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I got accepted to live and work on some remote farms near Yasugi. I had NO plans to go to Japan a month ago, but now it's looking like i'll be there for 2 months. I'll be spending 1 month working and will have lodging and everything else taken care of by the org and then will be spending a month traveling. For now though I'm just trying to get my flight and train booked. I need to be in Yasugi by Sept 5th, so I was looking at flying out of Portland, OR Sept 1 and arrive in Tokyo Sept 2nd that night, sleep over night and spend a day or two in Tokyo and take the Sunrise Izumo to Yasugi the night of Sept 3 or 4 (but leaves after midnight?). JPRail says I can book a Nobi Nobi seat in advanced, and I'm planing on bringing my camping air pad anyway. There's no other way to upgrade to a private room unless I hope for some availability to upgrade at the station? Just want to make sure this all looks correct. I'll have more questions, but literally got accepted yesterday to this program. I guess also i don't need a 7 day JR pass, only a 1 day until I'm traveling around in oct. Trying to find just a one day over night train ticket. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Jul 19, 2023 |
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Jul 19, 2023 21:07
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| # ¿ May 13, 2024 16:53 |
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I grew up in Kentucky. I am nails. I might fly if I can't get a single one way ticket since it's probably on the same level price wise as a 7 day JR pass.
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Jul 19, 2023 22:09
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Are you trying to get booked with Horimitsu? Jealous if you are. Kyoto is famous for its pottery along with Hagi which is about 2 hours from Hiroshima. I’m biased though bc my trip focus will be on crafts
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Jul 19, 2023 23:29
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History Comes Inside! posted:I sure am. We are also trying to get in last minute with him. I’d love a pottery tiger.
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Jul 19, 2023 23:53
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Discussions with my partner have been the same way and I’m just like do your research I can’t do it for you and will meet you wherever you want to see something cool. Recommendations for flea/thrift/second hand markets in larger cities in October? Antique browsing is one of my favorite travel activities. Also craft/makers markets. I have a few pottery festivals on my list.
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Jul 26, 2023 10:01
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Trying to get a very loose itinerary together. We will have Oct 5-Nov 1 to do anything. Oct 5-11 is week to myself. My partner arrives in Tokyo, Oct 11 in the late afternoon. We do have mutual hard dates in Tokyo Oct 21 & 22 for tattoo sessions with Horimitsu  We both want to go to Hiroshima, Nihama Taiko Fest and Mt Fuji I have a Kyoto Pottery festival I'd love to get to. Starting in Yasugi since I'll be there all of September: Oct 5-11 I plan to work my way down the coast and end up in Hagi to explore pottery there and I'm not sure what else on the coast? I'm open to ideas here. Oct 12-14 Hiroshima and meet up with partner there? Oct 15 travel to Niihama and leave the 17 in the evening 17-20 Kyoto, first day of pottery fest is the 20 and leave for Tokyo in the evening 21/22 tattoo days in Ikebukuro, Tokyo From there I'm just???? We aren't big city folk as we've spent enough time in NYC. I was thinking we head back to Kyoto and set up base there, Fuji area/Hakone with relaxation time and be back in Tokyo for Halloween. Nice last dinner Nov 1 Fly out Nov 2 I'm thinking we might have to drop Niihama and save for another time to spend more quality time Kyoto? This would open up the back half of our trip after tattoos to do more. I'm afraid Kyoto will be like Antigua, Guate and overrun and a terrible time unless we do the weekday there. Notes on us He's into sashiko and kintsugi, of course me with pottery Adventurous eaters not big drinkers. I think a contemporary wrestling match would be fun. He wants to visit the big fish market. Private onsens before tattoos Both love to browse flea markets/antique markets/craft markets. If we don't go to Niihama then what's another good big festival that would be later in the month? cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Aug 15, 2023 |
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Aug 15, 2023 04:06
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I guess one more question is I’m a women’s size US 6 or small and about 5’7”. I was thinking of picking up field work clothes over there but really concerned about finding my size esp with long sleeves. Puts me at a JP 11. Is that approaching plus size there?
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Aug 15, 2023 09:41
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harperdc posted:Define “field work,” but if all else fails, Uniqlo should work. Probably in the women’s M or L range. We will be working on a strawberry farm, succulent farm, tea farm, field clearing, fruit tree pruning, green roofs as some examples in 30s temps with humidity and some rain. Hot, sweaty work.
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Aug 15, 2023 17:22
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harperdc posted:Go peruse Workman’s website for stuff. Shops in-person may or may not be close to stations. Looks promising! Thank you We decided to drop Naiihama and go to the festival in Himeji plus meet up there and I’m definitely going to the sake fest. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 07:44 on Aug 16, 2023 |
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Aug 16, 2023 07:12
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My one overnight bus experience was Guatemala City to Tikal and I was also sick with food poisoning never again bus
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Aug 17, 2023 07:34
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We've narrowed down Kyoto as where we want to do the ryokan and onsen experiences. Anyone have places they recommend? Either tattoo friendly for the public baths or a private couples option? Also any other lodging recs?
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Aug 18, 2023 01:30
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I’m spending a week in Hiroshima and pretty excited to explore the city in depth, you can find me drinking sake at the festival on that Sunday 
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Aug 25, 2023 02:39
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I got my medical waiver and was working on my customs form online, having never done this (bringing medicine that is banned in that country), do I need to claim I am bringing prohibited items and then show my medical form or just mark no? I have a medication that is banned in Japan I'm bringing in for personal use. "(1) Narcotic drugs, stimulants, marijuana, psychotropic substances, MDMA, designated drugs."
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Aug 29, 2023 21:24
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Ok thank you. I’ll do that.
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Aug 30, 2023 03:31
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The Suica shortage is some real chaos here right now. Also Visa is blocking foreign cards from registering Suicas so I can’t even use the app. Some say Mastercard and Amex work though. Just a FYI for anyone coming in the next few weeks
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Sep 4, 2023 08:37
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peanut posted:Ay caramba I’m here for a while if I could borrow yours :p
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Sep 4, 2023 09:35
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KingKapalone posted:We're visiting in just over two weeks so I'll have to learn about these cards. It's just like a subway card in NYC? Bring a Mastercard or Amex. Once you’re in Japan you can register for a digital one using Apple wallet or as other people mentioned Passmo also in wallet. It looked like physical Passmos are also endangered
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Sep 4, 2023 22:47
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Grand Fromage posted:hope you bought the right paper ticket for the right train company motherfucker
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Sep 7, 2023 10:14
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October Ghibli tickets are up now
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Sep 10, 2023 02:49
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No cause it makes you call to verify. If you’re trying to get Ghibli id offer to courier but we are about to leave home base for a few days :/
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Sep 10, 2023 20:29
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Looking for recommendations for the north of japan. We have about 5 days and a JR pass to get us around. Wouldn’t mind some leaf peeping and just a slower pace to end a long journey. Dates would help: 10/26-10/30 cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Sep 16, 2023 |
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Sep 16, 2023 01:02
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Few questions about the JR site I am already in Japan, do I mark my arrival as the port I was issued my visa (HND) earlier this month, even though I want to exchange at Hiroshima in October? I'm assuming they are matching stamps. Is Hiroshima JR offices big enough to not have a meltdown when I want to exchange? My little Yasugi station told me to go one city over and a friend told me Matsue station also had meltdown when someone wanted to buy a JRPass there, even though the JR site lists them as an exchange location. I'd like to save ~$70 from courier services. A $38 shipping fee is a rip with this company:https://www.japanrailpass-reservation.net/ cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 14:16 on Sep 21, 2023 |
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Sep 21, 2023 14:14
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I am a bit biased but shimane and tottori have been fun to hang out in. Buy some high quality yet cheap knives at Wakou, visit the coolest blacksmith, stunt on grandmas as you monster walk past them down the dunes, izumo taisha, Mt Daisen, the cute pink electric shimaneko train and every day looking like a Ghibli movie. It’s not overrun with western tourists and you will be on Google translate a lot, but people here are happy to see you and very welcoming to their out of the way spots. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 14:44 on Sep 29, 2023 |
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Sep 29, 2023 14:34
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everyone wants knives in the states i feel like a goddamn dealer with the amount of knives traveling in my luggage. hopefully Yamato doesnt laugh in my face at my luggage request.
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Oct 2, 2023 11:12
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Yamato does international and there’s always DHL
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Oct 3, 2023 15:51
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I had my first run in with the police yesterday, which is funny to me in rural Japan. We were waiting for the clouds to clear on Daisen to get a good shot on the way back from a cafe visit. I generally thought he was just asking if we were ok, but he rolls up, says he saw us on the local news (we have been on local tv a few times) and after doing a quick fan boy, asks us for our residence cards and registration on the bikes the guest house provided for us and runs their numbers thinking we stole them. I had my passport on me and my friend didn’t, which ended up with them meeting us at our apartment. Two men in suits roll up, one playing good cop who knew the family hosting us and the other making a big stink, or as my hosts says, “being a huge dick about it”. The girl has the same first name as my middle name so they were getting real confused why I wasn’t there. This is a town where they still talk about a melon thief from last year and Russian break ins from 30 years ago. My host says he’s going to complain cause he’s trying to run a hosting business and doesn’t need local cops messing with his guests.
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Oct 4, 2023 05:14
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I had the feeling to carry it that day, esp after reading passport chat. Definitely have left stuff out and have never had anything stolen after a month here. Wrapping up the farming program and now will be traveling around for a month. I’m thinking of being a coordinator for this org and coming back for their spring trip as an employee. Japan is pretty great.
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Oct 4, 2023 12:23
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Yes please write simple sentences in translators. I’ve had better luck with those plus some body language. Bee—ru oh-nay-guy-she-ma-s
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Oct 4, 2023 16:08
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I didn’t realize I did a rough fish and chips just now with pickled mackerel and potato wedges. I ordered them separately…fried potato is instinctual for me lol
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Oct 6, 2023 13:29
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peanut posted:Btw it's time for Saijo Festival and Niihama Taiko Festival. The inaka parties hard. Also Nada no kenka, which we are at right now. Saijo was a blast
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Oct 15, 2023 05:12
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I have a Schwab international checking account and just use it where I can and use it like a regular debit. They used to reimburse ATM fees but I guess they stopped it
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Oct 17, 2023 23:50
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Kaddish posted:Day 2 of 5 staying in dotonbori and not sure if we regret it yet. It’s a madhouse. lol owned. we had dinner with a friend heading out in Osaka and he took us around and again lol owned cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 15:07 on Oct 18, 2023 |
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Oct 18, 2023 15:04
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Just a stupidly pretty sunset at Kiyomizudera today. We caught the last hour of it being open. I’m ready to leave the amusement park that is Kyoto though. The locals hate you, and after a month in the inaka and living in NYC I’m also over huge groups of tourists and can empathize. We decided to go to Sendai after our tattoo appointments in Tokyo. Hopefully more nature walks in Buddhist temples and less dodging instagram influencers. cheese eats mouse fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Oct 19, 2023 |
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Oct 19, 2023 15:05
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I lost control and spent so much money on ceramics…again. There’s a woman in Tokyo who specializes in rare stuff from the Kyushu region. Only 10 kilns making the stuff she sells. It’s so beautiful I wish I could have bought bigger items.
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Oct 21, 2023 20:27
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ntan1 posted:Who specifically? https://maps.app.goo.gl/5Dax92taiN88E1o2A?g_st=ic
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Oct 22, 2023 06:34
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.Z. posted:That's really dangerous knowledge for me... The prices are also pretty reasonable for the work she has to do to get the stuff. I spent 10.5¥ and picked up a matcha mixing bowl, two small to medium plates, and a small vase. We ended up buying an extra suitcase at the Tokyo flea market today for 2.5k¥. Also found a painted scroll on silk for 2k in its OG box with papers, and another tea bowl in it’s OG signed box plus various other smaller items. I think we spent maybe 10k. Flea markets own.
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Oct 22, 2023 08:30
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If Kyoto can move away from buses into subway or light rail, it would make commuting in the city way more bearable for everyone. I loved Hiroshimas system. I think I took every form of transit there as there was always something to use.
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Oct 22, 2023 19:24
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We have been trying to find second hand but more Japan style than western style clothing shops. But we are also both way taller and bigger than Japanese people so I don’t know how much luck we will have. We really do want to pick up some samue in a comfy Turkish cotton, if anyone has a place to check out?
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Oct 24, 2023 02:00
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We are currently staying in Sendai. Yesterday was Yamadera, today was Shiogama fish market building our own don and then Matsushima. We missed out and didn’t realize how much there was nature wise to enjoy in Matsushima so we are going back for a stop over on the way back to Tokyo. It was nice to also get the small town welcome again, I missed it. Sendai is good vibes with seeing more outdoorsy people around. We are going to Hirosaki and Aomori this weekend, so trip report. The leaves haven’t really changed even in Yamadera, except for the very tall mountains.
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Oct 26, 2023 13:46
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| # ¿ May 13, 2024 16:53 |
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We crossed that bridge on accident and at the time I was lugging a lot of heavy pottery with me. We could have not walked the extra 20 minutes but my partner did guess wrong. I was so pissed. Btw never eating another eikiben again. They are not kind to me.
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Oct 28, 2023 07:02
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