Job Discussion Forums

[angstrom]

well, I'm about to leave for japan in a month or so for three months and would love to know where are the places with the "edges" and the people with the quirks? Maybe somebody can come up with some kinda itinerary that would take from me an off-the-beaten-path buddhist monastery to a barren coast to a dive bar in some little known city, etc... Oh, and most important of all, will I be able to buy cheap DVDs anywhere in japan? Thanks for all the info...

[JimDunlop2]

That's a very broad request, not knowing where you're going, what your budget is, and how you define quirky or places with "edges."

I only know the Kanto region a maybe a part of Chubu... So I will make a couple suggestions based on places I've been.

I guess if you're in Tokyo, hang around Shibuya or Kabuki-cho for a while and you'll get your fair share of anything/everything.

Make sure you visit Izu peninsula. Decent beaches/good surfing in Shimoda (if that rattles your chain) including a quaint little Italian-ish restaurant downtown where they speak English (the sign outside said so) and the seafood paella and wasabi-sauce pasta is delicious.

Oh, make SURE you visit a "hihokan." There are a few scattered throughout Japan. If you don't know what a hihokan is, just punch the word into google, and take a look at some pictures. (Unless adult content bothers you).

Speaking of adult content, check to see if you'll be around for a local pe nis or vagina festival. (Strange: the forum filter wont let me say the male organ, but it will allow the female one). You have to do a bit of research or digging to get the details on these, but they have some fertility festivals at certain shrines scattered about the country at different times of the year.

Instead of staying in hotels, get the JNTO to book you stays in ryokans (or traditional Japanese inns). On that note, the JNTO (Japan National Tourist Organization) is a GREAT place to start -- I'm sure they can help you book a non-sequitur itinerary.

Go to Matsumoto. Rent a car and visit nearby Narai. It's an Edo-period preserved town on the old postal road. They past a local ordinance banning power lines and phone lines on the main street, so it is quite unique. They film many samurai-type flicks here. There are other such towns too. Do a search on the net and you may find them.

Visit Hokkaido. That's usually off the beaten-path for most tourists coming to Japan. We have a few on this forum that can help out with that angle.

Watch a sumo match live. This may sound a bit touristy, but if you read up on sumo, its rules and history, maybe even who some of the crowd favorites are, perhaps some of the moves they do before you go, you'll enjoy yourself immensely (and be the only gaijin in the room who knows anything about it -- more than just a couple of fat guys slamming each other in their underwear)....

Also, as touristy as it may be, Kyoto is kinda the Mecca that must be visited. I hear it's most beautiful in the fall. Perhaps some here on the forum can give you some tips for that.

As a general rule, go to places/do things that you think might be cool -- and not touristy. Very good chance that you'll be right, and you'll definitely get your fair share of quirky people and places as you adventure around.

Good luck!

JD

Oh yeah, and as for your "most important" question: NO!!! Absoultely NOT! For buying cheap DVDs you should have booked a ticket to Shanghai, China. Sorry, dude. Here, everything is overpriced at worst, and the same price as "back home" at best. I have not gotten a great DVD deal since I've arrived, nor will I -- unless there is something underground or illegal.... But as for regular DVD shopping: nope. What you CAN hope for though is an amazing anime selection that you wouldn't likely find elsewhere -- again, if that does it for you.... But many of the films are neither dubbed nor subtitled into English.

Oh, on that note, if you're going to do ANY DVD shopping (despite the price) the following is crucial info:

1. ALL movies here are REGION 2! They will not work on a N. American unit unless it was purchased "Region free" or has been hacked to do so. Same goes for computer DVD players.

2. LEARN the kanji (Chinese characters) for "English" -- EIGO and "Japanese -- "NIHONGO" If you have no clue, get a Japanese friend to help you and write it down for you before you go! Trust me on this one! Seriously! On the back of most DVDs, it will tell you what languages are offered for subtitles and for dubbing. Knowing how to read these words makes a world of difference. As a general rule, most foreign films arriving in Japan (say from France, Italy, India, China, etc) will likely be presented in their original language, with JAPANESE subtitles ONLY.... Check before you buy.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

Oh yeah, last bit of advice: book a JR rail pass with your travel agent BEFORE you arrive. It'll save you oodles!

P.P.S. Standard disclaimer: If you take me up on any of my suggestions and don't enjoy yourself.... I'm not responsible for your misery.....

[angstrom]

thanks Jim, that's a lot of info to muster all at once. I actually will be teaching English there, so I may or may not have enough free time to do all these things. I've now been teaching in Russia for a year so that I'm pretty sure I'll encounter a major culture shock, or double culture shock if you will in Japan. So, the quirkier it is, the better. Something away from the "Lost in Translation" path is all I'm really looking for. As for the DVDs, good thing I bought loads of them in Moscow at 4 bucks a pop. They can all be watched on computers.

[JimDunlop2]

Dude... Seriously, if you get a chance, watch the movie: "Enlightenment Guaranteed." It's a German film, (in Japan it goes under the name of Monzen) but unless you know German, get a hold of one with English subtitles.

This movie is what "Lost in Translation" SHOULD have been. You'll laugh your a $$ off! Two German brothers come to Japan seeking Zen enlightenment, and they end up getting lost in Tokyo with no money and no passports. There's your quirky/offbeat experiences for ya...

Having lived in Japan for a year, I saw "Lost.." but can't say I found it too amusing. The humor of the film definitely gets lost in translation when you've been here for a while.

Good luck with the English teaching gig....

JD

[angstrom]

incidentally, i am not a dude but a dudette, but i guess there's no way you can tell. Anyways, thanks for that movie rec, I will definitely try to find it where ever I end up in Japan, because you know they never tell you till the last minute. But does it matter? The less you know the better.

Lost in Translation got on my nerves. I liked Bill Murray, but that Scarlett is way way overrated. All she did was smile and look dumb. I can do that, if not better. And the Japanese, they all looked as if they were not people but little toys, what's up with that? If the Russians were portrayed in that way, I'd write a letter to Sofia Coppola and have out with her.

[chi-chi-]

Does off-beat and quirky really require an intinerary?
-------------------------------------
Yes, we're All individuals.
Mmm. Beer.
When you grow up, your heart dies.

[angstrom]

good call! what i really meant was an idea of where to go.