, probably won't happen anything.

>>1184303
There's vending machines that sell cigarettes

>>1184269
its probably because they dont want you to haul ass with all your luggage from the airport to your apartment.

>>1184460
women-only cars are only during specific times at night afaik

>>1184520
You mean the morning rush hour

>>1184453
We do the same stuff here in Australia, I'm heading over to Japan on Friday so I'll check for you but I honestly doubt it. I've yet to see a paypass or whatever visa's version of it in all of my travels even though we've had it here for years.

You could just charge a Suica card up every so often for these small purchases, i'm sure it would lower the amount of coins you'd be carrying around then. Most convenience stores take the IC cards

>>1184453
I enjoyed obnoxiously rattling around my coin purse full of change as me and my group wandered through the streets of Tokyo and Kyoto. I also nearly put my smaller change into an arcade machine because this over enthusiastic attendant kept making me play. He was saying I could win some dbz figurines but i don't care for that weeb shit

This might be a dumb/highly specific question, because I know that Japan is full of cute scrapbooking supplies and shit, but do you guys know of any big craft stores in Tokyo? Any favourites?

I'm starting to get more excited over this stupid Instax Japan-trip scrapbook than I am over the trip itself. Figured I'd get supplies while there instead of locally.

>>1184560
Tokyu Hands?

>>1184561
Seconding Tokyu Hands, they have a huge store in Shibuya.

>>1184562

I'd like to buy different body care products as a present for my girlfriend, but also Japanese brands that she couldn't get elsewhere. Where is a good place to look for this? I think Tokyu Hands might be a start.

>>1184566
Find an Etude House! They're Korean, not Japanese, but they have a couple of stores/suppliers in Tokyo and top-tier adorable packaging. I just did a huge order for Christmas gifts for my female relatives.

>>1184561
>>1184562
Oh hell yes, this looks perfect. Thanks!

>>1184560
Tokyu Hands and Loft (if you can find one) generally carry a ton of stuff geared toward that.

>>1184568
>Find an Etude House! They're Korean, not Japanese, but they have a couple of stores/suppliers in Tokyo and top-tier adorable packaging. I just did a huge order for Christmas gifts for my female relatives.

I know those because I lived in Singapore before and they had them, but my girlfriend didn't like the style of the products that much. I'd rather get different brands of Japanese body care products.

>>1184570
Shiseido, perhaps? Though that's more cosmetics and skincare.

>>1184566
Don Quixote and Matsumoto KiYoshi might be a start, but these would be on the budget end of products. Otherwise you can try places like Etude House, Shu Uemura and Shibuya 109 on a wider scale.

>>1184572

Thanks, I'll have a look there. Budget is ok because I'd rather buy more different products and I already bought some panties.

Another question: I'd like to buy a few ties, but I prefer those slim ties to normal ones. I have seen people wearing them, but in shops I often can't find them. Do they heavy a special name? I know the standard ones are just called "nekutai".

>>1184574
Bro, it depends on the brand, they won't understand you. Check Alexander mc queen yves sent Laurent etc, they make great neckties for 20-30 yr old age group. Price is much lower compared to Hermes etc.
Also if you're a fashion fag too, Google Tokyo vintage stores

>>1184577

Ok, so I can't just ask for slimmer ties? I'm Osaka right now and won't make it to Tokyo this time. Any tips for Osaka?

>>1184574
Looks like you can say "sukini nekutai" or "hosoi nekutai". The former produces many more results in Google.

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>>1184585
>"sukini nekutai"
Okay. Let's be real for a moment; We can all acknowledge that a large portion of 'modern' words and phrases in Japanese (mostly nouns for things created post-1940s) are literally the English version spoken in a Japanese/Engrish accent, right?

But would they understand you if you just said 'Skinny Necktie'?

>I must know.

>>1184586
Actually I'll add to this that the main reason I want to know is because I will at some point need to ask "Closet Child wa doko desu ka?" and have no fucking idea how to say 'Closetchild' in Engrish.

>>1184586
>>1184587
It depends on the person you ask, the context, and your pronunciation.

For example, if you are in a clothes shop in the tie department and you gesture while saying "skinny tie", you have a decent chance of being understood unless you have an unusually thick accent.

"Closet Child wa doko desu ka?" on the other hand likely won't be quite as easily understood. You can't really gesture, and there's little to no context. The vowel sounds in "closet" and consonant-to-consonant "ld" in "child" sound radically different in English and the Japanese-ified counterpart. If whomever you ask has a decent understanding of English or fashion (I assume that this is a clothing store), you might be in luck. Otherwise, it might be better to practice "kurozetto chairudo".

>>1184589
It's a secondhand store for alt-fashion. My plan is to just find some girls wearing Lolita and ask - "kurozetto chairudo" is really helpful though. Better safe than sorry, I guess.

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>>1184127
In Kamakura.
They even had an award certificate from the German Agricultural Society in their window.

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>>1184152
It can still be pretty good sometimes (pretty sure this wasn't on purpose)

Near Beppu

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2 months until I'm back in Tokyo!

Has anyone visited the Square Enix cafe? Is the merch overpriced? I'm going to Nakano Broadway anyway so is it even work hitting it?

I'm also considering a day trip to Yokohama. I have found a few cool bars I want to check out, but is Chinatown there is worth it? If not, I might abandon the idea.

Outside of organisations such as JET, Aeon, ECC, etc.. where are some good places to go online to look for jobs (as an English teacher obv.)?
I've finished my TEFL course, got a bachelors in English lit. and am a native English speaker from London.
Anyone know of any good sites/places? Many thanks in advance.

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>>1184127
In Weifang, China, but what the fuck...

Just got back from Japan and had a blast.

Just wanted to say thank you to all the people who post in this general I had a lot of questions that were answered and I appreciate it a lot.

Can't wait to go back. I wasn't a weab before but experiencing the country really made a convert out of me.

>>1184781
Really? I went with weebs and they spent most of the time looking at figurines, eating 7-11 and rushing through temples so they could go look at more weeb shit

>>1184789

Nah, I went with my family who aren't weebs at all.

We spent most of the time just walking around. It's a pretty great polite and organized society and I enjoyed it a lot.

>>1184740
>Has anyone visited the Square Enix cafe?
Yes, didn't eat there though. Merch was definitely overpriced, the place itself isn't very big. That is, of course, if we're talking about the capsule thing right outside their HQ.

On a different note, if a friend and I plan on spending a day in Hakone, do you guys have any recommendations on must see or eat at spots? Or will it be entertaining enough just to wander around?

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>>1184453
Thanks to the ones that answered.
If someone has actually managed to pay for something very cheap with foreign debit/credit card in convenient shop, please respond.

>>1184795
Me too. First night in we were walking around looking for food and some drunk old bloke just starts talking to us, takes us to a restaurant and orders food and drinks for us. Asks us why we are staying in such a bad area, which we didnt realise but we felt safe. He then tried to pay our massive bill and told us he would drive us in his truck to kyoto in the morning. In Australia an old guy probably would have told us to fuck off and probably get assaulted in a bad area just because

Any residents of Japan around, particularly those with a Specialist in Humanities visa who have experience renewing it? My visa expires in 3 months and I need to renew it. I have an employer.

My main questions are as follows:

1. Which application should I print and use if I'm on Specialist in Humanities (working for a kids' English school)?
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/kanri/shyorui/03-format.html

(2) looks like it's for professors or public school instructors. But nothing else looks like it matches??

2. What documents do I need in total? From what I've gathered I need to provide:

-The application
-Latest Certificate of Tax Payment//納税証明書 and Tax Declaration Certificate//課税証明書
-Something like a statement of earned income from my company// 給与所得の源泉徴収票等の法定調書合計表
-Maybe a copy of my health insurance card, my number card, residence card and passport?
-photo and 4,000 yen

Anything else?

Thanks!

>>1184789
I went with weebs and on our tour they skipped Kiyomizu and Fushimi Inari in Kyoto to spend an extra day in Denden Town to look at (and not buy) figures, and then the next (no-program) day, too.

Me and my gf split with the main group for Fushimi Inari and went the back way up? Not up the steps through a bushy area. About an hour in the weebs start texting us asking where we are because they are done already. Pretty sure they went halfway and turned back. What's the point in going to another country to just buy plastic shit.

>>1184822
if nobody's getting hurt, there is no wrong way to travel

theirs is just as equally as valid as yours

>>1184830
I was more annoyed by being told to hurry up so we could get back to looking at stuff they had already spent days looking at

Tinder having a one-day sale today could be the best thing that ever happened. 6.90 for a month while my trip to Japan is in a month.

How often do the girls in Japan use Tinder? I see a lot of people but rather questionable on if they actually use it often.

>>1184837
A lot of people use Tinder, the problem is they usually don't want to hang out and mostly they're looking for free english lessons.

How do themed cafes work? You make a reservation and then just go? I don't really get the lottery thing.

>>1184847
This isn't true really at least not for Tokyo. There are lots of girls on Tinder, most of whom can speak English at least decently. And theyre looking for dating or just D.

>>1184868
Then you had better luck (or looks?) than me. I went out with 2 girls but nothing more than eating and clubbing. The luck also includes the english part.

>>1184573
I can vouch for DonQui. When I went there the place was swamped with Chinese tourists buying makeup. Maybe you can troll your girlfriend and get her some charcoal products.
>>1184560
Itoya in Ginza. 12 floors of stationary, fountain pens, cards, journals, paper, stickers, pens, and everything in between.
>>1184303
You can buy a pack from a vending machine, or you can point from a register and say "kore o kudasai."
>>1183403
I bought some off Amazon. Shipping was only $7. Much cheaper than I thought.

>>1184799
Just use cash. That's how everyone bought things in the pre-millenial age.

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Is this itinerary so far doable? Or what would you remove/add

>>1184822
it really doesn't matter how people travel. Its like guys who travel and are more concerned about how to fuck international pussy when you can do it in your own home country right? But why did they even hurry you guys up? Doesn't really matter whether you're leaving earlier or later.

>>1184894
Learn how to screenshot buddy.

>>1184805
>What documents do I need in total?
This actually can vary from branch to branch. I'd contact your local Dept of Immigration and ask directly.

As an instructor in English language school, I'd say you'd need #2, though I've never heard of a "specialist in humanities visa".

>>1184801
Were you in Nishinari, Osaka?

>>1184587
Ku-ra-zetto chai (like chai tea)-rudo.

Which ones do you want to go to? I've been to a few and can give you some landmarks to reference.

>>1184799
I can't even remember how my country's notes look like.

>>1184916
Nah it was Tokyo, i think it was asakusa but we had walked a fair bit

>>1184896
My gfs friends fiancee was suppose to be "tour guiding" us around since he had been before. He knew some japanese and his friend could read it. Turns out they actually couldn't and kept using their phones to translate or ask questions, while trying to hide said phones from us while doing so. Also turns out hes a massive control freak. Would always hold onto the room keys, not tell us where we were going, sometimes nearly losing us by getting on trains before us then getting mad when we wouldnt hurry up. Odd fellow

So today I was in the Tenga shop in Denden Town, Osaka. I wanted to have a look at those Tenga Eggs (and actually got two of them for me) and then I got talked into buying a small vibrator for my girlfriend. It's also produced by Tenga, looks like a lipstick and officially comes out tomorrow, but of course they had a super special deal and had it in stock today. It was just 1200 Yen, so I got one for my girlfriend. Do you thinking getting this thing and the eggs was a good idea? They also said the vibrator comes with a battery. Once it runs out, will it make any difference if I use European batteries?

I want to travel to japan but am struggling with the decision if I should travel with some sort of travelgroup or alone, any advice? Is one thing clearly more advisable when visiting japan fpr the first time?

>>1182510
where can I eat good kobe beef in tokyo? for under $100 ?

>>1184958
Alone will be cheaper and you will see more. That's what I did.
I honestly can't even imagine what an organised tour around Japan would look like. Seems like a pain.

>>1184972
any specific "recources" or things in general you can recommend, when going alone for the first time?

>>1184973
Just do a lot of research. I can give you some tips.
>Get JRPass. It's a gift from god.
>Avoid Taxis. You will get pretty much everywhere with a combination of trains, buses, and walking. Especially trains.

Well I can't actually think of what else I might write about. There is so much of it.
Money are treated with respect. Keep them straight in your wallet. Don't eat while walking on the street. Don't blow your nose in public. You don't speak Japanese and they don't speak English, but that's not a problem because people are very nice and helpful to foreigners. Public free WiFi is available throughout Japan, get official app from play or apple store.

Seriously I could write a book on small things like this.

New bread >>1184988