Oh, totally. I've been a few times in the past (most recently, Jan '13), but I'm leaving everything behind for school (Temple). I don't think I'm ready, but it's too late now!
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Moving to Japan. Help!
- Thread starter AllenShrz
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Oh, totally. I've been a few times in the past (most recently, Jan '13), but I'm leaving everything behind for school (Temple). I don't think I'm ready, but it's too late now!
GunslingerVit
Banned
Temple U?
GunslingerVit
Banned
Well, prepare for the worst!
Well, prepare for the worst!
Wait, is there something wrong with Kohoku?! Besides dogs in tabaco stores?
Tomorrow impossible, but maybe next week. By the way Monday is national Holiday in Japan. (Umi no hi)
GunslingerVit
Banned
Back to my rural city before the weekend, so I won't make it next week.
But maybe we should keep mid of August in mind for a Tokyo GAF meetup. Could be fun.
@ CHusson91: All fine, don't worry.
But maybe we should keep mid of August in mind for a Tokyo GAF meetup. Could be fun.
@ CHusson91: All fine, don't worry.
So an update.
Im arriving there on August 17th. Ill be on my first month in a serviced apartment in Kojimachi.
Im already searching for places to live on http://housingjapan.com/. I've been advised that if I plan to use the metro I should use a line where the station Akasakamitsuke is.
Which zone right now would you recommend for a 28yrs old single guy on the 2000-2500 USD budget? Roppongi is good?
Im arriving there on August 17th. Ill be on my first month in a serviced apartment in Kojimachi.
Im already searching for places to live on http://housingjapan.com/. I've been advised that if I plan to use the metro I should use a line where the station Akasakamitsuke is.
Which zone right now would you recommend for a 28yrs old single guy on the 2000-2500 USD budget? Roppongi is good?
NinjaCarrot
Member
Thanks for linking that website!!
if you live in Roppongi, you'll be living maybe 5-10 minutes away from your office by bike (~20min walk). which is great, except that Roppongi sucks - even the nightclubs are overpriced and full of dumb foreigners on vacation (or English teachers) and people who suckle off dumb foreigners. It'll be fine for two weeks and then you'll likely get sick of it.
You can live along the Hanzomon line, and live in Shibuya, where all the things - bars, food, people - are way better. Or you could live on the Marunouchi line, in Shinjuku, which I don't like as much but some of my friends prefer - night life is still way better than Roppongi.
(fyi: i live near Shinjuku and have lived here for the past three years, but in an apt that is nowhere near the price range you're looking for)
edit: thinking about it a bit more, a lot of your social life here is gonna depend on who you hang out with. will it be mostly with co-workers? will you go out clubbing? do you want to live close to work, close to nightlife, or just a nice place? but also, having a budget of $2000USD/month for just the apartment guarantees you virtually anything in the city, so you have a lot of room to breathe.
but also, paying a premium to be able to walk/bike to work easily is a premium worth taking - trains in Tokyo are ridiculously terribly crowded. so in that sense, Roppongi would be fine. neighborhoods like Azabu-Juban or Gaienmae would also be good, likely have a lot of foreigner housing, and be much quieter (compared to Roppongi) and still within walking distance of your office.
I have no idea how will my social life will be there but I would like to believe that it will be a mix of both locals and foreigners.
I don't mind going by bike (maybe in summer and winter not so much) to work. If possible I would to avoid to use a super crowded metro.
Also, I don't have to live *in the middle* of the action but a nice close place to those places is what I'm looking for.
I don't mind going by bike (maybe in summer and winter not so much) to work. If possible I would to avoid to use a super crowded metro.
Also, I don't have to live *in the middle* of the action but a nice close place to those places is what I'm looking for.
Check the Marunochi line and talk with the guy i sent you by PM.
I work in Akasaka-mitsuke station and i live in Shin-Nakano. (Just took me 20min to be at the office)
Ill get in touch with him.
Currently Im just checking places on http://housingjapan.com/. So far as to things to avoid is the "key money" (Unless the apartment is worth it) and If Im going to use the metro is to use the Red or Purple line.
Im definitely aiming for a 50m2 place, still very small to my standards but what can I say, I need to adapt.
Currently Im just checking places on http://housingjapan.com/. So far as to things to avoid is the "key money" (Unless the apartment is worth it) and If Im going to use the metro is to use the Red or Purple line.
Im definitely aiming for a 50m2 place, still very small to my standards but what can I say, I need to adapt.
Please no, Roppongi is a shithole you really don't wanna live there.
I used to live 1 minute away from Shinjuku-gyoemmae Station (Marunochi line) and I've never seen the trains packed, unlike for example Saikyo-sen or Keihin-Touhoku hooooooooolllllyyyyyyyy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit 7-10 AM those 2 lines are a DISASTER, one time it was soooooo crowded that I got pushed up the doors while my butt was itchy and couldn't move my arms around to scratch it. shit was intense lol
I used to live 1 minute away from Shinjuku-gyoemmae Station (Marunochi line) and I've never seen the trains packed, unlike for example Saikyo-sen or Keihin-Touhoku hooooooooolllllyyyyyyyy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit 7-10 AM those 2 lines are a DISASTER, one time it was soooooo crowded that I got pushed up the doors while my butt was itchy and couldn't move my arms around to scratch it. shit was intense lol
hey cool Gromph lives close by lol
Any direction? I would take it to get Akasakamitsuke Station.
There is like 4 stops to akasaka-mitsuke.
I pass by that station everyday and i can tell you depends on the hour, the train is packet or not.
I wish I could've read that sooner... about a month sooner.
I just (today) moved from moto azabu to roppongi (because I had to leave my old house and couldn't find anything closer to my working place (in azabu juban).
Feels bad having to read how much roppongi sucks all the time :7
does it just suck because of the night life? (because I am not the clubbing kinda guy) or does it generally suck i.e. living, lunch, etc?
I thought it was pretty convenient having the hibiya line about 20 meters away from my elevator. makes it more easy to get to kasumigaseki and akihabara...
and yeah, the increase in foreigners was clearly visible ... especially the noisy american kind...
I commute from Roppongi too. It is convenient because for whatever reason, even though its connected to a suburban line like say the Chiyoda line, its not really crowded at all. You're right in that the area generally has good train connections. Roppongi, Nogizaka, Roppongi-icchome can all take you where you want to go.
I avoid going near the intersection when the sun goes down though. There a bunch of African pushers out at night trying to get you to come into their girl clubs and what not. And of course their clientele are also out then too. Basically the only time I like Roppongi is on Sunday afternoon
. I never go near the Don Quixote or down the road towards Azabu Juban. It's just nasty down there. Tokyo Midtown acts as a good buffer from the rest of Roppongi. I usually tell people I live in Akasaka because I basically am.To be fair i guess, the pushers have gotten a lot better recently. The police dont allow them to follow you around. Still, I try not to get stuck at the crosswalk on a red light, because they will generally come up to you while you're waiting for the light to change.
nastybastard
Member
Reading about Tokyo and all the hassles with crowded trains and tiny apartments makes me glad I live out in Chiba. While I may not have the glitz and glamour of Tokyo, I was able to buy a 2 storey 5LDK with 2 car spaces AND and back yard for probably less than a 1LDK in Tokyo. Thank God I'm a country boy.
P.S: If anyone fancies a change to the semi-inaka lifestyle let me know. I have a 3LDK mansion to rent. ¥70,000 per month (car park is an extra ¥5,500). No key money. One months deposit fully refundable if you leave the place clean. 5 minutes from Toke station on the Sotobo line. 56 minutes from Tokyo on a Rapid.
P.S: If anyone fancies a change to the semi-inaka lifestyle let me know. I have a 3LDK mansion to rent. ¥70,000 per month (car park is an extra ¥5,500). No key money. One months deposit fully refundable if you leave the place clean. 5 minutes from Toke station on the Sotobo line. 56 minutes from Tokyo on a Rapid.
NinjaMouse
Member
I just spent like 6 days visiting my wife's cousin in Azabu Juban and it was great. The neighborhood was nice and quiet and very accessible to anywhere I wanted to go. Within a very short walk, we were near some awesome restaurants, stores, and even some decent grocery stores for those "hard to find" items.
After my this trip to Tokyo (my second), I'm pretty much dead set on trying to move there at some point, hopefully sooner than later. I've figure out how to look for jobs there as I'm not sure the typical "English teacher" route would afford me the experience I'd be looking for.
Still being in the middle of learning the language doesn't help much either =/
After my this trip to Tokyo (my second), I'm pretty much dead set on trying to move there at some point, hopefully sooner than later. I've figure out how to look for jobs there as I'm not sure the typical "English teacher" route would afford me the experience I'd be looking for.
Still being in the middle of learning the language doesn't help much either =/
I avoid going near the intersection when the sun goes down though. There a bunch of African pushers out at night trying to get you to come into their girl clubs and what not. And of course their clientele are also out then too. Basically the only time I like Roppongi is on Sunday afternoon
ah... your talking about the road from roppongi crossing towards the tokyo tower?
Shouldn't be to hard to avoid it, I am more or less on the opposite side of roppongi hills, so I should be fine. gotta go to donki soon though... I heard they sell like everything. Need a luggage. you seem to know this area pretty well...
I don't want to "steel" this thread but I need to ask anyway:
Do you know where I can buy some maki (take away) on my way from work (azabu juban) to roppongi crossing? I used to buy them all the time when I lived in moto azabu, but I hadn't had any luck yet. and the ones at Lincos are ridiculously overpriced. Does familymart sell them? (I am mostly looking for kappa, kampyou and takuan)
I don't think it's that bad... I actually thought it would be worse. Pretty much compareable to where I am from...
depends where you're from. The smaller the country, the higher the chance that you could get a nice government job at an embassy or something similar. It heavily depends on your country though. Mine got like 3 major subsidiary around here. I am sure yours does too.
You just want makizushi? Any kombini sells those. Marche or Meidi-Ya prob have them. Precce in midtown too. All the varieties you want are pretty basic:easy to find. Natto maki and that kore de ippon vegetable juice is my go to for breakfast.
Join the Foreign Service of almost any country is hard, I can tell you that much
You have to study for years, take a lot of exams and tests and sill they only take the ones who got the best grades.
yeah, just some makizushi. went to meidi-ya yesterday, they didn't have any (maybe sold out?), thats why I asked. marche is the one on the corner at the crossing, right? gotta check that out tomorow.
Join the Foreign Service of almost any country is hard, I can tell you that much
You have to study for years, take a lot of exams and tests and sill they only take the ones who got the best grades.
Thats why I said it heavily depends on your country
It was pretty easy for me to get in...
Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Super late so not sure if this has been answered, but it is pretty standard for them to pay for travel.. And if you are being transferred there I am pretty sure they will take care of it
Blackace
if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
You are in Japan too?
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
isnt shota in japan too? if so thats 3 mods lol
Viola of the Abyss
Member
john tv too, that's 4!
Parakeetman
No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Oh yeah thats right! I should have remembered that too considering he was part of the DQX group when it came out haha
Viola of the Abyss
Member
There's too many Japan related threads in OT, isn't it time for somebody to get to work and make a community thread?
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
Douzo.
Viola of the Abyss
Member
I'm already in charge of Italia GAF and besides I just got here last month, better let someone else do it.
If nobody does until next year then I'll do it.
I'd be up for it, I happen to have a lot of time on my hands right now. I just need some help with what to put with it, since I've only been here for a year.
Let's say info about:
- Lodgement
- Transportation
- Mobile phones
- ?
I'd be interested by any suggestion. Feel free to answer here or by PM.
I might post an incomplete thread, hoping for people to hop in and help me complete it.
Let's say info about:
- Lodgement
- Transportation
- Mobile phones
- ?
I'd be interested by any suggestion. Feel free to answer here or by PM.
I might post an incomplete thread, hoping for people to hop in and help me complete it.
GAFs japanophilia cannot be bound to one thread. I highly doubt any newbie making a "hai I'm gng to Japan, help me plz!" Thread is going to bother searching through a community thread that isn't even in the main OT area.
I'm an expert
Formerly worldrevolution. The only reason I am nice to anyone else is to avoid being banned.
The truth is those threads suck (I know, I've been in like 10!) because the op never listens to us vets and goes for there travel guide experience instead. If anything there should just be a J-gaf community thread in general and then it'd be a more real discussion about life in Japan regarding different topics that people browsing could get ideas from. It's surprising how little people actually know about the country yet there are so many who want to go.
But I've just specifically said i wanted everyone to help me lol
More seriously i agree about the whole life in Japan aspect, that's actually the main reason i want it. I know I'd love such a thread, because I live in Japan and always have some questions I'm sure some gaffer could answer, but don't want to create a thread just for that...
More seriously i agree about the whole life in Japan aspect, that's actually the main reason i want it. I know I'd love such a thread, because I live in Japan and always have some questions I'm sure some gaffer could answer, but don't want to create a thread just for that...
Go for it, I'll sub.
Import or no to import games, language barriers, Do and Dont, hidden gems...
nastybastard
Member
-Banking / Transferring funds
-Immigration / Visa issues
-Emergency preparations
-Companies to work for. (Recommendations and avoid at all costs. This will be subjective of course)
Viola of the Abyss
Member
Try to get some inspiration from other country/town specific community threads, put some highlights in the OP, then the discussion can go from there.
If anyone has some specific questions they can be answered and the most frequent ones can be added to the OP.
Holy shit. And they say apartments in New York are small.
GunslingerVit
Banned
There are so many[ guides for Japan out there in the Internet, that writing up a summary of anything will make any sense. Specific questions on certain topics (apartment recommendation, contacts, meetups, etc) is OK, but the rest just a waste of time. Especially, if posters one page later request help on already answered topics.
This is why a big 'Japan OT' will fail and fail and fail.
This is why a big 'Japan OT' will fail and fail and fail.
I agree there are a lot of guides and a guide only thread would get pretty stale. But perhaps there's room for a community thread for us expats already living here? Something similar to Britgaf? A place to talk about the latest going on here, odd things like the new fried chicken at Mini-stop and planning of future meet-ups would be nice I think.
GunslingerVit
Banned
I agree. Community-thing will work fine. And yet another 'Japan Guide' will fail and annoy people in thread.
GunslingerVit
Banned
Hey Japan-GAF, how does a meetup sound?
I had something like this in mind (because I am leaving soon):
- Saturday, 24th August
- 19.00
- Shinbashi Station, in front of the old steam locomotive
Shinbashi has a pretty lively at night with a lot of bars, small restaurants, "massage" places and a park where you/we can enjoy cheaper beer and drinks. Also, it's located quite central and is good accessible by Yamanote-sen, Asakusa-sen and Ginza-sen. Other lines are in close walking distance (e.g. Hibiya-sen, 10-15 min).
You in?
I had something like this in mind (because I am leaving soon):
- Saturday, 24th August
- 19.00
- Shinbashi Station, in front of the old steam locomotive
Shinbashi has a pretty lively at night with a lot of bars, small restaurants, "massage" places and a park where you/we can enjoy cheaper beer and drinks. Also, it's located quite central and is good accessible by Yamanote-sen, Asakusa-sen and Ginza-sen. Other lines are in close walking distance (e.g. Hibiya-sen, 10-15 min).
You in?
GunslingerVit
Banned
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Does afterwork-beer on Friday, 23th August, be better?
Does afterwork-beer on Friday, 23th August, be better?
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