Chance Of A Lifetime, TOKYO, JAPAN HERE I COME!!

[Bantee]

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]

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.

[13F3OL7]

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.

[chadbag]

The exchange rate sucks right now.

[Urabus23]

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]

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.

[chadbag]

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]

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]

The dice HAS already been cast!!

Well written, sir.

M_P

[Alpha Sierra]

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.....