|
A week is the earliest you could expect to get it. Way too early to be freaking out yet.
|
#
?
Aug 6, 2012 10:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 9, 2024 10:11 |
|
|
Ta. I am totally freaking out though. I really like it here!
|
|
#
?
Aug 6, 2012 10:46
|
|
|
Like Lemmi said, just relax. My first visa took 5 days, my second took 3 weeks. I know the anxiety you're feeling, but just be patient!
|
|
#
?
Aug 6, 2012 10:53
|
|
|
PowerLlama posted:Me and my lady are heading to Japan for 3 weeks, September - October. We're staying in Shibuya for a bit, then to Kyoto/Nara for a while, and then Ishagaki for a few days. First onsen/ryokan I can think of near Kyoto would be Kurama and Kibune. I haven't been, but it's easily accessible from Kyoto and I would have gone had I had time on my trip. There is one 30 minute train that isn't JR, but it only costs about $5 each way. From Tokyo, the biggest and most well known hot spring area would be Kusatsu Onsen. You can JR most of the way there, then take a cheap 30min bus from the station. If you're just doing one-way, since you're going to Ishagaki at the end, the JR pass might not be worth it if you're not making any major Shinkansen-based side trips. Are you flying from Ishagaki directly back to Tokyo or wherever your return flight home is?
|
|
#
?
Aug 6, 2012 18:13
|
|
|
Fryhtaning posted:First onsen/ryokan I can think of near Kyoto would be Kurama and Kibune. I haven't been, but it's easily accessible from Kyoto and I would have gone had I had time on my trip. There is one 30 minute train that isn't JR, but it only costs about $5 each way. Wow, those pictures are beautiful. Thanks for the link We actually got a cheap round-trip flight from Tokyo to Ishigaki, so we'll be making a bit of a loop. Going Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka/Nara - Tokyo.
|
|
#
?
Aug 8, 2012 03:43
|
|
|
PowerLlama posted:Wow, those pictures are beautiful. Thanks for the link Japan's cities are notoriously de-populated so I'm sure we'll bump into each other at some point.
|
|
#
?
Aug 8, 2012 09:39
|
|
|
Oh crumbs, only a week until my trip to Tokyo, thread's been a big help for planning
|
|
#
?
Aug 8, 2012 11:51
|
|
|
Planning a trip from Korea to Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto for the end of September. What are the most affordable ways of getting between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto? Considering maybe taking an overnight bus to cut costs of lodging for one night. Has anybody done that?
|
|
#
?
Aug 9, 2012 04:41
|
|
|
I have a question about visas. I'm a JET and my contract will expire next year on July 31st. I'd like to stay in Japan for 2 or three weeks after that, and my visa technically lasts until 2014, but it's the "Instructor" type and I have a bad feeling that it becomes invalid as soon as I stop working for my school (which would be August 1st). I suppose my question is, does the "instructor" visa become invalid as soon as you stop working for the organization, and if so, can I transfer to one of those 90-day tourist visas easily? Thanks. (I'm an American if that matters)
|
|
#
?
Aug 9, 2012 15:03
|
|
|
Your stay there is valid for as long as the landing permit says it is.
|
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 00:58
|
|
|
ntan1 posted:Your stay there is valid for as long as the landing permit says it is. This is patently false. The Immigration Control Act, Article 22-4 section 5 clearly states that if you are in Japan on a specific SOR and not engaged in applicable activities for 3 months, your SOR will be revoked. In other words, if your employment ends then you have three months to find applicable employment valid under your SOR before it is revoked by the MOJ. You can't come in on a five year SOR, work for a day, and then quit your job and bum around for the remaining 4 years and 364 days. It just doesn't work like that. Now as for neuralyzer's case, your SOR does not immediately become void if your employment ends, otherwise employers could basically hang deportation over foreign workers' heads. Even if your job ends on August 1st, as long as your SOR doesn't expire in the interim (you say it's good until 2014, which is plenty), you have until November 1st to stay in Japan as you please, and no change of SOR is necessary. You would only need to go convert to a temporary visitor SOR if your SOR was also expiring within the three month period following the ending of your employment. Sheep fucked around with this message at 02:03 on Aug 10, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 01:57
|
|
|
Vernacular posted:Planning a trip from Korea to Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto for the end of September. What are the most affordable ways of getting between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto? Considering maybe taking an overnight bus to cut costs of lodging for one night. Has anybody done that? Yes , and it was grotty as hell. Just save more and get the bullet train. Any other option will lead to you wasting the next day as you recover from the shock of what you just did.
|
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 02:41
|
|
|
Sheep posted:This is patently false. The Immigration Control Act, Article 22-4 section 5 clearly states that if you are in Japan on a specific SOR and not engaged in applicable activities for 3 months, your SOR will be revoked. You sound really mad here. It's valid as long as the landing permit says it's valid. Unless you spite immigration and piss everyone off, it's valid until it expires. The govt' can theoretically revoke it, but no one is going to go hunting to try to revoke your landing permission and kick you out of the country. Seriously. Also, if you spend the time trying to acquire another job, you can stay there for the full period of time, greater than 3 months.
|
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 04:41
|
|
|
Vernacular posted:Planning a trip from Korea to Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto for the end of September. What are the most affordable ways of getting between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto? Considering maybe taking an overnight bus to cut costs of lodging for one night. Has anybody done that? I am OK posted:Yes , and it was grotty as hell. Just save more and get the bullet train. Any other option will lead to you wasting the next day as you recover from the shock of what you just did. (Coming from someone who hates crowds and whatnot, to the point I found most public transport oppressive in Japan at times.) On the other hand, I used Night Buses to get all around Japan, and found them far more comfortable than most other forms of transportation, and much easier to deal with luggage and whatnot. Although using baggage handling companies instead of dealing with luggage is hightly recommended. Which makes me think that getting in one that is designed for business travelers, or at least checking out different companies, can make a big difference. The ones I rode on were all single seats three across, with two isles making everything easy to move and with no crowding. YMMV, obviously.
|
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 09:47
|
|
EVERYTHING I SAY ABOUT JAPAN OR LIVING IN JAPAN IS COMPLETELY WRONG, BUT YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'LL 
ABOUT IT.
|
Thanks ntan1 and Sheep. I was mainly concerned because my school is listed as my place of work on my Foreign Resident Registration Card (or whatever the English translation is), so if the cops called them after August 1st they'd obviously have to say I wasn't working there anymore. Anyway, I only wanted to stay 2 or 3 weeks max, so I think I'll be okay. Thanks again.
|
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 10:05
|
|
|
ntan1 posted:You sound really mad here. It's valid as long as the landing permit says it's valid. Unless you spite immigration and piss everyone off, it's valid until it expires. Nobody's mad, it's just that the advice you're giving this guy (and anyone lurking this thread) directly conflicts with the text of the law and could lead to people getting into serious trouble. Suggesting that people stay here illegally just because the chances of their getting caught is fairly low is terrible. As for the nitty gritty, your landing permit confers a status of residence under which you reside in this country (article 2-2). Failure to engage in activities related to one's status of residence for three months (article 22-4 section 5) will result in your status of residence being revoked (article 22-4) and deportation measures being taken against you (article 23). The entire text of the law is here if you are interested. I've read through most parts of the law that could be considered relevant to this discussion, and can find nothing about any sort of exceptions like those you are suggesting, presumably because the three month grace period is intended just for such situations. If I'm mistaken in this, I'd appreciate it if you could point out exactly which laws and articles support your statements. Edit: As far as I can tell, you cannot reside indefinitely past the three month period whilst job searching. There is a very vague "legitimate reason" clause in the hearing section but that is not a road which anyone should want to go down since it presumes that revocation proceedings have begun against them. That's also what they're talking about at the bottom of this page, question 17. That is not a place anyone wants to be, and all of the reasons they list are clearly out of the immigrant's hands - ie business goes under, hospitalization, etc. which should demonstrate that you need a pretty good reason other than just "hey I'm looking for a job". This PDF down on page 50 shows that your chances of surviving such a hearing with a favorable outcome are pretty drat slim. neuralyzer posted:Thanks ntan1 and Sheep. I was mainly concerned because my school is listed as my place of work on my Foreign Resident Registration Card (or whatever the English translation is), so if the cops called them after August 1st they'd obviously have to say I wasn't working there anymore. Anyway, I only wanted to stay 2 or 3 weeks max, so I think I'll be okay. Thanks again. Nah you're fine so long as you're gone before November 1st. Sheep fucked around with this message at 14:50 on Aug 10, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 14:16
|
|
|
I am OK posted:Yes , and it was grotty as hell. Just save more and get the bullet train. Any other option will lead to you wasting the next day as you recover from the shock of what you just did. I second this. My wife and I referred to the night bus we took from Fukuoka to Kyoto as the "Piss bus" because an hour in to the ride the thing smelled like a public urinal. If your trip is around 1 week in length you should really look into whether getting a rail pass will save you money. The fair from Kyoto to Tokyo and back almost covers the cost of the 7 day pass. If you are planning any day trips the pass will likely save you some cash. You can use http://www.hyperdia.com/en/ to plan your routes and see how much it'll cost you, and the rail pass prices are here: http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en003.html . You need to order the pass from outside Japan and have your voucher delivered before you leave, so don't wait until last minute to figure out what you want to do.
|
|
#
?
Aug 10, 2012 14:59
|
|
|
Quick stupid question. What stuff can I can claim tax back on at the airport? I am assuming its not everything (at a guess saiyu receipts would be rejected), or should I just throw a stack of receipts at them  (ignore me, found it on some random website. need to spend more than 10,001 yen at specific shops to get the 5% tax back.) Wibbleman fucked around with this message at 09:16 on Aug 11, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 11, 2012 09:12
|
|
|
Vernacular posted:Planning a trip from Korea to Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto for the end of September. What are the most affordable ways of getting between Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto? Considering maybe taking an overnight bus to cut costs of lodging for one night. Has anybody done that? I definitely recommend against night buses. You'll arrive at your destination at the crack of dawn unwashed, exhausted and cramped up. You probably won't be able to check into your accommodations until at least noon so even if they'll take your luggage early you won't be able to bathe or unwind until then and you'll just feel super lovely. I guess it'd be ok if you're able to sleep through anything and you were staying with friends at your destination but if you're only there for a short vacation it definitely isn't worth the savings.
|
|
#
?
Aug 11, 2012 11:00
|
|
|
The three-month grace period is what I was interested in. Thanks again.
|
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2012 15:18
|
|
|
So my plans for my April trip are pretty much clear to go, just wanting a final ok from you guys before I get it all booked . I'm aiming to fly into Tokyo on the 2nd April, staying for 5 days in the Akasaka area. On the Sunday (7th) I then take the Shinkansen to Kyoto, staying for 4 nights near the old kyoto imperial palace. On the morning on the 11th I then take the shinkansen back to Tokyo for my flight home. While I'm in Kyoto I'm hoping to do a daytrip to Hiroshima. So far I can get this for around £1300/160,000yen for flight/hotels and I'm aiming for a daily budget of £100/12,200yen with around £1000/123,000yen for "fun" ie. souvenirs/partying etc. llbdtiberio fucked around with this message at 16:53 on Aug 13, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 13, 2012 16:37
|
|
|
This may be dumb but am I going to have any trouble breaking a 10,000 yen bill at a convenience store in the mornings? I didn't realize quite how much money 10K is, probably should've gotten smaller bills.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 04:49
|
|
|
Grand Fromage posted:This may be dumb but am I going to have any trouble breaking a 10,000 yen bill at a convenience store in the mornings? Nope.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 04:53
|
|
|
Grand Fromage posted:This may be dumb but am I going to have any trouble breaking a 10,000 yen bill at a convenience store in the mornings? I didn't realize quite how much money 10K is, probably should've gotten smaller bills. Japan is still a cash-based society and most people carry around a couple hundred dollars (four or five man bills) in their wallet. I too thought "geez, I'm carrying around hundred dollar bills?" but you get used to it. Just a matter of perspective, I think.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 06:23
|
|
|
neuralyzer posted:Japan is still a cash-based society and most people carry around a couple hundred dollars (four or five man bills) in their wallet. I too thought "geez, I'm carrying around hundred dollar bills?" but you get used to it. Just a matter of perspective, I think. Yeah I'd heard about that, I was just thinking of the stink eye of trying to buy a pack of gum with a hundred dollar bill. The biggest denomination in Korea is only about fifty bucks and you rarely ever have more than a wad of  so it's not an issue.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 06:27
|
|
|
It's especially weird coming from America where at most I'll have $5 on my person, and even then it's pretty rare for me to even have that much.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 06:45
|
|
|
It's one of the worst superficial things about Japan. I hate using cash and having to make sure I have enough on me for a worst case scenario at all times. For the first time since I was about 13 I have to think about cash flow.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 07:16
|
|
|
I don't carry much cash on me and get along fine. Apart from convenience store and fast food purchases (which admittedly make up a lot of my purchases) I find I can use my credit card with ease in Tokyo. Taxis, restaurants, and most stores I shop at all accept it. The time I tend to run into issues are with small, family owned shops/restaurants which don't have credit card machines.
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 07:43
|
|
|
And yet, between Edy and Suica, you can pay with contactless IC at ~400,000 different stores. No idea how well MasterCard is doing with PayPass but I'm guessing it's not nearly as many. Japan surely holds the title for adoption of contactless payments, despite being such a cash-based society. I wouldn't be surprised if Japan were the world's first country to go cashless, but somehow I also wouldn't be surprised if they were the world's last. Things will really take off if Apple gets off their rear end and the next iPhone has NFC, because they've already solved the problem of NFC vs FeliCa on Android. Is iOS next? Carfax if you're eating at combinis/fast food a lot you should look into Edy -- McD's for example accepts it nationwide I think. zmcnulty fucked around with this message at 07:55 on Aug 14, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 07:44
|
|
|
Carfax Report posted:I don't carry much cash on me and get along fine. Apart from convenience store and fast food purchases (which admittedly make up a lot of my purchases) I find I can use my credit card with ease in Tokyo. Taxis, restaurants, and most stores I shop at all accept it. You're in Tokyo though!
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 09:41
|
|
|
I am OK posted:You're in Tokyo though! Yes. Yes I am. zmcnulty posted:Carfax if you're eating at combinis/fast food a lot you should look into Edy -- McD's for example accepts it nationwide I think. So this may be a bit silly of me from a convenience point of view, but I'm not a big fan of the precharged stuff and tend to keep my suica to the lowest amount possible. I can't help feeling systems like Suica are the opposite of a credit card; money you loan to another company which they earn interest on as they give you the right to your own cash. Big believer in spending other people's money whenever possible.  I use Suica because it's easier than calculating train distances and buying a ticket each time, but for something like Edy where it's simply a matter of having cash in your wallet versus on a card, I wonder about the benefit. What do you think?
|
|
#
?
Aug 14, 2012 17:13
|
|
|
Carfax Report posted:So this may be a bit silly of me from a convenience point of view, but I'm not a big fan of the precharged stuff and tend to keep my suica to the lowest amount possible. I can't help feeling systems like Suica are the opposite of a credit card; money you loan to another company which they earn interest on as they give you the right to your own cash. Big believer in spending other people's money whenever possible. If you're ballin enough to have access to some interest rate a little better than the 0.025% that you're making by having the money sit in your account than in the Suica card, then yes, it would make sense to hang on to it and make a sweet 8 yen extra each year. I agree with you on the principle of the matter but since interest rates here are near zero (and if you want to bring up money market accounts/foreign exchange then we'll have to take risk into account too) the convenience factor far outweighs the single-digit-yen returns that JR or whoever runs Edy is making from your float.
|
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 00:35
|
|
|
I agree regarding Suica but what's the benefit from Edy other than not having to hand over coins?
|
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 01:52
|
|
|
Other than? None, I guess. That's the point of it -- you don't have to carry a bunch of coins. Or so goes my assumption.
|
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 01:57
|
|
|
Carfax Report posted:So this may be a bit silly of me from a convenience point of view, but I'm not a big fan of the precharged stuff and tend to keep my suica to the lowest amount possible. I can't help feeling systems like Suica are the opposite of a credit card; money you loan to another company which they earn interest on as they give you the right to your own cash. Big believer in spending other people's money whenever possible. A few points: 1) Getting cash from the ATM is you using your own money, so unless you're getting cash advances all the time you're already loaning your money to the bank so they can earn interest on it. i.e. your account itself is "precharged" 2) With Edy, at least, you earn 1 point for every 200 yen spent. That's 0.5%. So while I could ~maybe~ get 0.05% interest if I'm lucky by just letting that money sit in my bank along with a shitload of other money, instead I get 0.5% when I actually spend it. As stupid as it sounds, from a financial perspective it makes more sense to keep/use money in Edy than it does in my own bank account. 3) your bank probably isn't getting much return from your money as they wish My next step is to figure out how I can deposit money into my account using Edy, in order to create a loop limited only by my credit line. And earn a poo poo-ton of points just because of turnover. Carfax Report posted:I use Suica because it's easier than calculating train distances and buying a ticket each time, but for something like Edy where it's simply a matter of having cash in your wallet versus on a card, I wonder about the benefit. What do you think? That's really the main benefit: not having to worry about change as much. It's a much faster transaction, no digging for 5 yen coins etc. Also if you're into budgeting (I'm not) it's easier to see where you spend money. Otherwise if you aren't bothered by coinage like I am, not really any compelling reasons I can think of to switch. Security-wise it's not any better or worse than carrying cash. There was some movie (Death Note? I think) that involved money laundering through contactless payment cards, if you're into that. zmcnulty fucked around with this message at 06:11 on Aug 15, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 03:41
|
|
|
zmcnulty posted:2) With Edy, at least, you earn 1 point for every 200 yen spent. That's 0.5%. I charge my Edy with my credit card (and not from my bank account) so I earn 1% in Rakuten points on that transaction as well. So while I could ~maybe~ get 0.05% interest if I'm lucky by just letting that money sit in my bank along with a shitload of other money, I instead get 1% by putting it on Edy. Then another 0.5% when I actually spend it. As stupid as it sounds, from a financial perspective it makes more sense to keep/use money in Edy than it does in my own bank account. This interests me greatly. Alright, I'm sold. Where do I sign up? How do I top up the card?
|
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 05:06
|
|
|
Hey guys, I'll be going to Japan for holiday with friends in December from 8th to 28th. So just over 2 1/2 weeks. It'll be the first time for most of us, but we do have someone that went to Tokyo before, our plan is to visit Tokyo + surrounding areas for 1 1/2 weeks, then go Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and surrounding areas for the rest. The Tokyo leg of the trip is pretty much planned out, but we still not quite sure about the rest. Here's my suggested plan after studying guides and travel site, plus talking with friends/workmates that has been to Osaka + Kyoto etc. Stay in Tokyo until the 20th (that's planned out) Catch the shinkansen to Osaka. Using Osaka as a base, take day trips to Kyoto and Kobe.. maybe Nara as well if we get time. We were going to stay a couple of days in Kyoto, but from reading other travel forums and talking to friends. I opt to stay in Osaka as a base instead. Reason is from what I gather Kyoto is basically for sight seeing, so it really depends on how much you like the sights (temples). I have people tell me you'll need at least a week, and people that stayed 2 days and were bored after the first day. Since catching the Shinsenken from Osaka to Kyoto is only 15-20mins (we'll have JR Pass), we can be flexible on how many days to spend in Kyoto. So is that a good idea? Secondly we are still not sure where to stay in Osaka, most people recommand either Umeda or Namba since they are the "happening" places of town. We were hoping to stay close to where the night live is, so if we stay out late we can still walk back to the hotel. The 2 hotels I'm looking at right now Ramada Osaka at Umeda or Hotel Monterey Grasmere Osaka at Namba. Also besides Kyoto, Kobe and Nara. Is there other recommended places to visit in the area? Would love more input/suggestions in this area. Pic~ fucked around with this message at 05:30 on Aug 15, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 05:28
|
|
|
Carfax Report posted:This interests me greatly. Alright, I'm sold. Where do I sign up? How do I top up the card? Looks like I lied, seems that I'm not getting any Rakuten Points for charging the Edy after all. So I'm only getting 0.5% in points for purchases made with Edy. Still better than cash I guess but either way it's really only a few hundred yen we're talking about here. Edy has changed a lot after Rakuten bought the rights to it. Used to be that you could get it in a lot of different credit cards but I think those are gradually being phased out as Rakuten wants you to sign up for their card with it instead. At the risk of sounding like a shill and stepping away from Edy for a sec I have the "Premium" one since the promotional points they were giving to Platinum members exceeded the 10,000 yen sign-up cost for year 1. For year 2 on, I figured it's worth the money anyway. Main differences between the regular Rakuten card and Premium one seems to be: -10,000 yen annual fee for the Premium -Priority Pass included with the Premium (airport lounge access) -Drastically better insurance policy for Premium -- regular card only covers international travel (2000man death, 200man injury, 20man personal effects) while the Premium covers international and domestic (5000man death, 200man injury, 20man personal effects) plus has a blanket 90-day purchase policy up to 300man for any theft/loss/damage for anything you buy -Choice of one of three "courses" with additional benefits for travel, shopping, or entertainment -Haven't used it much myself but a premium cardholder-only customer service line Back to Edy, if you don't want to sign up for a credit card, Rakuten appears to be selling just the chips in regular cards, a keitai strap, and even a wristband. Downside here is that without a FeliCa reader on your PC (they'll happily sell you one, for 1800 yen) your only real option to charge it is using cash -- which to me defeats the entire purpose. Frankly though I'd wait until iPhone 5: if you see NFC in it you can be pretty sure that Rakuten will be busting their rear end to make an Edy app. zmcnulty fucked around with this message at 06:12 on Aug 15, 2012 |
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 06:08
|
|
|
Pic~ posted:Hey guys, I'll be going to Japan for holiday with friends in December from 8th to 28th. So just over 2 1/2 weeks. My favorite thing in Osaka, besides food, is the Aquarium, Kaiyukan. It's absolutely amazing and you should go if you can find the time. There is a HUGE central tank where they have 2 whale sharks, manta rays, and sunfish and other awesome stuff.
|
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 06:23
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 9, 2024 10:11 |
|
|
zmcnulty posted:Frankly though I'd wait until iPhone 5: if you see NFC in it you can be pretty sure that Rakuten will be busting their rear end to make an Edy app. This sounds like the right plan. If I can just use my phone it would make this a much simpler story.
|
|
#
?
Aug 15, 2012 06:39
|
|