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Can you tell us 3 positive things about Japan?
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What stage are you in?
Just getting started and loving every minute of it
10%
 10%  [ 5 ]
Been here for awhile and thinking about leaving
14%
 14%  [ 7 ]
Been here for awhile and still feeling good about the place
44%
 44%  [ 22 ]
Had enough
12%
 12%  [ 6 ]
Other
20%
 20%  [ 10 ]
Total Votes : 50

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Rorschach



Joined: 25 Mar 2004
Posts: 130
Location: Osaka

PostPosted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Top 3 Things I Like About Japan:

1. Train system - Best public transport on the planet IMO. You can go anywhere for cheap. Not so much in smaller cities but the bus system in Osaka is second to none.

2. Internet - It's cheap, it's fast, it's reliable and, most importantly, unlimited.

3. Cheap, delicious food - People back home always assumed Japan was somehow this really expensive place for food where you had to take out a mortgage on the home to buy a steak. Not so at all. 398yen lunch boxes, 147yen drinks. 1500yen set meals at decent restaurants - MUCH cheaper than back home. And all good quality. Since coming to Japan I have eaten much better than before.

Honourable mentions:

Privates - So easy to get and they pay extremely well for what amounts to little more than breathing on my part

Sallary - Say what you will about Nova, they pay on time and generously relative to the actual work I do.

COD (Daibiki) - I love how I can order almost anything in this country by COD. Given I don't have a credit card it has been a Godsend, without Amazon I would have gone mad from a lack of books.

Convenience store bill payment - Wish they had this back home, makes life so easy.

Telco./Utility services - I've had the best experiences dealing with NTT/Osaka Gas/Denki whenever I've had a problem. Even when I couldn't speak a word of Japanese someone was always there who could speak English.

Point Card system - Simple, smart system. Whoever though of rewarding customers for repeat visits needs a medal

Hiking - Some beautiful areas in Japan, dispells the myth that this country is one large concrete jungle.
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markle



Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan

PostPosted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 3:18 am    Post subject: Re: Rolling Stone Reply with quote

cafebleu wrote:
World War 2 and Japan's part in it was brought about by the desires to grab land and resources, and set up a Japanese empire to rule over "inferior Asians".


Gee I wonder where they got that idea from.
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Lynn



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 5:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

1) no tipping. You can go into a restaurant and skip the small talk with the server AND you can do "betsu-betsu" very easily. (split the bill, you pay for whatever you ordered) In the states, they even tell you upfront that you are not allowed to have separate tickets.

2) shoes off. Even repairmen/movers/cleaners, whoever enters your home will take off their shoes. In the states I had to deny entry to the cable man because he absolutely refused to remove his shoes. When I called the cable company they said that is the cableman's right to keep his shoes on. A few days later another guy came and he was nice enough to remove his shoes.

3) FOOD! I just love Japanese food. I like Japanese traditional food like tofu and natto. And I also love non-traditional Japanese food like Japanese spagetti or Japanese Mos burgers. ( chicken, fries, special occasion drinks) I also love Sazeria.
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callmesim



Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 279
Location: London, UK

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 5:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lynn wrote:
In the states I had to deny entry to the cable man because he absolutely refused to remove his shoes. When I called the cable company they said that is the cableman's right to keep his shoes on.


That's hilarious.

Sometimes it appears people confuse "their right" with just an excuse for being an arse.
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furiousmilksheikali



Joined: 31 Jul 2006
Posts: 1660
Location: In a coffee shop, splitting a 30,000 yen tab with Sekiguchi.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 5:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

callmesim wrote:
Lynn wrote:
In the states I had to deny entry to the cable man because he absolutely refused to remove his shoes. When I called the cable company they said that is the cableman's right to keep his shoes on.


That's hilarious.

Sometimes it appears people confuse "their right" with just an excuse for being an arse.


Not sure about this. It is possible that such rights exist in the States, or elsewhere, to prevent a company being sued in an accident. If they wore special protective insulated boots to prevent electrocution then perhaps the cable guy was within his rights.

Lynn wrote:
I like Japanese traditional food


The adjective order suggests you've taken on a few Japanisms. When I'm feeling petty I do tell my Japanese students that they should use the order "traditional, Japanese food".
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Vince



Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 559
Location: U.S.

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 6:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I voted other. I left almost three years ago thinking I'd had enough, but it turns out I just needed a break. Between that and my Japanese wife wanting to move back to Japan, we'll return once I'm prepared.

There are many things I miss, but the top three that come to mind right now are:
  • the trains
  • the food
  • that something as mundane as walking down a small road or going into a shop has so much potential for discovery
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Hoekk



Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 18

PostPosted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 10:58 pm    Post subject: my list Reply with quote

-great variety of girls, so many, so hot, whoever choses monogamy here deserves a medal of honor. (I am sorry for women here because japanese guys are just... unappealing)

-Yokohama and everything around there

-Lots of alcohol and rock concerts. Both = Good.
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Venti



Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Kanto, Japan

PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lynn wrote:
. You can go into a restaurant and skip the small talk with the server


I miss friendly servers who enjoy making small talk with the customers.

Lynn wrote:
FOOD! And I also love non-traditional Japanese food like Japanese spagetti or Japanese Mos burgers. ( chicken, fries, special occasion drinks) I also love Sazeria.


Then you have truly become Japanese.
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Venti



Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Kanto, Japan

PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lots of good things about Japan.

---In the right setting with the right people, Japanese are sooo festive
and fun to be around.

---It's quite safe compared to most developed nations. Of course, if
you're married with kids, it becomes quite dangerous.

---Ryokans and onsens
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konyoku



Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 54
Location: neither here nor there

PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. Whale Meat
2. Horse Meat
3. DA GAIJIN
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Quibby84



Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 643
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

how does it become dangerous if you have kids and are married?
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Henry_Cowell



Joined: 27 May 2005
Posts: 3352
Location: Berkeley

PostPosted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hoekk wrote:
-great variety of girls, so many, so hot, whoever choses monogamy here deserves a medal of honor. (I am sorry for women here because japanese guys are just... unappealing)

This is written, presumably, by a Western man. I'm glad that he defends his heterosexual honour by finding all Japanese men "unappealing." Otherwise, we might suspect him of -- horror or horrors -- being attracted to men. He's made such sexual innuendoes before, and you know what they say about people who protest too much.... Wink
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sallycat



Joined: 11 Mar 2006
Posts: 303
Location: behind you. BOO!

PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 6:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. beer vending machines
2. amazing food
3. hot, well-dressed japanese guys (it's not just the girls that are pretty, you know).
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Lynn



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 696
Location: in between

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

furiousmilksheikali wrote:
callmesim wrote:
Lynn wrote:
In the states I had to deny entry to the cable man because he absolutely refused to remove his shoes. When I called the cable company they said that is the cableman's right to keep his shoes on.


That's hilarious.

Sometimes it appears people confuse "their right" with just an excuse for being an arse.


Not sure about this. It is possible that such rights exist in the States, or elsewhere, to prevent a company being sued in an accident. If they wore special protective insulated boots to prevent electrocution then perhaps the cable guy was within his rights.

Lynn wrote:
I like Japanese traditional food


The adjective order suggests you've taken on a few Japanisms. When I'm feeling petty I do tell my Japanese students that they should use the order "traditional, Japanese food".


1) I think you might be right about the shoes thing. Fortunately, now a days repairmen etc, carry shoes covers with them. And it seems like they are used to using them because they never give me a hard time.

2) Yes. It should be traditional Japanese food. I have a few quirks like that where my word order is just not right. I blame my Japanese husband. LOL! Too many years speaking this weird hybrid language.
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TokyoLiz



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Healthful food, and weirdly flavoured potato chips, at convenience stores.

The cute, funny, smart guys. I live with one.

Martial artists of high calibre who are wise and kind. My teachers are awesome.
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