Job Discussion Forums

Canadian_Krista · Joined: 14 Mar 2006 Posts: 17 Location: Ontario

Hi, I just received the job offer from ECC and they've told me I've been placed in the Kanto district and am to start on September 4th. I'm so excited. I've been looking forward to this opportunity for ages and I'm just so thrilled. One thing though-I was really hoping to be placed in the Osaka area, for a few reasons.
1) Kyoto, Nara, Kobe-lots of culture/history in that area that is all close together. At ECC, you don't get weekends off so, I thought Osaka would be good because it's easy to see things with just day-trips as opposed to weekend getaways
2) From what I hear, it's much much more expencive to live/travel anywhere from Tokyo-and I won't really be making any more money to compensate
3) I just felt that that area would be less intimidating than Tokyo...
Anyone who's working in this district-please put my mind at ease! Is the Kanto district really that expencive? Am I going to be spending much more money on travel expences to see stuff (eg. train prices to get places, relative to what I would've been spending in Osaka)? I haven't spent much time looking into Tokyo/surrounding area-I was looking forward to the Kinki distric-what are the bonuses about living in the Kanto district?
Gimme the goods guys...Thanks

JohnBankier · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Auckland, NZ

Kanto is a big place! Some of it is basically rice villages, but some of it is, well, Tokyo. If I were you I'd see how you like it, then, if you want to, transfer to Osaka! Make up some good excuse and it shouldn't be a problem in a big company like ECC. As far as price goes, you can live as cheaply in Kanto as Osaka, it just depends where you live. Smaller cities and towns will be cheaper than central Osaka, though Tokyo is always going to be more expensive. Food and restaurants are pretty much the same in most big cities on the main island, and your rail travel will be paid by your company anyway. I lived in Kanto for two years and saved one million yen without living especially cheaply!

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

I know someone (on here, in fact) who told they'd be in the Kanto region and ended up in Fukushima. Hardly Kanto!!

I will just say, I've never known anyone to transfer districts. They seem to be very anti that. VERY.

JohnBankier · Joined: 03 Jun 2006 Posts: 7 Location: Auckland, NZ

I suppose it depends on the company. I've known a few people who've transfered from as far away as Kyushu - I think you just need a good excuse. However, as I say that wasn't ECC.

earthmonkey · Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 188 Location: Meguro-Ku Tokyo

Hi Krista.

As has been said. Kanto is big. It's not only Tokyo.

Don't be afraid of Tokyo. It's a great city! I've lived here for 4.5 years and don't wish to ever live anywhere else.

The main difference between Tokyo and other areas is the cost of housing, which ECC should be helping you with. As for rent, like any big city, there are nice, expensive areas and not so nice, less expensive ones.

Clothes and shoes are more expensive. Bring as much as you can. I rarely buy clothes in Japan. I wait until my trips back to the U.S. to do that.

As for eating and drinking, you can spend whatever you want. Of course, there are some expensive restaurants, but there are also a lot of less expensive and cheap ones. The sheer number and variety of restaurants is amazing. If you like to eat, it's a good place to be. Drinking can be expensive, but doesn't have to be if you find the right places.

If you end up in Tokyo, you should consider yourself lucky. It's safe. The transportation system is perhaps the best in the world. There's never a lack of something to do.

Don't worry, I think you'll have a great time.