Tokyo Survival Guide - Tips and How to's for living in Japan

Arbitrary Crap – JLPT and Japanese Language Learning Trends

Louise — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 20:45:13 +0000

Hey There,
Louise here. Anyone else out there take the JLPT today? Well if it got you thinking about who studies Japanese and how well they fare, satiate yourself with these infographics from yours truly ~

* Numbers from the JEES Reports of 2009 Summer & Winter tests and their report from last 26 years of testing.
* Note that from the test today onwards, there are now 5 levels on the JLPT. Text books and curriculums are still thin on the ground so old JLPT numbers are still being used as a guide by majority of students.

Relaunching

admin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:55:08 +0000

Hi Folks,

As you can see, TokyoSurvival is undergoing some construction. I can’t officially announce a launch date yet, but it’s coming! I’ve been working together with some friends, and I hope to relaunch the website with a steady stream of Tokyo survival tips. Please stay tuned.

If you have any requests for How To’s or questions about Japanese culture, please feel free to e-mail Claudia@tokyosurvival.com

In the mean time, please enjoy my favorite How To:

http://www.tokyosurvival.com/how-tos-6-survive-a-rush-hour-train

Sorry for the Absence

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:05:14 +0000

Hey guys,

I’ve been getting some awesome fan mail from you guys, and I hope you answers proved useful. For all of those who haven’t e-mailed me directly, sorry I haven’t been keeping up with the blog. I’ve just started work with Ubisoft and it’s been one helluva ride. I still have a lots I want to write about. In fact, I have posts that are roughs and never finalized. I’ll try to post more regularly. In the mean time, I’ve decided to post more content that I get from Tokyo Gaijins to fill the interim. I love getting your fan mail questions so go for it! claudiajmng@gmail.com

Tokyo Gaijins: a group of adventuring gaijins that put together awesome experiences that you will likely not be able to enjoy without the aid of Japanese person. Meet some great people from all over the world!

Jan. 23~24 Myoko Suginohara ski/snowboarding

For questions contact: info@tokyogaijins.com

Enjoy a great weekend of skiing and snowboarding at Myoko Suginohara Ski Resort. This resort is extremely famed as one of the highest-caliber ski slopes in Japan, with 3,700 feet (1,124 m) in vertical drop and one of the longest ski runs in Japan at an unbelievable distance of 5.3 miles (8.5 km) in length.

Nice long trails designed with you in mind at any level. And with such long runs, you don’t have to worry about losing your valuable ski time waiting for the lifts. Its ski lifts swiftly bear skiers up to 2 miles (3 km) in one stretch, and it has three relating lines of quad lifts that can carry skiers to the peak. SNOWBOARDERS this is for you, since they offer a very nice snow park, where you can show off your skills. This resort has it all for every level of skier or snowboarder. A great chance to truly relax while playing in the snow.

Myoko Suginohara ski/snowboarding
January 23~24 (Saturday~Sunday)
Myokokogen, Niigata
Confirmed participants: 23 | Spots available: 22 | RSVP

A brief description of what will happen on the event:

* Fri (Jan 22)
- Meet at Tokyo station Yaesu central exit at 7:30pm
- Get on the bus
- Arrive in Myokokogen around 11:45pm
- Check-in at the lodge
- Sleep

* Sat (Jan 23)
- Breakfast at 7:30am
- Get the gear on
- Ski/snowboarding until 5pm
- Onsen/relax
- Dinner at 6pm
- Karaoke party

* Sun (Jan 24)
- Breakfast at 7:30am
- Get the gear on
- Ski/snowboarding until 4pm
- Onsen
- Check out at the lodge
- Get on the bus
- Arrive back in Shinjuku around 9:30pm
+++ End of the event +++

Price: 26,000yen
Price includes;
• Private bus transportation (round-trip)
• Two (2) nights accommodation
• Two (2) days lift pass
• Dinner for Sat
• Breakfast for Sat & Sun
• Ski insurance

Optional;
• Boots & ski/snowboard set (2,000yen for 2 days)
• Ski jacket & pants set (2,000yen for 2 days)
• Gloves (500yen for 2 days)
• Goggles (500yen for 2 days)
• Ski/snowboarding group lesson (3,000yen/person for 3hrs)
• Private room for couples (3,000yen/person for 2 nights)

Take note of the following:

• Itinerary may vary due to the weather, traffic conditions, and other unavoidable circumstances.
• Group discount (of 4 or more) 1,000yen/person.
• Minimum of 4 and maximum of 7 persons for shared room.
• Rooms are allocated to your preference, M or F only, mixed or group of friends.
• Private room for couples available at extra cost.
• Good skiers must rent/pay own boots & ski set directly from a proper rental shop to personally check the quality.
• Quality of rentals at the hotel are OK for casual skiers/snowboarders.
• Extra 2,000yen rental fee if boots size bigger than JPN 29.
• Ski/snowboarding group lesson is from 10am until 1pm on Saturday and it’s for beginners only.
• Lunch not provided but available at the ski resort.
• Vegetarians can be accommodated but advance notice necessary.
• Soap, shampoo & rinse are provided in the onsen.
• You can check-out at 10am the latest on Sunday but you must put your stuff in the luggage room before going ski/snowboarding.
• Final details will be sent to the participants two days before the event.

What to wear/bring:

• Skis/boots/poles (if you have)
• Snowboard/boots (if you have)
• Ski jacket/pants/gloves (if you have)
• Ski goggles (if you have)
• Winter/warm/thermal/extra clothes
• Winter hat
• Winter gloves
• Comfortable shoes/socks
• Towel
• Soap/shampoo/rinse
• Lip balm
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Eye mask
• Ear plugs
• MP3/iPod player
• Book (to read on the bus)
• Camera
• Cellphone
• Cash

How To’s #20: Get a Prepaid Cellphone

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:19:30 +0000

They finally have a relatively tourist and short stay friendly system for prepaid phones. It is darn reasonable too! Before getting a cell was a crazy ordeal; You had to sign a contract and pay crazy rates for only 30 minutes a month!

Visiting friends for a short period of time is a pain without the coordination convenience of a phone. The only prepaid phones that were available were the ones for rent at the airport. THEY WERE AND STILL ARE TERRIBLE! The Rates are horrible and the phone is incredibly old. Worst is the LACK OF E-MAIL! If you have friends in Japan, this is a necessity.

Introducing the new softbank prepaid phone. It’s only 4000yen for the cellphone and prepaid phone cards. The rates are still pretty bad at 9 yen per 6 seconds. However, they don’t over charge you for short conversations, which I greatly appreciate. These prepaid cards can be purchased at local convenient stores if you run out of minutes.

Now the best part:
Unlimited e-mails for 300yen a month! isn’t that insane!?!
My old cellphone charged be 1000yen for every 10,000 e-mails… which seem like a lot… but you can blast thought it pretty quickly if you are using it like instant messaging.

Notes and the Catch:

The phone only lasts for a year.
You can only have e-mail only and emergency calls only up to 90 days. Otherwise you need to add more money to your prepaid minutes.
Choosing you own e-mail is possible, but difficult to figure it out. I had to use a crazy looking one.
You need to get a Japanese person to handle the contract for you or have an alien registration card (my friend was able to do it without it… but that is a pretty big inconsistency… so assume that you need a Japanese person).
Go to Flagship Softbank Stores!!! The one in Shibuya is the one I went to. Locations that sell softbank phones like yodabashi and akiba do NOT have prepaid cells. The large one in Harajuku might have it, but I have not confirmed.
PUSH PUSH PUSH! I hiked all over the city trying to get this damn phone. I called to make sure they had it, only for them to tell me that they didn’t. When I insisted that someone confirmed that they did have it, than they were able to sell me the phone (not before disappearing for 15 minutes to check with their manager of course). It was frustrating needless to say.

Finding a Softbank Store:

Maps of Flagship Stores!
Harajuku: Shibuya:

So getting the phone was still a little painful and infuriating, but in the end I was infinitely satisfied with my phone. After everything, it cost me a little over 8000 yen to get me set up. Of course, I am not counting the cost of training around the damn city >_

If you are indeed staying a longer time in Japan: Please check out my older posts on my overview of cellphone carriers How To’s#3: Getting a Cellphone(j-phone)

How to #19: Find a Hotel (People keep asking!)

Claudia — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:01:28 +0000

Alright! Although my blog is mostly for people living in Tokyo for a longer period of time, I guess it provides it’s uses for travelers as well.

My friends and some of my blogs visitors have asked me about hotels. Living in Japan, I’ve always sought my refuge in everything but hotels.

So your options are as such:

Friends homes: I had host families and made lots of friends over the years. (Not everyone has a spare room, or as open to share their home… just a heads up)
Hostels: are good but still a little unsafe. (Your stuff can still get stolen!)
Ryokan (旅館): Japanese style hotels are expensive but super nice! You get to wear the yukatas and eat japanese billion course meal ^_^
Minshuku (民宿): Japanese style bed and breakfast. Usually owned by families. Food is usually mediocre and AC is limited.
Hotels: I stayed at Daichi in Kichijoji, nice but expensive. Loved the brunch buffet!

If you are unfamiliar with Japanese customs (bathing, cuisine, squatting toilets), I suggest you stay at a hotel. Shinjuku, Tokyo, Shibuya, Ikebukuro, and Kichijoji have Airport Limousines (If I am not mistaken). Those are far more convenient than taking the train. With luggage and such, it’s going to be a pain to navigate through the crowded stations. Especially, if you are going to Shinjuku!

Warning: Do not book a hotel near the airport. Narita is 2 hours away from Tokyo and it is not a cheap train ride!

There are Japanese websites that aggregate hotel rates, but alas, they are in Japanese…and chances are, if you reading this post, you cannot read Japanese. However, I do have a solution!

I love sites like these, I mean I like saving money…but my time is also worth something as well. So you’ll know you’ll get a good deal if you use one of these sites:

Hotelscombined.com : It’s searches a over 30 hotel booking website, so it’s a pretty good resource.
Booking.com: Similar…If you select the hotel, it will tell you which rooms they have available those days.

Must Packs:

Comfortable shoes
Dufflebag (you are gonna have tons of stuff to bring home^_^)
Simple phrasebook
Camera
Medicine (Ibuprofen, stomach medicine)
CASH (The country mostly operates in cash on a day to day basis; credit cards are only for large purchases)

How to#18: Find something cheap to do in Tokyo’s greatest spot!

admin — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:06:31 +0000

So I know how it is.

You go anywhere in Tokyo and you’ll end up having to spend a bunch not only on transportation, but on food and whatever cool nick knacks you find.

I will now introduce you to my cheapest and favorite pass time in Japan.

Shisha!

Yes…I do indeed speak of hookah or the water tobacco. Guess what… it is dirt cheap and good. You get your own hookah for 400 yen and you are expected to buy a drink from around 200 yen. All in all, it’s a really cheap way to spend a couple hours. I used to go here about once a week. They also offer free mixes. My personal favorite flavors are: Honey and Rose/Vanilla mix. This place is literally a hole in the wall and super tiny. Still a great place with great people though.

(Warning: whoever said hookah is better for you than cigarettes was lying. I am telling you up front that it is like smoking 100 cigarettes. You have been warned…Also, water tobacco isn’t legal in Japan…but they get away with calling themselves something herbal. Just an FYI.. You aren’t going to get deported or anything, so no worries)

It is located in a place very close to my heart… Shimokitazawa(下北沢,)

Shimokitazawa is a great spot for cheap dining and shopping and very much has a culture of it’s own. It reminded me of Haight Ashbury in San Francisco. In fact, there is a store called Haight Ashbury! This is not covered in a lot of tourist books so it’s tourist free. Only people who have stayed in Tokyo for a while know of this place. It’s also a great place to meet other cool international people.

STEP BY STEP DIRECTIONS WITH PHOTOS

Step 1: Trains

You can take a train from Shinjuku or Shibuya. I normally ride from from Shibuya on Keio. Shinjuku and Odakyuu still confuses the hell out of me. So save yourself the heartache and take the Keio Line in Shibuya toward Meidaemae (train map). If you are taking local, it is 4 stops; rapid is only 1 stop.

Step 2: Do you see this sign? If you don’t, you are at the wrong station!

Step 3: It is a little tricky and maze like but you can do it! Just makes sure you are heading toward this sign. You want to go North. Once you arrive at the gate, go right and head toward North exit.

Step 4: Turn left when you exit. You should see the Mizuho bank.

Step 5: Walk up the parked bikes. You will have no choice but to turn right.

Step 6: When you reach the T intersection the right again. (This use to be a Isetan…not sure what it’ll be now)

Step 7:keep walking. You will walk a few more blocks. You’ll pass a “freshness burger” and Starbucks. You’ll eventually walk down a small decline and see a Lawons on your right.

Step 8: Turn left at the Lawsons and walk a block or two.You will pas under the shimokitazawa ichibangai sign. you will reach a T intersection and smell the wonderful sheesha. Next to the hookah shop is the a french restaurant.

Tokyo How To’s #4: Japanese Toilets (Continued…)

Claudia — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:58:18 +0000

So for all of you who have read my previous post about the dangers of Japanese toilets… I wanted to share with you a good laugh from one of my fellow bloggers. I will list excerpts from the post but I highly recommend reading the whole thing!

Reannon of Taken by the Wind wrote:

“The 999th reason why I hate kanji”

“I woke up this morning at seven, stepped into the shower, and sleepily pushed the button that turns on the hot water heater….Or so I thought.”

“Suddenly the bathroom erupted into chaos. Sirens blared, an automated computer voice started shouting instructions at me through the vent over the bathtub and I screamed in terror. “

“Apparently the button located near the hot water heater wasn’t outlined in pink because it symbolized ‘heat’, but because it was the emergency call button. I’d just unwittingly notified the doorman, the receptionist and possibly the police, that I was having a heart attack in the bathtub.”

“I could hear the intercom buzzing so I grabbed a towel and dashed towards the front door…I punched every button, pausing for a second after each one to shout: ‘moshi moshi!’ into the microphone.”

“…Yes, I set off the fire alarm.“

“Damn. I forgot the Japanese word for mistake. “Misutaiku!” I yelled, pronouncing the English word with a Japanese accent.”

“Chotto Matte (Just a moment),” came the reply….there was a knock on the door.”

“I only had enough time to quickly rearrange my towel back into place before I watched in horror as the front door clicked open and in walked a police officer.”

“Not only do I have to be ‘that idiot gaijin who can’t read’ but I have to be caught wearing nothing but a towel with sopping wet hair and ugly mascara tracks running down my cheeks.”

“Funnily enough, this has happened to me twice before…”

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please read the whole thing at http://reannon-takenbythewind.blogspot.com/2009/04/999th-reason-why-i-hate-kanji.html

Culture Note #6: Happy Golden Week!!! ゴールデンウィーク

Claudia — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:56:28 +0000

If you are new to Japan, let me tell you about Golden Week. It is a glorious time when nobody works and everybody travels….and I do quite mean EVERYBODY! If you know what is good for you…Don’t leave the house!

I am giving you fair warning to let you know that Shibuya and Shinjuku will be twice as crowded…It is normally pretty crowded, but it’s usually efficient at least.

People book their vacations MONTHS in advance…sometimes even half a year. If you are planning to do an impromptu trip, it is going to cost you a lot of money. Even the cheap places mark up their prices. You can expect to spend at least 10,000 yen to travel and eat for a few days during golden week.

Notes: Travel activity is anticipated to peak on May 2 with people leaving the large urban centers and on May 6 in the opposite direction. Heavy traffic can also be expected on April 29 and May 3 and 5.

A Bit ‘o’ History
In 1948, Japan decided on holidays. They just so happened to all be concentrated into one week, end of April to early May. There is a huge spike in spending during this week and everybody makes money! In 1951, “Jiyū Gakkō” had record sales and the director of Daiei Films to coined the phrase”Golden Week” based on the Japanese radio lingo “golden time,” which denotes the period with the highest listener ratings.

So…if you think there is some awesome ancient history about golden week….sorry to disappoint. It’s kinda like how department stores in New York invented Santa and Coca Cola made him red. It’s still awesome though^_^.

At the time, April 29 was a national holiday celebrating the birth of the Shōwa Emperor. Upon his death in 1989, the day was renamed “Greenery Day”. In 2007, Greenery Day was moved to May 4, and April 29 was renamed Shōwa Day to commemorate the late Emperor.

Thought this was funny… so I tried to google image some pictures for this blog post. This is the first image that comes up..it is a Japanese ad for getting a wax…I guess everyone was clicking on it..haha.

http://www.nuajapan.com/campaigns

How To #17: Continue to Hanami After Hanami Season! Follow The Sakura!

Claudia — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:54:28 +0000

Shibazakura
“The Ground Sakura”

When: Mid April – Early May

Where: Hitsujiyama Koen in Chichibu, Saitama

How: From Ueno or Tokyo station ride to Ōmiya station. Reserved seat costs ¥2800, and a non-reserved seat cost ¥1580. (Japan Rail Pass or JR East Rail Pass work) Do yourself a favor and get the reserved seats! Tickets sell out on the way back…so don’t get stranded!

My notes: It was great! The azaleas aren’t as vast as advertised but it is still an amazing sight. Shibazakura is kind of considered and obaa-san place. There are some very decent matsuri food, like huge yaki-ika. I recommend that you leave most of your stuff in the lockers by the station. It’s a very nice hike in the park so enjoy!

Footage I took from Shibazakura last year!

Culture Note #5: What is Karoshi?

Claudia — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 02:55:47 +0000

Karōshi 過労死 is Death by Overwork

Only in Japan does such a thing exist or is even an issue. Japan has been known for it’s hustle and bustle lifestyle but not without a cost. All those who live in Japan know that when it turns night, every izakaya is filled with drunken salarymen. However, for every one of those there is one somewhere else working excessive overtime.

Karoshi is usually a stroke or heart attack. However, suicide that was caused by stress is also considered Karoshi. This is a recognized death by insurance companies. If a family member dies of Karoshi the company that they worked for will pay out the family…not well mind you.

This is a serious problem in Japan and they have attempted to rectify it, but after understanding the dynamics of the culture, I can say that it won’t change anytime soon. The expectation from workers is intense.

I know people who sleep a a couple hours a night to than wake up and go to work. The offices pay for dinner and taxi cab fare. I also know people who’s companies have paid for hotels nearby the office so that they do not need to leave for too long.

I will leave the topic of crazy suicide rates in Japan for another day. Now please enjoy this un-PC game based on Karoshi

ENJOY!

Culture Note #4: What is Hanami or Sakura Season?

Claudia — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:53:29 +0000

This is by far is the most beautiful sight you will ever see. No photograph can ever do it justice. When it is that time of year, all time seems to stand still. The endless white and pink pedals fluttering down makes you feel blessed that you are alive. You see it in movies and you hear about it but this is a once in a life time MUST SEE! So for all those in Japan…you should feel blessed.

Sakura Season varies from location to location. For Tokyo it is blossoming right now! There is actually an adventure called Sakura Chasing. Because of the change in climate from north to south, spring hits at a different time. You can thus travel from North to South chasing blossoming sakura for about a month and a half. You can imagine that it is an expensive endeavor. However, I hope to one day do it myself

Hanami (花見) - It literally means “Flower Watching”. It is when Sakura Season comes, and you pretty much go get drunk with your friends all day long. People will spend the night in the cold to reserve the best hanami spots through out the park!

When I say drunk..I don’t mean a little tipsy… People get PLASTERED! They do CRAZY things. The norm is dancing, singing songs, play instruments, doing homoerotic dares…o_O like the boys in this photo…—>

Preparation: Bring a tarp, blanket, alcohol, TONS of snacks, and a Camera!(you never know what your gonna see!) I saw some guys go swimming in the public pond!

Warning: The line to go to the bathroom is going to be enormous…so if you need to go start waiting in line early, and don’t wait till that absolute LAST MINUTE!!!

There are Hanami Spots Everywhere, but
These Were My Favorite: (If you aren’t sure how to read maps please read my older post)

Inokashira Park:

5 min walk from Kichijoji (JR Chuo Line)
1 min walk from Inokashira Kōen (Keio Line)
…Just follow the signs that say Inokashira Park.

Shinjuku Gyoen National Park:(MAP)

JR・KEIO・ODAKYU Lines:Shinjuku sta. “south exit” 10min. walk
SEIBU SHINJUKU Line: Seibu shinjuku sta. 15min. walk
Marunouchi Line(Subway): Shinjuku gyoen mae sta. “Exhit1″ 5min. walk
Toei Shinjuku Line(Subway): Shinjuku 3 chome sta.: “C１&C５exit” 5min. walk

Don’t know where to go? Just follow the trail of Japanese people! TAKE SOME GREAT PICTURES!

Culture Note #3: What is Kanamura Matsuri (aka The Penis Festival!)

Claudia — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:52:08 +0000

Hey all,

Sorry for the delay in recent posts. It’s mid-terms time, and I can’t write as many posts as I would like. I will be moving this blog to tokyosurvival.com soon, so look forward to it! For now, please enjoy and attend the Kanamura festival.^_^ I attended it last year and it was great!

Warning: there will be 70%+ gaijin attending.

-Claudia

What: Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus)
When: April 5 (Sunday)
Where: Kawasaki, Kanagawa

Start time: 10:30AM(it is best to go earlier)
End time: 4:30PM

Nearest station: Kawasakidaishi (Keikyu line)
Direction: Take the south exit and follow the Gaijin crowd. Kanayama shrine is just a minute walk from the station.

The Kanamara Matsuri, also called Festival of the Steel Phallus, or in layman’s term “Penis festival”, is an annual Shinto fertility festival held in Kawasaki, Japan in spring. The penis is the central theme of the event, and it decorated in every aspect of the festival; in illustrations, candy, carved vegetables, decoration, a parade of mikoshis, etc.

There is a huge 4 foot tall penis permanently at the shrine year round.

The best part about this festival is that it is right next to a kindergarten school o_o

Note: Not too many Japanese people know about this festival, it is more popular in foreign countries, so be careful who you speak to this about this wild festival. You might still get odd looks if you flaunt your pictures. ENJOY!

Check URL’s for:
* Train times & connections
* Weather forecast
* Kanamara festival
* Photos

(some of this information was copied from a Tokyo Gaijin e-mail)

How To #16: Follow Train Etiquette (With Funny Metro Posters!)

Claudia — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:50:35 +0000

These are educational for Gaijin and Tokyoites alike… If you are ever on riding a Metro subway train you will see these posters up.

Most of these don’t-do’s are committed by drunk people at night.

ENJOY!!

Please also enjoy:

Culture Note #2: What is KY and Why is it Important?

Claudia — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:49:02 +0000

空気読めない
Kuuki Yomenai = K.Y.(Adj,,n.)

When I first heard it I thought of something dirty. Don’t lie, you know you did too!

It literally means “cannot read the air”

While you are living in Japan you will find this is a commonly used phrase. It is NOT ONLY used by young people. It is referring to a person who is oblivious to his current surrounding, and may say or do something insensitive or inappropriate.

This has a negative connotation of ignorance.
Synonymous words would be : Dense or Thick-headed.
Another variation is C.K.Y.
C is for Chou = super, really, extremely

Culture Note #1: What Is Aizuchi And Why Does Everyone Look Like A Bogglehead?

Claudia — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 02:43:38 +0000

Aizuchi (相槌 or あいづち)

It is the act of nodding your head an uttering something to reassure the speaker that you are listening. This is VITAL to communicating in Japan.

The noise that is often used is:

“un”
“ee”(pronounced “eh”)
“hai”
“soune”
“sou desuka”
“sou desune”
more variations of “sou”(haha)
variations of “hontou”

To be safe, just stick with the top 3.

When: when any Japanese person is talking, regardless of status.

How: constantly nod your head(like a boggle head), and say “un” every 4-6 nods.

Why: To be polite, and further integrated in the culture that is Japan.

I actually participated in a study on how Gaijin learn or pick up Aizuchi. They recorded me speaking Japanese and English. If you live their long enough and you converse enough in Japanese you WILL pick it up. It’s only when you go back to your country that people ask you why you keep constantly nodding and interrupting them, that you realize that you subconsciously picked it up.

How To: #15: Eat Out In Japan (Must Know Words!)

Claudia — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:40:18 +0000

This is a list of things/words you need to know:

Kinen-Seki and Kitsuen-Seki:

These will be the first thing your hear when you enter a restaurant. It means non-smoking and smoking. In Japan, smoking is still allowed in doors. This was a bit of a culture shock to me, since I grew up in San Francisco. We haven’t had smoking sections since I was a child.

If you wand non-smoking you say “kinen-seki onegaishimasu”.

Note: their little dividers will do little to block the smoke from wafting into your nostrils. Also, if you have sensitive eyes like I do…invest in some eyedrops…o_o

Oshibori(おしぼり or お絞り):

Wherever, you eat you will have a wet towelette to clean your hands. You will have this regardless of whether or not you will be eating with your hands.

Note: hot in the winter, cold in the summer

WARNING: DO NOT WIPE YOUR FACE WITH THIS (I’ve seen some salarymen do it. but it’s a no-no)

Osusume(おすすめ or お勧め):

It means recommendation. Most places will have a recommendation written on the menu. So learn the kanji well…because you will be seeing it. Also, sometimes you won’t be able to read the menu. It is very useful to ask your waitor/waitress what is their recommendation.

“Osusume ha..” is acceptable… or
“Anata no osusume ha nan desuka” if you are determined to speak in whole sentences.

Teishoku:

LEARN THIS KANJI, IT WILL BE YOUR SAVIOR!

I love love…LOVE Teishoku! It is set meals! Considering that I was hungry for the first 4 months in Japan, I looked forward to these reasonably prices filling meals. Lunch time is of course cheaper, and it always comes with delicious miso(even at Denny’s)

I find that the family owned hole-in-the-wall spots can be pretty darn delicious…so start looking! And share you favorite spots with your friends.

Omochikaeri:

It means “to go”. If you go to fast food restaurants they will ask you for here or to go.
Note: There are no such things as doggie bags in Japan. People will just look at you funny.

Betsu-Betsu:

Whenever you eat at a restaurant you will almost always pay at the door. Before you pay, just say the magic words “betsu betsu” and they will very easily SPLIT THE CHECK. Each person will pay only for their own meal, and since gratuity is included it just makes it easier.

Note: I’m more impressed because I am American…Because if you ask an American waitor/waitress to split the check, they look at you as if you asked them to do advanced quantum physics.

“Gochisou sama deshita” (ごちそうさまでした):

“Thank you for a wonderful meal”

This is very useful for relationship building…and it’s pretty standard for politeness.

Whether you live in a dorm or go to you favorite sushi place. You should say that as your are leaving. Say it loud and proudly, to further emphasize how delicious the meal was! It will make them happy, and make you happy for feeling like you are a part of the culture.

I had Kaiten-sushi(revolving sushi) way to often… so I used it regularly. The preparers will remember you, and it will help your cultural immersion in Japan!

Gan Batte!

How To #14: Deal With Losing Your Wallet

Claudia — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 02:38:08 +0000

Call me clumsy… but I’ve lost my wallet 3 times in Japan… It happens… you walk around a lot..things go in and out of your bag..it’s bound to happen.

However, each time I lost it, it was not only returned but had ALL THE CASH! This would happen ONLY in Japan!

Mind you that I’d carry about 30,000yen at minimum ($300USD) You live in Japan long enough, you know…that you ALWAYS need to have cash!

In either case, this is possibly my favorite attribute to why Japanese people are so great! They are so considerate. In America, the best you could hope for…in the case of a lost wallet is…is your empty wallet with all your ID’s and credit cards. Not in Japan..my experience has been phenomenal. If it was at school I got it in the lost and found. College students are poor…I would not have been surprised to find my money missing.

The other occasions I lost my wallet, I was called by the cops. They found like bank card which had my cellphone number on it.(talk about service!) They called to inform me where it was, and I was able to pick it up within a couple hours of loosing it. Luckily I had some change for the train…or it would have been yabai…(no good)

So in Japan here is the protocol for receiving all your money back! This is not mentioned in textbooks or anything of that sort. So yes…japanese people are considerate…but it is also assumed that you will be grateful…and thus be osewaninatta(in debted to).

Rule of thumb is about 20-30% of the cash that was in the wallet. Wherever your wallet was returned to, they will often leave contact information…it is up to you to contact them and give them thank you money.

Lose wallet
Get wallet back with all the cash
Give Thanks in the form of 20-30% of wallet content

you got it? and it doesn’t hurt to ask a Japanese friend for help on this matter.

So pay it forward!

How To’s #13: Understand the Eerie Quietness of a Tokyo Train

admin — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:35:13 +0000

World’s most populated city, along with the most advanced rail systems….

Tokyo is famous for their crowded trains. Now, combine the idea your average encounter with Asians(likely to be Chinese, and loud) except multiply that by thousands… and you will probably have an image that it is unbearably NOISY!

However, Japan is quite the opposite.

When I say eerily quiet, I do mean it. You will never have heard such intense silence in your life (Except possibly a Japanese movie theater before a film starts…I’ll explain in a future post)

There is generally some minimal noise created by living beings. Such as: coughing, shuffling, breathing… In the trains though, you are left with only the sounds of: the tracks, cellphone button clicking (e-mails), PSP’s, tapping of a DS, or a rude person with earphones too loud. I mean..you can honestly hear a sneeze practically in the next car over.

Now for people who live in Japan for longer periods of time, you will likely have your handy iPod or mp3 player on hand all the time. But one of these days, you will forget to charge it or you didn’t plug it in correctly…and BAM! It’s your morning commute and you are deprived of your music and/or podcasts for the remainder of your journey. It is at that moment, when you realize that it’s quiet….scary quiet.

To make things clear, the only time that it is not quiet is during the late evenings….which are usually loaded with drunken salary men and rowdy young people who are trying to catch the last train home.

In most countries, trains will be noisy…but why….is it in Japan it is the norm to be near silent?

Well when I asked a number of my Japanese friends as well as students, the best understanding i can provide is it’s historical context…

When trains were first introduced, it was a luxurious form of transportation. People would dress up, and exhibit a “proper” image. During that time, it would be rude and inappropriate to be boisterous. It is only over time, that the train system evolved to span the entirety of Japan…and grow into one of the world’s most efficient systems. It may no longer be considered and a upper-class luxury anymore, but the importance of caring for others is still very much there

In addition, considering that you are often face-deep in somebody’s armpit during a rush hour train…don’t you think it’s nicer that nobody is talking and yapping away letting their morning breath into the already stuffy train?

Although this is a generalized statement, Japanese people are very much the type to care for others. It is both a positive and negative attribute…But if you are to live or stay in Japan, it is one of the core understanding that is needed to understand Japanese culture…

So next time you are in the train…understand hat by being loud and inconsiderate of others, you would be infringing on another persons overall comfort and experience…Thus, it is important as foreigners that we respect and abide by this social rule of in train silence. Many foreigners feel it is stupid to abide by this rule..and that Japanese people simply care too much…but in the end…if you are in THEIR country, you should abide by THEIR rules.

So please….Don’t be a BAD foreigner, and be courteous in the train. (don’t eat on the train either!)

Please also read How to Survive a Rush Hour Train!

Suggestion on how to endure the silence:

keep you Ipod charged!
Podcast are your friend
Go to Kinokuniya to buy some books (hard to read in a rush hour train though)
Nintendo DS/PSP is a godsend! (i advise nintendo DS for it’s more casual games…racing games and realtime games are ill advised)
Learn to sleep standing up (I did it…so can you)
Cellphone e-mails ( I use to text my friends at home..it’s usually the number#@thecarrieremail.com)
meditate

How To’s #12: Understand the Difference between Tabehodai and Viking

admin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 02:34:54 +0000

If you have lived in Japan, you are likely to be familiar with that fact that the portions are smaller. However, that does not mean you can not have a full stomach! Believe it or not, there are quite a few of these places all around! Introducing the two forms of all-you can eat in Japan!:

Tabehodai:
The best translation for “all you can eat”. What this means is that you are sitting at a table and you can place as many orders as your would like. At izakayas (drinking places), this usually goes along with nomihodai, which is all you can drink! From a select menu you can call as many plates as you want.

My personal favorites are Shakey’s Pizza and Guts Soul. These are two chains, that are scattered around different stations in Tokyo. Shakey’s (easily located in Harajuku and Shibuya) is all you can eat pizza! There are different set you can purchase, that allow you to have more of a selection with pizza, sides, and drink! I suggest you avoid the corn and tuna one. Sounds interesting at first…but it’s really not that appetizing especially when they provide the entirety of a 12 inch pizza.o_O

Guts Soul how I love thee… This is superiorly cheap korean BBQ. During lunch hours I believe they offer a better deal, but the evening prices are not bad either! The cheapest one is 980yen and it ranges to 1500yen. The difference is only in the selection of meet. The cheapest one is limited only to pork and some lower cut beef. The more expensive ones, give you the option to eat better cuts. Personally, it all goes down good. The ones I ate at was located at yoyogi and nakano. Try to mix in some veggies…for the sake of nutrition.^_^

OH! and for the sushi connoisseur, there is a all you can eat tsukiji tabehodai place at the kinshichyou station! It’s amazing! A little bit expensive, I believe it was 2500yen a head but it was worth it! You can eat all ootoro(fatty tuna) the whole night if you so choose.

Viking:
Alright…this was pretty confusing to me, too. So Viking means buffet…Took me a while to figure that one out. I think its because there is a stereotype that Vikings ate a lot. Also, it is easier to pronounce that “buffet” for Japanese people.

The difference is that you must walk up to get your food. Viking is less tasty in my opinion. It is about the same price as tabehodai more or less. The less enjoyable features is that all the good stuff gets gobbled immediately and the remaining dregs is not very enjoyable. The temperatures of everything is not quite right, and new trays always take a while to come out>_<. I've had indian food Viking, which wasn't half bad. My worse experience was with a Thai Viking in shinjuku that caused me and my friends to have an upset stomach. o_O I will however recommend a place in Harajuku, across from the Daiso called “Dessert Paradise”. There is a plethora of amazing cakes and pies to choose from! There is also a very enjoyable pasta/soup bar where you can fill up on actual sustenance before you hovel sweets into your face for 30 minutes.

With all this in mind, enjoy a night out with your friends and your full stomach! Be careful though, you are probably not accustomed to overeating and you will have negative effects. Full stomach = Happy points. Falling asleep from food coma/bloated stomach pains = -Happy points. So consume with caution!

How to’s #11: attend University/College with English Courses

Claudia — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:30:01 +0000

I want to begin with the fact that I went to Sophia University (上智大学, Jōchi daigaku)for a year.

Choosing a school:

With Sophia it was a good school and there is definitely some prestige to the name. In my experience, when I let Japanese people know what school I attended, it was like saying I attended Stanford or Berkeley. The FLA(faculty of the liberal arts) program is all in English. They have an decent selection of classes. Sophia is one of the top schools with the largest English program. FLA students make up about 10% of the entire Sophia school student body. It may have risen since I was there.

Other schools you may want to consider is Temple, ICU, and Waseda. and Keio University. Tokyo University, aka Todai, I believe only has specialty courses and graduate programs in english. All these schools are all in Tokyo area.

Applying and getting into these schools as a degree student is not difficult. The requirements for a foreigner are not NEARLY as strict as they are for Japanese.

Things you should know before choosing a school in Tokyo:

Tokyo people are notorious for being a little distant, so you may not be able to make as many super japanese friends. Instead, you’ll meet a lot of quasi-americanized japanese that are friendly, and chill but likely speak a lot of english. I went to Tokyo with determination to make Japanese friends. I joined clubs, and tried really hard(more than I should have really…) I tried to speak completely in Japanese, be more japanese…but in the end…I didn’t succeed to the extent I wanted to.(This was a consensus among many of the exchange students)

You will however be able to meet a lot of other students around the world, which was great experience for making multicultural friendships. European, Australian, Taiwanese…you name it… it’s all good.^_^ I made a lot of everlasting friendships and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

More Information about My Sophia experience:

Sophia is one stop away from Shinjuku, and is in central tokyo. Extremely convenient location, but if you live out in the sticks, the commute can be rough.

Sophia has contracts with many schools, so you might consider a year long study abroad, instead of signing on as a degree student. That is what I did, My home school is University of San Francisco.

My personal opinions of the Sophia are not that great. I loved the people at th school, but I honestly wasn’t that impressed. It could be possible I maybe more accustomed to American style of teaching, thus giving me a biased opinion. I like the more challenging ,”hit the ground running” kind of learning in American schools. School in Japan are by FAR much more laid back than American Universities.

In the end, 1 year was enough for me… it also didn’t help that I was paying 17k+ of my schools tuition per semester. (Note: directly applying to Sophia is a much better idea, tuition is significantly cheaper) Even with the direct contract, many of my units couldn’t transfer…that could be faulted on my own homeschool though.

I wasn’t impressed, however, I met a few people who decided to transfer to Sophia. Their reasoning still evades me, since a Japanese Degree isn’t worth diddly in the states. So not only have you squandered your “education”, but you are completely ill fit to go beyond office grunt in the American world. Only those with severe ambitions can really take a lot more out of their Japanese experience outside of school. I maybe being a little critical, but I feel that many of the exchange students squander their experience more than cherish it. So I see no point in wasting your time,money, and energy if you aren’t bettering yourself or the world with it. Alright..cathartic sequence…over…my apologies…

Anywho… Sophia is one of the better programs you can choose from.

My Personal Suggestions:

If it is more about learning Japanese, I would recommend a place closer to the outskirts like ICU. Where people are more friendly and likely to chat it up with you. If you are severely determined about japanese…skip the program and opt for language school. I attended Naganuma my last 4 months in Tokyo. I learned more in those 4 months thanthe 12 months before.

If you want to pursue your desired major, than your best plan is to go to an American university, and spend some time abroad. Because many of the programs don’t have as wide of a selection in your major and an American school would. So be sure to find a school that is contracted, and just try to take your general requirement courses at the Japanese University.(Literature, History, English, that kinda thing) Sophia’s FLA website isnt googlable…so be sure to go to http://www.fcc.sophia.ac.jp/index.html . They have a class catalog you can look at also.

Additional options: You can also do the CIEE program to Sophia, but I think it’s ridiculously expensive. The benefit are the liaisons, and cultural field trips. In my 15 months in Tokyo I have met many students in CIEE, trust me when I say you would prefer to go outside of the program, and keep your freedom.

How To’s #9: Enjoy the Wonders of Suica/Pasmo and Commuter Passes

Claudia — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:24:19 +0000

How do you manage to have millions of people traveling via train in a crowded city like Tokyo?

The answer: Suica/Pasmo

These are cards that cost about 500yen($5) and can work as prepaid tickets. You scan it over the ticketing sensor and it automatically deducts yours fare amount from your card. The sensors can go through wallets and even small purses. You can use these for all ticketing booths that have a scanner.(Metro, JR, Keio, Odakyu)

Be careful not to go too quickly otherwise it won’t scan and than at the next station you will have to speak with the counter person to fix your card.

I would like to state that SUICA is better than PASMO. Suica is with the JR system and Pasmo is with Keio and Metro. Suica is more than just prepaid tickets for trains and buses.

Suica can be used at vending machines, convenient stores and electronic stores. For example, at Akihabara, you can pay for many of your purchases using Suica. Thinking about buying a new laptop? got two grand on your Suica?… why not…

Granted thats an excessive example…It is still pretty convenient. In fact, many cellphones have allow you to use your cellphone as a Suica. However adding money is kind of a pain, and it might scratch up your ridiculously aesthetic j-phone.

TEIKI (定期) – Commuter Pass

The commuter pass is a must for anybody living in Japan for longer than a month. You pay a set amount for a pass that lets you unlimitedly travel between one station and another. Students gets discounts, and companies will sponsor work passes(Note: for student discount you must show your school ID). If you are neither, you should buy one anyways if you find yourself traveling to one big station all the time.

Good ones to have are ones going to Shinjuku. Since that is a big station, you will likely depart from there all the time. Having one of these allows you to freely travel back and forth between your home and wherever. So you don’t have to worry about the cost if you forget your cell or something.

You can buy your commuter pass and have it as a card or you can have it directly printed onto your Suica. You can do it via machines, or speak with and attendant and “midorimadoguichi” (Translation: Green Window). You may purchase it for 1,3, or 6 months. The costs of the commuter pass will vary on distance and time frame.

It’s rare… but I’ve heard of people getting commuter passes with the Shinkansen!(bullet trains) 0_O

What to do if you lose your Suica and thus your Commuter Pass?

I love the Japanese system! So this has happened to me once, but I was fortunate enough to have someone explain to me the system before I spent a hundred dollars on another commuter pass.

If you lose your Suica or Pasmo, go to the train office. Tell them that you dropped it (suica/pasmo wo Otoshita)… than ask what should you do..(dou sureba ii desuka?)… They should hear your accented Japanese, and proceed to help you by speaking bad English or extremely slow Japanese.

They will ask you for 500yen to buy a new card, and print the new commuter pass on it at no additional charge! How great is that!

And when you go back to your country or whatever, you can sell your Suica back to the station and return your 500yen!

Additional Information: Suica works in the Kansai area. However, it goes by ICOcard. So use any of the JR machines to add money. However, these do not work on the Hankyu line.

Tokyo How To’s #8: Start Teaching English (Earn far more than Money than Minimum Wage!)

admin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:21:15 +0000

This entry is not how to get into a English teaching program like JET. This is for individuals already in Japan who want to some pocket money.

There are two ways:

1. Get a work permit and work for a company

PRO: legitimate, back to back students, set schedule, and company provides materials
CON: Pay is less, hours aren’t flexible, and teaching method is restricted

2. Find your own students through networking websites

PRO: flexible schedule, casual, over coffee or food, and much better pay
CON: Higher chance of encountering “creepies”, commute time is costly, and inconsistent

Getting a Permit and work for a company
From what I know, you can get this only as a student. With the school, you can apply for up to 28 hours part-time. After you attain the permit, you can apply to various English teaching schools. Large companies like Gaba are very popular. However, one should only expect to see only a little over 1000yen ($10)

Finding your own student through networking websites
There are many websites that can be found for this specific purpose. I used both findateacher.net and findstudent.net. I personally liked findateacher.net more, simply because I got better responses.

There are some necessary notes that need to be taken when making a profile:

blood type O is best (its like horoscopes in Japan)
Scorpios have a bad image
You will get much better responses if you are a girl
If you are a girl, be sure to use really cute pictures of yourself
The first lesson should never be free(fishes out the wierdos, and covers train cost)
Always meet in public areas (like Cafe’s, there are LOTS)
Students that want to meet you outside of lessons should be immediately dropped
Prepare a inquiry response. This was mine (in Romaji):

“Watashi wa Claudia Desu.Eigo o benkyoushitai desune. itsu ni aimashouka? doko de iideshouka? watashi no keitai meiru wa *******@ezweb.ne.jp. henji suru toki ni kono meiru tsukatte kudasai. yoroshiku -Claudia”

Pricing?
It depends on your Japanese skill level, and if you are male or female. I started off with a sample lesson of 500yen($5) and regular lesson of 2500yen($25). After a few month, I had regular students at 3500yen($35) an hour. I wasn’t strict on overtime, because I was receiving a good amount of money. I also often time received meals,too. Many of my student could only have the lessons after work on weekdays.

How to teach

children: You definitely need to get some learning material. Do not bother explaining to them grammar. Just start practicing how to say things. Try to teach 6 year old and above, and individually.(Otherwise, they go nuts)

Adults: I tailored my lesson to each student. The first lesson is getting to know them, their level, and what they would like to achieve. I emphasized conversational ability and pronunciation. A useful learning material was the free magazine Metropolis. You can get it in any Tower records. They had interesting summarized news. That would be discussion topic. Very easy, light hearted, and just all around good time. Many of them have studied English before, they just are not confident with it.

SPECIAL NOTES:

How to get rid of creepos?
It’s easy! just say ” I am sorry, but I have to go back to my country. Best of Luck”

It is kind of bad, but it is the best way.

You can make a lot of money, and learn quite a lot about Japanese culture. Be safe and Good luck!

How To’s #7: Lose weight in Japan

Claudia — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 01:58:07 +0000

It is a pretty commonly known that many people lose weight whilst in Japan. If you were raised in a fat country such America, you will spend the first 3 months or so hungry. ALL THE TIME! I shall elaborate.

Before, Due to a couple of Judo related injuries I was on crutches for a total of 13 months over a course of 2 years. What does that result in? Massive weight gain! Especially when your staple food in Lengua Super burritos….::drool:: (by the way; Lengua is beef tongue). My heaviest point was 162lbs, and I am 5’6″. I was noticeably fatter, since my body likes to store all of it in my face. (good bye jawline)

Now that I have lived in Japan for approximately 15 months, I have lost approximately 24lbs total. This is not counting the 10 lbs I lost before I came to Japan. I set a goal for myself, and had a lifestyle change. For those looking for a quick cheat to lose weight, I’m sorry you won’t find the answer here. When it comes right down to it, its healthy eating, exercise, and building good habits. The following is small changes I have made, that can be implemented to those not in Japan. They are in order of what I believe really was most effective.

LOSING WEIGHT Factors!:

Walking: believe it or not, it makes a huge difference! In Japan, you walk EVERYWHERE. In order to do anything you must walk. My legs were sore for the first month. Ever heard of “10,000 steps a day”? Use a pedometer to keep track. It’s great because it feels like a video game. You want to get a higher score so you opt to take the stairs. In fact, small options like that burn a good amount of calories compared to walking. In Japan, when I felt my score was low, I wandered in a nearby shopping street for about 15 minutes. 15 minutes there and than 15 minutes back equals about a third of how much I need for the day. After a while I didn’t need it anymore.
Portion Size: It is noticeably different in Japan. I would say about 20% to 40% less, depending on the type of meal. Everyone jokes about it, but after 15 months…I realize that how much I overate in the past. Like I said before, I was hungry ALL THE TIME for the first 3 months. What changed?…my stomach size. It shrank by half within 8 months. My unit of measurement was a burrito. I use to be able to finish an enormous 11 inch super burrito. Now, if I attempt to eat half, I am on the verge of death. It doesn’t matter what you eat as long as you control your portions!
Calorie Counting: It depends on each person, but we all burn about 1600 to 2200 calories per day. You can go here to find yours. There are forms of dieting where you keep a log of your daily intake. It is very effective I hear, but I was too lazy. However, I did keep a mental log. Japan makes calorie counting so much easier! Many of the restaurants let you know the amount of calories, as well as grams of fat, in your meal. You’d be surprised to find that some salads have almost the same calories as sandwiches. In either case, keep concisous and make healthier choices.

There are many other contributers, such as: green tea, less greasy methods of cooking, and no fridge or cupboard to raid. When comes right down it is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE. I just used my stay in Japan to push off of. I plan to continue my healthy habits upon my return, and maintain the my weight. I am now at my normal weight, absent of injuries and crutches.

Also, I have decided to only eat burritos once a month. And opt for the “sourcream, guacaomole, and excess everything” -less options.(this is just a personal choice, burritos are my weakness)

MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES AND EXERCISE!

Good luck to all. Additionally, I will post before and after photos of my weightloss journey.

Guitar Hero…Eat You Heart Out!

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:30:23 +0000

The anticipated Guitar hero on tour is seems pretty impressive, but come July 28^th, Japan is selling their mega awesome rhythm/ synthesizer/ karaoke/ interactive rock band game.

Introducing…

Daigasso! Band Brothers DX

It’s bigger and better than the first Daigasso in 2004!

The video is in Japanese, but here is a run down of it’s AWESOMENESS!

The first feature starts with implementing the mic. You sing into your DS mic, whilst the lyrics scroll on the bottom. It counts your accuracy, and you get ranking and scores. However, for the Japanese gamers, I guess playing this part of the game in train is out of the question.

Second, we have the normal rhythm based game using the D-pad and the ‘a’ ‘b’ buttons. Once the song is chosen, you can pick from various instruments. The examples given in the commercial are the: Flute, Guitar, Percussions, Shamisen, and Electric Guitar. Of course, it would not be complete, if you can’t stroke the strings of your digital guitar.

Third feature is the vast collection of songs. Built into the game you can choose anything from classics to J-pop. What the Japanese consider “classics”?…I have no idea. However, you can use your wifi connection and download and store up to 100 songs of your liking!

Fourth is that synthesizer! You can use the digital piano to create notes on your music sheet, or you can move them around yourself. This is midi-based composing, so you can choose the instruments and create your own songs.

Fourth is my personal favorite, you have many ways of interacting with your friends! All the music that you have, rather downloaded or personally composed can be shared with friends. And for the rhythm game, you can link up to 8 people and have your own digital rock out! Best part, is you only need one copy of the game.

Lastly, you can connect via Nintendo wifi to your wii and have all the music played on your TV Stereo,instead of you dinky DS Speakers. House party via DS? Uh…yes!

If we are to compare, Guitar hero has completely different game play and an enormous cult following. Moreover, this game is at the moment only playable by those who understand Japanese. If and when will be introduced in the states? Unknown. But all in all, you have to admit….Daigasso! Band Brothers DX is pretty awesome!

How To’s #6: Survive a Rush Hour Train(((((>_

Claudia — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:27:48 +0000

Tokyo is THE most populated city on the Planet. With a population over 12 million people, they have designed one of the world’s most efficient train systems. Thus, creating a society where commuting via train is better than by car. So what happens when everybody travels at the same time to school and work?

ABSOLUTE HELL!

After experiencing it first hand, you feel a closer understanding as to why the suicide rate is three times higher in Japan than in America. You truly want to kill yourself.
Some would describe it as sardines in a can. However, I believe it’s much closer to trying to close your luggage, after you’ve over packed. You have to sit on it and have a friend hold the edges together as you move the zipper inch by inch…and you are the travel size tooth paste.

Yes, I think that would be a much more accurate description. Especially since there are platform workers who’s only job is to push you into the train, so that the doors can shut.

Being inside of a rush hour Tokyo train can truly be dangerous. It is not unheard of to dislocate something, or break a rib(or two).

If you are traveling at the hours of 7:00-9:00, both AM and PM, it is unavoidable. The last train is as bad as rush hour, if not worse. People are pissed drunk and reek of various foul odors.

Thus I provide you with tips on how to survive…

SCENARIO 1: You are first in the train

Highlighted are the desired positions. You want the corner between the door and seats, and the center isle. You are less likely to get squished…these are prime locations. Avoid walls, if the train makes and abrupt stop or turn, you will be in a serious amount of pain.

Note: If you are not getting of at a big station or transfer platform, be ready to push for you life. If you are commuting, try to memorize, which side the doors open on to help you strategically move to these locations.

SCENARIO 2:You are the last to get in.

If you are last in, getting a strategic position is not possible(you are screwed). The train will be packed…and I mean…scary packed. But remember… “IF THERE IS NO ROOM, MAKE ROOM”. Only on occasion will you encounter a situation where it is physically impossible to get in.

Since there are no strategic points, I will provide tips.

Go in Backwards——–Watch your Foot———-Use you arm as leverage

NECESSARY NOTES:

Diagram 1———————–Diagram 2

Diagram 1:
You will encounter people resisting your efforts to get into the train. SCREW THEM! They are being assholes and they should know better. Tuck in our elbows and Push HARDER!

Diagram 2:
For those individual with a low tolerance for pain, AVOID OPEN TOE SHOES! Opt for steel toe combat boots.

*be wary of the enormous gaps between the train and the platform*
(people fall in between all the time!)

Saikyou, Chuo and Yamanote line are notoriously the worst.

Tokyo How To’s #5: How to read a Train Map

Claudia — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:41:29 +0000

Japan is famous for efficient railway system. You can travel almost the entirety of Japan by train.

It’s unfortunate that they couldn’t come up with an easier way to read train maps…

In the big stations they may have two maps; one in Japanese, one in English. However, most of the time you will not be that fortunate. For those traveling short term and long term in Tokyo, I highly advise having the following train maps printed out and with you at all times.(Especially if you cannot read Kanji)

Listed are the 4 rail systems used in Tokyo:(the link goes to the English train maps)

JR: Japan Railways is the oldest of all. And has rails going up and down all of Japan
Keio: Travels from central Tokyo to the far West of Tokyo prefecture.
Odakyu: Famous for it “romance” series of cars…(Whatever that means)
Metro: The subway, it’s so easy to get lost…and the map is the worst…

If you are riding anything other than the Metro, you need to know what train you are about to ride on. You need to know if it’s Local, Rapid, Special Express, or whatever. You follow that line on the map, and wherever there is a white dot, it stops. On the JR and Keio map, the big stations have highlighted names, the trains definitely stop there no matter what.

For the Metro, since they are underground they don’t really have a rapid. The map looks absolutely insane, but if you just look at it for a little longer, it will begin to make sense. Every station list which line also runs through there. Fortunately, you can ride the JR instead to the more popular places, except for roppongi.

The new F line(fukotoshin)that just opened will not be in many guidebooks. It hits Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and Shibuya it appears extremely convenient, however I do not have first hand knowledge.

Tokyo How To’s #4: Japanese Toilets (Modern and Squatters)

Claudia — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:35:41 +0000

The Infamous Japanese Toilet….

Daily stops to do your ‘business’ has never been more complicated. There are a few variations; some familiar and some unfamiliar.

We start with the butt spraying water jet, which is number one for strange experiences. You can control the heat, and strength of the steam to suit your preference. Some also have a hot air button, to dry off your bum after thorough wash.

The normal,one directional silver knob we are use to, puts the user in a predicament when encountering a Japaneses flusher;which can be absurdly confusing.

To begin, there is a 大(big) and 小(small) flush. Further explanations about appropriate usage, in unnecessary I think. Usually the flusher is in an obvious position. However, sometimes it is a panel on the wall with a variety of buttons, differing in size and color. If you can’t read, it is usually safe to just push the biggest button(no guarantees). I’ve personally been confused on a number of occasions. I don’t know if you ever truly get use to it.

The Sensor Flusher is blackish red box flesh against the wall. You have to cover your hand over the sensor in order to flush.

The Dreaded SQUATTER!

It takes getting use to, but it’s not that bad. At least, you don’t have to worry about having a clean toilet seat…

So the appropriate way to use it is to face the flusher, in the direction of the dome…i guess it’s to prevent splatter…? *shivers*

It’s confusing because in other part of Asia with squatters, it’s the opposite.

Don’t worry, unless you are horribly drunk, you will not get anything on your shoes or pants…(again, no guarantees) Think about it this way….”What did people do before inventing sitting toilets?”. It works, don’t worry.

Additional Notes:

When visiting a Japanese person’s home, and looking for the bathroom, be sure to say “TOIRE”(phonetically: Toy-reh) instead. You will avoid a lot of confusion.

Upon entering, you will soon realize why they call it a water closet, emphasis on CLOSET. Like all sanitary people, we wash our hands after we’re done. The Japanese have created a wonderful way of conserving water, by having the faucet above the tank… so please use that…and not the kitchen sink…

My personal favorite oddity is the Otohime… translated into “sounds princess”. It is as ridiculous as it sounds. It is a used to mask urinating noises, by having a repeated flushing sound go off. It’s more widely used in toilets in Tokyo than in other parts of Japan. Additionally, many of the Sensor Flusher have this feature. Simply wave your hand across the sensor and it will trigger the “sound princess”.

This concludes the Japanese toilet info blog.

Tokyo How To’s #3: Getting a Cellphone (J-Phone!)

Claudia — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:32:53 +0000

Everybody knows the Japan is the nation of cellphones. The coolest and latest. You can watch TV, surf the web, send e-mails and stalk your friends. Every non-Japanese person yearns for these gorgeous phones. Believe it or not, it is NOT THAT EASY!

Short trips: Pick up a pre-paid cellphone at the Airport. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND A PREPAID OUTSIDE OF THE AIRPORT.

Longer stays:

Let us start by stating that all cellphone companies require a 1 year contract at minimum. If you are staying less, you are subject to cancellation costs. The longer you keep it the less it will cost to cancel.

Many of these phones will NOT work abroad, unless unlocked(which is a pain in the butt). Many of the nifty features will not work also. So you will be left with a extremely pretty phone. I emphasize that it is JUST a phone, outside of the states. So make consider that when buying a phone.

Important info worth knowing:

You will also be unpleasantly surprised that Cellphone minutes are outrageously expensive compared to the states. The plans also have absurdly few minutes. So get use to talking like an auctioneer.

They have SMS, it is called c-mail. However, very few people use it. E-mail is the most popular form of communication. DO BUY a e-mail plan. Keep in mind that because of bad communication, they will tell you that its 1000yen for 10,000 e-mails. That is a lie. It is up too 10,000,and your e-mail fee can be as high as 3500. It only starts at 1000yen…

Also, you should also know that minutes are only incurred onto the caller. It cost you nothing to receive calls. I also believe that messages consume you minutes only for the length of the message, so checking it over and and over again makes no difference.

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Lets do a brief overview of the main Japanese carriers:

AU

This was my carrier. They have one of the better student discount plans, more minutes for a about 40% less.

*Free train schedule checker, weather, and news (EZweb)
http://www.au.kddi.com

Softbank

They have, in my opinion, a better phone selection. Will be the new carriers of Iphones. They also carry more phones that can be used over seas(If unlocked)

* Unlimited calls with other Softbank users, good if you have friends with Softbank.
http://mb.softbank.jp

Docomo

I don’t know too much information about the, beside them being one of the oldest carriers in Japan. They carry many of the the typical looking J-phones.

* many different types of discounts http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp
Willcom

They are one of the newer carriers within the last year. There phone selection is mostly that of the PDA Smartphone and portable internet type devices. Don’t know too much

*best for internet at your fingertips
*many Flat rate plans.

http://www.willcom-inc.com

EM Mobile

The newest carrier. Not to much information. They have a VERY small selection, and carry mostly portable internet type devices. They carry the best models in their class. Sells Internet PC-cards.

http://www.emobile.jp

Tokyo How to’s #2: Moving

Claudia — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:28:13 +0000

Recommendation:
Save yourself the trouble of hating life. Bring your Luggage to the convenience stores(I used Lawsons), you can have your luggage delivered as early as the next morning. You can choose at what time you want it to be delivered, to make sure that you will be there. It is quite nifty. Prices can range from 500yen to 1500yen, depending on the size of your luggage. Weight is not an issue.
If you have appliances that you don’t have boxes for, contact companies like “kuroneko”(translated: Black Cat). They will provide boxes and deliver it. Price of this service varies. The amount of money you save by self delivering(train cost included) is not worth your time and mental health.

If you are lucky and have a Japanese friend with a drivers license renting a van is a possibility.

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I lived in Japan for 15 months. And after my initial settling, I moved twice. I must say that moving has been one of my worst experiences in Japan, and one of the most taxing ordeal I’ve endured. You are not just physically tired, your mentally beaten down into mush. By the time your done, you feel like a shell of a human being. I never appreciated living in the states more.

The U.S. is a lovely country in which everyone drives a car, and nice fit lifting capable friends are not hard to reach.

When it come to moving by yourself as Gaijin, it straight sucks in Japan. Oh…and by the way…no matter how small you are..or how big your luggage is…NOBODY WILL HELP YOU! This is no joke, when you see someone struggling up the stairs with large luggage, normal instinct is to help. Not in Japan though, the luggage can be 1 to 1 ratio in weight and mass to the person carrying it, and no one will even bother to help. They just walk past you…watching your sweat pour into your eyes. (by the way: elevators are not as well placed as you may hope. And they only exit in the larger stations)

Tokyo How to’s #1: Finding a Place to Live

Claudia — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:25:20 +0000

To begin, I must say that finding a place to live in Tokyo is a chore. I am not exactly sure how it is in other countries, but compared to the US, it is really troublesome.

There are many different options to live in as a foreigner in Japan, here is a list:

Dorms: Some are mixed, some are not. It is always all boys or all girls. Some you will have prepared meals, shared facilities, and a nice public bath. There are also ones that are like individual studio, with kitchenette and bathroom. Cons: Usually have a curfew(and they WILL lock you out), need to report whenever you are not coming home, hit or miss when it comes to the managers.
Guesthouse: In short, it is a room in a house with shared facilities. There are guesthouses with only Gaijin and ones that are mixed with Japanese people. In general though, majority seem to be Gaijin only. Pro: cheap, big kitchen, possibility of having interesting housemates, and most of the time it is furnished
Apartments: AKA Usagigoya (rabbit hutch). These range in size and in price. In Japan apartments are referred only to buildings with 2 floors. There are furnished and unfurnished
Mansions: Unfortunately, it isn’t what you think…the Japanese refer to it as apartment buildings that are taller than 2 floors. Often they have secured front doors so it’s safer. Nicer facilities, and are usually newer buildings. Cons: usually very very expensive

Biggest problem incoming foreigners will find is that in order to get an apartment of a mansion you need to have a guarantor. The guarantor cannot just be a resident of Japan but needs to have full Japanese citizenship.

If you manage to get that in order. Not only are you obligated to contract for a year or two,you have to pay a ridiculous amount of move in fees. Which can add up anywhere between 3-6 months worth of rent in advance. There is the deposit, commission, managerial , and gift fee(which is absolutely preposterous, it’s money you give to the owner…i guess to thank them for letting you stay there?)

The deposit you never really get it all back, they will always find a reason to keep most of it. One is the cleaning fee which about $200-$300. No matter how much you clean it(which you need to) they will send in professionals to clean it after you anyways.

I’ve lived in a dorm and apartment personally. I pay more for my apartment in total, but I lived in a new well lit apartment.

Recommendation:

My personal recommendations for people staying less than a year, and wants to not worry about additional costs is to look at furnished room on these sites:

Others websites can be found by googling for “monthly mansion”, “guesthouse”, or ” short-term apartments”

If you are currently located in Tokyo, there are free magazines that you can get at HMV and Tower Records called METROPOLIS and BULLETIN BOARDS. These both have classifieds as well as addition useful information.

Good luck house hunting. You are welcome to questions and comments!