Anybody ever been to Japan?

[Cosmo_ac]

For the longest time i've wanted to go to Japan, but never seriously looked into it for some reason. Probably a combination of the fact i don't like flying and i figured it would be really expensive. However, in the last few days i've been inquaring into it a fair bit more, and finding that while expensive, it's not above my spending power these days.

Basically i want to know anything i can know about the place from people who have gone. Things like, is english a fairly common second dialect their, or would i be SOL? Does it have great sights to see, how is the food, how much does it cost to do things, etc. basically anything i could learn that somebody going to this country for the first time would want to know.

 

[drew70]

My only visit to Japan unfortunately was a six-hour layover at Tokyo International. All I have to report is that those airport seats are really uncomfortable.
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[TheTenaciousJ]

I too have never been to Japan, but always wished to go.

 

[minerva]

I've been to Japan 9 years ago. Been to Kobe and Kyoto for 12 days.
Kyoto is the city, where the emperors used to live, so they've got the most beautiful temples there. I would recommend going there in late spring, the cherry blossoms are just beautiful. Seeing the temples, the Geishas, all the traditional stuff and the very modern business districts and huge shopping centers on the other hand was very interesting.

There's a couple of things you really have to get used to though.
First of all wherever you'll go it will be like the last saturday before xmas in a shopping center. Crowds everywhere. Trains, buses, subways, streets, everything is unbelievably crowded, if you've ever seen pics of these guys pushing people into trains - thats true.

Japanese people are used to having to fight their way through crowds. They will push all the time, even the tiniest old lady will push you out of her way, while you wont even dare touch her, cause she looks so fragile.

Second thing, that was kinda difficult was, that you won't find too many people who speak English but you'd really need their help sometimes, cause it's not easy finding your way around since everything is written in Japanese letters only. Trains, busses, streetnames, everything. Even at the information at a major railway station I couldn't find anyone who spoke at least a little English. Your best bet will be to ask young people in the streets for directions.

Japan is also a very expensive country. Be prepared for that.

The food is delicious - I wouldn't recommend buying any fruits though. They look great, but thats, because they are genetically modified, they taste like crap.

I'd basically say, its definitely worth going there, cause you'll see things, you've never seen before. I personally found it extremely interesting and enjoyed myself while I was there, but I honestly have to say, I would not go again - but again, that's just my personal opinion, please don't let anything I said discourage you.

 

[vladtickleman22]

It's on the list of places i want to go.

 

[Dialon]

Well i went to a japanese steak house XD
But no not actually japan, but id probably like to go there...or Italy. I cant decide ><

 

[slap'n'ticklee]

My boss went to Japan only a few weeks ago, from what he said he enjoyed it but he wasn't all that impressed with some of their ways/attitudes.

He said that most employees are considered retired/redundant when they are 45 and that if you have a male and female doing exactly the same job then the woman will always have a salary of 50% less than the men folk doing the same job.

He also said that the Japanese men think nothing of touching up a woman on the trains etc and no one batting an eye at it.

Also don't tip them for any services they consider this as an insult and prefer you buying a gift instead.


I'd love to hear from some Japanese folk to confirm this as a load of shit 🙂

 

[Marquis De Sade]

My boss went to Japan only a few weeks ago, from what he said he enjoyed it but he wasn't all that impressed with some of their ways/attitudes.

He said that most employees are considered retired/redundant when they are 45 and that if you have a male and female doing exactly the same job then the woman will always have a salary of 50% less than the men folk doing the same job.

He also said that the Japanese men think nothing of touching up a woman on the trains etc and no one batting an eye at it.

Also don't tip them for any services they consider this as an insult and prefer you buying a gift instead.


I'd love to hear from some Japanese folk to confirm this as a load of shit 🙂

IMO it's all about perception. Your boss could've observed all of this from a distance and made up his own mind about something, or heard it from someone who did the same or who had his own views pertaining to his own personal experiences.

I've heard some very strange talk about Asian countries and I lived in Asia for a while and it always makes me shake my head and sigh.

The one thing I know for sure is about tipping. Very, very rarely will a Japanese person accept money that he or she didn't earn or feel like they did or had it negotiated beforehand as part of whatever deal it was - whether it be waiting on you in a restaurant or a huge business deal, because they feel it upsets the balance of it all. Sorta like No Country for Old Men. Money coming from someplace else or someone else for no reason, can only be bad.

There was an experiment recently and I think it was in Japan where they dropped hundreds of bills from the top of a building down into the streets of a poor neighborhood to see what would happen. In one way or another, every single cent was returned to the owners.

 

[RobAce]

When I was a kid my dad was stationed at Kadena AFB, Okinawa Japan.
Obviously we were there as well.
I lived there from 1979-1984.
We did a lot of traveling around Japan while we were there.
Going to elementary school was fun there also.
We had a weekly exchange where we would go to a Japanese school one day and they would come to ours on another in the same week.

I enjoyed living there a lot, and someday I would like to go back.

Rob

 

[CitY of MicA]

I've spent several years studying the Japanese language and have been to Tokyo. Before I made the trip, I was a little bit concerned over how costly it would be because I had read about the city being extremely pricy (one of the most expensive in the world). As it turns out, I didn't find it all that expensive (and our current, weak U.S. dollar is not something that would affect you, Cosmo). My hotel was nice and not at all expensive. The food was great, and I didn't have difficultly finding really good food at reasonable prices. In Tokyo, they have small grocery/convenience stores that are open 24 hours that sell milk, juice, yogurt, and food we're accustomed to in the West in addition to premade dishes that are much better than one could reasonably expect to find in such a store.

I was trying to get by with my pedestrian Japanese when I was alone in the city, so I'm not sure of people's English proficiency from that experience. However, many Japanese people do speak English in the major Japanese cities. Japanese people take about six years of English in school. This, of course, says very little about their ability to speak and understand the language (some can communicate effectively and some cannot), but many people are eager to use their English- particularly the younger set. There are also areas of Tokyo, such as Roppongi, which are known for their ex-patriot English-speaking population (the last place I wanted to go 😉 ). English does appear on a percentage of menus in Tokyo, but street names are not written in English.

Tokyo is an absolutely immense city- 55 miles wide, and one of the largest populations of any city in the world. Certain areas, like Shinjuku and Shibuya, are perpetually crowded- like non-stop rush hour in a major metropolis. I come from New York City, but it still felt like an assault on the senses. Those areas certainly are alive.

It's probably worth your while to go for (at least) two weeks. You have an odd time change (you basically lose a day) when you arrive, so jet-lag is a distinct possibility. I would recommend reading about some of the customs and learning some simple Japanese phrases beforehand. People tend to be very appreciative when you make an attempt to speak the language. It's a great language and a great culture. Feel free to PM me, Cosmo, and I hope you have a wonderful trip if you go.

 

[kilitiinko1]

I LOVE Japan!

If you can swing it,Cosmo,I highly recommend that you go! You will have a great time,and definitely not regret it.

I spent a lot of time stationed in Iwakuni when I was in the USMC.I would agree with Minerva on most everything.It is a remarkable country in all the beauty and culture that it has to offer.If you are looking to experience a "foreign"country where you can still feel the comforts of modern living in a safe environment,Japan is the place to visit.It IS very crowded and very expensive,and that does take some getting used to.However,it IS also VERY SAFE,and you can go any place in the country at any time of the day without having to worry.Although English is not widely spoken,the children do speak a bit,and can often translate for you in an emergency.

I`ve since returned to Japan twice as a civilian,and would move there this evening if I had a job! If you do go,I`d recommend that you buy a book with common Japanese phrases ,an English-Japanese/Japanese-English dictionary,and a writing tablet to add words,kanji,and phrases you may not have listed in your book.Put them in a backpack and carry them with you at all times.These will be very helpful as you ride the trains and such.

There is soo much to do and see that you`d be best to plan ahead if your time will be limited.Kyoto would be a MUST,I`d say,as would Hiroshima,but there are sooo many wonderful things to see and do. Okinawa has some of the best diving in the world,if you are into that,and with the bases there,you`ll be able to find English speaking people who can refer you to a good dive shop.

Feel free to drop me a PM if you have any specific questions.I`d be happy to share any other info you might want to know. You might also want to PM one of our own who lives over there,subtle_feather.I`m sure he`d be happy to assist you in any way as well.

Good luck! I wish I could join you!

 

[Marquis De Sade]

I have four friends who moved to Japan and now live there for good and have learned the language.

Must be a good place!!

 

[locker669]

I'm the main contact at work for one of our clients in Japan. I want to go there next year when my company needs to see their facility.

 

[Marquis De Sade]

I'm the main contact at work for one of our clients in Japan. I want to go there next year when my company needs to see their facility.

Can you get me one of those invisible phones that float?

 

[Cosmo_ac]

First, i have to say a big thanks to the people who posted(and i hope even more post 😀 ). It was great to see some of the responses. The reason i'm thinking in particuler about taking this trip, is that it was meantioned to me recently by a fellow co-worker at work that their girlfriend was taking a schooling course to teach people english. Of the many countries that this school sets up teachers for, Japan is one of them. From the information i'm gathering, it would be a reasonably lucrative job, with minial schooling and potential for significant financial posibilities (From the sounds of things, you get $2500 a month for 30-40 work hours a week, and you also have the possibility of doing private tutoring on the side. The schools themselves can also pay for your living conditions and other things.)

Asside from the fact it would, i think, be very interesting to live and work in Japan and make some money with it, i would also have the chance to become fluent in Japanese, (i would have to higher a tutor out of pocket, but that combined with living in the country should make learning a speedy event) and this would give me more carreer choices as well.

I just think that all in all, their is a lot of potential their for me. Bfore i commit to anything though i do think i would like to visit the country and get a feel for it, seeing if it is everything i would hope it would be.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

Also don't tip them for any services they consider this as an insult and prefer you buying a gift instead.

I got a bunch of travel books today, to get an idea about a few things, and one of them actuially meantions something about this. Tipping is a no-no. However, some of the mid-level to upper level restaurants, hotels, etc, charge a 10-15% fee on top of your normal charge, which is basically charging you for the tip by default so you don't need to leave one.

 

[locker669]

Can you get me one of those invisible phones that float?

It's in the invisible box in front of your house.

 

[Marquis De Sade]

It's in the invisible box in front of your house.

WHERE?!?! I CAN'T SEE...

😕

Wait a second...

 

[slap'n'ticklee]

IMO it's all about perception. Your boss could've observed all of this from a distance and made up his own mind about something, or heard it from someone who did the same or who had his own views pertaining to his own personal experiences.

I'm only going by what he said and he told me that he spoke to a Japanese businessman in the hotel he was staying at. My boss is very well versed with travelling, he does a lot of it and he's very observant. But again, its all down to your own perceptions and whether or not this Japanese businessman was telling the actual truth or what he believed to be the truth.

 

[Sharpie884]

Hi,

Well, I am not Japanese...but I do live in Japan right now. I am teaching English here. I have been living here for about a year.

I don't know much about the company structure here...so I can't comment on the female wages...but I imagine they aren't 50% less...

Train groping is over exaggerated...but I think it does happen, haha!! I have been on more than a few crowded trains in Tokyo during my stay here.

As for visiting here, I would highly recommend it, but have an itinerary. Japan is a small country, but there are soooo many things to see and do here. I meet some people who come here to visit, and have no idea of what they want to do. Sure, you can wander around the streets of Tokyo and find interesting things...but you will waste a lot of your time here aimlessly wandering. Pick up a book like Lost Planet and see what interests you the most. Also, talk to your hotel staff....they are almost always extremely nice and willing to help, especially if you speak some Japanese. They always have local maps and can tell you some nice spots to visit. Kyoto is a must if you like temples, shrines, and old Japanesy things....haha!! I went there for the first time in July. 4 Days wasn't long enough.

Japan is a fairly expensive country, but buy a JR rail pass before you come here. That way, you can ride on any JR train for free while you are staying here...including the bullet trains. I think you can get one for around $250-$300, and you can only buy them overseas. That pass will pay for itself very quickly. For example, a 3 hour bullet-train ride from Tokyo to Kyoto will cost you around $130 one way. 😱 LOL...

Feel free to ask me anything, I'll help out in anyway I can.