Hey, I'm in a band that will be on tour in Japan in June. Any advice? I know we need to get our passports, like, now. (oops) Has anyone been to Japan and has some advice? Our schedule won't allow us to go where we want, but still...

ebly!

 

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.

How exciting!  My son loves all things Japanese and wishes to go someday.  I don't know much about Japan, but my brother in law goes there often on business.  I can ask him what you might want to know and where you may want to go, etc.  I'll get back to ya.

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Hi ebly

I worked in Tokyo in 1990 and '91 which seems like an eon ago in this fast-paced world. Are you landing at Narita? Is someone meeting you there? Do you need VISAs and/or have to got someone taking care of that at the other end? Where are you headed? If your final destination is a large centre like Tokyo or Osaka, there will be lots of people around who can speak some English and many who are eager to practise. Tokyo is a TRIP! What kind of advice are you looking for? What kinds of things are you wondering about?

There is a bilingual Japanese GBS fan named Yuriko, who has a fan site linked off this one. <http://ch81.com> If I were headed to Japan I might try to contact her in advance for some advice.

Kampai,  (Cheers in Japanese)

Tina 

 

 

 

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Free Cruise Clocks

arigato gozaimasu, tina!

i guess i really should have outlined what we were doing first...lol. i'm in a 60-70piece band that is partof a several hundred musician organization. it is a regional audition thing, and there are 7 main groups. the two top groups alternate years for international tours. our logistical stuff isbeing taken care of by the organization. we are going all over the island, and are doing homestays with the groups we are playing with. i don't know if we need visas or not...we are there 11 or 13 days, can't remember which. i know that we get to sightsee in tokyo, but i don't know where we land and whatnot. i have a friend who is a transfer student from japan, and a family of friends who just moved back, so I have people to help with learning some japanese. it never fails to amuse me how much my japanese friend loves it when i thank her in japanese or just say a few words. lol.

basically, i'm wondering what cultural nuances i should look out for, mistakes to avoid, thinks to see if i can(i want to see a shinto shrine and a buddist temple, and we get to on our day off!), basic tips for a traveler overseas and in japan. (it's been 9 or 10 years since i've been overseas!)

thanks so much! 

dewa, nochihodo!
 

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.

i've always wanted to go too. your son has his head on right! 

thank you so much! that would be very helpful!

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.

I have a friend who is on student exchange there, ill ask him whats good there if you like.

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When the first caveman drove in from the drags
Didn’t know what would go with the bacon and the eggs
Must have met a genius, got it in his head
Plug the toaster in the wall, buy a bag of bread
Make toast.
YEAH, TOAST!

My sister did an exchange in Japan, I'm not sure if you are of drinking age, but be aware that while here, it is considered rude not to drain your glass, in Japan, it is considered rude for your host not to keep your glass full.  If you don't want any more wine (or whatever) you just stop drinking.  Or they will keep pouring.  And you will get s***faced. 

The other thing to watch for is the rules about footwear.  The house my sister stayed in had an interior courtyard inside the house, and you had to get through it to get from one part of the house to the other,  so she had to take her shoes off at the front door, carry them through the house, put them on to walk through the courtyard, take them off again on the other side.  Every time she went to the bathroom, went to bed, got up in the morning, pretty much 12 times a day. 

I can't remember anything else, but will ask her next time I talk to her. 

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In the social order, I accept the bottom rung, until the wine is pouring and the Lord commands a song!

very helpful. thank you. one of my friends is an exchange student from japan, and some family friends lived there, but no one will ever remember everything. little tidbits like this are wonderful! i doubt i'll be having much sake...too busy with the sushi! (yummy unagi!) i guess i had better remember to bring shoes that slip on easily! thanks sharn!
 

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.

Ya, my sister found out the booze thing the hard way.  It's too funny, because there is so much alcoholism in my family, the leading cause of death is scirrosis of the liver.  As such my sister is HYPER aware of alcohol consumption and while she'll tie one on now and then, she's careful most of the time.  So she was HORRIFIED at how much alcohol she was consuming in an attempt to not seem rude, and absolutly mortified when her host remarked, in the company of others from her what a "very good drinker" she is! She was SO relieved when a fellow canadian, seeing the look on her face, pulled her aside and filled her in! 

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In the social order, I accept the bottom rung, until the wine is pouring and the Lord commands a song!

You'll have a wonderful time, elby. The best general advice I can give you is this: "Err on the side of politeness". I think that's a general rule for travelling anywhere, but especially in Japan.

The Japanese try very hard to be excellent hosts. Generally speaking, they are very polite and helpful to visitors, proud of their culture and exacting. They do things in groups, and the it's hilarious watching the group decision-making process. Somehow a suggestion will be made and everyone will nod their heads a lot (even if they don't agree) and stand around allowing an opportunity for another suggestion, which may or may not come. Like people everywhere, the Japanese will appreciate the interest you show in their language, food and culture.

Just take your cues from the people around you; don't stress about it. It's a wildly interesting place. I suspect your biggest culture shock initially will be the space. Many things will be smaller, more crowded, and more compact and efficient than you are used to, space-wise. The people even hold themselves in compact sitting positions on the trains to make room for others - although probably not so much the younger generations. I saw a lot of generational differences taking shape while I was there, which I'm sure are much more pronounced now.

 

 

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Free Cruise Clocks

Sharneliz:

Ya, my sister found out the booze thing the hard way.  It's too funny, because there is so much alcoholism in my family, the leading cause of death is scirrosis of the liver.  As such my sister is HYPER aware of alcohol consumption and while she'll tie one on now and then, she's careful most of the time.  So she was HORRIFIED at how much alcohol she was consuming in an attempt to not seem rude, and absolutly mortified when her host remarked, in the company of others from her what a "very good drinker" she is! She was SO relieved when a fellow canadian, seeing the look on her face, pulled her aside and filled her in! 

she must have felt even worse in the morning knowing that she didn't have to keep dringking to be polite. it sounds like she's not a sloppy drunk or whatever, so that's good. eek. 

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.

MasterVolo:

I have a friend who is on student exchange there, ill ask him whats good there if you
like.

hey, that would rock. thanks! 

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.

hi, I lived in Japan for a couple of years. Check out this website,

 

www.yetijapan.com

 

you can post here, and ask some local "foreigners" on the JET program where would be a great place to tour!

 

Thanks everyone! the tour was wonderful! I still can't believe i was able to go, but the advice really helped. We did run into some JET teachers. It was funny how glad they were to see a large group of english speakers. :)

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~ebly~

#define QUESTION ((bb) || !(bb)) - Shakespeare.

extemp: forensics for adrenaline junkies. don't try this at home.