Job Discussion Forums

[Reisender]

I finally got my placement with PKC and it's Fukuyama in Hiroshima prefecture. I leave in 3 weeks but can anybody tell me what I can expect or if there is anything in short supply there that I would do well to bring with me?

I've looked a little on the web but just found some rather dry political and demographic details. With just under half a million people, I'd think it's small enough to be relatively cheap and big enough to not be completely immune to Western influences like food and media. Fair assumption?

What else would be good to know? I hope it's not some blasted industrial catastrophe or anything like that but if there is anything... difficult about it, well I'd rather know sooner than later so I can psych myself up for it.

[Longing for Nippon]

Sorry, no help on Fukuyama but Hiroshima prefecture is quite nice as a whole so i wouldnt be to apprehensive.

[homersimpson]

Check out: http://www.city.fukuyama.hiroshima.jp/hishokoho/english/index_en.html

[bakatono]

Dear Reisender,
YOu are very lucky to be posted in Fukuyama. You will be right on the border of Okayama and Hiroshima Prefectures. You have access to many small great areas in Japan without the expense and crowding of the big cities. Just go down the station to the Sanyo Honsen and about hour East you have both Kurashiki and Okayama City. This area is famous for the peaches and grapes. Go west and you are right in Hiroshima city. Apartments are reasonably priced for Japan. I was a JET ALT in the "inaka" of Okayama and I have been to Fukuyama three times. As for the firm you will work for, I don't know anythng about them.

[Reisender]

Thanks bakatono. I kind of came to that conclusion from the small amount I've been able to find on Fukuyama. It's a pity so much of the stuff on Fukuyama relates to that neo-con idiot Francis Fukuyama but there you go.

The company will lease me a subsidised apaato at �50,000/month so I wasn't too concerned about rent but it is a good general indicator of cost of living usually. PKC is Peppy Kids Club and I'm led to believe they're fairly well known under that name.

One more question though; is it so small that public transport isn't as comprehensive as it is in Tokyo, Osaka or the very biggest cities? I'd like to get a bike as I hear north-south travel by PT is a little more difficult than east-west but if PT and cycling can get me everywhere then I'll spare the expense of registration and insurance. Are bikes liable for tolls?

[bakatono]

Reisender,
My rent in Kurashiki for a 3DLK whick is large for salary guy was 55,000, add sewage, utilities and the nagging NKH lady and you are probably looking at another 20000 for the apartment. If the school pays the key money and you have 2 days off a week go and enjoy.

[bakatono]

Reisender,
Didn't see the part about the bike. Fukuyama has a fairly good size train station, I can't recall if the Shinkansen stops there but if doesn't that's ok because there is train service there all day from 0530 to the last one at 0100 in the morning. Again you are better living in a smaller town becuase you will develop more sincere close friends who will be able to advise you about local hassles. As for the bikes, this is the great thing about Japan the chances of being popped by an unconscious motorist is less as most people use a bicycle in some leg of their daily commute. So don't be discouraged about bicycling many folks do it, so just do it.

[Reisender]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I'm an everyday cyclist as it is and I'm certain I'll continue to cycle in Japan no matter what. My question was about motorcycles though. Would a motorcycle be any advantage over public transport given insurance, registration and tolls?

[bakatono]

Reisender,
My personal preference was to use trains, trams, taxies, and bicycles. The speed limits in Japan are less than the states and the roads are always crowded. Add the cost of fuel at about four dollars per gallon, and expensive toll roads, and expensive insurance; and in the event you did have an accident you would hope to have excellent Japanese language skills to be able to listen what the police were saying while they were investingating; thus I personally stayed away from all driving, The choice is yours though, I would really research it though before you arrive.

[Iwantmyrightsnow]

http://www.gethiroshima.com/

Think the forums section has been disabled.

[sanadamushi]

I lived in Fukuyama for about 2 years, I often passed by the classroom for the Peppy Kids club as it was about two blocks from my apartment. Fukuyama rocks, get yourself to a bar called Zappa, I forget the owners, but they are super cool.

You don't really need a car, but I would suggest getting a scooter, it will help you get from each of your teaching locations. There is a fairly stable foreigner population there and the dialect they speak, "bingo-ben" is pretty cool. I haven't visited since 2002, but I doubt too much has changed.

There are lots of Russians lately, mostly from Siberia, you can guess what they do, but if you're lucky and find yourself at Zappa past 3 am you might get to meet some of them. Watch out, their pimp is a Bruce Lee mofo, but surprisingly he speaks English.

There are a lot of low-lifes unfortunately, they have started hanging out at the station, trying to recruit good looking girls for porn videos, also a heavy mafia presence in the entertainment district, but that's where the best ramen shop it.

You'll like Fukuyama, PKC is an easy gig, but swallowing your pride after every inane "meeting" or phone conversation with the "managers" in Nagoya gets old. Good Luck.

[Reisender]

[sanadamushi]

Hi, do you have a motorcycle license? You can't get a bike over 50cc in Japan without having an American (or wherever you're from) license that is transferable to a Japanese motorcycle license. You'll also have to worry about it getting stolen all the time by the bosozouku, they like to steal that size, cut the pipes off and ride around in the middle of the night revving the engine.

Screw PKC club, I worked with them 6 months, and couldn't handle their bold face lying and demeaning attitudes. I did screw them out of 30,000 yen a month by writing down all my transportation costs and filling out the forms when I in fact was riding directing to my teaching locations by scooter for a mere fraction of the costs. Even taxi costs, I never provided them with receipts, but I also never said that I used taxi's too much, just every once in a while to make it look normal.

Yeah, Fukuyama is cool, PKC club can be cool if you don't have to talk to the clowns who "run" things in Nagoya too much. Your orientation will suck, but you will get to meet a lot of other teachers. Watch out for some of the foreigners in Fukuyama, the Israelis and some of the Brits. Some rough characters who are up to no good. You won't need to go to Hiroshima, enough to do in Fukuyama. PM me with questions after you get there, take care, sanadamushi

[Reisender]

[sanadamushi]

Rough Brits, sounds like an oxymoron, no, these guys don't teach English, I don't know what they do, the Israeli's sell trinkets on the street as a front for selling ecstasy and a couple of rough british characters I ran into, I couldn't quite put a finger on what their racket was.

I worked for Peppy in Shizuoka prefecture, quit and then moved to Fukuyama and worked at an eikaiwa that was great at the time, but is now run by a yakuza sleaze bag who replaced all the Aussies, N.A's and Brits with Phillipina hookers who could speak Englishand pleasure the boss at the same time.

You seem to understand the shaken requirements and license parameters, and theft so you're on your way there, just never leave it unlocked, but I figure you're ahead of me on that one.

I will be returning to Japan in either the spring or the summer, I have friends at the Sharp Corporation there at the Integrated Ciruits Division and hope to come by and visit again. My little K-car is still there, I could sell it to you cheap if you're interested. Anywho, when will you get there?