tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13223598969612213982024-02-07T20:06:47.646+09:00jimmy in japanJimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.comBlogger686125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-57916690045828143892017-06-06T23:59:00.000+09:002017-06-07T18:20:47.958+09:00Importing from Ishibashi MusicIt's a week shy of ten years since my arrival in Japan. Had I stayed there up till now I could've applied for permanent residence. OH well.<br />
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I thought I was cured of my guitar impulse buys, but sadly I just can't shake this monkey off my back. I thought it would be interesting to see how the ordering process works from outside Japan.<br />
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While I was in Japan one of my "go to" music chains was <a href="http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/eng/" target="_blank">Ishibashi Music</a>. Their prices are quite good and quality of instruments pretty darn good. One major advantage of buying from overseas is that you automatically get a discount saving on the sales tax. One big disadvantage is that the international webshop is kind of broken.<br />
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I placed my order on the <b>Tuesday 9th of May</b> and was contacted the day after. I asked for some detailed photos. On <b>Friday the 12th</b> they said the guitar would be in Shibuya on Monday and they would take more photos for me. By <b>Wednesday the 17th</b> I still hadn't heard from their representative, so I sent an email asking for an update and this is where the communication broke down. I was finally contacted on <b>Saturday the 20th</b> after speaking directly with their native English rep Jason.<br />
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I met Jason a few times in Shibuya while I was teaching there (sadly though he doesn't remember me, but it has been at least 3 years I guess). I have to say he is the saving grace for their international customers. I was thinking the worst feeling like I'd had been ghosted and the guitar might have been onsold to someone else. I was very close to negging them publicly, and I am the last person to give negative feedback!<br />
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I paid immediately on the 20th but the guitar wasn't shipped until <b>Wed the 23rd</b>. Another thing that bugged me was from shipping a ton of stuff I knew <b>EXACTLY</b> how much it costs to ship guitars via <a href="http://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/charge/list/ems_all_en.html" target="_blank">EMS</a>. The guitar was in a soft case and they charged 14,000 yen. I said it should be much less but was told it was their flat rate.<br />
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EMS is a fantastic service. On the <b>25th</b> it was already in Sydney! Here came my second problem. I was hoping it would be go through quickly, but the guitar is easily over $1000 so I knew it would be stopped by customs. I kept quiet but unfortunately it came up twice going through customs so no way out :(<br />
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On <b>Monday the 29th</b> I called Australia Post to find out what was happening, and sure enough I needed to submit an <a href="https://www.border.gov.au/Forms/Documents/B374.pdf" target="_blank">N10 Import Declaration form</a>. You do <b>NOT</b> need a customs broker to do it. The form is easily filled using Adobe Reader and common tariff codes can be found <a href="https://www.border.gov.au/Tariffclassificationofgoods/Documents/commonly_imported_goods.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b>So how much does it cost to import?</b><br />
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<b>Here's an example of how the duty and GST is calculated on a guitar valued at AUD$1,500</b><br />
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<b>If the Customs value (CV) of imported Goods = $1,500.00</b><br />
<b>Then the Customs Duty @ 5% of the $1,500 (CV) = $75.00 (Payable) </b><br />
<b>Assuming the international transport and insurance (T&I) = $125.00</b><br />
<b>Then the VoTI = (CV) + Duty + (T&I) = $1,700.00</b><br />
<b>GST = 10% of the VoTI = 10% x $1,700 = $170.00 (Payable) </b><br />
<b>Therefore the Total Duty plus GST payable = $245.00 </b></blockquote>
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The other cost is a customs entry charge currently $90 to submit the Import Declaration. The money definitely adds up. I factored in all these costs, so I paid quite close to what I expected. If it's under $1000 (excluding shipping) then you're sweet and can avoid paying any of this, supposedly until <a href="https://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Consultations%20and%20Reviews/Consultations/2016/Applying%20GST%20to%20low%20value%20goods%20imported%20by%20consumers/Key%20Documents/PDF/Q_and_A_Applying_GST_to_low_value_goods.ashx" target="_blank">July 1st, 2017</a>.<br />
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Unfortunately guitars with ANY rosewood has an additional headache thanks to stupid <a href="http://www.australianmusic.asn.au/industry-advisory-on-new-rosewood-trade-regulations/" target="_blank">CITES regulations</a>.<br />
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<b>So what guitar did I get?</b><br />
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A <a href="http://www.finebergers.at/Gallery/Seiten/Steinberger_GP2T.html" target="_blank">Steinberger GP2T</a>! I quite like my <a href="http://jimmynjapan.blogspot.com.au/2007/07/steinberger-gt-pro-deluxe.html" target="_blank">Steinberger Spirit</a>. It is probably my most used guitar. My new guitar is an original from the 80's. It's most dubious claim to fame is featuring in <a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Mmw_arwwsT0/hqdefault.jpg" target="_blank">Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure</a>.<br />
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Steinbergers have been going for absolutely crazy prices but the price, although still a little high, from Ishibashi was almost a no-brainer considering this one has a Transtrem! I tried a ZT3 which has the last transtrem but the older ones have more range, and seem to be easier to replace parts.<br />
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OK. What a long post! Anyway, I know I said it before but I'm thinking this will be my last post. I just don't have much more to say, and I think it's a good one to end on. The blog will be online as long as Google wills it to exist. Maybe I'll go back and update any dead links and typos. I'll still respond to messages so feel free to say hi sometime.<br />
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<b>Sayonara :(</b>Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-66356421158028670202017-03-20T23:59:00.000+09:002017-03-23T22:04:41.021+09:00While My Violin Gently WeepsThe first instrument I (attempted) to learn was the violin. I loved the sound and it stirred up some pretty intense emotions in my ten year old self. Mistakenly I thought I could produce those strong emotive sounds. What would become my first failure of many, I quit after a few months of putting my family through those screeching cat impersonations.<br />
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So that brings us now to today. Quite spur of the moment I've decided to give it another go. While in Japan, a lot of people use Craigslist to find bargains (especially Indian people, go figure), in Australia it is Gumtree that a lot of people use. I guess it's that Eucalyptus-evoking name that draws us to it (even though it's origin in British).<br />
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From listening to a few YouTube videos I thought the <a href="http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/strings/silentviolins/sv-130/" target="_blank">Yamaha SV130</a> sounded the best, and it just so happened someone in Tasmania had one for sale. I trusted the seller and thankfully it arrived without any problems. I chose an electric violin so I could practise silently, but I'm surprised the unplugged volume is louder than a guitar. Another plus is if I can record it much easier, and it has a built-in reverb. Both acoustically and through headphones the tone is real nice. It comes in quite a few colours but I think this sparkly red is the best. <br />
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Tuning it was so different to a guitar! I turned the pegs and they would NOT stop slipping. I followed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVPnDWtA_xg" target="_blank">this</a>. Gotta love YouTube. I wish it existed when I was learning guitar too. From the library I also borrowed out "Violin for Dummies" so I'm on my way!<br />
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Now I think knowing the guitar has helped me with music theory, intervals and so on. My thinking to produce those lovely sounds I desire is that I need to work on bowing correctly, getting my intonation down, and chasing that elusive vibrato. I prefer to pitch by ear so I'm not using dots or tape to mark first position. With my iPhone I've downloaded <a href="http://www.macworld.com/article/1165720/cleartune_for_iphone_and_ipad.html" target="_blank">Cleartune</a> and <a href="http://tonalenergy.com/products/te-tuner/" target="_blank">Tonal Energy Tuner</a>. The latter is particularly useful in that it can record the playing and analyse that the intonation is correct. This looks really useful in quickly finding notes in guitar solos, so double yeah! Another similar app I have tried is <a href="http://oldwww.sd67.bc.ca/penhimusic/Tuner%20Page.htm" target="_blank">Syaku8</a>. It's a very small PC program, but I've managed to use it on a Mac if you are running <a href="http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/" target="_blank">Wine</a>.<br />
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So why am I posting this on my blog? My excuse is the violin is Japanese and Syaku8 was originally scripted by 日本人. In reality I'm posting this the day I got it, and a blog is pretty handy to document when I started this fool's errand. I've been practising every day, so I may even surprise myself!Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-73485959447162895312017-01-21T00:00:00.000+09:002017-01-21T05:18:02.524+09:00Three Years in exile from JapanThe saddest thing was booking my one way plane ticket. Or was it the exit gate when they verified I was leaving Japan for the last time as a resident? The hole punched through my resident card felt physical.<br />
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I can't believe three years have already gone by and I know I'm going to sound like a broken record that I miss the place.<br />
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Every time I see a music video of Tokyo I identify quickly the locations, my mind hungry to make that connection. Most recent that comes to mind is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dayPYqPJgBc" target="_blank">this one</a>. In it you can see Shimbashi station. Behind the platform there is a building I used to work in. The area is a bit dodgy at night and I heard a rumour there were some interesting "services" provided for on a different level.<br />
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Speaking of work, I am still working casually. It looks like that is just the way things go here. Thankfully they keep me on, although some days I feel a bit of imposter syndrome. A positive is that students I have taught in the past still say hello and I've heard from management they enjoy my teaching. Students are a mixed bag. I get the feeling some of them are just here on parent's money: Here to play games, messaging on phones and staying up all hours. Having said that, most are motivated and I like hanging out with them. <br />
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I often look at Google street view to see how Tokyo has changed. To my surprise a whole block on the main road in Yotsuya has been razed for a new development. I hate this as it's changing my memory of it. The old Hidakaya that I got my noodle fix is gone!<br />
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Since I came back I've become a bit of a AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego). Weird right? How does that relate to Japan? Well, walking in Iidabashi there was an old office building that had small lego models behind the front glass window that the owner shifted the curtain to display to passers by. They caught my eye and that triggered a bit of an obsession I now have.<br />
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A lot of the sets I particularly like are the UCS Star Wars models. On the collectors market these cost a LOT of money. So what's a poor English teacher to do? Buy knock off copies on Aliexpress! The Imperial Shuttle was a fun build and looks fantastic. The Porsche was a pain to build but looks pretty special. While I hate the actual tedious construction, the end result makes me somewhat proud. Only problem is the place to put them. Currently I'm building the ISD and it is truly colossal! On a side note I haven't bought any more music gear, so I replaced one addiction with another.<br />
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Food-wise I found a reasonably cheap tabehodai place, <a href="http://www.shabuhouse.com.au/" target="_blank">Shabu house</a> in Mary St. Prices are $27-36 depending on day and time. I won't say the food quality will blow you away, but for the price it's not too bad. In the same building there is a similarly priced yakiniku joint, <a href="http://www.hanwoori.com.au/" target="_blank">Hanwoori</a>. I haven't had the chance to check it out yet but it piques my interest for sure. On the icecream front Haagen Dazs has returned to Australia! I've tried the salted caramel (good!), but sadly none of the crazy flavours from Japan have made it here. Connoisseur have a green tea icecream which can be had for half price at times, but they have white chocolate flakes throughout. I won't say it's bad, but not quite up to the standard in Japan.<br />
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What else have I done? I bought a DJI drone, but after a few times of playing it's been mostly in the box. Boys and their toys.<br />
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When will I be back in Japan? I'm not really sure. One of my friends still there says he is contemplating his exit and says he might go back after September. What would be sadder for me would be to go back and everyone gone, so hopefully I can return again soon.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-65268456467190585062015-09-24T23:59:00.000+09:002015-11-22T23:03:20.982+09:00Disney SeaOne of life's big decisions - Disneyland or Disney Sea?<br />
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In the end Disney Sea won out. Ride-wise it's a no-brainer. I accidentally left my Mickey t-shirt here so my clothing for the day was easily decided. Coming along for the ride was my Mickey popcorn holder.<br />
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I won't repeat too much from what I said last time. You can read those details <a href="http://jimmynjapan.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/the-2nd-happiest-place-on-earth.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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One thing I wasn't counting on were the sh*tloads of high schoolers running riot. We didn't realise it was a holiday for them. This of course made the lines almost unbearably long and tiring. Even the line for the must-have curry popcorn took ages.<br />
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Highlights for today. The small girl holding her teddy bears, bawling her eyes out after riding the Tower of Terror (2nd row, seat 3 above), Aquatopia being closed (crap ride), and Toy Story Mania being as much fun as it was last time.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-73529212948467568092015-09-23T23:59:00.000+09:002015-11-22T23:09:41.731+09:00Tobu ZooAs well as going to all the places I hold dear in my memory while I was here, I always wanted to do things that even while I was here I never got around to doing.<br />
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I don't know exactly what led me to this place but I remember I had stumbled across Tobu Zoo while looking online at <a href="http://www.themeparkreview.com/japan2004/tobu1.htm" target="_blank">Theme Park Reviews</a>. Mind you this review dates back to 2004 which I hadn't noticed, and quite a few rides are no longer there anymore :(<br />
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Why would you go there? Two Words - Kawasemi and Regina. Oh and they also tacked on a zoo to this theme park!<br />
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Kawasemi was great. It's not the longest ride, but the drops, especially the first one is intense! Regina is a large wooden coaster. Not as smooth as Kawasemi, quite rickety but still worthwhile. We went on both twice. I know rebel, right?<br />
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The other rides are typical show/ basic theme park quality, but what is fantastic about this place is that it's nowhere near as crowded as f**kin' Disney! Imagine not waiting hours for one ride. *bliss*<br />
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Others have said not so nice things about the zoo part, but I thought it was a nice addition to the park and added some value to the price of admission. Highlights here were the white tigers and penguins. Must love penguins. Oh, and killer geese.<br />
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I'm hoping that the relative lack of people coming doesn't turn Tobu Zoo into Tokyo's version of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nara_Dreamland" target="_blank">Nara Dreamland</a>. I'm guessing they removed a few of their rides because they were getting into disrepair. It looks like their first ferris wheel (not operational) is already getting that trendy haikyo look urban explorers are going for.<br />
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Tobu Zoo is in Saitama. To get there catch the Tobu Skytree line to Tobu-Dobutsukoen station. While there is a bus, it's an easy 500m south-west walk virtually beeline. The entrance is on the northeast corner of the park. Just make sure you DON'T walk along the river path or you'll go too far in the wrong direction.</div>
Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-58614396330666617002015-09-21T23:59:00.000+09:002017-03-16T13:14:47.947+09:00Odaiba and SumoI didn't plan my holiday very well. I didn't know what I wanted to do so I more or less decided to just "go with the flow". One consequence of this was finding out sumo tickets and the Studio Ghibli museum that I later thought to go were sold out.<br />
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We kept a look out at the ticket shops and found a pair of inflated price tickets. They were cheaper than most tickets we saw but later found out they were seats in the last row of the sumo arena.<br />
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We decided to go to Ryogoku via the water bus from Odaiba. Catching the train to Tamachi, we walked across the rainbow bridge to Odaiba. The waterbus was popular so we had to book a later time about an hour later which gave us a bit more time to look around here and less time to watch sumo :(<br />
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There happened to be a Mexican festival with music, stalls and wrestling. We had a nice syrup slurpy to cool us down from all the walking. We walked to the big Gundam for the obligatory photo and had a look around Venus Fort. Unfortunately we got separated here and almost missed the departure of our water bus!<br />
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It was my first time to take the water bus on Tokyo Bay. There are two kinds of water bus. One where it looks like some kind of spacecraft (where you cannot go outside), and the other allows you to walk around the roof. Thankfully we had the latter type which allowed me to take photos from the really unique perspective of the bay. Highly recommended. More information about the water bus can be found <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3042.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Although arriving at the arena later than we hoped, we still managed to see plenty of wrestling matches. Even though I've seen it before I didn't get bored. It's one of those things that you only really see in Japan so always worthwhile. Even though we were in the last row, the view was still good. This time I bought my camera with battery along with my super zoom lens so pictures turned out great.<br />
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After sumo we went to Yoyogi because I wanted to have yakiniku at least once this trip. We opted for the cheapest place, Gut's Soul. You know it's cheap when the whole place is filled with high school students :P <br />
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Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-36130670661856640522015-09-20T23:59:00.000+09:002017-03-16T13:16:01.920+09:00Zushi the sequel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today I went back to Zushi. Look how good that weather is!<br />
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The weather had been a bit iffy so I was thinking I wouldn't get a chance to return. For me Zushi is one of my zen places where I remember some of my happiest and not so happy times in Japan. It also reminds me of my favourite beaches I love in Australia like Burleigh Heads and Cape Hillsborough.<br />
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Like last time there were mostly windsurfers. Strangely enough some foreigners were having a beach BBQ playing loud music and drinking alcohol. I read they had banned all of the above which made me think that Zushi was going to lose everything that was fun about it. Seeing this put a smile on my face.<br />
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This was around the same time of year that I got massively stung by <a href="http://jimmynjapan.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/jellyfish-kiss.html" target="_blank">jellyfish</a>, so I was more than wary of the same thing happening again. I had my cans of chu-hi but I wasn't going to run in head first again.<br />
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I did get a few stings from what we call sea lice in Australia. It made me feel uncomfortable for the rest of the week, but I'm glad I had a second chance to come here.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-90061148347982732902015-09-19T23:59:00.000+09:002015-11-23T00:19:10.272+09:00Mitsuo Outlet CostcoI went to Costco in Japan WAY back in <a href="http://jimmynjapan.blogspot.com.au/2009/05/ill-show-you-how-fire-works.html" target="-blank">2009 when I went camping</a> with some other teachers. At the time I thought it was cool to buy some foreign food that was hard to buy in the regular supermarkets but I never thought to get a membership.<br />
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I think that one was near Sagamino. I didn't really know where we were because I didn't drive. Recently I found out there was one only about a kilometre away from where I lived in Tomioka, Kanagawa! I really regret not exploring more when I lived there.<br />
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So today armed with my Australian Costco membership I thought it'd be a good opportunity to see how different it is to the local version.<br />
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Although there is a closer Costco in Kawasaki, we opted to go to the Kanazawa Seaside (closest to Tomioka). We also wanted to check out the marina and Mitsuo outlet stores not too far from Costco. To get there we caught the Keikyu Seaside line (change to it at Shin-Sugita), and got out at Torihama. Note that this is where to get out only for the Mitsuo Outlet/marina!<br />
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The place is quite nice. I took a few photos here. We looked at some interesting shops. She liked a watch in the Seiko store, and I bought a cool Graniph t-shirt to replace the similar one I gave to my brother. There was a Lego store but the prices were normal. I couldn't find a R2D2 keyring. I had bought a new one but darned if I can find it.<br />
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She had in mind to catch the train to get closer to Costco, but I didn't think it was that far away. Being a hot sweltering day it definitely felt longer to get there. My bad.<br />
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Costco in Japan is quite similar to back home but definitely more "Japanified". Here you can buy a sushi tray which sadly they don't do in Australia. The bagels have a few extra flavours too. They had samples out like in Australia but whereas there isn't any formal etiquette to getting said sample, here people LINED UP to receive their sample. I actually got told off for not following local custom. I am a BAD, BAD gaijin ne.<br />
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We bought what we could practically carry to the station. We first walked the wrong way back but soon got back on track. The closest train station is Sachiura station.<br />
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If I was still living there I think I would've got a membership. Access to western food in Japan, while available, is fairly limited. For 4,000 yen (+tax) I think it's definitely worth it, probably more so than here in Australia.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-61316395043588980932015-09-18T23:59:00.000+09:002015-09-22T12:35:33.900+09:00Ochanomizu VS AkibaI was feeling terribly hungover from last night. I don't drink in Australia like I used to drink here.<br />
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I was planning to do Tea Water and Akky on my posting day, but I was too damn tired after sending that stuff off. I really miss not having my bicycle. It took a long time to walk there (and back), but I need the exercise I suppose.</div>
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I stopped by Yasukuni shrine taking pictures along the way. I am taking more pictures in this holiday than I usually would if I was living here. When time is short, you don't want to take these moments for granted. </div>
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Ochanomizu is much the same. Ishibashi has reshuffled their stock between stores but that's about it. I tried out an Edwards E-SE-108R relic'd SRV copy. It actually sounded pretty good. I know of a used one, so I have to be careful.<br />
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I also asked to try a Tokai AST-115. This is a copy of Fender's paisley strats. I prefer the Fender version personally. I was shocked that the sales guy would only let me try it if I was going to buy it. I told him I would need to try it to know. Maybe it was better that I didn't try it out. Do I need to be tempted?<br />
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I had a nikuman and used the Family Mart wifi and then made my way down to Akky.<br />
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I underestimated the time I needed to look around. I passed through a few of my favourite stores. In Mandarake I saw a copy of Ghosts n Goblins and Judgement Silversword for my Wonderswan, but both were much more than I'd want to pay for either.<br />
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The Hardoff store had the same stuff I swear was still there from almost two years ago. The Mac Collection Creators Land has some nice toys, a Volca Sample, Babyface. There was a very cool, Korg Polysix for about 60,000ish yen.<br />
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I didn't get to go everywhere I wanted. Shops were closing and it was getting dark. I took lots of photos. I don't think I ever took many photos of Akiba at night. With my long lens it wasn't too hard to do sneaky maid on the street pics.<br />
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By this time I really wished I had my bike. My feet were getting sore from seven hours of walking. I could've caught the train back but like I used to say, that's Crunky money!</div>
Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-78833557453908736582015-09-17T23:59:00.000+09:002015-11-23T00:20:08.175+09:00Hub, We meet againDespite coming back to take a lot of junk back, I'm really looking forward to catching up with past teachers that thankfully are still here in Japan. An old Japanese staff member is also coming so it should be a good time for nostalgia.<br />
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The rendezvous was Shibuya at 2pm. It was raining so not the best weather. I brought along a brolly. Surprisingly I was the first to arrive so I looked around the nearby UFO catcher place while I waited. No prizes worth winning (apart from maybe a motorised walking Ted bear), and they've made the setup harder to win these days.<br />
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I brought along two kombini chuhis, but we ending up going to the usual sushi first. Avocado maki here still tastes the business.<br />
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Because of the increased tax rate to 8% and an impending rise to 10%, a lot of shops including this one is only showing the pre-tax price. I REALLY hated this system when I was in New York. What is really bothering me is the price showing looks like the usual pre-tax price (5%). If they add the 8% to this, it makes it actually 13%!<br />
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I guess this will have to be added to the "things I hate about Japan" list :(<br />
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Next stop is the Hub. That bastion of gaijin drinking, or as I like to call it, the English school where Japanese practise English for free from drunk, unsuspecting teachers!<br />
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Unfortunately my favourite Hub, with the magic meeting table, in Center Gai has moved up to Dogenzaka. I loved that table because that table was very conducive to starting conversation with cute J girls.<br />
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I bought three Long Island Ice Teas (like old times) for 700 yen during happy hour to keep me happy. Somehow I did end up talking to one J girl, but she wasn't anything special looks-wise. Still better than one of my friends. For some reason he has a real knack for getting J guys talking to him. Just like old times!<br />
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The Hub has free wifi now, which is nice. I checked when my last train was. By that late time all the other guys had left and I was struggling to fix the last sips of my Long Is. I don't remember getting home but I somehow made it back ok.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-56423536674628872612015-09-16T23:59:00.000+09:002015-11-22T18:11:38.512+09:00Lightsabers and PedalboardsLucky for me the neighbour was throwing out a HEAP of cardboard boxes.<br />
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I had a look at bags of stuff I left behind when I left. Some things are just going to have to be sent by post. I think again I will leave the big pack for the last minute and still leave something important here.<br />
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I have a Master Replicas Anakin Skywalker that definitely won't fit in my luggage and by the size guessing it looks longer than 1.5m to go by cheap shipping, so EMS it is. I tried to sell it by Craigslist before I left, but no takers. I'm guessing with the renewed Star Wars interest it will be worth more.<br />
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The other thing is a Behringer midi FCB1010 pedalboard. I got an email for it last time but the guy didn't come to get it. It's set up for Japan 100v, but I've been reading it's possible to change it either by replacing a wire for another wire (which doesn't look like pictures I've seen), or using a different fuse which I'm suspecting is the case. For better or worse, I've posted it back too.<br />
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Both items cost 4000 yen each to send back. Because the pedalboard is going by ship, it's going to take a month or two to arrive.<br />
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My Crate buskers amp that I inadvertently broke is most likely staying here. While it would be cool to bring back, I may try to sell that here again for cheap.<br />
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As I grabbed some of the cardboard, the owner of said cardboard, a Japanese woman, came out and spoke really good English and asked me a lot of questions but had no trouble letting me use it.<br />
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It was tricky finding the best uncut sizes, so I spent a long time cutting them minimally for just enough to be allowed to be posted.<br />
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At the post office I got the usual "battery?" question. While I think the requirement for sending batteries has been relaxed, this still give me the sh*ts being asked about verbatim.<br />
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I was pretty much too tired doing anything else today. May my packages have a safe journey.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-51402415035072313042015-09-15T19:45:00.001+09:002015-09-15T19:45:18.247+09:00Kawasaki RecycledSome things you just never forget, for example a thirty minute walk to a recycle shop that I had done many, many times before in my past life.<br />
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I'm a sucker for a junk shop when the stuff here is actually pretty cool, unlike the same back home. Today I went to one of my favourites in Kawasaki. I thankfully wasn't too tempted to buy anything, but as always there were quite a few interesting bits and pieces.<br />
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I think being in Japan I might actually lose the ten kilos I gained from being back in a typical Italian household. My feet ached way too soon, and the humidity was just enough to make me feel a little uncomfortable and sticky.<br />
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After a nice two hour browse and walk I was back in Lazona tired and hungry. A doughnut and a meat patty burger fixed that.<br />
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On the other side of Lazona, in the More's building, is another Off store, and to my surprise they have expanded selling much the same stuff as the place I just came back from! I saw some interesting Mickey watches that I kind of regret not getting. They had the same Danboard I just bought yesterday, a few hundred yen cheaper *sad face*<br />
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Lazona has probably one of the best, reasonably priced supermarket, Sanwa. Along with some alcohol and stuff to make Mexican, we picked up some discounted Haagen Daaz limited-flavoured icecream - banana milk, custard and Sicilian lemon pie. Should be interesting.<br />
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Outside the apartment the neighbours have left out a lot of cardboard. Very handy for me. I found a box big enough to send a, um, lightsaber back home. Happy days!Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-70310648672319691192015-09-14T20:17:00.000+09:002015-11-22T18:02:41.720+09:00Lights on (Nakano) BroadwayI'm never good at getting up early.<br />
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Today was actually sunnier than yesterday. A good day to have gone to the beach. I haven't really planned what I really want to do this holiday. Most things have already been done and doing things the second time round doesn't have that thrill of the new feeling.<br />
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Because I couldn't think of anything better to do, we went to Nakano Broadway. The place where the REAL otaku go for their geeky kicks.<br />
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It was around lunchtime so we had icecream at Daily Chico on the basement floor. It's quite famous for their massive eight flavour cones for 480 yen. I settled for the medium size four flavour for 330 yen. (small is 250 yen). From top to bottom I got fizzy candy, grape, banana and green tea. I liked the banana best. The other flavours weren't particularly memorable. I think there is more effort in the colour than the flavour. She had a chocolate which actually tasted very chocolatey, but I don't think that's a real word. Just like last time I had a huge icecream headache, so recommended if you crave a big icecream fix.<br />
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While it satisfied our initial hunger urge I was still hungry so we followed that with a nikuman from a nearby eatery. Quite yummy that was too!<br />
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I've realized very quickly that I am quite unfit (and fatter) than I used to be. Walking around the floors of Nakano Broadway got me beat all too quickly.<br />
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Lots of hentai dolls to pique my natural curiosity. Resisted the Miku Hatsune dolls but broke my resistance with a Danboard (which is like I imagine Google Cardboard if it resembled vaguely human form. 30cm high I underestimated how big it was. Another thing that will make my packing harder than it needs to be. I wasn't expecting them to add the tax to the sticker price. Ga, foiled again!<br />
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I was previously thinking to go to Shinjuku afterwards but after walking around for quite a long time, that was not going to happen anymore.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-74329632908219183272015-09-13T21:16:00.000+09:002015-11-22T18:10:06.742+09:00Must Heart ZushiI woke up somewhere between 730 and 8. Way too early for me on a holiday that's for sure. With the on/off rain that I saw on the weather forecast I'm thinking that days to go to the beach are numbered.<br />
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I plan to recreate as many of my good memories as possible, and probably the "goodest"memory of all were my day trips to Zushi beach.<br />
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Looking out the window the sky appeared clear, but by the time we left the apartment the overcast clouds were mocking and taunting me.<br />
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As the train was getting closer I saw that the streets were still wet from rain that must've fallen not long ago. My heart was sinking a little thinking this trip might be wasted.<br />
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My spirits lifted when we arrived on the sand. There were actually other people there! Not packed but still a lot of bathers and windsurfers. I wasted no time and immediately went into the water. It was quite windy but the water wasn't cold and I didn't want to ever get out.<br />
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Zushi apparently banned drinking alcohol (and loud music) on the beach a year or so ago, but I brought along two cans of chuhi. Nothing was going to get in the way of my memories.<br />
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On the way back we walked around Yokohama. I noticed here to a few things have changed. Funnily enough an old UFO catcher place closed down, and in the same building Ishibashi moved in! I saw a cool perspex strat that wanted me to buy it, and another Steinberger that wasn't too expensive, but my will is good for now.<br />
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We looked around Shibuya too. I checked out a few of my old haunts. For dinner we had some burritos from the newly opened Taco Bell in Dogenzaka. For some reason it sadly wasn't as good as the Taco Bell we had in Guam.<br />
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I was still a bit hungry so we walked a little further to another favourite sushi place where they make the BEST avocado maki. What's a real pain is this place is doing a dirty trick of listing the menu price without the tax. WTF! This isn't New York!<br />
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I think Japan is trying to give me new reasons to dislike the place again :(Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-16473207235393677262015-09-12T20:57:00.000+09:002015-11-23T00:22:07.358+09:00Hello Shinjuku<span class="Apple-style-span">In the morning I kind of woke up to a fairly strong earthquake centred around Tokyo Bay. I guess it's Japan's way of saying </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px;">"ようこそ"</span><span class="Apple-style-span">. Ga!</span><br />
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I was planning to meet up with some old colleagues so we decided to walk to Shinjuku to make it easy to meet them. Last night I thought the weather was not so bad, but today I could feel the humidity is still around. It was a rare beautiful and sunny day. If I wasn't going to meet up with the guys I would've went to the beach instead. Unfortunately both guys piked on me so it wasn't going to happen anyway.<br />
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While most things are much the same as they were, I was occasionally surprised to see whole new buildings suddenly sprung up. Most notably the south-west Shinjuku station building, and the new Toho cinema that replaced the old Koma theatre in Kabukicho. At the moment there is a Godzilla hanging off the top of it, but somehow I don't think that's a permanent fixture.<br />
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We went through a few of my favourite guitar shops. I saw a nice Ibanez PS120 Iceman. Even though it's a Chinese version it didn't look half bad. Gotta be strong while I'm here!<br />
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Finally we had sushi in Shinjuku. Oh it's SO good to taste real sushi again! You can see the shiny moisture on every piece and the price was more than reasonable. If I only came back to Tokyo just for this, it's already worth the trip.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-76885214622697590462015-09-11T20:39:00.000+09:002015-09-13T20:39:48.662+09:00Slight ReturnI was waiting for the right time (and the right airfare) to come back to Japan. Early in the year I had heard on the last day that there were cheaper tickets. With little preparation I didn't have time to commit to a flight. Sadly I let that one go.<div>
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In May the opportunity came up again. Jetstar are the cheapest, but they try their best to cut their fares by making it extra for checked bags and other non-nessities for example, food.</div>
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While my principle reason is to catch up with old friends, the other big reason is to bring back a whole lot of stuff I had to leave behind because I had run out of space in my luggage, and also ran out of time.</div>
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I had mixed fears of nerves and excitement. My strongest memories were the things that I really missed so I was hoping that I would be coming back with a refreshed and less cynical outlook of the place.</div>
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My flight left at 7 in the morning and I had only two hours of sleep. I didn't have much to pack. I bought a 2.7kg suitcase mainly to carry as much as possible on the return flight.</div>
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Jetstar asks for a two hour check-in, even though my first leg was a domestic flight to Cairns and then onwards to Tokyo. It wasn't really necessary. I practically checked in immediately. </div>
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There was only a modest amount of people on the flight. Going to Cairns there were the obligatory "larrakins" (translation: d*ckheads) that made me embarrassed to call myself in the broad sense, Australian. Every other word was "fark" and they wouldn't STFU. I could even hear them over my headphones. Yes, that bad.</div>
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Transferring in Cairns was much worse. The line was larger. I was bursting for the bathroom, but I had to wait to check in. The new dreamliner aircraft looked nice and shiny, but I felt they tried their darndest to fit in as many extra seats as possible.</div>
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Unfortunately you had to pay for the in-flight movies, so I spent most of the flight listening to the Triple J Hot 100 which wasn't all that bad. My mother had made me four sandwiches, which were two sandwiches too many. Hopefully I'll lose the ten kilos I've gained since I had come back.</div>
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Customs in Narita took a long time as usual because foreigners are still treated like criminals having our fingerprints and photo taken. I hope Australia does the same thing. It just started my reminders of the 101 things I hate about Japan.</div>
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I made my way back to Yotsuya surprisingly easy and relatively quickly. I hoped to use the free wifi, but my iPhone kept sending me warnings of untrusted certificates for the wifi hotspots. Nevertheless I had a train map which made reminding me of the connections pretty easy. In an hour and a half I was back in very familiar territory.</div>
Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-45634725869866254982015-05-29T22:24:00.001+09:002015-05-29T22:35:14.696+09:00Happy Endings Are Only In MoviesWhen I first started my blog I tried to use Jimmy IN Japan as my URL. Unfortunately back then someone else had first dibs on the name so I had to spell it "jimmynjapan". Even to this day that douche way back in 2004 only wrote one post to say he was testing it out and hasn't written since.<br />
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Still over time I've come to like my forced title. Not only could it have the generic meaning, but I guess if you said it fast enough it could read as Jimmy AND Japan.<br />
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In Japanese "sayonara" is a goodbye that is not often said in reality, but as a final goodbye meaning pretty much the end. That post was intended to be my swan song but I guess my readers, or at least a really persistent one is encouraging me to write on.<br />
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So as I sit in a cold sweat in total darkness contemplating my future I stare at that URL thinking what do I have left to write?<br />
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Even though I spent close to seven years in Japan I felt like I came back earlier than I really wanted to. My mission statement remains unfulfilled, and I don't think things have changed as I wishfully hoped. The people that asked when I was coming back are now noticeably absent, and some that I left behind in Japan, that at times made me feel forgotten tell me that I am missed!<br />
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After the Celta I didn't have trouble getting work. At first I had more offers than I expected. I actually worked at two schools simultaneously, but I am now only working for one. Without getting into too many details, from what I've found most schools are fairly similar. The main differences I've noticed are the choice of textbooks and facilities. Every school so far has only offered casual work and while I don't mind the pay at all, the security of knowing if my work will continue or be "on call" is a bit disconcerting.<br />
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I'm happy with the school I'm working for. The staff are really nice and the students are awesome. Speaking of students, there's quite a difference between teaching only Japanese students, and teaching a melting pot of various nationalities. Right now, I think I've finally found my feet but in the beginning it was a real challenge.<br />
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One of my greatest strengths is my rapport. I think it has really helped me out. In fact I feel like I have better rapport with foreigners than Australians! Every day makes me feel like I'm not in this country and on a semi-permanent vacation (kind of what Japan was) and for that I am thankful.<br />
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I miss Japan terribly for all the good things and I seem to have forgotten most of the bad. This won't be my last post but like everything in life it has to end sometime.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-78313953312995867872014-09-19T19:22:00.000+09:002015-04-07T17:10:38.896+09:00The Pain of CELTA I waited a LONG time for it.<br />
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See, in Australia you need a TESOL or CELTA to be certified to teach at a language school here. If I decided to give up teaching, this of course wouldn't be necessary.<br />
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I decided on CELTA as it has a bit more clout than a TESOL certificate. I first applied at an institute in Melbourne as it was slightly cheaper, but I never got contacted back. Instead I went for the <a href="http://www.icte.uq.edu.au/celta" target="_blank">course offered at UQ in Brisbane</a>.<br />
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I was hoping to be accepted for the April intake of the course, but unfortunately I had to wait until the 25th of August to start the course.<br />
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The application form has some grammar tasks and evidence of your written work. If this is accepted, you are offered an interview to see if you are suitable to do the course. Basically at the interview you are told about the course, and they will drill the word, "INTENSIVE". Also you'll be asked if you have anything that might be problematic during the course. At first I thought this strange but as I started, the reason for this "weeding out" of applicants became all so clear once the course commenced.<br />
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Once accepted they expect you to do a <a href="http://bit.ly/1lBZS89" target="_blank">pre-course task</a> (with an answer key <a href="http://www.british-blc.com/ttrain/cetladocs/prebk/celtaprekey.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>) to acclimatise you to the content of the course. Although you won't need to hand it in, it does provide a bit of primer to what you will learn.<br />
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The course can be taken 4 weeks full-time, or 12 weeks part-time. In the first week I REALLY wish I did the part-time course.<br />
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There are 12 trainees split into two groups for two (real) student groups. In my case the students were Upper-Intermediate and Pre-Intermediate. First two weeks you teach one level, and the last two it switched.<br />
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I was at university from 10am-6pm. Every day there is input (sessions of information learning), lesson planning and feedback. I had 8 teaching practices, and 4 assignments to complete. Each lesson plan took approximately four hours to prepare every night, and after a teaching practice was done I was expected to write a reflection how I thought the lesson went, to be critiqued by my tutor and peers.<br />
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What everybody, including myself wanted to know is "How hard is the CELTA?"<br />
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The content itself is not particularly difficult, but every day there is new information being thrown at you, lessons to give, prepare and reflect on, and assignments, that it does feel like juggling. One trainee dropped out after the second day. $3000, no refund. It's demanding for sure.<br />
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After the first week I cried. I failed my second teaching practice. There was a lot of pressure. I felt that if I failed the course, I would be failing not only that, but my seven years of teaching in Japan.<br />
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My head was buzzing into the second week. My sleeping patterns were totally screwed, and I just wanted it all to be over.. quickly.<br />
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By the third week I found my groove. I was better organised. I passed all my assignments. Only one I had to resubmit because I had silly mistakes. It was resubmitted in half an hour.<br />
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The tutors you have, make a huge difference. My tutor for the first two weeks was quite abrupt and seemed to dwell more on the negatives. He answered questions with questions and generally made me feel like he was setting me up to fail.<br />
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In contrast, the second tutor was much more sympathetic and approachable. In my (short) hindsight, I can see how the first tutor pushed me to do better with "tough love", but at the time I was a complete mess.<br />
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There are a few people that find the rigours of the course particularly difficult - us "oldies", trainees that had been teaching for a number of years already, and the emotionally fragile. So, basically me, me and me. If you're even mildly suicidal, I suggest not doing this course (or at least part-time). I did feel there were times like I was going to be pushed over the edge. REALLY.<br />
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So how else can I prepare for the CELTA, I hear you ask?<br />
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While grammar IS important to be a teacher, it wasn't as critical as one might think. There was a pre-grammar course available, but I decided to cheap it out with the free 5 hour grammar primer on <a href="http://www.cambridgeenglishteacher.org/" target="_blank">Cambridge English Teacher</a>. DO IT.<br />
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For a great grammar textbook get, <i>Practical English Usage</i> (Swan). It's a fantastic reference. While you don't really need to buy anything else, I'd personally HIGHLY recommend <i>Classroom Management Techniques</i> (Scrivener). I have a STRONG feeling, my tutor referred to it quite a bit, and classroom management was a key area I needed improving (for example, Teacher Talk Time).<br />
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You really want a step ahead to doing well in the course?<br />
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Pre-learn about <a href="http://jenniferteacher.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Create-an-ESL-Reading-Lesson-Plan" target="_blank">PPP and PDP frameworks</a>. Also REALLY get your head around, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPtrf3BdQVk" target="_blank">MCQs/CCQs</a> (meaning/concept check questions). These are simple yes/no questions to make sure your students understand what you taught them. They seem deceptively simple, but are very challenging to get perfect. If you get these key areas, you'll be a step ahead.<br />
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So, should I have done this course before going to Japan? I think it gave me some great ideas, and has made me an (even) better teacher. It would've saved me this waiting time. To teach in Asia, CELTA isn't necessary, for pretty much anywhere else it's a prerequisite.<br />
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Last piece of advice is, make friends with your peers! I started a Facebook group, so we could all support each other. I initially felt isolated so it really helped.<br />
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I think that is all I can think of to say. If anyone has any questions or whatever, leave a comment :)<br />
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PEACEJimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-20123309801710593152014-05-31T19:55:00.001+09:002014-05-31T19:55:52.127+09:00Seven Year ItchToday would have been my seven years in Japan.<br />
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I wished I didn't leave earlier. In the time I have come back, I haven't found a job. I applied for many kinds of work. I even applied for a position at a famous computer company (yeah, the fruit one), but I didn't get called back for a second interview.<br />
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Getting used to living back in Australia wasn't so hard, but I still feel a massive disconnect. After so many years of waking up at midday it's hard to shake THAT habit. To be honest I'm missing Japan a lot.<br />
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Since I left Australia there has been an explosion of sushi shops here. I realised very quickly though that sushi pales in comparison to even the worst I tasted in Japan. Most places sell only the sushi rolls which are actually uncommon in Japan, forcing you to rather use your fingers than chopsticks. The fish is often dry and tiny, and the maguro (tuna) is usually the cooked variety. Having said that the best alternative that managed to evoke memories of "home" is <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1322359896961221398" http:="" target="_blank" www.sushiizu.com.au="">Sushi Izu</a> in Woolworths. A little bit pricey, but they're onto a good thing here.<br />
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I managed to find green tea ice-cream which thankfully wasn't too bad. It looks like Haagen Dazs closed shop in Australia a few years ago, so no more weird and wonderful flavours from them. Anko or anpan sweets are nowhere to be found.<br />
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I was thrilled when I saw that the Japanese dollar shop, Daiso was here, but instantly disappointed when I found out they marked up the prices to $2.80 for everything. Not so much of a bargain anymore. Uniqlo recently opened their first store in Melbourne but looking over the Australian pricing, it seems to be close to double the price.<br />
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I don't want this post to wallow in my self pity, so I'm happy to say I have been accepted in an intensive month long uni course that will allow me to teach foreigners English in Australia. Unfortunately that doesn't begin until August, but it is something I am excited and very nervous about.<br />
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I was getting a little bored so I decided to get my motorcycle license at the end of February. In Queensland it's pretty easy, and I was licensed in only two days!<br />
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Next step was a bike. I had my sights set on a Harley-style cruiser, so I did the next best thing and got myself a new Yamaha 650cc beast. Although it's quite heavy, along with my (temporary?) beard, I look the part.<br />
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I've joined some meetup groups which have given me a great opportunity to go for some fun rides and socialise. I kind of regret that I didn't get the licence BEFORE I went to Japan. I even talked with a Japanese expat that is in the same position as I was. He thought Japanese food was expensive here and not as good too! He is also thinking whether it's the right time for him to go back.<br />
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Looking back over my blog, it feels like Japan was a dream. As more time passes I am reminiscing the good times. Life was pretty good. What's next for me?Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-57800123946202969222014-01-27T22:30:00.000+09:002014-04-29T11:33:02.590+09:00SAYONARA - FUQI don't know if I forgot to tell you, but as of the 21st of January, 2014 I left Japan. Anyway I thought it'd be nice to leave you with a FUQ, or Frequently Unasked Questions.<br />
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<b>SO WHY ARE YOU LEAVING JAPAN?</b><br />
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Well as you know from reading my blog (you've been reading it? WOW), I've been here close to seven years, and things have been plateauing for a few years. I'm getting older. Over the years a few of my relatives have passed away, and I value the time I have with my immediate family. Recent events have also fast-tracked my planned departure date.<br />
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<b>WERE YOU EVER HOMESICK?</b><br />
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No, not at all! With amazing technologies like Skype, it felt like friends and family were in my room at any time. There are also heaps of free wifi hotspots. It's much better than the bad old days of phone cards and Internet cafes.<br />
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<b>ANY REGRETS?</b><br />
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Yeah, of course. I'd like to have had more opportunities to advance in the company. I applied for management/training positions and I wasn't considered. I wish I really learnt Japanese. I should've persued my music dreams harder. I'd like if some people were kinder. That'll do. Can't stop 'dem regrets you know!<br />
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<b>WHAT DIDN'T YOU LIKE ABOUT JAPAN?</b><br />
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The SMOKING. I am not a smoker. Japan has it backwards. You can smoke in bars and restaurants but outside you can't. WTF? Tax the f**k out of those cigarettes too!<br />
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OLD PEOPLE - Now don't get me wrong I don't hate them per sé. It's just that I think old people generally don't like foreigners "changing" Japan. This goes for a**hole police officers, and is it a coincidence all the taxi drivers are senior citizens? I rest my case. Actually they often leave seats beside me free on the train. I guess it's not all bad.<br />
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SPITTING - Is it so hard to f**king swallow? It's worse in winter when your footpath gunk doesn't evaporate. It just stays there forever. Gross.<br />
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BLOCKING FOOTPATHS - Do you have to walk/stand in a "wall of stupid" making it difficult to walk or ride past? I used to use my bad squealing brakes to make people sh*t themselves. Hilarious.<br />
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BANKS & PHONE COMPANIES - Now I'm sure there were other so-called businesses, but these two really annoyed me. SIM locked phones? docomo changed tack when they got the iPhone. Shame shame shame. Banks charging after hours and transfer fees really sucked. OH, and piss poor bank interest. Thanks for nothing UFJ.<br />
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SHOGANAI - This means "it can't be helped". To me this means Japanese people compromise too much so that the above companies and more get what their greedy minds want. Sure, packed trains can't be helped. I'll let you have that one.<br />
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<b>WOW! SO WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE PLACE THEN?</b><br />
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Well, it's going to sound horribly cliché but the food is awesome; I hate flowers, but the cherry blossoms "affect" me; the Japanese girls are super pretty and more approachable (gonna miss the bikini girls of Summer); the plentiful cheap and accessible alcohol, and drinking in public; the wonderful music shops with beautiful instruments (new and used). I'm really going to miss my friends AND my best friend :(<br />
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<b>SHOULD I COME TO JAPAN?</b><br />
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YEAH! As a tourist, Japan is unlike any other country I've been to. Actually it's like another planet. Japanese people are very friendly and accommodating to tourists. You'll feel very welcome.<br />
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<b>SHOULD I WORK IN JAPAN?</b><br />
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Now this one is harder to answer. WHY do you want to work in Japan? I had someone tell me, "I don't know". Now THAT I see as the wrong reason. Life will seem better when you are arrive, but it will progressively get worse. Anything that is wrong with your life will be amplified. You'll be looking for substitutes of all the good stuff you'll miss. I say YES if you can speak Japanese or have a very strong will to learn the language. Use the visa to do something BETTER.<br />
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Japanese people will treat you differently, or you'll see them differently when you've been here a while too.<br />
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<b>WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO LEAVE JAPAN?</b><br />
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I wish I knew, then I might have left earlier! For me, the right time is to go before you end up hating the place. It's when you realise that you have a job here, not a career. It's before you get "stuck" here either through marriage or being too lax to go. Once the roots start growing it gets harder to cut down the tree.<br />
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<b>OH, HOW SHOULD I SEND MONEY BACK TO AUSTRALIA?</b><br />
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In the past I think I suggested using Go Lloyds. <a href="https://www.goremit.jp/index/en" target="_blank">GoRemit</a> (Shinsei Bank) took over their services, and should be the equivalent. I actually used Japan Post Bank this time. You can take out cash from your account and do a 口座あて送金 telegraphic transfer (2,500 yen for any amount), which takes a week to get in your account. Just don't mess up the information! Don't bring lots of cash on the plane. Banks don't like dealing with paper money.<br />
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<b>WHAT WILL YOU DO POST-JAPAN?</b><br />
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I'm not sure. I wouldn't mind teaching English here but I don't know if my time actually counts for much. I could go back to my old job. I could be a rockstar. LOL. Right now I'm in a bit of limbo. Getting over my "lost weekend" and trying to join the real world.<br />
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Well that's all the questions I can think of right now. I want to thank all the people that have stuck with me all these years with my blog. It's nice that it wasn't for nothing. If you have any other questions or want to say hi leave a comment. I'm not dead yet.<br />
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I hope I gave you a good FUQ<br />
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SAYONARA :(Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-8563110930366126062014-01-15T23:59:00.000+09:002014-01-28T00:00:35.980+09:00Resident CardSince July 2012, Japan changed their <a href="http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/" target="_blank">residency management system</a>. Instead of the Alien Registration Card ("gaijin" card), new arrivals would be issued with a new Resident Card. Generally speaking some details are not directly written on the card itself but on an IC chip. Also, things like re-entry permit stamps are going to be a thing of the past.<br />
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Now I don't actually need to do this until my visa renewal, but considering what I'll be doing shortly I've decided to take the fun trip down to Shinagawa to get dat card!
I arrived at the immigration office at about 11am. I was thinking I was getting there late but surprisingly it only took about 40 minutes! Maybe because it was a day predicted to snow everyone stayed away *booya!*<br />
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You can pick up a form for the new card at the information desk as you walk in. They are actually in a tray so you don't even really need to line up. (If you LOSE your card you have to ask for another kind of form though). Around the corner you can take your photo at a photo booth for 700 yen. I did the photo myself in photoshop and printed it out for 30 yen instead :)
Oh, bring a pen when you go. I had a hell of a time asking people to lend me a pen. No one helped me out ^$*#^!!<br />
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Once that's done go to the 2nd level D line which you can use the easy to follow guide line on the floor!
If you leave Japan you don't have to pretend you lost it to keep the card. They'll actually let you keep it as a present but they punch a hole in the card to invalidate it. YAY!Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-72023523181445259242014-01-03T23:59:00.000+09:002014-01-28T00:04:10.482+09:00Two Towers Part 2 - Tokyo TowerAfter the Skytree I knew the Tokyo Tower would pale in comparison.<br />
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The Tokyo Tower's highest "special" observatory (+600 yen) is still only 250m high. The main observatory (820 yen) is 150m. Even at the top height it's only marginally higher than the nearby Midtown Tower. Unlike the Skytree it's essential to go to the top level.<br />
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Built in 1958, the tower is definitely showing its age. The windows look "fuzzy". Taking the best photos was more of a challenge. I was really spoilt by the Skytree's newness :( Still there are some good views out to Odaiba, and like the Skytree you'll be able to see Mt Fuji at sunset.<br />
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If you have a choice go to the Tokyo Skytree. The view is MUCH better. Heck, even go to the Metropolitan Government building. It's free! The Tokyo Tower really needs a <strike>renewal </strike>renovation, a complete makeover.<br />
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BUT to say something good about it, the Tokyo Tower is more beautiful than the Skytree even though it ripped off the Eiffel Tower's good looks. It's also substantially brighter lit. Maybe being more residential out in Oshiage they didn't want a "Christmas tree" shining in their windows every night. I kind of wish the Skytree was a bit more central rather than out where it is. They should've knocked this one down ("jokingu").Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-67205049443514321822013-12-29T23:59:00.000+09:002014-01-28T00:08:34.485+09:00Gut's SoulI eat shabu shabu more often, but I think I really like yakinuku better.<br />
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Back in the old days I'd go to Gyukaku, but unfortunately a lot of the ones around Tokyo didn't do an "all you can eat" menu, or the cost would be kind of pricey. One of the other teachers once mentioned a place called <a href="http://www.guts.gr.jp/index.php" target="_blank">Gut's Soul</a> in Yoyogi that was incredibly cheap.<br />
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I'm a bit wary of yakiniku being too cheap after we went to one in Shinjuku ni-chome that had the worst fattiest pieces of meat you could imagine. Thankfully that little s*thole has closed down.<br />
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I'm happy to say that this place was MUCH better. The cheapest all you can eat is 1,280 yen for 90 minutes. Pretty amazing huh? This course didn't include beef so we "sized up" for the 1,580 yen one. Be careful not to over order though as you will be charged extra for the meat you can't eat!<br />
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My first impression was that the beef pieces were a little anaemic compared to other places I've tried but it tasted good. You can get salty or sauce flavoured meat. The pork and chicken also tasted real nice.<br />
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We went to the Yoyogi one. Make sure not to sit facing the window. The Yamanote line is very close to the window and passes by every few minutes. Seeing it speed past a million times gave me a bad sense of vertigo I didn't need.<br />
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It is a chain restaurant so you can also find Gut's Soul in Nakano, Koenji, and Takodanobaba. Yoyogi is easiest if you're in Shinjuku. It's only a stone's throw away.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-41639340804088483632013-12-25T23:59:00.000+09:002014-01-27T20:36:08.687+09:00Two Towers Part I - Going Up The SkytreeWhen it was being built I was sadly thinking I wasn't going to still be in Tokyo when it would be completed. For a Christmas present, I was gifted a ticket to finally go up and I have to say I was kind of excited!<br />
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Unfortunately you can't use a FOREIGN credit card to book a ticket. While I'd love to say this is because Japanese people are inherently racist, it's probably to stop tourists from booking it completely out every day. On this weekday it wasn't too long. It took about 40 minutes to get in. A ticket to the 350m level costs 2,000 yen. To go to the 450m level is an additional 1,000 yen and can only be purchased on the first observation deck.<br />
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So how was the view?<br />
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Pretty damn spectacular! From this height you are far above the city. While the 450m is nice, I don't think it's really worth the extra cost. The view is not so different. I was surprised to see Shinjuku almost in the dark. You can easily see Mt Fuji in the distance as the sun sets. Amazing!<br />
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The closest station to the Skytree is Tokyo Skytree Station or Oshiage station. I got off at Kinshicho station which was the cheapest way, but there's a bit of walk from there. Overall if you come to Tokyo you HAVE to come here.Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1322359896961221398.post-17706528907938346992013-12-05T23:59:00.000+09:002014-01-02T21:11:25.736+09:00The 2nd Happiest Place On Earth?Did you know there are TWO Disneylands in Tokyo? Although it's called collectively Tokyo Disney Resort, Disneyland and Disney Sea feel like completely different theme parks.<br />
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After whetting my appetite with Disneyland I had to try out Disney Sea a short time later.<br />
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It's been said that Disney Sea is the "adult" Disneyland. The rides are faster and more appealing to older "kids". To me it actually didn't feel like a Disneyland. The Disney characters are not as overtly in your face, and it looks really picturesque! Also it feels quite a bit larger than Disneyland. From the first walk around I was drained.<br />
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To get to the entrance from Maihama station you have to get the Mickey train. It's Disney-fied well with Mickey-shaped windows and grab handles.<br />
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As soon as you enter the park it's hard to miss the Tower of Terror. I was nervous about riding it. On arrival we got our first fast pass for Journey To The Center Of The Earth. While waiting we tried out 20 Thousand Leagues Under The Sea as there wasn't a line at all. I quite enjoyed it! The illusion of being underwater was really effective.<br />
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From there we went on Aquatopia. Looking at it I thought it would be enjoyable. It features a similar trackless system to Pooh's Hunny Hunt, but riding it felt pretty pointless.<br />
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The nearby Stormrider bears a resemblance to Star Tours being another simulation ride, but it was just so-so. Getting wet wasn't really necessary as it didn't make it any more believable to me.<br />
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The Indiana Jones ride was maybe too intentionally jerky for my tastes, but it was fairly memorable. <br />
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From here I was to face my fears of the Tower of Terror. This ride is pretty cool. The buildup story was excellent. Even without understanding much Japanese the storyline was fantastic giving the looming dread of what awaited us. The ride felt like it actually pulls you down faster than gravity. On the third drop I'm pretty sure I said "Not again", but I kind of regret not going on it one more time before leaving.<br />
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One thing that stands out here is Duffy. Do you know it? The Mickey-faced bear that it seemed every Japanese girl had. I got so sick of seeing them that I wanted to throw them on the ground and stomp on their faces. But seeing that I'm not a violent person I relented.<br />
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Anywhoo where was I?<br />
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Oh yes.. By now it was time for the "Journey" ride. Again, lots of animatronics. Not bad. The fast thrill at the end of ride was unexpected. Nice. Later on in the day we'd ride it again. Unfortunately repeated riding actually made me rate it less. YMMV<br />
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At this point I have to mention the big gyoza sausage bun. It's around this area so we gave it a try. For 420 yen it's a little pricey but not bad for a hungry stomach. Speaking of food, I got the curry popcorn again. I saw the mickey popcorn bucket that I couldn't find in Disneyland. Bit overpriced too, but it's cute. Handy for popcorn nights at home I suppose. Later I bought strawberry popcorn. The least favourite to me. Kind of wished I got black pepper instead.<br />
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The Arabian Coast was a little boring (but pretty!). We rode the Flying Carpets and Caravan Carousel.<br />
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Next fast pass was Raging Spirits. Some people don't like it much. I think it's because it's all over too soon. I didn't mind it and I liked the 360 loop. Fun.<br />
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Mermaid Lagoon is what Toontown is to Disneyland. This is where the younger kids rides are. Jumpin' Jellyfish was so short it felt like it finished before it began. The teacups-like Whirlpool would've been better if it didn't hit the groove on the track so hard on the centre of the figure 8 so much.<br />
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The longest wait of the day was easily Toy Story Mania. This was the best ride of the day for me. The 3D, the shooting game, the movement. Lots of fun. A close tie would be the Tower of Terror simply for the great storyline.<br />
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To end the day we took the Transit Steamer Line back to the Meditteranean Coast, and rode on the last gondolas of the day. Funny that it was my first time on one even though I'd been to Venice.<br />
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So which is better, Disneyland or Disney Sea?<br />
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Now that I've been to Disneyland I'd have to say Disney Sea. It just has more overall enjoyment (for adults). BUT like I said it doesn't feel like Disneyland. It mostly misses what Disneyland is about - the characters!Jimmy In Japanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09362606852963306865noreply@blogger.com0