Hey fellow JETs, I recently found out that I’ll be placed in Oita prefecture. As someone who is eagerly preparing for this exciting adventure, I’d love to hear from any current or former JETs who have been or are currently in Oita-ken, preferably Oita-shi.
I would love to connect with you and hear about your experiences.
I’m really excited about this opportunity, but I also want to be well-informed and prepared. So, if you have any experiences or general advice about being a JET in Oita or traveling to and from other prefectures, please share! Your input will be greatly appreciated.
[Edit] Wow, thank you all for the information. It’s great to see so many JETs in Oita and to hear your perspectives. I’ll be sure to reach out and connect with each of you. Keep the recommendations and tips coming!
4 comments
[deleted]
Congratulations on your placement in Oita! I’m sure you’ll find a lot of info and advice from a variety of sources, but here’s a little preview:
If you like hot springs, Oita has more than anywhere else in Japan (and the world). Most are located in Beppu, which is next to Oita city.
If you want to study/practice Japanese for free in downtown Oita city, go to Compal Hall 2nd floor on Thursday nights 630-830pm. About 15 volunteer Japanese teachers gather there to help foreigners with whatever they want to do.
If you need to visit a bigger city, Fukuoka city is just 2 hrs away by train for 2500 yen, half the distance if you’re in Nakatsu. An overnight ferry goes to Kobe/Osaka from Oita or Beppu.
If you get homesick and just want to hang out with foreigners, Beppu has over 3000 international students because of the international university Ritsumeikan APU.
Because of all the foreigners in Beppu, you can find so many restaurants and imported foods, even Halal or vegetarian options.
A lot of JETs continue living here after their contracts end, so I think that’s a pretty good sign that it’s nice here 🙂
There’s also an Oita AJET Facebook page! They organize different events in Oita Prefecture.
I got my placement email for Oita-shi a couple days ago. Thanks for posting this! Lots of helpful info.