| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
solarmist
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 52
Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
 Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 12:28 pm Post subject: What do you wish you had done when you first got to Japan? |
 |
|
What do you think are the most important first things to do when you get to Japan? Open a bank account? Get a cell phone? Etc.
Also, is there anything that you wish you'd known when you arrived in Japan? |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Jon Taylor
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 238
Location: Tokyo
|
| Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: What do you wish you had done when you first got to Japa |
|
|
| solarmist wrote: |
What do you think are the most important first things to do when you get to Japan? Open a bank account? Get a cell phone? Etc.
Also, is there anything that you wish you'd known when you arrived in Japan? |
Find shelter |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
solarmist
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 52
Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
| Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 1:00 pm Post subject: RE: Find Shelter |
|
|
Well, I've got that covered at least to begin with. I'll be staying in a Nova apartment until I can find something of my own.
Any advice on that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
|
| Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 2:08 pm Post subject: Re: What do you wish you had done when you first got to Japa |
|
|
| solarmist wrote: |
| Also, is there anything that you wish you'd known when you arrived in Japan? |
I brought cash and got gouged on the exchange rate. Organise a direct transfer at an international ATM |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
zorro (3)
Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 202
|
| Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I wish I had bought toothpaste with me.
(that's for you Glenski  ) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
solarmist
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 52
Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 8:45 am Post subject: Re: What do you wish you had done when you first got to Japa |
|
|
| markle wrote: |
I brought cash and got gouged on the exchange rate. Organise a direct transfer at an international ATM |
How do you do that? You mean from my bank account in the US? Also, don't I need a Japanese bank account before I can do that? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
|
| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 9:00 am Post subject: Re: What do you wish you had done when you first got to Japa |
|
|
| solarmist wrote: |
| You mean from my bank account in the US? |
Yes, just check that your home bank is linked one of the major international systems. Go in and ask if you can use your current ATM card overseas. Essentially what you are doing is using an ATM here in the same way as one back home. You get the best exchange rate and it's instanteous.
also bring any preferred brand toiletries, not necessarily bulk but enough to to last a month or two. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
solarmist
Joined: 10 Feb 2007
Posts: 52
Location: Fort Collins, CO
|
| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:07 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Major international system? Like STAR? Or you mean Visa/Mastercard, etc? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
markle
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 1316
Location: Out of Japan
|
| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 11:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
| solarmist wrote: |
| you mean Visa/Mastercard |
yup |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jademonkey
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 180
|
| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 12:46 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| DON'T go to Kabukicho without any clear idea of the exact value of yen, and piss your hardearned monthly savings up on a night of drinking, like I did back when I first went to Tokyo. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
|
| Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject: Social and Personal Arrangements |
|
|
In addition to the logistical arrangements that need to be set up upon arriving (cell phones, bank accounts, yadda yadda yadda), what kind of social and personal arrangements do you wish you had immediately gotten into?
Like joining the gym or finding other activities, etc...
Thanks!
fat_c |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
AndyH
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 417
|
| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 3:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I wish I'd had shipped my stuff from Shimonoseki to eastern Hokkaido via Kuro Nekko Yamato (it's cheap), instead of lugging all of it with me on the train for a week. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
jademonkey
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 180
|
| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 11:08 am Post subject: |
|
|
| AndyH wrote: |
| I wish I'd had shipped my stuff from Shimonoseki to eastern Hokkaido via Kuro Nekko Yamato (it's cheap), instead of lugging all of it with me on the train for a week. |
Or just take it into the nearest convenience store and have them send it for about 1000yen... |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
|
| Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 2:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Some of the convenience stores advertise the same service, so which ever is closer. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
J.
Joined: 03 May 2003
Posts: 327
|
| Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 12:47 am Post subject: If you have |
|
|
glasses or contacts bring a spare pair and the prescription with you. Unless you have someone at home to help you replace them, they are very expensive here.
Brought with me, Rice pasta. I have a wheat allergy and it's not available here. Ditto soy cheese.
Brought an English OS CD or software for my computer.
Brought a prepaid Mastercard or Visa, for ordering stuff online (like clothes) from America. Also American/Canadian itunes card so I could get music from home.The Japanese site is missing a lot of stuff. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
