Job Discussion Forums

[EllBee]

whats the acceptability level of facial hair?

whats the Japanese version of the korean "minbok"...if n/a how does Japanese camping go?

Is sake cheap and available in conveny stores?

wheres a good weightroom in Kobe?

thats all for now, thanks.

[konyoku]

[quote]whats the acceptability level of facial hair?[/quote]

men=whiskers, beards, 5 o'clock shadows. No major taboos really.

women=discreet moustaches at best.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy,
K

[Glenski]

whats the acceptability level of facial hair?
Keep it neat, and foreigners are usually ok.

whats the Japanese version of the korean "minbok"...if n/a how does Japanese camping go?
No idea.

Is sake cheap and available in conveny stores?
Cheap depends on what you think is expensive. Yes it's available in convenience stores.

wheres a good weightroom in Kobe?
No idea.

[Asgardfox]

1.) Facial hair..hmm...well yea maybe you could say there is no taboo and that it's acceptable to an extent..but honestly after living in Japan for a few years, and having skipped shaving a few days myself, and talking to friends, lets just say it's better if you shave everyday and don't have facial hair. Sure do it if you want but, people may talk about you, it's kind of one of those things, some people might not say anything but it's probably better if you don't. I don't know, you might be able to get away with some facial hair, go-t, or something but a full grown beared I dunno..maybe I'm just paranoid, lol.

2.)Sake, you can buy a cup o sake, cheap convenient store sake everywhere. It may put hair on your chest but technically it is sake.

3.)Never been to Kobe, but I'm sure you can find it by asking people when you get there, as far as the weight room is concerned.

Hope this helps, Asgard

[ironopolis]

[sethness]

1) whats the acceptability level of facial hair?

Depends on the school you apply to, but generally, facial hair is considered radical, fringe, even a sign of being low-level mafia, and as unacceptable in a "professional" (i.e., conservative) office as, say, jeans in an office, a facial tattoo, nose piercing, or earring-on-a-man. Children in particular may be frightened of whiskers.

I think you may be able to get away with longish sideburns, but in general, Japanese are stuck in a "fashion-for-men" model that looks like mormon/blues-brothers/men-in-black/America-circa-1940.

There's a component of the society that rebels against this silliness, but they are fringe & teenager-ish, and don't easily get work. (I'm thinking of "bosozoku" and "frita".)

2) whats the Japanese version of the korean "minbok"...if n/a how does Japanese camping go?

I have no idea what "minbok" might be.

As for Japanese camping, it's rather controlled. There are lots of camping areas, but they're like little villages with square patches of grass or wooden platforms on which you can set up your tent. They're less than 8 meters on either side from other campers' plots, and a stone's throw from a communal cabin with phone, toilet and showers. The campsites are not free. Campfires are done in very controlled circumstances-- sometimes in stone fireplaces, sometimes done in one big communal bonfire.

In short, it's halfway between suburban life and truly roughing-it.

3) Is sake cheap and available in conveny stores?

Nothing's cheap in Japan, compared to other Asian countries.
Beer and sake prices may be about twice what an American would expect, if bought in a convenience store or vending machine, and quite a bit more if bought in a bar.

On the good side, yes, convenience stores and vending machines on the street dispense sake, beer, and wine. I can't recall, but there miiiight be a restriction against selling it after certain hours, and you may need to show proof of age.

4) wheres a good weightroom in Kobe?
There's probably one every kilometer or so. Check for commercial health-clubs, and also for community centers (rather like YMCA but run by the gov't). The community centers are called "koh-MIN-kan".

[EllBee]

thanks for the answers. I figured facial hair may be seen as rebellious.
Sounds like sake isnt cheap in Japan as soju is in Korea. But...could very well be a blessing in disguise...as soju was devastating. Relieved to hear it won't be a problem finding a gym.

[ironopolis]

Just a brief word of caution on gyms. I've no idea about Kobe, but what surprised me about gyms in Japan, having come here from Korea, was the fairly restrictive opening hours. In Korea, they seemed to open at the crack of dawn for people to work out before they went to their office, and stayed open late at night too.

The first I joined in Japan was a chain of gyms in my city and opened at 11am, officially closed at 10pm but they made it subtly clear your absence was soon required from 9pm onwards. They also closed all day Sunday and national holidays. I considered switching to another near where I worked which at 10am and closed at midnight, however they were ridiculously expensive if you wanted to use the place after 5pm.

I eventually found a small place which is untidy, doesn't have the shiniest machines at all, but is very cheap and open 8am till midnight every day.
I'm sure Kobe has a wider choice of gyms than where I live, but I'd still recommend looking around a bit before you sign up anywhere.