Japan General

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Is it easy to meet people for a night out in Tokyo if I'm alone?

I don't want to be that one weird guy who just lurks around.

is akihabara really that great?

>>1235576
It's pretty amazing seeing such a high concentration of anime goods in a single store, let alone a single location

But in terms of actually buying stuff it's not that great unless you go to the smaller or second hand stores

>>1235570
ask questions, like "Where is X?" to anyone you're interested in meeting, even if you already know where it is. Just stir up a convo, and above all dont be a fucking spaz

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>>1235580
Yes.

Especially if you get up under the bridge into the cyberpunk parts where yu might find places selling ancient camera's, radio equipment, reel-to-reel recorders and fun old stuff.


Also.

Fuck I miss Onsen. Spent two nights in a basic Ryokan in Hakone - ust down the hill from some mega-resort thing, and the bath was the best part.

Steaming in the cool October evening air, surrounded by forest.

The surprise dehydration less so.

>>1235570
stay in hostels. Check meetups or couchsurfing or reddit for people looking for company

>>1235576
Honestly, not really. I stayed in Tokyo with 2 friends for quite a long time the first time we went to Japan. Our hotel was right around the corner of Akihabara, so we went there a million times. Often not to visit Akihabara specifically, but because we passed through on our way to the subway, or to go out for dinner, etc. It was nice because it felt like "our neighborhood", and we spent quite some time peacefully browsing for figures and shit, but overall, you could spend about half a day there and get to experience most of Akihabara. So even though I liked it, I generally wasn't very impressed by the "Electric Town". I was probably expecting more of a weeb paradise, I guess.

What's better for an introvert that's never done traveling: a nice house in a quiet neighborhood where I can relax by myself or a hostel or dorm-style air bnb where I can meet other travelers?

I like the thought of having time to myself after being around a lot of people but will I be able to meet anyone if I'm not in a hostel?

>>1235592
Any idea if any of those old cameras and such are actually still working? How likely am I to get scammed as a foreigner? I'd kill to pick up a cheap old film camera or something.

>>1235687
Hostel for sure, you can always just chill out in your bunk if you're not up to talk to people. If you are, just hang out in the common room or kitchen and be polite, say hello, start a conversation.

>>1235691
Any good recommendations in Tokyo? I'm gonna be there for 13 days.

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>>1235690
Check 'em out first.

Pentax Spotmatic I bought works fine. Pic related yo....

>>1235690
i hate this faggot a lot but he's got the only really good guide on buying second hand cameras in japan. http://www.japancamerahunter.com/2012/04/camera-shopping-in-tokyo-pt-1-shinjuku/

Alright anons, should I stay in Shinjuku or akihabara or somewhere completely different? I'm open to new things, but I just want to be near a station.

>>1235725
Also, is Kyoto actually worth it? I'm debating on just Tokyo for my first trip. I'm also going in August so I imagine that Kyoto is going to be fucking full of chinese tourists and just tourists in general.

>>1235695

K's House

>>1235726
> I'm also going in August so I imagine that Kyoto is going to be fucking full of chinese tourists and just tourists in general.

This was my experience when I was there last August. It's still worth seeing, but there are chinks swarming everywhere.

>>1235729
FUCK
Alright, I'll probably just do it. I could use that $500 that I spend on a rail pass somewhere else, but Kyoto looks amazing from the photos I've seen. Any tips on what to avoid and how many days I should spend?

I'm thinking

10 Days in Tokyo
3 days in Kyoto
1 more night in Tokyo
Go home

Should I spend more time in Kyoto, do you think? I'm planning on taking a fuckton of photos of absolutely everything if that matters and Kyoto looks like a place where I'll be able to do that no problem.

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>>1235726
you cant scape the chinese, sorry... went on febraury expecting less chings, but nope.
kyoto is worth well it depends on your intentions
and if you like traditional japan. i personally loved kyoto, didnt use transport. i walked the whole city also its great for bike

>>1235737
Your photo just convinced me. Fuck, looks like I'm shelling out the extra money. That looks beautiful.

>>1235730
I did 8 in Tokyo and 5 in Kyoto last November, and I wish I stayed 2-3 more days in Kyoto. I think only three days is way too short. But then again, I loved Kyoto; it's comfy as fuck. Preferred it to Tokyo, actually...

Just booked a 12 day round trip, I've been to Japan before when I was like 19 on a whim with a buddy. Had no plans, just went ended up sleeping on the streets and shit.

Now I'm 27 and have some time to think about my trip (which is in January)

Should I rent an apartment through AirBnB? Which city should I stay in?

>>1235743
I'm definitely going to just say fuck it and spend the money, so maybe I'll just do half and half. What's the best way to get from Kyoto's station to a hotel? Just walking?

how far/difficult is it to get from Tokyo to Kyoto?

>>1235581
Should I ask this to Japanese people even if I don't speak a lick of Japanese? I mean, I'd learn how to ask them that question and how to tell them I don't speak Japanese, but would random people attempt even attempt to make conversation with me in a bar or club if they had limited English?

>>1235768
Tokyo to Kyoto is a little over two hours by shinkansen. Other trains are slower and cheaper. See hyperdia.com for details.
When I visited Japan, I worked out a schedule on hyperdia, and made reservations, for those trains that required, at the railway office at Narita. For the most part the Japanese rail system is easy to navigate, even if you only speak English.

Why does Japan hate the credit card, this is super annoying carrying around all this change.

Anyone here ever rented a car in Japan?
I don't actually want it for the transportation, I already have a rail pass. I'm into cars and would like to drive some JDM-only cars while I'm there but most of them seem to require a credit card while I only have a debit card. Could this be a loss in translation and debit cards are fine?

>>1235797
IIRC most asian countries prefer cash over card. A bunch of credit card places will often charge per transaction or to use a credit card system, meaning they get less money per sale. I think there is also a culture aspect in there as well but I can't really speak much into it.

>>1235800
Make sure you have a license first, if you just want to test drive some japanese cars I think you can go on close coursed tracks or places just to dick around.

>>1235807
I'm planning to get my IDL sometime this week
Apparently all it requires is a regular DL and $20

>>1235635
This. Hostels are the best way to meet people hands down. You can usually tag along with a group and while you're out and about drinking or whatever you can easily talk to more people and not seem weird because now you have a pack.

>>1235709
Why do you hate him?

Any luck fucking black men on a trip to Japan or nah?

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>>1235816
Probably. I'm willing to bet that there are plenty of girls with daddy issues out there that need your exotic seed in order to justify delusions of sexual liberation or whatnot.

I mean, either that your you two somehow hit it off and create the next Miss Japan while maintaining mutual respect and love across a cultural and linguistic barrier.

Just look for those Gyaru chicks at English speaking bars. I think they dig the hip-hop looking vibe everyone assumes you give.

Which bullet trains can I use the JR pass on? Is there any way to tell? I know they're usually the slower routes as opposed to express, but is there a symbol or anything for it?

>>1235828
I am a white guy trying to fuck black men in japan I think you totally misunderstood me.

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>>1235816
>>1235834

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>>1235829
You can ride bullet trains(shin kan sen) expect for NOZOMI(のぞみ) & MIZUHO(みずほ)
http://www.japanrailpass.net/sphone/img/about_jrp/file/shinkansen_ja.pdf

Just got done with two nights in matsuyama. Only saw 10 or so gaijins. I had several japanese, both young and old ask me where im from and comment on my height at 198cm. When i told them im from norway they get really excited and talked to me about nature and fish. Very fun to talk even though they dont understand english well, especially the elderly.

Very relaxing after 4 nights in kyoto where its swarming with tourists because sakura season. Dogo onsen is so amazing i highly recommend the long trip if you wanna be special snowflake and experience great nature, an Awesome castle and very satisfying onsen just to mention a few.

On shinkansen now back to tokyo. Not looking forward to the crowd.

What would you guys recommend north of Tokyo? I kinda fancy heading to Sapporo, but having a quick read about Hokkaido I don't feel so confident to travel it on my own. Still I feel I'd like a bit more to make the trip up there worthwhile.

>>1235846
Thanks for the tip my man
While I think of it how much does an onsen cost?

>>1235848
810yen for public and 1510yen for private onsen, with a tour through the emperors quarters.

If you like the movie spirited away, dogo onsen is what inspired the movie. Its identical to the movie so for a ghibli fan lke myself it was so exciting.

>>1235852
>If you like the movie spirited away, dogo onsen is what inspired the movie. Its identical to the movie so for a ghibli fan lke myself it was so exciting.
Well shit consider myself booked in

>>1235846
gonna go there for sure on my Shikoku trip in summer. Did you visit any other places in the region?
>>1235848
there are a lot of interesting places in the Tohoku region. I feel like Western Tourists usually don't go there or just skip it on route to Hokkaido

>>1235859
Only matsuyama. Plenty of beautiful things to see. Matsuyama castle is great. Cable car or seat up. In the castle you can try on samurai armor. I ended up helping a chinese student put on his and he hlped put on mine.

We didnt do much more than this. I can recommend fujiya guesthouse. Only 2000 yen per night and its very central, 3-5 min to the dogo onsen.

Went for JR pass
Travel centre said can now buy in Japan
Is this true or do I have it fedexed to my hotel?

>>1235874
the government said that they will make it available nationally ahead of the olympics http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/04/01/national/jr-rail-pass-available-japan-ending-frustration-tardy-tourists/#.WOyaWNLyhhE

But who knows if that's actually the case. I know there are some rail passes that you could always buy in the country such as the Kansai pass but I'd buy it ahead of your stay to make sure

>>1235875
>never trust your degenerate secretary with a task.
I fly out tomorrow.

Me and two friends are going May 2-18th, with most of our plans bringing us southeast from Tokyo and Kyoto. Will we still be able to see the cherry blossoms? I know Hokkaido tends to be later in the year, but I'm curious.

I just bought a grocery store bento that was out on their display shelf, is it ok to eat cold or do I need to find a microwave somewhere at my hotel?

>>1235882
if you go to Hokkaido, maybe. Check the cherry blossom forecast
>>1235883
Jesus. Yes it's okay to eat

>>1235884
Thanks, I just don't know how long they sit out and I was not sure.

>>1235883
If you can find microwave it's better, but you can eat cold Bento.

>>1235687
Definitely stay in a hostel. I went travelling alone for the first time to Japan last August and I had booked a private airbnb room for the first week. I didn't speak to anyone at all except for some store or restaurant personnel, and even being a 4chan autist it felt pretty bad.

I met a few people in shared rooms after that week and I had way more fun. For some reason I found Korean guys (travelling solo or in small groups) really cool. If you don't feel like talking, you can just lie down on your bed.

any suggestions on where to stay in Sendai?

Anybody travelling to Tokyo in the last week of May/first week of June and wants to meet up? We can go for some Nomihodai Karaoke or something!

I read somewhere that as of last month rail passes can be purchased at major stations now?

>>1235926
see>>1235875 They were planning on introducing that, but I personally don't know if it's available yet (maybe someone who has been there recently can chime in)

>>1235927
I ordered my rai pass last night, and I'm not sure if it will arrive in time so I emailed them and they said as of March 2017 rail passes will be able to be purchased at major airports and train stations. Maybe some one can add some info to this.
Cheers

>>1235730
Don't do it anon, Kyoto sucks balls. If you want to see shinto shrines and shit go to Miyajima it is ten times better.

Kyoto is actually the biggest meme in Japan, possibly Asia. It's worse than the great wall at Beijing for a tourist trap.

>>1235937
>stop liking things I don't like the post

there's a reason why so many tourists flock to Kyoto. It's a shame you found it boring or only went to Kinkakuji and were surprised by the amount of tourists but Kyoto is an amazing city with a rich history, loads of culture, nature all around it and loads of interesting places if you're willing to go off the beaten path for a bit

>>1235940
Slow your roll weeb. Kyoto sights were crowded as fuck, I am talking hordes of people. These tranquil sites are all turned into asian shitfests where there are swarms of people all huddled together with selfie sticks. To add to the authenticity of the sites there are food trucks/vans littered all around these places.

Apart from the overcrowded flogged out tourist trap sites, accommodation is more expensive than Tokyo, there is nothing to do at night, it's a shallow lifeless town. I went into Kyoto with hopes, I didn't go into it thinking it would be shit, but it is hands down the worst experience I've had travelling.

But hey, anon, if you want to pretend you are into all the shinto shit, go ahead. Be realistic about the place, it's a flogged out tourist trap of a town, if that's what you want, go for it. If you want an authentic experience, skip Kyoto.

>>1235940
>You're not a real traveller in the tourist trap town of Japan

Yeah alright m8, settle down.

>>1235947
>Kyoto sights were crowded as fuck, I am talking hordes of people.
Of course they are, that's what I was saying. I had the same experience across most places in Kyushu, Tokyo or Okinawa. The Chinks are just everywhere, there's no escaping them.
>accommodation is more expensive than Tokyo
depends on where you are staying, I paid less for my hostel and capsule hotel than in Tokyo
>there is nothing to do at night
There is a nightlife district with clubs, bars and karaoke places. I went out in Kyoto a couple of times before.
>it's a shallow lifeless town
No it really isn't.
>I went into Kyoto with hopes, I didn't go into it thinking it would be shit, but it is hands down the worst experience I've had travelling.
well that's a shame, I had similar experiences with places in Japan (e.g. Beppu), but I can still understand why people would think differently and when I mention the shittiness, I try to make sure people see it's my opinion instead of stating it as a fact
>>1235948
I don't know what you are trying to say

Is it a terrible idea just to focus on Tokyo for a first trip? The amount of shit to do is overwhelming to me.

>>1235923
I'll be there from mid May to early June and I'd be down to meetup but no karaoke

How do you guys do your money over there?
Withdraw 15k yen or so at a time through a 7/11 or take USD over to exchange?
Does anyone else use a bbt debit visa fine?

This is my first time overseas and I don't want to end up being broke in a weird place

>>1235953
No I've been in Tokyo for more than 2 weeks and feel like I haven't done half of it especially when considering the amount of day trips you can take from Tokyo.

>>1235958
I withdrew 50k at airport. Lasted me 2 nights in Tokyo, 4 nights in Kyoto and 2 nights in Masuyama.

Just arrived in akihibara 5 hours ago. Down to 2k yen noe so i Will have to take out more tomorrow.

7-11 is everywhere so cash withdrawal is no problem.

>>1235962
Post pics of current Akihabara pls

Anywhere in Osaka I can get a second hand television or at least a television for cheap with digital output? I'm sitting in an apartment for 6 months for my university and the place does have digital tv, but no television, so I kinda wanna buy a cheap one to spend the time watching japtv when I'm not studying

>>1235963
We had 7 hour train ride from matsuyana so all we did was eat pizza and now im in my capsule, chatting with gf back Home before i go to sleep soon.

Can provide pics tomorrow.

>>1235956
sweet, do you have some way to contact you? I'd shoot you a message when I'm there

>>1235728
I'm staying at K's House in Hakone, is it easy to socialize there or are the common areas usually empty?

I know 4chan is not exactly the place to talk about Romance but if I were to propose on my trip to Japan where would be a place the japanese do this? Is there a certain temple or anything?

>>1235729
People actually choose to travel to Japan in august? That's gotta be one of the shittiest months possible to go

>>1235947
Are you talking about Kyoto or Tokyo because nightlife aside the majority of famous places in Japan are gonna be fucking busy, they're famous for a reason

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Visiting Japan always makes me wish I had a better camera and an idea of how to use it properly

>>1235976
Rooftops of hotels with views of the city.

I'm heading over to Japan in a week and want to see the Mt Fuji Shibazakura festival. It seems much easier (financial and effort-wise) to pay for a tour that takes me from Tokyo to the festival.

I've seen about 3-4 and most of them involve some kind of strawberry picking on the way back from the festival, has anyone done this? I couldn't really give a shit about picking strawberries but it's only for 30mins so I figure why not.

Anyone ever done these tours before? Any advice/recommendations?

Here's one I was leaning towards (it involves a short cruise on one of the lakes and instead of strawberry picking, a small look-around in a village); willerexpress.com/en/bus/shibazakura/?mid=872

Also do these buses have toilets or should I keep my fluid intake to a minimum?

>>1235985
check the /p/ sticky, there's some decent resources there

Also this may sound like b8, but reading your camera's manual (if you have a camera with manual controls) really helps as well

>>1235875
Can't you buy JR Passes at Airports? I pretty sure I bought the JR Kanto pass at Haneda

>>1235776
I can tell you're a spazz, just give up

>>1236039
Only limited regional ones. The full JR pass has to be bought ahead of time.

>>1235687
Hotels are a pain for a real introvert who doesn't actually like to do stuff beside drinking with other people. I fell for the meme and went to several hotels and because I'm a introvert it's exhausting having talkactive people around you all the time. It IS nice for getting wasted, though. You should give it a try for 1-2 nights and see if it's your thing.

>>1235958
I just use my debit Visa at 7-11 ATMs since my bank/card charges me for using it abroad

>>1236058
I assume you meant to write hostels.

>>1235958
Exchange most of my money in my home country whilst the exchange rate is peaking, then use 7-11 machines to withdraw additional money in the country.

Only 7-11 machines accept foreign cards for cash withdrawals, but your bank usually charges a % based fee. Might be more efficient than exchanging money at home though, I never bothered researching this much

Is Takayama worth two nights? Or should I just stay in Nagoya and go for daytrips into the mountains?

Currently Tokyo -> Kobe -> Nagoya/Takayama -> Tokyo with a 7 day railpass and still not too sure about Nagoya/Takayama if it's worth it at all.

Best site or way to check if my phone works in japan? Looks like my provider works out there, just need a site to see if it works over there.

>>1235953
I kinda did this a couple years ago and I wouldn't really recommend it, unless you're only staying for like 8 days or something. I think it's best to do what most people do, which is starting in Tokyo, then travelling around the country, and then end up back in Tokyo for the last couple of days and the return flight from Narita. That way you still get your Tokyo fun-time at the start and at the end of your trip, and you get to see and enjoy all the other amazing stuff in between. Tokyo is amazing, I just don't think it's worth spending 100% of your time in that one city when you bothered flying all the way to Japan.

>>1235976
Maybe the Love Bell in Enoshima

>>1236058
Not that guy but I'm split between this
I'm probably more introverted than most and on top of that I have a ton of social anxiety that I take pills for. I've gotten a lot better over the years but it's still there and it makes me miss out on a lot. On one hand I'm desperately lonely and would like to meet some people there but on another I don't want to get overwhelmed and freak out.

>>1236093
Meet up with some other Anons from this thread if you're in the mood for non-binding company. Did it on my last trip, was suprisingly nice.

Do most hostels typically have a place I can lock my shit up? What if I want to lock it up for multiple days while I go to another city? Would they even be okay with that? I don't trust people.

>>1236111
Yes, most hostels have lockers. Might be an issue to keep your stuff there for several days when you're not actually renting a bed there.

Just in case you can rent lockers at every train station extremly cheap

>>1236111
It depends on where you go.

Pretty much every hostel I've ever been to has a locker or something where you can put your stuff. That being said, I rarely use them and I've never had anyone take my stuff. I could just be lucky though.

If you ask, they might let you keep your bags in their office for a day, but I doubt they'd let you keep your stuff there for multiple days. You can always use coin lockers if you want to keep your things secure.

>>1236115
>>1236117
Is there a limit on the days that I can keep stuff in a coin locker? I really don't want to have to deal w/ luggage outside of Tokyo.


Are the suitcase forwarding services reliable?

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>>1235834
Kill yourself you semitic degenerate.

Is it possible to use a photocopy of my passport as my ID to get into clubs?
First time traveller and I don't trust carrying my passport around 24/7

A 21 year old male doesn't need more than a backpack to travel right?

I don't want to bring a suitcase.

>>1236125
Its illegal to not have your passport on you at all times. Keep it in your front pocket and don't get retard drunk and you won't lose it

>>1236126
I'm in the same boat anon. I don't want to be worried about carrying stuff, but also worried that I'll find something that I want to bring back that's fairly big.

What kind of backpack are you thinking? I want something big, but not stupid big.

>>1236135
I'm not sure. Usually the recommended stratagey is the figure out all the stuff you want to bring. And then see what size backpack to get that fits it all. Rather then fix the backpack size first.

I'm not into anime magazines or anything so I doubt I'd buy anything more than a trinket.

>>1236066
I"ll let you know. Going to Takayama in a few days, just one night though.

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>>1236017
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting we have a photography board here. I'll take a look at that, thanks

So for some reason I thought the Fujikyu Q-pack RT bus plus park entrance was a JR thing. Bought a ticket at Shinjuku yesterday, found out today it was a train ticket and not a bus pass, missed the train, and now riding the next train after speaking with multiple ticketing and gate staff to figure out what I actually bought. Oh well, lesson learned and if its the worst fuckup I have this trip then I'm ok with that.

>>1236125
you should, in japan i used my passport almost everyday.. you get discounts and free stuff. also is safest place on earth

>>1236118
coin lockers are aviable at almost every train station, multiple sizes comon price is 700yen, from what i saw you can keep your stuff there whatever you want. i didnt use one actually, but japan is the safest place on earth, i kept all my values on my bed at the hostel and had zero problems

>>1236118
I thought coin lockers at train stations were supposed to only be used for a day, and you would need to find one specifically for multiple day use

How easy is it to use the luggage forwarding service, especially if I don't speak Japanese? I'm travelling between Tokyo to Kyoto for a while then coming back so I'd rather not carry my huge suitcase on the shinkansen, but I'll also be staying at cheap business style hotels so I doubt the front desk would be able to help me arrange it?

I'm of the mind to take a trip in November for 13 or so days. It'd be my first time in the country. I don't have a plan as of yet, but how does a week in Tokyo then 4 or so days taking day trips sound?

I only have about 6 days in Japan, staring with Tokyo. I was considering a day there, a day in Kyoto, a half day near Osaka, a half day near hiroshima, a day near Sapporo, and then the last day in the Tokyo region for temples and nature. How unrealistic is this plan?

>>1235968
my kik is virgza

>>1236126
Depends how long you are staying and where you are going and when. A backpack can be fine for a week or two, but depends on the season. Obviously in the summer seasons you might need more unless you plan out some places to wash your clothes.

>>1236185
Pretty unrealistic

>>1236185

Terrible. With 6 days, I'd do either Tokyo (+day trips if you want) OR Kyoto/Osaka (+Nara/Koya if you want). Otherwise you'll spend the whole time traveling and never actually get an experience in. Unless you're a fucking Chinese tourist who only wants to go to take a selfie so you can show everyone else you went there, and if that's the case, go kill yourself.

>>1236202
>nips
You're not fucking anybody loser

>>1236185
pretty much impossible. enough days are 8 for tokyo 6 for kyoto and 3 for hiroshima

>>1236202
No I would rather Japan stay Japanese than become a nation of hapa scum

>>1236126
>>1236135
Also wondering about this.
I was thinking about buying a suitcase on my last week in Tokyo since I wouldn't have to take it with me anymore, but I'm not sure.

>>1236248
This entirely depends on how much you're planning on buying.

I was able to get by with a backpack and a couple of pairs of clothes with some toiletries, but I barely had room for souvenirs. If you're planning on going on an Akihabara shopping spree you're going to want more than just a backpack, but if you're there more for the experience then a backpack is fine.

>>1236252
Did you stay in a hostel or hotel? I'm thinking about doing what you did.

Threw this around in another thread thought it might be best to ask here.

I have enough saved vacation for a small trip to japan, I was thinking about doing roughly 12 days in japan through Dec 21 - Jan 3rd.

Anyone do something like this before? My concerns are what flight costs skyrocket and traveling in and around tokyo and some of the places outside I want to go would make it costly.

>wants to go to Tokyo
>keeps spending money on anime and other weeb shit

I hate myself

>>1236266
>arrived at tokyo today
>just feel like staying in my hotel room watching anime
Fucking kill me.

>>1236273
Living the dream anon. There's actually something special about watching anime in Japan, as weeby as that sounds. The appeal wears off after about 2 episodes when you realize that you're wasting precious vacation time.

>>1236273
what >>1236287 said, if I lived in anime land that's what I'd be doing if I'm not getting some manko.

I've got a two week rail pass and I'm going to be there for three weeks starting around this time next month. Should I activate my pass immediately and use it to get around Tokyo for a few days while I settle into the area or wait until I get used to everything and then want to check out other cities?

>>1236273
Do what you feel like to do, senpai

I'm arriving mid next week and am goimg to spend the first two days with some light shopping and gettimg rid of the jetlag via sleep. No need to force yourself to something

>>1236295
How does a lonely traveller get some manko?

>>1236310
I'd get a suica pass for that first week, and have it activated so it expires on the last day of your trip.

>>1236126
>>1236172
Thanks guys,good to know. Not worried about it getting stolen,im just a retard and get paranoid.

>>1236266
>save money from weeb shit
>use money to travel to Japan and buy weeb shit there

I wish the malls had more benches inside, it's cold outside and my feet hurt.

>>1236365
>tfw the music's too loud

Wew, thank fuck I still have the rail pass, having to detour to shin Osaka from Nagoya and back juat because the moon people cant accept online payments would have gotten pricey.

Helpful thread guys.

After visiting Hiroshima, I'll have 4 days left on my rail pass to visit anywhere (preferably closish) before heading back to Tokyo.

Any recommendations? (already been Himeji/ Osaka/ Kyoto/ Alps). Anywhere with a daytrip access back to Tokyo would be really helpful.

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Hey, I'm staying In Osaka for a couple of weeks just on a tourist visa, but am interested in returning to Japan later for a working holiday. I was just wondering if there was anything I could maybe do here now that would be productive or beneficial for finding work when I return?

>>1236262
Most things will be closed Jan 1-3. Christmas isn't big either, besides the KFC. I'd probably go a little later after the holidays. Your flights might be cheaper too.

>>1236394
You can be an english teacher if you have a degree, otherwise Japan will tell you to fuck off.

Or you can get an internal transfer from work if you're in a big multinational. Probably have to have a decent level of Japanese in most cases for that though.

They are your two options of working in Japan.

>>1236405
people on working holiday visas often just work in hostels, on farms, in convenience stores etc. What you are talking about is getting a visa sponsored properly to work in Japan

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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

>>1236407
Sounds gay af

>>1236407
Actually maybe a good idea if a lot of people were to use it. Especially for meetups

>>1236407
Fuck it I'm lonely.

>>1236430
this is posted every thread

>>1236412
It is

>>1236407
The yakuza organ harvester is at it again I see

Nice try

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>>1236262
i was there from 1/2-1/14 this year. i hit the disney's at the beginning of he trip, so i don't have any input on what >>1236395 said, but i never had any problems with things being closed the rest of the trip. it was just cold.

cool christmas light displays that time of year.

>traveling in and around tokyo and some of the places outside I want to go would make it costly
outside the bullet train trains are cheap.

has anyone ITT done the Shikoku Pilgrimage?

Hey guys. I'm planning a trip to Japan but just before I go I might be convicted of a misdemeanor for "reckless driving" going 20 over the speed limit.

A lot of sites say to lie and say you have never been convicted. But if they catch you they can punish you severely.

Their current law says it will turn away felons who were convicted for 1 year plus crimes and misdemeanors that are drug related.

So would I be good to go and just say, I had a speeding conviction and not risk turning back.

>>1236485
were you a felon convicted for 1 year, or was it a drug related misdemeanor?

fucking retard.

>>1236487
>fucking retard
Japan has the right to turn away anyone for whatever reason. Just because the law has outlines doesn't mean customs doesn't discriminate.

Dipshit.

>>1236485

What kinda country gives you a criminal record for going 20 over the speed limit? I go 25 over routinely here and it just ends up costing some money if I get caught.

And no, don't lie, since your crime isn't drug related nor were you convinced for 1 year or longer, it should be fine. They might not let you rent a car in Japan though.

>>1236496
That's what I'm hoping. I plan to travel by train. I'm in the US. Certain states here have a law like that. In Virginia, 20 over the speed limit or anything 80+ is reckless driving and a misdemeanor. It's stupid. Driving down the wrong way of the highway is just a $50 fine. Yet I'm the reckless driver lol

>>1236240
>>1236219
Figured as much. I don't know when I'll ever get the chance to go back, so I wanted to see as much of the actual countryside as A I could, even if it meant an eternal train ride. The railpass will still be worthwhile if I keep the trip to just one or two regions, right?

>>1236503

Yea, though you can also get region-specific train rides.

If you wanna see the countryside, why not pick an area to stay and hike or rent a bike?

>>1235956
Karaoke is where its at.

Shit, it's my first day in Tokyo and I don't know what to do.

>>1236048
kek

>>1236522
Didn't you plan stuff out before hand?

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>>1236240
2 Nights Hiroshima. (Arriving, and the museum + Castle)
2 nights Hakone. (Lake. Owakudani. Onsens)
3 Nights Tokyo. (Gardens, Godzilla, Akihabara, Odaiba, Skytree (And Tokyo tower was near our stop anyway).

Fucking hell. It was......tiring. Tricky and left us feeling like we'd skimmed over far too much.

Also,the Japanese tradition of dozing on a train gained a new admirer. Fucking hell you can sleep on a Shinkansen in peace.

It also means I'm planning on going back next year for a little more spread out time.

>>1236527
I planned where I'm going, but not what I'm doing.

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>>1236319
visit tobita shinchi in osaka


on a side note, found this while digging through thee web
http://icantreadjapanese.blogspot.com/2014/05/osaka-red-light-district.html
>the only comment on the blog

>>1236534
kinda dumb desu

>>1236534
Why don't you just go to where you wanted to go?

>>1236017
>/p/

/p/issant here, that board sucks for anything other than gear recommendations. You'd think the "cultured" boards on 4chan would be nicer but it's basically /v/ with slightly more Sony shitposting.

>>1236407
It's shit tbqh.

Going to stay in akiba for 5 days. What bordering places are possible to visit without spending too much time on transport and be back same day.

Is there a general guide for when Japan is more or less busy with tourists? I'm more interested in going in Winter/Autumn because that's farther away and also allows me to escape the heat of my own country (and I've heard summer can be pretty shitty there). Was thinking Maybe November-ish as a vague idea but not super fussed

>>1236393
Matsuyama with dogo onsen and matsuyama castle.

>>1236597
>without spending too much time on transport
Your neighbours within 10 minutes are Asakusa/Skytree, Ueno and Tokyo Station.
>be back same day
You can easily go outside the city and as far as Fuji for a day trip.

To get to the opposite side of the Yamamote Line (Shibuya, Shinjuku) will take up to 30 mins depending on your route. Which isn't that long if you have all day.

>>1236628
Chuo/Sobu line from Akiba to Shinjuku...

>>1236633
>depending on your route
A guy asking what's around Akiba isn't going to know and be taking the most efficient routes.

>>1236633
Although doing that is only really faster if you're going to Shinjuku/Yoyogi specifically and not any of the surrounding Yamanote stations like Shibuya

>>1236584
well that's why I only recommended the sticky

Is there something like a public space, cafe or something where you can watch airing Chinese cartoons together with other people?

>inb4 kys weeb
not before S&W S3

>>1236647
I know they do some prescreenings in akiba, but you need tickets and shit. Not sure about normal airing stuff.

I would also be interested desu.

>japanese yen: I am growing stronger

Send help.

>>1236662
fuck me, the last time I was there it was 1€=142 Yen, now it's 1€=116 Yen

Any good day trips I should consider tomorrow from takayama? I still have a Jr pass for one last day.

>>1236674
Shirakawa-go if you haven't been there yet

>>1236481
Around a year ago there was some guy here that really recommended it.

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Is this a reasonable schedule? Anything to leave out/add? Food recommendations?

>>1236694
I would put the Kamakura trip as a day trip in the longer period you're staying in Tokyo. It seems that way, but just to be sure make sure you're staying in Hakone overnight. I'd cut one of the days in Osaka and instead to a side trip to Nara. In Tokyo, I would recommend visiting the Yanaka/Nippro district if you want to get a bit off the beaten path (still central though) and experience a more traditional Tokyo lifestyle.

>>1236694
You may need to factor in more rest time. I want to say that Fushimi Inari and Kiyomizu Temple are better to do on the same day, even though they are both big, steep climbs. Arashiyama is in Kyoto, but pretty far away, so consider moving your Kyoto plans around. Osaka is famous for takoyaki and there is in area called Dontonbori in Osaka that's supposed to be famous for street food. Kobe also has a Chinatown that's famous for it's food too. You can also try takoyaki and akashiyaki in Kobe, which is pretty much the same thing, but akashiyaki is a specific kind made in a neighboring town. I'd say try Japanese sweets since they're not as sweet as Western confections.

>>1236622
>Matsuyama with dogo onsen and matsuyama castle.
Thanks - in fact that is exactly where I booked before I saw your reply. I'm looking forward to it.

>>1236699
>>1236697

Thanks, the first 9 days are sadly pretty much out of my control. Will probably cut a bit of Osaka for the Nara trip as suggested.

>>1236667
I remember when it was 78 yen to a dollar, now that was suffering

Does anyone know any decent rock bands that will be playing in Tokyo from the 19th of april till the 4th?
Me and my friends want to go see Vivid Undress,but we aren't sure if we will get tickets simce we couldn't buy them im Aust.

I have three days "free" in my schedule left. Is there anything between Nara/Osaka and Tokyo worth seeing with a railpass? Probably going to stay in Nagoya during that time, but it's not fix yet.

Please recommend me something

>>1236694
>One day for Ghibli Museum
It'll take only half a day, you'd spend at most 2-3 hours in the museum and that's if you take the time to read and examine every display in detail. The cafe's the part that takes up the most time, had to wait half an hour to be seated when I went

im going to japan next january with maybe 2-4 other people.

If so far we are hitting tokyo and Kyoto how much dosh should i bring for 1 and a half to 2 weeks

>>1236407
>>1236412
>>1236434
>posted every thread
>send email
>no response
>no invite
kys

>>1236783

Since you didn't actually mention Kyoto: Kyoto.

If you're into Whiskey I'd have a look at the Suntory brewery near Osaka.

I've never traveled overseas or even to a "travel destination" for that matter.

How easy do you guys find it to stick to your itinerary? I want to get as much as I can done to get my money's worth but I don't want to be chained to a strict schedule.

>>1236795
Book last minute and adjust your itinerary to your liking.

You can snag quite cheap hotels on top of that

>>1236262
I'm probably gonna go around the same time, the only problem with the time near new year's is that domestic travel gets busy as fuck so good luck getting shinkansen seats and almost everything will shut down for a couple days so you need to plan for it accordingly.

>>1236789
It's just a bunch of normalfags who blog about their lives.

>>1236787
I was living comfortably with like 2k spending. I spent 3k burger bucks altogether

Any fellow masons been to the lodges in Japan? Thinking of hitting up the grand lodge.

Has anyone stayed at the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku or UNIZO Tokyo Ginza and can speak to their quality? I'm planning a trip to Tokyo and still not sure where I want to stay. I'm hoping for something close to a station, but I hear Hotel Gracery is located in a shady area. Any other recommended, affordable places?

Also, I intend to travel with just one carry-on size suitcase. Will I have a hard time taking the trains to my hotel? Like, is it considered poor etiquette to take even small luggage on the train?

>>1236676
Does this use the Jr pass? I'm not seeing any Jr buses.

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Anon, I'm staying in Shinjuku at the moment near Gracery (big building in photo). It's not a dodgy area at all- just a big nightlife scene. Airbnb is way cheaper here than hotel - consider that.

>>1236920
Are you in the Shinjuku Granbell?
I'm checking in there today.

>>1236903
The "shady" area will be much safer than wherever you're from. Probably cleaner too

>>1236903
Nips take luggage on the train when they travel too so I'm assuming it's ok? Nobody will give you problems about it regardless though.

>>1236903
Just don't travel at rush hour, and don't block the whole corridor.

>>1236903
Be aware of rush hours. Forget about etiquette, you wouldn't even have the room to get on.
Otherwise people don't care too much.

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>>1236066
If you're planning on exploring Nagano/the alpine area, use Takayama as your base, two nights will be plenty. Far more central location and there are buses connecting all the cool touristy places in the area.
I'd skip out Kobe, too far and if you're heading that way then you'd be silly not to check out the wider Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara etc.)
I went from Tokyo to Matsumoto, visited Narai-Juku (Beautiful little post-town about 30 minutes away, by far most 'Japanese' place I experienced in my two months there, pictured) and Shinhotaka ropeway - right up into the mountains. Bussed from Matsumoto to Takayama, from there visited Shirakawa-go, bussed to Kanazawa, and shinkansened it back to Tokyo.

Takayama/Nagano is definitely worth it, beautiful area, vastly underrated.

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>>1236647

>>1236180
Major train stations have baggage holding rooms, where you can store luggage for as many days as you need. Can't remember what prices are like but we've used the service before and it's super straightforward and safe.

>>1236185
Way too much travel time, you'd be super tired and have barely any time to see anything once you're there. Forget about Hiroshima + Sapporo (It's 7-8 hours all up to Sapporo from Tokyo) and just focus on Osaka and Kyoto desu

>>1236310
You'll get more value for your money if you wait then use it on shinkansens. Depending on where you stay in Tokyo you might end up spending more on subways, where the pass ain't valid.

>>1236393
Naoshima dawg.

>>1236610
Cherry blossom season aka now is the busiest time. Just went in Winter and it was pretty relaxed compared to other seasons.

>>1236925
No, airbnb near Shinjuku-Chome. Would recommend.

>>1237003
where dat?

Kabukicho is pretty shit tbqh.

>>1236789
I might have missed your email. Send another one if you're still interested.

>>1237024
like, I don't know what you expected

Living in Japan suddenly teaching. I want to go some place that's full of weeb shit, mostly games. I know about Akihabara and visited, but any other good places or recommendations?

How will someone who barely speak moon fare in Japan? Will everyone make fun of me and call me gaijin to my face?

>>1237042

Yes, the Japanese are known for their rudeness and will call you out constantly when you slip up. They also speak good English, but will refuse to do so because you're a dirty foreigner.

In all seriousness, what do you think mate? 90% of tourists don't even know how to say Hello/Thank you in the native language when they travel somewhere. Besides, the Japanese are far too polite to make fun of you.

>>1237054
>what do you think mate
It's why I'm asking, I've heard so many different stories it's hard to know which are true and which are false.
Thanks for clearing it up just a little though

>>1237056

In the major tourist areas, there'll be signs and explanations in English. Also staff in the bigger places will often know some limited English.

When you're in the countryside though, people might not know any English at all. Though usually young people still know a bit.

Knowing some basics will already help you tremendously and you won't look like an ignorant tourist. Just the fact that you're at least trying to speak Japanese will make them appreciate you more than all the tourists that start blabbering in English directly.

>>1237057
Cheers. Traveling there definitely won't be as intimidating as I thought it would be.

>went up to a pinsaro but there were too many normies wandering around
JUST
The autism is real.

>>1235561
>>Joining the Yakuza
I-Is that a thing?

anon's I'm heading to animeland and i wanted to know if anyone had tips on bringing gunpla back? I was just gonna pack extremely light but is there another way that doesn't involve shipping it back to the us?

>>1236998
I already booked Nagoya as a base to explore the Takayama/Gifu area. Mainly because I got a great hotel there for 36€/night but I can cancel anytime. I will look out for prices in Takayama and maybe get a hotel there instead if the prices come down a bit.

>Kobe
I don't plan on staying there, it's also just a base for Otsu, Nara and Osaka. I don't know why but the hotels there are dirt cheap and I don't mind taking the train for 15 minutes every day to get to Osaka.

Thanks for the advice, I'll definitly check out the alpine area!

>>1237024
If you don't enjoy japanese woman in their 30s to suck your cock I guess it's indeed pretty shit.

I do, though.

>>1235561
Someone tell me how to become a hobo in Japan. I'm sick of my country, the society, people and everything I can think of. All I wanna do is run away to Japan

>>1237024
Where did you go and do you speak Japanese? I quite enjoyed Shinjuku's happening bars

Living in the most boring place in Tokyo it feels like, Shinigawa.

>>1237098
I'm travelling alone. Probably a dumb choice on my part, but looking at the japanese qts walking around was nice I guess.
I know enough japanese for simple conversation.

>>1236080
What type of phone do you have and what country are you from and I'll tell you?

>>1237105
>Couldn't or didn't enter anywhere
No part of Shinjuku is fun if you just walk around and don't go into anywhere. Shinjuku's main draw and reason for being popular with regular people is 90% the bars, izakayas, and restaurants. Some of those places can be of the shady variety like happening bars, girls/hostess bars, but bar is still right there in the name.

>>1237110
Yeah I just feel weird going into those places alone.

>>1237119
Get a bit drunk beforehand.

And/or accompany me next week

>>1237068
lol nigger you're gonna be seated in full view of everyone else if you actually go inside, stop being a pussy everyone minds their own business there

>>1237101
Still better than living where I am, at least you're in Japan in Tokyo.

>>1237125
Yeah I'll be around next week, if you mean it.

Ive been living in Hokkaido for a week now, I'm teaching English at a pretty good private english school, and my classes are aged such that i dont have to be a dancing clown, but im not dealing with trying to teach complex grammar either. The pays good, and im enjoying it so far, the kids are all well behaved and wanting to learn.

Socially ive made a few new friends. My Japanese is shite, so unless they speak even a small amount of japanese, theres zero chance of friendship. I just left a bar where some old guy with missing fingers was saying loadsa stuff to me in japanese, he couldve been insulting me the whole time and i just grinned and said "yeah" alot. there was a great bar i was frequenting alot, and actually met many japanese people there, shared drinks with some, and sushi with others. the girl behind the bar was very chatty and friendly, really cool + quite pretty. but foolishly didnt realize she was married.. :(

i get alot of matches on tinder, but most girls are either obviously photoshopped massively, or just have a picture of a mountain/eiffel tower/dog/cat/flowers/beaches, and all feature the same bog standard description: likes: fashion, food, and music!

got a date potentially lined up for tommorow night which could be good but im not getting my hopes up.
is there much truth in what some people say about japanese clubs, where if your a good looking white foreigner then it wont be hard to get girls? i'm expecting someone to post THAT image in response to this, but who knows, maybe someone will have experience.
i dont really like going to clubs, much more prefer bars. but left a long term relationship to come here, and would like a one night fling with a nice looking girl, so am willing to go to a club if so. i'll probably go regardless. im no introverted weeabo, im just struggling to meet girls (or anyone for that matter) who can speak decent english. obviously i realize that was bound to happen, just wanted to know if anyones got any good tips.

>>1237149
I still don't understand people who go to do JET or work at an eikaiwa and can't speak at least passable conversational Japanese. I mean, why are you even doing that instead of something related to your field? Unless you majored in ESL

>>1237151
because:
a) i didnt much care for the UK
b) japan is one of the coolest places on the planet (imo)
c) i wanted a complete change of lifestyle
d) japanese girls are good looking
e) i love skiing

i am studying japanese every night though. i dont wish to be this clueless forever.

>>1237149
If you're a good looking guy you will get girls in clubs anywhere in the world. Japan is one of the harder countries to pick up in. It's not as impossible as half the asspies in japan general make it out to be, but it's certainly harder than other parts of Asia.

>>1237151
They actually prefer to hire people with bad Japanese since your job is speaking English.

>>1237161
That sounds terrible, so your job is just to be an english robot? No actual teaching, just speak english?

>>1237171
That is english teaching everywhere. You just speak in english so the students can get pronunciation and an accent. It's a dead end job, mostly for those kids who did completely useless degrees and this is the only job they can get with it.

if i was to rent a car would anyone want to ride around the more remote parts of the countryside with me?

Where do all the anime otakus go to eat in Akihabara?

>>1237202
ゴーゴーカレー

>>1237202
There are restaurants everywhere, but they are extremly overcrowded.

Just walk a few streets away from the mainstreet and find yourself a nice little place to eat.

>>1237217
Or walk to Ueno or something it's like a 10 minute walk

>>1237015
Comiket

>>1237202
Mc Donalds

So I'm thinking about doing the teaching English thing because I have a Bachelors, my working holiday is over and my girlfriend is too old/poor to come home with me for extended period of time.
Has anyone here actually done it? I want to get certified back home, because I hear that makes you more employable. But also, I've got pretty good job offers back home and the idea of working long hours for 200,000yens a month does not appeal.

>>1237149
Are you in Sapporo? I'd recommend checking out Club Booty. It's a bit cheesy, but run by a notorious french man who gets a lot of the ski-bum expat scene from Niseko through the door. Anyway, easy to make friends with the thirsty gaijin there.

How much yen should I get ahead of time if I'm going for 13 days?

>>1237316
Are you going to pay for accommodation before you go, or while you're there?

>>1237300
I did it, it was fine. Don't bother with JET unless you want to live in the middle of nowhere. You're more likely to get placed in a place you want to be if you're already there and agree to interview in the city you want to live in.

Do NOT think its a career and make sure you have a plan for afterwards, 3-5 years max. Either study your ass off and try and work your ass off to get into a real job or have a plan for when you go home. There is a very hard ceiling for people without master's and can't get into the university track. Its always sad seeing eikaiwa teachers in their 40s with shit Japanese

>>1237331
Yeah this is basically what I was thinking, so thank you for your advice. Would you recommend going back to Japan on a tourist visa and then trying to get the work in my preferred city?
Out of interest, did you study when you were working over there? And are you still living in Japan?

>>1237155
If you're by yourself wandering around it will be difficult like it is anywhere on earth in any other club because you'll look desperate, but if you go with a group a locals and just have a good time you will absolutely pick up chicks easily if you are a foreigner. The key is having a network/group of friends so you don't look like a serial killer or sex tourist.

Otherwise I picked up girls everywhere in Japan, I took out a waitress who spoke english on a date I met my first day at a bar, I also met a lot of girls in restaurants just through my local group of friends we would be hanging out then I'd just ask the qt girls sitting beside us if they wanted to join for a drink and always it was a yes.

The only weird part is if you're from N. America you're probably not used to a girl in the middle of a date bluntly telling you "Ok let's go fuck now".

Interesting country but I wouldn't want to live there, for one the locals welcome you but then shortly after want you to leave as they don't like immigrants. Second the jobs there are a nightmare, long hours with tiny salaries and you're expected to hang out with the boss and coworkers drinking all night. Third your wife will keep all your money and pay you an allowance. Fourth you'll never get citizenship there. Japan has a passive aggressive policy of deterring immigration by setting up so many roadblocks they hope you get the hint and get out. "This is very difficult" translates to "This is never happening get out" when you try and speed up the process.

>>1237331

>Its always sad seeing eikaiwa teachers in their 40s with shit Japanese

The shit Japanese part really gets me. Eikaiwa jobs are pretty low tier, but their pay usually is above average for most Japanese people, so if they get a wife who makes around the same they can have a fairly normal life not in poverty.

But holy shit, how the fuck do these retards move to Japan for so long and not even TRY to learn the native language? It is disrespectful and self limiting. Cunts.

>>1237337

Almost everything you posted is incorrect and the stories you posted lead me to believe you are some Australian cunt that lost his friends because of your shitty personality above all.

>>1237151

I am only N4, but I came to Japan to improve my speaking ability. Is that okay?

>>1237149

Where are you at in Hokkaido? Generally speaking, anywhere outside of Tokyo is going to be a struggle in terms of finding English speaking girls. You could try a language learning app like Hello Talk or something.

>>1237352
I agree with him on the immigrant thing though, their permanent residency process is shit and only very recently have they allowed any kind of fast tracking sooner than spending an entire fucking decade in the country first, and only for "highly skilled/specialized" workers. Maybe when their population declines 10% and their economy starts failing will they relax it a little

>>1237353
Moving to Japan is obviously the best way to improve your Japanese if that's what you're trying to do, I just see so many posts from English teachers there complaining about not being able to communicate or find anyone that can speak English, like why the fuck did you even move to a foreign country known for its terrible English if you just want to speak English all the time. I'm just salty I can't move there, I guess. I need to reevaluate my life

>>1237354
Spousal visa seems super easy to get though, as long as you're prepared to put a ring on it.

What's the best time in Winter to travel to Japan?

Not especially interested in skiing, and Christmas/New year's is out of the picture. Was either thinking mid November-mid December or late Jan-late Feb

Thoughts?

>>1237354

The non-permanent visas are easy as hell to get, and often after the first year they will give you 3 or 5 year ones. Furthermore, once you hit the 10 or 5 years for married expat requirements the actual process is painless.

>>1237355

It is okay, the retards I deal with as coworkers are a good reason to be salty.

Also, the ONLY thing that really bothers me is when they DO have English versions of something, but it differs from the Japanese information. Either go all the way or do not go at all.

Speaking of visas, I really wish Japan had some kind of retirement visa thing, I'd love to eventually spend my 80k+ a year pension there when I retire but aside from flying to Korea every three months there really isn't any way to live there. Maybe attempt to start a businesss and apply for the business visa? Maybe there'all be something in 25 years who knows

>>1237365

To be fair, why would Japan want MORE old people to burden their healthcare system? Even if you got cash, you would still be taking a spot.

>>1237369
Past a certain amount of assets I'd think it makes sense. I do understand not wanting to add more drains on the system, but that'd be pretty easily mitigated by a cap on number of visas of that type granted per year (if it's even that high). I'd imagine only diehard weeaboos would want to retire in Japan in the first place.

>>1237363
>Painless

No, anything but.

Goddamnit weaboos the Japanese don't want permanent foreigners. Stop trying to live there as a white embarrassment. The reason the process is so long is so you GET THE HINT and don't plan on living there because they're too polite to tell you to go back home to your face. In the meantime you can larp it up in Korea all you want they'll take you.

>>1237374

I mean, my boss just did it. There was some documents and it took a few months, but what do you find so painful about the process?

Stop being triggered, you down-undah cunt.

>>1237375
Where do you work anon? I'm curious about you having a foreign boss now

I'm an American studying to be a teacher and wanting to teach in Japan. America is kind of fucked though, especially with Betsy devos in charge of education and I don't want to spend my whole life paying back loans

Would I be able to transfer to a college in Germany, get a degree in education there, and then get a teaching job in Japan? I know Japan loves hiring Americans, but how do they feel about Americans with German education degrees?

>>1237382
I'm an American teacher and you're retarded if you think the DoE ever did anything good for schools, or that the secretaries ever mattered. That department has always been the biggest waste of federal tax dollars and our educational system has lagged behind the world ever since its creation. Having some PhD Pullitzer Prize winning education secretary wouldn't benefit schools more than Devos. Enjoy making pennies in Japan and having a blackhole on your resume when you return.

Is a more-or-less N3 level grasp of Japanese sufficient to get around in Japan? I know pretty much all the jouyou kanji, vocabulary is probably my main weak point.

>>1237468

You can get around Japan just fine without any Japanese at all. Knowing N3 means you know more than 99% of tourists. The Japanese are gonna be happy that you're trying to speak their language and you'll also be able to decipher menus and such in restaurants that don't have English.

How are smoking rooms in hotels for a person who doesn't smoke? Does it stink much?

>>1237499
>Does it stink much?
Yes

>>1237499
Smoke permeates and sticks to walls, mattresses, etc, absolutely everything. The room will have a disgusting musty smell of tobacco

>>1237500
>>1237501
Well fuck me then

I'm going to cancel it. It was so cheap, though..

>>1236597
The sky is pretty much the limit. The last time I was in Japan, I stayed in Asakusa, and ventured out to Fuji and later on Shiroishi-Zao to see the Fox village. When I return in June, still staying in Asakusa, planning on making it out to Hiroshima for an overnight trip. With shinkansen, literally everything is no further than 8 hours away from Tokyo.

>>1236610
I visited for a couple weeks last October, and a couple weeks in February. Those times were pretty chill. I'm planning another visit for a couple weeks in June, so we'll see.

>The only good thing about my job is the ample vacation time...

>>1236784
When I went to Ghibli Museum back in October, I'd reckon me and my friends spent more time walking through the nearby parks than we spent in the museum itself. It's a nice museum, but it's surprisingly small.

Are Ryoukans worth staying at? Seems like you aren't getting the most out of them if you actually go out during the day to do touristy things

Me and a friend wanted to stay in a Japanese style accommodation, but it seems like just staying at a hotel with Japanese style room would be a better way to do it as we're not particular interested in the whole service package..

>>1237510
It will smell bad but unless you have an allergy you can probably handle it. Pretty much everywhere in Japan smells like cigarettes and you quickly get used to it.

>>1237537
The museum is moderately sized but there's like maybe two or three exhibits areas. Otherwise the other rooms are taken up by a library, gift shop, catbus play area, mini cinema and cafe. In terms of being a "museum" it's not particular extensive.

It's worth going but like you said you won't spend much time there.

>>1237541
Definitely plan on some slack time to just wander through Mitaka. It's a really pretty part of the city, and it isn't fuck-off busy either.

>>1237538
>Are Ryoukans worth staying at?
It's pretty nice relaxing in a hot bath after a long day of doing tourist things.

I'm about to book two nights in a Onsen Rouykan but still not too sure. The stay there is cheap (about 100€) but it doesn't come with anything to eat. Sadly, the Onsen is deep into the mountains without anything around, so I'd need to bring food and drinks with me which sounds like a hassle. I don't have to money for the "complete" package with lunch, dinner and breakfast there.

Also, it's going to take about 4 hours to even get there from the next bigger city.

>>1237542
Or take the train a few stops down to Kichijoji after and walk around there, there's also Inokashira koen near the station if you want some nature

Yo, so Irish dude here, looking into going to Japan sometime soon hopefully. got any advice?

>>1237567
yes

>>1237570
Kek. Do tell if you dont mind

>>1237319
Before maybe? I was thinking of paying for a hostel outright so I don't have to worry about not having a place to go, but should I be more flexible?

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What's the best part of Tokyo to stay in for a first time solo traveler? I'm not a huge night life person, but Shinjuku seems nice. I'm worried about staying anywhere near the red light district though. Is Akihabara a bad place to stay? I'm thinking of staying there because I would be so close to the station.

>>1237580
Everywhere in Tokyo is "close to the station"

Shinjuku is safe, I've never felt threatend there. It's light hearthed with a lot of young people, middle age business men and tourists.

This is Tokyo, not some shithole like Paris/London/any US city with a black population > 40%

What do wear to Japan during summer? Is it shorts and t-shirts all the time because it's so hot or can you wear pants without getting swamp ass?

>>1237590
Tokyo and Osaka aren't particular humid when I went during summer, so you could probably wear pants if you wanted. It was 35 degrees in Osaka so direct sunlight literally felt like it was melting your face, but that's not the usual temperature I believe.

I'm probably going to go t-shirt & shorts myself though when I go in August/September

>>1237546
Sounds pretty baller, where abouts is that exactly?
Me and my girlfriend stayed in one down in some onsen town in Izu. It had a provate onsen tub on the balcony. I was well stoked.

>>1237575
Yeah it'll just effect how much yens you'll need to bring is all. I reckon not including accommodation, about 10,000yen per day is a generous budget.
Oh also don't forget that accommodation can really fill up on weekends especially in Tokyo and in certain peak seasons, so it can be better to book in advance.

>>1237586
I stayed somewhere that was a 10 minute walk up a hill to the nearest station and I seriously began to rue it by the 5th or 6th day

there's "close to the station" and then there's """"close"""" to the station

>>1237475
>restaurants that don't have English.
It's probably just my imagination but I feel like those were the best restaurants

>>1237635
The hotel in Akihabara that I'm looking at is a literal 2 minute walk to the station and the one is Shinjuku is a 20 minute walk. I'm not even a night life person, and when I am, I'll literally just walk around and take photos so I'm leaning towards the Aki hotel because of how convenient it will be to make day trips to other areas and out of the city.

I'm also debating whether or not I should do Tokyo+Kyoto or if I should just stick to Tokyo. There's so much shit to see in Tokyo and I'm wondering if it's even worth it to leave the city if I'm only staying 10 or 12 days. I'm sure Kyoto is amazing, but I feel as though I can get some of that experience via daytrips out of Tokyo to less populated areas.

>>1237316
You're probably not a hyperweeb buyfag like me but I still ended up withdrawing even though I thought I'd overestimated my budget.

You don't get a prize at the airport for nailing your budget perfectly and ending the trip with 41 yen.

>>1237637
You don't sound very adventurous, so 10 or 12 seems way too long for Tokyo, but I've never been to Kyoto so I couldn't tell if you if it's too short for both.

I'd take the Akihabara one (but mostly because of my first sentence over the transit time)

>>1237639
How long a trip do you recommend then?
I want to see:
Harajuku
Shibuya
Ginza
Shinjuku
Nakano
Akihabara which will probably be 2 days because I'm a buyfag too.
and probably at least 2 day trips out of the city. I don't want to rush.

>>1237640
Oh, I also want to see Asakasa.

>>1237640
Sorry if this sounds faggy, but maybe make a list of what you want to "experience" or "do" instead. You'll have a much better idea of how much time you need that way.

I'm just going based on what you're telling me: If you really just want to "see" (i.e. "kinda just walk around and take some photos"), then you can finish most of those places in half a day. Which, if your list is to be taken literally, would only take you ~4 days.

If you don't know what you want to actually do, then just go the 12 days and come back as an expert on Tokyo (or at least an expert photographer)

>>1237643
I'm definitely going to make a list of what I want to see in each of those places before I actually book my trip. Some places I know I'll just want to stay at for several hours and just take it all in, so i have to take that into account too. I keep finding new stuff, it feels endless.

Is it possible for a dumb gaijin to go to a baseball game in japland? Also i doubt it but does anyone know how much it'd cost?

Are singlets considered low-class in Tokyo?
Would I be denied entry anywhere in a singlet?

'Strayan and it's what most of my wardrobe is comprised of because it's so stinkin' hot over here.

>>1237656
Nope they don't sell baseball tickets to anyone that isn't related to the emperor

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Any anons living in Japan that have experience with internet providers? There is no wifi coming with my Tokyo apartment and even if there was I would probably like to get a private connection for gaming/streaming etc.

I am looking for a company that sells decent speeds at a fair price. Also, any thoughts on companies that I should avoid for torrenting and streaming? Thoughts about illegally downloading stuff in Japan are interesting to me in general. Please share

>>1237639
>end up with 4万円 extra at end of trip
>3千円 still on Suica
At least I know I have some for the next trip

>>1237337
dont agree with all of this but hungover so cba to write a long reply.
do agree with the first part, i was the guy u were responded too, who responded to me.
made friends with 2 japanese guys last night, they took me to clubs and introduced me to girls.
if id gone by myself i doubt i wudve scored.

>>1237580
Most hostels are in the Asakusa/Taito area, which is okay but a bit far away from most things imo. Shinjuku/Shibuya is a nice area to stay in because there's a lot to do there. I personally also like the Nippori and area around Rikugien because it's very quaint and traditional
>>1237590
July and August are the two months where it's "socially acceptable" in Japan to wear shorts
>>1237640
that's doable in a week, 8 days maybe. There really isn't that much to do in Ginza, unless you're a Chinese tourist looking for a rice cooker or vacuum
>>1237673
might happen yes. People in Japan generally dress modestly from the waist upwards

>>1237724
Alright, sweet, I'll buy a few t-shirts.

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>mfw I saw a racoon dog today

I'm planning on staying in airbnbs when I go there. Will the Japanese officials say anything if I say I'm staying at an Airbnb or should I just tell them I'm staying at a hostel?

I'm in Sendai and have a rail pass for Tohoku because it was cheaper that way but don't know where else to go. Any recommendations?

>>1237699
You know you can just take it to any station and ask for the money back. If you're a real cheap ass you can get the 500 yen deposit back if you return the card as wel

>>1237695
I went with Yahoo BB! and it was faster and cheaper than any internet I ever had in the US.

Japan has some of the harshest laws on the books for pirating. But the country has a low occurrence of people actually pirating compared to other countries and nobody has ever been prosecuted under the law. Seems like it was some shit that they passed just to make the MPAA and other such companies stfu but never intended to enforce. I torrented everyday all day for 3 years with no problems.

>>1237769
bumping this question. I need to check out tomorrow and have nowhere to go. Fuck I wish this pass let me go to other regions besides Tohoku. Think I'm gonna head to Morioka for a few days. Is it decent anons?

I'm in Tokyo right now, and I think I'm going to visit that fox sanctuary in Shiroishi during Golden Week.

I'm looking at shinkansen tickets and what a god damn clusterfuck this is. I have to reserve a seat online and then pick up my ticket at a station ahead of time? They wont even tell me the price of the ticket until I make an account with them. JR's website wont even let me book a round trip, I have to book my ticket, then book another ticket separately going the other way.

Should I just go to Tokyo Station and buy the tickets in person later this week? I don't think they could have made this any more difficult if they tried.

>>1237724
Thanks for the reply anon! I'll probably just do 10 or 11 days to prolong my time there though.

>>1237758
It just got "legalized" so no problem.

>>1237841
>traveling domestically during the busiest domestic travel time of the year
Have fun with that

>>1237841
The best thing to do is just go to the station, I would go now since you want to travel on golden week.

So I ended up getting a ticket for anisama on august 27th and am not sure if I should check into a hostel in saitama or try to get back to tokyo before the trains stop running. Does anyone know how late concerts usually go on for in japan or is there any late busses that run between saitama and tokyo or anything?

>>1238042
You already got a ticket? Did you buy it on an auction or go through the Blu Ray lottery?

The animelo concerts are also 5 hours long

>>1238043
I got it through an auction for like 21400 yen including shipping and fees.

Well thats good to know, I think it starts at 4pm so I should be fine getting back to tokyo.

>>1238058
That's a pretty steep price, I was just going to enter the lottery myself then resort to auction sites afterwards if that fails.

>>1238059
The tickets where like 17,000 yen before all the fees and shipping and they are also floor level.

Im hoping to get magical mirai tickets through the lottery though, my budget is starting to thin its selfout pretty quickly.

>>1238061
The tickets are 9000 yen through the normal lottery, and I also thought that floor/stand assignment was on the door rather than on the ticket to prevent scalping? I'm intending to attend day 2 and 3 so ideally I'd just get them through the lottery

I'm hoping to get Magical Mirai tickets through the lottery as well, but I'm entering twice with a friend and worse comes to worse we just attend twice.

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What is the best place to learn Japanese online? I want Japanese pen pals to hang out with!!

>>1238063
this

>>1238063
I've used hellotalk

I havent been to active on it but theres certainly potential on this platform

Is it easy to find strangers to go karaoke with? I'd find it weird going on my own.

Just got some money exchanged into Yen. Most of it in 10,000 notes. Are there places to exchange for smaller notes in Japan? Or should I just try and break them at the airport/train station when I get there?

>>1238139
Nobody cares about big notes over here tbqh. Except maybe taxis. Buses don't take notes either.

Long story short, need a visa, preferably a student one, lasting at least a year, ASAP. I'm not from a visa waiver country nor can I apply in a language school, as I've already studied at one for two years. Are there opportunities still open for summer?

>>1238139
Break it anywhere, I usually end up doing it in a convenience store or adding money to my suica

Any experiences with Shibazakura festival tours?
I've got two I'm looking at but neither actually specify how many seats they have available, only that they have some.
I don't want to book it, then get to Tokyo and be told the tour is cancelled due to low numbers.

New bread >>1238188