Ye Olde Japan Thread

[manuel]

I have to add my family knows a lot of people, also in some offices, so I think there should be no problem.
It's also a matter of mentality. I suspect that a lot of "gaijin" who experience problems with bureaucracy just come off a bit arrogant and/or ignorant (e.g. they expect that everything goes the same way as in their home country and don't respect local habits), which is not liked by Japanese at all, especially in said offices. When you show them respect and if you're nice to them, most of them are also nice to you, which is my personal experience. I got a lot of stuff in Japan without any problems at all. Maybe that's one reason why I like that country and its people so much.

[UglyJoe]

You're probably right about that.  Most people are jerks 

[manuel]

In case I really move to Japan I also plan to dig up a lot of Famicom stuff and sell it to you guys, so start saving the $. 
I'd also take requests, but that all must wait until I'm actually there.

[JC]

Awesome! Neat that you're gonna do it! It's always such a big decision to move somewhere new, but you seem to know the culture enough to fit right in...plus, you know the language, which ain't gonna hurt one bit. Although, I hear Germany is really nice. Never been, but a friend of mine visited for a month a while back and loved it.

It'll be nice to have another friend in Japan I can visit, assuming I travel there. I've had a lot on my mind lately, and a lot to do...

[manuel]

Yes, it's a very big step. But if I don't make this first step nothing will change.

I have researched prices for my flight already.  For me, my wife and our child the price would be around 1200 Euros with Emirates Airlines. That's very cheap I think.
Did you also know the fact that one-way tickets were always ridiculously more expensive than round trip tickets? Totally weird, but it was that way, right?
Yesterday I checked at Emirates' homepage and now the one way tickets are actually cheaper than round trips. I think that's a wink in my direction. I HAVE to go to Japan next year. Round trip tickets would cost 1500, but one way will be 1200 Euros. Very nice.

Although, I hear Germany is really nice.

I don't know where your friend has been, but I'm sure he was here for travel, right?
If you go sightseeing, Germany is really nice I'm sure. There's a lot of places to visit.
But the thing is, there are a lot of changes lately. The education system is vastly deteriorating, thus children seem to become dumber every minute. I want my child to receive proper education.
Also I don't like the German mentality of nagging at everything. People here can't be content with what they have. They always have to complain and be jealous of others.
Many store clerks are rude to customers, something that really bothers me. You'll never ever see that in Japan. Another thing about stores is that they can't open 24/7. All stores must close at 8 p.m. No chance for shopping at 9 or 10 in the night.

Japan is the country I wanted to be in for about 10 years now. And finally the chance has come.
In Japan I have my favourite dishes, I can visit used game and book stores (which are rare in Germany ), I can buy cheap games (I can easily buy 2 new games in Japan for the price of 1 in Germany), I can take a bath every day, which I grew accustomed to when I lived there. I couldn't afford to do that in Germany.

I will write more later. I'll have to take care of my cat now who is meowing like crazy before my door and waiting for some petting.

[superfamiking]

I have been to japan 8 times (was there in June this year for 10 days!)
Here are a couple of pics I took in arcades etc (Akihabara)..................if you want to see more, let me know


I know this is a Nintendo site, but the Sega arcades are cool places!

[manuel]

Nice pics, superfamiking!
If you have more, please post more.

Wow, 8 times. I've been to Japan only 3 times, for 14 months all together.
I see you like Super Famicom. We should get along well as the Super Famicom is also my favourite console.

[superfamiking]

I lived in Japan (Minato, Tokyo) for nearly 2 years back in the 90's!
I have also been back many times since as I still have friends who live there!
(also Manuel, just had a look around your website!..........nice!!!)

[manuel]

Cool. 
May I ask how old you are?
You were in Japan in the 90s, a time I could only dream of Japan yet.
Did you study there? University or exchange student or something like that?

[superfamiking]

I worked there from September 93 until October 95 with BP the petrol company (I am now 31 years old)
I was there from when I was 17-19 years old (was a 3 year deal but after 2 years they moved me back to London.

I have been back 8 times since then, was there last October for 3 weeks and was there for 10 days at the beginning of June this year!
I stay with my friend (he lives in Yokahama), so all I have is travel cost and spending money..........accommodation is free

Although we are from the UK, my wife and I spend a lot of our time in our house in Barbados now, so moving back to Japan isn't really an option for us................................so holidays are the only time I get in Japan now.

[manuel]

Barbados. That seems nice and warm, too.

I have never been to Yokohama or Tokyo yet, but that will be my first destination once I have a job and saved up some money.

[133MHz]

Hey manuel, since you have a cat and I imagine you may take it with you to Japan, does it have the microchip implanted under its skin? the one used to recognize them if they're lost. It may be needed for getting it into another country (customs will scan it), and I've heard stories of incompatible chip standards between countries (kind of like NTSC vs. PAL), so make sure to research that before you travel

[UglyJoe]

Your PAL cat will still work in NTSC Japan, it'll just be a bit faster 

[manuel]

Your PAL cat will still work in NTSC Japan, it'll just be a bit faster 

That comment almost made me spit water on the screen. 
Very nice.

Unfortunately I won't take my cat with me, it will stay here at my parents' place.
But the town I plan to move to has lots and lots of cats, so I won't be cat-less in Japan.

BTW, is anyone interested in some of my cat pics? (Japanese and German cats)

[133MHz]

Your PAL cat will still work in NTSC Japan, it'll just be a bit faster 

But if it was a colored cat, it'll now be a black and white one, and it will be rolling around incessantly