Korean Job Discussion Forums

gmat · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Just left my job, E-2 cancelled. Want to make a quick tourist visa run to Japan. Anyone have experience with this: perhaps taking a Ferry to Shimonoseki, Hitakatsu, or Izuhara in Japan.

I've done an E2 visa run to Fukuoka before, but this time I want to do a day trip. I am Canadian fyi.

Thanks in advance.

J.B. Clamence · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

The island of Tsushima is the closest and quickest place to get to by ferry. I've heard there's not much there though, but if that's not a concern, and you're trying to do it cheaply and quickly, I guess that's the place to go.

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

Just get ont he ferry to Fukuoka in the morning go out, turn around and catch the ferry back in the afternoon...

i know 3 different people who have done that and none of them had any problems....

mithridates · Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:34 pm Post subject: Re: Tourist Visa Run Question

gmat · Joined: 29 Jan 2003

Thanks for all the info JB, JBC and Mith. Smile

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

I took a hydrofoil to Fukuoka once. The Beetle or something. It was very cheap and fast. It might go to other parts of Japan too.

lastat06513 · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:39 am Post subject:

If you want to know about Tzushima, I probably know something- went there during my second tourist visa period a few years back.

I got a package from the ferry company itself that had an office in Sinsa Dong (right outside Sinsa station), it included a round-trip KTX ticket along with a round-trip Busan-Itzuhara, Itzuhara-Busan ferry ticket for 190,000won. weekend (180,000 won weekday, but are usually sold out for the weekdays as it is a major mountainclimbing destination for Koreans)

But as someone else had mentioned, there is nothing there to really see, I walked around, through and back in THREE HOURS!!! But if you love fresh air and natural scenery, you'll like it.

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

As a rule of thumb, if the Shimonoseki and Hakata ferries are all booked for a weekend, try the Tsushima ferry. I've done 2 last minute ferries to that island with no hassles. If you stay for the weekend, make sure the travel agent calls ahead and books a hotel room somewhere. Otherwise you'll have to settle for Japanese-style minbaks, and that's assuming that you can read enough Japanese to look for the signs. However, if you speak enough half-assed Korean like I do, you can ask one of the Korean tour guides that will be on the ferry, and see if they can sort a few arrangements out for you. Also, if you go for the weekend, make sure you have the agent reserve you a seat on the island's tour bus, which can be booked by calling the island's tour office on the 2nd floor of Izuhara port. The tour makes the visit worthwhile. And don't forget to eat at Moss Burger at the downtown mall. Still don't know why that franchise doesn't make its way over here. Confused

lastat06513 · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject:

When I got off the ferry, there was a person who guided tourists to the various lines to get stamped onto the island- one for Japanese and one for "gaijin" (Korean/foreigners). I stuck out like a sore thumb in the "gaijin" line, being the only western face among the group. Anyway, she pointed out some discount places to stay while intown.

And talk about calling ahead...no sooner did I get out of the immigration line, I was approached by a detective from the local police department, who spoke so-so English as he asked where I came from, why I was on the island, and when I was leaving (all the time, writing all the info down on a nice little notepad). But the same thing, he pointed out some places, evidently, the same places as the immigration guide. (also worth noting- the notebook was bright pink with little butterflies on it----go figure!)

chronicpride · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

That's interesting. I too, was approached by a detective at the Hitakatsu ferry terminal, while I was waiting to depart. He asked me the same questions as you. I wrote it off as being language practice. Mind you, there was a 'Wanted, have you seen this man?' picture of some white guy with a latin-sounding name, posted all over the island when I was there, so who knows.

I saw two foreigners at Moss Burger in Izuhara. AFAIK, there are only 3-4 foreigners who teach english at the public schools on Tsushima, so I don't know what the deal is with the latin guy.

mithridates · Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 3:28 am Post subject:

One Japanese guy that runs a ramen stand there is from Fukuoka but seemed to have ended up there. I asked him how and he just said that when he woke up he found himself there and he's been there ever since. Not literally of course - he probably just ended up going there and decided it was good enough to settle down in. I wonder what kind of people there are there that are hiding out from something on the mainland.