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tavdude
Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Posts: 2
Location: Ireland...going to Osaka
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 Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:01 pm Post subject: Going to Osaka in two weeks, questions!? |
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Hi there,
from reading this forum it sounds like I may have sold my soul, cus I'm startiing work with NOVA in 2 weeks....but I'm still looking forward to it, despite some of things I've read.
Anyhoo, a few questions...
1) I'd like to join a gym once i get out there, any recommendations? are they expensive?
2) Are there any football teams/leagues (that's soccer by the way) out there? nothing serious...like 7 a side astro pitch, that kinda thing.
3) It's my birthday a few days after I arrive...any good spots to go celebrate?...and anyone wanna join me for some beers?! 
4) Any Irish people want anything from the homeland? Barrys Tea? Cadburys etc.. haha.
right, that's the lot so far...oh wait..what's the weather like there at the moment cus it's baltic in Ireland!! Do i need to bring my thermal underwear!! |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: Re: Going to Osaka in two weeks, questions!? |
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| tavdude wrote: |
Hi there,
from reading this forum it sounds like I may have sold my soul, cus I'm startiing work with NOVA in 2 weeks....but I'm still looking forward to it, despite some of things I've read.
! |
Come on, its not that bad. Dont believe everything you read. That's just the vocal minority talking.
http://www.vocaro.com/trevor/japan/nova/level_up.html
| tavdude wrote: |
1) I'd like to join a gym once i get out there, any recommendations? are they expensive?
!! |
Plenty of gyms around, just depends on what you want to spend on fees. Most have modern equipment but monthly fees are based on when you most want to use them (weekends, evening etc). The more you want (unlimited access) the more expensive it will be. Tipness is the only name that comes to mind in Osaka.
| tavdude wrote: |
| 2) Are there any football teams/leagues (that's soccer by the way) out there? nothing serious...like 7 a side astro pitch, that kinda thing. |
Your best bet is the Kobe Regatta Athletic Club which fields sports teams, has a gym and a working bar. Most soccer fields are not on grass but more like dirt.
KRAC is 10 minutes walk from Kobe Sannomiya station.
| tavdude wrote: |
3) It's my birthday a few days after I arrive...any good spots to go celebrate?...and anyone wanna join me for some beers?!
4) Any Irish people want anything from the homeland? Barrys Tea? Cadburys etc.. haha.! |
There are a few Irish pubs in Osaka as well as the Pig and Whistle, Sam and Daves, the Cellar. You are spoiled for choice.
Kyoto also has some good expat bars too.
I am in England studying at the moment but last week the weather in Osaka was freezing. Lots of snow about. Bring plenty of warm clothes though Spring is just around the corner. |
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DoctorPayne
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 72
Location: Some forest in Canada
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| Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I am in England studying at the moment but last week the weather in Osaka was freezing. Lots of snow about. Bring plenty of warm clothes though Spring is just around the corner. |
Wow, hold on a sec. I'm heading to Osaka in a few weeks myself. Now I'm from Canada so define freezing. I don't want to bring all my bulky winter stuff. I mean if your talking -5C or so that's nothing. I define freezing as colder than -15Cish. I thought I was leaving that behind in the Great White North! And why do the brits play soccer in the winter? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| DoctorPayne wrote: |
| [Wow, hold on a sec. I'm heading to Osaka in a few weeks myself. Now I'm from Canada so define freezing. I don't want to bring all my bulky winter stuff. I mean if your talking -5C or so that's nothing. I define freezing as colder than -15Cish. I thought I was leaving that behind in the Great White North! And why do the brits play soccer in the winter? |
I guess "cold" is relative. If you are in Hokkaido it goes to minus 20 on some days, but I didnt really think that when it snows you have extremes of cold. Chill factor maybe, but its too cold for walking around in t-shirts and shorts. (I come from new Zealand which has a moderate climate by the way). The OP said he will be in Osaka, and you dont get -20 degrees in Osaka.
Kyoto is about 0-5 degrees Celsius during winter though it gets cooler in April as cherry blossoms arrive. You can go skiing in Shiga at the moment. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 10:45 am Post subject: |
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| Relatively speaking, Osaka is not that cold compared to most of Canada. However, the cold you do notice is inside the apt or house. There will be no central heating so the inside and outside of your apt will almost be the same. So you get portable gas or electric heaters and heat up portions of your apt/house. However, the unheated parts do feel cold. For example, I walk out of my 20C living room to use the 5C bathroom. Then it feels cold. These are times when there are benefits to living in a small space because it takes less time to heat up the rooms. |
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Brooks
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1369
Location: Sagamihara
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 11:21 am Post subject: |
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Probably Osaka is warm, compared to Canada.
Daytime it will be 7-8 degrees, and it will get past 10 pretty soon. |
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fox1
Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 268
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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good luck!!
have a blast! |
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Rorschach
Joined: 25 Mar 2004
Posts: 130
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Going to Osaka in two weeks, questions!? |
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| tavdude wrote: |
1) I'd like to join a gym once i get out there, any recommendations? are they expensive? |
It depends on where you live basically. The three biggest gym franchises in Osaka are Tipness, Konami Sports and Sports Oasis. There isn't much difference between the three. I signed on with Tipness when I first got here (Kyobashi branch). Very beautiful gym. Two floors, pool, spa and dance classes. A huge gym floor as well. On the down side it was extremely expensive. There was a joining fee of 20000yen (did include the first month though). After that it was 9000yen a month (anyday and time up to 11:00pm). Tipness has branches all over Osaka, there is a huge one in Umeda. If you have the cash I'd recommend it.
The cheapest and best gym in Osaka though is Namihaya Dome. 600yen per visit, no joining fees and the equipment is Olympic class. It also has an ice rink. It is in the middle of nowhere though (Kadomaminami). Currently I go to a boxing gym. A little expensive at 7000yen a month but I have notice that boxing gyms in general can be excessively expensive.
| Quote: |
| 2) Are there any football teams/leagues (that's soccer by the way) out there? nothing serious...like 7 a side astro pitch, that kinda thing. |
You'll probably be able to find something at Nova - they make a point of it during the orientation to expose you to the different sporting teams on the go (usually on a Sunday though)
| Quote: |
| 3) It's my birthday a few days after I arrive...any good spots to go celebrate?...and anyone wanna join me for some beers?! |
Get out of Osaka is my best advice. Kobe in particular would be a great place to celebrate your first birthday in Japan. There are a stack of Irish pubs in Osaka and Kobe, you can't walk two feet without tripping over one. The most popular one would have to be Murphy's (particularly with Nova instructors).
Coming from Australia, Osaka is freezing for me. This is my second winter here and I am coping better with it this time around
but it seems to stay cold for a long time in the Kansai region. The wind can be awful sometimes, it comes out of the Siberian icefields. Very nasty if you are caught in it on your bike. Pack a good jacket and some long pants. Not too many though, pack a lot of summer clothes as it get very humid here once it starts to heat up again.[/quote] |
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nicyvesweet
Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 90
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| Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2005 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Which of these gyms offer personal trainers? Classes/group workouts? Swimming lessons (I still suck and I don't like the scowls I get when I'm at the pool)? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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stillnosheep
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 2068
Location: eslcafe
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| Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2005 3:33 am Post subject: |
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Tavdude, Doctor Payne: Spring is sprung: Leave the thermals behind, it's gettin' warmer by the day.
dp: Brits play football in the winter 'cos hockey is a game for 'ickle girlies! |
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Dominique
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 141
Location: Juso, Osaka
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| Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 7:30 am Post subject: |
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| HEy Im from Canada and I thought it was friggin cold when i got here from osaka, i had no idea my apato had a heater so for the first night i thought i was going to die of cold. its like not the windy canadian cold, but just cold... bring a warm jacket and mitts. but thats for the morning, the afternoon is pretty good. im wearing a sweater and a cardigan ontop which isnt leaving me too hot.. |
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