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king of the bees
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 14
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 Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:05 am Post subject: |
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Well, I got a letter from my school yesterday that was quite apologetic about the state of Fuji City. Like JimDunlop2 was saying though, just being in that part of Shizuoka is a Good Thing. If Fuji people are nice and the work is good, those are the most important things.
And anyway, I used to live in Seoul. I can handle a bit of ugly. |
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azarashi sushi
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 562
Location: Shinjuku
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| Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Hi KOTB...
You sound like you have a really good attitude and are being really positive so I hope it all works out well for you.
Speaking from experience though, I strongly recommend you buy a car as soon as you get there. It will make a world of difference for you. Although it seems well located, public transport is very inconvenient.
Anyway, good luck!
| Quote: |
| I used to live in Seoul. I can handle a bit of ugly. |
You ain't seen nothin' yet!
Please keep us updated on how you get on. |
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cornishmuppet
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 642
Location: Nagano, Japan
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| Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:58 am Post subject: |
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Haven't been to Fuji City but drove to Fuji-ku Highland (the theme park that's nearby) not so long ago and the area nearby looked pretty nice with lots of stuff to do (and lots of ways to spend your money!).
To the guy coming to Nagano Pref, its really beautiful, but it sounds like you might be in a remote village somewhere. If you're not near a train line, think about getting a car or a moped. Those small towns are nice but they can be a bit dead at night and its good if you have some way of getting into the cities for shopping or drinking or whatever. |
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fragglerocker
Joined: 21 Feb 2007
Posts: 6
Location: Scotland, soon to be Nagano
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| Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 11:53 am Post subject: |
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^^ I'm a girl actually 
Yeah I've heard from the person I'll be replacing - it is pretty remote but a car is provided and she tells me there's quite an active JET community who meet up at weekends in neighbouring towns/cities. It's in Shimoina district in the south of the prefecture, close to Iida city. I love nature and outdoors sports etc so I'm really happy to be placed in the wilderness  |
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king of the bees
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 11:55 am Post subject: |
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| azarashi sushi wrote: |
Hi KOTB...
You sound like you have a really good attitude and are being really positive so I hope it all works out well for you.
Speaking from experience though, I strongly recommend you buy a car as soon as you get there. It will make a world of difference for you. Although it seems well located, public transport is very inconvenient.
Anyway, good luck! |
Thanks, azarashi, I appreciate it. Unfortunately I won't have a licence in Japan, and even if I did, I'm getting the impression that Shizuoka JETs are contractually forbidden from driving; at least, that's what the Shizuoka AJET website seems to say. Looks like I'll have to manage without a car. I'll be living around Yoshiwara Park though, which seems pretty central to both my school and to the train and bus stations. Is that right? I was also thinking of investing in a good bike for getting out of the city. Does that sound realistic?
| arazashi wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I used to live in Seoul. I can handle a bit of ugly. |
You ain't seen nothin' yet!
Please keep us updated on how you get on. |
Yeah, honestly, Seoul wasn't that bad. I went to a heavily industrial area of Incheon once - that's probably more what I'm up against, no?
And I'll keep you all updated on life in Fuji. Let's see how long it takes me to crack. |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject: Drivin' in da Shiz |
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As a SHIZ-bound incoming JET, I have no problem with the stipulation that we shouldn't be driving. Trains, buses, and cycling will do me just fine.
Best,
fat_c |
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dpbrem
Joined: 01 May 2006
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 12:11 am Post subject: |
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fragglerocker: Im currently living and teaching in Shiojiri City, a town of about 60,000 people just south of Matsumoto and in the southern half of Nagano-ken. Its really beautiful here, the hiking is excellent and the winter sports too (or so i've been told, only been here 3 months). There is also a big national park in the Japanese Alps, just west of Matsumoto, with a ton of camp sites. Matsumoto itself is a cool city with an awesome castle and maybe 200,000 people. Shouldn't be too too far from you, worth checking out via train some weekend, especially during cherry blossom season.
But Shiojiri can get incredibly quiet at night, really no noise at all except an occassional barking dog. Im guessing your village will be more of the same. But you'll dig it i think...i routinely almost drive/ride off the road cause im too distracted by the amazing mountains and sunsets.
Best of luck. |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:53 pm Post subject: my wait is over |
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Sakuma-cho, a small area of about 6,000 inhabitants well north of Hamamatsu-shi in Shizuoka-ken.
Inaka, baby. Totally inaka.
All right.
Regards,
fat_c |
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rai
Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 119
Location: Osaka
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| Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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| dpbrem wrote: |
fragglerocker: Im currently living and teaching in Shiojiri City, a town of about 60,000 people just south of Matsumoto and in the southern half of Nagano-ken. Its really beautiful here, the hiking is excellent and the winter sports too (or so i've been told, only been here 3 months). There is also a big national park in the Japanese Alps, just west of Matsumoto, with a ton of camp sites. Matsumoto itself is a cool city with an awesome castle and maybe 200,000 people. Shouldn't be too too far from you, worth checking out via train some weekend, especially during cherry blossom season.
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I spent a miserable four months in Okaya near Shiojiri (my gym was in Matsumoto), and came running back to Osaka. I almost went insane, but then again I'm a city boy. I was told about all the great "nature" I would have all around me in Okaya, but it was really ugly, with awful old collapsing buildings and stuff. You needed a CAR to get places (and to get to the good hiking trails and what-not), and I hate cars.
If you're in inaka, GET A CAR.
Oh and just to add, I know one guy who loved it there, although he just moved to the sprawling metropolis of Matsumoto. |
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dpbrem
Joined: 01 May 2006
Posts: 2
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| Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 6:02 am Post subject: |
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| rai wrote: |
I spent a miserable four months in Okaya near Shiojiri (my gym was in Matsumoto), and came running back to Osaka. I almost went insane, but then again I'm a city boy. I was told about all the great "nature" I would have all around me in Okaya, but it was really ugly, with awful old collapsing buildings and stuff. You needed a CAR to get places (and to get to the good hiking trails and what-not), and I hate cars.
If you're in inaka, GET A CAR.
Oh and just to add, I know one guy who loved it there, although he just moved to the sprawling metropolis of Matsumoto. |
Yeah, it's not for everyone, and I would definately recommend getting a car if you can manage. You can get by with a bike and the train system, most of my friends are avid hikers and such and use their bikes to get everywhere. I got a car, but I still use a bike/train to get everywhere except work. I like it a lot, but perfer mountains to buildings and clouds to city haze. Plus I like the weather..personally I wouldn't want to be in the lowlands or southern islands when the summer hits, especially in the city. North country boy, i guess.
Oh and I really dig all these onsen too. |
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king of the bees
Joined: 13 Jun 2007
Posts: 14
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| Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2007 12:20 am Post subject: Re: my wait is over |
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| fat_chris wrote: |
Sakuma-cho, a small area of about 6,000 inhabitants well north of Hamamatsu-shi in Shizuoka-ken.
Inaka, baby. Totally inaka.
All right.
Regards,
fat_c |
Sounds like a good situation there, fat_chris. Congratulations! |
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fat_chris
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Posts: 3198
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:45 pm Post subject: 21 days |
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3 weeks til Tokyo for Group A.
All right.
Dang. I still have A TON of arrangements to make here Stateside. Will be a tedious three weeks.
No Sleep Til Inaka.
Regards,
fat_c |
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User N. Ame
Joined: 11 Dec 2006
Posts: 222
Location: Kanto
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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| king of the bees wrote: |
| Well, I got a letter from my school yesterday that was quite apologetic about the state of Fuji City. |
I'm sorry to hear this. You may as well be prepared going in: Fuji City is utter shyte hole, one of the least attractive towns I've ever had the misfortune to visit. Ugly doesn't even begin to tell the story, but....
I'm happy to tell you that your location is pretty damned sweet. Fuji has lots of local trains and a few fast express variety that can take up to the mountains or to the sea in a matter of an hour or less. I believe Fuji is also on the Shinkansen line, so quick getaways to Tokyo are more than easy. You have the fantastic Izu Peninsula at your doorstep, which not only boasts some of the best beaches and scenery, but is arguably the best hot spring region in all of Japan (the cliffside Dogashima rotenburo, ie, open air hot spring bath, is amazing). From Fuji City going north to the mountains of Yamanashi, you have a world class hot spring at Shimobe Onsen, with ample hiking and fishing opportunities. And as others have said, a bit further along you have the outdoor playground that is Nagano. Of course, you can hike up the mythic Mt. Fuji just about anytime your heart desires (except when there's snow up there). And when you get down, you can soak in the baths at the excellent Gotemba Kougen Brewery - which makes some of Japan's very finest brew.
In many ways your town sucks, but as the kanji character (I forget which one) reads: there is opportunity within crisis. View your town as a great gateway to many opportunities close at hand.
Enjoy. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: my wait is over |
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| fat_chris wrote: |
Sakuma-cho, a small area of about 6,000 inhabitants well north of Hamamatsu-shi in Shizuoka-ken.
Inaka, baby. Totally inaka.
All right.
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Nah, that's just a suburb. :) |
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Mothy
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 99
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| Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject: Re: 21 days |
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| fat_chris wrote: |
3 weeks til Tokyo for Group A.
All right.
Dang. I still have A TON of arrangements to make here Stateside. Will be a tedious three weeks.
No Sleep Til Inaka.
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Yeah. I have no idea how to get rid of so much of my stuff. Not room in my parents house, and I always feel bad if I take perectly good things to the dump. But I may have no choice with some of this stuff.
I was ready to go mentally about two months ago, but in terms of getting all the things done that need to be done- I'm nowhere close to ready. |
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