Job Discussion Forums

[fox1]

hey guys,

so i just arrived. I'm loving Osaka... it's pretty intense and mind-blowing at times. I have spent the last 2 days walking around... a LOT!.. and today bought a 2nd-hand bike, so now I:m riding a lot!

as you can see with my typing of 'I:m' (an example), everything, including this keyboard, at the net bar is a little strange (combined with being pretty tired... and obviously in a bit of a rush! ) I love the city. I've seen in the first 2 days large vegetable patches in the city on my walk... the streets around Fuse are incredible, as of course are so so so many other places. I am totally loving the stuff at the supermarkets. wow, what can i say!

anyway... i do have a million questions. forgive me, some have probably been asked already no doubt. If you can answer any, I'd be really damn grateful for any tips... OK here we go!


i guess in no real order:

1. oh yeah, do you know where's a good place to get thin wooden beds (mattresses) for summer

2. what would you recommend are the best ways to learn Japanese?.... now being here.

3. Digital camera. to cut a long story short, what would you pay... any place you'd recommend?

4. also related to cameras, repairing old SLRs: do you know a good place where I can fix my damn camera.. i'm bursting waiting to take pics! (i guess also, really, what kind of digital camera would you recommend... I really want high quality res... so same/better than a good quality non-digital camera)

5. oh yeah... anyone ... do you know good place to get bags, like casual bags... and speaking of that, to get T-shirts? I know there:s many places, like Fuse seemed great, but I was just there after most things closed tonight. How much would you pay for a T-shirt say, or a casual bag?

6. a strange one. do you know where it:s possible to buy sea salt?

7. what do you think is the best place to get fruit and vegetables ?

8. I'd kinda like to join a pool, so I can in theory (!) go swimming every day... do you know the best, and good-value place, where I can just go swimming. I:m not too interested in the gym, but I'd kinda like to go to a pool on a regular basis? That type of thing exist/common?

9. what would you say is the best way to get a mobile phone? (i don't have a credit card )

10. This one is maybe easy..! Traveller's cheques... in Japanese yen. Can you change them in manjor banks... let;s say, even out in the far suburbs? And do they have different rates, or is there any place you know is better? thanks

11. an odd question just now. I stuffed around at Nagase station this afternoon trying to get a one-day-free ticket. Could not see it for the life of me on all 4 machines........... was I missing something (probably!)

12. strange question! any idea where I can get thin leather thread for a necklace. I REALLY want to put my necklace back together! been too long

13. cloth, like a hankerchief.. for ironing. I know stupid question.. probably very easy at a department store.. but I just am in a 'chucking-in-the-question' mood!



Thank you........ really a lot!

[PAULH]

1. oh yeah, do you know where's a good place to get thin wooden beds (mattresses) for summer

You mean like futons? Probably a futon shop. Not sure where there are any in Osaka. Furniture section in Takashimaya but expensive.

2. what would you recommend are the best ways to learn Japanese?.... now being here.

Depends on how much you want to spend, if you want to take lessons or pick up street Japanese. Learn hiragana and katakana first. I used to use basic Japanese books and then go out and talk to people. Join a club and its easier to meet people that way rather than in bars. Avoid the women who want to be friends with you so they can learn English, language exchange etc. usually its pretty one-sided and heavily English. Avoid the NOVA crowd. get Nihongo Journal from Kinokuniya or Maruzen and listen to CDs.




3. Digital camera. to cut a long story short, what would you pay... any place you'd recommend?

Nipponbashi or Denden town depends on what you are looking for. I paid about 40,000 yen for mine.


4. also related to cameras, repairing old SLRs: do you know a good place where I can fix my damn camera.. i'm bursting waiting to take pics! (i guess also, really, what kind of digital camera would you recommend... I really want high quality res... so same/better than a good quality non-digital camera)

Again personal preference, I have a Casio Exilim.



5. oh yeah... anyone ... do you know good place to get bags, like casual bags... and speaking of that, to get T-shirts? I know there:s many places, like Fuse seemed great, but I was just there after most things closed tonight. How much would you pay for a T-shirt say, or a casual bag?

Maybe you could try Tokyu Hands in sennichimae dori in Shinsaibashi.



7. what do you think is the best place to get fruit and vegetables ?

Basement of most department stores. Takashimaya in Namba or local supermarkets.

Fruit and vege store is called yaoya in Japanese.


8. I'd kinda like to join a pool, so I can in theory (!) go swimming every day... do you know the best, and good-value place, where I can just go swimming. I:m not too interested in the gym, but I'd kinda like to go to a pool on a regular basis? That type of thing exist/common?

Dont really know of pools but I think there may be one at Nagai-koen in southern osaka. There is a big pool complex with waterslides etc a few minutes walk from JR Bentencho station.


9. what would you say is the best way to get a mobile phone? (i don't have a credit card )

You will probably need a Japanese bank account but i think some of them allow you to pay by bank transfer or at convenience stores. You will need some ID I guess. I think Au allows you to pay by cash transfer. Phones can be picked up cheaply in Nipponbashi but you pay for monthly charges.



11. an odd question just now. I stuffed around at Nagase station this afternoon trying to get a one-day-free ticket. Could not see it for the life of me on all 4 machines........... was I missing something (probably!)

Never heard of that. Do you mean an all-day pass where you have unlimited use? Some you can use with the buses too.

[fox1]

[PAULH]

To answer your question about why foreigners ignore you... you are basically invading their Japan experience and Osaka is too small for both of you. Like "what are you doing being in my city?"

Heres some more on this

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=23814&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

PS Ive been here donkeys years and Ive probably ignored people subconsciously but think about it......you dont travel 5,000 miles so you can meet other western people and run up to them and speak English, and you dont smile and wave at complete strangers on the train at home. Why do you think strangers would want you talking to them on the train here? Food for thought.

[fox1]

cool

yeah paul seriously i know all that

i have lived in china> i know how foreigners are like

I HAVE NO judgement about it

however, it is a bit of a trend. I sense something in this, that, hell, funny to talk about.


-------
I totally understand your point of view or your thoughts on this.....
but if i were to throw in ANY of my own little spanner into the works here.. just to toss it around..., it would be: kinda simply, well>>> indeed we are not on the subway in New York. or Dublin...or wherever. I know about all that 'you wouldn't wave your arms around and shit on a train in NYC... and that whole thing...' .. i understand the idea. And really, this is not a big thing with me...... but I am a tiny bit bemiused lets say. because: and this is my bit> Indeed we are here in Japan..... I am not craving the 'hi' from the foreigner at all.... but just for the hell of it, as they're walking past, and to amuse myself, i sometimes will give the person a smile.... most often as simple as that... See what happens> just for the hell of it. By definition, we DO have a connection here. Anyway, it*s just a mildly friendly thing> 'why not'< it comes down to for me

like i said in that other thread, i dunno... we'll see if i soon tire of it!

enjoy!

[fox1]

oh yeah, s###

before i go.... gotta ask... if anyone knows the cheapest internet bar in Osaka, i would be really grateful to know about it.

I'm paying 400 yen an hour at the moment...!

Many things in Japan are great value, but not internet!!

Also< on this: as I said in an email, (what's the go with this): Japan has many many things, but in Osaka, VERY few net bars.

gotta run

[PAULH]

[SEndrigo]

Hey Fox,

I'm glad you enjoy Osaka and Japan....but everything now seems "cool" and "great" cos you've just arrived....after a while those feelings of euphoria will change.

Don't be too amazed with this place...you'll be bound to get disappointed, after you see what it's really like, you'll see the good and the bad.

When you say how could anyone go back to life before Japan....I'll tell you that an overwhelming majority do go back. I'm not sure on the figures but I read somewhere that more than 90 percent of foreigners go back after a year or two in Japan.

But I hope you'll enjoy it here...it's a good place.

[wintersweet]

[fox1]

[Eleckid]

1. oh yeah, do you know where's a good place to get thin wooden beds (mattresses) for summer

You can get it at the 100yen shop (Daiso)

2. what would you recommend are the best ways to learn Japanese?.... now being here.

At the International Center where there are volunteer teachers.

3. Digital camera. to cut a long story short, what would you pay... any place you'd recommend?

Go shop around and compare prices. Any big or small places is fine (ex. Big Camera, CompMart, Yamada Denki, Kojima Denki, etc.). After some research, get the one with the best deal. Sometimes they have this 1 week special sale.

4. also related to cameras, repairing old SLRs: do you know a good place where I can fix my damn camera.. i'm bursting waiting to take pics! (i guess also, really, what kind of digital camera would you recommend... I really want high quality res... so same/better than a good quality non-digital camera)

I just got a new one last week, Canon IXY Digital 600.

5. oh yeah... anyone ... do you know good place to get bags, like casual bags... and speaking of that, to get T-shirts? I know there:s many places, like Fuse seemed great, but I was just there after most things closed tonight. How much would you pay for a T-shirt say, or a casual bag?

Tokyu Hands for bags, a lot of choices and price is....ok I guess. With summer sale, in dept stores I get a t-shirt for 980yen. You can probably find them for less.

6. a strange one. do you know where it:s possible to buy sea salt?

Any local supermarket sales sea salt.

7. what do you think is the best place to get fruit and vegetables ?

At local & small fruits & veggie store.

8. I'd kinda like to join a pool, so I can in theory (!) go swimming every day... do you know the best, and good-value place, where I can just go swimming. I:m not too interested in the gym, but I'd kinda like to go to a pool on a regular basis? That type of thing exist/common?

You can find some local public pools or at the sports center.

9. what would you say is the best way to get a mobile phone? (i don't have a credit card )

You don't need a credit card to get a mobile phone, you'll need your gaijin card. You just walk into a cell phone store and sign up there & they'll set up everything for you in a hr.

10. This one is maybe easy..! Traveller's cheques... in Japanese yen. Can you change them in manjor banks... let;s say, even out in the far suburbs? And do they have different rates, or is there any place you know is better? thanks

Yes, I live in a small suburb, & I can change them in my local USJ.

11. an odd question just now. I stuffed around at Nagase station this afternoon trying to get a one-day-free ticket. Could not see it for the life of me on all 4 machines........... was I missing something (probably!)

The one day pass...I think you can only get them on Fridays??

12. strange question! any idea where I can get thin leather thread for a necklace. I REALLY want to put my necklace back together! been too long

Any accessories shops or at Tokyu Hands.

13. cloth, like a hankerchief.. for ironing. I know stupid question.. probably very easy at a department store.. but I just am in a 'chucking-in-the-question' mood!

In Tokyu Hands or try the 100yen shop first.

To do the ' symbol, it's Shift-7. " symbol is Shift-2.[/b]

[fox1]

[fox1]

[PAULH]

Heres one pool in Osaka

http://www.octb.jp/english/search/detail.cgi?id=02290

Nankai line runs south from Namba towards the airport.

[deadpoet]