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Living in Tokyo
EggNog
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So in a few weeks I'm going to be departing to study abroad in Tokyo for a year. I'm looking for some advice on what to pack, what to do there, things to expect (or not expect), and general advice to make life in another country easier.
Most important is food. As a college student I'm going to be eating on a budget almost all of the time. How hard is this to do, assuming I don't want to eat fast food every day?
Is there anything I should know about what to pack? For example, I heard that Japanese deodorant is rather weak. Also, can I expect to be able to find shoes in my size (mens 12-13) over there or should I bring an extra pair or two?
I don't turn 20 until next spring, so for the majority of the time I will be underage (19). How strict are they about this for bars and clubs? Are they more lenient for foreigners?
What are some important things to know culturally. As a 6 foot tall brown-skinned American I expect there will be some staring which I can deal with. What else should I know for dealing with people?
Any other miscellaneous advice is much appreciated. I've been doing some reading in the travel section of Border's when I can, but I figure there's no such thing as too much good advice so I'm asking here too.
Thanks.
Most important is food. As a college student I'm going to be eating on a budget almost all of the time. How hard is this to do, assuming I don't want to eat fast food every day?
Is there anything I should know about what to pack? For example, I heard that Japanese deodorant is rather weak. Also, can I expect to be able to find shoes in my size (mens 12-13) over there or should I bring an extra pair or two?
I don't turn 20 until next spring, so for the majority of the time I will be underage (19). How strict are they about this for bars and clubs? Are they more lenient for foreigners?
What are some important things to know culturally. As a 6 foot tall brown-skinned American I expect there will be some staring which I can deal with. What else should I know for dealing with people?
Any other miscellaneous advice is much appreciated. I've been doing some reading in the travel section of Border's when I can, but I figure there's no such thing as too much good advice so I'm asking here too.
Thanks.
EggNog on
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Fairly easy, as long as you like the food on offer. Cheap meals can be found in convience stores, in the form of bentos. These have a nice selection of meat, veggies, and rice. Most are pretty good. Most are a step up from "fast food", but still not really that healthy. There are plenty of street vendors and sidewalk vendors. Of these, the shiskabob (yakitori) and fried noodle (yaki soba) are the best, IMO. Cooking at home is still the cheapest way to eat, though.
I always had my deodorant shipped from the States. Never tried Japanese versions, and never wanted to. I suggest bringing plenty, or arranging to have family/friends send it to you. Also, don't expect to find shoes your size. While you don't exactly have sasquatch feet, you probably won't find anything you like, in your size.
Depends on the club/bar. Local places like the corner pub probably won't care. Go to any of the larger clubs that cater to the foreign crowd, and you will get carded.
The most important thing to remember is to just be respectful of other people. As long as you aren't a douche or an annoyingly loud person, you'll be okay. Always offer your seat to the old lady/man on the subway. Don't take the first "no" as the real answer. You are expected to offer more than once (often more than twice). This goes for any generosity you extend. Also, try to do the same when people are generous to you. Always decline first, no matter what.
As for being stared at? It doesn't matter what color you are. You aren't Japanese, and that means you will be stared at. Don't take it personally. Learn to ignore the impolite staring.
Whatever you do, don't get into any physical fights. This is hard for many people to understand. You may be just defending yourself, but the cops won't see it that way, and you WILL go to jail. Control your temper in public and you will be a MUCH happier person.
Make friends. Not just with the other Americans/English speakers in your class, but with Japanese people. This is very important. If you don't, you will become very bitter and very jaded very quickly. Don't worry if your Japanese is crap. Make an effort and people will think much more highly of you. I'm not sure about Tokyo, but while I was in Osaka, most people made an effort to communicate with me in English. The least you can do is return the favor.
Find a hobby, whether it's sports, music, art, or whatever, and keep yourself occupied. Travel around the country when you have a chance. In August/September and April/May, there are discount JR Rail tickets available. Each ticket can be used five times to travel as far as any normal train will take you. They're a great deal.
Ride the Shinkansen (bullet train) at least once. Try new food. Get drunk with the locals. Pray at a temple or shrine (even if you're not religious). Buy a cheap bike. Don't waste all your money on booze. Treat the women with respect. Visit Hiroshima. Have fun.
That's the best advice I can offer.
Food: If you constantly buy food thats prepared you will spend a small fortune after one year. If you want to save money, then your only choice is to cook for yourself; theres no getting around that. One of the best places to go is called 業務スパー, it's basically a supermarket for businesses and restaurants. It's the cheapest place to buy milk, juice, eggs, bread, frozen meats and vegetables and almost everything. If you can buy a lot of taper wear, and then prepare a lot of food so that you can take it with you as a bento (弁当) or just eat whenever.
You got to watch out as living in tokyo as a college student means you will be constantly invited to go out drinking by both Japanese and other Exchange students as well. Prepare to spend anywhere from $20 to $50 when you go out. If you are going to go to Roppongi (六本木) or most other red light areas then you will likely spend even more.
Deodorant: Yeah Japanese deodorant is weak as hell. These people hardly sweat and when they do it doesn't smell anywhere near as bad as ours. You are going to have to bring it with you; a whole pack of it. Consider how much you use in a year and take it with you. Also consider that you will be walking everyday, and in the summer it gets really hot.
Shoes: I am also size 13. We are out of luck in this country my friend. Their shoes size stops at normally 28 centimeters, which is like an 10 1/2, 11. Size 13 is 31 cent. btw. On the rare occasions you do find size 13, there will normally be only 1 and it will cost you $100+. Bring your own shoes.
Drinking In my entire stay I have never been carded here. You will find that most people cannot guess the age of a foreigner, and in most cases will guess your age to be higher than you really are. It's the opposite of what we do with Asians. Either that, or they don't want to go through the trouble of carding a foreigner / losing you business. But, if your trying to save money then I wouldn't really recommend going out to drink very often because it is expensive.
Dealing with people: You will get stared at on occasion, mostly young children that have never seen such a huge foreigner (I am also over 6), but generally people try to avoid eye contact or rudely staring at you. It's not a big deal.
On the whole the best thing I can recommend to you is patience. Patience when having conversations because they aren't always going to go smoothly.
Saying sorry is the easiest way out of any problem ever in this country. It is the social lubricant that makes day to day relations manageable.
Other advice: Try everything at least once. Make as many Japanese friends as you can. I recommend joining a club or some kind of traditional Japanese activity so you can see the kohai - senpai relationships in action. It's OK to make friends with foreigners, but avoid using your native language. Even when your not studying, or doing anything, listen to the Japanese people; especially when they are talking to other Japanese. This will be great training for your ears, and you get to see them speaking honest everyday Japanese. When they speak to you, and that includes teachers, they will be speaking slower and simpler Japanese without any slang.
Also, for learning purposes I recommend these two sites.
http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/
http://www.mnemosyne-proj.org/
The first site is a study method as well as an approach to learning the language. Every person I have seen try it has found remarkable success with it, including me.
The second is called a Spaced repetition system (SRS). It's a flash card program that determines when you have to see these cards again before forgetting whats on it. It's purpose is to put all that stuff you learn and keep it in your long-term memory, and it works brilliantly. This will help your reading skills tremendously and greatly improve your vocabulary if you use it diligently.
As long as you stay away from military areas, you shouldn't be carded. I was able to get into night clubs when I was 18, and I've known several teenagers in middle school to be able to get into night clubs when I lived there. They might card you in the Shibuya area because there are a lot of clubs run by foreigners there (mostly black guys if I remember the times I went there at night) but in Shibuya I know and have heard that foreigners are a welcomed because they tend to bring in more customers.
That's not to say that in some areas, you might be over-charged or plain not let in because you are a foreigner. Some foreigners have destroyed our reputation in certain areas. I know when I went to Shinjuku with a friend the gay clubs would let us in because we weren't Japanese or Asian. They normally put signs out front so you know to stay away from those areas. But I don't know how to spot an over-charging club.
Here is a link, though in Japanese.
http://www.kutsunohikari.co.jp/shop/japan/catalogsite/index.aspx
They are in Kawasaki near the station. They are slightly more expensive than normal Japanese shoe shops but they have a wide range of prices (from cheap sandals to expensive Nikes or office shoes) and sizes (from size 11 to giant clown-boots). I go there for my shoes.
There is also a chain of outsize clothes shops called Sakazen. They are all over - I think the main branch (Honten) is in Shibuya.
As for advice, three things I suppose. One, remember this isn't America. Don't expect things to be the same and you'll have a much better time. I live near a lot of American Military and they keep going on about how Japanese people do everything wrong. Drives them and me crazy.
Two, buy a guide-book. A lot of people come over without one and just end up buying one here, which requires more money and more hassle. Lonely Planet is good.
Three, make your own mind up about stuff. There is so much bullshit talked here by foreigners about Japan. Some people say it's hell, some say it's heaven. Everyone's an expert, whether they've been here two weeks or two decades. Make your own mind up about stuff, but if you're going to listen to anyone, listen to a Japanese person. Oddly, they know a lot about Japan
Oh, and if you want to drink cheaply go to an izakaya (Japanese pub) rather than a western bar. The prices difference can be huge.
If there's anything I've learned in my time here, it's that this is beyond true. Your attitude will be very easily influenced by those you hang out with, and keeping yourself within the gaijin bubble is a surefire way to become bitter and isolated.
Did you ever see asian study abroad students at your college? Did you see the ones who never talked with locals and only surrounded themselves with other asians, pretty much refusing to speak English? Yeah, I'll bet they got a great deal out of their study abroad experience. Don't end up like those guys.
Thanks a lot everyone.
Bring enough deodorant for yourself, and if you are planning on finding a lady friend to get, ahem, physical with I would suggest bringing your own condoms. Although I did not partake, friends that did found the local brands to be ridiculously small.
Are you doing homestay? Living in apartment? Dorms? I can provide more insight on living with a host family if that's what you're doing.
Edit: Oh, and travel the shit out of Japan! Buy Lonely Planet's Guide to Japan and use that to guide your travels. I can't tell you how much better my experience was using that as the starting point.
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
I'm actually studying at Sophia University too. Do you have an specific Sophia related advice?
I'm going to be staying in a kind of dorm (DK House Warabi if any of you have heard of it). Apparently its about an hour commute by train, which I can deal with. Is there some kind of commuter pass or monthly ticket that I can buy for any of the Tokyo train lines?
Which campus, Ichigaya or Yotsuya? If you like ramen there is an absolutely awesome noodle restaurant a block or so away on Ichigaya. I still crave their Kimchi Ramen to this day.
Train Pass - You can buy a student pass good for various increments (1 month, 4 months, and something else) for a discounted rate. Absolutely get one as you will save a TON of money. Everyone in college has one, and you basically just need your student ID to bring to the train station so they can verify you are eligible for the pass. Depending on your Japanese skill level, you may want to bring a friend to help.
Specific Sophia Advice - Their cafeteria is awful, so bring your lunches or leverage the cheap food (as mentioned above) for lunch. What will you be studying there? I was there for International Business and can recommend a few courses to take.
The dynamic, at least from what I could tell, goes like this: There were the Sophia kids who are there for four years (Japanese kids born abroad and whose parents moved back to Japan) that usually tend to hang out separate from those who are there for a semester or full year. A few will intermingle but for the most part, the study abroad folks gravitated toward each other and those are the people who you will make friends with the quickest. It's kind of the, "We're all in this strange country together" type thing.
I had an awkward schedule so I would have an early morning class, and then something in early evening. Not worth going back to my house, so I paraded around Tokyo a lot rather than stick around campus. Shinjuku is not far from Sophia at all so if you find yourself having lots of downtime, it's hard to beat that part of town.
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
I had to go to Machida for work yesterday. Not a place I would return to willingly.
I do have a point beyond being mean about Machida, though - go to the countryside. I live in the countryside in Kanagawa and I sometimes meet people who've lived in Tokyo for a year or so and go on about how concrete-grey Japan is, when I live in tree-covered hills in semi-rural happiness.
Lots of Japan is very green and very pretty. Try to go see it.
Posh is right though! The Daiso (100 yen store)is king for utinsils and the such, and your snacks too.
And don't worry too much about standing out and being stared out. I'm a 6'1" pasty white, bald, irishman. There's pleny of foreigners running around Tokyo. I want to say that I was told it's near 35% gaijin here but I've nothing to back that up.
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. "
-Aldous Huxley
It's called "not being a douchebag". The Japanese have a lot more respect for their elders than most Americans do. I'm not saying you have to get out of your seat everytime someone older than you gets on the subway/bus, but when you see the 80 year old woman, who can barely stand on her own, get on the train at rush hour, and all the dumbass oyaji and clueless/douchebag youngsters completely ignore her, you'll understand why it's the right thing to do. Most people who have social tact will give up their seat. The ones that don't get up or ignore the elderly person don't have very good manners.
I guess you might say it's part of the "random acts of kindness" thing. Do it and you'll make people happy. Ignore it and you'll just be another "clueless foreigner".
Oh I understand that part. I'm talking about the repeatedly offer it to them. I always offer my seat but many time's they'll say no even when it's obvious they're having a difficult time standing, I just get up anyways and usually they'll take the spot.
Politeness. Old Japanese people are a weird mix of self-destructively polite people ('Is my face hurting your fists? moushiwake gozaimasen!) and brain-meltingly rude people ('If you are in front of me in a line I will cut you').
Many of the latter type live in Osaka, I hear.
Anyway, the old people are just being nice. Standing up anyway is pretty normal in Japan (except for aforementioned oyaji fuckheads), or you can do what I do and practice polite Japanese for a while in a to-and-fro of 'Please, sit down! I insist! I am getting off soon anyway! Please!').
Sometimes older Japanese people are so lovely it makes me smile for minutes.
Oh, and it's not a strange optical illusion if you see huge swaths of parallel forests: Japan went a little crazy with the tree cutting back in the war days, so they made up for it by planting some quintessential traditional Japanese pine tree in neat little rows to fill in the gaps. It's also the cause of some painfully bad allergies for many people outside of the cities, unfortunately.
It just made her angrier. Good.
Anyway, the advice here is all good...make Japanese friends and your stay will be so much more awesome, I can't even tell you. If you stick only to foreigners Japan will end up feeling strangely two-dimensional; you're there, but you are just walking around, not participating in anything.
As far as deodorant, i have to stick to the strongest stuff around in the US and I was still able to find decent deodorant there; I'm not contradicting anyone, bring stuff from home, but if/when you run out, there are spray-on varieties that work like a charm (and a couple with scents I liked so much I brought them BACK to the US)
Stick to the spray kind, though. Other stuff is weaksauce.
You mentioned you're brown-skinned.
I'm not going to lie to you.
Be prepared to deal with blatant ignorance and racism on a level that you couldn't possibly believe until you're staring it in the face. I'm not saying it's going to happen every day; it won't. It WILL happen, though. I've had a few black friends live in Tokyo and some of the shit that people say and do there...a black acquaintance of mine (who worked for the Department of Defense Foreign Relations dept. in Tokyo for five years) said it best: Japan is a third world country with Sony. That sums up how backwards their attitudes can be.
That said, as long as you're prepared to handle that (and not lose your shit and flip out on them like some people...coughcoughmecoughcough) be prepared to have a blast. Negative stuff like this is the exception, not the rule...most people are awesome and you should have a great time.
I did 3 years in japan, and a few airmen ended up in jail there. It is nothing like the US.
Just keep that in mind.
2) As a 6ft tall dark skinned guy, you WILL get stared at. I had a friend like that, and he thought it was funny to ignore it, and when he got a lot of people looking, he would just suddenly freak out and bark like a dog.
3) there are military bases where you are going, make some friends with some GIs if you can. if you run out of something, or run into trouble, they can help you out if needed.
4) the 100 yen store is a god send. use it.
5) Climb Fuji at least once.
6) DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO END UP IN A JAPANESE JAIL. EVER! DONT DO IT!
Ugh. That whole experience was painful but strangely worth it. I would never climb it more than once though.
There was a whole 15 minutes in that hellish journey (i have a strange Fuji story) that made it sweet. Basically we were on our way down at 9 or 10 at night and stopped for a rest, and saw a full moon, shooting stars, and the lights of the cities below. It was one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen.
Sophia also stresses the jail thing, and to avoid it at all costs.
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
arcath's advice needs an important revision. #5 should read "Climb Fuji exactly once" (unless you really enjoy climbing up a crowded trail and are in good shape). There's a Japanese saying that you're wise to climb Fuji once, but foolish to climb it twice. Live by that.
Also, Westerner planned informal climbs often screw up how long it will take (they don't figure in how slow the line proceeds to the top) and will not make it in time for sunrise or sunset at the summit. Going up isn't so bad, so long as you stay hydrated and dress in layers as the top can be quite chilly, even in August (bring an extra tshirt or two so you can change when you get sweaty). Coming down can be a killer on the knees. Japanese often budget in time to take a nap at one of the way stations. Oh yeah, buy or bring a walking stick. They sell one at station 5 (where the buses take you). I forget what the open to the public climbing season is, but I think it's July through August.
It's not exactly politeness. I would describe it more as "saving face". Japanese people very much don't like being embarrassed or embarrassing other people. They would never, ever, ever ask anyone to move so they could sit down, even it it meant they would fall and break a hip before the next stop. And the people who do, are often viewed as socially incompetent or mentally ill.
And there is a difference between people from Kansai (Osaka and surrounding areas) and Kanto (Tokyo and surrounding areas). Japanese people will say that Osakans are friendlier but in reality, they are just more obnoxious. They tend to ignore more social norms, talk louder, and generally just not give a fuck. Their dialect of Japanese is also more difficult to understand if you've never been exposed to it.
As for Mt. Fuji, I found it to be HIGHLY overrated. I've been climbing in a few places in the States, and "climbing" Fuji is nothing like that. Be prepared for overcrowded and commercialized (i.e. vending machines every few hundred yards the) trails. Since the "climbing" season is only about a month and a half, and there are usually several hundred thousand people per year that want to make the trip, the end result is that all the people really take away from the feeling of being connected with nature. Also, unless you are in peak shape, there will be octogenarians passing you on the trail. And yeah, bring warm clothes if you make the trip to the summit.
BONUS SECTION
While I was lucky enough to never have been caught doing anything bad in Japan, I had a buddy that had a few run ins with the cops (and yakuza).
His first experience was a fight at a bar with a drunken Japanese guy. Apparently, the Japanese guy didn't like westerners and told my friend (while at the bar) to "get the fuck out of my country" in very harsh Japanese. My friend took offense to this and insulted the guy back. Eventually the situation escalated and the guy punch my friend in the face. To which my friend responded by laying the guy out cold. Everyone in the bar, including the owner, saw the Japanese guy start the fight. After the guy was knocked out, the owner told my friend he needed to leave before the cops showed up (the owner and my friend both knew each other and were "friends"). So my buddy leaves with his Japanese friend. So the cops show up to the bar and start asking questions. When they find that my friend isn't there, they start to look for him. The owner tells the cops exactly where he is. The cops track him down, arrest him, and bring him to the station. While at the station, the cops tell my friend to sign a confession saying that he was the one that started the fight, and he was responsible for all damages (some broken glasses at the bar, plus the drunken Japanese guy's medical expenses, since he was taken to the hospital). My friend doesn't say anything and waits for a translator (his Japanese was decent, but not enough to argue his innocence to the cops). The translator reads the confession to my friend, who then tells his side of the story to the translator, who then tells the cops. Then the translator leaves. My friend had no idea what was going on at this point, and basically got the shit beat out of him until he signed the confession. He lost a tooth and needed stitches in his forehead after the interrogation. He was in jail for several days while he waited for his wife to wade through the legal paperwork to get him out of jail. During this time he lost his job since he couldn't call his employer to tell them what happened. After he went to trial, he was found guilty and had to pay about $8000 in restitution. Ouch.
You'd think this would have taught my friend to control himself a bit more when drinking, but it didn't. One night while drinking in Shinsaibashi, Osaka, he had a scuffle with some low level yakuza guys. They got into a fight and he punched one of the two yakuza guys. They left, but soon came back with more gang members. My friend again got the shit beat out of him. During this time, someone heard the commotion and called the cops. The cops arrived on the scene and told my friend that there was nothing they could do, even though he gave a detailed description of at least 3 of the guys, and had gotten a license plate number. The cops told my friend that he was a foreigner, and they were yakuza, and it didn't matter what my friend said, they weren't going to do shit about anything that had happened.
So a word to the wise, stay away from the yakuza, and stay away from the cops.
I actually google'd this during lunch and found this to be an interesting story: http://www.stippy.com/japan-life/gaijin-in-a-japanese-prison-1/
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
It's not like you'll be arrested if you're walking down the street. I lived there for three years and didn't get arrested. Just don't do anything stupid and you won't. I even went with my friends to Yokohama once and had a water gun fight shooting some innocent Japanese folks and a cop came and asked us to stop (while cracking up) politely. I didn't get arrested and all is fine.
And not all Japanese are polite. I know a couple of posters have mentioned this but don't go to Japan thinking all the Japanese are super duper polite. One time an old guy hit me on the head with his suitcase and then shoved his arm into my stomach while I was trying to move out of his way while he was getting off the train. And the same day some old woman grabbed my arm and wouldn't let go till I gave her money.
Customer service I will give a couple of points to, but general Japanese, they're a mixed bag as much as Americans.
Yeah, I was phsyically assaulted on the train one morning on the way to work. I was sitting in the end spot of the bench (the best seat on the subway, basically). At some point some oyaji douchebag gets on the train and stands right in front of me (the train is pretty crowded by now). He obviously doesn't like the fact he's standing up, and starts yelling at me to move so he could sit down. This is not an "old man". This is a smelly, fat 40-something year old guy who wanted to be lazy. I ignored him and tried to concentrate on my PSP instead. He yelled at me some more and then started slapping my leg as a gesture he wanted me to move. I knocked his hand away and told him "Don't you dare fucking touch me again" in English. To this he responded by raising his hand like he was going to backhand me. He grumbled a bit and got off the train at the next stop.
During this whole time everyone else on the train was actively averting their eyes and trying to ignore what was going on. That was the shittiest feeling I ever got while in Japan.
I miss Japanese customer service. Made me want to give up tipping when I got back to the States, though, because:
A) You don't tip in Japan
America has one that says "the customer is always right."
Which isn't bad but I'd rather be a GOD. 8-)
And this can be said about a lot of women across the world, but please, PLEASE be careful with Japanese women. I don't know how rare it is, but living on a naval base it happened quite often to our service men. Japanese women, if being dumped, CAN (not all will) be very vicious in return.
A story: One navy sailor dumped his girlfriend before going on a six month cruise. While he was away she went to the JAPANESE POLICE and reported him for physical abuse. When he came back they arrested him and told him he was being arrested for physical assault on such n' such date. His response? "What the hell are you talking about? I've been away for six months!" I don't know if they continued to press charges or not but daaaaamn was that fucked up. Lots of women (again across the world, but I noticed this while in Japan) do trap by getting pregnant.
Lots of women are great in Japan, but please do be careful about some of them. Just like all women, we're great but a few of us are bat shit insane. Makes me cringe sometimes.
Also, in certain areas (most around Yokosuka because that is where the Naval base is) there are a lot of Filipinos. Some are very friendly, but I noticed they create this hierarchy where if you're not Filipino you're not cool. Pissed me and a lot of people off as some of us missed out on job opportunities so that Filipinos can take care of Filipinos. Sorry if I sound bitter, lots of excellent Filipinos but the ones on the naval base, the small minority with the loudest of mouths, got on my last nerves. It's that way with everyone for me though.
What else? If you do like Filipino cuisine (chicken adobo, FTW) then I know there are stores that sell Filipino items. I advise to stay away from the coconut milk in a can...my friend and I tried it once and god lord was that shit nasty. But to each his own.
And I mis-spoke earlier. I'm sure Shibuya has a ton of clubs, but I was really thinking Roppongi is the place where most foreigners own night clubs and is a very crowded happening spot. Somewhat over rated, but nice.
Do visit Don Quixote for some duty free items. Lots of teenagers like those lighters...damn I forget what they're called but you can see a lot of kids doing tricks with them.
Try tempura, okonomiyaki, onigiri (found in convenience stores) and do yourself a favor and get some beef bowl! I like yoshinoya but I'm sure there are other places out there. I just found Yoshinoya to be the best.
I depart in two weeks. Any last minute pre-departure recommendations that I might not normally think of?
Also, I never got immunized for Japanese Encephalitis. How important is that? I was reading the Wikipedia article about it and scaring myself.
Yes, there are horror stories about jail, but it's pretty rare--especially if you don't put yourself in situations that would get you in trouble back home anyway. Common sense and thinking things through should be enough to keep you free. Oh, and don't fight. Just don't. The Japanese have this retarded idea that it's somehow valiant to take a beating without fighting back, which can instantly pull a 180 if you throw a single punch.
As for the women... well, I've heard a few stories myself. Japanese women do seem to progress faster in relationships, and many aim for marriage before 25 if possible. There's a joke about this: "What do Japanese women and Christmas Cake have in common? No one wants them after the 25th." Whether or not you agree with this line of thinking, many Japanese women seem to believe it. Also, many people don't wear wedding rings, so you can't rely on that. Be prepared to be surprised how many young women are married.
Anyways, as long as we're entertaining outlandish scenarios like jail, you should be aware that, if you have a child with a Japanese woman, the paternity laws basically give her full rights. If she doesn't want you to see the kid, you pretty much don't get to see the kid. So yeah, be careful about that, if by some crazy chance the situation arises.
This is H&A, not D&D, but I just wanted to say to Eggnog what I said before - make your own mind up about stuff.
I've never heard of Japanese Encephalitis before, though I've lived here a long time. I think the wiki implied Japanese was the name, but that it wasn't particularly common here. I wouldn't worry about it.
On the other hand, I also live in a more rural area that is likely not as progressive as the city. There's no problem with a declining birthrate in this place, and I can only think of one woman over the age of 25 who I've met that isn't married and had at least 2-5 kids. So again, I wouldn't say these things if I didn't have reason to believe it has merit, at least in my region.
I'm not sure if you mean my post but I tried to not be stereotypical or racist about Japanese women. I've said there are plenty of women across the board who do pull those stunts but I've seen, from living there for three years, that men typically fall in love pretty fast over there and get hitched in an instant or get fooled. I don't know if its the traveling or what though. Just heading him up as I would with any country.
For last minute things, make sure you have enough of everything you absolutely must have to survive. Since you're taller, that means probably includes shoes and probably some clothing. Don't count on finding things your size without some real looking. You can always have friends or family mail you something you're desperate to have (warning: there is no more surface mail from the US to overseas).
One thing I never liked was Japanese medicine for upset stomachs, etc. I'd bring some of this yourself.
Also, don't take any stimulants that are easily identified as they can be confiscated. I'm not talking hard drugs, I'm talking things like Sudafed. I always bring it for colds (no allergies) and buy the generic stuff. I've never had any problems at customs, but it is technically illegal and can be seized (but shouldn't get you in trouble). Which reminds me, if you have allergies or cold medicine, make sure to bring your own. That's another thing that most people prefer to stock up on before going to Japan.
There are psycho women everywhere, just like there are psycho men everywhere. Intercultural relationships just make it harder to read the signs and see the symptoms before its too late. Some of the problems also arise from different expectations of what is "normal" behavior in a relationship.
Finally, watch out for the attack grannies who are getting off and on trains. STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY! It's not just foreigners, they throw vicious elbows at everyone. Given that they tend to be pretty short and foreigners are taller, those elbows can land in very bad locations for guys.
What are some of the most popular banks in Tokyo, in that they have plenty of locations?
I'm looking to open a bank account with a bank that is prevalent over there as well as having branches in America (San Francisco or nearby) so that I can have an account already set up when I arrive. This would also allow my family to deposit money easily into my account from over here. Is this a good plan?