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Japan GAF |OT| I'm not planning a trip; I live here!

Jintor

Member
i'll be in tokyo from aug 3rd - 13th (up from Kansai)

annoyingly charisma.com announced a pop-up concert on the only day I actually booked to do anything :T (the 5th)

:T :T :T
 

Mik2121

Member
Would you guys be up for some JapanGAF LINE group? I thought it'd be fun to have one which we can use to do some meetings or just random talks or help or whatever? If not, then whatever, you can turn off notifications per chat room if it becomes too active, anyway.
 

Aizo

Banned
Would you guys be up for some JapanGAF LINE group? I thought it'd be fun to have one which we can use to do some meetings or just random talks or help or whatever? If not, then whatever, you can turn off notifications per chat room if it becomes too active, anyway.
I've considered this before. I'm interested.
 

Gromph

This tag is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance...
Staff Member
Would you guys be up for some JapanGAF LINE group? I thought it'd be fun to have one which we can use to do some meetings or just random talks or help or whatever? If not, then whatever, you can turn off notifications per chat room if it becomes too active, anyway.

I'm in.
 

Aizo

Banned
The big, scary move to Shimane is tomorrow. Bye bye, Tokyo! We won't have internet in our apartment for a bit—allegedly—so I will only be on when I go to the internet cafe for email and job applications.

Wish me luck! See you Westerners sometime soon, eh?
 

Hasemo

(;・∀・)ハッ?
The big, scary move to Shimane is tomorrow. Bye bye, Tokyo! We won't have internet in our apartment for a bit—allegedly—so I will only be on when I go to the internet cafe for email and job applications.

Wish me luck! See you Westerners sometime soon, eh?
Reminder - you can get a free 15 day trial on the Wimax official site or in any big electronics store.

Great alternative when you move and are waiting for your Internet to be connected.
 

Dingens

Member
We are 3 on the JapanGAF Line chat right now. Anyone that wants to be added PM me.

What happens if you leave the country for good? or at least for a long period of time?
I'm probably going to leave in October... for at least 2 years or so...
If that's ok, I'll pm you

The big, scary move to Shimane is tomorrow. Bye bye, Tokyo! We won't have internet in our apartment for a bit—allegedly—so I will only be on when I go to the internet cafe for email and job applications.

Wish me luck! See you Westerners sometime soon, eh?

well... you gotta see the positives too. At least there wont be any heat-island suffering, right?
also I'm sure the landscape is nice around there... and then there is also the reduced risk of any tsunamis occurring.
 

matt360

Member
The big, scary move to Shimane is tomorrow. Bye bye, Tokyo! We won't have internet in our apartment for a bit—allegedly—so I will only be on when I go to the internet cafe for email and job applications.

Wish me luck! See you Westerners sometime soon, eh?

Shimane, huh? I'm your next door neighbor then. Been in Hiroshima for 9 years now. Don't know too much about Shimane aside from the fact that they have a couple of good microbreweries. Let me know if you're ever in Hiroshima!
 

Resilient

Member
im not living in Japan, but I want in on the Line so I can read while you guys complain about work, except in Japanese. That ok?
 

Ayumi

Member
久しぶり〜ん (´._.`)

I suck at checking/replying to group chats but I'd like to join if I'm welcome!
 

Aizo

Banned
JapanGAF, where DCharlie scares us away from Japanese banks.
Shimane, huh? I'm your next door neighbor then. Been in Hiroshima for 9 years now. Don't know too much about Shimane aside from the fact that they have a couple of good microbreweries. Let me know if you're ever in Hiroshima!
I just saw this. I'm looking at work in Hiroshima, too, so we shall see if I head down there.
 

Gromph

This tag is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance...
Staff Member
久しぶり〜ん (´._.`)

I suck at checking/replying to group chats but I'd like to join if I'm welcome!

I don't find you in my list or I don't know what name you have now lol.

Send me a message and I will invite you.
 

DCharlie

And even i am moderately surprised
JapanGAF, where DCharlie scares us away from Japanese banks.

haha, oh yes - it's best that people know exactly what they are getting into.

This is my 16th year in investment banking (in Tokyo) after 4 in music (in London) and it's definitely, almost certainly shortening my life.
 

GorillaJu

Member
Can anyone help me out here - I have never had TV in my 6 years in Japan and this summer I've decided I want to get a minimal cable package + sports.

Does anyone here have Flets Hikari TV? How much does it cost for you? Sky Perfect is a bit too expensive for me.
 

Resilient

Member
haha, oh yes - it's best that people know exactly what they are getting into.

This is my 16th year in investment banking (in Tokyo) after 4 in music (in London) and it's definitely, almost certainly shortening my life.

Know any Engineers? If so, what's their take on the industry atm? (Civil, Infrastructure engineers that is)
 

urfe

Member
CMCYs9FUYAEyAZS.jpg:large


A walk in the countryside.
 

lupinko

Member
Hey fellow JapanGAF, any recommendations for cheap places to stay for two nights this weekend near the Yokohama or like Tokyo area? I'm going to visit my friends in Tokyo and Yokohama this weekend for Obon and then get my ass back to Sendai by Monday morning.

So currently the plan is to take the night bus this Thursday even from Sendai to Shinjuku, and then Sunday evening the return trip.

What do you guys recommend? I just need a place to crash for two nights, so to leave my stuff, charge my phone and of course take a shower.

This is super cutting it close.
 

Wubby

Member
CMCYs9FUYAEyAZS.jpg:large


A walk in the countryside.

Are those things rare at all though? I live in a pretty inaka place too so see most of them at the shops. I always think about picking one or two up but I can get more Gundam kits for the same price so I always pass.
 

urfe

Member
Are those things rare at all though? I live in a pretty inaka place too so see most of them at the shops. I always think about picking one or two up but I can get more Gundam kits for the same price so I always pass.

In Tokyo, there's hardly any outside of the Mario Party series. Four Shulks and all those Pokemon are amazing to me. Shame there's no FE.

This is the first time I've ever seen Ness.

---

As for a place to stay, I'd just google search hostels/hotels, or if there's none, use coin lockers and Internet cafes. No specific recommendations though.
 

Darksol

Member
What sort of internet plans are available for Saitama (Kawaguchi)?

Looking into setting up internet early next year. What are the data caps like? In this world of Netflix, Spotify and such, I don't think I could ever go back to something measly like 150GB per month.

Are there unlimited plans?
 

Hasemo

(;・∀・)ハッ?
What sort of internet plans are available for Saitama (Kawaguchi)?

Looking into setting up internet early next year. What are the data caps like? In this world of Netflix, Spotify and such, I don't think I could ever go back to something measly like 150GB per month.

Are there unlimited plans?
Iirc Japan doesn't have limited home Internet plans.
 

Hasemo

(;・∀・)ハッ?
Hasemo, so what's the procedure for returning the wimax device?

No idea, I looked into it when there was a risk that I would be Internet-less for a while but ended up borrowing my girlfiend's one.

Probably send it to them by mail or something.
 

Theodran

Member
is this limited stuff still a thing anywhere? besides some cheap mobile contracts ofc

This is common in Iceland, or at least was very common in Iceland. I remember when I had around 50GB limit per month on my connection back home. Thankfully, my father's work place paid for our home internet so I really didn't need to worry about it, but for most people it was a pain in the neck.

Maybe it's an non-Japanese island nation thing?
 

Stuart444

Member
In the UK many providers offer unlimited internet plans but you get fair usage stuff where your connection slows down. Usually how long it takes for your net to slow down depend on the package.

I'm on the highest Virgin Media package and don't have to worry about any of that. :D

But data caps in the US & Canada makes me seriously wonder why MS (a US company) and other companies with a big presence in the US would try to do things like make all games digital. (or at least push towards it)

The data caps in the US make it a big problem and one unlikely to be solved anytime soon.

Slightly off topic there but since data caps were brought up and stuff, yeah. It's not an issue for me but seeing people mention data caps all the time when talking about internet, I do wonder this every so often.
 
anyone know a good place to buy a pc for a decent price that doesnt come with an OS? Everything comes with windows 8 and i want to restore my harddrive on a new computer. disk space has to be over 1TB or it wont work and my old pc ran windows 7 64 bits so getting a different OS or any OS might mess everything up. Looking into getting an i7 with a 4gb nividia + graphic card for witcher 3 mgs 5 and beyond. willing to wait up to a year for best time to buy.

Im in Nagoya so unless its local id need somewhere that ships. Is kakaku.com and buying parts the only way to go?

Id also like to find people who actually play games in japan but doesnt seem to be many in off topic. I play the kind of games that get mocked on gaf for being too japanese as well as more *normal* ones.
 

Hasemo

(;・∀・)ハッ?
anyone know a good place to buy a pc for a decent price that doesnt come with an OS? Everything comes with windows 8 and i want to restore my harddrive on a new computer. disk space has to be over 1TB or it wont work and my old pc ran windows 7 64 bits so getting a different OS or any OS might mess everything up. Looking into getting an i7 with a 4gb nividia + graphic card for witcher 3 mgs 5 and beyond. willing to wait up to a year for best time to buy.

Im in Nagoya so unless its local id need somewhere that ships. Is kakaku.com and buying parts the only way to go?

Id also like to find people who actually play games in japan but doesnt seem to be many in off topic. I play the kind of games that get mocked on gaf for being too japanese as well as more *normal* ones.
Dospara allows you to choose Win 7, 8 and 10 - most places do iirc. If you want a non-OS box, you'll probably have to buy parts and make it yourself, like you said.
 

Macrotus

Member
anyone know a good place to buy a pc for a decent price that doesnt come with an OS? Everything comes with windows 8 and i want to restore my harddrive on a new computer. disk space has to be over 1TB or it wont work and my old pc ran windows 7 64 bits so getting a different OS or any OS might mess everything up. Looking into getting an i7 with a 4gb nividia + graphic card for witcher 3 mgs 5 and beyond. willing to wait up to a year for best time to buy.

Im in Nagoya so unless its local id need somewhere that ships. Is kakaku.com and buying parts the only way to go?

Id also like to find people who actually play games in japan but doesnt seem to be many in off topic. I play the kind of games that get mocked on gaf for being too japanese as well as more *normal* ones.

When I built my PC, I bought majority of the parts (except for the case) from Tsukumo. http://shop.tsukumo.co.jp

They also do BTO PCs besides selling individual parts and I think you are able to exclude the OS.
After you select a BTO PC that matches your needs, select "カスタマイズ(customise)" and it will let you select "OSなし”.

Other BTO shops like Sycom, Ones etc might also have the same option.

I checked out this user-made matome wiki page to see the reputation for each BTO PC shop.
http://bto2ch.wiki.fc2.com/wiki/主な購入先

Some of them have bad reputation so be sure to look at reviews. For example, some shops use cheap PSUs, some have bad support etc.
Its best if you can build your own PC, that way you can choose the parts yourself and you would know that it isn't some cheap motherboard or PSU.
But if your going the BTO path, remember to at least upgrade your PSU to a 80 Plus Gold one. Majority of these cheap BTO PCs use Bronze. You should be able to do this on the same page as the "OSなし" page.
 

RM8

Member
Guys, I have a bit of a cliché question, but I'm hoping to get an opinion :[ I'm studying for at least 6 months in Japan next year, but I can't decide between Kyoto, Japan or Tokyo. And I need to decide ASAP. Accommodation costs are not really a concern, but I have some other questions.

Tokyo: I have relatives here, I'd be the most likely to find a part time job (or maybe even a real job, who knows :p) and, well, I'm really into retro game stores, which are everywhere in Tokyo. The downside - living costs are apparently considerably higher. I'd definitely appreciate being able to save some money. I can afford it, though, and it's my "main" choice.

Kyoto: it's the only one available for January, and I really want to leave in January. I liked my visit there, it's very pretty, and I keep reading you can pretty much cycle anywhere instead of depending so much on trains. The downside - I fear it might lack some "big city" benefits, like access to tech geekery shop hubs and stuff. It's close to Osaka, yup, but I can choose Osaka as well!

Osaka: I loved Osaka, especially the food, and I wouldn't mind staying there at all. It's a big city while not being as massively crowded as Tokyo, and I have some friends there. The downside - I'm not sure, really, other than the fact that like Tokyo, it's not available for me in January.

I know I'll hate summer in all three of them, so weather is not really a factor, lol. It really boils down to living costs, I guess. Also, it'd be cool if I could maybe date someone, which is always easier in a big city when you're un-straight :p But that's not really something that would make me decide. Ugh. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!
 
Thanks for the sites guys. Do you know if they accept non japanese credit cards?

I had a similar dilenma when I first came to Japan and chose Nagoya because it was in the middle of those 3 places and has a lower cost of living than both Osaka and Tokyo. So if I were you and had to pick from those 3 places Id pick Kyoto. Be prepared to have to speak in English to and answer inane questions from Japanede students and their teachers who visit Kyoto for their school trip though. Also be aware that Kyoto isnt a big city but like you said it is close to Osaka and it is on the main Shinkansen line that connects Tokyo and Osaka. If you want a kyoto like place without it being kyoto, Nara might be worth considering. Very close to Kyoto too. All 3 of the places you mentionned are also popular with foreigners so you can find people in your situation or travellers easily. Hope that helps.

as for non straight dating, if you are into Japanese men, I heard that while you cant tell who is straight and who isnt, its apparently easy to date otherwise straight guys. Guy who told me this lived in Tokyo.
 

RM8

Member
I really can't choose any other city besides Fukuoka and Yokohama, but I've never been to those and they don't seem particularly appealing to me. Also, I'm as eager as Japanese students are to practice my English since it's not my native language, so that wouldn't bother me at all :p

And yes, as it's usually the case, dating would definitely be easier in the biggest city. A tiny dating pool becomes downright minuscule living in a smaller town / city. Plus it's probably less taboo in Tokyo, even if slightly. But again, that's just something that would be nice to have and not something that would make me pass on a better deal in Kyoto or Osaka.
 
Yokohama is connected to Tokyo through the subway system so I wouldnt discount it. Nice place if you like coast lines and the big china town is the main attraction. Fukuoka is the next largest city after Nagoya but its far from everything else and heard from locals (japenese relatives from kyushu and hiroshima in their 20s) that there is nothing there. Level 5 office is there and you can see the city in yakuza 5.

Quick question about *gaming* BTOs. Does the gaming label mean the case is tacky and everything is at a premium like in North America or just that the graphic cards are decent?

Id prefer a BTO unless I can save serious money assembling everything.
 

urfe

Member
Guys, I have a bit of a cliché question, but I'm hoping to get an opinion :[ I'm studying for at least 6 months in Japan next year, but I can't decide between Kyoto, Japan or Tokyo. And I need to decide ASAP. Accommodation costs are not really a concern, but I have some other questions.

Tokyo: I have relatives here, I'd be the most likely to find a part time job (or maybe even a real job, who knows :p) and, well, I'm really into retro game stores, which are everywhere in Tokyo. The downside - living costs are apparently considerably higher. I'd definitely appreciate being able to save some money. I can afford it, though, and it's my "main" choice.

Kyoto: it's the only one available for January, and I really want to leave in January. I liked my visit there, it's very pretty, and I keep reading you can pretty much cycle anywhere instead of depending so much on trains. The downside - I fear it might lack some "big city" benefits, like access to tech geekery shop hubs and stuff. It's close to Osaka, yup, but I can choose Osaka as well!

Osaka: I loved Osaka, especially the food, and I wouldn't mind staying there at all. It's a big city while not being as massively crowded as Tokyo, and I have some friends there. The downside - I'm not sure, really, other than the fact that like Tokyo, it's not available for me in January.

I know I'll hate summer in all three of them, so weather is not really a factor, lol. It really boils down to living costs, I guess. Also, it'd be cool if I could maybe date someone, which is always easier in a big city when you're un-straight :p But that's not really something that would make me decide. Ugh. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Kyoto is close enough to Osaka to go there whenever you want. While you'll miss some benefits of a super metropolis, you'll have a big city 40 minutes away. To compare, I love about 90 minutes from Shinjuku, and commute daily for work.

I would recommend Kyoto, because it'll be a more unique experience, and if you want to stay in Japan longer, there's always moving to Tokyo. Plus, there's traveling to Tokyo, which never gets busier than it always is, unlike Kyoto.
 

RM8

Member
If I were to pursue staying for longer (as in, finding an actual job and stuff) wouldn't that be easier in Tokyo?
 

Hasemo

(;・∀・)ハッ?
If I were to pursue staying for longer (as in, finding an actual job and stuff) wouldn't that be easier in Tokyo?
Basically this. Looking for a job is much easier if you don't have to ride the shinkansen to get to each interview. If you're endgame is staying in Japan you could always use holidays to visit Kyoto/Osaka.
 
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