As per usual, feel free to ask any silly stupid questions or not-so-silly stupid questions that you haven’t had a chance to ask here. Be kind to those that do and try to answer without downvoting. Please keep criticism and snide remarks out of the thread.
27 comments
Live near Tokyo and just got my driver’s license. Looking for good places to go over the weekend. Any suggestions?
Upcoming biz trip to Europe, just the two days off on the weekend. It looks like I’ll need to be in either Copenhagen or Oslo on the Friday, and then Brussels on Monday morning. I’ve never been to any of those places, so looking for suggestions on where it would be best to spend the weekend. I will be totally free except for needing to do some laundry
Where can I learn about home mortgages in Japan and when should I start planning to buy something in a tower that hasn’t been built yet?
Bought and sold a number of times in the US, and after the first time around, was comfortable selling with no agent to skip the fees, but that was all long long ago now. Not sure if the concepts of ‘points’ mean anything here, or if there is something like PMI to deal with, etc.. But I’ve been paying 20万/month for so many years renting, it seems like a bit of a waste.
Kansai/Kyoto people, what are your favorite places/things to do around Lake Biwako in the summer? Preferably beach stuff/accommodations
Anyone know where to buy everything bagel seasoning in larger quantities than the Amazon 4000 yen listings?
My visa is being extended by my school who have taken away my passport and zairyu card.
They’ll give it back in a day or two and gave given me a piece of paper explaining that both of these items are in the hands of a Japanese person for extension purposes and therefore it’s okay.
They told me if the police stop me just show them that paper and it’ll be fine.
I’ve never been stopped or asked for my card anyway in over a year but I can’t help but wonder if they’d actually accept this paper if they did?
Contacted by a recruiter, looked up the company, seems like a good fit. But the salary mentioned by the recruiter was higher (I guess they’re planning to lowball later). And the trial period is 6 months. Seems a bit long, or is it normal?
Hello everyone, I am a East Asian Studies student currently studying in Nagoya. I’m currently having a good time but I’m struggling with living in a more rural area of Japan. I take the bus and train to school every day and for the past couple of days i’ve suddenly begun to experience a trend of Nagoya residents being incredibly harsh towards me, shoving me on the bus and telling me to move, or calling me a nuisance on the train. I’m not doing anything that to my knowledge is frowned upon in Japan, I dont even look at my phone or play music in my headphones. I even stand on the bus so that other people can sit, as many Japanese people tend to not want to sit next to a foreigner from what I’ve experienced. I carry a bit of a large (normal size for an American school) backpack, but I have all my school stuff in it so it’s kind of a necessity. With all that said, am I the problem? Am I doing something wrong?
This year i need to extend my residence status (engineer.humanities.international visa)
Please check if I am wrong.
If my company is registered on the stock exchange, i need only to prepare:
1. Application
2. Passport and residence card
3. Photo
4. Proof that my company belongs to category 1
And I don’t need to submit documents related to residence tax payment right?
As per this document
https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/001367009.pdf
silly questions ok? i thought this would be fun: if you could choose a (somewhat japan-related) superpower, what would it be? (can’t be “suddenly perfectly fluent” since the only magical part would be the instant knowledge, cuz after that you’re just another fluent gaijin, lol)
i would want the ability to manipulate electronic devices, specifically for the purpose of frying annoying keitai-zombies’ phones, and unlimited train rides!
Can I get a MyNumber at the same time I apply for juminhyo? My company is asking for me to provide it to them right away but according to the ward office I can only get it in 2-3 weeks in the mail…
How would one go about becoming an English teacher/ALT in elementary/junior high/highschool?
I’ve been in Japan for 12+ years, taught in Eikaiwa for 8 years, currently working as a salaryman but getting annoyed with antiquated stuff (such as daily chorei, showa, etc.) as well as usual office pressures to do overtime, stuff like that. But I don’t want to go back to working evenings with Eikaiwa because I want to be home for my daughter, otherwise I’d practically never be able to speak to her.
So basically, I want to work within the town I live in (in the countryside in Hyogo) and be the full time English teacher for one of them or even like an ALT, being shifted around the schools.
I speak the language fluently, confident in my teaching ability, etc. all that- what should be my first move? Do I contact the schools directly? Go through city hall? Or do I have to contact prefectural hall?
Edit: side-note, if anyone has any suggestions on how I might be able to get a 9-5 type job, teaching English or otherwise, I’m open to that. I’ve tried looking for online teaching stuff before but felt I just kept getting messed around- more like “sign yourself up and slowly build classes” rather than “We have a full time job waiting to be filled” type listings.
Is it true that you will not be able to receive the survivor pension after the age of 60 yrs old?
Anyone with children who are at nursery – have you had any problems with regards to being allowed to use sunscreen for your kids?
My daughter is half-Japanese and quite pale, and obviously I’m worried about her getting burnt in the sun. Our nursery initially refused to reapply sunscreen to her in the afternoon telling me to make sure I put it on in the morning. I do apply in the morning, but obviously it’s not going to last until the afternoon. The teacher spoke to the principal who has given special permission for my daughter to apply the sunscreen (with help until she is old enough to do it properly herself). When they play outside of course they wear their hats but since it’s so hot, they must wear shorts and short-sleeved t-shirts. There is some shade in the nursery garden but of course my daughter might choose to play outside of the shade.
Am I expecting too much? What do you all think?
I need a Japanese bank account to start a part-time job. I was stupid and didn’t bother making one until now. I’ve already been denied by 3 banks because there’s now only 1 month left on my zairyu card.
I’ve already submitted a visa extension application, and have a stamp on my zairyu card to prove it. I plan to stay in Japan forever. Am I just screwed, or are there any banks that might let me open an account under these conditions?
tonkatsu places state the weight of the tonkatsu. is that the weight with or without breading?
Noise complaints about industrial land:
Should I go to the koban or city hall?
Nearby factory is exceeding noise bylaws at 4:30am consistently. My city has a link on their website to report boise complaints from businesses but of course it’s a dead link.
Anyway, just wondering who the appropriate person would be for noise complaints of this nature, city hall or police? Anyone had a similar situation?
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I posted this as a separate post but thought it’s worth posting it here as well
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Hey [r/JapanLife](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanLife/) community!
I want to share my experience and ask for your advice regarding my bike seat. About two months ago, I purchased a Panasonic Timo S and recently started cycling daily to and from the office. My daily commute is now around 10-15 km, and I’ve begun to notice that the seat is quite uncomfortable and causing some pain in my nether regions (lol).
First, I wanted to give a shoutout to [u/anzhp](https://www.reddit.com/u/anzhp/) for their recommendation on the e-charity website – it was a great experience and I’m very happy with my purchase (minus the seat issue, of course). So, once again, I’m turning to you wonderful people for some guidance.
Can anyone recommend a comfortable and durable bike seat that can easily be installed on a Panasonic Timo S? I’m looking for something that provides adequate cushioning and support for a daily commute, and overall improves my cycling experience. If possible, it’d also be great if anyone could share their own experiences with bike seat upgrades or where I can buy a good replacement seat here in Japan.
Thanks a lot all in advance for your help! Can’t wait to see your suggestions and improve my daily commute.
Stay safe and cycle on!
Just wondering, is there a Japanese distinction in level of crime like the US’s distinction between misdemeanor and felony?
For Non-US-People: I am not downplaying your country’s justice system. I am just asking a question from my own POV.
Misdemeanors result in less than 365 days incarceration, and or less fines (not sure the amount, may vary by state).
Felonies result in 1 year or more incarceration and or greater fines, along with loss of rights, such as the right to vote.
Other fun fact, jail = misdemeanor = less than 1 year incarceration. Prison = felony = more than 1 year incarceration.
Oh wow… Drunken teleporting sounds dangerous lol
How to cure nostalgia ?
Few years ago I have lived a dream, I have been an exchange student in Tohoku university. It was definitely a life changing experience. It changed me in a lot of aspects.
Some people I used to hang out with introduced me some music bands, and even if nearly 10 years have passed, Since the exchange ended, I can’t listen to any of them without nostalgia striking from the deep of my stomach. The first few years I didn’t really mind it, I thought I would move on. But nope.
I love my current life, in Japan, I can’t think of a way life could have turned out better. Consciously I consider that I’m not sad that it ended, that I am happy that I had the opportunity to live this. But it seems that my subconscious has a different opinion.
I love the bands I want to chill and listen to them normally again.
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Mexican food in Sendai?
My job requires I submit 1-month notice before quitting. Today, another teacher mentioned they are interviewing for jobs and have no intention of returning after summer vacation so she would not accept any more responsibilities, especially for after summer.
The supervisor joked that, because we are teachers, they would pressure her to quit sooner so they don’t have to pay for her summer vacation if she isn’t teaching. She just said, “Then you’ll know when it’s my last month!”
But now I’m wondering… **if I submit my 1-month notice of resignation to my job, can they terminate me sooner in retaliation?** It was said as a joke but… this is not a good place.
I asked the coworker what she thought about the comment and she just said if they wanted to get rid of her, she’d make them pay her before she agreed to anything. She’s been living and working in Japan longer than me so she might know something I don’t but I didn’t want to ask anymore without revealing I’m also leaving…
Can anyone share advice/experiences…
Tom Tom drums seem to be called “tam tam” drums here (or at least in Tokyo live houses) – is there a reason for that? Isn’t a tam tam like a gong?
Bought a kindle. Most likely don’t plan on living in japan forever so should I make a sign in with a home country account? I know you can’t transfer books or anything so just curious what people think is the best option. On a side note, Amazon locked me out of my American account and their support is currently down. So woohoo