From: doi@jrd.dec.com (Hitoshi Doi =?ISO-2022-JP?B?GyRCRVowZj9OO1YbKEI=?= )
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime,rec.arts.manga
Subject: [Curtis Hoffmann] survial in Japan
Date: 13 Sep 92 22:18:11 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Japan, R&D center
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=ISO-2022-JP
X-Phone-Reply-To: 045-336-5358 (work)/045-320-0492 (home) [in Japan]
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Curtis wanted me to re-post this as many people where on
vacation before.  I'm not sure if he made any modifications.

                          A Misplaced Otaku

   If one of the signs of otaku-hood is the complete abandonment of your
life at home, to go to the source of your addiction and check it out,
then I'm showing at least one or two of the main symptoms.  I'm
currently living in a gaijin house in Tokyo, watching the occasional
anime, visiting the manga sections of bookstores, and trying to survive
long enough to pick up a basic functionality in reading and speaking
Japanese.  I have enough money to safely last 3 months here, before I
have either found a job of some sort, or am forced to return to the U.S.
after a brief, intense vacation.

   The following will be my attempt to pave the way for anyone else
stupid enough to try this stunt.  Do not attempt this at home -- this
act should be performed by trained professionals ONLY.
   You have been warned.

   Keep in mind, Japan is a big, busy, expensive place.  If you can get
someone else to finance the trip, and your stay here, this will be a
major first step.  I don't actually recommend joining the navy just so
that you can take your six-month leave here, but if you're already in
the military, do everything you can to get stationed here.
   Otherwise, having friends or relatives that live in Japan will make a
big difference.  Or, coming over here for school, or as part of a
"home-stay" program, is another possibility.  Finding a decent place to
stay is one of the foremost hurdles to overcome, given that you're not
the only one trying to do this.
   Lastly, if you work for a large company, you can try to find a job
posting that will get you transferred to Japan long enough to sate your
wildest desires.  One of the advantages with this option is that you'll
get a working visa, and make more money, while also getting a much better
apartment (assuming that your company has a branch in Tokyo.)

   Really, the first question to ask is, "Why do I want to go to Japan?"
   If the answer is "To go on a spending spree for a few days before
coming back home," you don't need to read this post any further than
this paragraph.  If you can find a place to stay, then all you need are
some good maps, the "Walking Guide to Tokyo" from one of the FTP sites,
and about $1000 US in Yen.  (Ignoring the price of airfare.)
   If the answer is, "to visit Japan, buy some stuff, and then go home,"
then this post may help you out a little.
   If instead it's, "To stay in Japan long enough to learn whether I
want to stay here for a while," then keep reading.

   Much of Japan is covered with various buildings, and lots of people.
Unless the city is next to the coast, where the wind is strong, the air
in the city will be polluted.  Any nearby body of water will look green
and sluggish during the warmer periods.  There will be trash most
everywhere, and people that refuse to look you in the eye as you
approach, but will possibly run you over with a bicycle BECAUSE they're
not looking at you.  Japan has a very sophisticated rail and subway
system, that while very efficiently run, is difficult to understand
at first.  And of course, the ONLY way to get around in this country
is by train or subway.

   Shopping is not a problem in Japan.  There are stores of all kinds,
everywhere.  Huge department stores, little convenience shops, book
stores, fruit shops, kiosks, etc.  There are a variety of vending
machines every 50 feet or so, but most sell only soda and cigarettes.
Deciding where to go to buy what you want is a slightly different matter.
Being able to afford the higher costs is much more important -- almost
EVERYTHING in Japan costs too much.


   Manga:
          You can buy the weekly phonebooks, and monthly magazines just
about anywhere.  The kiosks are at all of the train and subway stations,
and sell weeklies and monthlies along with Calpis, Poccari Sweat, snacks,
and some of the newest manga volumes.  Walking along any major street
will take you eventually to a bookstore.  The smaller bookstores may
carry some serious books (novels, cookbooks, history books,) along with
a relatively decent selection of manga, although there are some stores
that concentrate solely on manga.  Department stores will also have a
book section.  (Going up to people and saying "Hon-ya wa doko des ka?"
may also eventually get you to bookstores on the second or third
floors of buildings that you normally wouldn't have looked in.)
   Of course, what you really want is one of the big bookstores, like
Kinokuniya, that carry just about everything, because they will have the
widest selection of manga.  Keep in mind, though, that if the book you
want is out of print or no longer popular, that the ONLY way you may
find it is to seek out the hidden used bookstores in Tokyo.  So far, I
haven't found any of these, but I'm just starting to look for them.
   Another hint: In Himeji, a smaller tourist town between Kyoto and
Hiroshima, there's a really nice little manga store that has the entire
collections of Orange Road, City Hunter, and Pat Labor.  (Something that
the big stores in the big towns I've visited don't have.)  The only
catch is that you have to buy the entire collection at once, they won't
sell those books singly.  The advantage is that the collections are
discounted from the original cover prices.
   The point is, some of the smaller towns have better selections than
the bigger cities do.  So, you may want to prepare yourself for a bit of
travelling.  Further, there are some series that you simply can't find
outside of used stores.  Lupin III, for example.  Right now, the only
easily found Lupin III manga is the color manga version of Castle
Cagliostro.
   One book that will help you out, if you can find it before you come
to Japan, is "Tokyo: A Bilingual Atlas."  There are 29 maps of Tokyo,
and an index at the back.  This way, you can figure out where the
Kinokuniya store is in Shinjuku.  That Kinokuniya also has this book
for 1800 yen.

   Types of manga:                Best Locations to Check
      Weekly Serials                 Anywhere
      Monthly Serials                Anywhere
      Magazines (Newtype, et. all)   Moderate bookstores on up
      Collected Volumes              Small bookstores on up
      "Art of" Books                 Big Bookstores only
      Odd-sized manga                Big Bookstores only

   Anime:
          This more of a problem.  Japanese TV doesn't carry as much
anime as you'd expect.  And the Tokyo area (Kanto region) has a poorer
selection than the Osaka area (Kansai).  As an example, you can watch
Dr. Slump and Yawara re-runs in Osaka but not Tokyo.  (There are
three major areas listed in the English version of the Japan Times
paper.)  And Kansai and Kanto both get the NHK broadcasts.  If you have
a satellite dish, you can get a lot more programs, but the Japan Times
listings only state that there are "cartoons" on in any given slot, they
don't give actual titles.  If you can read Japanese, the listings in
Animage may be of more use to you.
   Note: The Japan Times is one of the few papers printed in English,
and it's NOT sold everywhere that Japanese papers are.  Kinokuniya does
carry it.
   Theatrical anime shows up occasionally, but right now the only anime
movies that are playing that I know of are "Porco Rosso", "Dragon Ball Z",
and a double feature of Dragon Quest and Rokudenashi Blues.
   So, naturally the places to turn to are video tape sales and rental
stores.  Unfortunately, BUYING anime is expensive (but you already know
that.)  Any place that sells video tapes will sell anime tapes.  Fewer
places carry laser disks.  Some department stores that sell anime
paraphenalia will also have the tapes and disks.  (Look for the
Children's Toy Sections.)  Otherwise, look for an "Animate" store.
(However, the Bilingual Atlas does not list Animate in its index.)
   All video rental places will have an anime section, if you only want
to watch tapes (or dub them if you can get the equipment.)  I haven't
seen any places that rent laser disks.

   Sound tracks:
                 This is a lot like anime video tapes.  If you look for
CD stores, you'll find them.  This is a good way to blow money, given
that CD's run between 2600 and 3600 Yen each.  You can find places that
rent CD's.

   Paraphenalia:
                 NOT A PROBLEM.
   Go to ANY store, you'll find something.  From Dragon Ball Z yogurt
cups to Chibi Maruko Chan sea weed packets, from models, to stuffed
dolls.  If you just want to spend money on silly stuff, go to a grocery
store and look around.  You'll find candy, crackers, sea weed, and
cereal boxes.  Some of this stuff will include special prizes like
rubber balls, stickers, and miniature toys.
   For the other stuff, you may be better off stopping at a tourist
bureau just outside the big train stations and ask someone that can
speak English (there may be one or two.)  Otherwise, look in the Tokyo
Walking Guide for the location of an Animate store (there's one in
Kyoto, and Yokohama, too.)  Also, certain big department stores have toy
sections that include a wide variety of paraphenalia, books, and tapes.
The toy section of one big department store in Sapporo had a better
selection of stuffed dolls (Jiji's, Cat Buses, and Totoros) than the
Yokohama Animate did.)
   You can expect to find pencil boxes, posters, erasers, toys,
notebooks, and other stuff.  But Record of the Lodoss Wars paraphenalia
is not as popular as it once was, and the posters for that are not
around much any more.

   Phone Cards:
                 Phone cards are used in many pay phones, just like
money.  They come in 500, 1000, and 1500 Yen values.  NTT makes them,
and each NTT office in each city can decide what designs they want to
use.  However, the only real anime cards sold most places in each city
are for Chibi Maruko Chan.
   So, the only good place to get phone cards with anime designs are at
Animate stores, and some other places that carry paraphenalia.  Keep in
mind, though, that most anime cards are aimed at collectors.  So, you'll
pay 1000 Yen for a card with 500 yen in credits.  (Local phone calls
cost 10 yen each.)

   Games:
          The best place to go for computer, or game system games is
Akihabara.  Just look for places that carry computers, and then wander
into the software sections.  The only problem is that PC games normally
list for 9600 Yen.  The Game Boy carts are much cheaper.
   Most department stores will also have games departments, with some
kind of selection for most game systems.

   Models:
           These are a little harder to find, since the only real option
seems to be to search out stores that specialize in models.  But these
do exist, so you just need to look around a little (the Walking Guide
will help you out, too.)

=========================================================================

   There is one book that you should at least consider buying: The
Lonely Planet's Survival Kit for Japan.  It has some of the information
I'm giving here, a list of gaijin house addresses, and directions to
various hostels and tourist information offices in the big cities.  It's
the one I've used most heavily as a reference, and will fill in some of
the gaps I've left in this document.

=========================================================================

   So, you've decided to come to Japan.

   If you have friends or relatives here that you can stay with, most of
your problems are solved for you.  Just get the Walking Guide, and bring
your money.  Read the section on money.

   If you are coming over via the military, I can't help you.  You'll
have to learn the details of your stay here on your own.

   The same holds true if you can find work through a branch of a large,
international company.

   Schools are different.  There are certain schools with offices in the
U.S., that teach Japanese that are based in Japan.  Some of these schools
have arrangements where you can make some money back by teaching English
part time.  (The KEN School is one such place to look for.)  Otherwise,
you can try for an exchange student program, or just get a student loan
to come over to study at whatever school will accept you.  Contact a big
university, and they may be able to put you in contact with the school
you want.

   The JET program.  JET (Japan English Teaching, or something like
that) is a program that enlists people younger than 35 from various
countries to work in Japan teaching English at certain schools.  You can
get information about JET by writing to your nearest Japanese Embassy,
or Consulate.  The problem with this option is that the enlistment
only occurs once a year (with applications due in the fall), and there
are usually 5 to 10 times more people applying than there are open
slots for each country.  If you are in Canada, or the U.S., you probably
won't be accepted unless you already speak some Japanese, have teaching
experience, AND can write a really good cover letter (or can lie even
better.)

   On your own:  This is the toughest way to do it, and the details
differ for the following situations:
   1) Stay for a few days, spend money, and leave.
      Here, you'll want a cheap hotel near Tokyo, and the Walking Guide.
See the Travel in Japan Section, and Hotels.

   2) Stay for a while, see Japan, spend money, and leave.
      If you plan on doing a little travelling, you have several
options.  You could work from one hotel as a base, and take a few day
trips from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or Sapporo.  Just decide what city you
want as a base.  Otherwise, you do some travelling across the country,
bringing your purchases with you as you travel.  This is partially what
I've done.  Keep in mind that if the last part of your trip takes you
back to Tokyo for a day or two, that a lot of the things you can buy
elsewhere you can also buy in Tokyo.  So, don't buy what you don't want
to carry.
   See the Travel in Japan Section, Hotels, Mailing Things Home, Rail
Pass, and Money.

   3) Travel in Japan, buy stuff, and consider staying here for a while.
      This is the roughest option, if you are coming to Japan on your
own, and don't already have work lined up.  If you can, try getting work
before you come over.  This requires some patience, as you may not get
replies from the company or school that you write to (assuming that the
company or school is located in Japan.)  Months can go by before you get
a reply.
   But you can go to your local University, and search out the
International Travel/Exchange departments.  Chances are, your local
University or college may have received Job Listing letters from various
English Schools in Japan.  The openings may have already been filled,
but this will give you names and addresses of schools in Japan, and you
can write to them, asking if that school can refer you to another school
that DOES have a current opening.  (It's a lot more expensive to call
the school in Japan directly, but you get results faster.)
   If you can get a copy of the Japanese version of the English paper
_Japan Times_ (the American version doesn't have the classified ads
section,) then get the Monday edition, and follow up on the classified
ads.
   The next option is to simply come to Japan, and look for work here.
Read all of the following sections for this.

========================================================================

   Money:

   Your best bet is to get some of your money converted to yen before
you leave home, and bring the rest as traveller's checks.  The advantage
here is that you're not going to be carrying huge sums of cash with you
that may be stolen or lost.  Also, if the conversion rate changes (when
I left the U.S., it was 115 yen to the dollar, it is now 125 yen to the
dollar) you may be able to benefit from it, or minimize your losses as
you see fit.
   Japan does accept VISA cards for some purchases, but not all.  There
are very few places that accept American Express or Master Card: mainly
hotels.  If you can find an office for your particular credit card, you
can try to get a cash advance on it if you need to.
   Your bank may tell you that you can use your ATM card at ATMachines
in Japan.  While this may be true, being able to find the right machine
that'll accept your card may be quite a challenge, if not downright
impossible.  If you can, make your bank give you EXACT addresses for the
right locations BEFORE you leave.  Otherwise, you may be
shit-out-of-luck.
   If you get your money converted before you leave your home country,
keep your receipts.  You will be charged a conversion fee.  When you
get back home, you should be able to convert your money back without
being charged a second time.  Keep in mind that you can't convert coins.

   The Japanese Yen comes in 1000, 5000, and 10,000 bills.
   There are 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 yen coins.

   The Japanese usually use the English counting system for prices, so
if something costs 100 Yen, that's the way it will be labelled.
   If you are at a store, the cash register will probably show you how
much you owe.  Just keep your eyes open.  Otherwise, just hold your hand
out, and count out money until they stop you.  Because, they will read
the amount out in Japanese, and unless you know what "Ni-sen, san-juu"
means, you may have some problems.

=======================================================================

   Travel In Japan.

   A lot depends on what airport you want to land in.  And what cities
you want to visit.  If you land at Narita, you'll need to take a train
to reach Tokyo (one hour away.)
   In Japan, there are buses, street cars, the subway, and trains.

   You pay for the bus just before you get off.  You should have your
destination written down on paper, at least in Hiragana, and ask your
driver (preferably, in Japanese) to tell you when you have reached where
you are going.

   Trains and the subway require that you buy a ticket from an automatic
machine.  The farther you are travelling, the more the ticket costs.  If
you don't know how much the ticket should be, just buy the cheapest
ticket you can.
   Depending on the station that you are getting on at, there will
either be a slot in the entry gate that you put your ticket in, or a
live human that punches your ticket.  If it's an automatic ticket
validator, your ticket will be spit out from a different slot at the
gate.  You want to recover your ticket before continuing on your way.
   Again, depending on the station that you are departing from, you will
find either a live ticket taker that you give the ticket to, or a slot
in the exit gate.  When you put the ticket in the automatic slot, the
gate will determine if the ticket is for the right amount.  If it isn't,
an alarm will buzz and the gate will close on you.  You'll then have to
go to the fare adjustment window and you'll be told how much to pay to
make up the difference.
   Alternatively, you can buy a rail pass.

    In Japan, there are: local trains, express trains, trains owned by
Japan Rail (JR), and the Shinkansen.  Depending on where you're going to
go, you may have to take one or the other, or a combination of the
above, AND the the subway.
   Local trains are owned by private companies, and are cheaper than the
JR lines.  But they may be slower, and they won't go everywhere JR does.
   JR trains are owned by the JR company, and go all over Japan.
   Express trains may be local or JR, they just don't stop at all of the
stations along the way.  They are faster than normal, but may cause
problems if the station you want is not one of the scheduled stops.  You
may have to get off at a different station and transfer to another
train.
   The Shinkansen, AKA the Bullet Train, is the fastest line in the
country.  It's the best way to go from one big city to the next very
quickly.  Problem is, it's also THE most expensive way to travel.
NOTE: If you take the Shinkansen far enough, you will have to travel
over night.  Sometimes, the train you want is ONLY sleeper cars, which
costs even more.
   Sometimes, there are reserved cars on the Shinkasen.  If so, you may
find that the non-reserved cars are completely filled with people at the
peak times.  So, if you can, reserve a seat via the JR window at the
train station, a few days in advance.

   For both the trains and the subway, usually the signs will be in
Kanji and English.  However, there will be exceptions.  Especially in
the subway, JUST before you get to the final stairs leading to the train
or car you want.  So, if you can, have your train line, and destination
written down on paper in Hiragana AND kanji.  This will help you read
the signs, and will let some kind Japanese person figure out where you
are trying to go.

   You can also rent a bicycle.  This is good for short trips around a
city.  Alternatively, if you stay in one place long enough, you may find
that the Japanese would rather throw out old stuff than sell it or
recycle it.  Thus, you may find a bike that has been put in a trash
pile to be disposed of.  It is legal for you to take that trash and use
it as you wish.  Swallow your pride, and live with what god has given
you.

   Finally, there is hitch hiking.  This is the cheapest way to get
around, and may be the easiest.  Just have a sign with your destination
on it, written in big black letters, in either Hiragana, or Kanji.  Some
of the veteran travellers in Japan have a hitch hike book, which is a
hardback notebook they use for writing down their destinations.  I have
been told that no matter where you are in Japan, or where you are going,
it usually doesn't take more than 10 minutes to get a ride for at least
part of the distance.
   Just keep in mind that you may not have as good a result if you are
in the city during rush hour, trying to get to the other end of Tokyo.

======================================================================

   The Rail Pass:

   If you are a foreigner, or a Japanese businessman working outside of
Japan, you can buy a JR rail pass.  These passes will let you ride for
free on any JR line (does not include subways, or local train lines.)
You can buy them for 1 week, 2 week, or 3 week intervals.  They can not
be transferred to someone else, and you must have a valid passport to
use them.
   You MUST buy the rail pass before you leave for Japan -- you can NOT
buy a rail pass once you are in Japan.
   When you buy the rail pass, you are really just buying a receipt.
When you get to Japan, you have to go to a JR office to get the actual
pass.  You do not have to activate the pass right away.  In fact, DO NOT
activate the pass until you actually want to start travelling with it.
   If you plan on doing any real travelling around the country,
seriously consider getting a rail pass first.
   You can use the JR pass to ride the Shinkansen.  However, if you take
a sleeper car, you will end up paying an extra amount of money, anyway.
   I have heard about people that buy two 3-week rail passes, and
activate the second one when the first expires.  I don't know what the
legality is for this option.

======================================================================

   Finding Work:

   Like I state elsewhere, the best bet for finding work in Japan is to
do so before you come over.  The main reason for this is that you need a
working visa to stay here for any length of time.  And the only (legal)
way to get the working visa is to have a Japanese company sponsor you.
And you have to go outside of Japan to get that visa, so if you can get
it BEFORE coming to Japan, all the better.
   Otherwise, when you come here, seek out a copy of the Monday edition
of the Japan Times.  You have to hustle, because you have LOTS of
competition.  The jobs aren't as plentiful as in past years, and the
Japanese economy is going into a slump that may last quite a while.
But, the jobs do exist, if you keep your eyes open, and capitalize on
any contacts you can make.  Mainly, they are jobs teaching English.  If
you are a white American, or British-born native speaker, you'll have a
much better chance than otherwise.  Yes, Japan is racist and sexist.
Live with it until things get better.  Learning to beat the system
requires learning how the system works, first.
   You can also try to get a job as a hostess (which pays pretty well
for women,) as a programmer (not as many chances, but still good
money,) or as a model (ok for short-term work, but models don't stay
popular for very long.)  And, if you can speak or read/write Japanese as
well as English, this gives you a few more options.  If you are female,
attractive, and bilingual, you can get a good job as a secretary at a
big company.
   Just keep in mind that many English jobs will require that you have
some kind of University degree.  If you can, bring a copy of your
diploma, or transcripts, and your resume.  Plus pictures of yourself,
to give to your interviewer.  Do not be modest in describing your
talents -- in fact, the more you play up your (even almost non-existent)
skills, if they apply to the job, the better your chances will be.
   You may be able to get short-term, part-time work that won't require
that you have a working visa, but if you stay here more than 6 months
(if you are an American citizen,) you'll need that working visa.
   NOTE: As of right now, I have not tried to find work here yet.  I am
relating the advice given to me from a variety of sources, and those
sources more or less concur on the above points.

======================================================================

   Passports and visas

   You need a passport to get into Japan.  Contact your nearest federal
government information office for the actual details for this.  In the
U.S., a passport is good for 10 years, and can be easily renewed.  (If
you already have a passport, and plan on being in Japan for at least a
year, feel free to renew your passport if it is going to expire within
the next 3 years.  This may save you some headaches you normally
wouldn't expect.)

   Visas are a different matter.  Japan has agreements with certain
countries, meaning that you may not actually need to apply for a tourist
visa if you plan on staying for 3 months or less (the U.S. is one such
country.)  If you stay another three months, you have to apply for an
extension (which probably means a trip to the immigrations office.)
   There is a student visa, if you are coming here to study.  You have
to get details on that from some other source than me.
   A working visa is the big ticket here.  You must have a Japanese
company sponsor you, and you must be outside of Japan when you get it.
Many people come to Japan, find a job, then go to Korea, Taiwan, or Hong
Kong for a few days vacation while applying for the working visa.  Since
buying airplane tickets from within Japan is VERY expensive, you may
want to get an open-ended return trip back home, and return home when
you get work.  Since, a full time job may not actually start for up to a
month or two after you get the visa, it will be cheaper to stay home for
that time, and then buy new plane tickets back to Japan.
   Most job contracts will be between 1 to 2 years, so keep that in mind
when making your plans.

======================================================================

   Staying in Japan: Housing

   If you are going to be in Japan only for a few days, and can't find
someone to stay with, you can either make do with a Youth Hostel,
Business Hotel, or Capsule Hotel.  If you're going to be doing some
travelling, and money is a factor, a ryoukan, hostel, or capsule hotel
will be better.  Finally, if you're going to be in one place for more
than a week, and money is a factor, you'll have to settle for a gaijin
house until you can get work.

   Youth Hostel:
   These are great places if you're on a tight budget.
Some hostels require that you be a member of the International Youth
Hostel Network.  (Others will give you a discount if you are a member.)
You can find out how to join the IYHN by calling a travel agency, and
seeing if they can give you the phone number local to you.
   Youth Hostels can have some very restrictive rules (like having to be
in bed by 10:00 PM, and outside of the building between 10:00 AM and
4:00 PM,) and normally you can only stay at one hostel for 3 days max
(you can go somewhere else for one day, and return for another 3.)
   During peak tourist periods, you may need reservations for any given
hostel.  The hostel in Tokyo is always booked weeks in advance, because
it is central to where the action is.  Hostels can cost between 2000 and
2500 yen.  Some hostels also offer breakfast and/or supper for an
additional 450 to 650 yen each.

   Ryoukan:
   Normally, these are supposed to be cheap ways of experiencing
Japanese living.  For 3000 to 4000 yen, you stay in a house or building
with many rooms.  You get meals, and bathe in the classic Japanese style.
In the one ryoukan I stayed at in Tokyo, this was not the case.
Basically, that was just a flop house with a shower shared by two
single-room apartments, with no meals, and a curfew.
   Just be choosy about where you want to stay, and it will be a good
experience.

   Capsule Hotel:
   AKA Coffin Capsules.  For 3500 to 5000 yen, you will get a slot in
the wall 3' x 3' x 6'.  The slot will have a light, radio, TV, sheets
and bedding, and a curtain over the entrance.  The hotel will also have
a public bath, tv room, vending machines, small locker for your street
clothes, a sleeping robe, and maybe even a little restaurant.
   These places are made for businessmen with a little money, and a need
to sleep overnight in some town before moving on.  They are not good
places for staying more than a few days, and there is no place to store
lots of belongings or anime purchases.  But for short-term crash space,
they're rather pleasant.

   Business Hotel:
   This is a more upscale option.  For 5000 to 10,000
yen per night, you get your own single bedroom room and shower.  The
bedroom will measure about 8' x 8'.  You may even get a TV, tea warmer,
teapot, and tea.  The one I stayed at had a VCR in the room, and a video
tape rental machine in the lobby.  If you plan on staying in Japan just
to shop for a few days before leaving, this may be your best bet.

   Gaijin House:
   This is the only long-term option if you can't get an apartment
through your work.  Apartment space is very dear in Japan, and some
landlords will not rent to foreigners, arguing that foreigners won't
stay long enough to give them a profit.
   A gaijin house is most likely a dump -- a few apartments in one
building that will be rented out to 2 to 5 people in one place.  Look to
the Lonely Planet Guide's list of gaijin houses for actual names and
addresses.
   These places rent out for 30,000 to 60,000 yen per month.  When you
get work, you may be lucky enough to have help in locating a real
apartment.  The place I'm at for the first month has 12 people, a TV and
VCR, two refrigerators, 2 showers and baths, no hot water pressure, a
stove but no oven, and cockroaches.  It is one of the better gaijin
houses, and costs 43,000 yen/month with a 5000 yen deposit.
   If you view this as a frat house, you may be better off.

   Overall:
   It's usually pretty easy to just come into a town, and call up the
place you want to stay at, and be likely to be accepted.  Just don't
expect to find a space during a major festival, or at the height of the
tourist season.  (Keeping in mind that the main hostel in Tokyo is almost
always full.)  Otherwise, try to get your travel agent to book your
hotel in advance (which saves you the long-distance phone bill if you do
it yourself.)
   Some hostels don't care if you stay more than 3 days, if you pay for
one day at a time.  And some ryoukans and hostels will let you store
your big bags there while you go on a short trip elsewhere (if you want
to travel light for a few days.)

======================================================================

   Mistakes you do not want to make:

   In public, DO NOT blow your nose.  Keep sniffing until you can blow
your nose in private.

   Do not give a Japanese host or friend a gift unless it seems
appropriate.  The recipient will then be forced to determine how much
your gift was and to give you another one in return.

   No eating while you're walking.  Although, in some places and at some
times, you'll see younger Japanese eating ice cream cones, or drinking
sodas, it doesn't happen often.  If nothing else you'll notice that
you're getting dirty looks from people if you so much as carry an empty
pop can as you walk along.

   Do not go anywhere without at least a small amount of kleenex.  Many
of the public toilets do not have toilet paper.  And, many places do not
have towels for drying your hands when you wash them.

   Don't wipe your sweaty face with your shirt sleeve -- have a separate
hanky for patting your face dry.

   Do not worry too much about offending, or surprising people.  As a
foreigner, you are already something of a spectacle, so you might as
well do something outrageous to justify their staring at you.

   Do not forget that traffic travels in the opposite direction than
it does in North America.  Look LEFT first, THEN right, when crossing the
street.

   Do not expect that a Japanese person agrees with you when he says
yes.  Quite possibly, he is simply indicating that he is still
listening.  Remember, the Japanese will not normally disagree with you
outright.  DO NOT SIMPLY ANSWER THE JAPANESE WITH "NO".  Instead, "Yes,
I hear you, but..."

   Do not forget that the Japanese dislike direct confrontation.  This
can work in your advantage in many different ways.  But it also means
that most Japanese will avoid direct eye contact with you on the street,
or in conversation.

   Remember to be polite, and thank people, even when you are buying
things from them.  Also, the Japanese normally consider the passing of
money to be rather offensive.  So, when you are buying something, look
for a tray of some kind.  That's where you are expected to put your
money, and that's where they'll put your change.  Not ALL Japanese are
picky about this, but many still are.

   Do not be surprised if someone comes up to you and starts to talk to
you.  They are not being overly-friendly (unless they are asking for
money for some cause, in which case the flyers in their hands should
give them away.  The approach to use here is to look to the side, say
"Wakerimasen" -- I don't understand you -- and just keep walking.)
   When someone comes up to you and starts talking, they are simply
trying to get a free English lesson out of you.  When they are
satisfied, they will continue on their way.  Many Americans get offended
by this after a while.  Don't worry about it.  Just go through the
motions, and continue on your own way when it is over.

   Don't be so stupid as to try to smuggle proscribed drugs, or rice,
into Japan.  The odds are that you'll get caught, and the Japanese do
not treat such matters lightly.  As always, play things smart (and buy
from the yakuza if you want something for your own consumption.)

======================================================================

   Mailing stuff back home:

   You can do this.  Just keep in mind that it will cost money, and take
1 to 3 months for the stuff to arrive at home (assuming that it doesn't
get stolen.)  You can use Air Mail, but that's insanely expensive if you
don't have the money, and the package weighs more than 1 pound.
   You can buy a mailing box at the post office (the post office sign
is a red "T" with a straight line over it.)  Put your stuff in the box,
and make sure you have some spare paper to use as packing material.  Tape
it up good, and fill out the mailing label.  The post office may want you
to add a return address for a place in Japan, just in case the package
can't be delivered.  However, they may not be able to tell you that in
English.  If you don't have any other address, use one for the hostel or
hotel you are staying at.
   When I bought $60 worth of manga and small paraphenalia, it cost $30
to mail it.

======================================================================

   Miscellaneous:

   Lockers:
   Many train and bus stations have pay lockers where you can store your
bags if you want to walk around a city for a few days.  These can cost
between 200 and 600 yen per day, which can add up quickly if you don't
pay attention.  (Midnight is considered the end of one day.  After
midnight, you have to pay again to get your bags back.)

   Best Times to Travel:
   Mid-Spring and Fall.  Just try to avoid the rainy season.  Summers
are hot and humid around Tokyo -- they're worse if you go farther south,
and stay near the coast.  Winters are cold and wet, or snow-bound.

   Gaijin Assistance:
   In Sapporo there is the International Communications Plaza, on the
third floor: The floor is dedicated to helping out gaijin that need it.
There is a job posting/message board, copies of various international
newspapers (including the Japan Times), and English speaking natives
that can tell you what banks convert foreign currency, how to contact a
given hotel, and other more vital things.  There is also a kind of
common room where you can sit and relax, write letters, or talk to
people.
   In Fukuoka, Rainbow Plaza performs the same services, plus providing
a TV, and a newsletter.
   In Tokyo, just outside of the east exit for the Ikebukuro Station,
there is the Kimi Information Office.  This is just a hole in the wall
office, with a fax, and resume typing service, and message board.
There's no newsletter, and the adjacent room to the front desk is
intended mainly for doing your own typing, although there is a
conference table if you want to use it.  There is also an
apartment-finding service, and they will print up business cards for a
fee.

   For all of the above offices, your best bet is to go to the nearest
tourist information office (or call the tourist information directory
service), and get good directions to get there from whereever you are
(because it's not very easy to find these places the first time around.)

   Travelling Lightly:
   Do not bring things you don't want to carry.  Clothes for a few days,
a toilet kit, and any additional papers for getting work if needed.
Anything more than that may need to be stored somewhere while you
travel.

   Living Cheaply:
   If you plan on doing some travelling while in Japan, get a rail pass.
   Bring a water bottle, or buy one here.  Try to avoid buying too many
soft drinks since they'll go for about $1 each, and during the summer,
may add up to $10 a day, easily.
   Look for restaurants that sell large dishes for 500 yen.  Or lose
some weight.
   If you want to read the weekly phonebooks, look in garbage cans on
the street -- near train stations, or on the trains themselves.  People
buy these, read them in an hour, and throw them away.  You can save
$20-$40 per week this way.  Just make sure that the phonebook is clean
when you pick it up.
   Buy your food at grocery stores -- not the convenience stores.  You
get a better selection this way, while saving money.  But also
comparison shop when walking by the vegetable stands.  You might be able
to save a little more money on fresh produce.  And yes, during season,
a melon can still cost $5 each, and bananas can be as cheap as 300 yen
for 4.  All food is EXPENSIVE in Japan.
   If you can find a gaijin house, you can try to keep your expenses
down to 4000 yen a day (1600 for the lousy apartment, the rest for food
and other expenses.)  Walk, don't use the rails if you're only going 1
or 2 miles in any given direction.  This translates to $1200/month.
   Staying at places other than gaijin houses may bring your expenses up
to 6000 to 7000 yen/day.  Especially if you want to travel, sightsee,
sample the food, and buy stuff.
   Visit department stores.  All big stores will have a food section.
Sometimes, these food sections (and some stores in the underground
shopping tunnels) will give away free samples.  This can be both good
and bad, if you don't know what it is you're putting in your mouth --
but it IS free food.

   Take care of all your health matters before coming here.  Japan's
health care system costs money, and isn't the greatest.
   And if you wear glasses or contacts, make sure that you bring a spare
pair, and/or your prescription.  If something can happen to trash your
glasses , it WILL (trust me on this one.)

   Hitch hike.
   Especially when travelling from one city to the next.  You get to
meet lots of interesting people this way (I wasn't hitching, just
walking in Kyushu, when two Japanese computer students from Fukuoka gave
me a ride to Mt. Aso.  We talked about all kinds of things in broken
English, in a heavy rain, in the mountains of a national park, while
listening to Brian Adam's "Wake Up The Neighbors."  It was a pirate dub
of the tape, and the owner had labelled it as "Walk Up The Neighbors.")
You can also get offers to stay at people's houses, make contacts, and
get free meals, while getting a free ride at the same time.

   Search the trash piles and garbage cans (don't actually dig into
them, but at least glance them over) for stuff you want that someone
else threw away.  You can get umbrellas, (non-working) electronics, and
bikes this way.  If you spend the little bit of money to get the stuff
working, it's a lot cheaper than if you buy it new, and may still be
just as good as new.

   Non-legal stuff:
   Some Mid-Easterners live in the parks, especially in Yoyogi and Ueno.
To avoid paying for train fare, they will walk through the ticket gate
of the fare adjustment window in the middle of the crush of other people
that walk by flashing their pass cards.  You may get caught doing this,
but can also possibly bluff your way out of it, since the Japanese don't
like direct conflict ("Wakerimasen".)

   If you stop at Bangkok before coming to Japan, you can do the same
thing that one Isreali did.  He'd taken 9 months to travel from Isreal,
through India, to Japan.  Mainly on foot.  In Bangkok, he bought a
Free-lance Journalist badge for $8.  By flashing this, and looking like
he's going to do a write-up on some activity, he could get into museums,
rides, and other stuff for free.  Sometimes, he could even get free
transportation.

======================================================================

   Survival Japanese:

   Any travel guide for Japan that you buy will have at least some
useful phrases in it to help you get around more easily.  Either
memorize these phrases, or write them down on a separate piece of paper
that you can carry in your hand along with your map and/or train ticket.
   NOTE: "Desu" is pronounced "des".
   The below phrases will not only get you to the correct train
platform, but also the right store, the right city, or the right bus
stop.  Just keep asking people until you know you are where you want to
be, smile, and thank them when you are done.
   When someone answers you, they'll probably speak too fast for you to
follow them, even if you do know a little Japanese.  Just smile, head in
the direction they aim you towards, and ask the next person.

   No.
   Iie   ("ee -- ya")

   Yes.
   Hai.  ("Hi")   either...
   Ii    ("ee")   or...
   un    ("uwn")


Excuse me           exit           Thank you          straight
Sumimasen           deguchi        Arigato            massugu

train               turn           subway             right
denssha             magaru         chikatetsu         migi

station             left           bus                stop
eki                 hidari         basu               tomaru

bus stop            back           ticket             how much?
basu-tei            ushiro         kippu              Ikura?

entrance?           Forgive me
iriguchi            gomen na sai

I want to go to (place name).
Watashi wa, (place name) ni ikitai.

Where is the toilet?
Toire wa, doko desu ka?

Is there anyone here who speaks English?
Eigo no dekiro hito wa, imasu ka?

Please telephone (number/name).
(number/name) ni, denwa o kakete kudasai.

Is this (place name)?
koko wa, (place name) desu ka?

Where is (place name)?
(place name) wa doko desu ka?

Where is (place name) on this map?
(place name) wa kono chizu no doko ni arimasu ka?

How long will it take to go to (place name)?
(place name) ni iku ni wa dono kurai jikan ga kakarimasu ka?

Which line should I take to go to (station name)?
(station name) wa nanisen desu ka?

Which train should I take to go to (station name)?
(station name) wa dono densha ni noreba yoi desu ka?

Where do I buy a ticket?
kippu wa doko de kaemasu ka?

How much is a ticket to (station name)?
(station name) made ikura desu ka?

What is the platform number for (station name)?
(station name)-iki wa nanbansen desu ka?

Is this the right platform for (station name)?
(Station name)-iki wa kono houmu desu ka?

Is this the right train to (station name)?
Kore wa (station name) ni ikimasu ka?

Does this train stop at (station name)?
Kore wa (station name) ni tomarimasu ka?

How many more stops to (station name)?
(station name) wa ikutsume desu ka?

Where should I change trains to go to (station name)?
(station name) wa doko de norikae desu ka?

Please let me know when we arrive at (station name/place).
(Station name/place) ni tsuitara oshiete kudasai.

What time is the next train to (station name)?
Tsugi no (station name)-iki wa nanji desu ka?

I want to buy this one.  (Point to the object you want.)
Kore kudasai  (Pronounced "ko re coup da sigh")

--
Hitoshi Doi, International Open Systems Engineering        doi@jrd.dec.com
Japan Research and Development Center               decwrl!jrd.dec.com!doi
Digital Equipment Corporation Japan                     doi@decvax.dec.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime