Job Discussion Forums

[Sherri]

1. Meeting up with friends in an izakaya

2. Vending machines that work

3. Sheer convenience--especially for single people

I agree with a lot of what other posters have mentioned too. I also agree with Denise, lots of good memories but do not want to live there again.

Sherri

[cornishmuppet]

1. Karaoke!

2. Sake!

3. Getting free water with every meal, that you don't have to ask to be topped up.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[cafebleu]

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".

Although there was propaganda about the Emperor being a god and actions being committed for his cause, Shinto was never linked with emperor worship in its traditional form. That was a much later linkage because of the militarists. Traditional Shinto beliefs are basically nature worship ones.

However, to be fair, the other poster isn't totally correct about the lack of religious thing. Aum and other obnoxious religious cults can fill the same kind of position of fantacism and forcing others to believe what you do. Japan has far more cults than you'd think. Aum's sarin gas attack was to create some kind of situation of Japanese people doing its bidding by force.

There are also worrying cults like that one where dead bodies were pulled out of an apartment long after death because that religion said the members weren't dead. And one where women and girls are sexually molested in the name of that 'religion'. It happens in other countries too but Japan's lack of organised religion is made up for by creepy religious cults.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[cafebleu]

Read Canuk's post again. His topic there was Religion - people can have their own religious beliefs.

It is one of the aspects of Japan I loved - the only time somebody knocked on my door about religion in Japan was a very nice local lady who happened to be a Jehovah's Witness (!) I told her I was a Hindu (not so far from the truth because I am Anglo Indian in the sense of really having some Indian ancestry on my mother's side) and she apologised and left quickly!

As for the Satanic Verses biz - do you really think Japanese people would go to the bother of killing the translator? Japan has had a lot of Iranian people training in engineering etc for about 15 years now - and it's likely an Iranian on a student visa did the job on the Japanese translator. Read up the case and the suspicions of who was behind it on the net - there's plenty of info.

Black trucks - yes I know them. I was in a J city a few years back and amongs the bullshit they were screaming from their vans was "Gaijin Ike!" I looked around - I was the only blonde woman I could see in the crowd of Japanese women and there were also no foreigner men present among the men. As a nice J lady said to me: "Uyoku wa zettai dame, ne"/

The black trucks and their drivers have nothing to do with religion!

[konyoku]

1. my salary

2. my vacations

3. my job

....in that order

[bshabu]

In random order....

1. Beer/Chuhi in public

Having a cold one on a hot day, or at least mildly warm day, without someone busting my chops. Even though there are no beer vending thingies by my apartment, I still get to use them from time to time.

2. Quality of the coffee, not quantity.

I like having a nice cup of coffee. Maybe more expensive here and no refills at most places, but it is nice. Yes, I know Family Restaurants have all you can force down. Sorry, all of you who like can coffee, but I still don't like it all that much.

3. Good deals on set menus

Especially during lunch time. You can buy a good lunch with change in you pocket. I mean salad, soup, coffee, yogurt, and your choice of two different currys for only 699yen. WOW!

4. Transportation and service at stores

What needs to be said that hasn't been said already about these.

5. Friendships

I have met more interesting and diverse people in my years living here then all of the other years total. Not just Japanese, but as JimDunlop2 says people from all over the world. And yes I have had many International friends at College, but still Japan takes the cake.

6. Honorable Mentions

Bill paying at conbinis and conbinis themselves, daiko service, high-speed Internet almost everywhere, and the shipping industry.

OOPS! I re-read the topic. Only 3. Forgive me I hadn't drank my coffee yet.

[japanman]

1) Noboby hassels you. You can wlak aywhere without nutters stopping you and giving you trouble.

2) People dont rip-off foreigners like in other countries.

3) i don't want to sound cheesy or a looser but the birds and the porn are excellent. I'm sure all the boys will agree on that!!

[sushi]

Women are more open about sex. Sex is more available too. Not the paye for sex, but from your everyday girl next door type.

[japanman]

Oh, the girl next door type, i'm getting excited already!!!!
I don't want any girls getting angry but for me, just sitting in a cafe and watching the girls go by is better here than almost anywahere in thw world.
Someone should write a book about that, great places in the world to perve. Or maybe a whole forum.

[wolfman]

[japanman]

The internet is indeed a vast jungle of such things. I'm however looking for simple lists of specific places to sit and watch with a nice cup of tea and a thick chocolate cake. People always go on about beaches etc, but that's too predictable. One of my favourites is the hour or so before a new film comes out at a big cinema in New dehli or Mumbai. Normal Indian girls don't go out so much unless they are middle-class types. A cinema is a great social spot where all types gahther together
Any other great suggestions?

[TokyoLiz]

So hard to choose!

1. For someone who can't or simply prefers not to drive, urban Japan life is so easy. My visioin is too crappy for me to drive, and I go anywhere I want. My hometown of Vancouver is great for public transportation, but the convenience of the trains never ceases to impress me.

2. Samurai Festivals! Look for the green eyed warrior in armour, helmet and mustached mask at Kanto region samurai parades this fall! I've participated with foreign and local friends for the past three years in either period costume or armour in historical pardes and met some awesome local people with a lot of heart.

3. The people! It's been said before by others, but it's worth saying again - international relationships. I've met people from all over the world and Japan and made lasting friendships. I count Japanese, British, Australian, Romanian, Finnish and American people amongst my friends. And people from regions of my country, Canada, that I wouldn't have had a chance to interact with otherwise.

[osakajojo]

1. the t-shirts, fashion, boots---people watching


2. raves that last till noon


3. the food