View Full Version : Chance Of A Lifetime, TOKYO, JAPAN HERE I COME!!
Sean Price
01-16-10, 00:01
Greetings Comrad's..
Yes I am still in the elusive hunt for my own "HOLY GRAIL", i.e. my 1st AR.. was actually on the verge of ordering my BCM, but as chance would have it.. a different opportunity "has" arose..
life has a funny way of flipping things on ya...
went from the KNOW NOTHING of the subject of AR's read:quality guns, WINK, layed off for over a year, broke as a JOKE, recently married, scrappin pennies just to get by.. BUT NEVER GIVING UP HOPE, applying to dozens and dozens of jobs every week AFTER week, to basically my current standpoint..
I leave for TOkyo, Japan tomorrow, probably be out there for like 2-3 weeks.. no real plans.. just living it up to the max.. and the realization of a lifelong obsession(only matched by my love of FINE WEAPONRY)
I will probably catch some serious HEAT for this next statement and I'll be the first to admit, I deserve it and then some..
Obviously I'm going to lose my job..i.e. the recent job that I landed that allowed for this glorious trip and the same job that has in the 90 days that I held it.. boosted my original budget for my AR project, by 3 times..
BUT in the free spirt and nature that allowed this great country to be built.. I say F*dge IT, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!! right?
anyways to the point of this whole post..
My plan is to FREESTYLE the entire trip, i.e. no real plans or options..
but at the same time, NEVER HAVING done something like this.. I was looking for some ideas and suggestions..
i.e. what to do, what to eat, places to go...
I'm sure some of you here.. i.e my peers and mentors here.. I'm sure have traveled outside of the good OL'. USA
So have at it gentleman...
SEND ME YOUR EXPERIENCES and TIPS and ADVISE on how to MAXIMIZE this once in a lifetime opportunity!!
let me know!!
thanks in advance!
with much RESPECT!!
peace
oNe
p.s. YOU BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR I WILL ORDER MY BCM COMPLETE the 2nd I get back!! and also OBVIOUSLY begin the job hunt anew!
p.s. YOU BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR I WILL ORDER MY BCM COMPLETE the 2nd I get back!! and also OBVIOUSLY begin the job hunt anew!
Stay home and learn some responsibility.
Tokyo is great fun. I was there in Sept for a couple of days and 2 weeks in Japan. Not my first time. Tokyo is not going anywhere. Stay home and wait for your dream trip when you can really afford it and have some vacation time saved up.
I am not trying to be a dick. Just a voice of reason.
Ill be the voice of stupidity...buy a rail pass and start from one end of Japan and rampage your way to the other end. They sell bottle rockets and beer 24hrs a day!
DocHolliday01
01-16-10, 00:12
Stay home and learn some responsibility.
Tokyo is great fun. I was there in Sept for a couple of days and 2 weeks in Japan. Not my first time. Tokyo is not going anywhere. Stay home and wait for your dream trip when you can really afford it and have some vacation time saved up.
I am not trying to be a dick. Just a voice of reason.
Im with eguns. How will giving up your job to go on a 3 week long vacation help your situation any? IMO this would be a very irresponsible thing to do given your current situation. Stay home, keep your job/be glad you have a job.
Rail pass is a good idea if you are traveling throughout Japan. Only problem is that it is too late. You have to buy them before you get there. As he is leaving almost immediately there is no time.
* eat where the Japanese eat, not the tourist restaurants. Tokyo is very expensive but if you eat at the local places it is not bad.
* if you are staying in the Tokyo area see if there is some sort of transit pass you can get. Will save you money I think.
* understand how the transit system works. You buy a ticket for the distance you are going and stick it in the machine at the entrance when you enter and again when you leave. If you did not pay enough when you bought the ticket you will have problems leaving. However, they have ticket price make-up machines by all the exits. Stick you ticket in there before you exit and it will let you add-on if you need to.
* IN the Tokyo area there are multiple companies running transit so make sure you buy your ticket for the correct company you want to ride the subway/train for. It sounds confusing but really isn't as long as you know the issue exists.
* go to this site: http://www.nanika.net/metro/ and if you have any of the smartphones or PDAs listed, download the software and install it. And then install all the cities you will be visiting in Japan. MetrO is an awesome piece of software useful for navigating on the transit systems of most cities worldwide. It does not have actual schedules but you can put in your start and stop points and it will tell you how to get to point B from point A including what subways/trains to take, where to get off, etc. First time I was in Tokyo, in 2000, I was by myself, I don't speak Japanese, and I had no clue but I had this MetrO software on my Palm. And it really helped me know how to get around and find my way around. Also, most stations have the station names written in Kanji (the chinese type characters), hiragana (phonetic japanese characters), and in roman (english) characters. So you can easily figure out what station you are going to etc. Lots of the maps on the walls of the subway or other transit are not always written in roman letters or you have to look around to find one that is.
* If you have a world compatible cellphone (basically AT&T or T-Mobile or other GSM provider with a 3G compatible phone in the 2100 WCDMA band), TURN OFF YOUR DATA CAPABILITY before you get there. Roaming data is terribly expensive. Also, do not use your cellphone unless you have to. Even to call inside Japan. You are roaming for voice while there too and it is $2-$3 more or less per minute.
* be respectful or the Japanese and their land, culture, food, etc. You are an ambassador of the United States while there.
* useful words (ignore my spelling, I am not up on spelling japanese words)
arigato-gaizamasu (pronounced arigato-gozymus) -- thank you very much
my mind is drawing a blank. I don't speak Japanese but my wife is from Japan so we go every other year and I have figured out a bunch of useful words but it is 11:30pm and I have a ton to do tonight so I can leave bright and early to start my trip to SHOT... Sorry, if I can think of more useful phrases I will post them.
Im with eguns. How will giving up your job to go on a 3 week long vacation help your situation any? IMO this would be a very irresponsible thing to do given your current situation. Stay home, keep your job/be glad you have a job.
I'm with both of these guys. To risk losing your current job for 3 weeks of fun is not worth it. Why not plan a vacation later to Tokyo using vacation time?
Also Tokyo is very very expensive. Especially if you want to go out and live it up. Doesn't sound like you have tons of money to just blow if you are just getting back on your feet.
However, it sounds like you leave for Tokyo tomorrow so I would say figure out the train system when you get there. Taking cabs everywhere is expensive. Also, if you are trying to save on food there's lots of little "fast food" places and ramen places that are cheap and good. Are you just staying in Tokyo or traveling to other parts of Japan? Good luck.
Sean Price
01-16-10, 00:32
Comrads...
The dice HAS already been cast!!
TODAY is/was MY last day.... left the company on good terms,,even had my managers regional VP in on the exit "interview" but alas even his kind words fell on deaf ears.. as he so elegantly put it..
"son, your a stubborn, hardheaded young'UN!!"
I leave in less then 24 hours!!
NOT having a job when I come back, just means we won't be able to go to the movies once a month like we starting doing when I landed this gig... BUT trust me, we won't be starving tho we may have to live check to check, but it just means we won't be spending outside of our means for a while.. i.e. no unneccessary "extra" fun stuff.. but my/our family will be ok!
Thanks for your input tho..
I'm exploring the rail pass option now, thanks for that tip! seems like a no brainer, just hope I can order it in time!
keep em coming feller's..
plane leaves in less then 24 hours!!
oNe
oNe
Comrads...
The dice HAS already been cast!!
TODAY is/was MY last day.... left the company on good terms,,even had my managers regional VP in on the exit "interview" but alas even his kind words fell on deaf ears.. as he so elegantly put it..
"son, your a stubborn, hardheaded young'UN!!"
I leave in less then 24 hours!!
NOT having a job when I come back, just means we won't be able to go to the movies once a month like we starting doing when I landed this gig... BUT trust me, we won't be starving tho we may have to live check to check, but it just means we won't be spending outside of our means for a while.. i.e. no unneccessary "extra" fun stuff.. but my/our family will be ok!
Thanks for your input tho..
I'm exploring the rail pass option now, thanks for that tip! seems like a no brainer, just hope I can order it in time!
keep em coming feller's..
plane leaves in less then 24 hours!!
oNe
oNe
you don't have time for the rail pass (japan rail pass). You need at least a few days to get one expressed to you. You should have asked this question a few weeks ago at the earliest.
Don't be late for the airport. Last trip we got held up and were later than we should have been and got stuck in a line that pushed us past the last checkin time for our flight to LA (connecting to Seoul connecting to Osaka). Luckily we had an understanding checkin guy who got us rebooked with ZERO charge and only one stopover in Honolulu and we ended up in Osaka 20 min earlier than we would have...
variablebinary
01-16-10, 00:38
Go to Japan. Enjoy it.
However, it sounds like you leave for Tokyo tomorrow so I would say figure out the train system when you get there. Taking cabs everywhere is expensive. Also, if you are trying to save on food there's lots of little "fast food" places and ramen places that are cheap and good.
+1
Ramen in japan is not like Ramen in the US. Ramen in Japan is awesome.
らめん
is ramen in hiragana and you will see signs or paper lanterns outside the little shops and they will say that on it.
Also, they have lots of little places that sell just one kind of food
tonkatsu (cutlets usually pork)
ramen
udon
onkonomiyaki (people call them japanese pancakes but they are really different -- not my cup of tea but some people like them)
etc
There are also family style restaurants that are not expensive as well as kurukuru sushi places -- the ones with the belt where the sushi goes around and you grab what you want -- that are not that expensive. When you pay they count your plates. Some of these places are very good.
Don't eat at your hotel.
Go to a grocery store and buy your food there. You can get drinks for 1/2 the price as at the machine, you can get sashimi and sushi premade for cheap prices, and also fresh food, ice cream bars, and all sorts of things. Chips, whatever. Much cheaper at the grocery store.
Expect to need cash lots of the time though more and more places accept credit cards, usually visa and mastercard, though I do pretty well with my AMEX as well. However, most grocery stores are cash only.
If you are changing a lot of money at once you usually get a better rate with travelers checks though the fee may be higher. You usually come out ahead if you change say $500 or more using checks and smaller amounts in bills. Actual numbers depends on the exchange rate, which bank or exchange place you use, etc.
Sean Price, You ****in rock! Is it responsible, no probably not. Is it kick ass? absolutely! I have no insight as to Japan as I have never been there, but I give you a big thumbs up for having the balls to forsake it all and go for it! I hope you have a great time, learn about another culture, and most of all stay safe in your travels. P.S. enjoy your BCM, and good luck with the new job hunt!:)
Iraq Ninja
01-16-10, 02:29
Well, this is not the best time of the year to go to Japan. Sakura season is much nicer.
In Toyko, the war museum is interesting, but they have a slightly different slant on the pacific war.
You really need to spend more than a few weeks to truly appreciate Japan.
In regards to the Beer machines, most have a cut off time at night.
If you have any tattoos with Japanese kanji, don't show em off too much. It is considered strange.
If you have any tattoos with Japanese kanji, don't show em off too much. It is considered strange.
I would second this. I got weird looks for several of my tattoos on the subways in Hong Kong and Beijing. I suppose an American with dragons, oni masks, yin yang symbols, geisha masks, koi fish, and Chinese names tattooed on 'em is a little disconcerting.
The exchange rate sucks right now.
wow, seems like you're going guns blazing to Japan! Ramen shops and ticket restaurants are the place I like best. If you like music, the train stations are a good place to see some good bands...I've seen better bands playing on the street in Japan than I've seen in bars here in Hawaii.
Now that I think of it, food at convenience stores is actually pretty good...Family Mart is my favorite!
Iraq Ninja
01-16-10, 06:08
I would second this. I got weird looks for several of my tattoos on the subways in Hong Kong and Beijing. I suppose an American with dragons, oni masks, yin yang symbols, geisha masks, koi fish, and Chinese names tattooed on 'em is a little disconcerting.
I once had a former Marine on my team. He had a big tattoo of the kanji for RONIN on his chest. I asked him if he had problems in school. He gave me a strange look as if I had a penis growing out of my forehead. "No man, it means a wandering warrior who answers to nobody".
I then explained that the kanji translates to mean "wave man" and though it was once used to describe a masterless samurai or bushi, in modern Japan it was used to describe someone who never graduates from school, but floats around to other colleges and rarely gets a degree.
:)
wow, seems like you're going guns blazing to Japan! Ramen shops and ticket restaurants are the place I like best.
So you know what a ticket restaurant is:
A place where you go to a vending machine like thing, see the menu, choose what you want and pay the machine for it, which gives you a ticket for that menu selection which you then give to the people at the restaurant. Sometimes the waitress will come collect it from you and sometimes you need to go up to the counter and hand it in. It is how you order and pay. They exist for all sorts of food. You just need to know how it works ;)
If you like music, the train stations are a good place to see some good bands...I've seen better bands playing on the street in Japan than I've seen in bars here in Hawaii.
Now that I think of it, food at convenience stores is actually pretty good...Family Mart is my favorite!
Family Mart is good. AM/PM is good. Heck, they are all about the same. And they come in packs. You see a 7/11, a Circle-K, an AM/PM, a Family Mart, and they are like across the street and right down the street from one another. Then you go a few blocks and it repeats.
Convenience stores are your friend.
lanceriley
01-16-10, 07:41
i've been in japan for 3 years. 2000-2003.
Food is good. The ramen shops are great. don't worry they always have pictures in their menu.
Ramen is like 10usd. the good ones. and they're streetside.
learn to take the subway. it's easy. just like hongkong or anyother city with subways.
Japan ain't cheap. specially tokyo. so.... I duno if it'll be a good experience for you. Japan is good if you've got money to burn. and in tokyo.... money reallly burns.... FAST!
for food... go to the supermarket. load up on ham and bread and drinks. don't go to the convenience store. it's really darn expensive. don't worry. you don't really need to speak japanese in the supermarket. you just bring your grocery to the counter and they'll punch em in... just look at how much. and pay up.
useful words
domo arigato - thank you
suy masen - excuse me
gomenasai - sorry (apology)
Business_Casual
01-16-10, 08:08
The dice HAS already been cast!!
Well written, sir.
M_P
Alpha Sierra
01-16-10, 08:13
Some useful words and phrases
arigato: thanks
domo arigato: many thanks
domo arigato gozaimase (last word pronounced gozaimas): many thanks to someone older/more respected. Kinda the most formal way to say thank you.
sumimasen: (simasen) excuse me
moshi moshi: telephone greeting
kompai: drinking toast
ohio: (pronounced like the state) good morning
konichiwa: good day
so dane (soh dahneh): I see, I get it
So jenai (soh yehnai): I don't think so
hai: yes
ichi: 1
ni: 2
san: 3
shi: 4
go: 5
roku: 6
shichi: 7
hachi: 8
kyu: 9
jyu: 10
jyu ichi: 11
jyu: ni: 12
and so on.....
piggly_wiggly
01-16-10, 08:40
Your responsibilities are first to those that depend on you... got no kids?
GO EXPERIENCE LIFE.
:D
Is your new wife joining you or are you flying solo? Just curious what her take is, even if it doesn't matter... (JUST KIDDING ;))
RogerinTPA
01-16-10, 09:41
No disrespect, but given your current situation, I think your priorities to yourself and wife, are AFU'd... but that's just me. The Million dollar question is, what's your plan B for employment after you return home?
I leave in less then 24 hours!!
plane leaves in less then 24 hours!!
Make sure to post some pictures from your trip when you get back.
Enjoy!
SW-Shooter
01-16-10, 11:21
So you have a real job and you are saying fuggit. In this economy that is as stupid of a decision as I have ever heard. Grow up, this thread is not amusing. I see regret in your future.
Your wifes cool with this? Or did she already file papers? I sure wish I could just say f it and wander off to some other country, however responsibility is a bitch...:eek:
I may suggest:
1. If you do not have hotel yet, consider staying near Tokyo Station: easy transportation to Narita, most attraction are in walking distance. I usually use http://asiahotels.com/
2. Use bus from airport - very comfortable, not much more expensive than train
3. Use ATM for cash, not currency exchange.
4. Get PASMO card for metro / trains in Tokio. The benefit is that you do not need coins each time. You can add money to the card as you need. Also, in Tokyo you have to buy subway ticket depending on destination station. With map in Japanese it is not easy. With card you just scan it on both stations.
5. Hong Kong subway is simple, but Tokyo is extremely confusing, with Seoul close second. I use Tube2 on PDA for navigation there. http://handheld.softpedia.com/get/Educational/Maps/Tube-2-Tokyo-Pocket-PC-12945.shtml
6. Most of museums are near Ueno station. Akihabara (electronics toys) is 15 minutes walk but better to visit in the evening. Go to fish market early (before 6am) morning. Tokyo Teleport and Toyota center are worth visiting. I walk across Rainbow bridge once, but better to take monorail. Go to Imperial palace garden. Try to walk as much as you can, this is the way to see this city.
7. You can find a lot inexpensive small food places.
8. If you have a chance, go to Osaka. There are also direct flights to US from there, at least on United.
Heavy Metal
01-16-10, 21:52
Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto.
The dice HAS already been cast!!
The metaphopr is the DIE has already been cast. Think metal working.
Bulldog1967
01-16-10, 22:40
Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto.
The metaphopr is the DIE has already been cast. Think metal working.
I don't think that THINKING has anything to do with any of his recent decisions. :rolleyes:
This has to be the dumbest decision I have ever heard someone make in a long time.
Have you recently suffered a brain injury or started using hard drugs? No one in their right mind would do something as stupid as what you're doing.
Enjoy the near suicidal tendencies you'll have after realizing what you just did to your life.
Multitaskertools
01-16-10, 23:13
jealous - Tokyo is a fantastic place to visit.
To save money, learn to stay @ business/city hotels, not the ones that cater to foreign tourists.
Also, get a JR East Map in English, the trains are the best way to navigate throughout the city - dont bother figuring out the fare, just buy a 100 yen fare and use the Fare Adjustment Machine when exiting the station.
If you are a sushi/sashimi fan, check out the basements of the dept. stores or go hit up a supermarket like Ito Yokado - they start marking down sushi about 1hr before closing time, some incredible values to be had.
I once had a former Marine on my team. He had a big tattoo of the kanji for RONIN on his chest. I asked him if he had problems in school. He gave me a strange look as if I had a penis growing out of my forehead. "No man, it means a wandering warrior who answers to nobody".
I then explained that the kanji translates to mean "wave man" and though it was once used to describe a masterless samurai or bushi, in modern Japan it was used to describe someone who never graduates from school, but floats around to other colleges and rarely gets a degree.
:)
That's some funny shyt right there..........but.......I wonder what my kanji tat really means. :confused:
so it sounds like there's now a job available somewhere in the US... surprised no one's claimed dibs on that.
Not sure how it is in Japan, but in S Korea...they are always looking for people (mainly Americans) to teach students english. Who knows maybe you will land a job in Japan or something haha, enjoy your trip and stay safe.
I may suggest:
3. Use ATM for cash, not currency exchange.
Just be aware that most ATMs in Japan do not take US cards. Citibank has ATMs that do and there are others that do but most that you will find do not. And you will be paying fees depending on what bank you have and how they work etc. ATM is a good solution if you know where the good ones that take US cards are and you don't have a stupid bank that will rape you on fees.
You are better off getting a few hundred $ out at once as well to minimize fees.
While I am with the majority in saying that its not the smartest idea given your current situation I hope you enjoy yourself and have a great time! Japan is one of the top places that I want to visit and I hope to make it there within a couple years.
Please let us know how your trip was and don't forget to take a lot of pictures (and post them up as soon as you get back).
Multitaskertools
01-17-10, 04:10
Just be aware that most ATMs in Japan do not take US cards. Citibank has ATMs that do and there are others that do but most that you will find do not. And you will be paying fees depending on what bank you have and how they work etc. ATM is a good solution if you know where the good ones that take US cards are and you don't have a stupid bank that will rape you on fees.
You are better off getting a few hundred $ out at once as well to minimize fees.
yes, if you plan to use an ATM, try to do it when you land @ Narita Airport.
Comrads...
The dice HAS already been cast!!
oNe
That would be "the die has already been cast."
And if I understand you correctly, you are going to Japan without any kind of income? Just the money (unspecified amount) in your pocket and no real plan?
So, whatever happened? Trip go off successfully?
So, whatever happened? Trip go off successfully?
I guess he got stuck over there...
Comrads...
The dice HAS already been cast!!
TODAY is/was MY last day.... left the company on good terms,,even had my managers regional VP in on the exit "interview" but alas even his kind words fell on deaf ears.. as he so elegantly put it..
"son, your a stubborn, hardheaded young'UN!!"
I leave in less then 24 hours!!
NOT having a job when I come back, just means we won't be able to go to the movies once a month like we starting doing when I landed this gig... BUT trust me, we won't be starving tho we may have to live check to check, but it just means we won't be spending outside of our means for a while.. i.e. no unneccessary "extra" fun stuff.. but my/our family will be ok!
Thanks for your input tho..
I'm exploring the rail pass option now, thanks for that tip! seems like a no brainer, just hope I can order it in time!
keep em coming feller's..
plane leaves in less then 24 hours!!
oNe
oNe
so let me get this right - you've been living hand to mouth for months, just got married, recently got a great job that you just quit to go to Japan for 3 weeks?
have I got this right so far? btw, are you taking your wife???
so let me get this right - you've been living hand to mouth for months, just got married, recently got a great job that you just quit to go to Japan for 3 weeks?
have I got this right so far? btw, are you taking your wife???
He went back in January... I was just following up to see how it went.
Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto.
The metaphopr is the DIE has already been cast. Think metal working.
think "die" is the plural of "dice". think "cast" means "thrown"...
think "die" is the plural of "dice". think "cast" means "thrown"...
Almost
"dice" is the plural of "die" but you got the right metaphor
The die is cast
is usually how it is said
I dont think his idea of "chance of a lifetime trip" included being forced into male prostitution, but at least he got to japan.
Almost
"dice" is the plural of "die" but you got the right metaphor
The die is cast
is usually how it is said
well it ain't metalworking, I know that shit...
well it ain't metalworking, I know that shit...
You are right. It is from rolling dice (or a single die).
Sean Price
03-26-10, 16:14
TOKYO WAS INSANELY AWESOME!!!
Yes, I quit my job to go to Japan
Yes, it was IRRESPONSIBLE to quit my job to go to Japan
Yes, I went to Japan,
Yes, I am home now..
Yes, I am NOW jobless..
Yes, I am looking for a job now...
Yes, I am NOT finding ANY jobs now..
NO, I DO NOT REGRET MY DECISION FOR A SINGLE SECOND
FUDGE IT, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE RIGHT?
Gentleman,
I will summarize my life since this fateful post(and the events that led to me posting this), LONG STORY SHORT..
Went to Tokyo for 2 weeks with my wife!!(Beyond amazing!!) While still in Tokyo, my brother and cousin(like my 2nd brother) contacted me upon finding out I actually quit my job to take this trip...We end contact with a manly, "we should head out there, us 3" Get home from Tokyo with my wife, LESS THEN 2 days later, I'm on a flight back out to Tokyo, THIS TIME with my brother and other brother(my cousin) and this time no wife(she had to return to work)... BUT we only stay for a little over a week..
..and YES, you read that correctly.. I went back to Tokyo for a 2nd trip... with the boy's...
I get home and then as a sort of make up trip for the wife(since she is feeling salty that I went back to Tokyo w/o her), I take her down to Dallas, TX to visit her mother.. KEEP in mind I wasn't even home for a full 24 hours from my return from the 2nd trip to Tokyo.. we end up staying down there for 2 weeks.... we drove since uh.. *ahem* we didn't have the funds for a flight.. hey $300 gets you there and back, driving from Milwaukee, WI to Dallas, TX, 1100m's one way!!!
Finally got back home about a week ago... SHEESH.. its like I hadn't slept in my own bed in ALMOST over a month.. d*m did it feel good to AGAIN rest in it!!
and NOW, Home Sweet Home...
Man oh man, I cannot thank yall enough for the input and information contained in these posts..
My initial departure was insane.. as if you recall I quit my job on Friday.. and I left for Tokyo on Saturday... had my exit interview with the boss at 4pm Friday, and was on a flight bound for Tokyo 12 hours later!! The boss's parting words were and I quote, " Your all about that work/life balance aren't you?"
My simple response: :D
But yeah I made sure I read my post before leaving.. and I'll be the 1st to admit.. at the time, didn't really mean much.. but man NOW and during my stay it would have proved to be invaluable...
Egun's.. I CANNOT TELL YOU ENOUGH that.. EVERYTHING You said was all ON POINT.. to the tee.. INSANELY awesome and MANY ARRIGATO's to you good sir... u had a wealth of info and input!!
wow, seems like you're going guns blazing to Japan! Ramen shops and ticket restaurants are the place I like best. If you like music, the train stations are a good place to see some good bands...I've seen better bands playing on the street in Japan than I've seen in bars here in Hawaii.
Now that I think of it, food at convenience stores is actually pretty good...Family Mart is my favorite!
FULL GUN'z blazing I went.. and ur words, all rang true!!
Japan ain't cheap. specially tokyo. so.... I duno if it'll be a good experience for you. Japan is good if you've got money to burn. and in tokyo.... money reallly burns.... FAST!
for food... go to the supermarket. load up on ham and bread and drinks. don't go to the convenience store. it's really darn expensive Wish I had reread ur post.. took us a day to realize we were gettin j@cked(majorly) by buyin milk and water at the Family Mart or 7/11.. but once we found the supermarkets..it was paradise!! I'll explain later..
Your responsibilities are first to those that depend on you... got no kids?
GO EXPERIENCE LIFE.
:D
Is your new wife joining you or are you flying solo? Just curious what her take is, even if it doesn't matter... (JUST KIDDING ;)) no kids yet...ohh.. it did matter.. SHE was the ONLY 1 that could convince me NOT 2 do it.. but in the end(lucky for us) she caved.. tho it took alot, ALOT...talk about sellin ur soul 2 the devil.. sheesh, its all good tho..
Stop feeding the trolls No idea what this even means or what its referring to...
This has to be the dumbest decision I have ever heard someone make in a long time.
Have you recently suffered a brain injury or started using hard drugs? No one in their right mind would do something as stupid as what you're doing.
Enjoy the near suicidal tendencies you'll have after realizing what you just did to your life. Hey, come on... yes, I admit it was irresponsible and YES i do wish I had a job right now.. but at least we're getting by, not starving or anything like that.. lets jus say we have or are investing heavily in cereals.. man its amazing how QUICKLY u get sick of a certain kind or brand.. why did this dude get banned?
HUGE ReASON WHY I DID IT...
While I am with the majority in saying that its not the smartest idea given your current situation I hope you enjoy yourself and have a great time! Japan is one of the top places that I want to visit and I hope to make it there within a couple years.
Please let us know how your trip was and don't forget to take a lot of pictures (and post them up as soon as you get back).
We have the rest of our entire lives to work and be a slave right? Well honestly I can NOW say I have lived out my dream...it was always to go to Japan with the love of my life!! To not have to say something like that years from now. thats WHY i did it!!
If I understand you correctly, you are going to Japan without any kind of income? Just the money (unspecified amount) in your pocket and no real plan?
EXACTLY,,, there was no real plan.. and the money in our pocket was about $700 cash... yes siree.. .Tokyo is insanely expensive.. I would say about $400 of that was spent on travel costs alone.. the airport limosine and various metro's.. man we did alot of walking...ALOT.. I mean I lost like 20 pounds in those 2 weeks, probably walked like 20 miles a day... Our feet were blistered and destroyed EVERY NIGHt for the 1st week!!
Once we walked the entire Ueno area, park, zoo, marsh, food street and then WALKED to Akihabara and then to Okachi-Machi.. that day was bad.. real bad..
After our first day, we knew we were going to be in trouble finance wise.. so everday we would allot x amount for that day... well thats fine and dandy but at the end of the day, if we didn't have money for the subway back home.. well sir.. best believe we walked it back.. yeah very GRUELING...
I always made sure tho that we were never walking hoome late at night, as I obviously did NOT want to be walking home at night with my WIFE in the middle of a strange country.. but HONESTLY we never felt any danger out there and it was not uncommon to see LOTS of young girls walking home late at night thru dark alley's by themselves..
Tokyo, is NOT Chicago..
So, whatever happened? Trip go off successfully?
INDEED, so successfull that after my 2 weeks with my wife, I went back to Tokyo a 2nd time with my brother and cousin... w/o the wife this time.. don't worry I upheld her honor and our sacred vow's..
Again Egun's I can't thank you enough for your numerous posts and input you gave.. man you sure know your stuff!!
Seem's like a lot has changed tho... apparently American's will now have healthcare...
but hey... I just want a job now!! Back to lookin I guess...
HOPEFULLY somethin come's up...
Speaking of Changes..
p.s. YOU BET YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR I WILL ORDER MY BCM COMPLETE the 2nd I get back!! and also OBVIOUSLY begin the job hunt anew!
Does anyone know wahts the deal? I went to Grants web page to order them and it says their out... OUT TILL NEXT YEAR>?
Whats up with that...??
More then I want a job. .I want my COMPLETE MIDDY BCM.. well maybe not that much.. but yea..
talk to me peoples?
What happened?
Never lose your free spirit. Life is for living.
Thanks for the follow up.
lanceriley
03-26-10, 18:33
I thought you got stuck... but since you're caucasian. you could have taught english there.. they'll pay you like 100$ a day. sometimes even more. =)
yep.. It also took me some time to realize that supermarkets are cheaper. and it also made me realize that food is cheaper on thursday ;-) they change the food on thursday so they'll have the fresh stuff on friday. so thursday. all the fresh stuffs are on sale!
there are cheaper and expensive supermarkets. Frozen chicken is cheaper!
you walked that far??!@# man... that's really crazy
you coudn't get some chicks. not with the money you had anyway :p
Glad to hear you had a great time. Post up some pics when you get a chance.
Now time to get a job and pick up that BCM Middy!
Glad you made it back safely and had a good time. Japan is a fun place to visit. I've been there 5 times in the last 10 years. The first time to Tokyo for Macworld in 2000. Then after getting married, we have been to the Osaka area 4 times since 2003 -- the last in 2009 -- to visit my wife's family. (We did go to Tokyo to go to Disney this last Sept 09 but really only were in the Chiba area where our hotel was and at Disney, with a train change at Tokyo station so that does not count as a visit to Tokyo)
Being cheap, I always look for the best way of doing things. I won't claim to be any sort of expert, but I have figured out a thing or two ;)
My first time in Tokyo in 2000, I spent one Sunday afternoon (having arrived Saturday evening) walking from the Imperial Palace (which was closed) all the way to Shibuya or thereabouts (I think that was where those big building mounted screens (displays) are etc. Also where that dog statue is. I have vague memories of walking around Shinjuku as well. I walked for hours without really knowing what I was doing. Finally I decided to go back to Makuhari (Chiba) where I was staying and found a station and got back. I probably got to the Imperial Palace around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and then started walking trying to find something interesting to see or do based on a map in a brochure I had, and I did not stop walking, except for my quick dinner described below, a few snacks at convenience stores, and a few minutes in a book store, until around midnight or a little bit thereafter, if I remember correctly. It was very very late by the time I decided I needed to figure out how to get back.
But along the way I got hungry and found a small restaurant. I looked at the pictures and chose something, and when I went to pay, it was only like 850 yen or something, and I realized that if you go to the small local restaurants off the beaten path it is not too expensive. Then I discovered grocery stores and bakeries near my hotel and that that was cheaper than eating out. One discovery led to another.
I won't get into the hours I spent wandering around certain sections looking for a specific store and never finding it or not finding it for literally 3 or 4 hours. A few acquaintances had asked me to bring back certain items (mostly manga related) and I had spent a few hours before I left looking up stores that had that sort of thing. So I had a list of addresses to find. Little did I know that addresses in Japan make no sense in any sort of physical way -- not like a street and a number on a street. Some sort of area and a bunch of numbers that no one understands except maybe the post man. At least once I was in the area and asked a police man where a certain address was. He had no clue and had to get out his map that had the areas and numbers in a grid on it and I was only a couple blocks from where it was.
Even in Tokyo station I got lost for like 2 hours trying to find Kinkos. I had the address and no one could tell me where it was. I had no idea if it was in the station, or on a street across from the station, etc. It turns out it was in one of the many parts of the station that had some stores in it. Tokyo Station is humongous.
We (me and 2 guys from Belkin, the computer cable guys, who had had a booth next to mine at the show) also spent a bunch of time trying to find the Godzilla statue. I will tell you -- that was a let down. You expect this really tall statue. I mean, it is Godzilla. We did not find it and the Belkin guys had to run to the airport to catch their flight home (mine was the next day). So I continued to look for it. I finally found it (after eating Sushi at a cheap Sushi place -- was only like $10-12 for the plates I ate -- I was basically out of cash and they were one of the few restaurants that had a Visa logo on the door/window).
These pictures are not mine -- they are just ones I found using Google...
http://blogs.BootsnAll.com/theglobaltrip/updates/DSC09826godzillafrontH.JPG
taken from:
http://blogs.bootsnall.com/theglobaltrip/updates/004769.shtml
but in reality
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GsoOPQiEDGI/R19gxQ3hVDI/AAAAAAAAAYY/J2-qaGg6kW0/s200/godzilla.jpg
taken from:
http://shibuya1oh9.blogspot.com/2007/12/we-finally-found-godzilla-statue.html
Anyway, it is a fun place and I am glad you had a good time and made it back safely. If you have pics, please post them.
Sean Price, you could be an energy source of some kind. I think if wires were attached to you properly you could power every appliance in my house.
LockenLoad
03-27-10, 15:47
something tells me you will get a job, hey you can afford it, too me live while your young, glad you had a great time.
Sean Price
03-30-10, 22:15
Sean Price, you could be an energy source of some kind.
If I had a nickle for EVERYTIME I have been told that.. I wouldn't need a job!! I'd be filthy rich.. My wife says all the time... I better have that same energy when we have children!!
Egun's story reminded me of long, and I mean LONG walk..
Got to Shibuya station at like 9am... and that station by itself is pretty big.. home of the infamous Tokyo Food Show, which we knew NOTHING about b4 stumbling on it.. so after walking thru that ENTIRE station and the food show, which is no small feat, we finally made it outside.. Shibuya is made famous by that scene in Lost in Translation, entire buildings covered in television's and about a million+ people crossin in that area on a daily basis..
So walked thru Shibuya..past tower records and somehow ended up where the local's must live in.. i.e. we're completely LOST... came across some university or an Art or Graphic School a huge wooded area, like lincoln park here in Chicago.. and THEN found this one park, which seemed to be pretty busy.. so decided to check it out...man this was like a hidden park/TEmple and was no quick walk.. it was awesome to say the least, because all of a sudden ur in nature.. no more city, hustle and bustle and to thinnk this park is like somewhere in the middle of Tokyo, very DOPE.. but then stumbled out of the park now we're in Harajuku(w/o us knowin this of course) NOW more lost.. and we walk for an hour or 2 and NOW we're in Shinjuku.. ask for directions and basically end up being more lost and further away from where we started..
Its startin to get dark now..,FINALLY we find a map.. realize we were goin the opposite way.. and SO we begin the LONG and I Mean LONG walk back.. back to Shibuya..starting from Shinjuku, thru Harajuku, and then FINALLY to Shibuya..
THE best part of all this.. is we find out later.. we could have just caught the same train in Shinjuku that we ended up gettin on in Shibuya, as the 2nd stop from Shibuya was Shinjuku...
good times.. NOW that was a day of walkin.. FEET were not simply sore but torn and blistered.. it was a rough morning!!
what I wouldn't give to do all that again!!
ahhh Tokyo.. how I miss thee!!
but see I knew NOTHING of Tokyo PRIOR to goin there "BLIND", but due to our exploratory way's I feel like we learned and now KNOW a lot.. I mean now I can get around anywhere in Tokyo, no problem!! that to me is priceless!!
Egun's,, awesome share about the godzilla story!!
oNe
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