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It makes me kind of angry and sad for a short period of time. Unlike some other people in this thread, I don't have any real roots in Japan. There's nothing that explicitly ties me here right now. So when I see something like that it makes me feel like I should just give up, move back to the US, and get some job translating technical documents. I try really hard every single day to do what's expected of me, speak Japanese as best I can, be as tolerant as possible, and improve my Japanese as much as I can. Seeing those kinds of portrayals of foreigners makes me feel like it's all useless because it will always be assumed that I'm just like all those stereotypes. It makes me feel like there's nothing I'll ever be able to do that will validate my existence in Japanese society beyond being the foreigner novelty sideshow. I know that this isn't a problem unique to Japan, and I know I'm not the only person to have ever experienced racism. When I see those things though, feelings like that come up in a very direct way. It's one thing to understand those feelings exist, and it's another to actually feel them. The thing that usually pulls me back from that ledge is that I do have a bunch of Japanese people around me that have gotten to know me well enough that I know they don't see me in that stereotypical way. On a micro level, with the friends and acquaintances I have, it is actually easy to forget in my daily life that Japan can be like that. Those kinds of attitudes that people are talking about being on full display in media is a constant reminder of what the average Japanese person probably thinks when they see me on the train or at the supermarket. It's disheartening. It's not like I lose sleep over it or worry about it a ton, though. The feeling tends to pass pretty quickly. Overall, I really do enjoy my life in Japan. So to answer your question, the thing that bothers me when those sorts of things pop up is that it makes me regret the work I've put toward being fluent in Japanese and living in Japan. It's like, after all I've accomplished, this is the kind of bullshit it comes down to.
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Jan 7, 2016 06:08
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You guys laugh but the "famous" udon places don't have much seating so you have to take your styrofoam bowl of udon and sit on the curb. I always laugh at busloads full of tourists lined up sitting on the curb like homeless people eating udon.
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Mar 8, 2016 07:36
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Digger posted:May I ask for some tourism advice on Okinawa and Naoshima? Flying to Naha on a Thursday, fly to Takamatsu on the Sunday for time on Naoshima then back to Tokyo on the Wednesday. Where would be the best places to stay? In terms of accessibility and the like, mainly for Naha. All advice and suggestions appreciated. There's a Toyoko Inn a few minutes' walk from both Takamatsu station and the ferry port to Naoshima. It's the closest cheap option, as the only closer hotel is quite expensive. This is going to be the easiest for you, as you can take the bus right to the station from the airport. http://www.toyoko-inn.com/e_hotel/00130/ Unless you're talking about staying on Naoshima, but I don't think there's more than a day's worth of stuff to do there anyway, and there aren't many places to stay or eat.
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Apr 12, 2016 14:40
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If they were going to find it right away they probably would have when they cleaned at the end of the route, so it's either stuck somewhere deep or gone. You could keep checking back to see if it turns up, but in my experience if they don't have it that same day it's probably not on the train anymore and likely not going to turn up.
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Jun 6, 2016 12:39
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People take all kinds of stupid crap on the shinkansen. My husband's cousin takes her 5 chihuahuas home on it every holiday. I don't think it's a big deal.
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Aug 14, 2016 16:20
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caberham posted:You can't shoot guns in Japan. Ugh air soft doesn't cut it You could visit my husband's family in Kochi and shoot at boars and poo poo. They won't rat you out or anything.
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Aug 29, 2016 01:18
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ntan1 posted:Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen, Shimanami Kaido, Iya Valley, possibly along the coast around Naruto, Kotohira, and Takamatsu. In fall so not as many festivals (because gently caress humid weather). There's an amazing onsen in the iya valley that's right by the side of a river, I can't remember the name offhand but will look it up. Kochi has a few nice onsen, too, if you do make it there. Kure has Kuroshiohonjin, which overlooks the ocean and is really nice. It's also near Tengu Kogen, a mountain lookout point near the headwaters of the Shimanto river. Actually that whole mountain area is beautiful. There are the two capes, Muroto and Ashizuri, which are really lovely and worth the visit but a lot of driving to get to. In Kagawa there is the Shionoe onsen town in the south of Takamatsu. My favorite "hidden" onsen, Sanuki Onsen, is off the main road a bit but really nice with great outdoor baths. As a long-time resident I don't think there's much in Takamatsu worth visiting other than Ritsurin park, but you can always check out this blog, hilariously badly written by a local expat, for ideas, and I have to say he does come up with some interesting stuff: http://www.art-takamatsu.com
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Dec 22, 2016 16:35
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Moon Slayer posted:Will places in Japan even hire you to teach English if you aren't from an English speaking country? Yes, the hurdle is the visa, but if you have a spouse visa then plenty of places will be happy to hire you.
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Mar 2, 2017 12:47
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My work section does all their communication over LINE, including sending sensitive data about customers and poo poo when they are on business trips. Also a few times per week someone will post something to the group that is intended for their wife or their mom or someone. They also give each other poo poo for using stickers in the group that aren't from one of the two sticker sets the company has released.
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May 7, 2017 12:03
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XyrlocShammypants posted:You can be very popular with the ladies in Counterpoint: rural ladies are so anxious to gtfo that they have been known to marry the gooniest of goonlords to get that one-way ticket out of inakaville.
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May 16, 2017 13:17
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lavaca posted:My girlfriend and I are flying into Tokyo in mid-November and flying out of Osaka at the end of the month. We would like to spend some time hiking in the woods. The Internet keeps telling me to go to Kamikochi but it sounds like everything there shuts down on the 15th. I'm picturing either a quaint mountain town or a lodge with convenient access to multiple trails, not an epic backpacking destination. What're some good options for that sort of thing in November? How about Kumano Kodo? As far as I know everything is open year-round, because I don't think it gets that much snow. Close to Osaka. Also it's huge, so you can choose to start anywhere, but I think people usually start from Koyasan. I was going to find a link for you but there are hundreds.
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Aug 31, 2017 07:14
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Stringent posted:I've done it a few times, it was quite nice. Yeah it's pretty nice. I've done this on the tail end of business trips a few times for some much needed chill time.
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Sep 5, 2017 08:12
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ntan1 posted:Or if its late October Aomori is very pretty, especially in the Hakkoda range. I came here to post this. The Oirase-Towada area is so nice.
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Sep 12, 2017 10:37
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You can sometimes get decent deals flying into Hokkaido's smaller airports like Obihiro, which closer to places that are more interesting than Sapporo.
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Sep 14, 2017 22:50
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The comforter cover is removable/washable so it takes the place of a top sheet.
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Sep 17, 2017 13:22
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Pollyanna posted:Looks like my parents are genuinely interested in a Japan trip sometime next year. As was suggested, I told them April-May would be a good time to visit, except for during Golden Week. I have a basic idea of "tour some castles, do some hiking, maybe some flower viewing or cherry blossoms if the timing is right", and I've got my itinerary of "eat all the food I can find and pick up some nerd merch", but I have no earthly idea what else to do that a couple of mid-50s doctors would enjoy. Don't worry, they'll love it no matter what you do. Japan is basically set up for the convenience and enjoyment of old people, so everybody's parents love it. Don't go to Kyoto during cherry blossom time. Miyajima in Hiroshima would be a better choice, still crowded but you can still enjoy it.
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Sep 18, 2017 18:51
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2004, ask me about my rampant oldness.
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Oct 2, 2017 05:13
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If you put anything other than Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto as your Jet preference you’re likely to get it. Most people don’t request anything but those 3. If you put a preference down you’ll probably be asked about it in the interview so they can see if you have a more compelling reason than it’s a big city. If you have spouse/family somewhere they will do what they can to accommodate that, but it’s up to the hiring organizations. I didn’t put down a preference but kinda wish I would have because they sent me to the city where I studied abroad in high school, because that town preferred people with local experience. It might have been nice to go somewhere other than like a mile down the road from the last place I lived in Japan.
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Oct 14, 2017 01:15
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peanut posted:And now you're stuck there forever lol So owned.
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Oct 16, 2017 00:35
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LimburgLimbo posted:If you’re young the nearby HUB is probably literally a better representation of what young Japanese people your age do and will have more friendly locals interested in talking. And the best pizza in Japan.
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Nov 9, 2017 08:28
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Pollyanna posted:I was gonna do as I do in the United States (use women's facilities and avoid anything that requires me to take my clothes off in public) anyway, but this could be some nice extra insurance. There are onsens with private or family baths. Usually they want a reservation, but if it's open when you show up they'll let you use it.
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Nov 20, 2017 02:45
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Pollyanna posted:The thing is, if this was a trip just for myself, I would be perfectly happy just walking around being a shitlord, getting a Suica card, and taking a look at whatever's around me. But, I'm going to be traveling with a couple doctors in their mid-50s, and they (specifically my mother) tend to really dislike a lack of structure. They don't want to think about the logistics, so they want a tour guide. v You don't need to worry. Everything in Japan is basically geared for and designed to appeal to people their age. They are guaranteed to love it. If they are paying, you might as well stick them on a few bus tours. Japanese old people love bus tours and the format is perfectly calibrated for the enjoyment of old people. There are English tours, too, but I'm not convinced that not speaking Japanese would be a hindrance to enjoying the regular tours, either. I'm telling you, parents always love Japan because it's perfectly suited to people their age. My parents love Japan. My mom roams the neighborhood by herself and yaks it up with the old ladies hanging out in the cafe area of the grocery store and she doesn't speak a word of Japanese. They just show each other pictures of their grandchildren and it all works out somehow.
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Nov 24, 2017 04:30
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v Different audience, really.
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Busy Bee posted:Is there any issue to getting something shipped to a Japanese address that's addressed to someone that doesn't live there? I know its not an issue in the states but wondering if the Japanese postman would get confused and commit seppuku or whatever. They won't deliver it unless you put c/o the person who actually lives there. They will be lazy with local and junk mail, but with an international package they will most likely require someone to go to the post office and show ID to pick it up. I had a relative send something to my infant son, and had to go to the post office to prove he existed and lived there. We had a similar issue when my husband first moved in.
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Feb 8, 2018 03:18
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Busy Bee posted:Thanks for the link and clarification. Although I'm not sure if Japan Post EMS will pass it on to USPS or UPS or FedEx when it arrives to the states. Anyway, what would be the difference if I mark it as a gift as opposed to marking it for the actual value? Is the only risk if the package gets lost and I have to claim insurance on it? Japan Post EMS passes it to USPS, and yes, if you undervalue it, it will be insured for less. LyonsLions fucked around with this message at 10:18 on Feb 8, 2018 |
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Feb 8, 2018 10:14
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Ned posted:I want to open a fat camp for weeaboos in the countryside and hire local ojisans to make them do repetitive tasks like Mr. Miyagi. How much should I charge for this service? The ojisans will probably be willing to pay you.
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Feb 8, 2018 18:40
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Ned posted:I have actually been thinking about this idea quite a bit. If you can't lose weight in the Japanese countryside you are never going to lose weight. But basically I'd want to buy an old Japanese house with a decent amount of land and have 5 people at a time staying there and learning Japanese and how to cook healthy Japanese food while doing poo poo to make a nice garden. I think it's a good idea. My comment was more in regards to the ojisans who love to tell people what to do so much that they would pay for the privilege. And the obasans will teach cooking lessons for free, because they will be so happy to have someone listen to their advice, unlike their ungrateful daughters-in-law. No staff costs, it's genius.
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Feb 8, 2018 18:56
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totalnewbie posted:Thanks for the ideas. There are henro paths through the mountains that you can take. Most people don't anymore, but they exist and are generally useable. There aren't a huge number of designated camp grounds, but there are plenty of places where it is acceptable to camp. The local people have a long tradition of kindness to henro and they won't call the cops on you or anything.
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Feb 23, 2018 05:29
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totalnewbie posted:This is promising. I've tried looking for places that detail which sections are better for hiking and/or camping but haven't found much aggregated information. Does anyone know of a good resource for that kind of specific information? Lots of info on camping to be found: https://followingthearrows.com/2014/09/22/list-of-free-or-cheap-accommodation/ Which section is better is going to depend on what you want to see and how much time you want to spend. The Tokushima temples can be done fairly quickly, if you don't have much time. The Kochi coast temples take you along a really scenic route. Western Kochi into Ehime is supposed to be the most mountainous and difficult, aside from the temple at Ishizuchi in northern Ehime. Southern Ehime is supposed to have some of the most interesting (and weird) temples. There is a ton of information put out by local groups about their local temples, but unfortunately not much of it is coordinated or put together for the whole route. One of my friends came back from the pilgrimage with a huge stack of pamphlets and guides she got from local groups along the way that she wanted to put into a website, but just never got around to it. I would look through a general site like this and see what section appeals to you: http://www.shikokuhenrotrail.com/ and then look at local sites for more info.
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Feb 23, 2018 07:35
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Question Mark Mound posted:Anyone have experience with Iya Valley? We want to try to fit in a bunch of stuff in one day in early October and we’re wondering if this sounds possible with a rental car. We’re scheduling taking much longer to drive than Google’s suggested times just due to the risky driving conditions in the area. Plan is to rent a car in Naruto the day before, do stuff there and arrive in a guesthouse (TBD) in the Iya area that night. I highly recommend checking out this onsen, it's near the peeing boy: https://www.iyaonsen.co.jp/en/ You take a cable car down to the hot spring at the river's edge.
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Mar 5, 2018 02:34
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Stringent posted:I added a couple, if anyone else wants to contribute jump on in. I'd kind of like to see an at least semi-comprehensive list. I actually found driving in Tokyo to be a breath of fresh air compared to where I live. More traffic, yes, but overall less free-for-all insanity and fewer old people. I'll add a few that are inaka-specific: (16) People forgetting that they are driving/falling asleep and drifting into your lane/sideswiping you. (17) People stopping where the gently caress ever because they take the "no talking on a cell phone while driving" thing VERY LITERALLY and will just stop wherever and have a conversation. About 80% of the time I'm in a traffic jam, I get up to the front and there's some old lady just parked in the lane yakking it up and having a great time, totally oblivious. (18) People just driving their cars into stores, fairly regular occurrence here. (19) When you meet someone on a narrow road and they have way more space to back up than you but they are too old to do so/it's against their religion/whatever, so you have to somehow convince the 8 cars behind you that they also need to back up or else you're all going to be stuck there forever. (20) The road rage idiots who get out and bang on people's windows at stop lights. Then the light changes and everyone has to wait for them to finish their tantrum and go back to their car before we can move.
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Mar 8, 2018 06:24
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Navaash posted:Japanese 7-11s really suck. Between no Slurpees, their store-branded items (especially the pastries - the donuts suck compared to lawson/famima/etc.) lacking in taste compared to every other convenience store, those loving commercials with the Daydream Believer cover, etc., I will only go if I have no choice and only buy something I could get anywhere else. Conbini doughnuts in general are just a round circle of disappointment. I'll never forget the first time my son asked for one, took a bite, got a horrified look on his face, and asked to go to Mr. Donut.
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Mar 19, 2018 04:49
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Knuc U Kinte posted:Last night in shibuya some strange young Japanese guy approached my girlfriend and I and started mumbling to us about nationalism and racial purity. We basically told him to piss off but he just kept following saying that he was learning about nationalism in university and that we are dirty and should have pride in our country etc. This all occurred near the shibuya police station and I’m sure his intention was for me to hit him in front of a crowd, which luckily didn’t happen. It happens occasionally; I know a few people who have heard similar comments before. It’s just that it’s usually really old dudes, like 75 and older, that do it.
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Mar 27, 2018 11:10
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caberham posted:I don't like the Hub because my friends all turn into degenerates after 2 hours and I still haven't been taken to an Izakaya where I feel like a Unique Tourist Snow Flake with Japanese speaking internet friends guiding me across the country Didn’t you feel like a unique snowflake when the goon milf crew took you out?
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May 2, 2018 04:02
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pointsofdata posted:Is there decent stuff to do in okayama? We're going to spend one day doing a day trip to neoshima but might have another day there I assume you mean Naoshima? If so you'll be going through the Uno port which is about an hour out from Okayama city, but if you have to go through Okayama City anyway, Korakuen is nice. I like the Bizen coastal area east of Uno but I don't know how practical it is without a car. Yubara onsen is a beautiful area, but it's two hours out of town in the opposite direction, so possibly not practical for you. Comedy option: take the other ferry from Naoshima, come to Takamatsu and eat udon.
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May 2, 2018 04:20
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caberham posted:So I kinda get it when tourists from developing countries or poorer backgrounds spend minimal amounts on food and want to see more because that trip to japan is probably My favorite story about this is my (Japanese) coworkers who asked me if they should take bottles of tea with them on their trip to Italy. They were concerned that bringing enough tea for the whole trip would make their bags too heavy. I had never been to Italy but I said that Italians probably got thirsty too and there was most likely water to drink there if they didn’t want to bring tea in their luggage. Well. They got back and were very upset with me, because they were so thirsty their entire trip and it was all my fault because I didn’t tell them to bring tea. I asked why they didn’t just drink water, and they said there weren’t any vending machines so they didn’t know where to buy it. So they were just thirsty and miserable the whole trip instead of just asking their tour guide to stop at a store or something. I asked what the other people on the tour did. Of course, they brought many bottles of tea with them. Several years after that I went to Italy myself, and there were guys selling water on just about every street corner, besides all the normal sources of water like stores and faucets. I have no idea how they managed to miss that.
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Jun 1, 2018 14:16
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ETC is not required, and you can just take a ticket when you get on the highway and pay in cash when you exit. I did that for years before I was able to get an ETC card, and now that there are so few ETC discounts left it doesn’t even make that much of a difference in how much you pay.
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Jul 11, 2018 18:05
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The Great Autismo! posted:I actually very rarely get to play the victim card, so I'm living this one up with screen shots and the like, in groups I'm in. this is one way that it is far worse than China goon chat, as people that aren't even in Japan and have nothing to do with Japan can just boot you out of the chat Who is in the chat that has nothing to do with Japan? Maybe we need to see those screenshots itt.
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Aug 3, 2018 12:35
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Aexo posted:Maybe visit a temple or monastery if that's not a faux pas for a gaijin to do. It’s only a faux pas if you post a bad review on Trip Advisor.
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Aug 10, 2018 00:57
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Stringent posted:Spend every night in the Shibuya hub desperately hoping to get laid while claiming you're "people watching". He said less touristy.
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Sep 2, 2018 14:32
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I thought shouting at people was just a thing for some drugstore chains. There’s one chain here where the staff stand outside screaming into a megaphone all day, including shouting at people when they try to go in.
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Sep 18, 2018 05:50
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