Pics as Requested

**Eric Williams** · 03-31-2007, 06:28 PM

Tsk, man, this makes me want to go back to Japan SO badly.

Anyone got a few thousand bucks to spare?

**/(. . )/** · 03-31-2007, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Eric Williams

Tsk, man, this makes me want to go back to Japan SO badly.

Anyone got a few thousand bucks to spare?

are you interested in working here?

**sumopanda** · 04-01-2007, 03:15 AM

Originally Posted by Eric Williams

Tsk, man, this makes me want to go back to Japan SO badly.

Anyone got a few thousand bucks to spare?

Suuuuree, i have a couple of thousand, but first you must complete 20 tasks for me, each harder than the first!!

ok just kidding, i don't have the thousand bucks...

but i DO have the 20 tasks if you want them!

If you came back what kinda stuff would you wanna do while you were here? Just outta curiosity

**sumopanda** · 04-01-2007, 03:17 AM

Originally Posted by St.-

sweet Ghibli

That was my first reaction too

**Eric Williams** · 04-01-2007, 04:03 AM

Originally Posted by Persevering Guy

are you interested in working here?

Actually, I have been looking a bit at the teaching programs - they're advertised practically everywhere, and everyone I know who's done it had a really positive experience.

Originally Posted by sumopanda

If you came back what kinda stuff would you wanna do while you were here? Just outta curiosity

I'd love to see more of the traditional side of Japan - about half of my trip was spent in Tokyo, which was loads of fun. However, I found the visits to Kyoto, Takayama, Himeji, and a few others I can't remember a LOT more fulfilling and interesting. Visiting all of the shrines and temples was one of the coolest experiences of my life, and I'd love to do it again.

I also didn't get a single earthquake while I was there, which was very disappointing.

**Run-BMC** · 04-01-2007, 04:15 AM

The missus and I are going to the travel agent on Monday. We're going to Tokyo in June, and planning on staying in Shinjuku, which is hopefully within walking distance to Shibuya and Harajuku.

Is there a lot to do in those areas? Where is that street that's supposed to be the most travelled crosswalk?

Does the Shinjuku line train go all the way to Narita airport as some subway maps suggest? If so, is travelling on that line easy with suitcases, or is that the really crowded line?

**sumopanda** · 04-01-2007, 04:25 AM

Originally Posted by Eric Williams

Actually, I have been looking a bit at the teaching programs - they're advertised practically everywhere, and everyone I know who's done it had a really positive experience.

I'd love to see more of the traditional side of Japan - about half of my trip was spent in Tokyo, which was loads of fun. However, I found the visits to Kyoto, Takayama, Himeji, and a few others I can't remember a LOT more fulfilling and interesting. Visiting all of the shrines and temples was one of the coolest experiences of my life, and I'd love to do it again.

I also didn't get a single earthquake while I was there, which was very disappointing.

(Sorry, this is a little long)

I have a friend who has been in the educational system here for a number of years, and he's got experience with all of the ups and downs of it, if you'd like me to put you in contact with him I can. He's pretty level headed about the whole thing, and he's taught in every kind of place from big eikaiwa companies to actual high schools, junior high schools, and grade schools. As well as private lessons and all that. He recently got out of it to pursue work in the video game world (he writes, no design or program. Don't get too excited

). Personally, all of the people I know here, including myself, teach english, and i would say a very large portion of us dislike it very much. I find it to be very unsatisfying in most cases, and I am currently working on quitting that as well. However, myself and a lot of the people I know haven't been at it as long as my aforementioned buddy has, so he'd be the guy to get serious feedback from.

I went to Kyoto a few times and absolutely hated it, but I visited my boyfriends parents and grandparents for a bit in a really small town about an hour and a half (i think) from Kyoto, and even though the town they lived in was boring as hell, that's an experience you can't get anywhere else. Literally their city was so old and untouched that it looked like it must have looked way back even in the 50's or earlier.

The town literally had a post office (which also served as the grocery store and liquor store), and a train station. Any other businesses were literally not advertised, just people knew who did what and you went to their houses directly for it. It was amazing. I felt like I was stepping back in time! I don't much like Kyoto (big city) and I don't even LIKE Tokyo (big city), but they're fun. And personally, I like to take convenience over nice scenery

but others prefer it the other way, which is cool. But i still love to escape to the countryside when I get the chance. I love the countryside, but i doubt i could live there. I enjoy going out to tear up the town with my friends

I've met some interesting people here, from calligraphy teachers, to kimono teachers. I've even met a woman who was a traditional dance teacher. the traditional side of japan definitely rocks!

Earthquakes are cool when i think about them, but they freak me the hell out when they actually happen

**sumopanda** · 04-01-2007, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by choi

The missus and I are going to the travel agent on Monday. We're going to Tokyo in June, and planning on staying in Shinjuku, which is hopefully within walking distance to Shibuya and Harajuku.

Is there a lot to do in those areas? Where is that street that's supposed to be the most travelled crosswalk?

Does the Shinjuku line train go all the way to Narita airport as some subway maps suggest? If so, is travelling on that line easy with suitcases, or is that the really crowded line?

Shinjuku is not walking distance from Shibuya, but it is about 5 to 7 minutes by train! I do believe there is a narita express from Shinjuku, yes. But if in doubt, ask the travel agent, because i don't want to promise it and then end up being wrong!! If you need to know about trains and such, this website is great. You can type the station name in english or japanese, either works.

http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/

the most travelled crosswalk you're thinking of is in Shibuya I believe, Hachiko crossing. (Just look for the Hachiko exit when you are exiting the station, or ask somewhere where hachiko is) The number of people who cross the street every green light is astounding! There's a great little cafe near there called Cheesecake Cafe, you can sit up there and watch from the window as people cross in a big black mass! And the banana cheesecake is just yummy!

**Run-BMC** · 04-01-2007, 04:48 AM

Sumopanda -

Thanks so much for the info, it's absolutely godsent. I have anothe question... Do you recommend Shinjuku as a place to stay, in terms of convenience to subway, things to do, places to shop and eat? Is there a better place perhaps?

**sumopanda** · 04-01-2007, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by choi

Sumopanda -

Thanks so much for the info, it's absolutely godsent. I have anothe question... Do you recommend Shinjuku as a place to stay, in terms of convenience to subway, things to do, places to shop and eat? Is there a better place perhaps?

Well, keep in mind that i've never actually *stayed* in shinjuku, but i'll give it a shot. I personally think Shinjuku gets old quickly, but it's very convenient in terms of location on the subway lines and such. Be careful in the station because it's huge, and I got lost in there a million times before I got used to the layout.

I suggested it to someone else before, and i'll suggest it again, staying around Harajuku and Shinjuku is probably a bit more fun, and there's a bit more interesting stuff to see around there. I also find that shibuya feels a bit more safe because it's always "on" if you know what I mean. There are always lots of people around and it's well lit. That was a total relief to me a few times when I was coming here as a tourist all the time. Shinjuku is also a pretty lively place, but it's not as alive as shibuya. What kind of things are you guys interested in doing here?