Job Discussion Forums

[Brooks]

I have a puppy that likes to wake up at 5:30 in the morning.
I found that I didn`t have much patience today.

I also like to stock up on cold medicine when I am in the US since I am picky about it. I buy floss and shaving cream in the US because it is cheaper than in Japan.

[osakajojo]

Anything local from your home town that you can give as gifts. I just came back from a bar that had beer coasters and beer signs from other countries. I thought to myself, "Man, I should have brought some Shiner Bock (Texas Beer) coasters with me to Japan" for the bar owned to add to his collection. They had U.S. license plates on the walls too- but you can buy those here for 1000 or 2000 yen!
Anything small to carry like keychains, pins, whatever- that has your city or state or whatever on it is quite a treat for your new friends.

[Louie525]

Thanks for all the replies so far...Osakajojo, so since I am coming from St.Louis, MO, home to millions of cheap "Arch" related trinkets, I should stock up because I can actually put them to use and give them to people who will actually WANT them?? Seems to good to be true

[LA Galaxy]

I would bring your favorite magazines as they may not have them here. I wish I would have brought more money, cologne (cheaper in the states), more clothes (selection here is not as good), more of my favorite music, and just more knowledge of the language.

[osakajojo]

Trust me, those Arch trinkets will go a long way. bring as many as you can- give them to your new neighbors and hopefully you'll receive some welcome gifts in return.
Also, baseball is popular here too, so you should bring some Cardinals stuff too. So Taguchi is from Hyogo-If you're comming to Kansai, many people will know of him, though he is not nearly as popular as ICHIRO!

[nicyvesweet]

SOME DAMN TOWLES!!!

Of all the important shit to be warned of bringing, I wish someone would have said towels. If they aren't expensive, the thickness sucks. Most of the time it's both. I'm used to paying between 5 and 8 bucks for a nicely sized, nice thickness towel. 20 bucks! Japan kiss my ass, I'll rewash mine until my care package comes. You'll never take my money!!! ...on towels anyway.

[osakajojo]

thats funny, i didn't think of that. I used several towles to wrap breakables I sent over surface mail before coming over.
I sent some Ranch dressing too, but then yesterday I went to CostCo and found that they sell huge bottles of it there. And for you XXXX beer lovers, they have a case- 24 cans for only 2,600 yen!

[denise]

I've gotten a bit of a laugh out of this thread, because after having to spend $200 at Narita to send my excess baggage (two full checked bags plus a snowboard plus a carry-on plus a laptop--not to mention all the crap that I had to mail home or to Chile or just give/throw away when I left!), I am faced with the opposite problem--what NOT to bring with me to Chile. I'm going through all of the stuff that I brought back from Japan, asking myself, "Do I really need this?" I have repacked all of my belongings and have somehow managed to eliminate one suitcase.

I agree with the people who've mentioned food and personal care items. I've found, though, that it's much easier to have a kind-hearted friend or relative send you care packages, or even to order your preferred brands online (easily affordable in Japan--I could even splurge and order my favorite vegan chocolates and cookies from the US, plus regular orders from amazon.com for books, cds, dvds, etc). You can order from the Foreign Buyer's Club and Costco, and there's also Tengu for vegetarian items, food and more. They deliver all over Japan. Take just what you need to get by in the beginning (travel sizes!), then, assuming you have an address, have the stuff sent to you.

A few more items:

maps of your city/country

for the ladies--a pregnancy test, just in case! (they're much more user-friendly and stress-free if they're in your own language!)

And even if you've already got a job lined up, it's a good idea to have, or at least have easy access to, copies of your degrees, diplomas, qualifications, recommendation letters, etc. Don't leave home without them!

d

[Lister100]

Two new pairs of your favorite jeans, deodorant(I got a six pack of my favorite deodorant from the foreign buyers club but I waited a month and paid through the teeth).

Some packets of fahita mix. I really miss good mexican food and that stuff is dry and light to carry. finding shells might be a problem though. Pictures are good since many co-workers and students will be interested in them and its nice to share that kind of stuff.

You probably already have one but an MP3 Player is next on my to buy list. I'm wishing I had bought it back home since its hard to know what they offer and the sales people can't explain it in English.

Things I'm happy that I brought include my laptop, extra tooth paste, some video games and my favorite feel good movies like Freddy Got Fingered or Billy Madison. Don't underestimate the importance of a good cheap laugh! I'd hold back on bringing the Requiem for a Dream and Platoon since it might make you A-Wall in your first months here.

[Rorschach]

More short pants (cargo pants). Perhaps my biggest regret was not bringing enough comfortable pants with me. I assumed that Osaka was a cool place because it was so far from the equator so I brought only long pants. Big mistake, my first summer here I nearly died. I'm a big guy so it's hard (and expensive) to find clothes in my size here.

[katk]

This post was helpful, so lots of deoderant! I have been hearing that for a while! so I will stock up on asprin and dedorant and toothpaste.

[nicyvesweet]

Pantyhose (only if you weigh more than 115 lbs) and tampons (selection scarce and very limited). AND BRING SOME FUCKING TOWELS!!! YOU WILL THANK ME LATER!!!

[Gordon]