stuff to do in japan

[Glen]

so in a little over a week im going away for a while. thailand to see family, bali for a wedding, singapore to see more family, then japan.

i was in tokyo for a couple months 4 years ago and really loved it, and i've always wanted to go back. being canadian, i opted for a working holiday visa, which is currently being processed. if it goes through i'll be living there for 6 months to a year, and if it doesnt i'll be there for 90 days.

thankfully the company i work for is extremely global and has 8 branches in tokyo, so i'm getting a transfer to one of the stores, which is more a social boon than a financial one. i plan to spend most of my time in tokyo but i'm willing to go anywhere, really. okinawa would be fantastic too (foreys, advise me)!!

so, what experiences would you recommend? i dislike seafood and don't really like anime, which kinda limits my options!!! i'm more ambivalent about anime than resistive, and i could probably get into it if i found some good ones. i'm enthusiastic about fashion and modern japanese architecture (pretty much anything by eastern design office or tadao ando). i'm not really into japanese music except for krautrocky stuff like boredoms and most of its side projects, but i'd be open to going to some shows if anyone has venues to recommend.

i speak very little japanese but i want to learn more, so any steps you guys could recommend for this aspirant gaijin would be much appreciated, as would any general living tips.

also yes im going to the tales of store in akihabara why would you even have to ask

 

[Yoshi King]

Visit me!!! (I'm living in Kagawa, which is also known as udon-ken)

Or maybe I'll visit you

Definitely, definitely visit the Pokemon Centre in Tokyo(here is a picture chronicle of my adventure there, though it's mostly just pictures of Pokemon merchandise) and I recommend just browsing around in Akiba for anything that looks neat. While it's nigh-impossible to get inside of every store in a day, I went into random stores (... technically I did have my Japanese friend helping me) and found a bunch of stuff that I had no idea would be inside.

Kyoto or Osaka are better choices to visit in terms of tourism because they're closer, probably cheaper, and have a lot more going for them than Okinawa, especially around this time of year.

If you dislike seafood you're going to have a tough time here, no two ways about it. My best advice would be to try your food fried if you're not sure you'll like it, as that typically helps with texture or taste issues (in my experience at least... fried octopus is a lot better than non-fried).

If you're ambivalent about anime, look for something that suits your taste. I've really stopped watching anime/reading manga for the most part, but there are still a few mainstays such as Berserk, which is easily one of the best manga ever. Just had a film released, too. That one is an extremely violent fantasy story. If you like pirates and zany stories, One Piece is worth checking out, but I don't like it so I can't comment. There's basically a ton of good stuff out there, just let us know what you're interested in and we can probably help with suggestions.

For Japanese learning:

1) Don't be afraid to fuck up. Seriously, just do your best and fucking speak even if you know you're saying something wrong. My friends always correct me and that helps me learn. If you don't speak, you're as bad as the Japanese learners here who refuse to speak English because they're afraid of making mistakes.

2) Get the Genki books. Really, really good.

3) Make Japanese friends who are somewhat good at English. I used to teach students from Meiji university back in Canada so if we do meet up in Tokyo sometime, I will introduce you.


Finally, where is the Tales of store in Akiba? I've never heard of it and I was there in December, goddamn!

 

[cookie]

i suggest you try to live like the locals


and don't talk to them

 

[Yuri]

Play Third Strike with the pros.

 

[Firestorm]

Buy a ton of Pokedolls for $5ea and sell them for $30ea to people in the US and Canada. You will make a killing.

Also as someone who doesn't watch much anime, FullMetal Alchemist, Death Note, and once you're done those and feel like investing in a very long and awesome adventure, One Piece, are my three of my top shows of all time - western and eastern included.

 

[His Eminence Lord Poppington II]

when i was in japan i bought a jr railway pass for 27 000 ish yen (quite expensive, but i understand it's cheaper if you buy it overseas) for 1 weeks unlimited travel. went to kyoto to see castles, osaka to see aquariums etc, etc.

the aquariums in japan really stood out for me. i do really like fish, though. they had two baby whale sharks and i was just overwhelmed.

 

[Tolan]

Buy a ton of Pokedolls for $5ea and sell them for $30ea to people in the US and Canada. You will make a killing.

That.

At the PokeCenters, get a shit ton of stuff for cheap, and sell them on eBay for like, 5x the price you bought it for since it's next to impossible to get that kind of stuff imported.

 

[Snorlaxe]

thankfully the company i work for is extremely global and has 8 branches in tokyo, so i'm getting a transfer to one of the stores, which is more a social boon than a financial one.

i have no advice on stuff to do in japan, BUT what company do you work for (and in what field?) that is making this trip possible? you also have enough time/money to head to thiland, bali, and singapore too, so it sounds pretty much like the ideal career for me just based on that aspect of it. i'd love to find out if possible!

 

[Feathers]

Buy a ton of Pokedolls for $5ea and sell them for $30ea to people in the US and Canada. You will make a killing.

not true for canada if you live near seattle. they have pokemon center kiosks there. :P

but buy clearfiles. they are $2 each and you can sell them to almost anyone anywhere for $10+ depending on cool factor. i once bought a bunch of cellphone straps from a promotion and someone once offered $100 for one of them. the yokohama and osaka centers are your best bet for variety and not being sold out of something. there is a promotion for shiny rayquaza coming up and merchandise for the next movie is everywhere. you can also download some pokemon at certain train stations. :)

go to the ghibli museum but buy tickets ASAP if you want to go. they only sell 100 tickets per day.

disneyland/disneysea was fun but you only need one day for each. if you don't want to do both (if any at all) then do disneysea, disneyland is very small. if you ever need a break and want some english everyone there speaks it. :D

@tolan i get stuff imported all the time for decent prices. you just have to know the right website.

 

[Glen]

i have no advice on stuff to do in japan, BUT what company do you work for (and in what field?) that is making this trip possible? you also have enough time/money to head to thiland, bali, and singapore too, so it sounds pretty much like the ideal career for me just based on that aspect of it. i'd love to find out if possible!

i work for american apparel, which is retail. it's not responsible for the feasibility of this trip, though. being canadian i'm eligible for a working holiday visa which, with no need for a confirmed job in japan, allows me to live and work in japan for 6 months (a year if i apply for an extension). for all its egregious shortcomings, american apparel is really neat when it comes to getting transfers. i just emailed the district manager of japan, cc'd my boss, and set the whole thing up myself.

but anyway, i'd have my regular job and probably get paid less, so it's by no means enough to live on, but it definitely attenuates what is a rather fiscally demanding experience. i have a ton of money saved up anyway, and as i said, the transfer is more for social reasons than financial. hanging out with japanese youths who like clothing and probably speak english would make the trip a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

also, unfortunately, it's by no means a career. it's a shitty job i use to distract myself from the obvious fact that i need to go back to university. my wage is really poor, i'm just extremely frugal and have a hobby that supplements my savings (buying/selling yugioh cards). i should probably be using this money for school but asia is just so enticing!!!

Visit me!!! (I'm living in Kagawa, which is also known as udon-ken)

Or maybe I'll visit you

Definitely, definitely visit the Pokemon Centre in Tokyo(here is a picture chronicle of my adventure there, though it's mostly just pictures of Pokemon merchandise) and I recommend just browsing around in Akiba for anything that looks neat. While it's nigh-impossible to get inside of every store in a day, I went into random stores (... technically I did have my Japanese friend helping me) and found a bunch of stuff that I had no idea would be inside.

Kyoto or Osaka are better choices to visit in terms of tourism because they're closer, probably cheaper, and have a lot more going for them than Okinawa, especially around this time of year.

If you dislike seafood you're going to have a tough time here, no two ways about it. My best advice would be to try your food fried if you're not sure you'll like it, as that typically helps with texture or taste issues (in my experience at least... fried octopus is a lot better than non-fried).

If you're ambivalent about anime, look for something that suits your taste. I've really stopped watching anime/reading manga for the most part, but there are still a few mainstays such as Berserk, which is easily one of the best manga ever. Just had a film released, too. That one is an extremely violent fantasy story. If you like pirates and zany stories, One Piece is worth checking out, but I don't like it so I can't comment. There's basically a ton of good stuff out there, just let us know what you're interested in and we can probably help with suggestions.

For Japanese learning:

1) Don't be afraid to fuck up. Seriously, just do your best and fucking speak even if you know you're saying something wrong. My friends always correct me and that helps me learn. If you don't speak, you're as bad as the Japanese learners here who refuse to speak English because they're afraid of making mistakes.

2) Get the Genki books. Really, really good.

3) Make Japanese friends who are somewhat good at English. I used to teach students from Meiji university back in Canada so if we do meet up in Tokyo sometime, I will introduce you.


Finally, where is the Tales of store in Akiba? I've never heard of it and I was there in December, goddamn!

excellent post, thank you!

honestly i'm not that big into touristy things. i just want to live there and enjoy things naturally. i prefer nice, picnic-worthy parks to more ostentatious attractions like festivals. okinawa looks really pretty and foreys has told me all sorts of pleasant things about it.

and i'm always down to meet people from smogon!

ALSO http://japandaman.com/2011/10/30/namco-opens-tales-shop-in-akihabara/

is it gay to want a leon pillow

 

[Tolan]

not true for canada if you live near seattle. they have pokemon center kiosks there. :P
@tolan i get stuff imported all the time for decent prices. you just have to know the right website.

The original ones from PokeCenter in Japan cost more.
And yeah, but you'd have to use middle man services from Y!J, or overpay on a US/Euro, and the fees/shipping sometimes cost more then the product it's self.

 

[Firestorm]

Don't worry Glen. I just got my tax return and instead of thinking about how to finance my future I'm looking at flights to Europe. Might as well do it while you can instead of when you only get 10 vacation days a year!

 

[icepick]

I've never been to Tokyo but if you're into fashion you should check out the flagship stores of some of the major Japanese brands, like White Mountaneering, Nanamica, Porter, Visvim, Beams+, Yohji, etc. Plus a lot of American brands have Japanese exclusives, though I don't know where you'd find them.

 

[Feathers]

The original ones from PokeCenter in Japan cost more.
And yeah, but you'd have to use middle man services from Y!J, or overpay on a US/Euro, and the fees/shipping sometimes cost more then the product it's self.

original whats? pokedolls? i've been to both plus the store in epcot and nintendo world, and epcot was more expensive by far.

i also don't use middleman services. who needs those when you have http://sunyshore.com/cart/ and a couple thousand members of a pokemon collecting community

 

[Blkmage0253]

for food, you should try this DIY okonomiyaki place. My friend who lives in Tokyo took me when I went this year. I don't know the name of it but it's in Harajuku so you can just google from there.

the Tsukiji fish market was cool, even if you don't like fish. You can roam around and just watch all of the workers go. But obviously it would be more enjoyable if you ate seafood since the sushi I had there was definitely the best ever

check out Akihabara. definitely my favorite "touristy" place in Tokyo.

but if we're not talking about Tokyo then I think Kyoto is really worth a visit. and, you lucky fuck, i think you're going to be there when the cherry blossoms are in season. bring a camera and take pictures! and about kyoto, there was this really amazing green tea dessert place in the main kyoto station

 

[Jiggabo Flu]

Feel taller than everyone

 

[Minwu]

Feel taller than everyone

this user sounded really promising....

 

[evan]

this is probably just a side effect of studying nuclear deterrence theory and stuff but i would definitely head straight for hiroshima/nagasaki this museum has the work of the Marukis, an artist couple who painted scenes from the dropping of the bomb on those giant panels that are used to divide rooms. i really want to visit them in person.

 

[Fishy]

you should definitely go to kyoto - not only is it an anagram of the wonderful city of tokyo, but it's also similarly lovely! you can visit the imperial palace although you can't actually enter it, obviously. still, the area surrounding it is really breathtaking, and knowing that the royal japanese family is just beyond the gates and water is neat!

there is also a monkey park nearby in the same area i believe, which is a fun little adventure if you're down for a hike up the mountain covered with monkeys that roam free, no fences or anything. when you reach the top there is a spectacular view of kyoto, and you can also buy peanuts to feed to the monkeys! it's a perfect little mesh of wildlife and scenery, and a bit of touristy fun.

i'd also recommend just visiting any and all shrines that you come across, if you can enter for free. also if you haven't before, definitely visit a zen garden. they're as tranquil as you can imagine (so entrancing) and they more often than not have lots of art scattered about the walls, like really impressive charcoal drawings and other simple mediums of expression.

maybe we'll finally hang out too!!

 

[Princess Emily]

Buy anything anime or manga-related
Buy Japanese Chocolates/Food :d
Visit the festivals like fireworks display, etc...
Wear a kimono :3
But most of all... Never ever think about earthquakes and tsunamis x(

 

[Vein]

I was in Japan just yesterday!

You don't like seafood and anime/manga (best in Japan for me), so I guess you can check out the games. Many games are only found in this country so you might check them out. However, the language can be annoying, so it's your choice.

And girls can be cute and hot... also check them out!

 

[Fishy]

OH glands you have to go to Club Sega in Tokyo - it'a a 5-floor arcade and it's simply amazing. I spent $100 there way too easily, and just on one of the floors..

 

[X5Dragon]

Very informative I plan to go to Japan on a 3 day exploration trip and I was worried that staying in Tokyo alone would get boring quickly. How about mountain Fuji anyone try to climb it?

 

[Yoshi King]

Buy anything anime or manga-related
Buy Japanese Chocolates/Food :d
Visit the festivals like fireworks display, etc...
Wear a kimono :3
But most of all... Never ever think about earthquakes and tsunamis x(

Yeah man #1 way to live in a fantasy world of sunshine and rainbows.

This is like the worst misconception of Japan from a foreigner's viewpoint conceivable. Earthquakes are a VERY REAL thing and happen quite frequently in Tokyo. When I first started the JET Programme last August, I spent 3 days in Shinjuku as part of my orientation and wouldn't you know it there were 2 or 3 earthquakes, one of them being a fairly large one that start shaking the building we were in. So no, do not fucking "never ever think about earthquakes" because in a worst-case scenario you can be injured or killed.

Glen you're probably smarter than this anyways, but I felt it was necessary to post this for anyone else who might be thinking of coming to Japan, ever.

but anyway, i'd have my regular job and probably get paid less, so it's by no means enough to live on, but it definitely attenuates what is a rather fiscally demanding experience. i have a ton of money saved up anyway, and as i said, the transfer is more for social reasons than financial. hanging out with japanese youths who like clothing and probably speak english would make the trip a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

Just going to say that most Japanese youths do not speak English and consider it a burden in much the same way that a lot of Canadian people feel about French. (Sorry Vineon :() The difference is that while roughly 1 in 5 Canadians can speak French well, maybe 1 in 8 (and that's a conservative guess) Japanese people can speak English with any semblence of coherency. Most of them forget almost everything they learn in grade school through to high school because they A) Only do written work and barely, if ever, actually speak, and B) don't give a fuck about English (there's a variety of reasons why but yeah won't get into it). Now, given that you'll be in Tokyo, you'll probably have an easier time of it actually, since there are indeed hip and happening kids that are interested in fashion and foreigners. You're lucky since you'll likely be working with people your age, who will take an interest in you since you're not some barbarian tourist.

Just get involved as much as possible and get studying Japanese right now, because this is a very serious swim-or-sink kind of deal.

also, unfortunately, it's by no means a career. it's a shitty job i use to distract myself from the obvious fact that i need to go back to university. my wage is really poor, i'm just extremely frugal and have a hobby that supplements my savings (buying/selling yugioh cards). i should probably be using this money for school but asia is just so enticing!!!

I'll say right now that you should bring over every single English card you have (both Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh) English cards are something of a collector's item over here and I'm sure you can probably sell the cards for more than they're worth--doubly so given the current exchange rate. You can probably even get rid of your junk cards for something of value.

excellent post, thank you!

honestly i'm not that big into touristy things. i just want to live there and enjoy things naturally. i prefer nice, picnic-worthy parks to more ostentatious attractions like festivals. okinawa looks really pretty and foreys has told me all sorts of pleasant things about it.

and i'm always down to meet people from smogon!

ALSO http://japandaman.com/2011/10/30/namco-opens-tales-shop-in-akihabara/

is it gay to want a leon pillow

Thanks for the link! Also if you're set on Okinawa that's great, I just think if you're looking to save a little money then you can definitely get a good deal for your money on Honshu.

 

[Bestow5000]

Do Pokemon stuff, sushi all day, learn japanese, stay, see advance things I cannot see here, try to be a "funny and wise" guy by talking to japanese people right away knowing I don't know japanese yet, see my favorite actors and many more.