tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158650895373918772024-03-14T12:53:30.688+09:00Surviving in Japan: (without much Japanese)The ultimate, unconventional how-to guide for living in Japan.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04556597200011657748noreply@blogger.comBlogger294125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-10207502006874040752013-12-06T11:37:00.000+09:002013-12-06T11:37:58.272+09:00HOW TO: Make Your Baby Legal in Japan (if You're American)<i>Thanks to Ashley Tieman, mom and former missionary from Okayama, Japan, for this post.</i><br />
<br />
For most new parents, the hardest part about having a newborn is adjusting to a demanding new schedule. But for children of foreign parents in Japan, there's a long process to getting your new little one legally registered with Japan and your home country. Hopefully this guide will help!<br />
<br />
<i>Please note: this guide was written based on the experiences of two American parents in Okayama prefecture and written to give you a general idea of the process. Procedures may vary in different areas, and may be different depending on your nationality, so please double check with your ward office, regional immigration bureau and embassy or consulate.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Also, if you are a mixed-nationality couple, please note the process is different! This guide can give you a general feel for the process but you will need to seek out additional information for your specific circumstances. </i><br />
<br />
In our experience there were three main tasks:<br />
<br />
1. Register with your local ward office or city hall<br />
2. Register with the nearest Regional Immigration Bureau office<br />
3. Apply for your child's passport and other government-issued documents with your home country's embassy<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<h2>
Register with City/Ward Office (in two trips)</h2>
Shortly before you are discharged from your Japanese hospital or midwife clinic, you will be given your child's birth certificate (出生届,しゅっせいとどけ, <i>shusseitodoke</i>). One side will have your child's birth statistics; the other side is for you to fill in with your child's name, parent's names and nationalities, etc. Once completed in Japanese, this form needs to be taken to your local city hall or ward office within two weeks. Make sure to bring along your <i>hanko</i> and your Mother and Child Health Handbook (母子手帳, ぼしてちょう, <i>boshitechou</i>).<br />
<br />
While you're at the ward office, you may also receive information about a midwife or nurse visit to your home (to make sure it's a safe environment for your baby, talk about vaccines and other information and answer any questions you might have), paperwork on how to receive reimbursement for doctor's visits, and paperwork to receive a child allowance according to your prefecture's policies.<br />
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Your/your spouse's workplace may also ask you to submit a certificate of residence (住民票, じゅうみんひょう, <i>jyuuminhyou</i>) in order to add your child to your national health insurance coverage. The form is available at the ward office and mine cost Y300, so you can save yourself a trip if you ask for it at the same time you submit the birth certificate. <br />
<br />
In about a week, you will receive a piece of paper in the mail from the ward office showing that you have successfully registered with them. This paper should be cut out and glued to the inside of your 母子手帳 (<i>Mother and Child Health Handbook</i>). <br />
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If you're American and registering your baby as an American, go back to your ward office and request a certified copy of your child's birth certificate (出生届記載事項証明書, しゅっせいとどけきさいじこうしょうめいしょ, <i>shusseitodoke kisai jiko shoumeisho</i>) to bring with you to a US consulate or embassy. My ward office charged a Y300 fee. Note that you must bring the certified copy from the ward office to the consulate, not the original given to you by the hospital! The one I received had the information from the original copied in minature on blue/purple paper.<br />
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While there, head over to the taxation office or section (税務課, ぜいむか, <i>zeimuka</i>) and get a record of taxes paid (住民税に係る納税証明書, じゅうみんぜいにかかるのうぜいしょうめいしょ, <i>jyuminzei ni kakaru nouzei shoumeisho</i>); you'll need it at the Immigration Bureau.<br />
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<h2>
Register with Immigration Bureau</h2>
If both parents are non-Japanese and you plan to stay longer than 60 days after your child's birth in Japan, the next step is to apply for baby's resident card at the nearest Regional Immigration Bureau branch (a list of the eight regional branches is available here ). You have 30 days from your child's birth to complete the process.<br />
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In addition to forms that the Regional Immigration Bureau office will give you, you will also need to submit:<br />
<ul>
<li>Both parents' passports</li>
<li>Both parents' resident cards</li>
<li>The paper confirming you have completed registering your child's birth with city hall / ward office.</li>
<li>母子手性 (<i>Mother and Child Health Handbook</i>)</li>
<li>住民税に係る納税証明書, which you received from city hall / ward office</li>
<li>A copy of you or your spouse's certificate of employment (在職証明書,ざいしょくしょうめいしょ, <i>zaishokushoumeisho</i>) or a copy of their employment contract (在職証明書, ざいしょくしょうめい, <i>zaishokushoumei</i>), you/you spouse's employer should provide either one.</li>
<li>(Optional) Your baby's passport, if you have it (but you do not need to have it before applying)</li>
</ul>
<br />
Some of the forms the office will give you are bilingual, but at least one of them is only Japanese (and must be completed in Japanese). Also, the Letter of Guarantee (a form given at the Immigration Bureau office) needs to be signed by the head of the household; if that's not you, you may need to go together or be prepared to make a second trip.<br />
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After submitting all the paperwork, your baby's alien registration card should be presented to you at the same visit. When you receive it, you'll need to go back to your ward office and have them certify it there as well (by filling out two forms with your name and address). There is no charge for the certification.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Apply for passport and other foreign government papers</h2>
Finally, the last step is to apply for a passport with your home country's embassy. The following information is for two US citizen parents on how to obtain your baby's passport, social security card, and consular report of birth abroad. Please note that you will need to make an appointment ahead of time (you can schedule electronically at the consulate website) and that mother, father, and baby must appear together in person for the appointment. You will need to bring these forms (available at the consulate website):<br />
<br />
1. Consular Report of Birth application (DS-2029) – completed but <b>NOT signed (you will do this at the embassy in the presence of an official).</b><br />
<br />
2. Passport application (DS-11) – completed but <b>NOT signed</b> (use 000-00-0000 for social security number).<br />
<br />
3. Social Security number application (SS-5) – completed and signed.<br />
<br />
4. Certified copy of your child's birth certificate (出生届け記載事項署名証明書) you received from your ward office in step one (again it must be the certified copy NOT the original document given to you by the hospital, even though the consulate site says “original”!)<br />
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5. English translation of the 出生届け記載事項署名証明書 – a template is available for the translation at the consulate website. You or your spouse can do the translation; you do not have to hire a professional translator.<br />
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6. Parents' marriage certificate (bring the original)<br />
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7. If either parent has been previously married, you also need to bring divorce decree(s) or death certificate(s) for all prior marriages.<br />
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8. If parents were not married at the child's birth, you will need to submit an Affidavit of Parentage, Physical Presence, and Support (DS-5507) that has been completed but <b>NOT signed,</b> evidence of physical presence at time of conception (passport stamps, travel orders, etc.), and proof of your relationship prior to birth (letters, photos, etc.)<br />
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9. Both parents' IDs and proof of citizenship (passport)<br />
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10. Application fee ($205 USD, payable in US dollars, Japanese yen, or by credit card)<br />
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11. Passport photo (2”x2”) of your child against a white background facing the camera with eyes open, mouth closed, and no hands near their face. If you are taking the photo yourself this can be quite the challenge! What worked for us was putting the baby on a white sheet on the ground while one parent held the baby's hands down and the other took photos. The website <a href="http://www.epassportphoto.com/">www.epassportphoto.com</a> is a great resource: upload your photo, follow the guide, and you can save the photo sheet to a USB drive and take it to your nearest photo shop to print.<br />
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12. A self-addressed Letterpack 500 envelope (available at Japan Post offices and most convenience stores for Y500—just ask for a “<i>retta pakku goyaku</i>”)<br />
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13. At the consulate, you'll submit all the paperwork and then swear before a consular officer that the information you provided is true. Once that's done, the consulate will mail your child's passport and consular report of birth abroad (equivalent of a birth certificate) to you in the Letterpack 500. Your child's social security card will come in a few months from the Social Security Administration's headquarters in Baltimore.<br />
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Now what happens if you do your best to gather all this information and paperwork, schlepp it to the consulate, but forget something? If it's your passport, you're out of luck—you can't even gain entry into the consulate without one. But if it's one of the documents listed here or if your photograph isn't approved, the consulate will give you instructions on how to mail the needed materials in (and even give you a pre-addressed envelope to do so). In that case, it'll take a little longer but you'll still receive your child's vital documents once the consulate has received the needed materials.<br />
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<i>Thanks for sharing, Ashley! If you're a parent in Japan of a different nationality and want to share your experience "making your baby legal" in Japan, please <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/p/contact.html" target="_blank">get in touch</a>.</i>DavidThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18086209118861673873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-67490258590322167842013-07-28T14:35:00.001+09:002013-07-28T14:35:37.144+09:00HOW TO: Use An Electronic Japanese Toilet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gCVV66QAN7Y/UfSlp2yP2tI/AAAAAAAAJHQ/OWxsNVVkD9w/s1600/japanesetoilet.png" style="border-style: none;" /></div>
<br />
The high-tech Japanese toilet. That's what so many of you may have heard about Japan.<br />
<br />
While others of you might be wondering why I'm writing this as a how-to. But considering how many blog posts I've seen by people who travel to Japan and inevitably get doused by one of these toilets, I believe a "how-to" is in order.<br />
<br />
My first encounters with these toilets weren't much to speak of, except for the fact that I sometimes spent far too long trying to figure out how to flush, as I assumed if there was a panel with that many buttons, one of them must be the flush button. After desperately pressing them all and being surprised or nearly squirted, I later saw, embarrassed, a normal-looking handle on the back of the toilet itself, just like in the States.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
I found out later that some panels (the square ones, usually) have flush buttons, but more often than not there's a handle or an automatic flush sensor.<br />
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<div>
Sometimes the toilet controls will be labeled in English along with the Japanese, but many of them don't. And the control panels appear in different forms as well, so the functions and icons can vary per model.</div>
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<div>
The basic functions you should be aware of, though, are the bidet and "<i>oshiri</i>" functions--<i>oshiri</i> meaning a wash for your behind. These wash functions can replace toilet paper, although in restrooms with these toilets, toilet paper is provided.</div>
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Some public toilets, such as at certain parks or outside of the ticket gate at a train station, don't have toilet paper, so you should always carry some tissue with you.</blockquote>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
<span style="color: #990000; font-size: large;"><i>Words to Know</i></span></h3>
</div>
<div>
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Japanese</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Hiragana</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">English</span></td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>おしり</td><td>--</td><td>wash for your behind</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>ビデ</td> <td>--</td> <td>bidet</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>やわらか</td> <td>--</td><td>a gentler wash for your behind</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>止</td><td>とまる</td><td>stop</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>停止 </td><td>ていし</td><td>stop</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>水勢</td> <td>すいせい</td> <td>water pressure</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>弱</td> <td>よわい</td><td>weak</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>強</td><td>つよい</td><td>strong</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>音量</td><td>おんりょう</td><td>volume (for the sound)</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>音停止</td><td>おとていし</td> <td>stop sound</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>流す</td><td>ながす</td> <td>flush</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>パワー脱臭</td><td>パワーだっしゅう</td> <td>power deodorizer</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
The image below shows an example of a toilet control panel, which already has the English translations. If you want to play a flushing sound to mask any "noises", per the norm in women's restrooms, press the button with a music note or look for something like </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMskE42B-yU/UfRc0WCk2UI/AAAAAAAAJHA/7X7XMLul2KA/s1600/Jpnetoiletweng.jpg" /></div>
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If you dare to try a refreshing, cleansing spray in lieu of toilet paper, press either おしり, for men or women, or ビデ, for women. Not to be sexist, men, as you can also use the bidet--I'm just not sure you'd want to.<br />
<br />
Before you press either button, make sure you are sitting on the seat. I also highly recommend pressing the minus button or "weak" button (弱) under 水勢 (water pressure), usually on the left side, as far down as it goes. You can adjust the water pressure to your liking later, but I would liken the typical "normal" pressure setting on many models to a Waterpik. Fine for your teeth, not your nether regions.<br />
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To stop the stream or spray, press the 止 button firmly. It's usually a red/orange color or is outlined in that color, in case you forget the kanji.</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/5024060309/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="#4549 simple Washlet by Nemo's great uncle, on Flickr"><img alt="#4549 simple Washlet" height="320" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4151/5024060309_a70c51b3da_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A simple control panel here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/299426411/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="toilet controls #6427 by Nemo's great uncle, on Flickr"><img alt="toilet controls #6427" height="360" src="http://farm1.staticflickr.com/100/299426411_388face9fc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another example of an electronic Japanese toilet's controls.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Some models have a "dry" function to use after your spray, if desired: 乾燥 (かんそう)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="shower toilet controls #1558" height="640" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2750/4556843915_cddc9cbe5d_z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And another example--the flush functions on top as well as buttons for the toilet lid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If, while doing your business, you chose to listen to the soothing sounds of a fake toilet flush, be sure to press 音停止 to turn the sound off. If the sound turned on automatically, it will turn off by itself.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/4749015746/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="#2177 camouflage noisemaker (音姫) by Nemo's great uncle, on Flickr"><img alt="#2177 camouflage noisemaker (音姫)" height="320" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4097/4749015746_18b9078ba4_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You might see this strange-looking box--it's a sensor to automatically play music or a flushing sound.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And now it's time to flush. Sometimes you'll see an automatic sensor. Sometimes a handle. Sometimes a handle with two kanji: 大 and 小. Switch the handle in the direction of 大 for a "big flush" and 小 for a "small flush" (the latter saves water).<br />
<br />
If the buttons are on a square panel, look for 流す (ながす, flush). Or you might come across a push button or a hand sensor, like the one below. Just hold your hand over it until the toilet flushes.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="#2178 flush sensor" height="640" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4094/4748374757_e3d3516923_z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hold your hand over the sensor to flush.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now go use the modern restroom with confidence and behold all the great wonders of the incessantly marveled over, high-tech Japanese toilets.<br />
<br />
*****************<br />
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This post is brought to you by Nihongo Master, an <a href="http://www.nihongomaster.com/?utm_campaign=july2013SiJ&utm_source=SurvivinginJapan&utm_medium=blogpost" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">online Japanese learning site</a>.<br />
<br />
<i>First photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brainwashers/2872255067/" target="_blank">BrainWashers</a> (but edited and text by me), second photo mine and all the others by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/" target="_blank">Nemo's great uncle</a>.</i>Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-57695987017828560212013-07-19T12:50:00.001+09:002013-07-23T02:46:53.671+09:00HOW TO: Find and Call a Taxi in Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img alt="Japan, Japanese, taxi, travel, how to" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4DiB5Gk1HkE/Ueh7oc_jl8I/AAAAAAAAJFI/il0viKJifoU/s1600/taxijapan.png" style="border-style: none;" title="How to find and call a taxi in Japan" /></div>
<br />
If you have lived in Japan without a car, chances are good you've been stuck somewhere before.<br />
<br />
Japan has, for the most part, a useful public transportation system. Bullet trains zoom all over the country. Local trains service even more areas, while buses transport people in both cities and the countryside.<br />
<br />
And yet, sometimes buses aren't accessible. Sometimes the train station is too far. And sometimes you need to go somewhere with luggage or a box or just don't want to brave another downpour.<br />
<br />
You can call a friend and ask for a ride, but if your friend is busy, you'll need an alternative: call a taxi.<br />
<br />
Most city train stations, and even some smaller ones, have taxis sitting outside waiting to take passengers wherever they need to go. But if you want one to pick you up at home, or from another location, you'll need to call for one.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Find a Taxi</span></h2>
<b><br /></b>
There are several ways, but here are four:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>a)</b> Next time you're at the train station nearest your home, check for a phone number on the taxis sitting outside of the station. Make a new contact in your cell phone with this number.<br />
<br />
<b>b)</b> Search for タクシー (<i>takushii</i>) plus your city name online. The results should show a few places you can call.<br />
<br />
<b>c)</b> Search a site such as <a href="http://www.taxitaxi.jp/index.html" target="_blank">taxitaxi.jp</a> or <a href="http://www.taxisite.com/" target="_blank">taxisite.com</a>. The sites are in Japanese, but fairly easy to use. Click on the prefecture you're in. On the page that opens, click on the city. Sometimes you may also need to click on a ward. A list of taxi companies will show up--you can try any of these (and put one or more into your cell phone contacts so you have them handy).<br />
<br />
<b>d)</b> Alternatively, if you're at a place of business, you might be able to request someone there to call a taxi for you. Hotels will do this for you (if you're a guest). Say, "タクシーをよんでください" (<i>takushii o yonde kudasai</i>).<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Call a Taxi</span></h2>
Once you have the taxi number, dial it and when someone answers, say (in Japanese):<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>お迎えに来てもらえますか。</b><br />
おむかえにきてもらえますか。<br />
<i>Omukae ni kite moraemasu ka?</i><br />
Could you come pick me up?</blockquote>
<br />
<a name='more'></a>They should say yes and ask for your address, which might sound something like:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>住所はどこですか。</b><br />
じゅうしょはどこですか。<br />
<i>Juusho wa doko desu ka?</i><br />
What is your address or from where do you want to get picked up?</blockquote>
Tell them your address in Japanese (or the address of where you're at, or a significant place in the area).<br />
<br />
In response, they should say something along the lines of OK and then most likely:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>今からお迎えに来ます。</b><br />
いまからおむかえにきます。<br />
<i>Ima kara omukae ni kimasu.</i><br />
I'm on my way to get you.</blockquote>
They might give you a time estimate as to when they will arrive.<br />
<br />
That's it. The conversation might vary slightly, but you can also say that you don't understand Japanese or don't speak it well, or to repeat something if necessary.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">How to Get Where You're Going</span></h2>
Once you're in the taxi, the driver might ask "どちらへ?" (<i>dochira e?</i>) or "どちらへいきますか?" (<i>dochira e ikimasu ka?)</i><br />
<br />
Tell them (or show them) where you want to go. You can say the name plus "おねがいします" (<i>onegaishimasu</i>).<br />
<br />
If you show them an address, you can say "ここへ行ってください" (<i>koko e itte kudasai).</i><br />
<br />
If the place isn't well-known, they might ask for nearby landmarks or you might need to give some simple directions after they find the neighborhood or general location. Some of the Japanese phrases below might help:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Turn right here, please.</b><br />
ここで右に曲がって下し。<br />
ここでみぎにまがってください。<br />
<i>Koko de migi ni magatte kudasai.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Turn left here, please.</b><br />
ここで左に曲がってくさい。<br />
ここでひだりにまがってください。<br />
<i>Koko de hidari ni magatte kudasai.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Go straight, please.</b><br />
真っすぐ行ってください。<br />
まっすぐいってください。<br />
<i>Massugu itte kudasai.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>It's next to _______.</b><br />
_______の隣にあります。<br />
_______のとなりにあります。<br />
<i>_______no tonari ni arimasu.</i></blockquote>
<b><u>Example:</u></b><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">交番</span>の隣にあります。<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">こうばん</span>のとなりにあります。<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">Kouban</span> no tonari ni arimasu.<br />
<i>It's next to the <span style="color: #cc0000;">police station</span>.</i><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>It's across from _______.</b><br />
_______の向かいにあります。<br />
_______のむかいにあります。<br />
<i>_______ no mukai ni arimasu.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>It's near _______.</b><br />
_______の近くにあります。<br />
_______のちかくにあります。<br />
<i>_______no chikaku ni arimasu.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Here is fine.</b><br />
ここでいいです<br />
<i>Koko de ii desu.</i></blockquote>
<br />
And now, despite the expensive fares, you should be able to get where you're going or do what you need to do.<br />
<br />
**************<br />
<br />
New to Japan and the language? Nihongo Master is a fun new way to <a href="http://www.nihongomaster.com/?utm_campaign=july2013SiJ&utm_source=SurvivinginJapan&utm_medium=blogpost" target="_blank">learn Japanese online</a>--stay motivated by earning points and achievements to compete against yourself or your friends.<br />
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-30133112541529905112013-07-12T03:26:00.000+09:002013-07-23T02:47:19.242+09:00HOW TO: Survive Summer in Japan [24 Resources]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" http:="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fNr0ijmC5ig/Ud74Oi57LbI/AAAAAAAAJDU/CCrlCxFG8hI/s1600/summerinjapanhowto.png" style="border-style: none;" /></div>
<br />
It's July and I'm sure most of you are in the thick of the stick! Sticky humidity that is. Unless you're in Hokkaido. Regardless of where you are, you need to be prepared for what summer brings. Humidity, bugs, bug bites, mold, nasty smells, sunburns, and of course, fun.<br />
<br />
We've got you covered. Read on for more.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Rainy Season / Humidity</h2>
The rainy season is more or less over now in Japan this year, but many of these tips will help you beat the heat and humidity of a Japanese summer.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/06/surviving-rainy-season-in-japan-40-tips.html">40 tips to survive the rainy season in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/40-5-more-ways-to-survive-rainy-season.html" target="_blank">12 more ideas to survive the rainy season</a><br />
<br />
<h2>
Bugs</h2>
The mosquitoes are obnoxious and the roaches are disgusting, so how do you deal with them? Read on below. Plus tips to find medicine for those itchy bites.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/how-to-prevent-and-kill-cockroaches.html">HOW TO: Prevent and kill cockroaches</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/survival-guide-to-mosquito-repellent-in.html">A Survival Guide to Mosquito Repellent in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/how-to-find-anti-itch-insect-bite.html">HOW TO: Find anti-itch, insect bite medicine in Japan</a><br />
<br />
<h2>
Home</h2>
Not sure how to work your air conditioner or dehumidifier? Look no further.<br />
<br />
Also tips on how to deal with the ever-present mold, and why you should check out bamboo charcoal and activated charcoal.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/08/a-guide-to-dehumidifiers-in-japan.html">A Guide to Dehumidifiers in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/use-air-conditioner-japan.html">HOW TO: Use an Air Conditioner in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/08/how-to-use-your-dehumidifier-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Use Your Dehumidifier in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/prevent-and-clean-mold-in-the-bathroom-japan.html">HOW TO: End Your Battle With Mold in the Bathroom</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/6-reasons-you-should-use-bamboo.html">6 Reasons You Should Use Bamboo Charcoal (Takesumi)</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/09/deodorize-and-more-with-activated.html">Deodorize and more with Activated Charcoal</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/how-to-stay-cool-without-air.html">HOW TO: Stay cool without air conditioning: "Cool Air Fan" or 冷風扇</a><br />
<br />
<h2>
Personal and Body Care</h2>
No, most Japanese sunscreens aren't going to whiten your skin. And no, not all Japanese deodorant lacks aluminum, the active ingredient in anti-perspirants. I'm not going to tell anyone what to use--we all know what works best for us--but please inform yourselves. :)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/guide-to-sunscreen-in-japan.html">A Guide to Sunscreen in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/japanese-deodorant-whats-in-it-whats.html">Japanese Deodorant: What's in it, What's the Best, and What You Think</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/07/how-to-find-good-deodorant-in-japan.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Find good deodorant in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/what-is-calorie-off-and-why-should-you.html">What is "Calorie Off" and why should you care?</a><br />
<br />
<h2>
Recreation</h2>
It's summer, so enjoy it! Go swimming, even with a tattoo! Travel around Japan without breaking the bank! Go to the movies! Hike some trails!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/how-to-find-recreational-pool-or-water.html">HOW TO: Find a recreational pool or water park in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/q-swimming-with-tattoo.html">QA: Swimming with a tattoo?</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/how-to-save-money-while-traveling-in.html">HOW TO: Save Money While Traveling in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/7-tips-for-going-to-movies-in-japan.html">7 tips for going to the movies in Japan</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/24-handy-resources-for-traveling-in.html" target="_blank">24 Handy Resources for Traveling in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/12/how-to-customize-your-drinks-at.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Customize your drinks at Starbucks or Tully's in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/08/how-to-find-hiking-trails.html">HOW TO: Find hiking trails in Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/08/how-to-find-outdoor-gear-in-japan.html">how to find outdoor gear in Japan</a><br />
<br />
<br />
What other topics would you like to see covered on how to survive summer in Japan?<br />
<br />
*******<br />
<br />
Thanks to <a href="http://www.nihongomaster.com/?utm_campaign=july2013SiJ&utm_source=SurvivinginJapan&utm_medium=blogpost" target="_blank">Nihongo Master</a> for being SiJ's July sponsor!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.nihongomaster.com/?utm_campaign=july2013SiJ&utm_source=SurvivinginJapan&utm_medium=blogpost" target="_blank">Learn Japanese online</a> and study with your friends using Nihongo Master. I've tried a lot of tools, but I love their unique concept.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-77496160686863539112013-06-30T06:50:00.000+09:002013-06-30T06:50:04.481+09:00Do You Read Surviving in Japan via Google Reader? Read This.To our many, many lovely readers using RSS feed readers, you may or may not already know that Google Reader is shutting down on July 1st. Yes, this coming Monday.<br />
<br />
So if you haven't already migrated your feeds elsewhere, you may want to find a new RSS reader, or at the very least, download your data and subscriptions so you have them safe and sound.<br />
<br />
I recommend checking out Lifehacker's post if you're not sure what's going on or how to download your data: <a href="http://lifehacker.com/final-warning-how-to-prepare-for-mondays-google-reade-614765030" target="_blank">How To Prepare for Monday's Google Reader Shutdown</a><br />
<br />
I'm trying out <a href="http://www.feedly.com/%E2%80%8E" target="_blank">Feedly</a> for now (waiting for Reeder to support it and/or other services), but you can choose from numerous other options.<br />
<br />
And as usual, you can also follow Surviving in Japan via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/survivinginjapan" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/survivingnjapan" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, or Email (in the sidebar to the right under "Follow Surviving in Japan".<br />
<br />
Thank you so much to all of you for subscribing, following, liking, tweeting, sharing and commenting. Thank you for your support, patience and understanding during our transition and personal issues. I appreciate it and I hope we can continue to build up SiJ to be helpful to you all.<br />
<br />
-AshleyAshleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-66204574379622955032013-06-24T04:00:00.000+09:002013-06-24T04:00:02.838+09:00Starting a Business in Japan: Yoyo Market [Interview]<i>Today we're talking with Jason Maitland, President and CEO of <a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/" target="_blank">Yoyo Market</a>, about starting a business in Japan. Yoyo Market is a fantastic online store for "almost anything from Costco, IKEA, organic and health foods and more".</i><br />
<br />
<b> SiJ: Tell us a little about yourself and Yoyo Market. </b><br />
<br />
<b>Jason:</b> I'm originally from Vancouver but have now been living in Japan for over 10 years. Like many, I came here with the intent to go home after one year but 10 years later I am still here, and loving it!<br />
<br />
Yoyo Market is, in my opinion, Japan's number one bilingual online supermarket. It was my answer to the problem of getting the food and goods that you want all in one place. Years ago I used to spend half my Sundays going around to all the supermarkets, shops, and stores in my area just to get the food I wanted to eat. At first I enjoyed the challenge of assembling such a network but it quickly became laborious and way too time consuming. I also came to dread going to Costco on the weekend (waiting 40 minutes for parking is not a good use of my precious free time!). I finally came to the realization that if I wanted to combine all the of the food I wanted, plus a Costco and IKEA delivery service into one, I'd just have to do it myself. Now going on three years, Yoyo Market has evolved into one of the fastest, friendliest and diverse delivery services in the country.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4LBHTcCDuDY/TrPWUdShnMI/AAAAAAAABG0/ogbKEvORc5M/s320/Yoyo+Market+logo.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<br />
<b> SiJ: What were the main obstacles you faced trying to start Yoyo Market? What are the primary obstacles your business faces now? How have you overcome them? </b><br />
<b></b><br />
<a name='more'></a><b>Jason:</b> The biggest hurdle we faced in getting Yoyo Market set up was getting the word out without spending a fortune. We knew that we could knock the socks off everyone if we could just get a chance to serve them but getting that chance proved to be quite difficult.<br />
<br />
We found that the good old fashioned barter system was one of the best ways to get PR. We offered our voice via our site, Facebook and newsletter and in return asked for the same from a variety of blogs, websites etc. and were able to drum up a solid amount of attention. As effective as that strategy has been, the foreign population is constantly turning over so currently our biggest obstacle is continuing to spread the gospel of Yoyo Market and staying fresh in people's minds.<br />
<br />
<b> SiJ: In your experience, how open is Japan to entrepreneurs from abroad wanting to set up shop here? </b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Jason:</b> In my experience it can be a challenge to get a business set up here but it is certainly not impossible. Like everything involving government in Japan there is a ton of red tape. It's takes patience to sift through it all but Japan is definitely somewhere that a foreigner can set up shop (if they don't get arrested for ripping some government office worker's head off first!).<br />
<br />
<b> SiJ: Do you primarily sell Costco products and offer your Ikea service, and if not, how do your source the other products you offer? </b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Jason:</b> Though we are proud to be one of the biggest resellers of Costco goods online in Japan we definitely don't like to be thought of as "that Costco site". Unlike a lot of our competition we sell a massive variety of products that are NOT from Costco. We source products from a wide variety of importers, wholesalers and suppliers to provide our customers with a fantastic selection. Whether it's macaroni and cheese, vegemite, Heinz Beanz or one of our many other comfort foods, or our selection of organic, health food products we try our best to carry a huge variety of what expats living in Japan want and need.<br />
<br />
<b> SiJ: What has been Yoyo Market's greatest success since its inception? </b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Jason:</b> Well firstly, growing from our start in a little house and just two employees to our current warehouse location and five employees is an enormous sense of pride for me. Over the years we've been lucky enough to do charity work, and are especially proud of the food drive we did for Japan Emergency Animal Rescue and Support.<br />
<br />
We also didn't turn tail and run when the earthquake happened two years ago. Together with our friends and our amazing customer community we sent millions of yen worth of food and supplies, and were able to donate over a million yen of our own money as well. I feel an immense sense of pride when I think about how much we were able to help when people needed it most.<br />
<br />
<b> SiJ: What advice would you offer to others considering starting a business in Japan? </b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Jason: </b>The biggest piece of advice I can give is to pick something you feel intensely passionate about. Starting your own business means you'll be doing unspeakable amounts of work, so make sure it's something that you love.<br />
<br />
For me, providing people with the food they want and love is deeply satisfying so I think nothing of putting in the hours it takes to get the job done right. If you are the owner of a business you can never really get away from work so make sure what you do is something you love and you'll find a way to make it a success.<br />
<br />
**************<br />
<br />
Thanks so much, Jason! To check out Yoyo Market's selection for yourself, visit <a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/" target="_blank">here</a>.DavidThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18086209118861673873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-85691638052946329392013-06-22T03:53:00.003+09:002013-06-22T03:53:40.850+09:00Moving to Japan This Summer? 31 Posts to Help You Prepare<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img alt="moving to Japan, packing for Japan, Mt. Fuji, Fujisan" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T6CODVELXCE/UcSeVxx0ZTI/AAAAAAAAIa8/1Wt2kLrOZ2Y/s1600/movingtojapan2013.png" style="border-style: none;" title="Moving to Japan? 31 Posts to Help You Prepare" /></div>
<br />
<br />
Summer is almost here and if you're part of the JET Program, you're likely preparing and trying to figure out what to bring and what to expect when you arrive. While there are a lot advice-givers out there (forums in particular), I'd strongly suggest that you take what is said with a grain of salt. Usually the advice you hear is limited to that person's particular experience.<br />
<br />
Prior to arriving in Japan, I heard a lot about what Japan <i>didn't have</i>, only to later find out most of that wasn't true. It may have been true for the person who told me, but that depends on where they were/are living, what their situation is, how much Japanese they know/speak/read, what they do in their free time, who they associate with, etc.<br />
<br />
Japan also changes quickly in different ways and so you might be surprised that there are more options of whatever than your predecessor or someone else might have known about.<br />
<br />
Some people are more knowledgeable in certain areas, especially if they've gone through certain experiences themselves. Stay as open-minded as possible. And I strongly encourage you to seek out truth for yourself. Someone might state something as fact, but they may not know otherwise--it's a fact to them, but not necessarily to Japan.<br />
<br />
Not just expats, but plenty of Japanese people might not even know, depending on the topic. For example, I tried for months to find a farmer's market in my first city, and no one (expats, Japanese) seemed to know about any or how to go about finding them. Some of my coworkers insisted that there weren't any around. But I happened upon one while out exploring on my bike a few months later, and then learned, on my own, <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/08/how-to-find-farmers-market-in-japan.html" target="_blank">how to find them</a>.<br />
<br />
So, keep an open mind and explore Japan for yourself. Ask questions, always. Be gracious when advice is offered--and please don't hesitate to ask for it!--but keep in mind that you might find it to be different down the road.<br />
<br />
<br />
With that said, here are some posts to help with your preparations (regardless of how or why you're moving to Japan):<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/packing-for-japan-q.html" target="_blank">What to Pack for Japan</a> -- A comprehensive list, which includes many of the links below in each relevant section. Please read this before packing or deciding what to bring or leave behind. You can find more posts in the "<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/p/how-to-guides.html" target="_blank">how-tos</a>" link above.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/packing-for-japan-q.html" target="_blank"><img alt="moving to Japan, packing for Japan" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bIUGOz-6izI/ThayRmZz1MI/AAAAAAAAAKk/hAf_gENj_M4/s1600/packinglist.jpg" title="What to pack for Japan" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Personal Care</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/07/how-to-find-good-deodorant-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Find (good) deodorant in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/japanese-deodorant-whats-in-it-whats.html">Japanese Deodorant: What's in it, What best, and What you think</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/06/how-to-find-haircare-you-need.html">HOW TO: Find the haircare you need</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/08/help-for-curly-hair-in-japan.html">Help for Curly Hair in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/how-to-find-hair-salon-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Find a hair salon in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/07/how-to-find-ibuprofen-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Find ibuprofen in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/01/how-to-find-tylenol-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Find Tylenol in Japan</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/02/contraception-in-japan-getting-iud.html">Contraception in Japan: Getting an IUD</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/12/guide-to-birth-control-pills-in-japan.html">A guide to birth control pills in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/contraception-in-japan-condoms-iuds-and.html">Contraception in Japan: Condoms, IUDs and Calendar-based methods</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/contraception-in-japan-condoms-iuds-and.html" target="_blank"><img alt="condoms, contraception, IUDs, calendar, Japanese, Japan" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vP0u4nakYfA/Tg2LXj3s7_I/AAAAAAAAAHg/iudAn8tXehg/s1600/contraception1.jpg" title="contraception in Japan" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/09/guide-to-sanitary-napkins-in-japan.html">A guide to sanitary napkins in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/09/guide-to-tampons-in-japan.html">A guide to tampons in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/10/from-sempai-how-to-find-skincare.html">how to find skincare in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/guide-to-toothpaste-in-japan.html">A Guide to Toothpaste in Japan</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/guide-to-toothpaste-in-japan.html" target="_blank"><img alt="toothpaste, Japan, Japanese" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6QVi5LI5Vrw/Tik8a-ZPPYI/AAAAAAAAAOc/H9iQkxg3qR8/s1600/toothpaste-6.jpg" title="toothpaste in Japan" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/07/allergies-in-japan-how-to-deal.html">HOW TO: Deal with allergies (rhinitis) in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/guide-to-sunscreen-in-japan.html">A Guide to Sunscreen in Japan</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/guide-to-sunscreen-in-japan.html" target="_blank"><img alt="sunscreen, Japan, Japanese" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-njDGP4dQOBw/TgR_jFRJi3I/AAAAAAAAAHM/a9jgXEcJnkY/s1600/sunscreen-2.jpg" title="sunscreen in Japan" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Food</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/03/vitamans-supplements.html">Where to find vitamins & supplements</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/allergy-friendly-food-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Find Allergy-Friendly Food in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/04/ultimate-guide-to-reading-food-labels.html">The Ultimate Guide to Reading Food Labels in Japan</a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/04/ultimate-guide-to-reading-food-labels.html" target="_blank"><img alt="food, Japan, Japanese, food labels" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F5HD0wyaEsQ/T4Q0iyKwoCI/AAAAAAAAD8s/psIxYUlMEyg/s1600/foodlabelhdr.jpg" title="A guide to reading food labels in Japan" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Clothes/Gear</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/06/where-to-find-tall-and-plus-size.html">Where to Find Tall and Plus Size Clothing in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/08/how-to-find-outdoor-gear-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Find outdoor gear in Japan </a></li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Transportation</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/09/how-to-look-up-train-times-in-english.html">how to look up train times (in English)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/07/how-to-survive-without-car-in-japan.html">HOW TO: Survive without a car in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/09/about-cycling-and-biking-in-japan.html">About Cycling and Biking in Japan</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Home</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/11/guide-to-laundry-detergent-in-japan.html">A Guide to Laundry Detergent in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/survival-guide-to-mosquito-repellent-in.html">A Survival Guide to Mosquito Repellent in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/how-to-find-anti-itch-insect-bite.html">HOW TO: Find anti-itch, insect bite medicine in Japan</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/use-air-conditioner-japan.html">HOW TO: Use an Air Conditioner in Japan</a></li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Computer</span></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/05/how-to-find-laptop-with-english.html">HOW TO: Find a laptop with an English keyboard</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/08/more-resources-to-find-laptop-with.html">More Resources to Find a Laptop with an English Keyboard</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For more how-tos and information about living in Japan, see the <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/p/how-to-guides.html" target="_blank">"how-tos" page</a> above.<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-14548102542204350722013-06-14T03:47:00.001+09:002013-06-14T03:47:05.232+09:0024 Places to Find Infant and Children's Toys in Japan<img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EaeIT0qk660/UboRQNhXISI/AAAAAAAAIYs/AlQ1TNnklRU/s1600/toysjapan.png" style="border-style: none; text-align: center;" /><br />
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<i><br />
</i> <i>Big thanks to Ashley Tieman for putting together this very useful post and to Annamarie for her contributions!<o:p></o:p></i><br />
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Just had a baby in Japan? Have small children? And looking for a few toys for them to play with? You may already have found some at nearby stores, but it is possible to find a range of quality, cute, safe, and educational kids' toys in Japan. And keep in mind that toy is おもちゃ (<i>omocha</i>) in Japanese. If you know of any others, please leave a comment below!<br />
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<h2>
<b>New Toy Stores</b></h2>
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<b>Don Quixote (ドンキー)</b><br />
This nationwide chain is a foreigner's paradise. Once you've filled your cart with hard-to-find food items, head over to the massive games and toys section. Aisle after aisle is filled with puzzles, board games, collectibles, models, and more, often imported from overseas but with a reasonable price tag. The store also has a lot of "adult goods" nearby, so unless you are prepared for a potentially awkward question from your child, this might be a parents-only expedition. <i>Available items may vary by store and region.</i><br />
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<b>Home Centers (ホームセンター)</b><br />
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Japan's unique blend of hardware store+furniture store+pet goods+everyday life stores, called home centers (ホームセンター), can be an excellent, if surprising, place to find toys, especially for young children or children who like crafts/hobbies. Some examples in my area are Namba Home Center (ナンバホームセンター), Time (タイム) and Nafco (ナフコ). <a href="http://www.cainz.co.jp/" target="_blank">Cainz</a> has stores around the country. Feel free to list your local home center in the comments (and location).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><a href="http://www2.toysrus.co.jp/store/en/?mail_id=toyt" target="_blank">Toys R Us & Babies R Us</a></b><br />
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A typical place to find a large variety of toys is a children's store. Toys R Us and Babies R Us have been in Japan for years, but there are plenty of domestic companies as well. These stores are especially good for finding educational toys (like if you want to teach your kids hiragana or find books with animal names in Japanese).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.toysrus.co.jp/product/product_detail.aspx?tab_id=c01&category_tree=4&product_order=5&top_id=001&screen_id=1&category_id=74479315-A491-44F8-BD42-9B4547822E66&ext=0&c_id1=41E5D2ED-4C56-416A-87A4-22C97C62BC47&type_id=001&skn=327564&pin=700&mail_id=thomasfponetim1" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dcjchRdczew/Ua5F1NUI2kI/AAAAAAAAIXo/iiQUQ7pvF-E/s400/327564700A.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.toysrus.co.jp/product/product_detail.aspx?tab_id=c01&category_tree=4&product_order=5&top_id=001&screen_id=1&category_id=74479315-A491-44F8-BD42-9B4547822E66&ext=0&c_id1=41E5D2ED-4C56-416A-87A4-22C97C62BC47&type_id=001&skn=327564&pin=700&mail_id=thomasfponetim1" target="_blank">Thomas Train Set from Toys R Us</a></td></tr>
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<b><a href="http://www.24028.jp/">Nishimatsuya</a> (西松屋) </b><br />
Nishimatsuya can be found nearly everywhere around Japan and carries all sorts of things for infants, from beds and highchairs to clothing to bottles and diapers, but they have plenty for big brother and big sister, too, like dolls, action figures, plastic food and books. </div>
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<b><a href="http://www.shimamura.gr.jp/shop/index.php" target="_blank">Birthday</a> (バースデー)</b> has a large selection, although not as widespread as Nishimatsuya, plus clothing for elementary school kids and all the accessories for entering preschool. </div>
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<b><a href="http://www.akachan.jp/store/index.html">Akachan Honpo</a> (赤ちゃん本舗)</b> is one of the go-to baby stores in Japan. They have a selection of infant and toddler toys.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.bornelund.co.jp/shop/index.html">Bornelund</a> (ボーネルンド)</b> has toys from all over the world and for kids of all ages, including lots of wooden toys. Also has an <a href="http://www.bornelund.co.jp/ec/" target="_blank">online shop</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.bornelund.co.jp/ec/detail.php?id=4032" target="_blank"><img alt="vegetable set, wood toys, baby toys, Japan toys" border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cifA9g0xNS0/UaOy8zoRvVI/AAAAAAAAIWk/AZ1y8PhOi0M/s400/veggiesetbourneland.jpg" title="Wood Vegetable Set from Bornelund" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bornelund.co.jp/ec/detail.php?id=4032" target="_blank">Wood Vegetable Set from Bornelund</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><a href="http://www.nikitiki.co.jp/shoplist/index.html">NikiTiki</a> (ニキティキ)</b> a nationwide chain that specializes in toys from Europe.</div>
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<b>Zakkaya (雑貨屋)</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Have you ever been to a <i>zakkaya</i>? These "miscellaneous goods" stores (usually sporting a rather random English moniker, like Bulldog) are some of my favorite shopping places in Japan. In addition to the cute dishes and adorable accessories, many carry trendy children's toys as well (particularly for young children). Some of the ones I've been to have wooden or plastic blocks, pretend food sets, wooden trains and cars, and all sorts of plushies for sale.<br />
<br />
<b>Department stores</b><br />
Most department stores have a baby and children's section, or floor, often with toy stores or stores that sell some toys. This is one of the easier ways to find imported toys, or toys made of wood, BPA-free, etc.<br />
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<b>Tokyu Hands and Loft</b> also carry some toys and stuffed animals, depending on the store.<br />
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<b>Muji</b> sells some toys, although I've seen more <a href="http://www.muji.net/store/cmdty/section/S10118" target="_blank">online</a> than in their stores (probably varies by location).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.muji.net/store/cmdty/detail/4934761088761?searchno=4" target="_blank"><img alt="wood toys, Japan toys, baby toys, kid toys, Japanese toys" border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4L7aMdrIXU/UaOxfTegWlI/AAAAAAAAIV8/nZgA9FJ7tHo/s400/mujiteaset.jpg" title="Wood tea set from Muji" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.muji.net/store/cmdty/detail/4934761088761?searchno=4" target="_blank">Wood tea set from Muji</a></td></tr>
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You can also search for smaller, independently-owned toy shops (or smaller chains) by searching for <b>おもちゃ屋</b> in Google Maps in your desired location (although keep in mind that sometimes this results in shops that primarily sell anime/manga figurines, rather than infant/children's toys). You can find some cute little toy shops this way, though.</div>
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<b>IKEA</b> sells children's toys,if you <a href="http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_JP/ikny_splash.html" target="_blank">live close to enough to one</a> (<a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/" target="_blank">Yoyo Market</a> also offers an Ikea shopping service).<br />
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<b>Online Stores</b></h2>
<b>Import Stores</b> are focused primarily on imported food, but sometimes they also have a small selection of toys, books, or activities, too—and usually in a random area of the store. It's the kind of thing you can only find by exploring. <br />
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<b>The Foreign Buyer's Club</b></div>
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They have an incredible selection of children's goods under their Learning Center. Although they are primarily provided as English-teaching supplies, English-speaking parents can easily find activities, games, or media entertainment for their kids here. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&field-keywords=%E3%81%8A%E3%82%82%E3%81%A1%E3%82%83&linkCode=ur2&tag=si08-22&url=search-alias%3Daps" target="_blank">Amazon Japan</a></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Amazon Japan is an amazing resource for foreign parents. They have an entire section devoted to toys you can browse for them by category or age (and that's in addition to all the books, movies, and foreign import video games!). But what really sells me on Amazon Japan is they often have the same toys as Babies R Us or similar but for a better price. Plus, I like the fast domestic delivery and the COD/ATM payment service (both are better for parents like me who want to keep the credit card balance reserved for trips home).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B000I8SMZE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B000I8SMZE&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" target="_blank"><img alt="toys in Japan, baby toys, children toys, wood toys" border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cXAal7XfPoM/UaOwZcZYTOI/AAAAAAAAIV0/ECGPnc28A9c/s400/gater.jpg" title="Plan Toys Dancing Alligator from Amazon Japan" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B000I8SMZE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B000I8SMZE&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" target="_blank">Play Toys Dancing Alligator from Amazon Japan</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.etsy.com/"><b>Etsy</b></a></div>
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Etsy has a number of Japan-based sellers offering handmade toys and it has an English interface. Just scroll down the left toolbar and click on "shop local" and then enter "Japan."</div>
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<a href="http://www.crayonhouse.co.jp/shop/c/c20"><b>Crayon House Omocha Town </b></a></div>
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The interface is only in Japanese, but they have a large selection of sustainable, safe toys. They also have children's art supplies (beeswax crayons, clay, paints, etc.).</div>
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<b><a href="http://global.rakuten.com/en/">Rakuten</a> </b></div>
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Rakuten has a global site where the interface is in English, however many of the product descriptions are machine-translated and aren't easy to understand.</div>
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<h2>
<b>Used Toy Stores</b></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another idea is to check your local used goods stores or recycle shop. I've been surprised to see that most things for sale are in near mint condition even if the price tag suggests otherwise. Of course it's impossible to know exactly what's for sale in these sorts of stores, most of the ones I've been to generally have a baby section, figurines/anime goods, and books that are occasionally in a foreign language. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><a href="http://www.hardoff.co.jp/kensaku.php">Off House</a></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Usually has a huge selection of very cheap toys. In the shop finder, you have to click オフハウス and then select your prefecture from the drop down menu.</o:p></div>
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Tokyo Freecycle<br />
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<b>DIY</b></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you want to be really thrifty (not to mention eco-friendly!), you can always try making toys yourself. The internet is full of inspirational (or should I say, Pin-sperational?) sites and blogs. Being a pretty crafty mama, I was really interested in making toys for my 6-month-old son so I spent hours browsing ideas on Pinterest. I got discouraged by the lack of common American recyclable items (like milk jugs and foam egg cartons) and gave up on the idea until I visited a Japanese friend's home. She had made all sorts of toys for her two daughters using PET bottles, bottle caps, beads, and cheap containers/bottles from Daiso. That inspired me to give it another try and now my son has more homemade goods than store-bought ones! There are even more possibilities for mamas (and papas!) who know their way around a sewing machine. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
<b>Other Moms</b></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, don't be afraid to talk to other moms, especially Japanese mom friends. If you live in an area with a lot of foreigners, you'll have an even easier time with it since there are likely lots of foreign moms nearby who can tell you where to look in your neighborhood (or maybe even hand things down to you).<br />
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I live in a very small town in a rural prefecture, so most of my mama friends are Japanese. However, I am happy to say that they have always been extremely helpful to me in answering questions, giving directions to nearby stores, and even giving me things on extended loan that their kids have outgrown! If you can work up the courage to ask, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Then there are “sayonara sales” where foreign families are trying to sell their goods before leaving Japan. This can be a real bargain to you if you are persistent in looking. GaijinPot.com is a great place to start, as is <a href="http://www.tellandselljapan.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Tell and Sell Japan</a>.<br />
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<h2>
<b>Visit the Local Children's Play Hall (児童館)</b></h2>
Finally, my best suggestion is to give up on buying toys for kids altogether as they get tired of them so soon and head to the local children's play hall, or <i>jidoukan</i> (児童館). Most cities in Japan have these buildings, where kids in the neighbourhood can come and play. They're full of toys, have staff to supervise (although you usually can't leave your kids there alone; some places do offer short-term childcare services), and there are usually other kids there for your kids to play with.<br />
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<b>To find the closest Play Hall:</b><br />
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<b>1.</b> Go to Google Maps (or map of choice) and enter your current location.<br />
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<b>2.</b> Click "find directions to" and enter 児童館. That should show your nearest location.<br />
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Or, search for your neighborhood/town/city name and "児童館".<br />
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Or do it the old fashioned way--call your ward/city office and ask!<br />
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Are you a parent/guardian in Japan, too? Do you have any additional ideas we should add to this list?<br />
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<i>Ashley Tieman (<span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: navy;">kalligraphia@gmail.com</span></span>) is a mom and missionary in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->DavidThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18086209118861673873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-4598553624117542452013-05-25T04:43:00.001+09:002013-05-25T04:43:24.429+09:00What I Miss (and Don't Miss) About Living in Japan<div class="noborderdv" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Having been back in the States for <strike>just over two months now </strike>nearly four months now<strike>,</strike> I've thought quite a bit about what I miss and don't miss about life in Japan as I attempt to overcome reverse culture shock and settle in here. I'll be honest, though--I feel like an expat in my own country. I'm still overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices, the variety of languages I hear when out and about, the inundation of a language I understand perfectly but hadn't heard much of for nearly five years.<br />
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And I'm missing Japan in a fierce way right now. We made the right decision, despite the fact we're still looking for jobs/source of income (but a blessing in disguise that David has been able to help with the toddler so I can try to rest and recover) and that my health took a turn for the worse with the culmination of a year and a half of stress, postpartum emotional/mental issues and a huge transition. I'm trying to take it one day at a time now, maybe accomplish one or two things if that includes doing some laundry and planning dinner, and not pine so much for the positive things about Japan that I miss.<br />
<br />
But seriously, what I wouldn't give for a <i>sento</i> or <i>onsen</i> right now...<br />
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This list is, of course, subjective to me and if you're new to Japan or haven't yet visited, please don't assume these things are true of all expats. I've been adding things here and there since just before we left as they come to mind, so these aren't in any particular order, but I've numbered them for ease of reading.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> What I Miss</span></h2>
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<b>1. Gorgeous landscapes</b><br />
Mountains, cliffs, ocean, forests of all types. <i>(We have these in Washington/US, too, and I love them just as much, but they just look a little bit different.)</i><br />
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<img 640="" border="0" height="416" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4kdM6fRsCis/UZ-49q_lelI/AAAAAAAAIVI/scazbYijRK4/s640/fireworksfestival.jpg width=" /></div>
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<b>2. Seasonal flavors</b> (candy, drinks, etc.)<br />
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<b>3. Muji </b><br />
Although the US <i>does</i> have some stores, and has online shopping. :)<br />
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<b>4. Stores like Tokyu Hands and Loft</b><br />
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<b>5. Expressway Service Areas</b><br />
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<img alt="shin-tomei, expressway, Japan, service area" area="" border="0" expressway="" height="428" in="" japan="" service="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cRrXWGZ7HgM/UZ-1_UDjEAI/AAAAAAAAIU8/4DGav3VYuc0/s640/fireworksfestival.jpg title=" width="640" /></div>
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<b>6. Onsen and sento</b><br />
Stress relief at its finest.<br />
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<b>7. Convenience stores</b><br />
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<b>8. Trains</b><br />
Don't really have them in my area of the States -- at least not the same.<br />
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<b>9. Japanese curry</b><br />
There are some Asian stores around to get curry roux, but it was nice to get yummy stuff easily. I haven't had the energy yet to make it from scratch. One day soon, I hope...<br />
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<b>10. Okonomiyaki</b><br />
At the little family-owned place we'd always get it from. Best I've ever had in Japan.<br />
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<b>11. Freshness Burger</b><br />
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<b>12. Cheap, but usually good, electronics</b><br />
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<b>13. Yakiniku</b><br />
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<b>14. Shizuoka green tea</b><br />
It's possible to get in the States, but a bit more difficult and costs a little more. And all those tea fields...<br />
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<b>15. Vending machines everywhere</b><br />
Although I tried to always carry a water bottle with me, it was still a lifesaver at times.<br />
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<b>16. Kappa-zushi</b><br />
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<b>17. Soft cream at tourist trap areas</b><br />
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<b>18. The Izu peninsula</b><br />
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<b>19. Hanging my clothes outside to dry</b> without the neighbors or landlord complaining. And the smell of sun-dried clothes. And in case you're wondering, here's how to find out <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/03/how-to-find-out-how-fast-your-laundry.html" target="_blank">how fast your laundry will dry</a>.<br />
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<b>20. Child payments</b><br />
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<b>21. Greater use of bicycles and public transportation</b> <i>(this varies in the US depending on where you are)</i><br />
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<b>22. Hanami</b><br />
I know the UW has sakura trees, so do a lot of places in Washington, but it's not. the. same. Not even close. It's like trying to do all the seasonal Fall, cozy things of the US in Japan... would be weird. Also read: h<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/03/how-to-find-good-hanami-spot-cherry.html" target="_blank">ow to find a good hanami spot in Japan</a>.<br />
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<b><br />
</b> <b>23. Fireworks Festivals</b><br />
Different from the 4th of July. Summer is coming... <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/07/how-to-find-fireworks-festival-this.html" target="_blank">how to find a fireworks festival this summer</a>.<br />
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<img border-style:none="" border="0" height="418" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O-ReJ_Ns5fo/UZ-xC-7WmgI/AAAAAAAAIUc/uNZ7f4eleVs/s640/fireworksfestival.jpg style=" width="640" /></div>
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</div>
<b>24. Winter Illuminations</b><br />
A bit different from people outfitting their houses in Christmas/Holiday lights. I like both.<br />
<br />
<div class="noborderdv" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="428" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlw1O_xhbm0/Tv21ol4Xo8I/AAAAAAAACDI/2OGl3BTgVlQ/s640/DSC_0773.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<br />
<b>25. Nursing rooms all over the place and child-friendly areas.</b><br />
<br />
<b>26. Hardwood floors</b> being more common in apartments.<br />
<i>(This may be more of a local thing.)</i><br />
<br />
<b>27. Warm (hot) summers </b><br />
The humidity usually didn't bother me much--except when I was nine months pregnant...<br />
<br />
<b>28. The attentiveness to seasons </b><br />
I love them before as we had four seasons where I'm from, but being in Japan made me appreciate them more.<br />
<br />
<b>29. Incredibly fast shipping</b><br />
Shipping is SO SLOW in the States. Yes, I do realize the country is much larger than Japan... but even in the same state it sometimes takes longer than it usually does in Japan. Maybe that's different if you live in a smaller state.<br />
<br />
<b>30. The fact that strangers often offer rides or help when out and about.</b><br />
<br />
<b>31.</b> Who am I kidding? The <b>electronic toilets</b>.<br />
Not that I was that attached to them.<br />
<br />
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</div>
<b>32</b>. <b>Seeing Fuji-san</b> all the time<br />
Now I see Mt. Baker all the time, which is nice in its own way. But I miss Fuji-san.<br />
<br />
<div class="noborderdv" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img alt="fuji, Japan, fujisan, mount fuji" border-style:none="" border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mmhucXmSwpw/UZ-0k4ojZHI/AAAAAAAAIUo/-jqVqjUAs40/s640/fireworksfestival.jpg style=" title="Mt. Fuji" width="640" /></div>
<br />
<b>33</b>. That it's <b>culturally acceptable to like cutesy things</b> (even for guys)<br />
<br />
<b>34. Having regular adventures</b><br />
<br />
<b>35. Thunderstorms</b><br />
We don't have them often in western Washington.<br />
<br />
<b>36. Komatsuna, daikon, kabocha, and other Japan-specific produce</b><br />
They have these at Asian markets usually, but we're not currently in Seattle so more difficult to get.<br />
<br />
<b>37. The community</b><br />
Both expats (not the jaded ones) and Japanese. It's not easy trying to fit back into a community here -- you feel like you should just somehow "fit" automatically, but I sure don't feel that way at all.<br />
<br />
<b>38. Festival food</b><br />
<div class="noborderdv" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img alt="yakisoba, festival food, Japan" border="0" height="428" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLQTHHWHz44/UZ-1LORgCFI/AAAAAAAAIUw/rGR1P8Dxeyw/s640/fireworksfestival.jpg style=" title="yakisoba at a festival in Japan" width="640" /></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>39. Greeting cards</b><br />
<br />
<b>40. Takesumi (bamboo charcoal)</b><br />
Can get it here at a few places, albeit it's much more expensive. Here are <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/06/6-reasons-you-should-use-bamboo.html" target="_blank">six reasons you should use bamboo charcoal</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>41.</b> <b>The health insurance system</b>, because in the US it (still) sucks.<br />
<br />
<b>42. Sunny Shizuoka winters</b><br />
Gosh, I grew up with this constant gray and drizzle, but now it's just depressing. Probably because I'm also struggling with depression and anxiety.<br />
<br />
<b>43. High school festivals</b><br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"> What I don't miss</span></h2>
<br />
<b>1. Lack of social acceptance to eat or drink while walking.</b><br />
<br />
<b>2. Crazy drivers almost killing me</b> on a regular basis (whether driving, biking or walking).<br />
<br />
<b>3. Fake polite</b><br />
<br />
<b>4. Lack of cheap, delicious pizza </b><br />
But that said, there are places to get yummy pizza in Japan, just not always around where I was. And I stopped eating wheat once I got back to the US anyway.<br />
<br />
<b>5. Peer pressure to wear a mask</b> when I was sick.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Doctors and dentists</b><br />
<br />
<b>7.</b> The <b>annoying background music</b> played in grocery stores, drugstores, etc.<br />
<br />
<b>8. Cockroaches</b><br />
<br />
<b>9. Giant bugs in general</b><br />
<br />
<b>10. Drafty apartments and lack of insulation</b><br />
<br />
<b>11. Tatami</b><br />
Although sometimes I miss having it around.<br />
<br />
<b>12. Aircon</b><br />
<br />
<b>13. Smoking</b><br />
Including all the smoking restaurants and combined smoking/non-smoking places. And difficulty getting non-smoking rooms (on non-smoking floors, that weren't smoked in previously but just sprayed with air freshener before arriving). Also read: <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/01/how-to-find-non-smoking-restaurant-in.html" target="_blank">how to find a non-smoking restaurant in Japan</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>14. Shipping some things from abroad to Japan</b><br />
<br />
<b>15. Fake Christmas tree</b><br />
<br />
<b>16. The rainy season</b><br />
<br />
<b>17. Carrying an umbrella everywhere</b><br />
<br />
<b>18. Standing out</b><br />
<br />
<b>19.</b> <b>More expensive/difficult to get healthy/organic food</b><br />
Let me emphasize that it's not impossible, but it can be more difficult or expensive at times. I highly recommend <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/08/how-to-find-farmers-market-in-japan.html" target="_blank">farmer's markets</a>!<br />
<br />
<b>20</b>. <b>People cutting in line, throwing bags in front of me on trains to reserve a seat, people shoving others out of the way when getting off a train, people not moving in elevators that are priority for handicapped folks and those with baby strollers,</b> etc.<br />
These are often exceptions, but I feel like whenever I went out the past few years I had just as many negative experiences as positive ones. And I've heard from other expats who have stayed in Japan longer than one or two years who have experienced similar. This is one reason why I don't believe Japanese "are the most polite" or anything like that. There are exceptionally polite/helpful people in Japan, many who have gone out of their way to help me, but for every good experience there has been a bad one.<br />
<br />
<b>21. Small freezer</b><br />
Though it is possible to fix this situation.<br />
<br />
<b>22. Small kitchen cooking space</b><br />
<br />
<b>23. Not being able to use certain websites or order from them</b>, especially without being charged more (yes, I should have set up a VPN long ago...)<br />
<br />
<b>24. Old men peeing in public</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>25. Jaded expats</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>26. People falling asleep on me on the train</b><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>27. Logistics. Red tape. </b>Must-fill-out-thirty-forms-before-we-can-do-this way of thinking/doing.<br />
<br />
<b>28. Narrow streets</b><br />
Can you say, "near death experience"?<br />
<br />
<b>29. Crazy winter winds in Shizuoka</b> that blow clothes and futon away regularly. <i>(I recommend not only clipping futon, but tying it down as well.)</i><br />
<b><br />
</b> <b><br />
</b><br />
Your turn. What would you miss, or not miss, if you left Japan? Or if you've lived in Japan in the past, what do you miss or not miss about it?<br />
<br />
<br />
************************<br />
<br />
I want to say a special thank you to our sponsor, <a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/" target="_blank">Yoyo Market</a>. They provide online Costco delivery services and also Ikea shopping services. Read <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/11/costco-ikea-and-more-from-yoyo-market.html" target="_blank">this post</a> for more, and please <a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/" target="_blank">check them out</a> if you haven't already!<br />
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-83428235199192706512013-03-13T07:31:00.003+09:002013-03-13T07:31:31.629+09:003 Things for SpringSpring is upon us, more or less, and soon (if not already, wherever you might be) the <i>sakura</i> will be showing off their bright petals. And unfortunately, spring also means hay fever for many of us, and the obnoxious "yellow sand" (which I've heard has been particularly bad in places there recently). The posts below might help you find ways to help your poor sinuses, how to find a nice place to do <i>hanami</i>, and what you should know about yellow sand (and how to deal with it).<br />
<br />
Happy Spring!<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/15-ways-to-survive-hay-fever-season-in.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>15 Ways to Survive Hay Fever Season</b></span></a><br />
Some of these are ideas you're likely already familiar with, but some might surprise you.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/15-ways-to-survive-hay-fever-season-in.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dpG4sVwm04I/T2yFwkjb_VI/AAAAAAAADZs/5r4YrPQVvyQ/s1600/hayfeverjapan.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And you might also want to check out <a href="http://www.blogger.com/HOW%20TO:%20Find%20pollen%20counts%20in%20Japan" target="_blank">HOW TO: Find Pollen Counts in Japan</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/yellow-sand-in-japan-how-does-it-affect.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yellow Sand in Japan - How does it affect you?</b></span></a><br />
It dirties your laundry and can affect those with allergies or lung conditions, among other things. I've explained why you should know about it, how to check levels where you are (in English), and how you can protect yourself.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/05/yellow-sand-in-japan-how-does-it-affect.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vistxBmDPlg/TflqmivSmAI/AAAAAAAAAEM/H2HvFkE2ti0/s640/JMA+dust+predict.png" width="516" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/03/how-to-find-good-hanami-spot-cherry.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Find a good hanami spot (cherry blossom viewing)</a></b></span><br />
It's well worth it to find the less crowded spots -- and of course you can also find beautiful places just by exploring the area where you live (recommended!), but you can look up spots to check out (in Japanese). Here's how to do that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/03/how-to-find-good-hanami-spot-cherry.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aZKMmkTWaM4/TflqnVoUBNI/AAAAAAAAAEg/zMR7SOUkQLk/s640/DSC_0037.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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*********Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-24627017793454259612013-03-11T09:27:00.000+09:002013-03-11T09:27:03.572+09:00HOW TO: Prepare for an Earthquake in Japan<i>It's still March 10 here in the States, but it's March 11 now in Japan. I hope we can all take a moment to remember those who have been affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster and also support and help those still going through difficulties in any small way we can. Although my family has been going through a lot this past year, I feel it fades in comparison, and my mind sometimes goes back to that day and following weeks. It's not something I can forget. And my <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/thinking-back-on-march-11.html" target="_blank">post last year at this time</a> says it all really. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I do want to share today's guest post with you from <a href="http://www.wanavi.org/" target="_blank">WaNavi Japan</a>. If you're living in Japan or planning to move there at any time in the future, I recommend preparing yourself (and family, if applicable) as much as possible. Have an emergency kit. Stock some dry food and lots of water. Know where to get information, especially if you don't understand Japanese, so you can protect yourself (and your family). WaNavi Japan explains more about all this below.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>-Ashley</i><br />
<br />
<br />
Everyone knows that Japan is an earthquake-prone country, but the events of March 2011 made it much more real for many of us living in Japan or considering a move to Japan. It’s easy to think that since you can’t predict when or where an earthquake will occur, or what damage will result, you can’t do much to prepare for one. <br />
<br />
This is not the case. <br />
<br />
We can learn how to be prepared by seeing how Japanese society prepares and educates their citizens to respond to earthquakes. <br />
<br />
Disaster risk management includes both planning for and responding to disasters. In Japan planning starts early -- young children are educated about how important it is to stay safe. They learn to hide under a table or cover their heads when the shaking starts or when they hear an earthquake early warning alarm. <br />
<br />
When you feel shaking, try to protect your head and stay calm. Once the shaking stops, you need to get accurate information and respond appropriately. The more you know about the information sources available to you and what information you need, the more likely you will be able to stay calm and make the best decisions about how to react.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Important Information and Communication Tools</h3>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
1. <b>Yurekuru Call</b> is an <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/yurekuru-call/id398954883?mt=8" target="_blank">app available for iPhone</a> and Android that sends you a warning if an earthquake might occur in your registered location, which is part of the nationwide early warning system. Many Japanese telephones have this function already built into the phone, so it’s worth asking your mobile company about this if you decide not to go for a smartphone.<br />
<br />
2. <b>The Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171)</b> is a voice message board for communication when a disaster such as an earthquake or volcanic eruption occurs and telephone traffic to the disaster-stricken area increases making it difficult to transmit calls. By entering your landline phone number as a pin code, you can leave a message on the system where other family members who share the same landline number can listen to your message and record theirs as well.<br />
<br />
See <a href="http://www.ntt-east.co.jp/en/saigai/voice171s/hayawakari.html" target="_blank">this link</a> for a helpful animation explaining how the system works. The system prompts are all in Japanese, but if you follow the steps you can still use this valuable tool even if you don’t understand Japanese. You can access the 171 system on the first and 15th of each month to practice. Set a date with your family and practice as soon as you can!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8o3vD5hAoZY/UT0fQOPW_GI/AAAAAAAAHhs/ibzqOcx-AAY/s640/equake1.jpg" width="480" /></div>
<br />
<br />
3. <b>NHK television (Channel 1)</b> is the best place to get fast, reliable, visual information on the location of an earthquake and whether a tsunami warning is in effect. Under the Broadcast Act, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is obligated to broadcast early warning emergency reporting when natural disasters strike. NHK is able to source information from the Japan Meteorological Agency’s national network of seismometers and deliver information about the quake almost instantly. <br />
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<img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BHm1Ea7YsQs/UT0fgzv6CeI/AAAAAAAAHh0/xiD67mLUfdo/s640/equake2.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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The image above is an example of the type of information you would see on the screen if there is no risk of a tsunami. It includes details of the epicenter of the quake, the magnitude and the impact in each prefecture using the Japanese shindo scale.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="354" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3AAyau4jBV4/UT0fhO419tI/AAAAAAAAHig/7xfgGOxYUrw/s640/equake3.png" width="640" /></div>
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The screenshot above shows that there is a risk of a tsunami coming and you should evacuate from low-lying areas near the water without delay. The map shows the affected area and the table shows the expected arrival time and projected height of the tsunami.<br />
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NHK World broadcasts in 18 different languages, so you can also seek information there, though it will not come through as quickly. You can access NHK World online <a href="http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
<br />
4. <b>The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)</b> <a href="http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html" target="_blank">website</a> is bilingual and has lots of information about earthquakes, tsunami warnings and typhoons, among other useful information.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSM3epeurew/UT0fhLdKhnI/AAAAAAAAHio/LSlaSdhGb0o/s1600/equake4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSM3epeurew/UT0fhLdKhnI/AAAAAAAAHio/LSlaSdhGb0o/s640/equake4.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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5. <b>English-speaking radio broadcast</b> frequencies include Inter FM (76.1FM Tokyo, 76.5FM Yokohama), Eagle (810AM) and the bilingual format of NHK (693AM). <br />
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<br />
Prior to or in the event of an earthquake, follow the steps below to reduce your risk of injury and improve your quality of life in the immediate aftermath. <br />
<br />
<h3>
10 Steps to Reduce Risk of Injury and Improve Quality of Life in an Earthquake's Aftermath</h3>
<br />
1. If possible, <b>rent an apartment or house built after 1981</b> when the stricter building codes were established. The newer the better as a few amendments were made to the code in 2000 after analysis of the damage caused by the 1995 Kobe earthquake.<br />
<br />
2.<b> Know where your designated earthquake shelter is located.</b> This may be important if your home becomes unlivable or you need to access supplies, such as food or drinking water. Ask at your local ward office for copies of bilingual evacuation maps and shelter locations. If you have any problems finding this information, feel free to contact WaNavi Japan for further assistance.<br />
<br />
3. <b>Choose a meeting place to reunite with your family</b> and <b>practice your home evacuation drill</b>.<br />
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4. Walk your local neighborhood and <b>locate public toilets and telephones</b>.<br />
<br />
5. <b>Register for information alerts</b> from your ward office and your country’s embassy. <br />
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6. If you have children attending school or child-care in Japan, <b>know the school’s/care center’s emergency plan</b> and how to make contact with your child’s teacher or caregiver.<br />
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7. Have multiple <b>ways to contact your friends and family</b> including home phone numbers (not just mobile/cell numbers). Connect on Facebook, Twitter or other online networks. Practice using the 171 system (available on the 1st and 15th of every month).<br />
<br />
8. <b>Stock up on supplies</b> of essential food, medicine, drinking water and waste management tools. If water supply is affected then you might need to store lots of poop until services are re-established! See our <a href="http://www.wanavi.org/resources/" target="_blank">resources page</a> for a helpful checklist.<br />
<br />
9. <b>Pack an evacuation bag</b> including cash, passports, essential medication, food, water and spare clothes for each member of your family. Ensure that you regularly change the clothes for the changing seasons and as the children grow. <br />
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<img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3WPXkvEo2Nc/UT0fhS_Z3KI/AAAAAAAAHik/cjf83uIx5-w/s640/equake5.jpeg" width="640" /></div>
<br />
10. Investigate ways you can <b>secure furniture in your apartment</b> to prevent it from falling during an earthquake. Your ward office may provide subsidies to offset the cost. A quick trip with a Japanese speaker to Tokyu Hands or a home store should have you on the right track. If you live in Tokyo, you can join WaNavi Japan on one of our regular escorted shopping tours. <br />
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At a minimum, you need to secure your refrigerator and any TVs or tall bookcases. Try to store heavy objects on lower shelves if possible. Do not place heavy paintings or mirrors above beds.<br />
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**********<br />
<br />
Did you know that a magnitude 7.0 (or greater) earthquake could occur anywhere in Japan at anytime? <br />
<br />
Japanese seismologists, like our advisor, Dr. Satoko Oki (Earthquake Research Institute, Tokyo University), work tirelessly to research and analyze various disaster scenarios and how they may impact people and life-sustaining infrastructure (such as water and electricity) in order to advise local and national governments on their disaster risk management plans. Detailed research is regularly carried out for scenario planning purposes (even more so since March 11), which highlights areas most at risk for damage from a tsunami, for example, and what the expected worst-case level of inundation from a tsunami would be in various locations. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h0KAKT9WrLo/UT0fhY_Je-I/AAAAAAAAHic/NFRwC4x6yIA/s640/equake6.jpeg" width="640" /></div>
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All residents and institutions in Japan (including foreign-owned schools and companies) are expected to have made a reasonable effort to prepare for emergency situations. All people in Japan are encouraged to “save your life by yourself” (自分の命は自分で守る!) and to not depend too much on civic instructions <i>(Source: http://readytokyo.com/)</i>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RnM0YYSkF0Y/UT0fhg0i2XI/AAAAAAAAHiU/TDG5rZ0KznI/s640/equake7.jpeg" width="640" /></div>
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<br />
To increase your earthquake literacy try to attend any briefings or workshops organized by your company, children’s school or community group, if available, or contact WaNavi Japan for details about how to organize one! You should also attend any local hands-on “simulation” events organized by your ward office. The local fire station usually co-plans these, ask about "bousai kunren" 防災訓練 (emergency drills).<br />
<br />
Another important and potentially life saving step is to learn some basic Japanese words and phrases that may help you to respond correctly to instructions and requests from authorities. <br />
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<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Japanese</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Hiragana</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Romaji</span></td><td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">English</span></td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>地 震</td><td>じしん </td><td><i>jishin</i></td> <td>earthquake</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>震 災 </td> <td>しんさい</td> <td><i>shinsai</i></td><td>disaster caused by earthquake</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>震 度 </td> <td>しんど</td><td><i>shindo</i></td> <td>seismic scale</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td><br />
震 源 </td><td>しんげん<i> </i></td><td><i>shingen</i></td> <td>epicenter</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>津 波 </td><td>つなみ</td><td><i>tsunami</i></td> <td>tsunami</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>避 難</td> <td>ひなん</td> <td><i>hinan</i></td><td>evacuation</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>余震</td> <td>よしん</td><td><i>yoshin</i></td> <td>aftershock </td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>避難してください</td><td>ひなんしてください</td><td><i>hinan shite kudasai</i></td> <td>please evacuate</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>逃げてください</td><td>にげてください<i> </i></td><td><i>nigete kudasai</i></td><td>please run away</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>隠れてください</td><td>かくれてください</td> <td><i>kakurete kudasai</i></td><td>please take cover</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>離れてください</td><td>はなれてください</td> <td><i>hanarete kudasai</i></td><td>please stay (move) away</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>出てください</td><td>でてください</td> <td><i>dete kudasai</i></td><td>please go outside</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>出ないでください</td><td>でないでください<i> </i></td> <td><i>denaide kudasai</i></td><td>please do no go outside</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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WaNavi Japan has designed a “help-card” which is provided to our workshop participants and is available <a href="http://www.wanavi.org/resources/" target="_blank">free for download</a> from the resources section of our website. This contains all of the critical words and phrases listed above, as well as a reminder about how to use 171, areas to record important phone numbers and passport numbers and a space to draw a map of your local area. Please customize and store in your wallet, just in case!<br />
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In Japan, there is an old saying "備えあれば憂いなし, <i>sonae areba urei nashi</i>", which means, "be prepared and have no regrets". We hope you can start your preparations with our support, and if you have any questions please comment on this post or email us at <a href="mailto:wanavi.japan@gmail.com">wanavi.japan@gmail.com</a>.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.wanavi.org/" target="_blank">WaNavi Japan</a> is a nonprofit organization comprising professionals of multiple nationalities living in Japan. We provide international residents and their families with critical information and support to live comfortably and confidently in Japan through various services including workshops, networking, navigation, research, and consulting. </i><br />
<i><br />
</i> <i>WaNavi Japan regularly runs earthquake preparation courses at various international schools, universities, embassies and corporate orientation events in Tokyo, Yokohama and surrounding areas. If you would like us to come to your school or office to discuss how we can tailor a course that meets the needs of your company, school or community group please contact us at <a href="mailto:wanavi.japan@gmail.com">wanavi.japan@gmail.com</a>.</i><br />
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-65719528140050491222013-03-11T05:50:00.002+09:002013-03-11T05:50:57.603+09:00Thank You, Reverse Culture Shock, and A Call For Help<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello all! It's been a little while, and my family is now back in the U.S. after a whirlwind move from Japan. I've got business to still take care of here and elsewhere, but have been struggling with health problems, reverse culture shock and attempts to get settled back in the States, so I appreciate your understanding and patience.<br />
<br />
So, first things first! I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the support, emotional and financial, the past few months. We wouldn't have been able to get by without your help, and it's brought me to tears more than once. I've learned a lot about community after living in Japan, and especially so after starting this blog. I feel like for the first time I've seen just how supportive, understanding and helpful people in a community <i>want</i> to be, instead of being motivated by (often unsaid) expectations and obligation. It's humbling to see how much you want to help and to feel how concerned and caring you are. Thank you for showing me this and for helping to take care of my family as we've made this transition.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way to Narita Airport, seeing Tokyo for the last time</td></tr>
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I'm hoping as I have more time and energy I'll be able to go into this in more detail, but reverse culture shock has felt similar to me as it did when I first arrived in Japan. I notice all the new and exciting things, but at the same time am constantly overwhelmed with the number of options, and excess, here in the States. It's unsettling, and makes me miss, to some degree, having less options in Japan, because it made life more simple.<br />
<br />
I've also been surprised by how casual people dress, although I'm from the northwest and I know it's not that way elsewhere in the country, but it's nearly the opposite of Japan: people out in grungy jeans, pajama pants, yoga pants, on a regular basis. Not everyone, but probably 75-80% of people. Plenty of people dress down in Japan too, especially depending on what part of Japan you live in, but more often than not when I went out people, particularly women, were dressed up. Neither is right or wrong, but just different and something I notice now that I never paid attention to in the past.<br />
<br />
I bow constantly when apologizing, especially when driving. And then I remember to wave, although the person is probably gone by that point. I have the urge to use "<i>sumimasen</i>" at the grocery store instead of "excuse me". And as this is the west coast, occasionally I hear Japanese when out and about and get a bit excited, as if somehow it's a bit of "home" here at "home".<br />
<br />
I feel like people talk to each other all the time here, and maybe I didn't notice it before, and though it happens in Japan too, it feels different too. We're in a smaller city, so that could also have something to do with it. The woman who told me her whole life story at Macy's a few weeks, despite the fact I was trying to hold and entertain a rambunctious toddler (I wasn't upset to listen to her story, but distracted on account of the toddler). Or the people who keep striking up conversation in public restrooms.<br />
<br />
And though I'm excited to have a lot of things we can only easily get in the States, I miss so much about Japan. I'm sad that I'll be missing the <i>hanami</i> season this year. I scroll through my Japan pictures and find myself nostalgic and missing all the adventures we had, even close to home. And now we're here in western Washington where it's gray and drizzly all the time. Depressing. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we're back for different reasons, but doesn't mean I don't miss Japan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Already missing the cherry blossoms...</td></tr>
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We're still in limbo as my husband (David) looks for work, but we're hoping to get something figured out this month.<br />
<br />
And now, a call for blog help! Many of you have expressed interest in writing, research, or other help for SiJ. If you're still interested, whether you've written me or not, David is going to be getting people organized into different roles. If you just want to write one post, that's fine, if you only want to help with research or translation, that's fine too. If you want to be a regular contributor, we'd love to have you. Or if you're willing to help with social media, marketing or just answering emails, these are all things I could use help with. We can't offer any monetary reimbursement, but I can say that it's a great way to network and help establish yourself if you're looking for a platform to do it on. It's brought me numerous opportunities since I started it a few years ago!<br />
<br />I was approached by several to buy SiJ and/or the content, but one thing became clear to me in all this -- I feel that I have started a basis for the community I wanted SiJ to be. And I want to continue that if possible. I don't think SiJ is mine; I really believe it's <i>ours</i>. Our community of knowledge and support. No conditions, no subscriptions, nothing like that. We just want to help out others through what we've gone through to help make expat life in Japan a little bit easier.<br />
<br />
So if you'd like to be involved, please send David an email at <a href="mailto:david@survivingnjapan.com">david@survivingnjapan.com</a><br />
<br />
That said, thank you so much. Thank you for blessing us, for being this community, and for reading. You've done so much for us, and we're so thankful. I wish the very best to each and every one of you!<br />
<br />
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-84613678907113054532013-01-03T22:29:00.002+09:002013-01-04T09:26:40.771+09:00When You're Suddenly Forced Out...I've been mulling this post over in my head for the past few days. Not sure what exactly to say, or how to say it.<br />
<br />
So I'll be as honest as possible.<br />
<br />
I mentioned in the last post that this has again been a great year of growth for Surviving in Japan, and it was exciting to see.<br />
<br />
Except that I've been too burnt out and exhausted to enjoy it.<br />
<br />
Some of you have asked me before how I do everything, and I always laugh and say I don't. Or if I do get things done, I'm not sure how. I've been dealing with culture shock, postpartum emotional/mental stuff, taking care of a spirited baby all day and working at night. Even if you love your work, and I love writing and blogging, going at this constant pace without any sort of break can really get to you. Not just mentally or emotionally, but physically as well, considering the fact I've been sick every two-three weeks since September.<br />
<br />
This last week I got one of those nasty stomach flu bugs (as did husband and baby) and we were all puking and I couldn't move (literally) for two days. A few weeks ago I had bronchitis.<br />
<br />
Along with all of this, our finances took a turn for the worse after moving. We haven't been able to cover all our needs, not without a credit card. We were doing all right before we moved, and though we didn't have extra money, we had enough for all of our needs. David took a pay cut with his new job, but we had worked out a budget. We knew it was going to be tight (rent was going up a decent amount), but we thought we could manage while I still worked part-time and tried to find some more freelance work.<br />
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In reality, the cost of utilities in our new city was exorbitantly more than our old city, which we weren't expecting. We thought it might go up a little, but, for example, water in our old city was 2000-3000 yen every two months, whereas in our new city it has been 15,000 yen a month, and we use the same amount of water as before (we're conservative with water).<br />
<br />
So, with all this in mind, plus a few other things, David and I explored all of our options, including him finding a new, better-paying job and me getting more writing work I can do at home. But teaching jobs just don't pay well in Japan, and there's not much else David could do to get us a salary we need. And my body continues to tell me I'm doing too much, no matter how hard I try to do more and help out our family.<br />
<br />
So we looked at the last option that we hadn't been considering at all: moving back to the US.<br />
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We had wanted to stay in Japan for a while. It feels like home here in a lot of ways. We haven't been wanting to go back to the States (although after having a baby, I had been thinking more and more how nice it would be to have family and friends, support, around). But the more we talked and thought about it, the more we realized it's the best option for us at this point. We need a fresh start and a way to get ourselves out of this financial hole we're in.<br />
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And we're leaving January 30th. It's sudden, I know. I'm not prepared for it at all, emotionally, or in general (so much packing and getting rid of things to do!). And it's going to cost us quite a bit to get out of here, but in the long run it'll be cheaper than staying here.<br />
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What about Surviving in Japan? I'm not sure. I don't want to shut it down or anything like that. I would love to keep it going somehow, although right now I need to step back from it a bit and breathe. I need to rest. I have a guest post to put up this month along with a few other posts, but I'll be doing that along with regular work and trying to take care of our moving checklist.<br />
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However, I don't like to think of Surviving in Japan as "mine", but rather ours. Yours and mine and anyone who's an expat in Japan.<br />
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So if you have ideas on what we might be able to do with SiJ, I'm all ears. I've considered continuing to write content, but I'm not sure how often I'll be able to, as I'll be starting some new projects and also, of course, won't be living in Japan. I've also considered seeing if someone might be willing to act as editor/main writer, or to see if anyone wants to regularly contribute content, but at this point in time I can't pay anyone. I would love to hear your thoughts. I want to keep SiJ around and maintain its level of high-quality content.<br />
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All that said, I want to say how grateful I am for how supportive you have been over these past few years. Thank you for reading, for sharing all of your ideas, offering support and encouragement, and for sharing SiJ with people you know. You regularly put a smile on my face and even bring me to tears to think of how much you care, through your comments, emails, tweets, etc. It means more than you'll ever know. And it has kept me going through many of the difficult times I've had this year. So, <i>thank you</i>.<br />
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Some of you have asked if there is a way you can help out, which has truly humbled me and made me realize in a new way the depth of love and kindness and generosity. I write Surviving in Japan because I want to help -- that has always been the core reason why I do this. I have never written content and expected anything in return. I don't believe something is a gift if you expect or ask for something back.<br />
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That said, and I'm hesitant to write this, but because a few people have asked, one of the many wonderful friends I've made from SiJ, Kimberly, has generously set up an account with GoFundMe for my family. You can find that <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/1roe1g?pc=fb_cr" target="_blank">here</a>, with information about our situation.<br />
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Also, if you're in or near Shizuoka and want to buy some stuff or take it off our hands, we're having a sayonara sale. I've added some of our items but have a lot more to add in the coming days. See the album on Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100629171043253.2506102.27221598&type=1" target="_blank">here</a>.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-31574070755775547332013-01-02T20:10:00.005+09:002013-01-02T20:10:59.874+09:00Surviving in Japan's Top Posts of 2012Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます!<br />
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Surviving in Japan had another huge year of growth, including getting over 1 million pageviews since I started it a couple years ago (over half of those this year), which surprised me considering I was juggling not only that, but my other writing work, a baby, moving, some emotional stuff, and just trying to keep our clothes clean and the crumbs and dust bunnies under control. It's been a difficult year, which I'll go into in another post, but today I'd just like to share the top posts of 2012.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2011/06/japan-goggles-translates-kanji-from.html" target="_blank">Japan Goggles translates kanji from images</a><br />
This one remains constantly steady as the most popular month after month, and sure, it's good to know, but not one I would consider to be one of the top ones.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2010/07/moving-to-japan-read-this-first.html" target="_blank">Moving to Japan? Read this first</a><br />
Another stayer in the top.<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2012/02/cherry-blossom-sakura-blooming-forecast.html" target="_blank">Cherry Blossom Blooming Forecast 2012</a><br />
For obvious reasons.<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2010/12/guide-to-birth-control-pills-in-japan.html" target="_blank">A Guide to Birth Control Pills in Japan</a><br />
Always useful.<br />
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5. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2010/06/how-to-do-furikomi-bank-transfer.html" target="_blank">How to Do a Furikomi (Bank Transfer)</a><br />
Another one constantly at the top.<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2012/04/ultimate-guide-to-reading-food-labels.html" target="_blank">The Ultimate Guide to Reading Food Labels</a><br />
One I think everyone should read when they first arrive in Japan, even if you know a good amount of Japanese.<br />
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7. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2012/06/how-to-transfer-money-to-and-from-japan.html" target="_blank">How to Transfer Money To and From Japan</a><br />
Guest blogger Peter helped out with this one, and it's very useful if you need to send money around.<br />
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8. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2011/07/how-to-prevent-and-kill-cockroaches.html" target="_blank">How to Prevent and Kill Cockroaches</a><br />
Because they're disgusting. And fast. And for some reason so ridiculously hard to kill.<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2010/07/how-to-find-good-deodorant-in-japan.html" target="_blank">How to Find Good Deodorant in Japan</a><br />
It's not impossible like some seem to think, although it seems like since I wrote this more and more people have been coming around to Japanese personal care products.<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com//2010/06/make-life-easy-8-tools-for-surviving.html" target="_blank">Make Life Easy - 8 Tools for Surviving in Japan</a><br />
Something I wrote a couple years ago and would probably change a bit now, but still some good stuff.<br />
<br />
<br />
And some of my favorite posts from last year:<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/09/the-low-point-of-culture-shock.html" target="_blank">The Low Point of Culture Shock</a><br />
I was honest with you with what I've been dealing with, and you wrapped me in kindness with your responses. Thank you.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/11/how-to-heat-your-home-and-stay-warm-in.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Heat Your Home (and Stay Warm) in Japan This Winter</a><br />
Lots of info about heaters and heating devices here. Worth reading if you want to stay warm!<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/09/ultimate-guide-to-baby-products-in.html" target="_blank">Ultimate Guide to Baby Products in Japan - Part 1</a><br />
Stuff I learned searching for and buying the essentials. Also includes a list of stores, online and off.<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/prevent-and-clean-mold-in-the-bathroom-japan.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: End Your Battle With Mold in the Bathroom</a><br />
It's Japan, and the mold gets bad here. Here's how to cope with the stuff growing in your bathroom.<br />
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5. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/07/24-handy-resources-for-traveling-in.html" target="_blank">24 Handy Resources for Traveling in Japan</a><br />
A collection of posts, but certainly all worth reading if you plan to travel in/to Japan.<br />
<br />
6. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/06/where-to-find-tall-and-plus-size.html" target="_blank">Where to Find Tall and Plus Size Clothing in Japan</a><br />
A list of stores around the country that might have some options for you if you find regular Japanese sizes a bit too small/tight/short/etc.<br />
<br />
7. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/05/spices-and-herbs-in-japan.html" target="_blank">Spices and Herbs in Japan</a><br />
Some people say it's hard to find spices and herbs in Japan, but I mostly disagree, though there are a few that are a little harder to find.<br />
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8. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/how-to-upload-and-print-document-at-7.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Upload and Print a Document at 7-11 and Circle K in Japan</a><br />
I remember a few people telling me that this post was pointless, but considering I still regularly receive comments thanking me for writing it, I'm glad I always do what I think someone might want or need.<br />
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9. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/guide-to-convenience-store-copy-print.html" target="_blank">A Guide to Convenience Store Copy, Print, and Fax Services in Japan</a><br />
All of it's there for you in one post.<br />
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10. <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/02/how-to-print-in-japan-without-owning.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Print in Japan Without Owning a Printer</a><br />
Goes along with the former two.<br />
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*******<br />
<br />
Well, that's about it for 2012! What were your favorite SiJ posts from last year?<br />
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-15739512794828626592012-12-17T21:19:00.001+09:002012-12-17T21:19:12.418+09:00Japan Post to Ship Electronics with Lithium Ion Batteries Starting 2013<br />
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<a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/how-to-ship-electronics-with-lithium.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U5yQGTBKQ9M/T3WiLxAi08I/AAAAAAAADpk/yGPpHug5tcw/s1600/batteryhdr.jpg" /></a></div>
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Shipping electronics with lithium ion batteries from Japan is a pain, to put it simply. You, as of now, essentially have <b>two options,</b> FedEx or DHL, which I explained in more detail in <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/how-to-ship-electronics-with-lithium.html" target="_blank">how to ship electronics with lithium ion batteries from Japan</a>. This all came about when I tried to send an old laptop to my sister in the States and the post office, after accepting it initially, later called us and said we couldn't send the computer unless we took the battery out.<div>
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However, good news! Starting <b>January 1, 2013, Japan Post</b> will allow you to send electronics with lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries, as long as they meet certain requirements. </div>
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<div>
<ul>
<li>Batteries must be <b>in or attached to an electronic device</b> (e.g. in a camera, or connected to a laptop, etc.) -- batteries cannot be packaged separately/by themselves, even if they're a spare.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Cell-type batteries (cylinders) <b>must be less than 20 watts a piece</b>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Other batteries (usually rectangular), <b>must be less than 100 watts</b> and must have the wattage labeled on the outside of the battery/device. For reference, a Macbook Pro's battery is 60 watts.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You can't send damaged batteries or anything that might catch fire.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Batteries can't weigh more than 5 kilograms.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You <b>can't send more than four cell-type batteries in one package</b>. For example, if one camera has one battery inside it, you can send up to four of those cameras. If a camera has two of those batteries in it, you can only send two cameras. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>You <b>can't send more than two other batteries (again, usually rectangular) per package</b>. So if you want to send a video camera and a laptop that both use these types of batteries, you can send those two items together. If you have a laptop, video camera and a DSLR with this type of battery, you can only send two of those items in a package.</li>
</ul>
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Please see the <a href="mailto:?subject=Start%20of%20underwriting%20of%20lithium%20batteries%20by%20airmail%20addressed%20to%20foreign%20matter%20-%20Japan%20Post&body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.post.japanpost.jp%2Fnotification%2Fpressrelease%2F2012%2F00_honsha%2F1213_01.html" target="_blank">Japan Post website</a> for the official press release and detailed information (unfortunately all in Japanese) about this. The detailed document has a list of countries that lithium ion and polymer batteries can be sent to, via air (first column) or sea (second column).</div>
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I think this is a great development, especially considering how expensive it is to ship electronics with lithium batteries via FedEx and DHL. I only wish they would have implemented this earlier this year!</div>
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<i>Many thanks to <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/03/how-to-ship-electronics-with-lithium.html#comment-740279040" target="_blank">Tim</a> for the heads up.</i></div>
Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-85938524594995178322012-12-11T22:01:00.000+09:002012-12-11T22:01:07.478+09:00HOW TO: Find Natural Food in Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGgQIsFh_r8/UMcuTuL4njI/AAAAAAAAG_c/I1axl2ra4GY/s640/naturalfoods.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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If you've been following Surviving in Japan for a while, you've probably seen me mention places to find certain health-related items, such as natural and organic food and such. <a href="http://www.iherb.com/?cview=new&rcode=aci278" target="_blank">iHerb</a> is one of my personal favorites, but some things can't be imported to Japan, such as almonds and chia seeds.<br />
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I've attempted to list several places you can find these items (yes, almonds! yes, chia seeds! yes, hemp seeds! yes, raw food!) in Japan in the Metropolis article I've linked to below. If there's anything in particular you want to find, let us know.<br />
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<a href="http://metropolis.co.jp/features/body-soul/wholesome-holiday/" target="_blank">Wholesome Holiday: Find your natural foods this Christmas</a> | Metropolis Magazine<br />
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Summary of stores to find natural and health food items:<br />
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<a href="http://www.iherb.com/?cview=new&rcode=aci278" target="_blank">iHerb</a>*<br />
<a href="http://store.alishan.jp/index.php?main_page=index&language=en" target="_blank">Tengu Natural Foods</a><br />
<a href="http://www.kenko.com/" target="_blank">Kenko</a><br />
<a href="http://amazon.jp/" target="_blank">Amazon Japan</a><br />
<a href="http://www.rawfood-lohas.com/">Lohas</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ohtsuya.com/">Ohtsuya</a><br />
<a href="http://www.livinglifemarketplace.com/">Living Life Marketplace</a><br />
<a href="http://www.hempkitchen.jp/">Hemp Kitchen</a> - for hemp items<br />
<a href="http://www.cocowell.co.jp/">Cocowell</a> - for coconut items<br />
<a href="http://www.naturalhouse.jp/">Natural House</a> - also has actual stores around Japan<br />
<a href="http://www.profoods.co.jp/">Pro Foods</a><br />
<a href="http://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/natshell">Natshell</a><br />
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iHerb is an affiliate link, but you get a USD$5-10 discount if you use it (from their advertising budget). I highly recommend iHerb for natural foods, health products, vitamins, supplements, and more. I've used them since my first year in Japan over four years ago and they've been a wonderful resource.<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-78287696504747067712012-12-08T21:08:00.002+09:002012-12-08T21:08:29.504+09:007 Useful Resources for Winter and the Holidays in JapanIt's freeeeezing cold here in Shizuoka city today, and those winter winds I hate so much are back in full force as well. It's interesting to watch the clothes you hand outside blow sideways... And hope that you've tied everything down well enough so you won't lose anything (we've had several years of practice now).<br />
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So as we move into mid-December, meaning Christmas and New Year's are on their way, and then the coldest months of January and February, I thought I'd pull out some posts that might be useful this time of year.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FucS3WnUE5k/Tv21jjMtbXI/AAAAAAAACCc/SI5jHmGQw3I/s1600/DSC_0762-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FucS3WnUE5k/Tv21jjMtbXI/AAAAAAAACCc/SI5jHmGQw3I/s1600/DSC_0762-2.jpg" /></a><br />
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<b>1.</b> <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/12/where-to-find-illuminations.html" target="_blank">Where to Find "Illuminations" (Christmas/Holiday Lights) in Japan</a><br />
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Light displays in Japan can be pretty spectacular. You'll probably see basic ones while out and about but I recommend going to a larger one if you can. Last year we went to Gotenba, Shizuoka to see the light tunnel (pictured above). The screenshots in the post are outdated, but the sites are laid out essentially the same, so it's still helpful for those of you who want to find a place to go and can't read Japanese.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xx55eH6DBNQ/TudX4eU69WI/AAAAAAAABqE/yJ37Qb6IHzY/s1600/holidays.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xx55eH6DBNQ/TudX4eU69WI/AAAAAAAABqE/yJ37Qb6IHzY/s1600/holidays.png" /></a></div>
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<b>2.</b> <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/12/resources-for-very-merry-christmas-in.html" target="_blank">Resources for a Very Merry Christmas in Japan</a><br />
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Looking for holiday decor? Food? Cards? This post has you covered.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fWnvjSWwfFo/TudOWaBxypI/AAAAAAAABo8/QCoNTntUzqs/s1600/IMAGE_35036C0F-59B4-462A-9787-FCB851A99F00.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fWnvjSWwfFo/TudOWaBxypI/AAAAAAAABo8/QCoNTntUzqs/s320/IMAGE_35036C0F-59B4-462A-9787-FCB851A99F00.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<b>3.</b> <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/12/how-to-find-christmas-tree-in-japan.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Find a Christmas tree in Japan</a><br />
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Self-explanatory. Muji is also <a href="http://www.muji.net/mt/events/019977.html" target="_blank">renting out live trees this year</a> for those in certain areas of the Kanto region -- you have until tomorrow to reserve one!<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-if1hBsW-HqQ/TvNKrbFVluI/AAAAAAAAB6o/DRbsDx0lJ3M/s320/IMAGE_1420DB31-7B9F-4116-A06F-551E585B029F.JPG" width="239" /><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FvrydhUyTYI/TvMG2rHySlI/AAAAAAAAB5g/ijX4hKLRAKg/s320/IMAGE_EC852005-CEBF-4E92-B7CC-A473E84E7B74.JPG" width="239" /></div>
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<b>4.</b> <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2011/12/24-ways-to-stay-warm-in-japan-this.html" target="_blank">24 Ways to Stay Warm in Japan This Winter</a><br />
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Whether home or out and about, you'll find plenty of ideas in this post to stay warm.<br />
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<b>5.</b> <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/11/8-ways-to-winterize-your-japanese.html" target="_blank">8 ways to winterize your Japanese apartment (or house)</a><br />
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Bubble wrap your windows (or the entire frame), hang up some thick blankets, and get some insulation tape! I know many, if not most of you, live in cold, drafty homes, so this post might come in handy.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XXMuR3OQvA0/UJ-NcMfsKiI/AAAAAAAAG9A/vShH4dQWwZ0/s1600/heatersjapan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XXMuR3OQvA0/UJ-NcMfsKiI/AAAAAAAAG9A/vShH4dQWwZ0/s1600/heatersjapan.png" /></a></div>
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<b>6. </b><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/11/how-to-heat-your-home-and-stay-warm-in.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Heat Your Home (and Stay Warm) in Japan This Winter</a><br />
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Everything you need to know about heaters in Japan and heating your home, including popular models.<br />
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<b>7. </b><a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/12/how-to-customize-your-drinks-at.html" target="_blank">HOW TO: Customize Your Drinks at Starbucks or Tully's in Japan</a><br />
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For the times you stop for a hot <strike>expensive</strike> beverage...</div>
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-38467275666733933242012-12-06T21:28:00.002+09:002012-12-06T21:28:32.073+09:00What You Should Know When Signing Up for SoftbankIf you have, or have had, a contract with Softbank (one of the main mobile carriers in Japan), you may have experienced Softbank's seemingly differing policies. (This may be the case at the other carriers as well, although I've heard less about them in this regard, so please let me know if you have a story to share.)<br />
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For my latest column, I spent about two months(!) trying to clarify some of Softbank's official policies regarding making a contract, as people have been told all sorts of things by different Softbank stores. As you can read in the column, they did give me some answers, but the whole process was incredibly confusing and frustrating. I've not really had much to complain about in regards to Softbank before, and I really wanted to try to clear up any misunderstandings for both sides. However, after numerous phone conversations and an exceptionally long thread of emails, I'm not 100% sure what they told me is actually their "official policy" (in fact, they said they couldn't give me anything in writing with these "policies").<br />
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And I'll be honest, after all this, I'm considering switching carriers. I also don't like that they won't reveal what they actually check when they run the ID process. Is it really a secret?<br />
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You can read the column for yourself and feel free to share your experience with Softbank, or any other carrier, whether positive or negative, in the comments below. I'd love to hear about other carriers and it'd be interested to see how many SiJ readers have had positive or negative experiences getting a cell phone in Japan.<br />
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<a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121204at.html" target="_blank">Softbank's policies on foreign customers hard to pin down</a> | Japan Times<br />
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-13653289965462256292012-11-27T22:42:00.005+09:002012-11-27T22:42:58.606+09:00Thanks to SiJ's Sponsor: The H&R GroupAs you may know, Surviving in Japan functions from my research, experiences and free time; your support, ideas, guest posts, and feedback; and, more recently, kind sponsors. Today I'd like to introduce <a href="http://www.morethanrelo.com/English/index.asp" target="_blank">The H&R Group</a>, Surviving in Japan's current sponsor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.morethanrelo.com/English/index.asp" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-I6tQwbL5p_I/ULTC-ObIRGI/AAAAAAAAG-8/FiV_bJwEj_4/s1600/HR_Consultants_Japan.gif" /></a></div>
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The H&R Group offers a variety of real estate, relocation and life-enrichment services to ensure smooth transitions for expats in Japan, particularly for those of you moving to or living in Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya. And they help not only assignees and their families, but also the companies they work for.<br />
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For a better idea of what services they provide, The H&R Group family consists of:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.japanhomesearch.com/" target="_blank">Japan Home Search</a></b><br />
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An extensive English real estate and apartment listings site to help you find the perfect home when relocating or moving to Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya. (And it's not that easy to find and rent an apartment in Japan - if you can't speak Japanese or don't have a friend who can help you get through most of the process, it's probably better to find an English-speaking real estate agent.)<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.relojapan.com/" target="_blank">Relo Japan</a></b><br />
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They offer personalized and cost effective relocation services in Japan with a wide range of support, including home search, short and long term accommodation, immigration assistance, and more.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.leasejapan.com/" target="_blank">Lease Japan</a></b><br />
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Provides leasing and sales of new and used cars, as well as a large selection of household appliances and furniture.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.japandriverslicense.com/" target="_blank">Japan Driver's License</a></b><br />
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Learn about converting your foreign driver’s license to a Japanese driver’s license. Use our tools and free information to help you pass the written and driving test.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.japanresidence.com/" target="_blank">Japan Residence</a></b><br />
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For those of you living in or moving to Nagoya, they offer apartments with the furnished comforts of home and the services of a hotel. For short or long term stays.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.japaninfoswap.com/" target="_blank">Japan Info Swap</a></b><br />
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Japan Info Swap provides a wealth of information about living in Tokyo, Nagoya, and throughout Japan in an easily accessible online community. The provide answers to frequently asked questions through their blog, X-Pat Files newsletter and free ebook about living in Japan.<br />
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They're ready to help you and your family make your transition to Japan easier, so if you need some assistance in any of these areas, please check out <a href="http://www.morethanrelo.com/English/index.asp" target="_blank">The H&R Group</a>!<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-39091529800966398582012-11-22T19:30:00.000+09:002012-11-22T19:30:02.168+09:00Buying a Used Car in Japan - What You Need to Know<em>Today's post comes from David Ainley of Motovique. Motovique is a privately owned business helping private individuals looking to buy and sell their vehicles at a fair price, or simply assist sellers to transfer the title on their cars with ease. They also offer <a href="http://motovique.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">free resources for the international community</a> over on their blog. </em><br />
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<a href="http://motovique.com/resources/the-cost-of-buying-a-used-car-in-japan" target="_blank"><img alt="Buying a Used Car" src="http://motovique.com/images/buying-a-used-car.jpg" /></a><br />
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The cost of buying a used car in Japan. Infographic by <a href="http://motovique.com/resources/the-cost-of-buying-a-used-car-in-japan" target="_blank">Motovique</a>.</div>
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With some <em>three million used cars sold annually in Japan</em>, the vast number of vehicles available to buyers can be confusing. Whilst the level of courtesy and service offered is generally of a high-standard, the processes involved in buying a used car in Japan can be confusing. While cars seem relatively cheap in Japan, buyers need to be prudent in their search, as vehicles listed at dealerships and online can be misleading.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">How much is the annual automobile tax?</span></h3>
Simply put, automobile tax is based on the engine size of a given vehicle, allocated in increments of 500cc. As part of the registration process, the vehicle owners' details will be withheld by the local tax authority and accordingly billed every year in the month of April, with full payment required before the 31st of May. Amounts payable are further highlighted on the infographic.<br />
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<strong>With the exemption of kei cars, automobile tax is payable on a sliding scale if purchased after April.</strong> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Factors involved for calculating acquisition tax</span></h3>
Acquisition tax is a prefectural tax assigned for the construction and maintenance of the local road infrastructure, levied on buyers of new and used cars under the age of six (6) years old that exceed an acquired value of JPY500,000. <em>It's important to remember that the acquired value of a used car under six years old is not equal to the purchase value</em>.<br />
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The acquired value is actually based upon the cars grade and specifications from new, amortized over the six year period using the sample formula below.<br />
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<a href="http://motovique.com/resources/the-cost-of-buying-a-used-car-in-japan" target="_blank"><img alt="Acquisition Tax Formula Snippet" src="http://motovique.com/images/acquisition-tax-formula-snippet.jpg" /></a> <br />
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Our sample above uses a <em>2010 Fiat 500 1.4 Sport</em> as an example, priced at JPY2,430,000 new at the time of initial registration. The acquired value is therefore calculated as shown in figure (a), which is then multiplied by 0.05, and rounded up to the nearest thousand to calculate the actual cost of acquisition tax.<br />
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<strong>NB: Values defined by an asterisk (*) differ depending on the year of registration.</strong> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Applicable Fees for recycling cars</span></h3>
Since the introduction of the recycle law in January 2005, every registered vehicle must possess a recycle certificate, in which owners pre-pay a determined fee for disposal (shredding) of vehicles upon the end of their service life. The amount largely depends on the volume of disposable properties, and is paid in advance by each new owner, before the transfer of any given vehicle.<br />
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<a href="http://motovique.com/resources/the-cost-of-buying-a-used-car-in-japan" target="_blank"><img alt="Recycling Disposable Properties Snippet" src="http://motovique.com/images/recycling-disposable-properties-snippet.jpg" /> <br />
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</a><br />
<h3>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">When is weight tax payable, and how much is it?</span></h3>
<span style="color: black;">Based on the given curb weight (highlighted on the shaken certificate) in increments of 500kg, weight tax is payable at the time of shaken renewal only. Some sellers may ask new buyers to pay a proportion of the amount remaining, however this is not necessary - unless the car requires the shaken be renewed.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"> <br />
With regards to price, the new system, introduced in May 2012, splits vehicles into four main categories:<br />
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</span><br />
<ul style="list-style: circle;">
<li><span style="color: black;">JPY0 ~ JPY5,000 / 0.5 tonnes for eco cars -- those exceeding certain emission standards</span></li>
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<li><span style="color: black;">JPY8,200 / 0.5 tonnes for non-eco cars under 13 years of age</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;">JPY10,000 / 0.5 tonnes for non-eco cars exceeding 13 years of age</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;">JPY12,600 / 0.5 tonnes for non-eco cars exceeding 18 years of age</span></li>
<a href="http://motovique.com/resources/the-cost-of-buying-a-used-car-in-japan" target="_blank"> </a></ul>
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<div style="color: #a0a0a0; font-size: 10px;">
Source: mlit.go.jp</div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">What is compulsory insurance?</span></h3>
Compulsory insurance is a legal requirement, giving basic cover to drivers in the event a third-party suffers an injury at the hands of the driver. This insurance policy is set to cover the term of the shaken (24mths) and is currently priced at JPY24,950.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Other miscellaneous costs that increase the total expenditure</span></h3>
Other costs typically associated with the purchase of a used car, include but are not limited to the following; fees may differ substantially depending on the service provider:<br />
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<a href="http://motovique.com/resources/the-cost-of-buying-a-used-car-in-japan" target="_blank"><img alt="Miscellaneous Costs" src="http://motovique.com/images/miscellaneous-costs.jpg" /></a> <br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">Where should one buy a used car from?</span></h3>
There is no definitive answer to this, as each individual has different needs. The Japanese traditionally tend to favour their local branded dealership, building up a relationship that lasts many years, while those in the foreign community often prefer to purchase direct, utilising the experience of an agent to <a href="http://motovique.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/purchasing-from-auction/" target="_blank">purchase cars direct from auction</a>.<br />
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<b>Purchasing through your local dealer</b><br />
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</strong> <strong>Benefits</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style: circle;">
<li>The ability to view cars in person,</li>
<li>The ability to negotiate on the price of the vehicle,</li>
<li>The ability to include optional extras (e.g. maintenance) into the deal,</li>
<li>The ability to obtain a warranty for the vehicle</li>
<li>The ability to obtain a loan</li>
</ul>
<strong>Disadvantages</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style: circle;">
<li>Inability to check the vehicles history,</li>
<li>Inflated prices,</li>
<li>Limitations associated with the warranty,</li>
<li>Inability for [some] foreign citizens to obtain a loan on vehicles</li>
<li>Japanese may be required for negotiations</li>
</ul>
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<b>Purchasing direct from auction</b><br />
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</b> <strong>Benefits</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style: circle;">
<li>Detailed history of each vehicle including accident history,</li>
<li>Utilising experienced buyers to assess each prospective car,</li>
<li>Potential to pocket substantial savings by purchasing at wholesale prices,</li>
<li>The ability to choose from tens of thousands of vehicles every week,</li>
<li>Agents available in your native language</li>
</ul>
<strong>Disadvantages</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style: circle;">
<li>Inability to view vehicles in person,</li>
<li>Cash payments only accepted (no loans),</li>
<li>Vehicle notification to turnover is exceptionally quick (about 48hrs),</li>
<li>The time taken to source a specific model can take some time,</li>
<li>Vehicles are purchased as described (no return policy)</li>
</ul>
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<b>The Private market</b><br />
While the private market in Japan is under developed, there are a select few avenues through which private owners can buy and sell vehicles receiving substantially higher returns than the standard trade-in offered at the dealers. It's also worth noting that payment of consumption tax is not required when a sale is made between two private individuals.<br />
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If you've bought a used car in Japan, how did you go about it? Any recommendations or suggestions for others considering buying a used car here?<br />
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-72339184459894428062012-11-20T22:30:00.001+09:002012-11-20T22:30:03.834+09:0026 Fun and Useful Japan Links - Nov 20<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pFo9bMsJ6W8/Tv21k1ig_nI/AAAAAAAACCo/vNrDSj_e6RU/s640/DSC_0763-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oooooo, it's illumination time! </td></tr>
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Happy Fall and Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. Here's another round of plenty of fun links, plus quite a few useful and informative ones. Enjoy!<br />
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Living in Japan</h3>
<a href="http://t.co/NpzivBb7" target="_blank">Splitting up: 50-50 is default when dividing assets at divorce</a> | Japan Times<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/xqcIUqez" target="_blank">Safecast iOS app</a> | Japan Pulse - A useful app for checking radiation levels (reports submitted by users)<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/x5FroRU5" target="_blank">Active faults found under Nagoya</a> | Japan Times - Apparently they just discovered these, which surprised me. Really? Just found them?<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/RPzNGs89" target="_blank">Edy accounts now chargeable directly from personal bank accounts</a> | Japan Today<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/T5ROqN1g" target="_blank">Encephalitis vaccine deemed safe; no link found to deaths</a> | Japan Times<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/sPJ16VDC" target="_blank">Yearly Warm Biz campaign on to cut heat use</a> | Japan Times - In four years, this is the first year I've heard of "Warm Biz", at least in an blatant way.<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/iOTezjJ1" target="_blank">Fair trade slowly catching on here</a> | Japan Times - Yay!<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/z4vmEFls" target="_blank">Japan to see normal to above-average temperatures this winter</a> | Japan Today - This gives me hope...<br />
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<a href="http://alicegordenker.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/understanding-your-ambulance/" target="_blank">Understanding your ambulance</a> | Alice Gordenker - Some useful phrases when you're driving/walking/cycling and an ambulance passes through:<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/fUf7uOKd" target="_blank">From Portable Toilets to Fake Eyelashes: A Guide to Japan’s Awesome 100 Yen Shops</a> | RocketNews24<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/BUpzEHPa" target="_blank">Nearly half of Japan's doctors in poor health or worried about physical, mental state: survey</a> | Japan Times<br />
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Food</h3>
<a href="http://t.co/WUszrEaR" target="_blank">How to find a turkey in Japan</a> | Cooking In Japan - Go find a bird if you want one. Yoyo Market also has them.<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/c0qPlyTz" target="_blank">Return of Cinnabon</a> | Metropolis - This made me excited and sick at the same time... And gave me the urge to brush my teeth.<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/y5o7Otqz" target="_blank">McDonald’s Japan to Close 110 Stores, Expand Home Delivery Service in 2013</a> | RocketNews24<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/Y3UCjMN2" target="_blank">Eating on Trains in Japan: Survey Asks “How Much is Too Much?”</a> | RocketNews24 - What do you think? What's your stance on eating in public, or on trains or buses?<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/Y1SUmYTa" target="_blank">Kenchinjiru Recipe</a> | No Recipes - A vegan Japanese soup<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/glWBL4WF" target="_blank">How To Eat Like A Buddhist Monk, Part 4: Get Cooking!</a> | Tofugu<br />
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<a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/kabocha-squash-pie-with-spiced-crust-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Kabocha Squash Pie with Spiced Crust</a> - I haven't tried this yet, but looks pretty good and doesn't require adapting a pumpkin pie recipe to use kabocha.<br />
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Yoyo Market now has <a href="http://yoyomarket.jp/Reeses-Pieces-(297g)-p2179.html" target="_blank">Reeses Pieces</a><br />
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If you live in an area with a Domino's Pizza, they're doing their <a href="http://en.rocketnews24.com/2012/11/18/dominos-pizza-japan-offers-25-discount-for-beards-ugly-shirts-parakeets-and-more/" target="_blank">crazy discounts again</a> for folks who meet certain criteria, such as: if you're wearing your hair in pigtails, if you have a mustache or beard, or if you're wearing 80s-style clothes, among other things.<br />
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Travel and Recreation</h3>
<a href="http://t.co/3nEwc593" target="_blank">Tokyo Skytree to be open on New Year's Day for 1,000 sunrise viewers</a> | Japan Times<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/eGryLFCT" target="_blank">Disney’s Dreamland Illuminations in Harajuku Light up Your World, You Won’t Want to Go Home</a> | RocketNews24<br />
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Tech</h3>
<a href="http://t.co/7NzvT2i9" target="_blank">World’s First 3D Printing Photo Booth to Open in Japan</a> | Spoon & Tamago<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/A1ineWNt" target="_blank">Airport pickup SIM cards available</a> | Japan Times<br />
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<a href="http://t.co/AJMcggR4" target="_blank">New Game Launched for Learning About Okinawa while Driving Electric Vehicle</a> | Japan for Sustainability<br />
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Need gloves you can use with your smartphone? You don't need to buy new ones with <a href="http://en.rocketnews24.com/2012/11/10/new-magic-liquid-makes-any-pair-of-gloves-touchscreen-friendly/" target="_blank">this product</a>. But it's also not to hard to find touchscreen gloves. Some local stores, Loft, and Muji, among other places, have them. <a href="http://www.muji.net/store/cmdty/detail/4934761555911" target="_blank">Muji's</a> are fairly inexpensive.<br />
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<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-25146450975203862992012-11-18T22:32:00.001+09:002012-11-18T22:32:43.757+09:00HOW TO: Search for an Apartment in Japan - Part 2We're finally back with part two on how to find an apartment in Japan. In <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/08/how-to-search-for-an-apartment-in-japan.html" target="_blank">part one</a>, we discussed ways to find apartment rental listings and real estate agents and gave you some helpful search words. Today, we're going to walk you through how to use <a href="http://suumo.jp/" target="_blank">Suumo</a>, which is one of the Japanese apartment listings sites we listed in part one. As to be expected, each site is different, but most of the vocab below should be helpful when searching online in Japanese.<br />
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How to Use Apartment Search Sites - Suumo</h3>
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<a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. </span></b>Go to Suumo's <a href="http://suumo.jp/" target="_blank">site</a>.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">2.</span></b> Choose the region you'll be moving to.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F_A-OKWU5WQ/UCHOq5XD_HI/AAAAAAAAGQU/UpqJJEhA2pk/s1600/1344342998853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="apartment, Japan, search, rental, lease, find, Japanese, suumo" border="0" height="468" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F_A-OKWU5WQ/UCHOq5XD_HI/AAAAAAAAGQU/UpqJJEhA2pk/s640/1344342998853.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">3.</span></b> Make sure you're looking at rentals (賃貸), as some sites will want you to choose what exactly you're looking for, whether buying or renting.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NgPKVuXXY8s/UCHNyXTHRWI/AAAAAAAAGOc/7xv0NO97eM4/s1600/1344343074602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, apartment, rentals, find, search, lease, Japanese" border="0" height="446" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NgPKVuXXY8s/UCHNyXTHRWI/AAAAAAAAGOc/7xv0NO97eM4/s640/1344343074602.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4.</b></span> Choose how you want to search, perhaps by train line or area, commute time, map, road map, rent, or real estate office. If you know some Japanese, you can also search using keywords.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pGx9Gl91Wr4/UCHN0PlyF-I/AAAAAAAAGUk/tV83W6vVqn4/s1600/1344343178613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, Japanese, apartment, rentals, search" border="0" height="414" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pGx9Gl91Wr4/UCHN0PlyF-I/AAAAAAAAGUk/tV83W6vVqn4/s640/1344343178613.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5.</span></b> For this example, I chose to search by area (エリア) in Aichi prefecture (愛知県). As you can see below, a list of cities (and wards in Nagoya city) appear. I'll click the box next to any of the cities or wards I want to search in. After that, click the blue button at the bottom of the page. <i>(If you click on the city or ward name, rather than check the box next to it, it will go straight to the results for that location.) </i></div>
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However, if you want to choose other options first, scroll down the page before clicking the blue button (see second image below).</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tj-lDkaTW10/UCNKqretKHI/AAAAAAAAGUo/oSq1i4JjGCc/s1600/1344343436531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, apartment, rentals, lease, search" border="0" height="578" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Tj-lDkaTW10/UCNKqretKHI/AAAAAAAAGUo/oSq1i4JjGCc/s640/1344343436531.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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As you can see below, you can choose any options or preferences (although the less you choose, the more listings you'll see, which is good to keep in mind for smaller cities).</div>
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Once you've chosen your desired preferences, click the blue button at the bottom.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WCodtZvMu4I/UKYrCAQqk2I/AAAAAAAAI8s/pHjpJjmoFTU/s1600/Suumo4pt4Edits2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, Japanese, apartment, search, preferences, options" border="0" height="632" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WCodtZvMu4I/UKYrCAQqk2I/AAAAAAAAI8s/pHjpJjmoFTU/s640/Suumo4pt4Edits2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6.</b></span> The next page shows the results. If you didn't set any preferences on the previous page, you can adjust them in the left sidebar below.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G9BTLMQZ8Xs/UCEOa-5lV1I/AAAAAAAAGF8/RsnG6H5QQO4/s1600/1344343658475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G9BTLMQZ8Xs/UCEOa-5lV1I/AAAAAAAAGF8/RsnG6H5QQO4/s1600/1344343658475.jpg" /></a></div>
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As you browse through the listings, you can select and deselect various options in the left sidebar to change or narrow the listings you see. For example, if you want an apartment with parking, check the box next to "駐車場あり". For this section (and on other sites as well), here are some <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><i>words to know</i></span>: </div>
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<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Japanese</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Hiragana</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Romaji</span></td><td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">English</span></td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>賃料</td><td>ちんりょう</td><td><i>chinryou</i></td> <td>rent</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>下限</td> <td>かげん</td> <td><i>kagen</i></td><td>lower limit</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>上限</td> <td>じょうげん</td><td><i>jyougen</i></td> <td>upper limit </td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>管理費</td><td>かんりひ<i> </i></td><td><i>kanri hi</i></td> <td>management fee</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>共益費</td><td>きょうえきひ</td><td><i>kyoueki hi</i></td> <td>community fee</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>込み</td> <td>こみ</td> <td><i>komi</i></td><td>included</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>礼金</td> <td>れいきん<i> </i></td><td><i>reikin</i></td> <td>key money </td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>敷金/保証金</td><td>しききん/ほしょうきん</td><td><i>shikikin / hoshoukin</i></td> <td>safety deposit</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>なし</td><td>ー<i> </i></td><td><i>nashi</i></td><td>none</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>間取りタイプ</td><td>まどりタイプ</td> <td><i>madoritaipu</i></td><td>unit layout</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>建物</td><td>たてもの</td> <td><i>tatemono</i></td><td>building</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>種類</td><td>しゅるい</td> <td><i>shurui</i></td><td>type</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>駅までの徒歩分数</td><td>えきまでのとほふんすう<i> </i></td> <td><i>ekimadeno tohofunsuu</i></td><td>walking distance from nearest train station</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>以内</td><td>いない</td> <td><i>inai</i></td><td>within</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>指定しない</td><td>していしない<i> </i></td> <td><i>sitei sinai</i></td><td>no preference</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>専有面積</td><td>せんゆうめんせき<i> </i></td> <td><i>senyuu menseki</i></td><td>area</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>築年数</td><td>ちくねんすう<i> </i></td> <td><i>chikunensuu</i></td><td>age of building</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>こだわり条件</td><td>こだわりじょうけん</td> <td><i>kodawarijyouken</i></td><td>preferences</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>駐車場あり</td><td>ちゅうしゃじょうあり </td> <td><i>chuusyajyouari</i></td><td>has parking</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>バス トイレ別</td><td>ばす といれべつ </td> <td><i>basu toire betsu</i></td><td>separate bath and toilet</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>ペット相談</td><td>ぺっとそうだん </td> <td><i>petto soudan</i></td><td>open to discussion regarding pets</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>2階以上住戸</td><td>2かいいじょうじゅうこ </td> <td><i>2kaiijyou jyuuko</i></td><td>unit on the 2nd floor or above</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>室内洗濯機場所</td><td>しつないせんたくきばしょ </td> <td><i>sitsunai senntakuki basyo</i></td><td>location for washing machine indoors</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>エアコン付</td><td>えあこんつき </td> <td><i>eakon tsuki</i></td><td>air conditioner included</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>オートロック</td><td>ー</td> <td><i>o-torokku</i></td><td>automatic locks</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>フローリング</td><td>ー </td> <td><i>furo-ringu</i></td><td>wood (or hard) flooring</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>間取り付き</td><td>まどりつき </td> <td><i>madori tsuki</i></td><td>floor plan included</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>物件動画付き</td><td>ぶっけんどうがつき </td> <td><i>bukken douga tsuki</i></td><td>video of building included</td> </tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">7.</span></b> The following image is an example listing. You can see an image of the apartment in the far left column, followed by the location, distance to train station or bus stop, monthly rent plus additional fees, key money and safety deposit, size, which direction it faces, what type of building it is and how old it is. You might see an area (such as in the yellow box in the image below) describing what pictures are available for the unit or house. To see the listing, click the address link (in blue) or the image.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ynVoWlZOlX4/UKYrArQjCgI/AAAAAAAAI8k/EFRtUWWWDkg/s1600/Suumo6edits2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, Japanese, apartment, listings, search, find" border="0" height="196" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ynVoWlZOlX4/UKYrArQjCgI/AAAAAAAAI8k/EFRtUWWWDkg/s640/Suumo6edits2.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">8.</span></b> The following image will be at the top of a listing's page, with essentially the same information as the previous page.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MA6h-PZxZ6Y/UKRd0EzS04I/AAAAAAAAI6k/8xJHsqtd-OY/s1600/Suumo6pt1Edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, Japanese, apartment, listings, search" border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MA6h-PZxZ6Y/UKRd0EzS04I/AAAAAAAAI6k/8xJHsqtd-OY/s640/Suumo6pt1Edits.jpg" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">9. </span></b>There are three tabs below the top part of the listing page. The first (which should appear by default) is the unit information, followed by neighborhood information and finally the real estate office info.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4xXi4IVFahU/UKhJcin9GII/AAAAAAAAJDg/Tl2d9c13Mw4/s1600/Suumo6pt2Edits2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Japan, Japanese, apartment, listings, search" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4xXi4IVFahU/UKhJcin9GII/AAAAAAAAJDg/Tl2d9c13Mw4/s640/Suumo6pt2Edits2.jpg" title="" width="494" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">10.</span></b> If you scroll down the apartment information page, you'll see a section with specifics about the place (what's included and other details). Next is a summary of info such as transportation, layout, the floor it's on in the building (if applicable), when you can move in, damage insurance, building structure, age of building, parking, conditions, number of windows, nearby stores and others. Included info will vary by listing.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOymN_0qIXI/UKhJblv9xpI/AAAAAAAAJDc/MXo5pRGMXzM/s1600/Suumo6pt5Edits2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="586" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOymN_0qIXI/UKhJblv9xpI/AAAAAAAAJDc/MXo5pRGMXzM/s640/Suumo6pt5Edits2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>11.</b></span> The second tab lists general info about the neighborhood, such as the closest supermarkets, convenience stores and other important facilities.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mwHCkOqM2O4/UKhKMNlO8OI/AAAAAAAAJDo/W8VNs6UOHmQ/s1600/Suumo6pt3Edits2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="524" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mwHCkOqM2O4/UKhKMNlO8OI/AAAAAAAAJDo/W8VNs6UOHmQ/s640/Suumo6pt3Edits2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>12. </b></span>The final tab lists info about the real estate office.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bj-b6XDtDBA/UKRd5X4RkzI/AAAAAAAAI7E/9GrapJSA--s/s1600/Suumo6pt4Edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bj-b6XDtDBA/UKRd5X4RkzI/AAAAAAAAI7E/9GrapJSA--s/s640/Suumo6pt4Edits.jpg" width="328" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>13. </b></span>If you're interested in the apartment, you can make an inquiry directly from the page (translations for the input fields below) or you can contact the real estate office directly if you prefer.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VzMmL2SO6pg/UKRd1Qe9JAI/AAAAAAAAI6s/9BeYbt4P4KE/s1600/Suumo6pt6Edits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VzMmL2SO6pg/UKRd1Qe9JAI/AAAAAAAAI6s/9BeYbt4P4KE/s640/Suumo6pt6Edits.jpg" width="594" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Other Words to Know</span></h3>
As you begin your online search, or even if a real estate agent is looking for you and they send you apartment information in Japanese, you might also find some of the following words and phrases useful (in addition to the ones above). (This isn't a comprehensive list.)<br />
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<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Japanese</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Hiragana</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Romaji</span></td><td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">English</span></td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>バルコニー</td> <td>-</td> <td><i>barukonii</i></td><td>balcony</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>ガスコンロ対応</td> <td>かすこんろたいおう</td><td><i>gasukonro taiou</i></td> <td>can use gas stoves</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>クロゼット</td><td>-</td><td><i style="background-color: white;">kurozetto</i></td> <td>closet</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>シャワー付き洗面台</td><td>しゃわーつきせんめんだい<i> </i></td> <td><i>shawaa tsuki senmendai</i></td><td>bathroom sink with shower nozzle</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>TVインターホン</td><td>TVいんたーほん<i> </i></td> <td><i>TV intaahon</i></td><td>door intercom with camera</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>オートロック</td><td>-<i> </i></td> <td><i>ootorokku</i></td><td>automatic locks</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>陽当たり良好</td><td>ようあたりりょうこう<i> </i></td> <td><i>youatari ryoukou</i></td><td>good sunlight</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>シューズボックス</td><td>-<i> </i></td> <td><i>shuuzu bokkusu</i></td><td>shoe cupboard/cabinet</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>システムキッチン</td><td>-<i> </i></td> <td><i>shisutemu kicchin</i></td><td>system kitchen</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>南向き</td><td>みなみむき<i> </i></td> <td><i>minami muki</i></td><td>southward facing</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>追焚機能浴室</td><td>おいたききのうよくしつ<i> </i></td> <td><i>oitaki kinou yokusitsu</i></td><td>bath that is able to reheat water</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>脱衣所</td><td>だついじょ</td> <td><i>datsuijyo</i></td><td>changing room (space outside of bath area to "change clothes" - may have sink area)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>洗面所独立</td><td>せんめんじょどくりつ<i> </i></td> <td><i>senmenjyo dokuritsu</i></td><td>standalone sink</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>洗面化粧台</td><td>せんめんけしょうだい<i> </i></td> <td><i>senmen keshoudai</i></td><td>sink with makeup stand</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>2口コンロ</td><td>にぐちこんろ<i> </i></td> <td>niguchi konro</td><td>supplementary<br />
insurance</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>駐輪場</td><td>ちゅうりんじょう<i> </i></td> <td><i>Chuurinjyou</i></td><td>bicycle parking</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>CATV</td><td><i> -</i></td> <td><i>-</i></td><td>cable TV</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>即入室可</td><td>そくにゅうしつか<i> </i></td> <td><i>soku nyuusitsu ka</i></td><td>immediate move-in possible</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>3口以上コンロ</td><td>さんぐちいじょうこんろ<i> </i></td> <td><i>sanguchi ijyou konro</i></td><td>three or more gas nozzles</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>対面式キッチン</td><td>ふたいほけん<i> </i></td> <td><i>taimensiki kicchin</i></td><td>open kitchen</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>全居室洋室</td><td>ぜんきょしつようしつ<i> </i></td> <td><i>zenkyositsu yousitsu</i></td><td>all western rooms (no tatami)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>保証人不要</td><td>ほしょうにんふよう<i> </i></td> <td><i>hoshounin fuyou</i></td><td>guarantor not required</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>単身者相談</td><td>たんしんしゃそうだん<i> </i></td> <td><i>tanshinsya soudan</i></td><td>single people OK to discuss renting (e.g. for a family-sized apartment)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>CATVインターネット</td><td>CATVいんたーねっと<i> </i></td> <td><i>CATV intaanetto</i></td><td>cable internet</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>二人入室相談</td><td>ふたりにゅうしつそうだん<i> </i></td> <td><i>futari nyuusitsu soudan</i></td><td>two people ok to discuss renting (non-family members)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>全居室フローリング</td><td>ぜんきょしつふろーりんぐ<i> </i></td> <td><i>zenkyositsu furooringu</i></td><td>all rooms wood flooring</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>2面バルコニー</td><td>にめんばるこにー<i> </i></td> <td><i>nimen barukonii</i></td><td>balcony on two sides</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>敷金2ヶ月</td><td>しききんにかげつ<i> </i></td> <td><i>shikikin nikagetsu</i></td><td>safety deposit is two months rent</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>緑豊かな住宅地</td><td>みどりゆたかなじゅうたくち</td> <td><i>midori yutakana jyuutakuchi</i></td><td>area has lots of greenery</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>外壁コンクリート</td><td>がいへきこんくりいと</td> <td><i>gaiheki konkuriito</i></td><td>outer building structure is concrete</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>クロゼット2ヶ所</td><td>くろぜっとにかしょ<i> </i></td> <td><i>kurozetto nikasho</i></td><td>two closets (in a room)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>ルームシェア相談</td><td>るーむしぇあそうだん<i> </i></td> <td><i>ruumushea soudan</i></td><td>room sharing open for discussion</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>南面リビング</td><td>なんめんりびんぐ<i> </i></td> <td><i>nanmen ribingu</i></td><td>living room on South side</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>学生相談</td><td>がくせいそうだん<i> </i></td> <td><i>gakusei soudan</i></td><td>students OK to discuss renting</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>バス2路線</td><td>ばすにろせん<i> </i></td> <td><i>basu nirosen</i></td><td>two bus lines nearby</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>敷地内ゴミ置き場</td><td>ちきちないごみおきば<i> </i></td> <td><i>shikichinai gomiokiba</i></td><td>on-site garbage collection area</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>平面駐車場</td><td>へいめんちゅうしゃじょう<i> </i></td> <td><i>heimen chuushajyou</i></td><td>ground floor parking lot</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>LDK12量以上</td><td>LDKじゅうにりょういじょう<i> </i></td> <td><i>LDK jyuuniryou ijyou</i></td><td>LDK is 12 tatami mats or more</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>洗面所のドア</td><td>せんめんじょのどあ</td> <td><i>senmenjyo no doa</i></td><td>bath area has a door</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>南面バルコニー</td><td>なんめんばるこにー<i> </i></td> <td><i>nanmen barukonii</i></td><td>balcony on the South side</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>礼金1ヶ月</td><td>れいきんいっかげつ</td> <td><i>reikin ikkagetsu</i></td><td>key money is one month's rent</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>保証会社利用可</td><td>ほしょうかいしゃりようか<i> </i></td> <td><i>hoshougaisha riyou ka</i></td><td>OK to use a guarantor company</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"><td>通風良好</td><td>つうふうりょうこう</td> <td><i>tsuufuu ryoukou</i></td><td>good air circulation</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
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Hopefully this will get you started with your apartment hunt, but remember that you can also ask a real estate agent to search for you, and in major cities you might be able to find a real estate agency that offers services in English if you can't speak Japanese. For example, Surviving in Japan's current sponsor, <a href="http://www.morethanrelo.com/English/index.asp" target="_blank">the H&R Group</a>, can help you find a place to live in Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka. See <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2012/08/how-to-search-for-an-apartment-in-japan.html" target="_blank">part one</a> for more.<br />
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Many thanks to <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidthompsonjapan" target="_blank">David Thompson</a> (husband) for doing the translations for this post!<br />
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*****<br />
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This post was brought to you by Surviving in Japan's November sponsor, <a href="http://www.japanhomesearch.com/" target="_blank">Japan Home Search</a>, a service provided by <a href="http://www.morethanrelo.com/English/index.asp" target="_blank">the H&R Group</a> and one of the most extensive English real estate and apartment listings in Japan to help you find the perfect home when relocating or moving to Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-5329313026552147872012-11-13T21:30:00.000+09:002012-11-13T21:30:00.644+09:00Starting a Business in Japan: Mister Softee [Interview]Today I'm happy to introduce entrepreneur Andrea Fisher, who, aside from creating her own line of stylish flute bags and previously running a fleet of soft cream trucks driven by women, has now brought her soft serve franchise to Japan. She shares with us the process of starting a business here, the difficulties involved, and why she chose Japan.<br />
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<img border="0" height="440" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OjERwxlnahA/UKH2Gej6kAI/AAAAAAAAG90/np-LD8KVTrU/s640/mistersoftee.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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<b>Ashley: First of all, would you tell us about yourself, what you do, and how long you’ve been in Japan?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea:</b> I was one of, if not the first, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/nyregion/thecity/08truc.html" target="_blank">female ice cream truck driver in New York City</a> before everyone else with college degrees started jumping on and opening food trucks. I drove and worked a Mister Softee truck initially as a summer job after graduating from Juilliard. I loved it so much, I then expanded to operate a fleet of over 20 female drivers over a period of five years.<br />
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However, I'm actually a professional flutist! I have two degrees from Juilliard and I also play keyboards and produce music (played on tour with John Legend and I'm on his Once Again album/DVD, produced two tracks for 50 Cent on his Curtis album and for a movie). I've been performing a fair amount since I've been in Japan while working on Mister Softee, although it wasn't my intention. I did my <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fm20120412a2.html" target="_blank">debut show here</a> at the Apple Store in April and I've been gigging around town since then. I just returned from Fukushima, playing a concert at Fukushima Music Hall and giving workshops for Junior High flute students organized by the Tokyo American Club.<br />
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I also have my own line of fashionable flute bags called Fluterscooter (my artist name) that I started a year and a half ago; now I have 20 dealers on four continents. In Tokyo they are sold at Yamano Music in Ginza.<br />
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I came to Tokyo in February, so I've been here for eight months.<br />
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<i>Editor's note: You can read more about Andrea on <a href="http://www.fluterscooter.com/">www.fluterscooter.com</a>.</i><br />
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<b>Ashley: You brought Mister Softee (an American soft cream brand) to Japan this year -- what inspired you to do this?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea:</b> I often came to Japan in the summers for various music performances and festivals, and I thought the <i>kawaii </i>Mister Softee character along with the fun and yummy menu would appeal to the Japanese. Plus, NYC has unfortunately been cracking down on food trucks and I thought it was finally time to realize my Softee dream in Japan! I've tried much of the "soft cream" here and was disappointed that it was not as creamy and sweet as the types I've had in the States. Much of the soft cream here doesn't even have milk in it!<br />
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<b>Ashley: What difficulties did you experience bringing Mister Softee to Japan? How did you overcome them?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea:</b> We had to develop a menu unique to Japan, because after some market research, the standard American flavors of Vanilla and Chocolate just aren't enough for Japan! We had the opportunity to open in Omotesando's fashionable Gyre building, co-branding with Japanese luxury sweets brand, Cafe Siry, which has a full coffee, beauty juice, and champagne bar. Many customers enjoy not only the ice cream, but being able to sit down for some coffee and drinks with it as well. And we modified our menu to include original blended soft-serve flavors and special "beauty" ice cream (see below for what this is).<br />
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<b>Ashley: From your experience in the US and now Japan, what are the biggest differences you have noticed between the two countries in starting and running a business?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea:</b> In Japan, starting a business as a mobile truck isn't a viable business model as Mister Softee is in the States, so we're starting with storefronts first. I wanted to have a truck right in front of 109 in Shibuya, but there are street and parking restrictions, and mobile trucks that process and sell dairy aren't actually legal anywhere in Tokyo.<br />
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<b>Ashley: How open do you think Japan is to entrepreneurs from abroad wanting to set up shop here?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea: </b>I'm lucky to have a business partner who's been here for a long time -- a veteran in the food and beverage business here -- and speaks perfect Japanese. Initially, in NYC, I went to Jetro to ask for their advice on how to start this up. They said it's next to impossible without a Japanese partner. I met my business partner and co-owner of Mister Softee Japan, Warren Wadud (owner of Nirvana NY Indian restaurant in Midtown and brought over Bubby's recently) while I was here on tour last summer by luck. Some NYC musician friends knew him and said he might be interested in helping me make this project a reality, and said to look him up. We've been working at it since February and finally made it a reality!<br />
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<b>Ashley: What advice would you offer to someone considering starting a business or franchise in Japan?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea:</b> Do your research. It will take longer than you think! If you can't speak Japanese, find a partner who does.<br />
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<b>Ashley: To whet our appetites, what soft cream flavors can we expect to get at Mister Softee in Japan? What’s the most popular flavor so far?</b><br />
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<b>Andrea:</b> We have over 30 special blended soft-serve flavors like American Apple Pie, Black Sesame, Banana/Choco, Baileys/Coffee Bean, and even Wasabi! We offer six soft-serve flavors every week and rotate flavors weekly.<br />
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However, we also have a "secret menu", so if you don't see what you want on the menu, just ask! The most popular by far is our Frosted Flakes soft-serve -- it's crushed Frosted Flakes blended into the vanilla ice cream, so it's creamy and crunchy (left image below). American Apple Pie is also a favorite, which is vanilla soft serve blended with apple jam, crushed graham crackers, and cinnamon. One of my favorites is actually a Japanese flavor, Kinako Kuromitsu.<br />
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Now, here's the really "Japanese" thing: we have a special ice cream called "Matcha Magic", which is also known as the "Ninja Turtle." We make matcha soft-serve from fresh matcha powder and add Suppon Hachimitsu as a topping, which is turtle collagen honey. So this exclusive menu item is not only <i>oishii</i> but great for your skin.<br />
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At this first location in Gyre, we are not a standalone store, but co-branded with Cafe Siry, who produces and sells the special Suppon Hachimitsu. We also do an Avocado Maple soft-serve and a Cactus puree topping over vanilla, which are both on the beauty side of things.<br />
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Of course, we have the traditional American menu of the classic Mister Softee chocolate dip and rainbow sprinkle cones. We'll be adding shakes and sundaes to the menu.<br />
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<b>Ashley: Many thanks for your time, Andrea, and we wish you and Mister Softee all the best!</b><br />
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You can find Mister Softee at Gyre Building (Omotesando) B1 in Cafe Siry. 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001 -- next to Cat Street and Meiji-Jingumae station<br />
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Or online via their <a href="http://www.mistersoftee.jp/" target="_blank">website</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mistersofteejapan" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/mistersofteejp" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.<br />
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Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-5502981672348274142012-11-11T20:57:00.000+09:002013-01-21T14:34:24.846+09:00HOW TO: Heat Your Home (and Stay Warm) in Japan This Winter<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="heater, japan, japanese, winter, heating" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XXMuR3OQvA0/UJ-NcMfsKiI/AAAAAAAAG9A/vShH4dQWwZ0/s1600/heatersjapan.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="how to heat your home in Japan this winter" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original photo via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/manicstreetpreacher/6906031339/#" target="_blank">manicstreetpreacher</a>, design, editing and text by me.</td></tr>
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Winter in (most of) Japan can be <i>cold</i>. And not just in the mountains of central Japan or Hokkaido as you would expect, but even coastal climate areas like where I live here in Shizuoka. It may not typically snow here, but the wind is strong and biting.<br />
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Well, obviously, it's cold. It's <i>winter</i>. And I'm a wimp when it comes to cold.<br />
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However. <br />
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Many homes in Japan are not insulated well and don't have double-paned windows, although this is changing with newer structures. Despite that, there's a good chance many of you live in a drafty apartment or house.<br />
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That said, there are some ways you can <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/11/8-ways-to-winterize-your-japanese.html" target="_blank">winterize your Japanese dwelling</a>, but if you're on the hunt for a decent heater, you'll find several options below, depending on your preferences and budget. (I've previously written <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/11/guide-to-heaters-in-japan.html" target="_blank">a guide to heaters in Japan</a>, but expanded a bit in today's post.)<br />
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Before we get into that, I saw this useful poster at an electronics store that lists different heaters in the far left column and a few characteristics in the other three columns.<br />
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The second column lists average costs to run (per hour), which is a good reference point, but there are definitely exceptions, on both the high and low end. According to the poster, an air conditioner running on the heating function at 1000 watts in a six to seven tatami-sized room costs approximately 15 yen an hour, whereas an oil heater, gas fan heater and kerosene fan heater cost 29 yen/hour and up.<br />
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Under the spot heating devices, a <i>kotatsu</i> and a hot carpet are the cheapest to run at 3.5 yen and 6.5 yen an hour, respectively (wattage indicated in small parentheses under each device), while the other heaters cost above 18 yen/hour to run. But remember, these are just examples and do <i>not</i> represent all models. More energy efficient heaters are usually indicated by 省エネ.<br />
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The second two columns indicate 暖房スピード (how fast they heat up) and 手軽さ (how easy they are to use). More on all that below.<br />
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I've listed two bestsellers (from kakaku.com, a ranking site) of each heater type, for your general reference or if you're wondering what model to get. Note that the rankings may have changed since the day I checked each (sort by clicking on the 売れ筋 column). At the end of this post is a list of ten bestselling heaters, among all types but not including air conditioners.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you want to heat an entire room</span></h2>
The following heaters will warm up a room (in most cases), as opposed to space heaters, which are best for heating you and small areas (more on those below).<br />
<img alt="" border="0" class="noborderdv" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B0088KHV9M" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="0" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0088KHV9M/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0088KHV9M&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="aircon, air conditioner, Japan, heater, heating, winter" border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0088KHV9M&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="" /></a><br />
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<h3>
Air Conditioner</h3>
エアコン<br />
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<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Can heat an entire room (the size designated on the model in tatami mats)</td><td>Can be expensive to run if you have an older model and/or use it all the time</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Newer, energy-saving models are often cheaper to run constantly than space heaters</td> <td>Extremely expensive to buy (30,000 - 40,000 yen and up)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up fast (depending on model)</td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<b>Best-selling air conditioner models on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/aircon/ranking_2150/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a></b> <i>(as of Nov. 9, 2012):</i><br />
<br />
Keep in mind you'll want to make sure, if you do get an air conditioner, that it's large enough to heat the space you have, as the following two models are for smaller spaces.<br />
<ol>
<li>パナソニック CS-222CF-W - Heats a five tatami-sized room if in wooden structure or six tatami-sized room in concrete building.</li>
<li>ダイキン S22NTES-W - Heats the same space as above.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B002N2YJLY/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B002N2YJLY&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="oil heater, Japan " border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B002N2YJLY&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="Oil Heater" /></a><br />
<h3>
Oil Heater </h3>
オイルヒーター<br />
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B002N2YJLY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Can heat an entire room</td><td>Slow to heat up</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Can move around (though they are heavy, but have wheels) </td> <td>Expensive to run (15 to 35 yen an hour, depending on model and wattage used)</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<b>Best-selling oil heaters according to <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1=5/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a> </b><i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>デロンギ ドラゴンデジタルスマート TDDS0915BL</li>
<li>デロンギ ドラゴンデジタル TDD0915W</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0093WS2I8/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0093WS2I8&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kerosene, fan, heater, Japan" border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0093WS2I8&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="Kerosene Fan Heater" /></a><br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B0093WS2I8" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<h3>
Kerosene Fan Heater </h3>
石油ファンヒーター<br />
<br />
The word for actual kerosene is actually 灯油 (とうゆ, touyu), rather than 石油.<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Can be cheap to run (depends on model and cost of kerosene) </td><td>Can be expensive to run (depends on model and cost of kerosene)</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up fast</td> <td>Requires leaving window open and regularly airing out the space to use</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>-</td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best-selling kerosene fan heaters on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1=1/s2=2/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a></b> <i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>ダイニチ FW-568L-W</li>
<li>ダイニチ FW-328S-S</li>
</ol>
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B0043O7PDO" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0043O7PDO/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0043O7PDO&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kerosene, stove, Japan" border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0043O7PDO&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="Kerosene Stove" /></a><br />
<h3>
Kerosene Stove</h3>
石油ストーブ<br />
<br />
Pros and cons are similar to the <b>kerosene fan heater</b> above.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b> <b>Best-selling kerosene stoves on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1=8/s2=2/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a></b> <i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>トヨトミ RB-25C</li>
<li>日本エー・アイ・シー アラジン ブルーフレーム BF3905</li>
</ol>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B002OH8RSY" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B002OH8RSY/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B002OH8RSY&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="gas, fan, heater, Japan" border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B002OH8RSY&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="Gas Fan Heater" /></a><br />
<h3>
Gas Fan Heater </h3>
ガスファンヒーター<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Can heat up an entire room </td><td>Can be expensive to run (depends on model and cost of gas)</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up fast </td> <td>Requires leaving window open and regularly airing out the space to use</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>- </td> <td>Expensive to buy</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best-selling gas fan heaters on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1=1/s2=1/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a></b> <i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>東京ガス RN-C250XFH-WH</li>
<li>東京ガス NR-B950FH</li>
</ol>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">If you want to spot heat</span></h2>
The following heaters are generally not capable of heating up an entire room. From experience, I know a ceramic fan heater can warm up an insulated room (with the door shut) to some extent, but not as effectively as an air conditioner or oil heater. They do work well for small areas though, such as bathrooms.<br />
<br />
Also remember that the wattage each of these uses varies depending on the size and model. So a max 300 watts heater will use less energy and thus be cheaper to run than a heater running at 1200 watts, although it likely won't be as warm. Electronics stores usually list the wattage and other specs on labels next to the prices, and many often include how much they cost to operate per hour. So it's a good idea to browse through an electronics store before you purchase a heater, even if you plan to order one online (for a better deal or for other reasons).<br />
<br />
I've listed different space heaters below with pros and cons, but quickly, I want to share the following poster that I thought was a bit helpful in terms of highlighting pros and cons for a few popular space heaters. The three types of heaters compared in the picture include oil heaters (オイルヒーター), ceramic heater (セラミックヒーター), and electric stoves (電気ストーブ), which includes infrared and carbon heaters. Five stars is excellent, and one star is poor.<br />
<br />
The categories in the far left column are:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>経済性 (けいざいせい, <i>keizaisei</i>, how economical it is) </li>
<li>速暖性 (そくだんせい, <i>sokudansei</i>, how fast it heats up)</li>
<li>全体暖房 (ぜんたいだんぼう, <i>zentaidanbou</i>, how well it heats a room)</li>
<li>部分暖房 (ぶぶんだんぼう, <i>bubundanbou</i>, how well it spot heats)</li>
<li>安全性 (あんぜんせい, <i>anzensei</i>, how safe it is)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tLZAofmy2rg/UJ8JthMdi7I/AAAAAAAAG8U/uRm4hK8m5ls/s1600/IMAGE_63CA3B93-B798-4C9B-9869-DDB16FE7C681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="heaters, heating, Japan, Japanese" border="0" height="478" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tLZAofmy2rg/UJ8JthMdi7I/AAAAAAAAG8U/uRm4hK8m5ls/s640/IMAGE_63CA3B93-B798-4C9B-9869-DDB16FE7C681.JPG" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B004CV3F9Q" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B004CV3F9Q/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B004CV3F9Q&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B004CV3F9Q&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
<h3>
Ceramic Fan Heater </h3>
セラミックファンヒーター<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up fast </td><td>Can be expensive to run</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Easy to move around</td> <td>Can only heat up small areas</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Inexpensive to buy</td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best-selling ceramic fan heaters on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1001/s1=1/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a></b> <i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>パナソニック DS-FKX1203-S</li>
<li>シャープ HX-B120-W</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0093WS2YM/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0093WS2YM&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0093WS2YM&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
<h3>
(Far) Infrared Stove / Heater</h3>
遠赤外線ストーブ<br />
遠赤外線ヒーター<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up fast, but heats you from the inside</td><td>Can be expensive to run</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Inexpensive to buy</td> <td>Doesn't heat up space</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Easy to move around</td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best-selling infrared heaters on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1001/s1=3/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a></b> <i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>コロナ コアヒート DH-1112R</li>
<li>コロナ コアヒートスリム DH-912R</li>
</ol>
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B0092JKWGM" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0092JKWGM/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0092JKWGM&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="carbon, heater, Japan" border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0092JKWGM&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="Carbon Heater" /></a><br />
<h3>
Carbon Heater </h3>
カーボンヒーター<br />
<br />
Carbon heaters are a type of infrared heater, but they use a carbon filament, which heats up almost instantly. We owned one and found it to be energy-efficient and kept me nice and toasty, although this was pre-baby.<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up in two seconds </td><td>Doesn't really heat up space (heats you or objects)</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Inexpensive to buy </td> <td>Can be somewhat expensive to run, <br />
depending on model (some models are energy efficient and cost next to nothing to run)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Easy to move around </td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best-selling carbon heaters on Kakaku</b> <i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>コイズミ KKS-0612/G</li>
<li>YAMAZEN DC-S093</li>
</ol>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B005LKIB46" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B005LKIB46/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B005LKIB46&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B005LKIB46&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
<h3>
Halogen Heater </h3>
ハロゲンヒーター<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Inexpensive to buy</td><td>Have to replace lamps every four years or so</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Heats up fast (depending on model)</td> <td>Extremely expensive to buy (¥30,000 - 40,000 and up)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td><br /></td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>Best-selling halogen heaters on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/heater/ma_0/s1001/s1=4/s2=3/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a> </b><i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>テクノス PH-1211</li>
<li>日立 HLH-104</li>
</ol>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B0092JKUQ4" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0092JKUQ4/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0092JKUQ4&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="hot, carpet, Japan, heating" border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0092JKUQ4&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" title="Hot Carpet" /></a><br />
<h3>
Hot Carpet </h3>
ホットカーペット<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Cheap to run</td><td>Only heats the part of you touching the carpet</td></tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Easy to move around</td> <td>Some higher-quality models are more expensive to buy (10,000 to 20,000 yen and up)</td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Can be inexpensive to buy (some around 5000 yen) </td> <td>-</td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<b>Best-selling hot carpets on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/hot-carpet/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a> </b><i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>テクノス TWA-2000B</li>
<li>パナソニック DC-2NHA1-P</li>
</ol>
<br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.jp/e/ir?t=si08-22&l=as2&o=9&a=B0094QND6Y" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B0094QND6Y/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=7399&creativeASIN=B0094QND6Y&linkCode=as2&tag=si08-22" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.jp/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0094QND6Y&Format=_SL160_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=JP&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=si08-22" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
<h3>
Kotatsu </h3>
こたつ<br />
<br />
Slip your feet under this table and keep nice and toasty warm. They're nice, although personally I don't like the rest of me being cold while part of me is warm so it really depends on what you like/don't like and your cold tolerance. The blanket, which goes directly under the tabletop so it sits between two panels, is sold separately (or you could use a thick blanket you might already have).<br />
<br />
<div class="nobrtable">
<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="1" bordercolor="#CCCCCC" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#555555" class="alt"> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: PT Sans Narrow; font-size: large;">Pros</span></td> <td><span style="color: white; font-family: 'PT Sans Narrow'; font-size: large;">Cons</span></td> </tr>
<tr class="alt"> <td>Cheap to run </td><td>Only heats area under blanket (the rest of you might get cold)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<b>Best-selling kotatsu models on <a href="http://kakaku.com/kaden/kotatsu/" target="_blank">Kakaku</a> </b><i>(as of Nov. 8, 2012):</i><br />
<ol>
<li>ゼピール DK-K7511-LG</li>
<li>コイズミ KTR-3214</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
Best Selling Heaters According to Kakaku</h3>
<i>as of Nov. 9, 2012</i><br />
Air conditioners, hot carpets, and kotatsu are not included.<br />
<br />
1. Corona Core Heat <i>(Infrared)</i><br />
コロナ コアヒート DH-1112R<br />
<br />
2. Corona Core Heat Slim <i>(Infrared)</i><br />
コロナ コアヒートスリム DH-912R<br />
<br />
3. Delonghi Dragon Digital Smart <i>(Oil Heater)</i><br />
デロンギ ドラゴンデジタルスマート TDDS0915BL<br />
<br />
4. Panasonic (Ceramic Heater)<br />
パナソニックDS-FKX1203-S<br />
<br />
5. Dainichi<br />
ダイニチ FW-568L-W <i>(Kerosene Fan Heater)</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> 6. Toyotomi<br />
トヨトミ RB-25C <i>(Kerosene Stove)</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> 7. Japan A.M.C. Aladdin Blue Frame <i>(Kerosene Stove)</i><br />
日本エー・アイ・シー アラジン ブルーフレーム BF3905<br />
<br />
8. Sharp <i>(Humidifier / Ceramic Heater)</i><br />
シャープ HX-B120-W<br />
<br />
9. Dyson Hot + Cool Fan Heater AM04 ファンヒーター<br />
<br />
10. Panasonic <i>(Ceramic Heater)</i><br />
パナソニックDS-F1202<br />
<br />
Looking for more options? Try reading this <a href="http://www.survivingnjapan.com/2010/11/guide-to-heaters-in-japan.html" target="_blank">guide to heaters in Japan</a> for some info on panel heaters and electric blankets. You might also try looking for an electric foot warmer or using a large heating water bottle (<a href="http://www.muji.net/store/cmdty/search?query=%E6%B9%AF%E3%81%9F%E3%82%93%E3%81%BD&sectionId=" target="_blank">湯たんぽ</a>, ゆたんぽ, <i>yutanpo</i>).<br />
<br />
Those of you who've survived one or more winters in Japan, what type of heating has worked the best for you?<br />
<br />Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215865089537391877.post-79537704418177246892012-11-05T21:29:00.001+09:002012-11-05T21:29:12.834+09:00HOW TO: Travel From Narita Airport to Tokyo With a Bicycle<i>Today's post comes from Byron Kidd of <a href="http://www.tokyobybike.com/" target="_blank">Tokyo by Bike</a>. Byron covers anything and everything related to cycling in Tokyo as well as other parts of Japan and Asia, so I highly recommend following his stuff if you're a cyclist or would like to know more about it as it pertains to Japan. -Ashley</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mumblion/7293383514/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="輪行初挑戦 taking my bike on the train by mumblion, on Flickr"><img alt="輪行初挑戦 taking my bike on the train" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7229/7293383514_2126110f0c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bicycle in a bike bag on a train in Japan. Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mumblion/7293383514/" target="_blank">mumblion</a> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A question I'm asked time and time again is:<br />
<br />
"Upon arriving in Japan, how can I transport my bicycle from Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo?"<br />
<br />
Of course, you could ride, but after a long flight I doubt you'd be alert nor energetic enough to navigate the 76km from Narita Airport to central Tokyo. It's an option if you're up for the challenge but not one I'd recommend if this is your first trip to Tokyo.<br />
<a name='more'></a>JR East's <b>Narita Express</b> train runs between Narita Airport and major metropolitan stations including Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. Depending on your destination, ticket prices vary from 3,000 to 4,500 yen and the trip takes about 55 minutes to Tokyo Station.<br />
<br />
At the rear of each passenger carriage on the Narita Express is a space for storing luggage, and behind the very last row of passenger seats there is enough space to stow a bicycle. Japan Rail rules state that a <b>bicycle must be covered in order to be taken on a train</b> and this applies to most trains around the country. Given you've just arrived in Japan it is safe to assume that your bicycle is already boxed or bagged so you're good to go*.<br />
<br />
While the Narita Express is fast and efficient, the departure platform is many levels below the airport's arrival gates so be prepared to haul your luggage and bicycle a long, long way.<br />
<br />
Another option at your disposal is the luxurious-sounding <b>Limousine Bus</b> service. As with the Narita Express, Limousine buses operate between Narita Airport and major stations and hotels in Tokyo. Depending upon traffic the trip to Tokyo Station can take anywhere between 75 and 130 minutes and most tickets are around 3,000 yen.<br />
<br />
Limousine Bus tickets can be purchased right outside the arrival gates at Narita Airport, and buses also depart from directly in front of the terminal building on the same level as the arrivals hall (meaning no long walk with your luggage and bicycle). Staff will stow your bicycle in luggage space underneath the bus, leaving you free to enjoy the journey into Tokyo. While the Limousine Bus trip does take longer than the Narita Express, you do get to see much more of the city from high up in a bus on an expressway than on the Narita Express which travels mostly at, or under, ground level.<br />
<br />
Narita is, as one would expect, also serviced by a number of taxi companies, but a ride to Tokyo will set you back anywhere between 15,000 and 26,000 yen depending on your destination in Tokyo, so for most of us that's not an option worth considering.<br />
<br />
If you really feel like splashing out, you could take a <b>helicopter</b> from Narita Airport to Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, which costs 50,000 yen per passenger one way, but I doubt they'll transport your bicycle.<br />
<br />
If you're not in a hurry, I'd recommend the Limosuine Bus service for its convenient boarding and disembarking locations, trouble-free storage for bicycles, and the scenic value of the ride into the city atop the expressway.<br />
<br />
For more information, including current prices and timetables, please visit the <a href="http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/" target="_blank">Narita Express</a> or <a href="http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/" target="_blank">Limousine Bus</a> websites (English available).<br />
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****<br />
<br />
*Editor's note: If you're in Japan and plan to travel around with a bicycle, you can find bike bags at sports stores or bicycle shops, or <a href="http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_ja_JP=%E3%82%AB%E3%82%BF%E3%82%AB%E3%83%8A&url=node%3D15337751&field-keywords=%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E3%80%80%E8%A2%8B&rh=n%3A15337751%2Ck%3A%E8%87%AA%E8%BB%A2%E8%BB%8A%E3%80%80%E8%A2%8B" target="_blank">online</a>. Make sure you get one that fits your bike!<br />
<br />
<br />
You can find more Japan cycling information on <a href="http://www.tokyobybike.com/" target="_blank">Tokyo by Bike</a> and you can follow Byron on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/tokyobybike" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/tokyobybike" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.Ashleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.com0