Job Discussion Forums

maryknight · Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 83

i'll arrive in tokyo on may 10th and i'll get to stay 2 weeks. i'm getting a rail pass. what do you recommend? it's a sightseeing/check out japan trip with some job search included.

angrysoba · Joined: 20 Jan 2006 Posts: 446 Location: Kansai, Japan

Nara (see Todaiji temple and Horyuji temple). Try crawling through the hole at the base of one of the pillars in Todaiji. If you do you will become enlightened. I went through, it's not as difficult as it looks.

Whenever anyone asks why I am so wise, then I tell them about that.

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

earache · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Japan

Try these sites for travel info and tips. On Japan Guide, in particular, you'll find your exact question asked over and over and suggested itineraries have been posted in response.

www.japan-guide.com
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/
www.jnto.go.jp
http://www.japanwelcomesyou.com/cssweb/
www.jyh.or.jp/english (youth hostels)
http://gojapan.about.com/

The following sites are photo sites or photoblogs based in Japan. Have a look through and make a check list of what you would like to see yourself. Dave even has a photo collection up and running (see sticky at the top of the Japan forum)

http://japan.twinisles.com/index.htm
http://www.reggie.net/
http://www.sushicam.com/pixelpost/index.php
http://www.japanwindow.com
http://photojapan.com/index.htm/gallery.html
http://www.japannet.de/
http://www.torekimi.com
http://roarfish.blogs.com/sashimibytes/
http://photos.agray.org/

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

mary,
Not to sound like a wet blanket, but weren't you pretty serious about looking for work here? How can you "fit in" some job hunting on a sightseeing trip??

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

I'm curious to know how the job hunt in Sapporo went.

maryknight · Joined: 12 Oct 2005 Posts: 83

thanks for the helpful information. i'm not sure how i will combine job hunting and sightseeing. as far as my expenses for the trip, i will be staying at youth hostels and possibly with people i'm meeting on hospitalityclub.org. i talked to someone last week from japan and i've read books and i've decided to rent a mobile phone at the nar airport. if you have any ideas on job hunting, please let me know. i want to have fun on the trip even if i don't find a job, but i actually think job hunting in japan sounds kind of fun. if you have ideas on schools i could go to in person or anything else i am interested to know. any constructive ideas. i am 50, which i know is old to look for a job, but i look younger. quite a bit younger. and i'll have appropriate (and easy to pack) clothes with me for job hunting. the sightseeing is secondary unless i decide that japan is not for me as far as a place to live and work. then i'll just enjoy my time as it may be my only trip to japan. but i expect to like it. as far as sapporo, i put off that trip and am taking this one. i was discouraged about getting a job in hokkaido as my first job at my age, but i am getting the hokkaido newsletter and i just applied for one and do plan to get up to hokkaido during my 2 weeks. i am just forming my thoughts as far as where to go and i really appreciate what you have said. i can read tour books and i am doing so, but i was interested in what you all had to say. i will consider information from all sources and make an itinarary for myself soon. but it is an itinerary that i will change if i find jobs that look good for me to apply for.
so, do you have job hunting ideas? i've asked that question before and gotten some negative things thrown back at me, so please try to be constructive. if you don't know of any ideas for me, that's fine. i will have a good trip anyway.
if japan doesn't work, i'm going to china or vietnam.

abufletcher · Posted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 1:36 am Post subject:

I agree that thinking about job hunting and sightseeing on the same 2-week trip is a little unrealistic.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

Hi Mary,

Try and line up some interviews while you're still in the US. E-mail them now and let them know when you'll be available for an interview.

As for sightseeing, while you're in Tokyo you should check out Kamakura and Nikko. You can go there on day trips. Kamakura is fairly quick and easy to get to...It's just past Yokohama. Nikko takes a little bit longer but is easy to get to from Asakusa. You can take the Tobu Nikko line train. It's not expensive.

buddhaboyjp · Joined: 24 Jan 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Dai Po, Tai Wo

Nobody mentioned ONSEN, so I shall.

Go to onsens as much as possible. That way you stay clean.

You can never get enough of them.

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Has there been any Mary sightings? All those posts, then nothing.

Sweetsee · Joined: 11 Jun 2004 Posts: 2302 Location: ) is everything

Nada, we were going to put her up as well.

womblingfree · Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 826

I'd recommend a week in Tokyo taking in Harajuku, Shibuya, and all the major sights. Also some nice day trips to Hakkone, Yokohama, Kamakura, and some nice mountains and forests.

Second week it would be good to visit Nara and Himeji castle, also Kyoto. I wouldn't bother with Osaka, maybe briefly, but it doesn't offer much that you wont have seen in Tokyo. If you have time go down to Tokushima via Kobe and visit Oboke & Koboke on the train. Great onsens and some of the best views in Japan. Also check out Hiroshima.

If by some miracle you still have time left, go to see Mt. Aso along the Yamanashi highway and spend a night at a ryokan in Kyushu.

If you get a Japan Railpass it'll all be as relaxing as can be.

EDIT:

Didn't see the bit about the job hunting. I'd stay near wherever it is you want to look for work with maybe a couple of days in a whole other part of japan.

EDIT AGAIN:

Oh, she already came and went Confused