Japan Travel

Cash - The Japanese mostly use cash for paying for things. Most stores in Japan don’t accept credit or debit cards so you should remember to bring plenty of cash with you. You can also bring traveller’s checks and exchange them into yen at a local bank. Moreover, big cities such as Tokyo and Kyoto are very expensive and they are full of things you want to buy as souvenirs. Only buy the most unique things and don’t make yourself broke right from the beginning of your trip. You should also be aware of pickpockets in crowded places such as train stations or some festivals.

Shoes and socks - Do remember to bring convenient shoes which are easy to slip on and off because you will visit lots of temples, traditional houses or even changing rooms in clothes shops in Japan. Those places always require you to take off your shoes at the entrance. You should also bring some pairs of clean socks along, especially if you are invited to visit a Japanese family. Clean socks will make you look more polite to them.

Luggage - Light and small luggage is recommended when travelling in Japan. You will have to travel to many places by bus or train and it is usually very crowded, especially in rush hours. Therefore, don’t bring much luggage along if you don’t want to your travel to be slowed down.

Medicine and rain coats - Bring all medicine which you may need during your stay in Japan, especially in the summer when it is intensely sunny in case you suffer from a fever or headache. Summer is the rainy season in Japan. Therefore, remember to bring a rain coat with you, an umbrella will not be enough to keep you from getting soaked by the rain.

Tissues and handkerchiefs - You may not believe it, but in many Japanese public bathrooms and restrooms there is no toilet paper! Thus bringing some pocket tissues along is essential when travelling in Japan. A handkerchief or a small towel will also be very handy because you may not find hand dryers or paper towels in some public restrooms.

Gifts - If you plan to visit a Japanese family, remember to bring a small gift with you. That’s one of the Japanese traditions. The gift should be wrapped carefully but not necessarily be expensive. You should bring something from your home country such as chocolate, postcards, key chains, etc.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Japan

[tags]Japan[/tags]

The main stay of the Japanese diet has traditionally been rice. Many people, until recent times, only ate rice, vegetable and pickles with an occasional piece of fish, chicken or other meat. Successful rice cultivation has been a major concern throughout Japanese history because rice provided most of the calories and a good portion of the vitamins and protein required for sustenance.

There are many different was to grown rice. Some ways require irrigation and others demand very little water. Some methods require little fertilizer and other require extensive application. Some methods can be left to themselves whilst others are very labor-intensive. Almost all varieties require some protection against rodents, birds and insects. However, the highest yield is produced from the variety that requires irrigation, huge amounts of fertilizer and a great deal of labor, as well as protection against predators, especially insects. The crop will be reduced if any of theses things are lessened.

The main variables to a successful crop of rice were labor, fertilizer and irrigation. Weather conditions had to be assumed as even a good government has little control over the weather. Also the variety of rice was important. Making sure the right strain for the local conditions was used to produce a larger crop.

Irrigated rice farming follows a cycle, which is unchanging. First of all the land must be prepared. A system of fields is built on a gradually descending slope with walls around the field so that water can be controlled and guided to the fields at the right time. This is a major task needing a large amount of capital and labor.

The rice plants would have been carefully raised in beds, which receive special attention. They are then transplanted into rice paddies with even spacing allowing each plant to grow quickly to its full potential. Weeding must be done and water and fertilizer applied at regular intervals. During fall the water is drained from the field which dries out as the plant ripens. The rice is then cut and hung out to dry until the grains are stripped from the stalks.

Nothing goes to waste and the stalks are used for many things ranging from rainproof cloaks and sandals to fuel. But today some of these uses have given way to modern devices.

The rice is then further processed. The chaff and the grain are separated and then the rice is polished to remove the hard case from the softer white grain. The major part of the nutrients are found in the case so in more traditional times poor people ate the casing as well as the white kernel. They in fact benefited more than the rich who preffered the more delicious white rice.

For centuries the labor input to agriculture in Japan has been very high leading to outputs per unit of land that rank amongst the highest in the world. A great deal of the labor was back-breaking with farmers having to bend over to plant seedlings, transplant the young seedlings, weed out the parasites and cut the stalks.

In recent times machinery has provided much of the labor required by growing rice. Technology has brought forward the development of machines that can harvest the rice and perform the most delicate of tasks.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Japan

[tags]Japan[/tags]

Driving in Japan legally has recently afforded new challenges to foreigners from China, Brazil and the United States. Released in November 2002 and updated in February 2003, Traffic Act Article 107-2, has begun to create many problems for foreigners.

Until June 2002, Foreigners driving in Japan (who held a valid drivers license from their home country) could apply for an international driving permit (IDP) and drive in Japan permanently. Since that time however, IDPs are only valid for one year. If a foreigner stays in Japan for more than one year and decides to reapply for an IDP, they would have to leave Japan for at least 90 days in order for the IDP to be legal upon their return.

Those visiting Japan for a short time, of course IDPs are the way to go. They are quite cheap (around $10-20). Beware however, there are many sites on the internet that offer IDPs for several hundred dollars. These are scam sites and are to be avoided at all costs.

Quite a few countries have a much easier time in obtaining a valid Japanese drivers license when compared to the United States. Citizens from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Switzerland, Canada or Germany can simply have their license translated and officiated after a minimal fee and an eye check.

Why are American citizens screwed over? You may check this link found on the US Embassy in Japan website http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-drive.html and find out why. If you take the time to read the reasons why as well as the requirements Japan is asking for in order to overturn this new law you may very well cry, or laugh. If you don’t want to take the time to read the reasons and requirements; in short, it’s a better idea to try and take the actual Japanese driving test instead of waiting for this law to be overturned.

Let us rewind to an actual experience of mine.

Blissfully unaware that my IDP was considered invalid, (I had been living in Japan for three years at the time) I parked for a few minutes in a no parking zone (I drive a 50cc scooter, for its sheer convenience). BIG MISTAKE. I come back to find I have a parking ticket. “Oh darn, I have a parking ticket. Oh well, I may as well go pay the small fine and bite the bullet on this one”. I take my scooter to a police station and show them my passport and IDP. After much difficulty in communication it turns out that I cannot legally drive and I must go to the city’s main police office a few days later so they can have a translator explain to me exactly what needs to be done.

I return home to find out why they said I am unable to drive in Japan, and hop on the net to do some research. After a short time I come to find out that I can be fined up to 300,000 yen (about $2,800) or spend up to a year in prison. Needless to say, my eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

A few days later, I go to this police station. I am sweating bullets and to make matters worse they do NOT have a translator to explain the situation. Fortunately, I have a more then basic understanding of Japanese so I am able to understand that I cannot drive legally in Japan with an IDP. Luckily this fairly new law, that has been such a pain for foreigners, is far from being well known. I am let off with a warning and told I cannot drive until I get an actual Japanese drivers license.

Fast forward about a month.

Discovering that there is only one book in Japan that has been translated into English regarding the laws of the road in Japan, I am forced to buy it. This book is about 90% useless. There was a whole two pages about driving motorcycles/scooters in Japan. I am fortunate enough to have some Japanese friends sit me down with a Japanese language motorcycle practice test book and ask me some questions that may be on the test I was preparing for. In less than a week, I was ready to tackle this test. Or so I thought.

The Japanese scooter test is made up of 48 questions. 45 questions or more must be correct in order to pass with a time limit of 30 minutes. Let me remind you that Japan has been required to have this test in English since the changing of the law so at least that was one thing in my favor. “Piece of cake, done in 15 minutes”! Or so I thought again.

Not since Shakespeare’s time where double negatives considered a proper grammatical form for English! This test took me for so many twists and turns with its EXTREMELY poor translation and its “no” + “no” = “yes” terminology that I felt I was going to vomit. I took the entire 30 minutes to complete this test with a certainty that I was going to fail. At least I got that part right.

So, to all the American citizens living in Japan and wanting to drive or currently driving illegally, I would suggest taking the driving test in Japanese instead of English. You will likely score higher. S.B.

I work for a translation company in Fukuoka, Japan. I work under http://www.translators.jp/ and I manage http://www.samurai-translators.com/

[tags]driving in japan,translated,license,driving,legal[/tags]

Six thousand miles separate Japan and Cabo San Lucas. The two countries and cultures could not be more different. Yet, here in the coastal desert at the tip of Baja you’ll find a little piece of Japan that even the Japanese would envy… Nick San Japanese restaurant.

Eleven years after it’s opening, Nick San still remains the most popular Japanese
restaurant in Los Cabos, and with good reason. Owned by Angel Carbajal and
Masayuki Nikura, the restaurant produces one of the most creative menus you’re
likely to find anywhere. From Sushi to Tempura, this place has it all when it comes
to Japanese cuisine. But it’s the special touches influenced by Angel’s devotion to
traditional Mexican cooking that make it unique. When was the last time you saw a
Jalapeno Chile at a Japanese restaurant?

Located in Cabo San Lucas, Nick San faces Marina Blvd. from Plaza de la Danza next
to Costa Real Cabo Hotel. The d

Many foreign tourists may often find traveling in Japan, because only a few people in Japan can speak English. However, Japan is a great country, and the Japanese are wonderful people.

Before you buy your ticket to Japan, you should know that Japan is an expensive place to travel. The cost of living is very high. You should have at least 5,000 yen per day for your pocket money. If you do not have a lot of money, you should use Japan Rail Pass. It is very cheap way to travel.

Food is one of the best things in Japan. Japanese food is incredibly delicious. Since Japan is an island, seafood is the most popular food in this country. When you think about Japanese food, you probably think about sushi. Sushi consists of raw fish and rice.

If you have a chance, you must visit Japanese hot bath. It is not something that you will see in other countries. The Japanese hot bath is called, ” Onsen “. In some area, people take a bath together in the open area. This is often known as “open sky bath”.

Housing is very expensive in Japan. There are too many people in Japan, and there are not enough apartments. Most Japanese can not afford to own a home. However, travelers may camp at various places in Japan. The camp site is usually safe and cheap. The Capsule hotel is one of these many cheap camp sites.

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[tags]travel, airfare, trips, vacation, hotel, beach, mountain, air, plane[/tags]

Fukuoka isn’t that small of a place. Actual numbers bring the population to about the 5 million mark, with the city having roughly 1.3 million people. With that amount of people around, you know there has got to be something to do. On any day of the week if you look you will be able to find something that interests you. There are often festivals in one area or another in Fukuoka city. With a little help from a friend or the domestic foreigner magizines and information centers you will be able to find out where the festivals are being held.

The center of Fukuoka city will have to be Tenjin (though others may argue it to be Hakata). It is the shoppers haven of the prefecture. Feel you need to do a little shopping for some nice named brands from Italy or France? head on over to Tenjin. Want to blow off some steam and hit a bar (including foreigner bars)? Tenjin is the place to be. want to meet some new friends? Rainbow Plaza in… you guessed it, Tenjin, is the place to do just that.

Right next door to Tenjin is Nakasu. Nakasu hosts nightlife entertainment but tends to cater to the more affluent individual. However, Nakasu also has a huge shopping complex named Canal City which has so many shops that you wouldn’t be able to count them all. The complex holds many restaurants, two hotels, a large cinema and in the center of Canal City is an area called Sun Plaza where it is common to find street performers doing their acts.

Of course Tenjin and Nakasu aren’t the only place you can have fun. I live about 10 minutes away from Tenjin by subway in a town called Nishijin and I can do nearly as many things here as I can in Tenjin. Bowling, swimming, soccer, billards, game centers, and even a movie theater are just a few of the things Nishijin and the nearby area has to offer.

Yahoo Dome (formerly Fukuoka Dome) is located in Momochi which boarders the sea. Yahoo Dome is home to the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks. The Hawks are a strong baseball team, beloved by the city and its residents. In fact, there are only two teams in Japan’s professional baseball league who attract more than one million fans to their home games per year, and the Hawks are one of them. When the Hawks don’t have a home game you can sometimes find other activities occuring in the Dome. Yahoo Dome hosts various flea markets and concerts throughout the year.

Food, food, food!

As far as I’m concerned, Fukuoka has the best food to offer in all of Japan (though I hear food in Sapporo is quite good). Fukuoka has its own well known dishes and of course the chefs here are well capable of recreating dishes found throughout the world.

Yatai

When night begins to fall on Fukuoka city you may suddenly notice many little street vendors (usually operating out of their vans) popping up all over the sidewalks. These vendors serve a variety of foods ranging from ramen to yakiniku to tempura. Yatais themselves are really a site to see.

Hard Rock Cafe Fukuoka

On the occasions when I miss American and Mexican food, I always have the option to head on over to Hard Rock Cafe right next door to Fukuoka dome in Momochi. Momochi is adjacent to Nishijin so indeed I am in luck. Hard Rock Cafe Fukuoka boasts the largest restaurant of its kind in Japan. The food is fantastic and of course the atmosphere is like all other Hard Rock Cafes out there. The staff is very friendly and since I frequent their establishment often I am treated extremely well with occasional benefits.

Izakaya

Though not only found in Fukuoka, Izakaya restaurants deserve a notable mention. Izakayas offer a wide variety of food and more importantly drinks at a low price. University students as well as business men can often be found in these restaurants chatting with colleagues and drinking up a storm. All Izakayas offer a different ambiance, and with some searching you will be able to find one that suits you.

Famous Fukuoka food

Fukuoka ramen

Have you ever had that cup O ramen or that freeze dried packaged ramen? bah! throw that out and try some “Tonkatsu ramen” (pork ramen) famous in Fukuoka and well know throughout all of Japan. First time I tried it I was instantly hooked and to this day try and eat it once every week or so.

Mentaiko

Another famous food which Fukuoka is renound for is mentaiko (very tiny fish eggs). To some people mentaiko may not seem very appatizing but please don’t knock it till you try it. Mentaiko spagetti, as an example, is a delicious treat around these parts. And there are of course many other recipes which have use for mentaiko.

Transportation

Unlike the nickname given to New York, Fukuoka does tend to get a little tired at night but usually not until quite late especially on weekends. One of the reasons for this in my humble opinion is the transportation shutdown at around midnight. Thats right, the subway, train, and bus system all but stops once you hit the AM. Which leaves the weary and, more often than not, drunk to either take a taxi home, walk, or I have even heard the “I will just stay up until the subway starts again at 6:00 before I go home” line used by those who just aren’t finished partying when its time for the transportation system’s last call. This isn’t just a Fukuoka special, for the shutdown happens throughout the whole of Japan.

Though the transportation system does shutdown at perhaps inconvenient times, it is a wonderful system. Perfectly clean trains, buses and subways (which are amazingly quiet) are the consequence of the shutdown for they are all cleaned during the wee hours of the morning.

Location

Fukuoka is found on the southernmost island of the four main islands in Japan. The name of the island is Kyushu. Fukuoka happens to be closer to Seoul, South Korea than it is to Tokyo. Fukuoka prefecture is located on the northern tip of Kyushu.

http://www.translators.jp/

[tags]fukuoka,japan,food,entertainment[/tags]

Tokyo is a location where the urgent rhythms of consumer culture collide with the quieter moments that linger from older customs. It’s feverish madness leavened by the most Zenic of calmnesses.

The sheer point of energy is the most striking expression of Japan’s capital city. Tokyo is a location where the urgent rhythms of consumer culture collide with the quieter moments that linger from older customs. It’s feverish madness leavened by the most Zenic of calmnesses.

While it’s true the exciting vibe has a somewhat depressing flip side - shoebox living accommodations estates & office blocks traversed by overhead freeways crowded with traffic - Tokyo remains a glittering example of the ‘miracle’ of post-WWII Japan.

What makes Tokyo intriguing is the tension between mammoth scale and meticulous detail. Sightseeing in its streets can be a neon assault that leaves you elated & breathless, or an encounter with the exquisite art of understatement. Jump aboard the subway & see how one city is actually many.

Feeding is half the fun of being in Japan, and the adventuresome foodie will be enjoyed to know that nihon ryori (Japanese food) is far more than the sushi, tempura and sukiyaki for which it is best known in other nations: there are over 20 different forms of Japanese cooking to sample.

It isn’t difficult to find many things to keep you out of trouble in Tokyo. Or take you into it. Whether it’s kabuki (traditional Japanese theater) or karaoke, izakaya (half eating place-half pub) or hot-spring hopping, the Big Umeboshi - the ‘Giant Sour Plum’ - has it all, all year around.

If you stay in Tokyo or additional major city for one week or longest, gaijin houses (also known as guesthouses) are an cheap accommodation option worth considering. The minimal fee term is commonly one month, but some houses likewise provide weekly or possibly daily rates.

Travel-world-tips Guide

[tags]tokyo,japan,tempura,japan capital,hotels in tokyo,tokio,travel tokyo,travel japan[/tags]

Hiroshima is a city which became famous after it was destroyed by an atomic bomb in 1945. My lifelong dream of visiting this place was fulfilled this year when I was able to visit Japan. I made sure I kept some days for visiting this city. What is so amazing about the city was that the city which was completely destroyed and everything was in ashes has today been rebuilt into a modern city.

A tour of the city visiting the Peace Park and museum takes you back in years when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city and left the city in ruins. I was stunned seeing the historical photographs and artifacts of Hiroshima. The vivid exhibition appeals to the visitors of the abolition of nuclear weapons and the world peace. Hiroshima has become a Mecca for peace activists worldwide, so besides the Peace Park, Peace Memorial Museum, and the A-Bomb Dome are nice places to visit.
Miyajima is a must when in Hiroshima. It’s an ancient world heritage site and very famous. The beautiful shrine is built above the water, when at low tide, one can walk around freely, picking up shells and crabs. Other places of interest include Hiroshima Museum of Art, Hiroshima City Manga Museum and the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum.

For more information on Japan pls. visit: http://www.budgetjapanhotels.com

[tags]Hiroshima City[/tags]

Once upon a time, there was a young American living in a far off world known as Fukuoka, Japan. This American had lived in the exotic world for a few years when he finally found out (refer to “Foreigners Wanting to Drive in Japan”) that the world in which he presently resides does not permit a creature from his home world to drive legally after having lived there for more than 12 months.

Seeking to please the leaders of planet Japan, the American sought to remedy the situation by obtaining an actual driver’s license. At first, he attempted to get a Japanese scooter license thinking it would be the easiest of Japanese licenses to get (refer to “Foreigners Wanting to Drive in Japan” to laugh at this poor American). But alas, the test was translated into such horrifically bad quality from Japanese to his foreign tongue that he could not pass the written examination… 4 times. (As a side note, the tests were identical all 4 times)

Upon failing the fourth time, one of the Japanese leaders seemed to take pity on the young boy and advised him to take the driver’s license test for automobiles instead of wasting the young American’s time and money (both of which had become a very considerable amount at this point) on the scooter license test. The Japanese leader went on to further encourage the already disheartened American by saying “It’s easy”. The young American’s eyes lit up! He had a friend on the inside! Poor foolish foolish foolish stupid idiot moron young American. What he understood as “It’s easy” was a misinterpretation. What the Japanese leader really meant was “You are in our land now. We are not finished taking your money yet SUCKER!”

What our silly young American came to find out is that a larger amount of the Japanese currency is required to take part in the automobile license test than the scooter license test. Ahh yes, quite a bit more actually. Documents need to be translated and more time needs to be wasted. The world known as Japan with its bureaucratic structure is here to offer substantial cruelty to those living within its borders.

What the American later found out is that the Japanese people themselves pay upwards of $3,000 to go to “driving schools” in order to pass the evil exam that is the Japanese driver’s license test (Another side note: “driving school” really means “money pit”. One who pays the fortune to go to a “driving school” is taught a few rules which are utterly useless and never followed in the real world but are required to be known for the driver’s license test). The American, having only spent about a hundred dollars or so at this point did not realize that the Japanese leaders would not be content until they took more money from him.

Our young American enthusiastically went about acquiring the necessary items for the automobile license test. After all the items were in order he went the following day to the licensing center. The test came in stages: 1) written test 2) eye examination 3) driving test. Fortunately for our hero, the written test was composed of only ten questions, seven being the minimum score required to pass. Yes, the language translation was still horrid, but the margin allowing for error was much greater than the scooter license test. Following the written test was the eye exam and then a two hour wait and then the driving test.

The driving test is taken on a course at the licensing center. In the car (which someone who takes the license test must rent for about $20) there is an examiner and two test subjects, one of which is in the back of the car to place an additional amount of pressure on the one taking the test at that time. Our brave American chose to be the first of the two subjects to take the test. About halfway through the course the examiner said, “Ok, you may return”. Confused, the American returned to the start and got out to let the other test subject try her luck. As it turned out, the American didn’t do any major thing wrong, but a myriad of tiny insignificant things.

Our heartbroken hero returned to the leader whom he considered his “friend” to ask him what he needed to do. At long last, the leader really did take pity on our young silly American and told him exactly what he needed to know to take the test, even down to the little most useless of things that the examiners look for. This information turned out to be worth its weight in gold and ended up saving the American about $2,000. The very next day our hero returned to find that the leader had told all of his minions that the American would pass the test today. And, after all was said and done, our American friend passed the test with flying colors. S.B.

Scott Brady works for a translation and English teaching company in Fukuoka, Japan. He works under Samurai Translators and has recently started up Anime-Japan as well as a telephone English school Myer English School

[tags]japanese driver license, driver license, japan driver license, drivers license, driver’s license[/tags]

For such a tiny total landmass, Japan has left an undeniable stamp on human history. If you are considering Japan as a destination, here is an overview of the country.

Extending along the eastern coast of Asia, Japan is a country consisting of a collection of islands. The mainland, as we think of it, is the island of Honshu. There are three other large islands, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu, and roughly 3,000 much smaller islands comprising what we call Japan. Put together, the total land mass is slightly smaller than California. The geography throughout the islands is mountainous, best exemplified by Mt. Fuji at 12,385 feet. As you might expect, the island country is inherently recognition of a volcanic are and Japan experiences earthquakes fairly frequently, some on a large scale.

Japan is an extremely urbanized country with most people living in major cities. The two prominent religions are Shintoism and Buddhism. The belief systems are harmonious and often share the same temples.

Per legend, Japan was founded by Emperor Jimmu around 600 BC. The current emperor is a descendent of the first.

The first interaction with the West was in 1542 when a lost Portuguese ship landed in Japan. Over the next century more Westerns came, but they were not trusted. The Japan shoguns eventually banned all foreigners and the country was isolated for over 200 years. Not until 1854 did Japan open its doors to the world under the Convention of Kanagawa with the United States. Once this occurred, Japan quickly evolved from a feudal state to a more modern approach.

World War I was a boon for Japan. Fighting on the side of the victorious Allies, Japan repeated new respect as an economic and military power following the defeat of the Axis. Alas, the emperor of Japan went in a different direction after the war, seeking dominance of China and Asia in general.

In 1937, Japan became an ally of Nazi German. This eventually led to its decision to pursue an attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Following four years of war, the loss of 3 million Japanese lives and two atomic bombings, Japan surrendered to the United States on September 2, 1945. It was stripped of most of its territorial holdings and was ruled de facto by General Douglas MacArthur, designated the Supreme Commander.

Following World War II, Japan turned to a democratic system through reforms. The U.S. and allies returned complete control to Japan on April 28, 1952 via the Treaty of Peace. Although its days as a military power were over, Japan once again became an economic giant. Despite its relatively tiny land mass, Japan has the second biggest economy in the world.

Modern day Japan covers 145,902 square miles. The capital is Tokyo. The terrain is best described as rugged, mountainous islands with varying temperatures.

The people of Japan are called “Japanese.” The total population is just over 127.4 million people, but the population is decreasing slightly in size. Japanese is the primarily language spoken and literacy rates are 99 percent. Japanese males have a life expectancy of 77 years while women live to 84 on average.

With its mountainous island landscape, Japan is a hot destination spot for travelers. It is expensive, but a visit to Mount Fuji alone makes a trip worthwhile.

Richard Monk is with FactsMonk.com - a site with facts about everything. Visit us to read more about country facts and Facts about Japan.

[tags]japan, asia, japanese, emperor, world war I, world war II, allies, toyko,[/tags]