Once Upon a Time in Osaka

Green Tea Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 16:35:00 +0000

Just a quick update. This blog has remained dormant for quite a while, so you should take a look at my new green tea for health blog.

Buy Japanese High School Uniforms

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:10:00 +0000

It can be hard to find genuine Japanese high school uniforms that are not just meant for cosplay. Whenever you go to an anime/manga store, you can find a variety of different costumes that take the appearance of high school uniforms—but they're just costumes. They're not real high school uniforms.

But if you are looking for authentic Japanese high school uniforms, you've come to the right place, because a famous Nagoya-based company called Matsukameya offers tailor-made sailor uniforms (both winter and summer versions) for foreign buyers at a very reasonable price.

The top and skirt pieces are sold separately. And the good thing is that you can choose the waist size and the length of the skirt; and you are, of course, free to select the size of the top as well.

Since the hot and cold seasons in Japan are alarmingly different, high school uniforms also have to accommodate students without making their daily lives unbearable. Hence, the short-sleeved summer uniform is much lighter and well ventilated than the winter version which is specifically designed for colder seasons.

Summer Version

Buy Summer Top $160 (USD)

Buy Summer Skirt $128 (USD)

Winter Version

Buy Winter Top $205 (USD)

Buy Winter Skirt $140 (USD)

You might also want to check what other high school related items, such as ribbons and scarves, are available.

Japan Isn't Expensive

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:21:00 +0000

A lot of people seem to have a misconception that Japan is expensive. Whenever I suggest my friends to travel to Japan they tend to reply with "I'd love to go, but isn't Japan really expensive?"

That's what I used to think too. But that was before. Before I actually went there to live.

When I started living there, I realized that Japan is actually pretty cheap.

The problem is the price range of products and services. You see, the number on the price tag increases exponentially as you climb higher in quality. There's virtually no end. A dish of sushi that costs you ¥105 yen at a kaitenzushi joint might be ¥1500 across the street. The difference is quality. And not only the quality of the fish but also the quality of service. In the end, it's the brand that costs.

So you'll have to learn how to identify and evaluate the options you have. If a bowl of ramen costs ¥1400 in the first two restaurants you walk into, it doesn't mean that that's the right price for it. Try different places and you'll find a lot of cheap joints. Same applies to supermarkets and other stores. Japan is definitely not expensive.

Have a Clear Plan Before Going to Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:19:00 +0000

I just talked to a friend of mine recently who went back to France last summer because he couldn't find a full-time job in Osaka. Now, ony after six months, he is already talking about going back there. It's a familiar feeling. Things always seem better on the other side of the fence. But if you want to make the stay worth your time, you should plan beforehand.

There are always good sides and bad sides to every country and city, and the choice can be difficult. But before going to Japan—or any foreign country, for that matter—it's important to be resolute about your objectives. If you decide to apply for a working holiday visa or enroll in the JET Program, you should have a clear objective in mind. Not just "I wanna go to Japan" or "I wanna teach English in Osaka". Those underlying desires are important, I don't deny that, but you should also create a practical plan for what you're going to do there.

If you decide to just wing it and fly there with a working holiday visa tucked in your passport, you might get lucky and land a job, but in most cases, you'll have to spend time looking for a job. That is why it is important for you to think about the steps that you're going to take after getting off the plane. You can do research beforehand. Use the Internet to look for opportunities. Send resumes beforehand (but tell the employer that you've already booked tickets for this particular date). Check GaijinPot. Try FindStudents.net. Et cetera. There's a lot you can do remotely.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 20:41:00 +0000

Happy New Year! Or as the Japanese would say:

新年明けましておめでとうごいざいます。今年も宜しくお願いします。Shinnen akemashite omedetou gozaimasu. Kotoshi mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu.

There are at least five important things related to the Japanese New Year:

1. Oosouji. Cleaning the house thoroughly before the yearend.
2. Osechi-ryouri. A special set of dishes prepared for oshougatsu (New Year).
3. Kouhaku Utagassen. A popular TV show where guys and gals compete against each other at singing.
4. Hatsumoude. Your first visit of the year to a shrine.
5. Otoshidama. A monetary gift for children.

In the west, we're more accustomed to seeing fireworks and making New Year's resolutions. Have you already made your New Year's resolution for 2010? I've written a New Year's resolution guide for you if you're interested in successfully fulfilling your objectives this year. Good luck!

11 Funny Products from Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:29:00 +0000

As you know, Japan is our number one source for nonsensical gadgets and toys. Today I am displaying some of the products I had fun browsing through. Brilliant Christmas gifts for people with a sense of humor.

1. R2D2 Pepper Mill

I love Star Wars, so it would be awesome to have this 11cm tall pepper shaker in the kitchen. Just load it with pepper, and turn Artoo's head to make him sprinkle the spices from his bottom.

2. Star Wars Lightsaber Chopsticks

These chopsticks won't sear and blacken your food. Practice your chopstick skills like a true padawan.

3. Frog Cool & Hot Foot Relax Pillow

These frog-themed foot pads will cool or warm your feet when needed.

4. Crunching Rocky USB Mascot

Stick this gadget in your USB slot and Rocky will start doing his rep of infinite crunches. Great motivation booster!

5. Pocky Chocolate Parody Chopsticks

Real Pockies tend to snap easily, so they finally made durable and of course washable "chocolate" sticks for all Pocky lovers.

6. Hello Kitty Boiled Egg Shaper

Tired of eating egg-shaped eggs? This little cooking tool will pimp your eggs à la Hello Kitty. You can also use it as a mould for making Hello Kitty–shaped rice balls.

7. Cup Noodle Mug

Drink your coffee or tea (or noodles!) like a true ramen lover! It comes with a ceramic lid.

8. Small Kurosuke Stamp (Tonari no Totoro)

Sign your letters with this cute Ghibli seal.

9. Rice Bowl Strap

Decorate your cell phone or keychain with this "fake food" strap.

10. The Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass Sound Drop Full Set of 6

These sound drop toys play the nostalgic sound effects from the Legend of Zelda games. There are six different sound effects in this collection: 1) posing a riddle, 2) picking up a heart, 3) explosion sound, 4) bow and arrow sound, 5) picking up various items (such as gems), and 6) sounds when you run into an enemy.

11. Star Wars R2-D2 USB Hub

This little droid can serve as a hub for 4 USB ports. So if you're short on USB slots, Artoo is happy to help.

8 Tips on Chopstick Etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:05:00 +0000

Photo by bennylin0724

Here are 8 tips on chopstick manners every gaijin should know.

1. Learn how to hold and use chopsticks properly.
2. If you have a hashioki (chopstick stand), use it whenever you want to lay down your chopsticks.
3. Don't stick your chopsticks into your rice bowl.
4. Don't pick up food by forking it with your chopsticks.
5. Don't suck or lick your chopsticks.
6. Don't pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's chopsticks.
7. Don't spend too much time choosing what to pick up. Choose without showing it physically.
8. When using waribashi (disposable chopsticks), make your own hashioki out of the paper cover.

Bonus Tip 1: Don't leave rice in your chawan (rice bowl). Not even one grain.
Bonus Tip 2: Finish your dishes at an equal pace. Don't just finish one dish and move on to the next one.

Get Your Personal Japanese Hanko Stamp Before Going to Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:10:00 +0000

A hanko is a Japanese stamp that people use to sign official documents. It's like using a black pen in western countries for signing our name on papers.

When we live in Japan, we have to use stamps on many occasions. I even had to get my own stamp before I could sign a cell phone contract at au. And some real estate agents require you to have a hanko registered officially at your local city hall. So having a stamp can be quite necessary in Japan.

If you're planning to live in Japan in the near future, it wouldn't hurt you to get a stamp for yourself in advance. Having a stamp prepared in your suitcase will make the start easier for you, as you can take care of alien registrations and cell phone contracts quickly without first thinking about where to get a "gaijin hanko" and which characters to choose for your name.

In fact, J-List is now offering to create custom-made Japanese hanko stamps for $29.50 (USD). You will also get a case for it that has red ink in it. They have a Japanese team working on them, so you won't be receiving a stamp with an incorrectly engraved name: "the Japanese staff of J-List will be happy to help you choose the best character for what you want to express."

Cheaper Prices at Japanese Supermarkets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:34:00 +0000

Everyone wants to buy things at lower prices—especially we foreigners because we are the ones who tend to buy ingredients, like meat and cheese, that are more expensive in general. Luckily, most supermarkets in Japan have a "happy hour" right before closing time, and that's when they start labeling items with 半額 (half-price) stickers.

So if your supermarket closes at 8 p.m., your best bet would be to be there around 7:30 p.m. That time will be convenient for you, because you should have enough time to go through your shopping list, and you should also have the best selection of half-priced goods. The downside is that the store could be packed with people, and that some items could be sold out already.

You should mainly look for stickers on perishables such as meat and ready food (sandwiches, lunch boxes, rice balls, salads, etc.), because they are the ones that get labeled first. Don't expect to find discounted spices, rice, potatoes or seaweed on a daily basis. But if you consume a lot of beef, pork, chicken or ground meat, this strategy is for you.

And if you can't find discount labels on your desired items, you can always politely ask a salesperson if they could make something cheaper: "Sumimasen, chotto yasuku shite moraemasenka?" This phrase is even more effective when buying greater quantities.

You should also look for these labels:

２割OFF = 20% off
お得 = profitable

8 Things Exchange Students Should Do in Japan After Arriving

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:18:00 +0000

Photo by GavinZ

As exchange students, or as visitors on the working holiday visa, there are certain things and procedures that we have to take care of before we can comfortably settle down. Without alien registration, for example, we would get into trouble after our first 90 days.

So, here are some things that we should try to do after arriving in Japan:

1. Find a roof over your head. If you don't have a home yet, you should try to get out of your hotel as soon as possible. Check out some gaijin houses in your area.

2. Register yourself at the city hall. Foreigners must do an alien registration, gaikokujin touroku (外国人登録).

3. Photocopy your alien registration card, in case you happen to lose it. You should also have a copy of your passport.

4. Find out where you can withdraw money from your own country's bank account. You can usually access foreign bank accounts from post office ATMs (ゆうちょ銀行).

5. Contact your school, and let them know you've arrived. Tell them your address, phone number and email as soon as possible.

6. Open a bank account. It's convenient to have a bank account if you have a lot of cash with you and want to keep it someplace safe. Part-time jobs also often require you to have a bank account in Japan.

7. Buy a cell phone. Some services require your contact number.

8. If your room isn't connected to the Internet, find the closest and cheapest Internet café.

A Moment of Peace on a Railway Platform

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Photo by mikemellinger

Every one of us has spent countless hours on the platform waiting for the train. And I'm guessing that most of us get frustrated whenever we hear the delay announcement. It actually sucks a lot—especially if we have an urgent engagement like a private lesson. But when that happens, we can do little to influence the train to arrive on time. So, we can instead focus on something more positive.

Something positive, like making ourselves feel more relaxed. I'm no zazen master, but my lungs (and some qigong practice) have taught me how good focused breathing can feel on a busy afternoon. Try it.

Inhale a good dose of fresh air (if that's possible in a Japanese metropolis) into your lungs, and release it into your surroundings. The idea is to focus on the entire breathing action. And I don't know if this will make any sense, but try to prolong the action of breathing inside your mind while dismissing any other thoughts. Feel how every breath of air you take refreshes your whole body.

Na zdorov'e.

Do English Teachers Need Japanese?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 20:31:00 +0000

I've recently been talking to some friends of mine who are interested in teaching English in Japan, but many of them are still unsure if they have what it takes to teach English to Japanese students. They believe that their Japanese skills aren't good enough to explain things clearly. Well, the thing is, you probably won't be needing Japanese in most cases, as most students will understand what you're trying to explain in plain English.

With my students, I've almost never come across a situation where I was unable to communicate things to my students in English. I didn't have to switch to Japanese. Repeating myself or speaking slower did the trick most of the time. Simple.

Knowing Japanese will, however, ease your job significantly, because students tend to add in a few Japanese words here and there (or a bit more...) They also mumble a lot in Japanese, so of course you can pick up a lot of valuable information just from listening to their monologues—アンケートは英語で何って言うんだっけ, et cetera. You'll save time if you understand Japanese.

In fact, understanding Japanese is enough. I never speak Japanese to my students unless it's a grandma whose English skills only consist of John Lennon's and Paul Anka's song titles. I've noticed that immersion has the greatest impact on students. I use single Japanese words, such as 名詞 (noun) and 動詞 (verb), to make grammatical explanations as clear as possible, but I keep the rest in plain English: "'Assume' is a doushi; but 'assumption' is a meishi." You don't really need Japanese if you know how to express things clearly and slowly.

Should Gaijins Speak Keigo (Polite Japanese)?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:55:00 +0000

Polite language is a funny concept for us gaijin. If I am a polite person I would, of course, naturally choose polite language over, well, impolite. But in terms of Japanese, polite language refers to the type of Japanese you speak to someone senior to you. We gaijin, however, aren't accustomed to these kinds of customs. So are we exempted from the duty of speaking differently to people who are older than us?

If our Japanese is too elementary, surely no one will expect us to use keigo. "Namae wa nan'tte iuno?" will obviously be fine instead of "O-namae wa nan'tte iun desuka?" when asking for someone's name. But if our conversational skills are adequate enough to carry out even semi-intelligent dialogues, should we immediately switch to polite form if the other person is senior to you?

The thing is, many times when we initiate conversation with Japanese people, they don't go keigo. Some friends of mine are very skilled at Japanese, but they seldom get responses in polite form. This poses some questions. Do the Japanese think that keigo is a lot harder to understand? Do they perceive gaijins as people outside the social hierarchy in Japan? Or do they feel better about themselves if they don't have to use keigo with older people?

Keigo can be very complex when compared to something as flexible as English. I don't wish to dig into business keigo that deals with kenjougo (謙譲語) and sonkeigo (尊敬語) and how you're expected to lower your status when dealing with a customer, et cetera—I'm just talking about basic keigo, like "desu" and "masu", something that you would use to your teacher.

My Japanese teacher told me that Westerners tend to be slower at putting keigo into practice. Koreans, on the other hand, often start using polite Japanese from the very beginning because they have similar social customs. In fact, all the Asian students in my class said "ohayou gozaimasu" whereas everyone else greeted the teacher with a casual "ohayou" every morning.

Now, I'd like to direct the original question in this post to you. What do you think, should gaijins use polite Japanese? And do you use keigo when speaking Japanese to your seniors?

What is a Hard-to-Remember Kanji?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:53:00 +0000

We've already noticed how complex the Chinese writing system is, but what about individual characters? Surely some kanji are harder to remember than others. I would argue that 三 is easier than 極, and they're both commonly used characters.

When I first started learning kanji, everything in my book appeared so intricate and impossible to remember. But now, something as basic as 日, 女, or 水 seems impossible to forget. I don't know... If I happen to stay away from Chinese characters for twenty years, who knows, I might forget them. The sad thing is, there are much more complex things than those radical characters.

Radicals.

Picture this situation: You're in a classroom, doing a proficiency test on written Japanese, and you can just hazily remember the outlines of the kanji character you're supposed to write on the test BUT can't seem to get it right no matter how much effort you put into remembering it. On the answer sheet, you've constructed a Chinese character that looks like the one you're looking for, but is a totally different character—or not even a recognized Chinese character for that matter.

Very often it's the radical that's causing trouble. (A radical (部首) is the principal part of a Chinese character which commonly denotes its theme, relation, element, or however you want to name it. For example, the radical of 焼 (to fry) is 火 (fire) because frying at least historically relates to fire. With characters that have obvious themes, such as the one I used in the bracketed example, it's easy to surmise which radical goes with the kanji. Sometimes, however, radicals are totally irrelevant. The radical for 好 ('to like' in Japanese and 'good' in Chinese) is 女 (woman). Well, 好 is a combination of 'woman' and 'child' but some women have been convicted of leaving their sons to die alone in their apartments, and some kids in the recent past have gone totally wild with their knives and axes.

Fine... that might've been a bad example. Of course moms and children like each other natually, and they are a good combination most of the time. But I can't seem to find any clear connection between something like 験 (test) and 馬 (horse).

I personally find those characters with no intelligible connection between their radicals and the rest of their structures easiest to forget. How about you?

Kanji Test DS Kanken for People Learning Kanji

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:23:00 +0000

Kanji Test DS (250万人の漢検) is a handy tool for any learner of kanji who also owns a Nintendo DS. The game not only teaches you how to read and write Japanese characters but also tests you if you're able to use them correctly.

The game is based on the Japanese Kanji Aptitude Test (日本漢字能力検定試験), and was probably originally meant to train people to score higher on the test. For us gaijin, however, it serves as a practical tool to learn the complex system of kanji.

There are many exercises and quizzes that help you to master kanji, and as you get better, you can advance to higher ranks, ultimately reaching for the sublime rank of 1-kyu. There is a lot of repetition of important characters, and the game keeps track of your performance, so you will be studying the kanji that are most appropriate to your level. This piece of software will effectively hardwire kanji into your brain.

You'll initially have to read a bit of Japanese to understand the context menus and instructions, but you should be able to get the hang of it fast even if you don't know any kanji beforehand.

Where can we buy it?

It was the first game I bought for my Nintendo DS in Japan, because I couldn't get my hands on it at the time in the West. But now, thanks to better online stores, you can order it online and have it delievered to you.

Buy Kanji Test DS for $60.00 on J-List!

I was, and still am, very happy with my investment.

5 Things You Should Know Before Renting an Apartment in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:42:00 +0000

Having your own apartment in Japan may sound very appealing, but finding one doesn't always work the way you want it to. There's a lot of paperwork involved, and doing it in your non-native language can be overwhelming.

In today's post, I will talk about the five things that I had most trouble with when renting apartments in Japan. During my two-year stay in Japan, I have lived in three different apartments so I want to share with you five pointers that will hopefully be helpful to you.

You have to read carefully through the legal document in Japanese that lists all the conditions you have to agree with before signing the contract. I've dealt with a real estate agency, ホームメイト at Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome, that tricked me into believing that an apartment they had was cat-friendly but, in the end, was only for tenants with dogs. You should look out for fraudulent agents in Japan.
If you are happy that you didn't have to pay key money or deposit, your landlord can still find a way to collect money from you. He might charge you dearly just for minor repairs when you move out. But if you pay a deposit of, say, ¥200,000 upfront, money will be reduced from that sum for mending the room, and the rest will be refunded to you.
If you want to get even a slightly better quality room, you will have to pay some key money and deposit. We're talking about a payment of at least ¥200,000 that you have to pay all at once.
It's hard to find pet-friendly apartments. In Japan, most landlords don't allow you to house pets (especially cats) in your apartment. You will have to put twice as much effort and money into finding a suitable apartment if you have, or, are planning to get quadrupeds.
Online advertisements are often misleading. Real estate agencies want to promote themselves online by publishing compelling offers that often don't even exist.

Accommodation Costs for Exchange Students in Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:17:00 +0000

If you're planning to go to Japan as an exchange student, you're probably going to have to find some place to stay at. Most students have three accommodation options: apartment, dormitory, or homestay. The following rates are approximations appropriate to the Osaka area.

Apartments are exactly what they imply—private rooms or sets of rooms for individuals where you can live however you want. If you don't care about quality, you can get an apartment close to Umeda for as low as ¥25,000 per month without key money. Rent (¥25-80,000) + key money (¥0-300,000 paid once) + electricity (¥3,000) + gas (¥1,500) + water (¥1,500) + food. If you were to stay in an apartment for a year, it would cost you at least ¥372,000 + food.

Dormitories are like small apartments that are usually shared among two students. They are a lot cheaper than real apartments but dormitories in Japan follow a 11 PM curfew. Staying in a dorm will cost around ¥40-60,000 + electricity (¥3,000). Two meals per day may or may not be included. A year would thus cost ¥516,000 at minimum.

The homestay option is often the cheapest solution at around ¥50,000 per month, including two meals per day. You get to become a member of the host family, and only need to pay the monthly rent. Choosing the homestay option for a whole year would be approximately ¥600,000.

Be Careful with Bicycle Parking in Osaka

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:03:00 +0000

If you're careless, you can easily lose your bicycle in Osaka. There are two common causes for it: thieves and the authorities. Today's topic will be bicycle confiscation by the authorities.

You can find many bicycle stands near subway and train stations in Osaka, but it's worth noticing that most of them are tagged 有料, which means "money required". If you leave your bicycle without buying a parking pass, and if the authorities happen to check on it, they will take your ride away and you will have to go to the appropriate garage to pick it up and pay a ¥2500 fine (or ¥5000 for light motorcycles).

But there's a way to avoid confiscation... I don't recommend this to anyone, so this tip should be absorbed as mere entertainment.

I've noticed that fastening your bicycle to a lamppost or a railing with a wire or a U-lock will keep your bicycle where you want it to be. If the authorities see your illegally parked bicycle, they'll just attach a red slip stating that you should call their office.

10 Reasons Why Homestay Could Be Better

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:43:00 +0000

Last time I gave you 10 reasons why homestay could be a bad choice. This time, in contrast, I will list down 10 good reasons to enroll in a homestay program.

You will get to experience life in a real Japanese home.
You will learn how to take care of everyday tasks as the locals do.
You will get to learn Japanese in a practical and effective way by listening and talking with your host family every day.
You will get to eat Japanese food every day.
Your host family is a good source of information on Japan and your neighborhood.
You will have your own private room.
No need to worry about surviving on your own while trying to cope with your studies.
Homestay fees are reasonably priced (¥50,000/month including two meals per day).
Your host family will probably pick you up from the airport.
You get to travel with your host family.

10 Reasons Why Homestay Could Be Worse

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:55:00 +0000

Here are 10 reasons as to why homestay in Japan could be a worse choice than having your own apartment.

Irresponsible host family. Your host parents might not be qualified as hosts. They could just be doing it to supplement their income.
Curfew. Almost all college dormitories in Japan have curfews, but curfews aren't exclusive to dorms...
No internet connection.
No choice. You have little freedom in choosing your host family, because exchange students and host families are matched randomly.
Bad location. You might end up in the mountains.
No shower. Not all houses have showers with running water.
No prior information on your host family. Your host dad might be a complete douchebag, or an erojiji (dirty old man).
Your host family doesn't spend time with you.
Language barrier. For some this is a benefit. But if you're not into learning Japanese, it can be frustrating not being able to communicate with your hosts.
Lack of freedom. It can be troublesome to inform your host mom every time you're going to be late for dinner.

Foreign Students in Japan Need a Work Permit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:13:00 +0000

If you're a student and want to work part-time, there are a couple of things that you should know about working as a foreign exchange student.

According to this page, foreign university students who come to Japan to study full-time will need to get a permit to engage in "extra-status-of residence activities" (sorry for just brutally copy-pasting the term here) if they want to work in their free time.

After obtaining this permission, a full-time university student will be allowed to work 28 hours per week.

Some schools have strict policies about part-time jobs. Osaka Gakuin University, for instance, doesn't allow their exchange students to work until the second semester.

Install Japanese Smileys in Windows XP

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:12:00 +0000

As you probably know, Japanese smileys look different from Western smileys. Just to give you a basic idea, in Japan people commonly type (^_^) instead of :)

If you want to use Japanese smileys, there's an easy way to adopt them to your Japanese word bank (or dictionary) in Windows XP so that you can bring them up with little effort.

Follow these 12 steps:

Download this text file.
Open a fresh text document (eg. in Notepad).
Switch the language in your language bar to JP.
Right-click the JP icon.
Click Additional icons in taskbar.
Click Tools (or the icon that looks like a toolbox).
Select Dictionary Tool.
Click on Tool and select Import Text file...
Select the file kaomoji.txt that you just downloaded a while ago, and Open.
Exit when the progress bar has reached 100%.
Close the Microsoft IME Dictionary Tool.
Go back to your text file and test it out by typing kao and hitting [SPACE] a couple of times. If it gives you a list of smileys you're done!

Now that you've successfully installed the smileys, you can check how to select the ones that you want by going back to the Dictionary Tool. Within the Dictionary Tool, you'll see Reading and Word. Reading is the term that you input to get the respective Word. For example, かお (kao) is the Reading for all the smileys (Words) that you saw on the list in step 12. If you want to add your own smileys, you can do it by clicking Add (or Edit -> Add...) in the Dictionary Tool, and inputting the Readings and Words that you want to use. You should also set the 'Part of Speech' attribute to 顔文字 to let the application know that it's a smiley and not a real word. You can also delete smileys from the Dictionary Tool list by highlighting a smiley and clicking on the Delete icon (or Edit -> Delete...)

My 5 Favorite Places in Osaka

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Every citizen of Osaka has them, right? Mine are...

Umeda Sky Building is easily the coolest-looking edifice in Umeda. I love to goggle at it from the Nagara Bridge while I'm pedaling back from work or while on the train. I attended the German Christmas Market '07 and Aloha Summer Festival '09 events that took place at the 'Skybiru'. My first home in Osaka is also located here, so it is an important landmark representing my neighborhood. It's nice and quiet at night.
Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome is an intersection in Osaka with the longest name. It's a well-used railway station connecting three different lines: Hankyu, Tanimachi, and Sakaisuji. I'm pretty sure it's the station I've used the most in Japan. There are also many good food joints close by, such as Ahoya (takoyaki), Matsuya (domburi), and Burger Wiché (hamburgers). It serves as the main entrance to the 2.6-kilometer long Tenroku Shopping Street, which happens to connect my old apartment and my current one.
Kishibe is where my campus is located. I had my first balls of takoyaki at a small stall next to the JR station. I also spent my first two nights in Osaka at the Kishibe Station Hotel, which is a pleasant hotel despite its less pleasant outer appearance. My classmates and I used to do 500-yen 'unlimited-time' karaoke sessions at Kishibe's Big Echo.
Don Quixote (Miyakojima) is a convenient all-purpose store that's open till 4 a.m. if I recall correctly. When I lived in Minami-Morimachi we used to go there at night with my girlfriend to buy food, navel piercings, and cat toys. Osaka Castle is also nicely visible from the bridge.
Kinokuniya is my favorite shop in Japan. I love books so I enjoy spending time just browsing through the shelves, mostly around section N which has all the English books. It's also a convenient place to kill time if you're waiting for someone—the two most popular meeting spots, BIG MAN and HEP FIVE, are just around the corner.

What are your favorite spots in Osaka?

Keep Your Room in Japan Clutter-Free

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:24:00 +0000

We often fail to notice how much (useless) stuff we end up accumulating over the finite months that we stay in Japan. I used to be an exchange student for one year in Osaka, and I am still repelled by the fact that I had collected so much junk during the time. Most of the stuff was useless anyway.

So when it's finally time to leave Japan, reality hits us straight in the face. The dresser is bulging with UNIQLOthes, and the oshi-ire cluttered with books, DVDs, video games, miniature fountains, Buddha statues, toys, a takoyaki cooker, and a replica of Miyamoto Musashi's wooden sword. Are you really going to take everything with you?

You can, if you can afford to pay tens of thousands of ¥en to ship them back to your country. But do you really need to have all that stuff from Japan? I can't argue with you if you're a diehard collector of limited-edition Gundam figures, in which case you probably shouldn't be reading this post. But I learned that less is better.

I used to tuck away all my papers and kanji tests into a thick file—the f****r probably weighed 2 kg in the end. I also thought it nice to preserve my Japanese textbooks for memories' sake, and in case I would read them in the future. But when I decided to move out from the gaijin house, all chaos broke out. It was like a second big bang. Most of my belongings became mere obstacles. I was overwhelmed by the garbage monster.

And the longer you keep your junk collection the harder it gets to let go of it. So I'd advise to make it a habit to eliminate all useless things in your room on sight. Don't waste any time thinking whether or not to dispose of that perfume case or Gucci paper bag. It's all garbage. You won't miss it.

The philosophy of clutter-free life applies to short-term travelling as well. When I went to Ehime two weeks ago, I only took with me a small shoulder bag containing the bare necessities: a T-shirt, a fresh pair of socks, underwear, a plastic bag where I'd keep used clothes, a digital camera, my journal, and one book. It felt extremely good to be free of encumbering suitcases.

So I've recently made a commitment not to collect junk anymore. The only items that I'm allowing myself to hoard are books. I know it's dangerous, but collecting books is a dear hobby of mine, and I will courageously accept the final price of moving my library to another country. (Amazon.com's portable ebook reader Kindle is a compelling concept nonetheless.)

Clutter-free life is liberating! Try it.

What is a Good Trial English Lesson?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:38:00 +0000

Many foreigners staying in Japan have taken up private language tutoring as their part-time job due to the profits, convenience, and ease that it brings.

In May, I wrote a quick guide on how to start teaching English privately in Japan, but today I'm going to talk about trial lessons. A trial lesson is the very first lesson that you provide for a new student. It is like an introduction that will give your student an idea of what you do, how you carry out your lessons, and what kind of a person you are.

If your new student liked the first lesson she might start taking your lessons regularly, but if not, you might never hear from her again (except for a mannerly "Thank you for today's lesson. See you soon!")

So what makes a good trial lesson?

I've taken the habit of asking my regular students why they decided to choose me as their tutor. It's interesting to note how many people share similar opinions. Below, I've compiled a collection of ten principles, based on my experiences, to keep in mind when having trial lessons.

Principle #1 - Be fun to talk to

Make your students laugh! Try not to sound like an ex-pastor who teaches junior high school history at Higashi Yodogawa. Everyone wants to have a good time, so don't waste your time mimicking a Todai-educated politician. Tell interesting stories. Talk about your hometown. When you explain grammar, make fun and interesting examples. Be interested in the topics that you talk about. Smile often to create a warm atmosphere.

Principle #2 - Talk about your country

Students want to learn about other countries. Gaining knowledge about your country and hometown is more valuable to your students than hearing about Japan.

Principle #3 - Let your student talk

Don't sound like a broken radio. It's your student who needs to practice his conversational skills. Give him ample opportunities to express his thoughts, opinions, and questions. Japanese people often refrain from cutting in, so it is your job to control the conversations.

Principle #4 - Don't rely on textbooks or other material

Keep the lessons interactive. Students have chosen to take man-to-man lessons for a reason. They can study textbooks individually at home. They don't need a supervisor for that. Use secondary material merely as reference.

Principle #5 - Hear your student's wishes

Ask your student what she wants to study—and how. There's not much point in teaching the differences between Kiwi and Australian pronunciation if your student has no interest in it. If your student wants to improve her speaking skills, stick with free conversation.

Principle #6 - Leave time for questions and answers

At the end of the trial lesson (5-10min before finishing), let your student ask any questions that she may have.

Principle #7 - Avoid sudden time up

Don't just suddenly tell your student that the hour is up. Be flexible about time. Finish the lesson naturally (Principle #6). Before wrapping up, make sure that your student hasn't got any unanswered questions.

Principle #8 - Talk about the next lesson

If you don't mention the next lesson, your student might think that you don't want to teach him anymore. You should communicate to him that you look forward to teaching him again soon.

Principle #9 - Don't request money

Your student will most likely remember to pay you. If not, you can avoid asking directly for money by talking about the difference between your trial and regular lesson fees.

Principle #10 - Pay for your own drink

If you decide to teach in a café, you should pay for your own drink. You don't have to pay for your student's drink.

Now, I'd like hear your tips in the comments below...