Life in Japan

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HotelFSR
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Life in Japan

Post by HotelFSR » Wed Apr 01, 2009 12:27 am

Slightly off topic perhaps, but a question for all those here living in Japan- especially Garthe, Jenn and anyone else who has moved there pretty much permanently.

Are you enjoying your life in Japan? What are some of your thoughts on the issue, good or bad? Any regrets or advice for anyone considering the move, either short or longer term?

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by gartheee » Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:44 pm

Love it, of course. Just wish Tokyo were a little closer to the ocean. Well, at least, surfable ocean. Finding an apartment can be difficult as many landlords are reluctant to rent to foreigners. Especially professionally gambling ones. Probably want to have some sort of legitimate job as that seems to reassure them a bit. Getting a visa can be a problem too, though a legitimate job will also take care of that. OK, actually I guess the best advice is not to come here as a professional gambler. Oh and to plan on learning the language. I can\'t imagine why people would live in a country for any amount of time with NO interest in learning the language but there are quite a few people here, and not even just Americans, who never bother to learn any Japanese. Weird. Oh and live in Osaka first. Actually I can\'t really vouch for the trueness of that, but it just feels like that\'s what I should have done. Besides the fact that the people seem to be more fun, when you move to Tokyo, everyone will think your Japanese is really cool. Whereas I don\'t think it works so much the other way around.

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by HotelFSR » Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:02 pm

I wouldn\'t be going as a professional gambler, so that\'s not a problem!

Do you actually subsist as a gambler or do you have another job as well? I didn\'t realize it was possible to make it on gaming alone unless you are a hardcore ura-pro.

As far as japanese goes, I did two full time intensive years at college and lived in tokyo for a summer so I have a decent base although my reading and writing are beyond terrible.

Would like to hear more about the Tokyo Osaka debate.

How do you find fitting in socially? Is it lonely being a foreigner, even if you are able to integrate to an extent?

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by oxoboxo » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:40 am

Hey, I\'m studying abroad here for a year so I can\'t say I\'m here pernamently, but I can still tell you that I intend on coming back here many times after my program ends!

I\'d say the public transportation is a blessing to me, not having to deal with driving, gas prices, car insurance, rush hour, etc.

Also, drinking in public and public intoxication is ok to a certain extent; I\'ve never heard of any my friends being checked for ID when buying liquor at stores or drinking in bars and restaurants. Drunk businessmen at the train stations at night is a common sight.

That\'s another thing! Aside from all you can eat buffets, there are many places with all you can drink menus usually for 90 to 120 minutes, that includes draft beer, sake, liquor, and cocktails.

The cost of living here is a major concern, but only because Tokyo is a going-out society, where people eat out and meet out most of the time. There are 99yen stores and supermarket deals if you look for them.

Also, of all the generalizations about Japan, the only one that\'s held up so far is the sense of safety here. You can leave your bike at the parking lot unlocked, even with you key still in it and it\'ll be fine. Actually, the police are very strict on bicycles because it\'s the most popular way of transportation after trains and buses. People get stopped every now and then and they check the registration of the bike and its owner. This is the only country where i\'m only walking the streets drunk at 3 in the morning hahaa

Mentioning that, most people keep to themselves, and it can be very isolating; I am lucky enough to have entered a dorm here and am part of an \"in-group\" if you will here in Japan. And one thing I have to say is that almost all of the generalizations I have heard about Japan were broken after I entered the dorm. Japanese people do pick up their cell phones in the trains, eat and drink while walking, speak their minds, forget to pour your drinks and don\'t expect you to pour theirs, etc. Maybe it\'s modernization, or maybe these generalizations are only seen to people outside the group, but I feel that they represent Japanese society (youths at least) in a very static way.

I think depending on what job you would get here will affect a lot of the social interactions you will receive and not receive, ranging from salaryman to english teacher. I\'ve seen some people here that say they\'ve been living in Japan for years and still haven\'t picked up the language. They hang out with other ex-pats or foreigners and create their own group. I\'ve also seen others, such as my dormmate, immerse themselves in the culture and experience things I don\'t think you could ever do in any other country. One of my dormmates modeled for a business magazine and he was on the front page; he\'s currently teaching english in a kindergarten class and is waiting for acceptances to 3 Japanese companies. I don\'t think any of these ways are wrong, but I think it shows that there\'s something for everyone here in Japan :D

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by zzo38 » Sat Apr 04, 2009 2:28 pm

If I ever go to Japan I should learn speeching Japanese language. I can understand already hiragana/katakana and some kanji, but I ought to learn it better if I am ever at Japan. I have never been there before but if I do then I ought to learn their language OK. And you should do that also? When I write Japanese writing by hand, I prefer to write katakana however because they are not as many curves and stuff like that (even if those words are normally written using hiragana or kanji).

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by deJENNerate » Sun Apr 05, 2009 3:53 pm

I can\'t stand Tokyo. Don\'t live in Osaka first cuz you\'ll never like Tokyo after that. I just wish that I could go back to Osaka all the time.

I like certain things about living here and I don\'t like others. Certainly Garthe and I can take advantage of our \"specialness\" of being a foreigner, but there\'s a lot of crap that goes along with it: finding apartments, being denied taxis, etc.

I would say if you want to come here take advantage of everything. I never knew there were English used book stores until I met Garthe, I never made an effort to go to festivals and stuff because I was living with Japanese people and they were working all the time. I would say take advantage of every opportunity to have experience.

Also try to get a visa first. It just makes things sooooooo much easier.

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by Tom Sloper » Sun Apr 05, 2009 4:17 pm

My experience living in Japan was a long time ago, but it\'s definitely a love/hate thing. I loved it and wanted to learn more and hated having to leave, but it was very stressful, and the weather sucks compared to southern California.

I can speak a little, I can read katakana and hiragana, but I was functionally illiterate. That was a problem in the grocery store and when I got turned around (read \"lost\") in a railroad yard in Sapporo once.

First get fluent.
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Re:Life in Japan

Post by HotelFSR » Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:22 pm

I\'m curious about the Tokyo/Osaka thing, Jenn.

What is it that you don\'t like about Tokyo, and what is that you like so much about Osaka?

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Re:Life in Japan

Post by Tom Sloper » Thu Apr 09, 2009 4:50 am

I\'m curious too. :cheer:
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Re:Life in Japan

Post by hirohurl » Tue Apr 14, 2009 12:14 am

HotelFSR wrote:Are you enjoying your life in Japan? What are some of your thoughts on the issue, good or bad? Any regrets or advice for anyone considering the move, either short or longer term?
I live in Hiroshima, and have done so for a total of 16 out of the last 19 years... :ohmy:

Yes, I am enjoying my life in Japan. I always have. Compared to Tokyo and Osaka, Hiroshima is a pretty easy-going place. Not too big, not too small, and close to the countryside.

Advice for anybody coming here in the current climate would be - try and find a job before you come. It might be difficult as a lot of foreign workers have lost jobs recently, but if you can get a job with an English school, for example, you should get your visa and your apartment fixed as well. That will give you a base while you find out whether you like Japan enough to stay and find your own apartment etc.

David H

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