Except... Tokyo is out of rainy season as of the 19th! Likewise, Osaka's rainy season ended on the 20th. It's just the weather being asshole as usual.
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Japan GAF |OT| I'm not planning a trip; I live here!
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Except... Tokyo is out of rainy season as of the 19th! Likewise, Osaka's rainy season ended on the 20th. It's just the weather being asshole as usual.
Just be careful
Yeah, I know it's a general rule in almost all places where you have to show your chest, back and legs (swimming pools, onsen's, public baths, etc). You may be mistaken that you're part of the Yakuza because they use them as identifiers.
BTW, Good evening there in Japan!
I'd love a meetup, but Icey been really busy lately so I'm not sure.
But maybe we can meet around, how long are you staying in Tokyo?
For all the Japanese people that like to talk about how wonderful their country's four seasons are: your seasons are SHIT. The only serviceable one is autumn, which I will admit can be quite beautiful and the weather is nice. However winter is dry and cold as shit, spring barely exists for over two weeks if at all and its followed by the terrible rainy season where it's all humid and hot, which then fades info some of the most insufferable humid and hot summers I've experience besides Singapore, but at least there everywhere has AC.
Miss the dry summers in Spain where it doesn't feel like you need an extra shower after taking one... three minutes earlier, and the shadows are cool and nice
I only post this because fuck the rain that just won't stop and it's making commuting to my work with bike a bad experience
Miss the dry summers in Spain where it doesn't feel like you need an extra shower after taking one... three minutes earlier, and the shadows are cool and nice
I only post this because fuck the rain that just won't stop and it's making commuting to my work with bike a bad experience
qftFor all the Japanese people that like to talk about how wonderful their country's four seasons are: your seasons are SHIT. The only serviceable one is autumn, which I will admit can be quite beautiful and the weather is nice. However winter is dry and cold as shit, spring barely exists for over two weeks if at all and its followed by the terrible rainy season where it's all humid and hot, which then fades info some of the most insufferable humid and hot summers I've experience besides Singapore, but at least there everywhere has AC.
Miss the dry summers in Spain where it doesn't feel like you need an extra shower after taking one... three minutes earlier, and the shadows are cool and nice
I only post this because fuck the rain that just won't stop and it's making commuting to my work with bike a bad experience
Hating the summer already, it's absolutely gross. Just going out for 15 minutes requires a shower right after. I was always told Japanese summers are "humid" but I never understood what the hell that meant. Now I now. I'll never complain about the weather in the Netherlands ever again
that's a lie I will complain about it everyday once I'm back
i mainly post this because inexplicably apparently no アパート is designed to handle summer AND winter, the insulation is just so piss-poor! Maybe owning a proper house is better.
also don't treat your shitty village bike like a road bike. I stacked it halfway through a national forest trail today and was bleeding everywhere
also don't treat your shitty village bike like a road bike. I stacked it halfway through a national forest trail today and was bleeding everywhere
Are マンション's any better? Or are the same regarding heat insulation?
Greets! (and おやすみ！
Upsidedown Fuji
Member
Yeah honestly they have three seasons, omg my face is melting, oh shit my toilet water froze overnight, ahh sweet autumn.For all the Japanese people that like to talk about how wonderful their country's four seasons are: your seasons are SHIT. The only serviceable one is autumn, which I will admit can be quite beautiful and the weather is nice. However winter is dry and cold as shit, spring barely exists for over two weeks if at all and its followed by the terrible rainy season where it's all humid and hot, which then fades info some of the most insufferable humid and hot summers I've experience besides Singapore, but at least there everywhere has AC.
Miss the dry summers in Spain where it doesn't feel like you need an extra shower after taking one... three minutes earlier, and the shadows are cool and nice
I only post this because fuck the rain that just won't stop and it's making commuting to my work with bike a bad experience
個々の季節に対し「夏だ蒸し暑いヒャッハー」、「冬だ寒い楽しすぐるー＼(^o^)／」と言っているわけではなく、季節の移りかわりから生じる趣にもののあはれやはかなさを見出しそれを楽しんでいるだけなので・・・For all the Japanese people that like to talk about how wonderful their country's four seasons are: your seasons are SHIT. The only serviceable one is autumn, which I will admit can be quite beautiful and the weather is nice. However winter is dry and cold as shit, spring barely exists for over two weeks if at all and its followed by the terrible rainy season where it's all humid and hot, which then fades info some of the most insufferable humid and hot summers I've experience besides Singapore, but at least there everywhere has AC.
Miss the dry summers in Spain where it doesn't feel like you need an extra shower after taking one... three minutes earlier, and the shadows are cool and nice
I only post this because fuck the rain that just won't stop and it's making commuting to my work with bike a bad experience
Aizo
Banned
That post made me chuckle. So true. I'm from a place with climate more like Hokkaido. Speaking of which, Hokkaido is really nice. Too bad it feels so isolated when you're there.
To answer the question a bit above, I'll be here until next Monday (not this coming one), because I'm going to Rock in Japan on Saturday.
To answer the question a bit above, I'll be here until next Monday (not this coming one), because I'm going to Rock in Japan on Saturday.
oO is that why the keikyu main line was delayed for the whole day? they just wrote something about lightning strikes... I couldn't really make heads or tails as we had sun all day long down here in Yokohama.
one thing I noticed though... after a day of rain, the following day usually becomes unbearably hot. probably due to the increase in humidity?
that's probably one of the first strange things I noticed when coming to Japan.
edit: stay hydrated folks! seems like we're approaching 35° tomorrow.
BlazingDarkness
Member
How's Tokyo weather in September?
I've booked my flight, I land on the 8th I also found out my accommodation today, it is Waseda Hoshien, right by the campus. I'm a little nervous (that I will arrive and suddenly have forgotten how to speak any Japanese) but I'm also excited to have a great year!!
Can anyone recommend any particular good eats around the area? (Nishi Waseda/ Takadanobaba etc) Any affordable supermarkets etc. My accommodation is fairly pricey so I'd like to be able to eat on a budget
I've booked my flight, I land on the 8th
I also found out my accommodation today, it is Waseda Hoshien, right by the campus. I'm a little nervous (that I will arrive and suddenly have forgotten how to speak any Japanese) but I'm also excited to have a great year!! Can anyone recommend any particular good eats around the area? (Nishi Waseda/ Takadanobaba etc) Any affordable supermarkets etc. My accommodation is fairly pricey so I'd like to be able to eat on a budget
How's Tokyo weather in September?
I've booked my flight, I land on the 8th
Can anyone recommend any particular good eats around the area? (Nishi Waseda/ Takadanobaba etc) Any affordable supermarkets etc. My accommodation is fairly pricey so I'd like to be able to eat on a budget
As its close to the university, there is tons of cheap places to eat, all accommodating student budgets and stomaches.
I'm not sure about supermarkets though.
BlazingDarkness
Member
Cheers guys, this is promising!
I think my uni will give us a tour around the area to show us a few good places too
I think my uni will give us a tour around the area to show us a few good places too
How's Tokyo weather in September?
I've booked my flight, I land on the 8th
Can anyone recommend any particular good eats around the area? (Nishi Waseda/ Takadanobaba etc) Any affordable supermarkets etc. My accommodation is fairly pricey so I'd like to be able to eat on a budget
Oh, it's my turn to pour out the knowledge I accumulated when I spent my years at Waseda! Note, it's been a bit over three years since I graduated, but these places were there when I entered college in 2008 and they were still there last time I visited Takadanobaba last year.
Cheap/good restaurants:
- Kitchen Otoboke (キッチンオトボケ has huge portions for all their food, and it's super cheap. Exit the Waseda University main gate and turn right, walk until you get to the Waseda-doori junction. It's right on the corner. Price is around 400-600 yen per meal.
- Budouka (武道家 is by far the best Yokohama-style ramen place I have ever had the pleasure of eating at. I ate there at least once a month while I was in college. Soup has a very thick and oily taste, but if you aren't into that you might want to skip it. Price is around 800 yen per meal.
- Musashino Abura Gakkai (武蔵野油学会 is a good place for abura soba (kind of like ramen with oil instead of soup). They have a point card system and if you get a certain amount of points you become eligible for free toppings for a year. I think the price was around 700 or 800 yen per meal.
- Meeyau (メーヤウ is an ethnic curry place where the menu changes depending on the week. Some weeks have extra spicy curry if you are into that. I don't remember the price but it was around 700 yen for the meal.
- Takagiya (高木や is another place if you like really spicy stuff. Their main dish is tsukemen, and their "normal" stuff is on the spicy side. They have a secret menu for milder and spicier dishes than they show on the normal menu. I think it was around 700 yen for the bowl.
- Thali-ya (ターりー屋 is an indian curry place right next to building 22 where most if not all of your Japanese language classes will take place. You can eat as much naan bread as you like during lunch. If you beat the record (my friend was a record holder for a while with 9 pieces I think) you get a free meal.
- Tinun (ティーヌン is a Thai restaurant with good Thai food. It was the go-to Thai place for all my Thai friends, so it has to be at least slightly authentic. On the 16th every month they have a Thank You day where their main meals (ramen, green curry and more) is only 390 yen.
Then there's the bento place opposite to building 22. I don't remember the name of it, but their bentos are decently proportioned and cost under 500 yen IIRC.
As for supermarkets, there are a couple of them in Takadanobaba but they are slightly more expensive than what I would prefer. Watch out for the overpriced Aeon supermarkets if you are looking for cheap, not quality but decent stuff to prepare your meals. I spent three years at a dormitory where I didn't have to prepare my own food, but the one year I lived alone I used to go to a place called Niku no Hanamasa (肉のハナマサ
, located between Takadanobaba and Ikebukuro. Niku no Hanamasa is a supermarket chain aimed at restaurant owners so they sell everything in bulk. You can get 2 kilograms of frozen Brazilian chicken for as little as 600~700 yen, so it's great if you are low on cash. Other meats are also inexpensive.If you have access to a fridge at your dorm I recommend you also purchase something like a slow cooker so you can cook large quantities of good food like curry, chili con carne, stews and so on and freeze it for later on. In a day you can easily make food that lasts you a week or longer if you want to save up. And let's be fair, these kinds of foods taste so much better when slow cooked!
I envy you, I really do. I wish I could go back to my college years and relive them. I have really fond memories of Waseda and the area around Takadanobaba. Although I enjoy my salaryman life in Osaka I still yearn for the good people I met and the good food I ate during those years.
If you have any questions concerning what to do around Waseda, Waseda University, social life (circles and so on), feel free to PM me and I'll respond when I can.
Edit: Added Tinun
Has anyone seen the TV show, "27時間テレビ"?
I haven't watched it, but found an article about people wearing a T-shirt which has racism printed on it.
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/10396126/
Honestly, I wasn't aware of the "H" word (shame on me),
but the fact that one of the popular TV Stations in Japan being so ignorant was really disappointing.
I don't want this TV station to be broadcasting Tokyo Olympics 2020,
because some foreigners will definitely be turning on their TVs while they're staying at the hotel.
I haven't watched it, but found an article about people wearing a T-shirt which has racism printed on it.
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/10396126/
Honestly, I wasn't aware of the "H" word (shame on me),
but the fact that one of the popular TV Stations in Japan being so ignorant was really disappointing.
I don't want this TV station to be broadcasting Tokyo Olympics 2020,
because some foreigners will definitely be turning on their TVs while they're staying at the hotel.
BlazingDarkness
Member
Oh, it's my turn to pour out the knowledge I accumulated when I spent my years at Waseda! Note, it's been a bit over three years since I graduated, but these places were there when I entered college in 2008 and they were still there last time I visited Takadanobaba last year.
Cheap/good restaurants:
- Kitchen Otoboke (キッチンオトボケ
- Budouka (武道家
- Musashino Abura Gakkai (武蔵野油学会
- Meeyau (メーヤウ
- Takagiya (高木や
- Thali-ya (ターりー屋
- Tinun (ティーヌン
Then there's the bento place opposite to building 22. I don't remember the name of it, but their bentos are decently proportioned and cost under 500 yen IIRC.
As for supermarkets, there are a couple of them in Takadanobaba but they are slightly more expensive than what I would prefer. Watch out for the overpriced Aeon supermarkets if you are looking for cheap, not quality but decent stuff to prepare your meals. I spent three years at a dormitory where I didn't have to prepare my own food, but the one year I lived alone I used to go to a place called Niku no Hanamasa (肉のハナマサ
If you have access to a fridge at your dorm I recommend you also purchase something like a slow cooker so you can cook large quantities of good food like curry, chili con carne, stews and so on and freeze it for later on. In a day you can easily make food that lasts you a week or longer if you want to save up. And let's be fair, these kinds of foods taste so much better when slow cooked!
I envy you, I really do. I wish I could go back to my college years and relive them. I have really fond memories of Waseda and the area around Takadanobaba. Although I enjoy my salaryman life in Osaka I still yearn for the good people I met and the good food I ate during those years.
If you have any questions concerning what to do around Waseda, Waseda University, social life (circles and so on), feel free to PM me and I'll respond when I can.
Edit: Added Tinun
Thank you so much! This is all really great information, I'm really happy for it!
I'll be sure to msg you in future
the "H" word? I've never heard of that... I just skimmed your article but I'm still not sure why exactly I should be outraged... could you explain in more detail?
I don't know, when somebody talks about "H"-words in Japan, it's usually a lot more lewd...
Zoe
Member
Honky (pronounced like "donkey") is a slur for white people. Though what they were trying to say was "本気".
Guess I'm so used to seeing 'I' exchanged for 'Y' that it didn't even cross my mind.
Sorry, I didn't want to type out the actual word.
Zoe explained it for me. (Thank you!)
IMO, TV stations should be really sensitive with these type of things.
Especially Fuji TV. They've already been messing up a lot these days and now this...
TheSporkWithin
Member
Honestly, it's not a very strong insult and it's extremely outdated. I don't think I've heard it used unironically since the early '90s, having grown up and lived in Philadelphia (a large, racially diverse city in America) virtually my entire life. Comparing it to any other racial slur in existence is downright laughable. Just to frame it they have to point out that black people in America used the word against white people in America, which, of course, brings to mind the dozens of insanely offensive words that are used by white people against black people to this very day.
I don't think anyone is legitimately upset or injured in any way by this. It's more of an amusing anecdote than anything else, really.
I don't think anyone is legitimately upset or injured in any way by this. It's more of an amusing anecdote than anything else, really.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah, that's the *only* way...
What?
Or just maybe consult with a couple of native speakers when you're about to use a language that isn't your own in a very, very public way? That's assuming you care at all about possibly being embarrassed internationally...
Unless those native speakers are from the UK.
Or Singapore or Australia or Ireland or New Zealand... you know where this is going. It's not even being used in sentence that can paint it in a derogatory way. As someone who speaks Japanese on a daily basis, the word "honki" came immediately to mind, while I have never heard the word honky used as a demeaning word for white people.
While we're at it, why don't we ban the use of the word slag due to it's derogatory status in the United Kingdom? Because, you know, if people who don't live in the UK and would probably not know it's meaning in the UK accidentally used it, someone who knows it's a derogatory term in the UK might get offended. It could totally not be a byproduct of ore smelting. Just like the word honky might not be a stylized romanization of 本気 when used in Japan.
Yeah, this is just a stylized romanization of 本気... However I would like to see their reaction when told that their T-shirts have some obscure slang. While some people would probably say sorry, I can see many other be like "eh, this is Japan so whatever" which isn't very helpful either.
Also while it's very obscure, if you are going to use a stylized romanization of a word and make up a new word, checking out if it doesn't mean anything bad should be expected on national TV. Oh well, personally don't care about this, anyone could have made the same error.
Also while it's very obscure, if you are going to use a stylized romanization of a word and make up a new word, checking out if it doesn't mean anything bad should be expected on national TV. Oh well, personally don't care about this, anyone could have made the same error.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Any reasonable person tasked with assessing the appropriateness of a phrase would be inclined to check the Internet if they encountered a word they were not sure about.
I don't think anyone was really offended by the usage, but it just makes the people at Fuji look stupid as hell.
本気 did not come to mind at all to me, because I didn't see any of the advertising for 27-jikan TV this year and I already was familiar with the word English word "honky." It also appeared on a short after two all-English lines, so it's easy to see why people wouldn't think of 本気 unless they had been exposed to the marketing for the show.
I don't know why you're talking about banning words... What a weird direction to take this discussion.
I'm starting to think that offending other nationalities and hoping no one will notice is there shtick.
本気 was the theme for the show, but the English on those shirts was so weird that I understand that no one would even guess that if they didn't know the context.
TheSporkWithin
Member
This tweet is funny as hell: https://twitter.com/ryuganji/status/625108524457070592
Now I want to get a shirt that actually says that.
Now I want to get a shirt that actually says that.
TheBryanJZX90
Member
I always felt that attempts to equate words like honky or cracker with the n-word or other taboo racial epithets was, to put it mildly, misguided and lacking context.
TheSporkWithin
Member
Yeah, I was trying to think of a way to contextualize it when explaining how weak it is compared to literally any other racial word, but... there really isn't anything analogous.
Basically words used to refer to African, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and other nation's peoples are loaded with hate to the point where you'd need multiple swear words in sequence to convey the pain that the people they're thrown at might feel. Meanwhile I think that that tweet was pretty spot on. Honky basically carries the pejorative weight of "crappy white guy."
At the risk of igniting a war... Softbank or Docomo? Arrive in Japan in February and I'm looking for a decent data plan. I don't really use my phone for actual phone calls all that often.
My gf is not much of a help on this issue as she's been on both and tends to dislike whatever service she's currently signed up with
My gf is not much of a help on this issue as she's been on both and tends to dislike whatever service she's currently signed up with
I'd take the one which most of your friends are using to be able to call them for free.At the risk of igniting a war... Softbank or Docomo? Arrive in Japan in February and I'm looking for a decent data plan. I don't really use my phone for actual phone calls all that often.
My gf is not much of a help on this issue as she's been on both and tends to dislike whatever service she's currently signed up with
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Shouldn't really matter in a world with LINE and other services.
If you like your call quality going to hell if you're talking outside and walk through a crowded place (my phone regularly switches to 3G from 4G on the Ikebukuro station) or don't care about data limits, sure.
Edit:
Wow, Line uses way less data per minute than I thought. My point regarding the quality of the calls when not on wifi still stands though.
I talk to like five people and they're all on Line. And I'm fine with the quality calling Japan from Canada with both of us not on wifi, so I'd be fine running mostly off data in the country.
Really just wondering whether there's any major difference in the data plans /datacap/speed between Softbank and Docomo
Really just wondering whether there's any major difference in the data plans /datacap/speed between Softbank and Docomo
Darksol, how long have you been studying Japanese, and what are you moving to Japan to do? Just curious!
I've been studying around 2.5 - 3 years, I think. I have two hour private lessons each week, supplemented by self study, language exchange, penpals, friends, media, etc. I passed the N5 in December 2013, and I'd like to try the N3 sometime next year.
I'm moving to be with my love, and work in Japan as an English language teacher. Maybe I'll do some tutoring on the side. That's actually what I want to do, by the way, it isn't just a means for me to stay in Japan!
I'll be done with my CELTA certification in December, and then I move to Kawaguchi, Saitama at the start of February. It'll be on a one year working-holiday visa. When that expires I'll either seek out a working visa, or enroll in a language class for a year under a student visa. By that time, my girlfriend will be done with her university and we'd like to move to Osaka!
If you only care about data plans, than there are also other companies besides softbank and docomo you should consider. (like ntt for example)
I can't remember if it was NTT or some other company, but there is supposed to be a really nice data plan somewhere out there.
also most contracts run for at least a year or 2, so if you're here short term, you may want something else entirely
edit: I guess I missed the part about you staying over a long period...
in that case, pick your poison. I got friends who hate softbank and I also got friends who hate docomo...
the only thing I want to add: I've never seen Japanese people being publicly angry until I entered a softbank shop, screaming included. lol
I've been studying around 2.5 - 3 years, I think. I have two hour private lessons each week, supplemented by self study, language exchange, penpals, friends, media, etc. I passed the N5 in December 2013, and I'd like to try the N3 sometime next year.
I'm moving to be with my love, and work in Japan as an English language teacher. Maybe I'll do some tutoring on the side. That's actually what I want to do, by the way, it isn't just a means for me to stay in Japan!
I'll be done with my CELTA certification in December, and then I move to Kawaguchi, Saitama at the start of February. It'll be on a one year working-holiday visa. When that expires I'll either seek out a working visa, or enroll in a language class for a year under a student visa. By that time, my girlfriend will be done with her university and we'd like to move to Osaka!
PM'd
