just how is Japan?

[Elixir]

im interested in going to Japan for a while, but im wondering if any of you guys have been there before? id like to get an idea of what its like from a t-punker instead of just websites and the like.

and how much would i expect to pay??

[U2fan]

kylej has been there for a few months and has a link to his blog somewhere around here......

I will be there for a few months starting in Jan. so if you're not going for awhile, I could tell you then....

[mermaidnz]

can you clarify what you want to know more about?!

i lived in tokyo last year, and went back last month for a quick 2 week trip ( i was ment to stay 2 months, but it was too quiet)

rent in tokyo is relatively cheap. jobs teaching english pay well, travel around japan is a rip off, hotel are expensive, food is cheap, clothes and shoes are cheap...umm... really dont know what you wanna know about!

check out www.tokyonoticeboard.co.jp for general ads for employment,rent etc.

www.gaijinpot.com has tonnes of info for living in japan.

if your just going there for a holiday and plan to travel within japan, its expensive, even at a backpackers.

[Elixir]

i was wondering what the society was like, how the people are and of course the general prices on things. it seems like it would be pretty expensive to hang out there for a while.

[mermaidnz]

expensive?! hell no!!! lol i think thats a bs idea made up by the western world.

a bowl of rice and pork is 300yen...which is what....$2.50 usd? sure, fruit and vegies are expensive at supermarkets $50usd for a watermelon anyone?! lol but eat like a local, in local type places, and you will save a fortune.
if you are a coffee drinker, a coffee in a shop will cost the same as starbucks at home, and a can of coffee from the vending machine will set you back Y120 which is about $0.80 USD?

a CD is Y1800 ish... so $15 usd?

1kg washing powder for clothing is Y425 so thats $3-$4 usd

umm..... rent is super cheap, but super small.

a sony vaio laptop is Y288,000 so about $2000 usd?

i guess it depends how you shop...i found it cheaper then the cost of living here in nz...for most things anyways.


as far as the people of japan....they can be very reserved, and generally do not speak to you unless they have to. but i think this comes down to the fact they are not confidant with english.
tell them your canadian, not american....many older japanese still hold reservations about americans.
kids will talk to you, and teenagers will want to prectice their english.
once you been there awhile, you will pick up the idicrioncies (sp) and head nods....and talking to older generation japanese with a bizaar accent lol.

i have only really been to tokyo....so i am not too sure how the smaller towns work.i imagine it will be even more closed in for the gaijin.

[Elixir]

good stuff!! i didnt think it was tht cheap...

i have always wanted to speak japanese, but im not sure on the best method. any good books or cds you can suggest?