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Made a new thread. Keep local discussion and general Japan chat in the LAN thread. If you need anything PM me. * Some questions don't belong in this thread. Mash the links below for these topics: Anime, manga and figurine-collecting | Japanese language, studying Japanese and electronic dictionaries | English teaching or the JET Program | Cellphones and cellphone use First megathread -- Second megathread -- Third megathread --Fouth megathread This FAQ (not the thread, just the first few posts) is generally aimed at people coming to Japan on holiday or who are thinking about moving here and want to know about daily life. Please give it a look-over before you post a travel- or moving-related question. Otherwise, fire away. We do chitchat a lot in the thread, but don't hesitate to post a question any time. Goons in Japan, by location Aomori: Capsaicin Coffee Miyagi: Omgz Gunma: leather fedora Chiba: Comrade Bender, Kaleidoscope, plaidboat Tokyo: Ara, The Atomic Man-Boy, Carfax Report, DiscoJ, elec, hikikomori, LimburgLimbo, Maddog11, Reverend Cheddar, Spaceguns, Stringent, tarepanda, TrueClash, zmcnulty Kanagawa: Rekka, Waffle Ho, Weatherman Aichi: Andry, Ferdinand the Bull, Savings Clown, teddust Shiga: EasternBronze, Lon Lon Rabbit Kyoto: Osaka/Hyogo: Nozomu Ishikawa: Original_Z, UnclePlasticBitch Okayama/Hiroshima: Lemmi Caution Ehime: peanut Fukuoka: Ned Nagasaki: harperdc Saga: Pompous Rhombus Oita: OMG LOL BUTSEKZ, Sheep Okinawa: Goon meets occur from time to time. You may find discussion in this thread, or you may find them in the Goon Meets Forum. General Bullshit Questions 1) in re freaky-deaky manga, anime, pervert vending machines, chikan A: Just as for any country outside your own, what you read in the media is not necessarily a complete reflection of the reality in that country. Yes, this kind of vending machine exists. No, they are not common. No, you are not likely to encounter one during your holiday, unless you specifically set out to do so. 2) in re otaku who want to move to GLORIOUS NIPPON A: For the fourth incarnation of this thread, I'm going to steal a quote from Nessa who was replying to a wonderful E/N thread. Nessa posted:Japan is a mecca for nerds and outcasts. It's a crazy country where everything is topsy turvy, so people like him think that it's a place where he would become immediately accepted because he acts like one of their cartoon characters. Plane fares 2) I’m in some city in Japan. How can I find a cheap domestic flight? A: If you don’t speak Japanese and have no-one to help you out then No.1 Travel is pretty much your only choice. But be aware that they charge more than travel agencies that cater to everyone do. Otherwise, you have a few choices: HIS Travel, JTB, buying the ticket directly from the airline’s web site, or going to one of those little ticket-dealing places you find near train stations (you can get some cheap flight and shinkansen vouchers there). Planning your trip 1) What should I pack/take? (for people moving here) A: Let's ask Sheep: Sheep posted:Bring: clothes, shoes, at least one proper black suit, preferably a few extra suits and/or a blazer*, your favorite deodorant/antiperspirant combo, condoms**, a laptop? If you're trying to figure out what style of clothes to take, go have a look at http://tokyofashion.com/. This is how everyone in the country dresses. Locals love to see white people dressing like this too, so you'll get lots of people smiling at and trying to talk to you. 2) Where should I go in Japan? A: This depends on a number of factors, including: How long do you have? In which season are you visiting? What interests do you have in the country/culture, or in general? How much money do you want to spend? Do you want to move to different places or stay in one area? The most basic recommendations that often come up for "I have X days in Japan and don’t know what to do at all" are: (suggestions welcome) 2 days/1 night: Go to Tokyo. You won’t scratch the surface of what it has to offer, but at least you can experience Shibuya, go shopping in Shinjuku, see the Imperial Palace, climb the Tokyo Tower and walk around Yokohama. 3 days/2 nights: Go to Tokyo. Add Meiji-jingu, Ginza and Tsukiji to the first point. 4 days/3 nights: Spend two nights in Tokyo and one in Nikko or Hakone. If the weather is likely to be bad, go to Nikko instead of Hakone. 7 days/6 nights: Split your time between Tokyo and Kyoto/Nara. One to two weeks: Get a Japan Rail pass. Start in Tokyo and work your way west to Nagasaki, visiting the main centres along the way. Fly to Busan then home, or catch the train back to Narita and then fly out. Two weeks or more: Why are you planning to come for two weeks if you have no idea what to do? Get a guidebook, cheapo. 2a) What do you think about this itinerary that includes Tokyo, Sapporo, Kyoto and Okinawa in 4 days? A: 3) What should I do while I’m there? A: Spend as much time reading the forums as possible. When you return to your home country you won't have many memories of Japan and you'll think of it as kind of like being back home but with smaller rooms and high tech toilets. Do not try to talk to the locals - their language is complex and their mannerisms can seem offensive. Surviving is the hardest part of visiting Japan. 4) Clubs! I want to go clubbing, so tell me where to go. A: Japan has many clubs but they have cracked down on dancing in clubs recently. If a club operates past 1 AM they are not allowed to have any dancing at all and the cops will raid the club and arrest the owners and shut it down. Clubs that have the proper license and close at 1 can reopen around 5 in the morning so you'll have to find a place to go between then. Some smaller clubs are open all night and let you dance but they are skirting the law. Either way, ask in the thread about where to go. And don't ever let anyone from the street take you to their club. You'll get ripped off hardcore. Go into a place that has people waiting in line to get in, at least that means there are people there. Visas 1) What kind of visa do I need to visit Japan? A: If you’re coming for a vacation of less than ninety days and are from Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK or most EU countries, you don’t need to apply for a visa in advance. You can get a 90-day or three-month landing permission when you arrive in Japan. You are prohibited from working AT ALL with tourist status. For all other visits, you will need to apply for a visa at a Japanese consulate before you leave. When you land at the airport in Japan, you will go through immigration and be issued with a Landing Permission. This is a stamp or pre-printed sticker which is placed in your passport and lists the date by which you must leave Japan or have your stay extended, and the status of residence you fall under -- this governs the activities you may and may not do while in the country. Note the difference between "visa" and "landing permission", as some people have been burned before. For immigration to Japan, the "visa" (usually single-use) is the document that an embassy or consulate issues you in your native country. It is a recommendation to the immigration inspectors in Japan that you be issued with a "landing permission". Once you are given this landing permission at the airport in Japan, your visa becomes invalid and irrelevant. The landing permission, and only the landing permission, governs your status of stay in Japan from there on out. People between the ages of 18 and 25 from Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Korea and New Zealand are eligible for Working Holiday visas. There will be restrictions on the length of time you can work, both per-week and as a proportion of your trip, and most regular Japanese companies will not consider hiring people on a WHV. If you want to work in Japan, you will need a working visa or other non-restricted visa, without exception. For the majority of English speakers this will be a Specialist in Humanities/International Services Visa which allows you to work as an English teacher, translator or editor. It does not cover anything outside this field -- it is illegal to do other kinds of work without changing your status of residence. However, it is a straightforward process to do that. Spouses and children of Japanese citizens can get visas that have no restriction on employment. Permanent residents also enjoy unlimited employment options, as well as much higher chances of having their mortgage applications accepted. 1a) in re ID A:Tourists must carry their passports at all times. This is a legal requirement. You will be asked to present it when checking into accommodation, and you may be asked by police on the street to produce your passport. Most anecdotes by people who were stopped without their passport end in "and so I had to wait in the police station for six hours while someone went back to the hotel to get my passport and bring it in." If you're going to be on a working/familial status of residence, see "What's a gaijin card?" below. If you're in the US military and are covered by SOFA, I believe you are required to carry your military ID at all times when off your base. 2) My landing permission/SOR is valid for three months and expires tomorrow but I really want to go to Nikko/try a soapland/drink in the park for one more week! Is this OK? A: Short answer: No. If you get stopped by the police and asked to show your passport, or if you stay at a hotel and are asked to show your passport, you will be detained, deported and prohibited from entering Japan again for five years. Don’t risk it. Go to an immigration office and have your status of residence extended, if that's possible, or else leave and come back again later. 3) My landing permission/SOR says I'm a tourist but I really want to teach English in Nikko/work in a soapland/moonlight at this bar near the park where I live! Is this OK? A: Short answer: Again, no. OK, one of your friends did it and didn't get caught. Bully for him/her; there are also stories (and TV shows even) about people who DID get caught. The number of illegal immigrants here dropped by like 25% over the last couple of years and that's mostly due to a police crackdown. They know what industries are likely to employ valid SOR-less foreigners and they are more than happy to stake a place (or your place) out for a while, catch you out and then ship you out, the consequences of which are described above. 4) I live in Japan and I want to take a short overseas trip. Should I -- A: Hold up, wait, hang on just a second. If you leave the country without first getting a re-entry permit, your SOR will be cancelled as you leave the country. Cancelled. Completely. No take-backs, no "sorry can you just". Not only your SOR is cancelled, but if you've been waiting for your five-year or ten-year mark to roll around before applying for permanent residency, guess what just reset to zero? Go to the immigration office NOW and get a re-entry permit if you think there is the slightest chance you will need to make a temporary trip overseas. I'm not exaggerating -- your entire stay in Japan comes to a crashing halt if you go without one. You will be reduced to a "temporary visitor" with all the restrictions that entail should you come back to Japan, even if you are within the (no longer) validity period of your old SOR. You can get a single-use permit for 3000 yen, or a multi-use (it lasts until the end of your current SOR) one for 6000 yen. This system will be abolished in the next few years, but it is very much in force now. Lemmi Caution writes to Penthouse on this topic in this post. Communication 1) Can I use my cellphone in Japan? (Short answer: maybe) 2) Can I get a prepaid cellphone for my holiday? (Short answer: no) 3) So what other choices do I have? For the answers to all cellphone-related questions, go and post them in zmcnulty's awesome Cellphone Galapagos thread. We're all sick and tired of the cellphone questions coming up every half a page in this one. 4) Can I get Internet access in Japan? A: Yes, but there aren't many free open wi-fi spots anymore. Japan (Tokyo at least) went the way of "get the telcos to roll out access points and let them charge 900 yen a month to use them". Otherwise, internet/manga cafes are quite common, especially near train stations. Some places require that you sign up first (around 300 yen), others just charge so much per hour. The quality of the cafe itself varies quite a bit, too, so if you're here for a longer time and are using net cafes a lot, shop around. Transport 1) Japan Rail Pass -- to buy or not to buy? A: Probably not. You should think carefully about where you want to go in Japan before you buy a Japan Rail Pass. The seven-day pass is only good value (ie. you will just about break even) if you use the shinkansen to travel more than one round-trip between Tokyo-Kyoto (ie. one longer trip or more shorter trips). If you’re going to travel more than that on the shinkansen or mostly on JR lines in a seven-day period then yeah, go for it. If you only want to take the shinkansen for one round-trip, just buy regular tickets. If you’re considering buying the 14- or 28-day ticket then you’re probably planning to travel around a lot more, so it becomes better value. Note that within major cities, JR is not the only train network. If you're in central Tokyo, you will use Tokyo Metro much more than you would JR. If you're in Kansai then you can use that private line (Kintetsu?) between Kyoto and Osaka which is cheaper than the JR line. In any case, if you’re trying to maximize value, note that there is NO shinkansen between Narita Airport and Tokyo, so you don’t have to actually convert the voucher to a train pass until later in your trip. 2) How do I get to wherever from Narita Airport? A: You have four choices.
Getting around 1) Can I get around only speaking English? A: In major metropolitan areas, probably. Please be aware that English is NOT an official language of Japan, and the fact that some people understand English is not a reason for you to expect everyone else to understand you. Many Japanese people study lots of English grammar and vocabulary in school but can’t necessarily speak it. In any case, basic traveller's courtesy dictates that you learn at least the Hello/Excuse me/I'm-sorry-I-don't-speak-Japanese-Do-you-speak-English phrases in Japanese before your visit. In smaller towns you will probably have more trouble. Lonely Planet’s articles for certain towns suggest that even the tourist information centre staff don’t speak English, so if you’re not confident in your inter-cultural communication ability then you might want to take a package tour. 2) Should I drive? A: In Tokyo, not unless you have a specific reason to be driving. The city was never meant for cars. The roads are crowded and expressway tolls will have you dry-retching. Anyway, the trains are much easier and comfortable and the network covers the whole metropolis. If you do want to drive, you will need an international driving licence. When you get it, make sure it conforms exactly to the official specification! Japanese administration staff can be very particular about paperwork: my friend was refused service from a car rental agency because there wasn't one of those crimp stamps on the edge of the photo. You can find a car rental agency near almost every train station. Rates usually include unlimited mileage. Most sedans have car navigation systems (in Japanese). You can also get yourself a Japanese driver's licence. Nationals of most EU member countries, the UK, Australia and New Zealand can simply convert their driver's licence to a Japanese one by filling out the forms, taking an eye test and paying the fee. Everyone else has to go through the system the same way Japanese do. If you do qualify for the conversion, I highly recommend you do so. Even if you don't drive, the licence is great to use as ID instead of your gaijin card, which contains a lot more personal information that maybe you don't want to show your local video store. 3) So you say the trains are pretty good? A: Yep. Reliable, clean, quiet and much safer than anywhere else. There are many different railway companies, but if you have a Suica/Toica/Icoca/Kitaca or Pasmo rechargeable stored-value card, you can transfer between them without worrying about if you have the right ticket or not. Seriously, get one of these. Charge it when it runs low at the ticket machine, then all you have to do is touch it to the reader at the wicket when you enter the station, then again when you leave at your destination. Simple. Suica and Pasmo cards keep their validity and hold value for 10 years after you last use them, so you can take them home with you and use them on your next trip. In any case, all (I think) JR ticket machines and the vast majority of the private railways' ticket machines outside the deep boonies have a button that you can press to switch the display to English, so don't worry about accidentally buying a ticket to the moon or anything like that. The trains stop running at night, but only between roughly 1am and 5am. If you’re out after 1am you might as well stay out all night and catch the first train home. (Hey, millions of Taro Salarymen can’t be wrong!) Hyperdia* and Jorudan** are sites where you can check your route, fare and timetable. * Be sure to click "Search Details" and turn off all but Express, Walk and Ordinary Train if you want a cheap option. ** Watch out for Jorudan! The English site will refuse to give you a local train option if a shinkansen runs the same way, so you may end up paying thousands more yen for a trip that only takes 15 minutes more than a local train. Stupid stuff that shouldn't need to be said but it does: (More applicable to crowded trains but that's most of them) Take off your backpack when you're on the train. It's really annoying to be bumped by someone's backpack every three seconds, especially when the owner is three feet in front of the thing and oblivious to the people behind them. Also, keep your voice down. A lot of commuters like to sleep or otherwise relax on the train, and since in general English speakers talk louder than Japanese, your voice is carrying through the whole carriage and everyone is wishing you would shut the hell up. One more thing is when you sit on the train, make sure you're only taking up one seat. Long seats usually fit seven and you can bet your bottom Short-term Accommodation Japanese Inn Group should be your first stop if you don't read Japanese. You can plug in all your criteria and find a place that matches.
Carrying money 1) How do I bring money to Japan? needs updating A: Japan is still mostly a cash-based society. It’s not uncommon for people to be carrying around wads of notes in their wallets. Department stores, other major stores, chain supermarkets and major clothing stores accept credit cards, but not everybody. Do NOT come to Japan with no cash, expecting to charge everything. Also, some people have reported that stores will turn down Visa and Mastercards issued by international banks because "we don’t accept foreign credit cards". It’s not supposed to work like that, but what are you going to do? Travellers’ cheques can be tricky outside major centres. Not all banks can handle them. If you must use travellers’ cheques, make sure you know where they can be converted before you come. It's not all bad news though. Japan Post ATMs, which are linked to the Plus network, accept most ATM cards (see if yours has a Plus logo on the back). ATMs are not open 24 hours a day! There may be daily withdrawal limits! You shouldn’t run into too many problems though. spacebard says "I always forget where the Citibank ATM is in Ikebukuro, but if you need to get more than the post office's daily limit, it's available. It's worth mentioning because it's been around for at least 10 years. It's at Ikebukuro station's Metropolitan Plaza Exit, at the end of a long corridor." BambooTelegraph says "There is a Citibank ATM on the first floor of the Narita Airport, next to a small 10min/100yen internet cafe. There is also a Citibank near the Imperial Palace. The bank itself shares the building with a Microsoft Center." LimburgLimbo adds "Actually, now that 7/11s have ATMs which let you use foreign cards*, it's not all that hard to get cash if you need it, at least in major cities. However, if you don't know where ATMs are, etc. you should always have enough cash to get around. I frequently get by with only putting what I'll need for a day (a couple thousand yen) in my wallet, but then I know the locations of ATMs I can withdraw from in pretty much every part of Tokyo I go to, and have a train pass which always has enough money on it to get me home, etc. But a tourist should ALWAYS have cash on hand. * 7/11 ATMs (including ATMs in 7/11 affiliated stores like Ito-Yokado) take foreign cards, but you can only withdraw in denominations of 10,000 yen, and they have a 210 yen service charge." In short, carry lots of cash, and charge up your Suica card (you bought one, right?) which can be used at convenience stores and even some restaurants so you don’t have to fumble for change. Food
Ned fucked around with this message at 05:19 on Mar 11, 2013 |
# ? May 22, 2012 08:48 |
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# ? May 4, 2024 14:22 |
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General questions about Employment/Studies 1) I’ve just finished high school. Can I work in Japan? A: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Sugar_daddy 2) I’ve just finished university. Can I work in Japan? A: Welcome to the world of English teaching! Please consult the JET program megathread. Other lines of work: See the second post for much more detailed information. The original thread suggests Daijob. GaijinPot is another site but be careful if you enter the forums: they are populated by trolls, fat depressos and whiners. Also, the mods delete any content that’s critical of GP advertisers. Unless you are particularly skilled in your niche field, then you have zero chance of finding a job unless you’re working for a multinational and getting hired outside Japan, or fluent in Japanese. (Sorry, but it’s the national language after all.) Even then, you will probably find it much harder to get a job than a native fresh out of university. Are you American? Welp, you have to pay taxes in the US too. But Lemmi Caution says: "Step 1: Don't file taxes until you've been abroad for an entire year. Americans abroad get an automatic extension to June and you can extend beyond that. Unless you have some fancy-rear end financial poo poo in your personal affairs, 1040 and 2055 should be all the forms you need." 3) I want to study in Japan! What choices do I have? A: Jossos directs you to the Japanese government's page on studying in Japan which contains a lot of information. Are you over 30, though? According to Andry you might be out of luck finding a school that will accept you. Health
Some news sites and blogs you may find useful are
Part 2: Studying in Japan
Reverend Cheddar posted:Japanese Language Prep School (日本語予備校) LimburgLimbo posted:Low level language schools LimburgLimbo posted:[The above wasn't] based on my friends remarks, but from my personal experiences with schools like that. I think ARC is a legitimate school in the sense that it's not a con, but because of what I outlined before I can't really comment on how good the classes will be, because there are so many variables. I know people who've seemed to enjoy the Shibuya branch, but I can't really say anything about the Osaka branch. zmcnulty posted:Studying Japanese in high school zmcnulty posted:Boston CareerForum Ned fucked around with this message at 08:54 on May 22, 2012 |
# ? May 22, 2012 08:49 |
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What should I do in Japan? Some generic things to do are eat real Japanese food (common consensus is that it shits all over "Japanese" food in other countries), visit shrines and temples, go shopping (fashion, electronics and housewares are all good), try a bath in an onsen, party till dawn, go hiking or skiing, etc. etc. uinfuirudo recommends trying a homestay for a more personal experience. Some more specific things to do as recommended by goons and broken down by location are: (please send your information in!)
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# ? May 22, 2012 08:49 |
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I'm heading over in about six weeks, and i was hoping someone could tell me the cheapest place online they have found to buy a Japan rail pass.
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# ? May 23, 2012 12:07 |
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Man, Japan's visa process is even more byzantine than Koreas...
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# ? May 23, 2012 14:10 |
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Toussaint Louverture posted:Man, Japan's visa process is even more byzantine than Koreas... In what way? You get a job with a company/sign up with a school, and they give you a visa, most of the time. Sometimes you have to go to immigration once or twice, but most of the time it's simple. Also the visa is tied to you, so even if you leave your company you still have a visa and can find other word relatively easy, which also makes it hard for a company to screw you over, since they have very little hold on you. It seems much better than the Korean system, though I admit I don't know too much about it.
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# ? May 23, 2012 14:18 |
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Benchmark posted:I'm heading over in about six weeks, and i was hoping someone could tell me the cheapest place online they have found to buy a Japan rail pass. They should all be the same price as far as I know.
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# ? May 23, 2012 14:50 |
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The only things I dislike about the Japanese visa system are the silly permanent residency requirements and the re-entry permit system (which is soon to be gone, hooray). Correct me if I'm wrong, but in Korea, your employer owns your visa, right? And you have to submit apostilled documents (which is pointless), have mandatory AIDS checks for specific visas (notably E-2 and E-6, both classes of visas where no bodily fluids should be being exchanged so what the gently caress?), not to mention that immigrations can deport you at any time if you are found to have AIDS. Then you get stuff like employers holding onto diplomas and refusing to provide letters of release and so on and so forth. And weren't the regulations recently changed so that a bunch of people had to get FBI background checks done again just to renew their visas in-country? At least they don't have to get them apostilled if they're already in Korea, I guess. If the Japanese system strikes you as byzantine then I would very much like to know how you would describe that of Korea. There's a lot of valid stuff in Japan to complain about, but in my opinion the visa system is not one of those things. It could hardly be more straightforward, really. Sheep fucked around with this message at 15:37 on May 23, 2012 |
# ? May 23, 2012 15:33 |
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Toussaint Louverture posted:Man, Japan's visa process is even more byzantine than Koreas... But it's made up for by your employer not being able to subdue complaints by threatening to get you deported. Also, I googled for it, but couldn't find an answer. What's the deal with salarymen getting drunk and doing that thing with their ties on their heads? What is the cultural reference?
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# ? May 25, 2012 11:12 |
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Hi. I'm American and I'm studying in Japan this semester. My school is Akita International University, in Akita. Being a gaijin is fun, so I'll try and answer any questions I can.
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# ? May 27, 2012 13:44 |
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I am going to be a cheapass in Tokyo but I would like to blow money on good sushi once. What's a good place that's high class, maybe max ~$200 for omakase? Also needs to accept credit cards or I'm going to need to flee the country right afterward.
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# ? May 27, 2012 14:45 |
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Edit: Ignore!
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# ? May 28, 2012 15:34 |
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Grand Fromage posted:I am going to be a cheapass in Tokyo but I would like to blow money on good sushi once. What's a good place that's high class, maybe max ~$200 for omakase? Also needs to accept credit cards or I'm going to need to flee the country right afterward. I wouldn't mind an answer to this either.
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# ? May 28, 2012 16:12 |
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Honestly the best sushi I ever had in Tokyo was at the tsukiji fish market in the morning, it was the freshest I'd ever tasted. I'm drooling just thinking about it now. It didn't even break the bank. I am a mere tourist though, maybe the long term residents in this thread have other suggestions.
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# ? May 28, 2012 16:22 |
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I'm also interested in finding the answer to that one. The only sushi I had during my last trip to Japan was at a random kaitenzushi in a mall in Narita, and I still thought it was pretty drat good compared to regular restaurants in the US. I'd imagine a legit sushi place is even better.
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# ? May 29, 2012 05:16 |
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Grand Fromage posted:I am going to be a cheapass in Tokyo but I would like to blow money on good sushi once. What's a good place that's high class, maybe max ~$200 for omakase? Also needs to accept credit cards or I'm going to need to flee the country right afterward. http://www.rps-tower.co.jp/en/restaurants/kurumaya/index.htm
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# ? May 29, 2012 08:41 |
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Awesome informative thread. I'm curious about the groping situation in Japan. Do people just grope breasts and butt? Or are they using their fingers and going deeper? Also how come bystanders don't help? Do the victim's resist or anything? I always hear about the groping problems, but most places just say be careful and don't really explain into detail. I'd like to visit with my wife eventually, but I'd like to know what I should be on the look out for. Also, how much days in Tokyo to see most of what it has to offer. lol internet. fucked around with this message at 23:17 on May 31, 2012 |
# ? May 31, 2012 23:06 |
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lol internet. posted:Awesome informative thread. I'm curious about the groping situation in Japan. Do people just grope breasts and butt? Or are they using their fingers and going deeper? I would not be worried at all about someone groping your wife while you are on vacation. It's not like people are wandering around groping girls willy-nilly. From what I've heard/seen, they tend to target high school girls on the trains, and girls in clubs. I've heard various things about the groping, but it's generally grabbing tits or crotch. I'd guess bystanders don't help because it's either not noticed, or the girl doesn't say anything - and Japanese in general do their best to avoid confrontation. The cases I've heard about - a girl was on the train, and a guy reached up her skirt and grabbed her crotch. She screamed, he ran. Another girl was in a club (I was dancing with her!) and a guy came up from behind and grabbed her boob. I asked her if she knew him, she said no - I asked if she wanted me to do anything, she said no - so I just ignored it. I've also heard lots of stories of girls being groped when they were in highschool. It's invariably "I was on the train, this guy reached up my skirt and I screamed, then he ran off". Sometimes the girls or someone else manages to grab the guy and he gets taken away by the police, but generally it's a grab and dash from what I've heard. It's not like the train-groping porn where girls just stand around getting molested. So yeah, don't worry about your wife being groped. I'd say 2 days for Tokyo, but as always, it depends what you like. I'd rather visit smaller places when on vacation than big cities.
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# ? Jun 1, 2012 02:41 |
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Damnit, someone answer my ties-on-the-head question already!
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# ? Jun 2, 2012 21:15 |
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I am going to Singapore but have a stop in Narita. Sadly, I don't have enough time in Japan to go through customs and chill for a little while, so I wanted to know what you guys recommend to do in the airport (never been in Narita before)? Any restaurants worth mentioning there?
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# ? Jun 2, 2012 21:29 |
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USMC503 posted:I am going to Singapore but have a stop in Narita. Sadly, I don't have enough time in Japan to go through customs and chill for a little while, so I wanted to know what you guys recommend to do in the airport (never been in Narita before)? Any restaurants worth mentioning there? What airline? If you're in Terminal 1, $50USD day pass to the United Club gives you free wifi and booze. I don't know if the ANA clubs do a day pass, but the ANA club in Terminal 1 and the United Club aren't terribly different.
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# ? Jun 3, 2012 00:52 |
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Mackieman posted:What airline? If you're in Terminal 1, $50USD day pass to the United Club gives you free wifi and booze. I don't know if the ANA clubs do a day pass, but the ANA club in Terminal 1 and the United Club aren't terribly different. I'll be coming in on ANA.
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# ? Jun 3, 2012 04:21 |
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Cameron posted:Damnit, someone answer my ties-on-the-head question already! As someone whose current FB profile picture is of them wearing a tie on their head while drunk, I feel like I have the expertise necessary to comment on this. There is no cultural reference. It looks funny, and they are drunk.
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# ? Jun 4, 2012 05:04 |
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I'm planning to spend about a month in Japan around July and had a question about shipping. I'm going to be moving around a bit (home -> Osaka -> Kanazawa -> Tokyo -> Osaka -> home) and so if possible I'd like to only have to carry around one bag with me that can hold my laptop, some clothes, and basic necessities. If I feel the need to buy ridiculous amounts of junk that I don't need (which I probably will), is there a "cheap" way to ship it from Japan to Hawaii? The information that I could pull up off google is aimed at Japanese tourists and quotes 39,000 yen for a 25kg package. Is there any cheaper option or am I just going to have to lug around suitcases everywhere?
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# ? Jun 4, 2012 23:37 |
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Virtue posted:I'm planning to spend about a month in Japan around July and had a question about shipping. I'm going to be moving around a bit (home -> Osaka -> Kanazawa -> Tokyo -> Osaka -> home) and so if possible I'd like to only have to carry around one bag with me that can hold my laptop, some clothes, and basic necessities. If I feel the need to buy ridiculous amounts of junk that I don't need (which I probably will), is there a "cheap" way to ship it from Japan to Hawaii? The information that I could pull up off google is aimed at Japanese tourists and quotes 39,000 yen for a 25kg package. Is there any cheaper option or am I just going to have to lug around suitcases everywhere? Shipping is shipping - you can go to a post office and ship things to your home in Hawaii like anything else. However, if you're moving around a couple of large suitcases between cities every few days, and staying in populated areas, and don't mind spending a little extra, there is always takkyuubin. I used that to ship my stuff from Tokyo to Kobe when I went on a couple-day trek through Matsumoto and Kiso Valley.
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# ? Jun 5, 2012 00:07 |
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USMC503 posted:I am going to Singapore but have a stop in Narita. Sadly, I don't have enough time in Japan to go through customs and chill for a little while, so I wanted to know what you guys recommend to do in the airport (never been in Narita before)? Any restaurants worth mentioning there? I took a shower for like 5 bucks.
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# ? Jun 5, 2012 01:04 |
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Fryhtaning posted:Shipping is shipping - you can go to a post office and ship things to your home in Hawaii like anything else. However, if you're moving around a couple of large suitcases between cities every few days, and staying in populated areas, and don't mind spending a little extra, there is always takkyuubin. I used that to ship my stuff from Tokyo to Kobe when I went on a couple-day trek through Matsumoto and Kiso Valley. Yeah, it looks like shipping will be very expensive no matter what. I think what I'll do is ask a friend if I can leave a suitcase or two at his house and pick them up on the way to the airport. I wasn't planning on bringing more than one over but since two checked + one carry on are free I might as well.
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# ? Jun 5, 2012 02:48 |
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I just wanna toss out: I'm still happy to help with Okinawa even though I'm not there anymore. So if anyone's heading that way and I don't have an answer, I can try to get you one.
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# ? Jun 7, 2012 23:19 |
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Hello! So I have put my documents into the consulate and I'm going for the ace. If god wills it, I will get the Monbusho scholarship for my undergraduate studies... right after I ace all 5 exams and then be able to make sense during the interview next Friday. Wish me luck!
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# ? Jun 8, 2012 17:39 |
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Piano Maniac posted:Hello! So I have put my documents into the consulate and I'm going for the ace. If god wills it, I will get the Monbusho scholarship for my undergraduate studies... right after I ace all 5 exams and then be able to make sense during the interview next Friday. Wish me luck! Applying for the undergraduate Monbusho? That's pretty uncommon. What are you trying to study?
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# ? Jun 8, 2012 17:42 |
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Planning the second trip to Japan with the wife, the first was as part of a tour group, so lodging and food was taken care of. It's a little daunting, but my Japanese is passable, so I hope I can manage. Has anyone stayed at a temple before? I'm mostly wondering if this is a thing more for singles than couples, or if they'll be able to accommodate someone with a nut allergy. I've always wanted to see Eiheiji, and it sounds like it's not too far from Kanazawa, where I plan to spend some time due to Original_Z's excellent post and the linked websites.Virtue posted:I'm planning to spend about a month in Japan around July and had a question about shipping. I'm going to be moving around a bit (home -> Osaka -> Kanazawa -> Tokyo -> Osaka -> home) I'm thinking of a similar trip for September with Kyoto in between Osaka and Kanazawa, by all means post here about how it goes, and if you have any recommendations! I was hoping to stay at the Sumiyoshi-ya in Kanazawa, but it seems like they're booked solid for the time I'm there.
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# ? Jun 8, 2012 18:05 |
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LimburgLimbo posted:Applying for the undergraduate Monbusho? That's pretty uncommon. What are you trying to study? I was thinking about going to study either literature, biology or simply Japanese language in Japan. Right now I'm studying biology at my current uni (just finished my first year), but I don't know if I could handle it in Japanese (unless I would have to study it in English there, in which case it would be a cinch!) Since I heard the exams for the undergrad Monbusho are monstrous and I'm not really that great with maths, chemistry or even biology (even though I love all things living), I have a long, long way to go.
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# ? Jun 8, 2012 18:20 |
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Sign me up as a Kyoto goon - but only until August. And yes, everyone should go to Kanazawa - it's my favourite place in Japan.
Morton Salt Grrl fucked around with this message at 06:39 on Jun 9, 2012 |
# ? Jun 9, 2012 06:20 |
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Just got to Tokyo for a 7 week internship/study program! This place is amazing, but I wish I had learned some Japanese before I got here. Oh well, hopefully I'll be able to pick some up. Are there any recommendation for restaurants, preferably around Akasaka/Roppongi? I'm willing/able to go anywhere really, but closer is definitely more convenient. I'm on the lookout for a really good udon place, but my true goal is to find the best Tonkotsu Ramen available.
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# ? Jun 11, 2012 00:05 |
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Inertiatic posted:Just got to Tokyo for a 7 week internship/study program! This place is amazing, but I wish I had learned some Japanese before I got here. Oh well, hopefully I'll be able to pick some up. Can you narrow it down more than just 'restaurants'? Like maybe what type of food you're looking for? There are a lot of restaurants in the area. I live in Akasaka, by the way.
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# ? Jun 11, 2012 00:23 |
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Hmm, I would definitely like to find a really nice place for sushi around here, as I'm not sure when I'll be able to head to Tsukiji. Besides that, I'd prefer Japanese food recommendations, like the udon and tonkotsu ramen I'd mentioned, since I don't know when I'll be able to get the real deal again. I'd also prefer a sit down as opposed to a counter restaurant, but I'm really seeking quality over anything else. I appreciate the help!
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# ? Jun 11, 2012 02:01 |
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Inertiatic posted:Hmm, I would definitely like to find a really nice place for sushi around here, as I'm not sure when I'll be able to head to Tsukiji. Besides that, I'd prefer Japanese food recommendations, like the udon and tonkotsu ramen I'd mentioned, since I don't know when I'll be able to get the real deal again. I'd also prefer a sit down as opposed to a counter restaurant, but I'm really seeking quality over anything else. I appreciate the help! There's not too much in the way of good ramen in the area apparently (from what I've been told), but a search showed up this tonkotsu ramen place, which is pretty well reviewed. http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13004950/ These are also the 3 best reviewed Japanese restaurants in the Akasaka area. http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13002772/ http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13116523/ http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13002514/ Note however, that traditional Japanese food is often extremely expensive. The first restaurant there has an expected meal price of over 30,000 yen, and none of them are less than 10,000. If you just want cheap Japanese home cooking, just go to Ootoya for my money, haha. For sushi I'd say just make it out to Tsukiji at some point. It's all of six stops from Roppongi, which is something like 15 minutes in transit, and it's best to go early in the morning anyway, so just go to bed early one day, get up early, and go there. LimburgLimbo fucked around with this message at 03:24 on Jun 11, 2012 |
# ? Jun 11, 2012 03:22 |
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LimburgLimbo posted:For sushi I'd say just make it out to Tsukiji at some point. It's all of six stops from Roppongi, which is something like 15 minutes in transit, and it's best to go early in the morning anyway, so just go to bed early one day, get up early, and go there. Basically, there are only two places that you should be waiting for, and they are Daiwa and Sushi Dai. The both cost about 5500, and have ridiculous lines.
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# ? Jun 12, 2012 04:50 |
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ntan1 posted:Basically, there are only two places that you should be waiting for, and they are Daiwa and Sushi Dai. The both cost about 5500, and have ridiculous lines. I'll be going to one of these. Are the lines actual lines or are they Korean "lines"? Like am I going to have to elbow old women in the face or can I stand there with a book for a couple hours?
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# ? Jun 12, 2012 04:56 |
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# ? May 4, 2024 14:22 |
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LimburgLimbo posted:There's not too much in the way of good ramen in the area apparently (from what I've been told), but a search showed up this tonkotsu ramen place, which is pretty well reviewed. http://r.tabelog.com/tokyo/A1308/A130801/13004950/ drat, 30,000 is pretty steep, but I'll definitely be able to do 10. Thanks a lot for the recommendations! I'll let you know how it goes.
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# ? Jun 12, 2012 06:17 |