Surviving in Japan: (without much Japanese)

3 Things for Spring

2013-03-13T07:31:00.003+09:00

Spring is upon us, more or less, and soon (if not already, wherever you might be) the sakura will be showing off their bright petals. And unfortunately, spring also means hay fever for many of us, and the obnoxious "yellow sand" (which I've heard has been particularly bad in places there recently). The posts below might help you find ways to help your poor sinuses, how to find a nice place to do hanami, and what you should know about yellow sand (and how to deal with it).

Happy Spring!

15 Ways to Survive Hay Fever Season
Some of these are ideas you're likely already familiar with, but some might surprise you.

And you might also want to check out HOW TO: Find Pollen Counts in Japan.

Yellow Sand in Japan - How does it affect you?
It dirties your laundry and can affect those with allergies or lung conditions, among other things. I've explained why you should know about it, how to check levels where you are (in English), and how you can protect yourself.

HOW TO: Find a good hanami spot (cherry blossom viewing)
It's well worth it to find the less crowded spots -- and of course you can also find beautiful places just by exploring the area where you live (recommended!), but you can look up spots to check out (in Japanese). Here's how to do that.

*********

HOW TO: Prepare for an Earthquake in Japan

2013-03-11T09:27:00.000+09:00

It's still March 10 here in the States, but it's March 11 now in Japan. I hope we can all take a moment to remember those who have been affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster and also support and help those still going through difficulties in any small way we can. Although my family has been going through a lot this past year, I feel it fades in comparison, and my mind sometimes goes back to that day and following weeks. It's not something I can forget. And my post last year at this time says it all really.

I do want to share today's guest post with you from WaNavi Japan. If you're living in Japan or planning to move there at any time in the future, I recommend preparing yourself (and family, if applicable) as much as possible. Have an emergency kit. Stock some dry food and lots of water. Know where to get information, especially if you don't understand Japanese, so you can protect yourself (and your family). WaNavi Japan explains more about all this below.

-Ashley

Everyone knows that Japan is an earthquake-prone country, but the events of March 2011 made it much more real for many of us living in Japan or considering a move to Japan. It’s easy to think that since you can’t predict when or where an earthquake will occur, or what damage will result, you can’t do much to prepare for one.

This is not the case.

We can learn how to be prepared by seeing how Japanese society prepares and educates their citizens to respond to earthquakes.

Disaster risk management includes both planning for and responding to disasters. In Japan planning starts early -- young children are educated about how important it is to stay safe. They learn to hide under a table or cover their heads when the shaking starts or when they hear an earthquake early warning alarm.

When you feel shaking, try to protect your head and stay calm. Once the shaking stops, you need to get accurate information and respond appropriately. The more you know about the information sources available to you and what information you need, the more likely you will be able to stay calm and make the best decisions about how to react.

Important Information and Communication Tools

1. Yurekuru Call is an app available for iPhone and Android that sends you a warning if an earthquake might occur in your registered location, which is part of the nationwide early warning system. Many Japanese telephones have this function already built into the phone, so it’s worth asking your mobile company about this if you decide not to go for a smartphone.

2. The Disaster Emergency Message Dial (171) is a voice message board for communication when a disaster such as an earthquake or volcanic eruption occurs and telephone traffic to the disaster-stricken area increases making it difficult to transmit calls. By entering your landline phone number as a pin code, you can leave a message on the system where other family members who share the same landline number can listen to your message and record theirs as well.

See this link for a helpful animation explaining how the system works. The system prompts are all in Japanese, but if you follow the steps you can still use this valuable tool even if you don’t understand Japanese. You can access the 171 system on the first and 15th of each month to practice. Set a date with your family and practice as soon as you can!

3. NHK television (Channel 1) is the best place to get fast, reliable, visual information on the location of an earthquake and whether a tsunami warning is in effect. Under the Broadcast Act, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) is obligated to broadcast early warning emergency reporting when natural disasters strike. NHK is able to source information from the Japan Meteorological Agency’s national network of seismometers and deliver information about the quake almost instantly.

The image above is an example of the type of information you would see on the screen if there is no risk of a tsunami. It includes details of the epicenter of the quake, the magnitude and the impact in each prefecture using the Japanese shindo scale.

The screenshot above shows that there is a risk of a tsunami coming and you should evacuate from low-lying areas near the water without delay. The map shows the affected area and the table shows the expected arrival time and projected height of the tsunami.

NHK World broadcasts in 18 different languages, so you can also seek information there, though it will not come through as quickly. You can access NHK World online here.

4. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) website is bilingual and has lots of information about earthquakes, tsunami warnings and typhoons, among other useful information.

5. English-speaking radio broadcast frequencies include Inter FM (76.1FM Tokyo, 76.5FM Yokohama), Eagle (810AM) and the bilingual format of NHK (693AM).

*************

Prior to or in the event of an earthquake, follow the steps below to reduce your risk of injury and improve your quality of life in the immediate aftermath.

10 Steps to Reduce Risk of Injury and Improve Quality of Life in an Earthquake's Aftermath

1. If possible, rent an apartment or house built after 1981 when the stricter building codes were established. The newer the better as a few amendments were made to the code in 2000 after analysis of the damage caused by the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

2. Know where your designated earthquake shelter is located. This may be important if your home becomes unlivable or you need to access supplies, such as food or drinking water. Ask at your local ward office for copies of bilingual evacuation maps and shelter locations. If you have any problems finding this information, feel free to contact WaNavi Japan for further assistance.

3. Choose a meeting place to reunite with your family and practice your home evacuation drill.

4. Walk your local neighborhood and locate public toilets and telephones.

5. Register for information alerts from your ward office and your country’s embassy.

6. If you have children attending school or child-care in Japan, know the school’s/care center’s emergency plan and how to make contact with your child’s teacher or caregiver.

7. Have multiple ways to contact your friends and family including home phone numbers (not just mobile/cell numbers). Connect on Facebook, Twitter or other online networks. Practice using the 171 system (available on the 1st and 15th of every month).

8. Stock up on supplies of essential food, medicine, drinking water and waste management tools. If water supply is affected then you might need to store lots of poop until services are re-established! See our resources page for a helpful checklist.

9. Pack an evacuation bag including cash, passports, essential medication, food, water and spare clothes for each member of your family. Ensure that you regularly change the clothes for the changing seasons and as the children grow.

10. Investigate ways you can secure furniture in your apartment to prevent it from falling during an earthquake. Your ward office may provide subsidies to offset the cost. A quick trip with a Japanese speaker to Tokyu Hands or a home store should have you on the right track. If you live in Tokyo, you can join WaNavi Japan on one of our regular escorted shopping tours.

At a minimum, you need to secure your refrigerator and any TVs or tall bookcases. Try to store heavy objects on lower shelves if possible. Do not place heavy paintings or mirrors above beds.

**********

Did you know that a magnitude 7.0 (or greater) earthquake could occur anywhere in Japan at anytime?

Japanese seismologists, like our advisor, Dr. Satoko Oki (Earthquake Research Institute, Tokyo University), work tirelessly to research and analyze various disaster scenarios and how they may impact people and life-sustaining infrastructure (such as water and electricity) in order to advise local and national governments on their disaster risk management plans. Detailed research is regularly carried out for scenario planning purposes (even more so since March 11), which highlights areas most at risk for damage from a tsunami, for example, and what the expected worst-case level of inundation from a tsunami would be in various locations.

All residents and institutions in Japan (including foreign-owned schools and companies) are expected to have made a reasonable effort to prepare for emergency situations. All people in Japan are encouraged to “save your life by yourself” (自分の命は自分で守る!) and to not depend too much on civic instructions (Source: http://readytokyo.com/).

To increase your earthquake literacy try to attend any briefings or workshops organized by your company, children’s school or community group, if available, or contact WaNavi Japan for details about how to organize one! You should also attend any local hands-on “simulation” events organized by your ward office. The local fire station usually co-plans these, ask about "bousai kunren" 防災訓練 (emergency drills).

Another important and potentially life saving step is to learn some basic Japanese words and phrases that may help you to respond correctly to instructions and requests from authorities.

Japanese	Hiragana	Romaji	English
地震	じしん	jishin	earthquake
震災	しんさい	shinsai	disaster caused by earthquake
震度	しんど	shindo	seismic scale
震源	しんげん	shingen	epicenter
津波	つなみ	tsunami	tsunami
避難	ひなん	hinan	evacuation
余震	よしん	yoshin	aftershock
避難してください	ひなんしてください	hinan shite kudasai	please evacuate
逃げてください	にげてください	nigete kudasai	please run away
隠れてください	かくれてください	kakurete kudasai	please take cover
離れてください	はなれてください	hanarete kudasai	please stay (move) away
出てください	でてください	dete kudasai	please go outside
出ないでください	でないでください	denaide kudasai	please do no go outside

WaNavi Japan has designed a “help-card” which is provided to our workshop participants and is available free for download from the resources section of our website. This contains all of the critical words and phrases listed above, as well as a reminder about how to use 171, areas to record important phone numbers and passport numbers and a space to draw a map of your local area. Please customize and store in your wallet, just in case!

In Japan, there is an old saying "備えあれば憂いなし, sonae areba urei nashi", which means, "be prepared and have no regrets". We hope you can start your preparations with our support, and if you have any questions please comment on this post or email us at wanavi.japan@gmail.com.

**********************************

WaNavi Japan is a nonprofit organization comprising professionals of multiple nationalities living in Japan. We provide international residents and their families with critical information and support to live comfortably and confidently in Japan through various services including workshops, networking, navigation, research, and consulting.

WaNavi Japan regularly runs earthquake preparation courses at various international schools, universities, embassies and corporate orientation events in Tokyo, Yokohama and surrounding areas. If you would like us to come to your school or office to discuss how we can tailor a course that meets the needs of your company, school or community group please contact us at wanavi.japan@gmail.com.

Thank You, Reverse Culture Shock, and A Call For Help

2013-03-11T05:50:00.002+09:00

Hello all! It's been a little while, and my family is now back in the U.S. after a whirlwind move from Japan. I've got business to still take care of here and elsewhere, but have been struggling with health problems, reverse culture shock and attempts to get settled back in the States, so I appreciate your understanding and patience.

So, first things first! I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the support, emotional and financial, the past few months. We wouldn't have been able to get by without your help, and it's brought me to tears more than once. I've learned a lot about community after living in Japan, and especially so after starting this blog. I feel like for the first time I've seen just how supportive, understanding and helpful people in a community want to be, instead of being motivated by (often unsaid) expectations and obligation. It's humbling to see how much you want to help and to feel how concerned and caring you are. Thank you for showing me this and for helping to take care of my family as we've made this transition.

On the way to Narita Airport, seeing Tokyo for the last time

I'm hoping as I have more time and energy I'll be able to go into this in more detail, but reverse culture shock has felt similar to me as it did when I first arrived in Japan. I notice all the new and exciting things, but at the same time am constantly overwhelmed with the number of options, and excess, here in the States. It's unsettling, and makes me miss, to some degree, having less options in Japan, because it made life more simple.

I've also been surprised by how casual people dress, although I'm from the northwest and I know it's not that way elsewhere in the country, but it's nearly the opposite of Japan: people out in grungy jeans, pajama pants, yoga pants, on a regular basis. Not everyone, but probably 75-80% of people. Plenty of people dress down in Japan too, especially depending on what part of Japan you live in, but more often than not when I went out people, particularly women, were dressed up. Neither is right or wrong, but just different and something I notice now that I never paid attention to in the past.

I bow constantly when apologizing, especially when driving. And then I remember to wave, although the person is probably gone by that point. I have the urge to use "sumimasen" at the grocery store instead of "excuse me". And as this is the west coast, occasionally I hear Japanese when out and about and get a bit excited, as if somehow it's a bit of "home" here at "home".

I feel like people talk to each other all the time here, and maybe I didn't notice it before, and though it happens in Japan too, it feels different too. We're in a smaller city, so that could also have something to do with it. The woman who told me her whole life story at Macy's a few weeks, despite the fact I was trying to hold and entertain a rambunctious toddler (I wasn't upset to listen to her story, but distracted on account of the toddler). Or the people who keep striking up conversation in public restrooms.

And though I'm excited to have a lot of things we can only easily get in the States, I miss so much about Japan. I'm sad that I'll be missing the hanami season this year. I scroll through my Japan pictures and find myself nostalgic and missing all the adventures we had, even close to home. And now we're here in western Washington where it's gray and drizzly all the time. Depressing. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we're back for different reasons, but doesn't mean I don't miss Japan.

Already missing the cherry blossoms...

We're still in limbo as my husband (David) looks for work, but we're hoping to get something figured out this month.

And now, a call for blog help! Many of you have expressed interest in writing, research, or other help for SiJ. If you're still interested, whether you've written me or not, David is going to be getting people organized into different roles. If you just want to write one post, that's fine, if you only want to help with research or translation, that's fine too. If you want to be a regular contributor, we'd love to have you. Or if you're willing to help with social media, marketing or just answering emails, these are all things I could use help with. We can't offer any monetary reimbursement, but I can say that it's a great way to network and help establish yourself if you're looking for a platform to do it on. It's brought me numerous opportunities since I started it a few years ago!

I was approached by several to buy SiJ and/or the content, but one thing became clear to me in all this -- I feel that I have started a basis for the community I wanted SiJ to be. And I want to continue that if possible. I don't think SiJ is mine; I really believe it's ours. Our community of knowledge and support. No conditions, no subscriptions, nothing like that. We just want to help out others through what we've gone through to help make expat life in Japan a little bit easier.

So if you'd like to be involved, please send David an email at david@survivingnjapan.com

That said, thank you so much. Thank you for blessing us, for being this community, and for reading. You've done so much for us, and we're so thankful. I wish the very best to each and every one of you!

When You're Suddenly Forced Out...

2013-01-03T22:29:00.002+09:00

I've been mulling this post over in my head for the past few days. Not sure what exactly to say, or how to say it.

So I'll be as honest as possible.

I mentioned in the last post that this has again been a great year of growth for Surviving in Japan, and it was exciting to see.

Except that I've been too burnt out and exhausted to enjoy it.

Some of you have asked me before how I do everything, and I always laugh and say I don't. Or if I do get things done, I'm not sure how. I've been dealing with culture shock, postpartum emotional/mental stuff, taking care of a spirited baby all day and working at night. Even if you love your work, and I love writing and blogging, going at this constant pace without any sort of break can really get to you. Not just mentally or emotionally, but physically as well, considering the fact I've been sick every two-three weeks since September.

This last week I got one of those nasty stomach flu bugs (as did husband and baby) and we were all puking and I couldn't move (literally) for two days. A few weeks ago I had bronchitis.

Along with all of this, our finances took a turn for the worse after moving. We haven't been able to cover all our needs, not without a credit card. We were doing all right before we moved, and though we didn't have extra money, we had enough for all of our needs. David took a pay cut with his new job, but we had worked out a budget. We knew it was going to be tight (rent was going up a decent amount), but we thought we could manage while I still worked part-time and tried to find some more freelance work.

In reality, the cost of utilities in our new city was exorbitantly more than our old city, which we weren't expecting. We thought it might go up a little, but, for example, water in our old city was 2000-3000 yen every two months, whereas in our new city it has been 15,000 yen a month, and we use the same amount of water as before (we're conservative with water).

So, with all this in mind, plus a few other things, David and I explored all of our options, including him finding a new, better-paying job and me getting more writing work I can do at home. But teaching jobs just don't pay well in Japan, and there's not much else David could do to get us a salary we need. And my body continues to tell me I'm doing too much, no matter how hard I try to do more and help out our family.

So we looked at the last option that we hadn't been considering at all: moving back to the US.

We had wanted to stay in Japan for a while. It feels like home here in a lot of ways. We haven't been wanting to go back to the States (although after having a baby, I had been thinking more and more how nice it would be to have family and friends, support, around). But the more we talked and thought about it, the more we realized it's the best option for us at this point. We need a fresh start and a way to get ourselves out of this financial hole we're in.

And we're leaving January 30th. It's sudden, I know. I'm not prepared for it at all, emotionally, or in general (so much packing and getting rid of things to do!). And it's going to cost us quite a bit to get out of here, but in the long run it'll be cheaper than staying here.

What about Surviving in Japan? I'm not sure. I don't want to shut it down or anything like that. I would love to keep it going somehow, although right now I need to step back from it a bit and breathe. I need to rest. I have a guest post to put up this month along with a few other posts, but I'll be doing that along with regular work and trying to take care of our moving checklist.

However, I don't like to think of Surviving in Japan as "mine", but rather ours. Yours and mine and anyone who's an expat in Japan.

So if you have ideas on what we might be able to do with SiJ, I'm all ears. I've considered continuing to write content, but I'm not sure how often I'll be able to, as I'll be starting some new projects and also, of course, won't be living in Japan. I've also considered seeing if someone might be willing to act as editor/main writer, or to see if anyone wants to regularly contribute content, but at this point in time I can't pay anyone. I would love to hear your thoughts. I want to keep SiJ around and maintain its level of high-quality content.

All that said, I want to say how grateful I am for how supportive you have been over these past few years. Thank you for reading, for sharing all of your ideas, offering support and encouragement, and for sharing SiJ with people you know. You regularly put a smile on my face and even bring me to tears to think of how much you care, through your comments, emails, tweets, etc. It means more than you'll ever know. And it has kept me going through many of the difficult times I've had this year. So, thank you.

********

Some of you have asked if there is a way you can help out, which has truly humbled me and made me realize in a new way the depth of love and kindness and generosity. I write Surviving in Japan because I want to help -- that has always been the core reason why I do this. I have never written content and expected anything in return. I don't believe something is a gift if you expect or ask for something back.

That said, and I'm hesitant to write this, but because a few people have asked, one of the many wonderful friends I've made from SiJ, Kimberly, has generously set up an account with GoFundMe for my family. You can find that here, with information about our situation.

Also, if you're in or near Shizuoka and want to buy some stuff or take it off our hands, we're having a sayonara sale. I've added some of our items but have a lot more to add in the coming days. See the album on Facebook here.

Surviving in Japan's Top Posts of 2012

2013-01-02T20:10:00.005+09:00

Happy New Year! 明けましておめでとうございます！

Surviving in Japan had another huge year of growth, including getting over 1 million pageviews since I started it a couple years ago (over half of those this year), which surprised me considering I was juggling not only that, but my other writing work, a baby, moving, some emotional stuff, and just trying to keep our clothes clean and the crumbs and dust bunnies under control. It's been a difficult year, which I'll go into in another post, but today I'd just like to share the top posts of 2012.

1. Japan Goggles translates kanji from images
This one remains constantly steady as the most popular month after month, and sure, it's good to know, but not one I would consider to be one of the top ones.

2. Moving to Japan? Read this first
Another stayer in the top.

3. Cherry Blossom Blooming Forecast 2012
For obvious reasons.

4. A Guide to Birth Control Pills in Japan
Always useful.

5. How to Do a Furikomi (Bank Transfer)
Another one constantly at the top.

6. The Ultimate Guide to Reading Food Labels
One I think everyone should read when they first arrive in Japan, even if you know a good amount of Japanese.

7. How to Transfer Money To and From Japan
Guest blogger Peter helped out with this one, and it's very useful if you need to send money around.

8. How to Prevent and Kill Cockroaches
Because they're disgusting. And fast. And for some reason so ridiculously hard to kill.

9. How to Find Good Deodorant in Japan
It's not impossible like some seem to think, although it seems like since I wrote this more and more people have been coming around to Japanese personal care products.

10. Make Life Easy - 8 Tools for Surviving in Japan
Something I wrote a couple years ago and would probably change a bit now, but still some good stuff.

And some of my favorite posts from last year:

1. The Low Point of Culture Shock
I was honest with you with what I've been dealing with, and you wrapped me in kindness with your responses. Thank you.

2. HOW TO: Heat Your Home (and Stay Warm) in Japan This Winter
Lots of info about heaters and heating devices here. Worth reading if you want to stay warm!

3. Ultimate Guide to Baby Products in Japan - Part 1
Stuff I learned searching for and buying the essentials. Also includes a list of stores, online and off.

4. HOW TO: End Your Battle With Mold in the Bathroom
It's Japan, and the mold gets bad here. Here's how to cope with the stuff growing in your bathroom.

5. 24 Handy Resources for Traveling in Japan
A collection of posts, but certainly all worth reading if you plan to travel in/to Japan.

6. Where to Find Tall and Plus Size Clothing in Japan
A list of stores around the country that might have some options for you if you find regular Japanese sizes a bit too small/tight/short/etc.

7. Spices and Herbs in Japan
Some people say it's hard to find spices and herbs in Japan, but I mostly disagree, though there are a few that are a little harder to find.

8. HOW TO: Upload and Print a Document at 7-11 and Circle K in Japan
I remember a few people telling me that this post was pointless, but considering I still regularly receive comments thanking me for writing it, I'm glad I always do what I think someone might want or need.

9. A Guide to Convenience Store Copy, Print, and Fax Services in Japan
All of it's there for you in one post.

10. HOW TO: Print in Japan Without Owning a Printer
Goes along with the former two.

*******

Well, that's about it for 2012! What were your favorite SiJ posts from last year?

Japan Post to Ship Electronics with Lithium Ion Batteries Starting 2013

2012-12-17T21:19:00.001+09:00

Shipping electronics with lithium ion batteries from Japan is a pain, to put it simply. You, as of now, essentially have two options, FedEx or DHL, which I explained in more detail in how to ship electronics with lithium ion batteries from Japan. This all came about when I tried to send an old laptop to my sister in the States and the post office, after accepting it initially, later called us and said we couldn't send the computer unless we took the battery out.

However, good news! Starting January 1, 2013, Japan Post will allow you to send electronics with lithium ion and lithium polymer batteries, as long as they meet certain requirements.

Batteries must be in or attached to an electronic device (e.g. in a camera, or connected to a laptop, etc.) -- batteries cannot be packaged separately/by themselves, even if they're a spare.

Cell-type batteries (cylinders) must be less than 20 watts a piece.

Other batteries (usually rectangular), must be less than 100 watts and must have the wattage labeled on the outside of the battery/device. For reference, a Macbook Pro's battery is 60 watts.

You can't send damaged batteries or anything that might catch fire.

Batteries can't weigh more than 5 kilograms.

You can't send more than four cell-type batteries in one package. For example, if one camera has one battery inside it, you can send up to four of those cameras. If a camera has two of those batteries in it, you can only send two cameras.

You can't send more than two other batteries (again, usually rectangular) per package. So if you want to send a video camera and a laptop that both use these types of batteries, you can send those two items together. If you have a laptop, video camera and a DSLR with this type of battery, you can only send two of those items in a package.

Please see the Japan Post website for the official press release and detailed information (unfortunately all in Japanese) about this. The detailed document has a list of countries that lithium ion and polymer batteries can be sent to, via air (first column) or sea (second column).

I think this is a great development, especially considering how expensive it is to ship electronics with lithium batteries via FedEx and DHL. I only wish they would have implemented this earlier this year!

Many thanks to Tim for the heads up.

HOW TO: Find Natural Food in Japan

2012-12-11T22:01:00.000+09:00

If you've been following Surviving in Japan for a while, you've probably seen me mention places to find certain health-related items, such as natural and organic food and such. iHerb is one of my personal favorites, but some things can't be imported to Japan, such as almonds and chia seeds.

I've attempted to list several places you can find these items (yes, almonds! yes, chia seeds! yes, hemp seeds! yes, raw food!) in Japan in the Metropolis article I've linked to below. If there's anything in particular you want to find, let us know.

Wholesome Holiday: Find your natural foods this Christmas | Metropolis Magazine

Summary of stores to find natural and health food items:

iHerb*
Tengu Natural Foods
Kenko
Amazon Japan
Lohas
Ohtsuya
Living Life Marketplace
Hemp Kitchen - for hemp items
Cocowell - for coconut items
Natural House - also has actual stores around Japan
Pro Foods
Natshell

iHerb is an affiliate link, but you get a USD$5-10 discount if you use it (from their advertising budget). I highly recommend iHerb for natural foods, health products, vitamins, supplements, and more. I've used them since my first year in Japan over four years ago and they've been a wonderful resource.

7 Useful Resources for Winter and the Holidays in Japan

2012-12-08T21:08:00.002+09:00

It's freeeeezing cold here in Shizuoka city today, and those winter winds I hate so much are back in full force as well. It's interesting to watch the clothes you hand outside blow sideways... And hope that you've tied everything down well enough so you won't lose anything (we've had several years of practice now).

So as we move into mid-December, meaning Christmas and New Year's are on their way, and then the coldest months of January and February, I thought I'd pull out some posts that might be useful this time of year.

1. Where to Find "Illuminations" (Christmas/Holiday Lights) in Japan

Light displays in Japan can be pretty spectacular. You'll probably see basic ones while out and about but I recommend going to a larger one if you can. Last year we went to Gotenba, Shizuoka to see the light tunnel (pictured above). The screenshots in the post are outdated, but the sites are laid out essentially the same, so it's still helpful for those of you who want to find a place to go and can't read Japanese.

2. Resources for a Very Merry Christmas in Japan

Looking for holiday decor? Food? Cards? This post has you covered.

3. HOW TO: Find a Christmas tree in Japan

Self-explanatory. Muji is also renting out live trees this year for those in certain areas of the Kanto region -- you have until tomorrow to reserve one!

4. 24 Ways to Stay Warm in Japan This Winter

Whether home or out and about, you'll find plenty of ideas in this post to stay warm.

5. 8 ways to winterize your Japanese apartment (or house)

Bubble wrap your windows (or the entire frame), hang up some thick blankets, and get some insulation tape! I know many, if not most of you, live in cold, drafty homes, so this post might come in handy.

6. HOW TO: Heat Your Home (and Stay Warm) in Japan This Winter

Everything you need to know about heaters in Japan and heating your home, including popular models.

7. HOW TO: Customize Your Drinks at Starbucks or Tully's in Japan

For the times you stop for a hot ~~expensive~~ beverage...

What You Should Know When Signing Up for Softbank

2012-12-06T21:28:00.002+09:00

If you have, or have had, a contract with Softbank (one of the main mobile carriers in Japan), you may have experienced Softbank's seemingly differing policies. (This may be the case at the other carriers as well, although I've heard less about them in this regard, so please let me know if you have a story to share.)

For my latest column, I spent about two months(!) trying to clarify some of Softbank's official policies regarding making a contract, as people have been told all sorts of things by different Softbank stores. As you can read in the column, they did give me some answers, but the whole process was incredibly confusing and frustrating. I've not really had much to complain about in regards to Softbank before, and I really wanted to try to clear up any misunderstandings for both sides. However, after numerous phone conversations and an exceptionally long thread of emails, I'm not 100% sure what they told me is actually their "official policy" (in fact, they said they couldn't give me anything in writing with these "policies").

And I'll be honest, after all this, I'm considering switching carriers. I also don't like that they won't reveal what they actually check when they run the ID process. Is it really a secret?

You can read the column for yourself and feel free to share your experience with Softbank, or any other carrier, whether positive or negative, in the comments below. I'd love to hear about other carriers and it'd be interested to see how many SiJ readers have had positive or negative experiences getting a cell phone in Japan.

Softbank's policies on foreign customers hard to pin down | Japan Times

Thanks to SiJ's Sponsor: The H&R Group

2012-11-27T22:42:00.005+09:00

As you may know, Surviving in Japan functions from my research, experiences and free time; your support, ideas, guest posts, and feedback; and, more recently, kind sponsors. Today I'd like to introduce The H&R Group, Surviving in Japan's current sponsor.

The H&R Group offers a variety of real estate, relocation and life-enrichment services to ensure smooth transitions for expats in Japan, particularly for those of you moving to or living in Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya. And they help not only assignees and their families, but also the companies they work for.

For a better idea of what services they provide, The H&R Group family consists of:

Japan Home Search

An extensive English real estate and apartment listings site to help you find the perfect home when relocating or moving to Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya. (And it's not that easy to find and rent an apartment in Japan - if you can't speak Japanese or don't have a friend who can help you get through most of the process, it's probably better to find an English-speaking real estate agent.)

Relo Japan

They offer personalized and cost effective relocation services in Japan with a wide range of support, including home search, short and long term accommodation, immigration assistance, and more.

Lease Japan

Provides leasing and sales of new and used cars, as well as a large selection of household appliances and furniture.

Japan Driver's License

Learn about converting your foreign driver’s license to a Japanese driver’s license. Use our tools and free information to help you pass the written and driving test.

Japan Residence

For those of you living in or moving to Nagoya, they offer apartments with the furnished comforts of home and the services of a hotel. For short or long term stays.

Japan Info Swap

Japan Info Swap provides a wealth of information about living in Tokyo, Nagoya, and throughout Japan in an easily accessible online community. The provide answers to frequently asked questions through their blog, X-Pat Files newsletter and free ebook about living in Japan.

They're ready to help you and your family make your transition to Japan easier, so if you need some assistance in any of these areas, please check out The H&R Group!

Buying a Used Car in Japan - What You Need to Know

2012-11-22T19:30:00.000+09:00

Today's post comes from David Ainley of Motovique. Motovique is a privately owned business helping private individuals looking to buy and sell their vehicles at a fair price, or simply assist sellers to transfer the title on their cars with ease. They also offer free resources for the international community over on their blog.

The cost of buying a used car in Japan. Infographic by Motovique.

With some three million used cars sold annually in Japan, the vast number of vehicles available to buyers can be confusing. Whilst the level of courtesy and service offered is generally of a high-standard, the processes involved in buying a used car in Japan can be confusing. While cars seem relatively cheap in Japan, buyers need to be prudent in their search, as vehicles listed at dealerships and online can be misleading.

How much is the annual automobile tax?

Simply put, automobile tax is based on the engine size of a given vehicle, allocated in increments of 500cc. As part of the registration process, the vehicle owners' details will be withheld by the local tax authority and accordingly billed every year in the month of April, with full payment required before the 31st of May. Amounts payable are further highlighted on the infographic.

With the exemption of kei cars, automobile tax is payable on a sliding scale if purchased after April.

Factors involved for calculating acquisition tax

Acquisition tax is a prefectural tax assigned for the construction and maintenance of the local road infrastructure, levied on buyers of new and used cars under the age of six (6) years old that exceed an acquired value of JPY500,000. It's important to remember that the acquired value of a used car under six years old is not equal to the purchase value.

The acquired value is actually based upon the cars grade and specifications from new, amortized over the six year period using the sample formula below.

Our sample above uses a 2010 Fiat 500 1.4 Sport as an example, priced at JPY2,430,000 new at the time of initial registration. The acquired value is therefore calculated as shown in figure (a), which is then multiplied by 0.05, and rounded up to the nearest thousand to calculate the actual cost of acquisition tax.

NB: Values defined by an asterisk (*) differ depending on the year of registration.

Applicable Fees for recycling cars

Since the introduction of the recycle law in January 2005, every registered vehicle must possess a recycle certificate, in which owners pre-pay a determined fee for disposal (shredding) of vehicles upon the end of their service life. The amount largely depends on the volume of disposable properties, and is paid in advance by each new owner, before the transfer of any given vehicle.

When is weight tax payable, and how much is it?

Based on the given curb weight (highlighted on the shaken certificate) in increments of 500kg, weight tax is payable at the time of shaken renewal only. Some sellers may ask new buyers to pay a proportion of the amount remaining, however this is not necessary - unless the car requires the shaken be renewed.

With regards to price, the new system, introduced in May 2012, splits vehicles into four main categories:

JPY0 ~ JPY5,000 / 0.5 tonnes for eco cars -- those exceeding certain emission standards

JPY8,200 / 0.5 tonnes for non-eco cars under 13 years of age
JPY10,000 / 0.5 tonnes for non-eco cars exceeding 13 years of age
JPY12,600 / 0.5 tonnes for non-eco cars exceeding 18 years of age

Source: mlit.go.jp

What is compulsory insurance?

Compulsory insurance is a legal requirement, giving basic cover to drivers in the event a third-party suffers an injury at the hands of the driver. This insurance policy is set to cover the term of the shaken (24mths) and is currently priced at JPY24,950.

Other miscellaneous costs that increase the total expenditure

Other costs typically associated with the purchase of a used car, include but are not limited to the following; fees may differ substantially depending on the service provider:

Where should one buy a used car from?

There is no definitive answer to this, as each individual has different needs. The Japanese traditionally tend to favour their local branded dealership, building up a relationship that lasts many years, while those in the foreign community often prefer to purchase direct, utilising the experience of an agent to purchase cars direct from auction.

Purchasing through your local dealer

Benefits

The ability to view cars in person,
The ability to negotiate on the price of the vehicle,
The ability to include optional extras (e.g. maintenance) into the deal,
The ability to obtain a warranty for the vehicle
The ability to obtain a loan

Disadvantages

Inability to check the vehicles history,
Inflated prices,
Limitations associated with the warranty,
Inability for [some] foreign citizens to obtain a loan on vehicles
Japanese may be required for negotiations

Purchasing direct from auction

Benefits

Detailed history of each vehicle including accident history,
Utilising experienced buyers to assess each prospective car,
Potential to pocket substantial savings by purchasing at wholesale prices,
The ability to choose from tens of thousands of vehicles every week,
Agents available in your native language

Disadvantages

Inability to view vehicles in person,
Cash payments only accepted (no loans),
Vehicle notification to turnover is exceptionally quick (about 48hrs),
The time taken to source a specific model can take some time,
Vehicles are purchased as described (no return policy)

The Private market
While the private market in Japan is under developed, there are a select few avenues through which private owners can buy and sell vehicles receiving substantially higher returns than the standard trade-in offered at the dealers. It's also worth noting that payment of consumption tax is not required when a sale is made between two private individuals.

*******

If you've bought a used car in Japan, how did you go about it? Any recommendations or suggestions for others considering buying a used car here?

26 Fun and Useful Japan Links - Nov 20

2012-11-20T22:30:00.001+09:00

Oooooo, it's illumination time!

Happy Fall and Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. Here's another round of plenty of fun links, plus quite a few useful and informative ones. Enjoy!

Living in Japan

Splitting up: 50-50 is default when dividing assets at divorce | Japan Times

Safecast iOS app | Japan Pulse - A useful app for checking radiation levels (reports submitted by users)

Active faults found under Nagoya | Japan Times - Apparently they just discovered these, which surprised me. Really? Just found them?

Edy accounts now chargeable directly from personal bank accounts | Japan Today

Encephalitis vaccine deemed safe; no link found to deaths | Japan Times

Yearly Warm Biz campaign on to cut heat use | Japan Times - In four years, this is the first year I've heard of "Warm Biz", at least in an blatant way.

Fair trade slowly catching on here | Japan Times - Yay!

Japan to see normal to above-average temperatures this winter | Japan Today - This gives me hope...

Understanding your ambulance | Alice Gordenker - Some useful phrases when you're driving/walking/cycling and an ambulance passes through:

From Portable Toilets to Fake Eyelashes: A Guide to Japan’s Awesome 100 Yen Shops | RocketNews24

Nearly half of Japan's doctors in poor health or worried about physical, mental state: survey | Japan Times

Food

How to find a turkey in Japan | Cooking In Japan - Go find a bird if you want one. Yoyo Market also has them.

Return of Cinnabon | Metropolis - This made me excited and sick at the same time... And gave me the urge to brush my teeth.

McDonald’s Japan to Close 110 Stores, Expand Home Delivery Service in 2013 | RocketNews24

Eating on Trains in Japan: Survey Asks “How Much is Too Much?” | RocketNews24 - What do you think? What's your stance on eating in public, or on trains or buses?

Kenchinjiru Recipe | No Recipes - A vegan Japanese soup

How To Eat Like A Buddhist Monk, Part 4: Get Cooking! | Tofugu

Kabocha Squash Pie with Spiced Crust - I haven't tried this yet, but looks pretty good and doesn't require adapting a pumpkin pie recipe to use kabocha.

Yoyo Market now has Reeses Pieces

If you live in an area with a Domino's Pizza, they're doing their crazy discounts again for folks who meet certain criteria, such as: if you're wearing your hair in pigtails, if you have a mustache or beard, or if you're wearing 80s-style clothes, among other things.

Travel and Recreation

Tokyo Skytree to be open on New Year's Day for 1,000 sunrise viewers | Japan Times

Disney’s Dreamland Illuminations in Harajuku Light up Your World, You Won’t Want to Go Home | RocketNews24

Tech

World’s First 3D Printing Photo Booth to Open in Japan | Spoon & Tamago

Airport pickup SIM cards available | Japan Times

New Game Launched for Learning About Okinawa while Driving Electric Vehicle | Japan for Sustainability

Need gloves you can use with your smartphone? You don't need to buy new ones with this product. But it's also not to hard to find touchscreen gloves. Some local stores, Loft, and Muji, among other places, have them. Muji's are fairly inexpensive.

HOW TO: Search for an Apartment in Japan - Part 2

2012-11-18T22:32:00.001+09:00

We're finally back with part two on how to find an apartment in Japan. In part one, we discussed ways to find apartment rental listings and real estate agents and gave you some helpful search words. Today, we're going to walk you through how to use Suumo, which is one of the Japanese apartment listings sites we listed in part one. As to be expected, each site is different, but most of the vocab below should be helpful when searching online in Japanese.

How to Use Apartment Search Sites - Suumo

1. Go to Suumo's site.

2. Choose the region you'll be moving to.

3. Make sure you're looking at rentals (賃貸), as some sites will want you to choose what exactly you're looking for, whether buying or renting.

4. Choose how you want to search, perhaps by train line or area, commute time, map, road map, rent, or real estate office. If you know some Japanese, you can also search using keywords.

5. For this example, I chose to search by area (エリア) in Aichi prefecture (愛知県). As you can see below, a list of cities (and wards in Nagoya city) appear. I'll click the box next to any of the cities or wards I want to search in. After that, click the blue button at the bottom of the page. (If you click on the city or ward name, rather than check the box next to it, it will go straight to the results for that location.)

However, if you want to choose other options first, scroll down the page before clicking the blue button (see second image below).

As you can see below, you can choose any options or preferences (although the less you choose, the more listings you'll see, which is good to keep in mind for smaller cities).

Once you've chosen your desired preferences, click the blue button at the bottom.

6. The next page shows the results. If you didn't set any preferences on the previous page, you can adjust them in the left sidebar below.

As you browse through the listings, you can select and deselect various options in the left sidebar to change or narrow the listings you see. For example, if you want an apartment with parking, check the box next to "駐車場あり". For this section (and on other sites as well), here are some words to know:

Japanese	Hiragana	Romaji	English
賃料	ちんりょう	chinryou	rent
下限	かげん	kagen	lower limit
上限	じょうげん	jyougen	upper limit
管理費	かんりひ	kanri hi	management fee
共益費	きょうえきひ	kyoueki hi	community fee
込み	こみ	komi	included
礼金	れいきん	reikin	key money
敷金／保証金	しききん／ほしょうきん	shikikin / hoshoukin	safety deposit
なし	ー	nashi	none
間取りタイプ	まどりタイプ	madoritaipu	unit layout
建物	たてもの	tatemono	building
種類	しゅるい	shurui	type
駅までの徒歩分数	えきまでのとほふんすう	ekimadeno tohofunsuu	walking distance from nearest train station
以内	いない	inai	within
指定しない	していしない	sitei sinai	no preference
専有面積	せんゆうめんせき	senyuu menseki	area
築年数	ちくねんすう	chikunensuu	age of building
こだわり条件	こだわりじょうけん	kodawarijyouken	preferences
駐車場あり	ちゅうしゃじょうあり	chuusyajyouari	has parking
バス　トイレ別	ばす　といれべつ	basu toire betsu	separate bath and toilet
ペット相談	ぺっとそうだん	petto soudan	open to discussion regarding pets
2階以上住戸	２かいいじょうじゅうこ	2kaiijyou jyuuko	unit on the 2nd floor or above
室内洗濯機場所	しつないせんたくきばしょ	sitsunai senntakuki basyo	location for washing machine indoors
エアコン付	えあこんつき	eakon tsuki	air conditioner included
オートロック	ー	o-torokku	automatic locks
フローリング	ー	furo-ringu	wood (or hard) flooring
間取り付き	まどりつき	madori tsuki	floor plan included
物件動画付き	ぶっけんどうがつき	bukken douga tsuki	video of building included

7. The following image is an example listing. You can see an image of the apartment in the far left column, followed by the location, distance to train station or bus stop, monthly rent plus additional fees, key money and safety deposit, size, which direction it faces, what type of building it is and how old it is. You might see an area (such as in the yellow box in the image below) describing what pictures are available for the unit or house. To see the listing, click the address link (in blue) or the image.

8. The following image will be at the top of a listing's page, with essentially the same information as the previous page.

9. There are three tabs below the top part of the listing page. The first (which should appear by default) is the unit information, followed by neighborhood information and finally the real estate office info.

10. If you scroll down the apartment information page, you'll see a section with specifics about the place (what's included and other details). Next is a summary of info such as transportation, layout, the floor it's on in the building (if applicable), when you can move in, damage insurance, building structure, age of building, parking, conditions, number of windows, nearby stores and others. Included info will vary by listing.

11. The second tab lists general info about the neighborhood, such as the closest supermarkets, convenience stores and other important facilities.

12. The final tab lists info about the real estate office.

13. If you're interested in the apartment, you can make an inquiry directly from the page (translations for the input fields below) or you can contact the real estate office directly if you prefer.

Other Words to Know

As you begin your online search, or even if a real estate agent is looking for you and they send you apartment information in Japanese, you might also find some of the following words and phrases useful (in addition to the ones above). (This isn't a comprehensive list.)

Japanese	Hiragana	Romaji	English
バルコニー	-	barukonii	balcony
ガスコンロ対応	かすこんろたいおう	gasukonro taiou	can use gas stoves
クロゼット	-	kurozetto	closet
シャワー付き洗面台	しゃわーつきせんめんだい	shawaa tsuki senmendai	bathroom sink with shower nozzle
TVインターホン	TVいんたーほん	TV intaahon	door intercom with camera
オートロック	-	ootorokku	automatic locks
陽当たり良好	ようあたりりょうこう	youatari ryoukou	good sunlight
シューズボックス	-	shuuzu bokkusu	shoe cupboard/cabinet
システムキッチン	-	shisutemu kicchin	system kitchen
南向き	みなみむき	minami muki	southward facing
追焚機能浴室	おいたききのうよくしつ	oitaki kinou yokusitsu	bath that is able to reheat water
脱衣所	だついじょ	datsuijyo	changing room (space outside of bath area to "change clothes" - may have sink area)
洗面所独立	せんめんじょどくりつ	senmenjyo dokuritsu	standalone sink
洗面化粧台	せんめんけしょうだい	senmen keshoudai	sink with makeup stand
２口コンロ	にぐちこんろ	niguchi konro	supplementary insurance
駐輪場	ちゅうりんじょう	Chuurinjyou	bicycle parking
CATV	-	-	cable TV
即入室可	そくにゅうしつか	soku nyuusitsu ka	immediate move-in possible
３口以上コンロ	さんぐちいじょうこんろ	sanguchi ijyou konro	three or more gas nozzles
対面式キッチン	ふたいほけん	taimensiki kicchin	open kitchen
全居室洋室	ぜんきょしつようしつ	zenkyositsu yousitsu	all western rooms (no tatami)
保証人不要	ほしょうにんふよう	hoshounin fuyou	guarantor not required
単身者相談	たんしんしゃそうだん	tanshinsya soudan	single people OK to discuss renting (e.g. for a family-sized apartment)
CATVインターネット	CATVいんたーねっと	CATV intaanetto	cable internet
二人入室相談	ふたりにゅうしつそうだん	futari nyuusitsu soudan	two people ok to discuss renting (non-family members)
全居室フローリング	ぜんきょしつふろーりんぐ	zenkyositsu furooringu	all rooms wood flooring
２面バルコニー	にめんばるこにー	nimen barukonii	balcony on two sides
敷金２ヶ月	しききんにかげつ	shikikin nikagetsu	safety deposit is two months rent
緑豊かな住宅地	みどりゆたかなじゅうたくち	midori yutakana jyuutakuchi	area has lots of greenery
外壁コンクリート	がいへきこんくりいと	gaiheki konkuriito	outer building structure is concrete
クロゼット２ヶ所	くろぜっとにかしょ	kurozetto nikasho	two closets (in a room)
ルームシェア相談	るーむしぇあそうだん	ruumushea soudan	room sharing open for discussion
南面リビング	なんめんりびんぐ	nanmen ribingu	living room on South side
学生相談	がくせいそうだん	gakusei soudan	students OK to discuss renting
バス2路線	ばすにろせん	basu nirosen	two bus lines nearby
敷地内ゴミ置き場	ちきちないごみおきば	shikichinai gomiokiba	on-site garbage collection area
平面駐車場	へいめんちゅうしゃじょう	heimen chuushajyou	ground floor parking lot
LDK１２量以上	LDKじゅうにりょういじょう	LDK jyuuniryou ijyou	LDK is 12 tatami mats or more
洗面所のドア	せんめんじょのどあ	senmenjyo no doa	bath area has a door
南面バルコニー	なんめんばるこにー	nanmen barukonii	balcony on the South side
礼金１ヶ月	れいきんいっかげつ	reikin ikkagetsu	key money is one month's rent
保証会社利用可	ほしょうかいしゃりようか	hoshougaisha riyou ka	OK to use a guarantor company
通風良好	つうふうりょうこう	tsuufuu ryoukou	good air circulation

Hopefully this will get you started with your apartment hunt, but remember that you can also ask a real estate agent to search for you, and in major cities you might be able to find a real estate agency that offers services in English if you can't speak Japanese. For example, Surviving in Japan's current sponsor, the H&R Group, can help you find a place to live in Tokyo, Nagoya or Osaka. See part one for more.

Many thanks to David Thompson (husband) for doing the translations for this post!

*****

This post was brought to you by Surviving in Japan's November sponsor, Japan Home Search, a service provided by the H&R Group and one of the most extensive English real estate and apartment listings in Japan to help you find the perfect home when relocating or moving to Tokyo, Osaka, or Nagoya.

Starting a Business in Japan: Mister Softee [Interview]

2012-11-13T21:30:00.000+09:00

Today I'm happy to introduce entrepreneur Andrea Fisher, who, aside from creating her own line of stylish flute bags and previously running a fleet of soft cream trucks driven by women, has now brought her soft serve franchise to Japan. She shares with us the process of starting a business here, the difficulties involved, and why she chose Japan.

Ashley: First of all, would you tell us about yourself, what you do, and how long you’ve been in Japan?

Andrea: I was one of, if not the first, female ice cream truck driver in New York City before everyone else with college degrees started jumping on and opening food trucks. I drove and worked a Mister Softee truck initially as a summer job after graduating from Juilliard. I loved it so much, I then expanded to operate a fleet of over 20 female drivers over a period of five years.

However, I'm actually a professional flutist! I have two degrees from Juilliard and I also play keyboards and produce music (played on tour with John Legend and I'm on his Once Again album/DVD, produced two tracks for 50 Cent on his Curtis album and for a movie). I've been performing a fair amount since I've been in Japan while working on Mister Softee, although it wasn't my intention. I did my debut show here at the Apple Store in April and I've been gigging around town since then. I just returned from Fukushima, playing a concert at Fukushima Music Hall and giving workshops for Junior High flute students organized by the Tokyo American Club.

I also have my own line of fashionable flute bags called Fluterscooter (my artist name) that I started a year and a half ago; now I have 20 dealers on four continents. In Tokyo they are sold at Yamano Music in Ginza.

I came to Tokyo in February, so I've been here for eight months.

Editor's note: You can read more about Andrea on www.fluterscooter.com.

Ashley: You brought Mister Softee (an American soft cream brand) to Japan this year -- what inspired you to do this?

Andrea: I often came to Japan in the summers for various music performances and festivals, and I thought the kawaii Mister Softee character along with the fun and yummy menu would appeal to the Japanese. Plus, NYC has unfortunately been cracking down on food trucks and I thought it was finally time to realize my Softee dream in Japan! I've tried much of the "soft cream" here and was disappointed that it was not as creamy and sweet as the types I've had in the States. Much of the soft cream here doesn't even have milk in it!

Ashley: What difficulties did you experience bringing Mister Softee to Japan? How did you overcome them?

Andrea: We had to develop a menu unique to Japan, because after some market research, the standard American flavors of Vanilla and Chocolate just aren't enough for Japan! We had the opportunity to open in Omotesando's fashionable Gyre building, co-branding with Japanese luxury sweets brand, Cafe Siry, which has a full coffee, beauty juice, and champagne bar. Many customers enjoy not only the ice cream, but being able to sit down for some coffee and drinks with it as well. And we modified our menu to include original blended soft-serve flavors and special "beauty" ice cream (see below for what this is).

Ashley: From your experience in the US and now Japan, what are the biggest differences you have noticed between the two countries in starting and running a business?

Andrea: In Japan, starting a business as a mobile truck isn't a viable business model as Mister Softee is in the States, so we're starting with storefronts first. I wanted to have a truck right in front of 109 in Shibuya, but there are street and parking restrictions, and mobile trucks that process and sell dairy aren't actually legal anywhere in Tokyo.

Ashley: How open do you think Japan is to entrepreneurs from abroad wanting to set up shop here?

Andrea: I'm lucky to have a business partner who's been here for a long time -- a veteran in the food and beverage business here -- and speaks perfect Japanese. Initially, in NYC, I went to Jetro to ask for their advice on how to start this up. They said it's next to impossible without a Japanese partner. I met my business partner and co-owner of Mister Softee Japan, Warren Wadud (owner of Nirvana NY Indian restaurant in Midtown and brought over Bubby's recently) while I was here on tour last summer by luck. Some NYC musician friends knew him and said he might be interested in helping me make this project a reality, and said to look him up. We've been working at it since February and finally made it a reality!

Ashley: What advice would you offer to someone considering starting a business or franchise in Japan?

Andrea: Do your research. It will take longer than you think! If you can't speak Japanese, find a partner who does.

Ashley: To whet our appetites, what soft cream flavors can we expect to get at Mister Softee in Japan? What’s the most popular flavor so far?

Andrea: We have over 30 special blended soft-serve flavors like American Apple Pie, Black Sesame, Banana/Choco, Baileys/Coffee Bean, and even Wasabi! We offer six soft-serve flavors every week and rotate flavors weekly.

However, we also have a "secret menu", so if you don't see what you want on the menu, just ask! The most popular by far is our Frosted Flakes soft-serve -- it's crushed Frosted Flakes blended into the vanilla ice cream, so it's creamy and crunchy (left image below). American Apple Pie is also a favorite, which is vanilla soft serve blended with apple jam, crushed graham crackers, and cinnamon. One of my favorites is actually a Japanese flavor, Kinako Kuromitsu.

Now, here's the really "Japanese" thing: we have a special ice cream called "Matcha Magic", which is also known as the "Ninja Turtle." We make matcha soft-serve from fresh matcha powder and add Suppon Hachimitsu as a topping, which is turtle collagen honey. So this exclusive menu item is not only oishii but great for your skin.

At this first location in Gyre, we are not a standalone store, but co-branded with Cafe Siry, who produces and sells the special Suppon Hachimitsu. We also do an Avocado Maple soft-serve and a Cactus puree topping over vanilla, which are both on the beauty side of things.

Of course, we have the traditional American menu of the classic Mister Softee chocolate dip and rainbow sprinkle cones. We'll be adding shakes and sundaes to the menu.

Ashley: Many thanks for your time, Andrea, and we wish you and Mister Softee all the best!

You can find Mister Softee at Gyre Building (Omotesando) B1 in Cafe Siry. 5-10-1 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0001 -- next to Cat Street and Meiji-Jingumae station

Or online via their website, Facebook or Twitter.

HOW TO: Heat Your Home (and Stay Warm) in Japan This Winter

2012-11-11T20:57:00.000+09:00

Original photo via manicstreetpreacher, design, editing and text by me.

Winter in (most of) Japan can be cold. And not just in the mountains of central Japan or Hokkaido as you would expect, but even coastal climate areas like where I live here in Shizuoka. It may not typically snow here, but the wind is strong and biting.

Well, obviously, it's cold. It's winter. And I'm a wimp when it comes to cold.

However.

Many homes in Japan are not insulated well and don't have double-paned windows, although this is changing with newer structures. Despite that, there's a good chance many of you live in a drafty apartment or house.

That said, there are some ways you can winterize your Japanese dwelling, but if you're on the hunt for a decent heater, you'll find several options below, depending on your preferences and budget. (I've previously written a guide to heaters in Japan, but expanded a bit in today's post.)

Before we get into that, I saw this useful poster at an electronics store that lists different heaters in the far left column and a few characteristics in the other three columns.

The second column lists average costs to run (per hour), which is a good reference point, but there are definitely exceptions, on both the high and low end. According to the poster, an air conditioner running on the heating function at 1000 watts in a six to seven tatami-sized room costs approximately 15 yen an hour, whereas an oil heater, gas fan heater and kerosene fan heater cost 29 yen/hour and up.

Under the spot heating devices, a kotatsu and a hot carpet are the cheapest to run at 3.5 yen and 6.5 yen an hour, respectively (wattage indicated in small parentheses under each device), while the other heaters cost above 18 yen/hour to run. But remember, these are just examples and do not represent all models. More energy efficient heaters are usually indicated by 省エネ.

The second two columns indicate 暖房スピード (how fast they heat up) and 手軽さ (how easy they are to use). More on all that below.

I've listed two bestsellers (from kakaku.com, a ranking site) of each heater type, for your general reference or if you're wondering what model to get. Note that the rankings may have changed since the day I checked each (sort by clicking on the 売れ筋 column). At the end of this post is a list of ten bestselling heaters, among all types but not including air conditioners.

If you want to heat an entire room

The following heaters will warm up a room (in most cases), as opposed to space heaters, which are best for heating you and small areas (more on those below).

Air Conditioner

エアコン

Pros	Cons
Can heat an entire room (the size designated on the model in tatami mats)	Can be expensive to run if you have an older model and/or use it all the time
Newer, energy-saving models are often cheaper to run constantly than space heaters	Extremely expensive to buy (30,000 - 40,000 yen and up)
Heats up fast (depending on model)	-

Best-selling air conditioner models on Kakaku (as of Nov. 9, 2012):

Keep in mind you'll want to make sure, if you do get an air conditioner, that it's large enough to heat the space you have, as the following two models are for smaller spaces.

パナソニック CS-222CF-W - Heats a five tatami-sized room if in wooden structure or six tatami-sized room in concrete building.
ダイキン S22NTES-W - Heats the same space as above.

Oil Heater　

オイルヒーター

Pros	Cons
Can heat an entire room	Slow to heat up
Can move around (though they are heavy, but have wheels)	Expensive to run (15 to 35 yen an hour, depending on model and wattage used)

Best-selling oil heaters according to Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

デロンギドラゴンデジタルスマート TDDS0915BL
デロンギドラゴンデジタル TDD0915W

Kerosene Fan Heater　

石油ファンヒーター

The word for actual kerosene is actually 灯油 (とうゆ, touyu), rather than 石油.

Pros	Cons
Can be cheap to run (depends on model and cost of kerosene)	Can be expensive to run (depends on model and cost of kerosene)
Heats up fast	Requires leaving window open and regularly airing out the space to use
-	-

Best-selling kerosene fan heaters on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

ダイニチ FW-568L-W
ダイニチ FW-328S-S

Kerosene Stove

石油ストーブ

Pros and cons are similar to the kerosene fan heater above.

Best-selling kerosene stoves on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

トヨトミ RB-25C
日本エー・アイ・シーアラジンブルーフレーム BF3905

Gas Fan Heater　

ガスファンヒーター

Pros	Cons
Can heat up an entire room	Can be expensive to run (depends on model and cost of gas)
Heats up fast	Requires leaving window open and regularly airing out the space to use
-	Expensive to buy

Best-selling gas fan heaters on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

東京ガス RN-C250XFH-WH
東京ガス NR-B950FH

If you want to spot heat

The following heaters are generally not capable of heating up an entire room. From experience, I know a ceramic fan heater can warm up an insulated room (with the door shut) to some extent, but not as effectively as an air conditioner or oil heater. They do work well for small areas though, such as bathrooms.

Also remember that the wattage each of these uses varies depending on the size and model. So a max 300 watts heater will use less energy and thus be cheaper to run than a heater running at 1200 watts, although it likely won't be as warm. Electronics stores usually list the wattage and other specs on labels next to the prices, and many often include how much they cost to operate per hour. So it's a good idea to browse through an electronics store before you purchase a heater, even if you plan to order one online (for a better deal or for other reasons).

I've listed different space heaters below with pros and cons, but quickly, I want to share the following poster that I thought was a bit helpful in terms of highlighting pros and cons for a few popular space heaters. The three types of heaters compared in the picture include oil heaters (オイルヒーター), ceramic heater (セラミックヒーター), and electric stoves (電気ストーブ), which includes infrared and carbon heaters. Five stars is excellent, and one star is poor.

The categories in the far left column are:

経済性 (けいざいせい, keizaisei, how economical it is)
速暖性 (そくだんせい, sokudansei, how fast it heats up)
全体暖房 (ぜんたいだんぼう, zentaidanbou, how well it heats a room)
部分暖房 (ぶぶんだんぼう, bubundanbou, how well it spot heats)
安全性 (あんぜんせい, anzensei, how safe it is)

Ceramic Fan Heater　

セラミックファンヒーター

Pros	Cons
Heats up fast	Can be expensive to run
Easy to move around	Can only heat up small areas
Inexpensive to buy	-

Best-selling ceramic fan heaters on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

パナソニック DS-FKX1203-S
シャープ HX-B120-W

(Far) Infrared Stove / Heater

遠赤外線ストーブ
遠赤外線ヒーター

Pros	Cons
Heats up fast, but heats you from the inside	Can be expensive to run
Inexpensive to buy	Doesn't heat up space
Easy to move around	-

Best-selling infrared heaters on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

コロナコアヒート DH-1112R
コロナコアヒートスリム DH-912R

Carbon Heater　

カーボンヒーター

Carbon heaters are a type of infrared heater, but they use a carbon filament, which heats up almost instantly. We owned one and found it to be energy-efficient and kept me nice and toasty, although this was pre-baby.

Pros	Cons
Heats up in two seconds	Doesn't really heat up space (heats you or objects)
Inexpensive to buy	Can be somewhat expensive to run, depending on model (some models are energy efficient and cost next to nothing to run)
Easy to move around	-

Best-selling carbon heaters on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

コイズミ KKS-0612/G
YAMAZEN DC-S093

Halogen Heater　

ハロゲンヒーター

Pros	Cons
Inexpensive to buy	Have to replace lamps every four years or so
Heats up fast (depending on model)	Extremely expensive to buy (¥30,000 - 40,000 and up)
	-

Best-selling halogen heaters on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

テクノス PH-1211
日立 HLH-104

Hot Carpet　

ホットカーペット

Pros	Cons
Cheap to run	Only heats the part of you touching the carpet
Easy to move around	Some higher-quality models are more expensive to buy (10,000 to 20,000 yen and up)
Can be inexpensive to buy (some around 5000 yen)	-

Best-selling hot carpets on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

テクノス TWA-2000B
パナソニック DC-2NHA1-P

Kotatsu　

こたつ

Slip your feet under this table and keep nice and toasty warm. They're nice, although personally I don't like the rest of me being cold while part of me is warm so it really depends on what you like/don't like and your cold tolerance. The blanket, which goes directly under the tabletop so it sits between two panels, is sold separately (or you could use a thick blanket you might already have).

Pros	Cons
Cheap to run	Only heats area under blanket (the rest of you might get cold)

Best-selling kotatsu models on Kakaku (as of Nov. 8, 2012):

ゼピール DK-K7511-LG
コイズミ KTR-3214

Best Selling Heaters According to Kakaku

as of Nov. 9, 2012
Air conditioners, hot carpets, and kotatsu are not included.

1. Corona Core Heat (Infrared)
コロナコアヒート DH-1112R

2. Corona Core Heat Slim (Infrared)
コロナコアヒートスリム DH-912R

3. Delonghi Dragon Digital Smart (Oil Heater)
デロンギドラゴンデジタルスマート TDDS0915BL

4. Panasonic (Ceramic Heater)
パナソニックDS-FKX1203-S

5. Dainichi
ダイニチ FW-568L-W (Kerosene Fan Heater)

6. Toyotomi
トヨトミ RB-25C (Kerosene Stove)

7. Japan A.M.C. Aladdin Blue Frame (Kerosene Stove)
日本エー・アイ・シーアラジンブルーフレーム BF3905

8. Sharp (Humidifier / Ceramic Heater)
シャープ HX-B120-W

9. Dyson Hot + Cool Fan Heater AM04 ファンヒーター

10. Panasonic (Ceramic Heater)
パナソニックDS-F1202

Looking for more options? Try reading this guide to heaters in Japan for some info on panel heaters and electric blankets. You might also try looking for an electric foot warmer or using a large heating water bottle (湯たんぽ, ゆたんぽ, yutanpo).

Those of you who've survived one or more winters in Japan, what type of heating has worked the best for you?

HOW TO: Travel From Narita Airport to Tokyo With a Bicycle

2012-11-05T21:29:00.001+09:00

Today's post comes from Byron Kidd of Tokyo by Bike. Byron covers anything and everything related to cycling in Tokyo as well as other parts of Japan and Asia, so I highly recommend following his stuff if you're a cyclist or would like to know more about it as it pertains to Japan. -Ashley

Bicycle in a bike bag on a train in Japan. Photo by mumblion

A question I'm asked time and time again is:

"Upon arriving in Japan, how can I transport my bicycle from Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo?"

Of course, you could ride, but after a long flight I doubt you'd be alert nor energetic enough to navigate the 76km from Narita Airport to central Tokyo. It's an option if you're up for the challenge but not one I'd recommend if this is your first trip to Tokyo.
JR East's Narita Express train runs between Narita Airport and major metropolitan stations including Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. Depending on your destination, ticket prices vary from 3,000 to 4,500 yen and the trip takes about 55 minutes to Tokyo Station.

At the rear of each passenger carriage on the Narita Express is a space for storing luggage, and behind the very last row of passenger seats there is enough space to stow a bicycle. Japan Rail rules state that a bicycle must be covered in order to be taken on a train and this applies to most trains around the country. Given you've just arrived in Japan it is safe to assume that your bicycle is already boxed or bagged so you're good to go*.

While the Narita Express is fast and efficient, the departure platform is many levels below the airport's arrival gates so be prepared to haul your luggage and bicycle a long, long way.

Another option at your disposal is the luxurious-sounding Limousine Bus service. As with the Narita Express, Limousine buses operate between Narita Airport and major stations and hotels in Tokyo. Depending upon traffic the trip to Tokyo Station can take anywhere between 75 and 130 minutes and most tickets are around 3,000 yen.

Limousine Bus tickets can be purchased right outside the arrival gates at Narita Airport, and buses also depart from directly in front of the terminal building on the same level as the arrivals hall (meaning no long walk with your luggage and bicycle). Staff will stow your bicycle in luggage space underneath the bus, leaving you free to enjoy the journey into Tokyo. While the Limousine Bus trip does take longer than the Narita Express, you do get to see much more of the city from high up in a bus on an expressway than on the Narita Express which travels mostly at, or under, ground level.

Narita is, as one would expect, also serviced by a number of taxi companies, but a ride to Tokyo will set you back anywhere between 15,000 and 26,000 yen depending on your destination in Tokyo, so for most of us that's not an option worth considering.

If you really feel like splashing out, you could take a helicopter from Narita Airport to Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, which costs 50,000 yen per passenger one way, but I doubt they'll transport your bicycle.

If you're not in a hurry, I'd recommend the Limosuine Bus service for its convenient boarding and disembarking locations, trouble-free storage for bicycles, and the scenic value of the ride into the city atop the expressway.

For more information, including current prices and timetables, please visit the Narita Express or Limousine Bus websites (English available).

****

*Editor's note: If you're in Japan and plan to travel around with a bicycle, you can find bike bags at sports stores or bicycle shops, or online. Make sure you get one that fits your bike!

You can find more Japan cycling information on Tokyo by Bike and you can follow Byron on Facebook and Twitter.

HOW TO: Deal With the Low Point of Culture Shock [Your Advice]

2012-10-31T23:06:00.003+09:00

You know what? You are awesome. When I wrote that post about my low point of culture shock, I had no idea what kind of response I would get. It scared me to be that vulnerable and honest, even though I felt it was something I needed to write. But the comments poured in. And the emails. You offered wisdom and advice, and some of you said you've been feeling the same.

From my heart, thank you.

Lately I often feel so disconnected from "home" and the relationships there, but your kindness reminds me that I have meaningful connections here, and that no matter what, I'm not alone. Your kind words and shared stories have helped me much more than I could say.

And, many of you said it sounded like more than just culture shock, and how I've been feeling is certainly is more than just that (I often seem to experience more than one thing at a time, annoyingly). But as I've analyzed and separated them out, it was so strange for me to realize that this low point just appeared earlier this year, even though it didn't really a couple years ago when I was dealing with labrynthitis.

Since I wrote that post I do think things have been looking up a bit (aside from the lack of sleep and having a baby and too much work). Now I only hope I get through winter without being too affected by SAD...

And I know I still owe some of you an email or comment response. I promise I'm not ignoring anyone; I try to write meaningful responses and I have far too much on my plate at the moment. But please know that I thank you for writing or commenting, and that I will make my best effort to get back to you if I haven't already.

That said, I'd like to share some of the advice you offered in terms of dealing with culture shock. For anyone reading, not all of it may apply or help you, but there are a lot of good ideas and you might find something that could help in your situation.

*****

From one mom to another, may I recommend that you take up a class or other regularly scheduled event sans baby? I take yoga once a week at the local community center with a bunch of old ladies. There’s not a lot of chatting during class (which is relaxing) and my teacher is extremely soothing (which is even more relaxing). It’s such a minor thing, but having just a little time for myself makes such a big difference. -pnksweater

Maybe you should join some expat groups, or make friends with Japanese moms who have been abroad, who are interested in the US, maybe if you talk to them about home, that will help you feel closer. I know it helped me to talk in my mother tongue to some friends, and I now know I should also have made contact with some kind of group of Japanese people, even if at the moment I hated being around them, loathed to speak the language, in the long run, this is what helps with feeling integrated in the culture.. I know it is SO hard, and the "kawaiii"s and such standardized responses often don't help you to feel the connection on a personal level, but if you stick it out with a group, it will happen after a while. You will start to feel like you belong. - Krisztina Furdui

I do find getting out and doing my own thing is extremely important though. Stuff I do completely by myself which I love doing and has helped immensely. -Rohan

Honey, I've been living in Japan for 23 years, and I'm still in a state of culture shock! I don't think it ever really goes away. I think what you need to ask yourself is, "do the highs outweigh the lows?" and if the answer is no (which it never has been for me) then you need to reconsider, and do it fast while your options are open.
Might I suggest that you are more open about your frame of mind with your Japanese female friends (leaving out the I-hate-Japan-irrationally stuff, they won't get that) and tell them that you miss the level of support that they - and you - would normally expect from having family around. As an example, point out that on significant milestones, such as giving birth, starting school, getting married, etc, most people can count on getting both financial and practical support from their families. However, you have access to none of these things, and it's very hard for you to cope sometimes. My Japanese friends were astonished when I pointed this out to them, it had never occurred to them before. -Miko

One of the most important things to do is to make friends with other moms in your area, especially young Japanese moms and stay-at-home moms who've had kids, who will have all sorts of information on raising kids in the area, will have up-to-date info and gossip on all the area schools, and know of low cost activities for kids etc. Knowing Japanese really helps but isn't necessary. In Tokyo at least, Jidokan are great (kids centers, usually with weekly activities for each age) then later yochien (pre-school) or hoikuen (day care). We even made some great friends by taking my kid to a local "English Class" for babies. Although it was a little strange to be attending being a native English speaker myself, if you are less comfortable with Japanese that can be a great way to meet local moms are interested in other cultures and/or can speak English. -Almost 4

Is a small Asian vacation out of the question? Korea is so close and yet so different from Japan that it's also able to give me perspective, plus you could do all sorts of relaxing things for much cheaper than in Japan.
If a vacation is completely out of the question...massages have been wonderful for me. I have some reoccurring back pain and it helps with that too, but the relaxation aspect of it also means that things that annoy me don't annoy me as much right afterward. Some places take insurance, especially if they're geared toward eliminating pain, but even the relaxation places you can often get coupons for on sites like Hot Pepper Beauty. Other friends like going to onsen and exercise, either group or individual. -Maha

For me, visiting HOME (The U.S.) regularly (2X/yr) has been a huge help. Now, going back and forth, it's just life: not life in Japan or life in the U.S., just life. It's taken a while - been here 22 years. I know it doesn't help to hear anyone say it, but ride it out. Maybe also helpful to look carefully at which "problem areas" are Japan-related and which might be something else, then look at which things can be "fixed" and which things need to get accepted or worked around. -tonyinosaka

*****

You can find all of the comments above plus more here.

If you have other advice for dealing with culture shock (the low points) - let us know!

22 Japan Links Worth Reading - Oct 28

2012-10-28T14:35:00.003+09:00

Another week, another set of links. (Some of the food ones are especially yummy.)

Have a great week! -Ashley

Living in Japan

Japan to see normal to above-average temperatures this winter | Japan Today - This gives me hope...

No takers for free legal consultants at Haneda | Japan Times - This surprised me; why wouldn't people want to take advantage of free legal advice? I get emails about stuff all the time. Or have there really been no problems at Haneda lately?

Japan falls to 101st place in gender equality rankings | Japan Times - This is just sad.

Japanese government radiation monitoring posts not showing reality: Greenpeace | Japan Times

Creating Happier Communities: 22 Local Governments in Japan Preparing a "Happiness Index" | Japan for Sustainability

Major Japanese Internet Shopping Website Launches Sale of Low-Price Solar Panels for Home Use | Japan for Sustainability

Tokyo Public Law Office opens consultancy designed for foreigners | Japan Times - So if you're in or near Tokyo and have legal questions, go! Ask real lawyers!

Gap and Banana Republic in Japan now offer online shopping. It'd be nice if they added Old Navy too...

Our daily motivational pep session [for women] | Japan Times - An interesting piece on the home obligations of Japanese women and how difficult it is to forge a different path.

Getting a Credit Card in Japan - Poll Results

2012-10-22T22:55:00.003+09:00

You may recall a post I did a little while back about how to find a credit card in Japan with a poll for those who have a card or have tried to get a card. I've finally summed up the poll responses and have shared them below. Just over 100 people responded, but I deleted several because of missing information or the respondent hadn't actually ever tried to get a credit card.

While this is an informal poll and, of course, does not explain all situations, whether personal or those reflective of a credit card company, some of the information may be of use to those hoping to get a credit card in Japan.

Out of 86 responses, 61.6% percent said they do have a Japanese credit card, and 38.4% do not, though they have applied at least once, as indicated below.

Those who have at least one Japanese credit card have lived in Japan varying lengths of time, with most of the respondents having been here between three and five years (30.2%), although the 5-10 years and 10-15 years categories aren't too far behind (22.6% and 18.9%, respectively). Comparatively, more non-credit card holders have lived in Japan for one to two years (33.3%), versus the 17% of credit card holders, as you can see below. The 10-15 years category is missing from the latter chart because it was not chosen by any respondents.

How long did card holders live in Japan before they were approved for a credit card? Interestingly, it was relatively even between the less than 1 year, 1-2 years and 3-5 years categories (27.5%, 29.4% and 25.5%). So, though most card holders have lived in Japan for more than three to five years, it seems that many of them were able to get a card not too long after arriving.

Let's look at job type and income. Credit card holders in Japan, according to this poll, are mostly teachers at private schools or eikaiwa (conversation schools), but then again, I wouldn't be suprised if a good majority of expats in Japan have these types jobs, so this may be due more to that than their job type influencing whether they got a card or not. Otherwise, teaching in public schools was the next most common, followed by engineering and business. The "Other" category includes jobs that only received one response, such as Medical/Healthcare or Public Relations.

For non-card holders, I was surprised to see that the "Freelance/Self-Employed" category was the most popular (and I would guess might appear a bit more risky to some credit card companies, but not necessarily in all cases). The "Other" category includes, again, any job type that received just one response.

Card holders' average monthly income varied, as I expected, but the two largest categories -- more than half of respondents -- include anyone who makes somewhere between 200,000 yen and 400,000 yen a month, as you can see below.

Non-card holders' average monthly income is actually mostly similar to those who have a Japanese credit card, so it doesn't seem -- according to this survey anyway, as I'm sure it varies -- that income plays a large role on whether you can get a credit card in Japan or not.

The most popular credit cards expats were able to get include (each received at least four responses, but often more):

Citibank
JCB
Rakuten Card
SMBC Visa
Mitsui Sumitomo Visa
MUFG

A few people were able to get one (or more) of the following cards:

JAL
ANA
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
Marui
Saison

Some folks said they were able to get regional cards, debit-type cards, and different JR cards (J-West, Express Card JR Tokai).

Card applications most commonly rejected were from the following companies (each received at least three responses):

Japan Post Bank
Rakuten
Shinsei Bank
Mitsui Sumitomo Visa
Mizuho

Honorable mentions for card application rejections include Tsutaya, ANA, MUFG, Saison, and several regional/local/store-specific cards.

Many of you shared your experiences getting a credit card in Japan, several of which I've posted below.

Some of your experiences getting, or not getting, a credit card through your bank:

"I tried asking at my local bank branch and flat-out was told that I can't get a credit card as I am a foreigner. But, sending in the application direct to the bank a few months later, no problems at all!"

"It was very easy and I didn't speak or write Japanese at that time, but one of the bank employees translated and even filled out the form for me. But keep in mind that this was in 2003, I'm half-japanese and the bank personel knew my mother."

"Went to bank for a new cash card. The gave me a credit card instead."

"My visa is connected to my bank account. My Japanese husband was with me and mostly filled out the paperwork. I had already had another account with that bank for over five years."

"I applied right after arriving in Japan because the bank suggested it, though I knew I would be rejected. And I was. But I was told that if I tried after living in Japan with a steady job and residence for a year I would be fine."

Though the post office seems infamous, at least from this poll, for rejecting applications, one person wrote:

"I didn't actually apply for or even request my card. I went into the post office bank to update my address after moving house and they said, 'since we have to issue a new ATM card anyway, why don't we just make it a credit card?' After hearing a lot of stories about people getting rejected by half a dozen companies before managing to get a card it was a bit of a surprise!"

However, someone else said:

"I knew I wouldn't be accepted but the second time (with JP bank) they really insisted on my applying. I don't really need a card so didn't try anymore."

Visas may make a difference for some:

"My friend had to ask his employer to call the bank to force them to give him a card... although he had a permanent (engineer consultant) position and was in Japan for more than 5 years at the time."

"My Japanese wife is not working and got a Rakuten credit card based on my income and my bank account. Myself, who is the account holder and who gets the monthly pension from the European Union in my Japanese account have been refused by Rakuten."

"I am on a five-year visa but I have been flat out denied for every credit card I've applied for, and I've been told this is because of my visa status, because I have a non-resident visa. So I'd advise people to ask someone if their visa will allow them to get a Japanese credit card before they waste their time like I did! I couldn't even get an iPhone from Softbank because of this (unless I bought it outright, no monthly payments were possible)."

Then there's card-specific issues. A lot of people might have success with one type of card, but then just as many people might be rejected.

"Getting the JAL Card was an ordeal. Getting the Marui and Yodobashi Camera cards was very easy. No effort."

"I tried a lot of cards in the first three months I was here. I heard from another foreigner at my job that she was able to get one after being in Japan for six months. I was accepted for the first card I applied for when I tried after being here for six months. I also heard it's easier to get a card from your bank (which is what I did). Some places (like Marui) rejected me just because I couldn't speak Japanese."

So what's the easy answer? I'm not sure there is one, as it seems credit card companies or banks often make decisions arbitrarily. A job with steady income and a longer visa might be all you need to get a credit card in Japan at a lot of places, although a couple students said their applications were successful. Applying to several different places, even more than once, might result in success. Or, even if you're turned down for a card, you might be approved if you reapply in a few weeks or months.

My husband, an English teacher at public schools for the past five years, applied for a few cards this summer in the midst of our moving and was approved for the Rakuten card, a local card and a JR card. He was turned down for the popular Life visa card. He applied for all of them online.

I know some of you have mentioned being turned down for short visas or not being able to speak Japanese -- has anyone else inquired as to why they may have been turned down?

Do you have any other tips or experiences to share in regards to getting a credit card in Japan?

Also, learn how to find a credit card in this post, and how to apply for one online.

Many thanks to all of you who responded to the poll!

Q&A: Tips for Buying Tickets to a Musical in Japan?

2012-10-12T21:26:00.001+09:00

Q: What is the best way to purchase tickets to musicals here in Tokyo? Was hoping to get tickets to Chicago, but it looks like every performance sold out quick. Thanks!

- April

A: I've never been to a musical in Japan, in Tokyo or elsewhere, so if any you have, what's your best ticket-buying advice? Is it similar to buying tickets for other types of shows/events? I'll add your answers to the post. -Ashley

Looking for a Pet-friendly Apartment in Japan? Here are 7 Things You Should Know

2012-10-09T22:00:00.000+09:00

Editor's note: Have pets? Planning a move in Japan? If so, Stephanie in Kanagawa has some very useful info to share in today's guest post. It's definitely not easy, as Stephanie will explain, but with a few tips hopefully you'll be able to navigate the process more smoothly! - Ashley

Moving in Japan is never easy or fun, but moving in Japan with pets is a challenge, even for the Japanese. We recently moved with two cats from Tokyo to Kanagawa and I hope our experiences will help anyone else in a similar situation.

1. Don’t rely on the apartment hunting websites

The first place we go when looking for a new apartment in Japan is the rental websites. My husband and I did a search and got our hopes up – 1,578 hits for the type of apartment we want –all “pet soudan” ペット相談- pet-negotiable!! Then, we visited the local real estate agent and learned that by “pet-negotiable”, it might actually mean:

1) Triple key money, triple deposit (which has the special clause of being non-refundable, so that’s key money, really), or a large increase in the monthly rent.
2) One small dog only.
3) Only non-dog or non-cat pets (which our real estate agent couldn’t figure out, because they also refused ferrets, birds, and fish. Cockroaches, anyone?)

So, we discovered that the best source for pet-okay apartments is a local real estate agent in the area you want to move to.

2. No landlord really wants pets

Why do landlords allow pets? I assure you that it is not (in nearly all cases) out of the goodness of their hearts. While many landlords may be animal lovers, they don’t necessarily love your animals. What we were told by every real estate agent we visited is that landlords only allow pets when they have to.

Old apartments far from the station are often pet-friendly. If an apartment is new and near the station, you should do a lot of research. Like our last apartment, it could be that the insulation is terrible and your electricity bill will be insane. It could be really bad neighbors or a bad neighborhood. It could be a cockroach infestation or lots of ongoing construction. Or you could just be extremely fortunate and have found a landlord who really does love all animals!

But also realize that the close-knit landlord community passes around many urban legends about pets. You might get asked questions that seem a little strange – like if your cat likes to scratch walls or if your pet stays in a cage all day when you’re not at home.

3. Know what you are willing to negotiate on

Sure, everyone wants to live as close to the station as possible – to have a great view, to have good sun and access to restaurants, grocery stores, and hospitals. But with pets, you will have to compromise. I knew I did NOT want tatami and being near grocery stores was extremely important for me. But distance to the station and age of the apartment were not important.

Also, we initially planned on only going so far away from Tokyo, but we realized after two and a half months of not being able to find a single decent apartment that we would have to look further out. And when you do find an apartment that accepts pets, make several trips to the apartment at different times of the day to make sure it isn’t too loud or bright.

4. Make sure you have a good vet within walking distance

This is only applicable if you don’t have a car. One thing I have discovered to my chagrin is that it is really not okay to take your cats to the vet by bus or train.

My cats, at least, hate being in the cage of terror anyway and they are very vocal. After we moved, we had to take our older cat to the new vet, who suggested we bring her by bus. So, we got onto the bus and sat down. There are always screaming children on the bus, so what’s the harm of a screaming cat, right? WRONG! The hateful glares and shushing noises we got quickly let us know that cats are not children and that we should get off the bus as soon as possible – like NOW! Fortunately, our new vet is just within walking distance, so we’re still able to get veterinary care for our cats.

5. Don’t get discouraged

We were really discouraged before we finally found a real estate agent who was willing to help us. Actually, the realtor who “helped” us just before we found our guy told us not to bother moving as no one would rent to someone with two cats. But we decided to try one more realtor that day and hit the jackpot. He sat down and called every single pet-negotiable listing he had. He negotiated and wheedled until he found us about 10 places that were okay with two cats, then we chose the ones that we found acceptable. So, keep looking for a realtor until you find one who is on your side.

6. Don’t lie

If you have two or more pets, be honest about that fact. You may believe that your landlord will never find out, but if a disaster happens like the Great Tohoku Earthquake, your landlord has the right to enter your apartment even if you are not there, as long as they give you notification. If your landlord finds out you are harboring an illegal pet, you can be kicked out. The best you can hope for is not getting your deposit returned.

7. Make arrangements for moving your pets

Some moving companies will offer to move your pets for you, but it is an additional fee. You can also opt to move them yourself using public transportation, but I don’t recommend that because most pets will already be extremely stressed by the move. We had a friend who was kind enough to drive our cats to our new apartment, so that is a great idea if that’s an option for you.

And in the end… relax and enjoy your new home with your pets!

****

Have you moved in Japan with a pet or two? Do you have any additional advice to share?

Stephanie lives in Kanagawa with her two cats and blogs at Tokyo Veggie Blog.

22 Fun and Informative Japan Links From the Past 2 Weeks - Oct 7

2012-10-07T21:38:00.005+09:00

Another two weeks, another round of Japan links! We've got mostly fun stuff today, plus a lot of foodie goodness. Must be because Fall is the season for eating...

Living in Japan

Police mull mandatory safety training for unsafe bicyclists | Japan Times - Whether for or against this, I honestly think something needs to be done about all the kids who constantly ignore the rules and cause, or nearly cause, accidents on a regular basis.

Fukushima offers free medical care for children under 18 | Japan Today

Hottest September in 110 years | Japan Times - And boy was I glad that it was!

Affordable Custom Made Shoes from KiBERA | RocketNews24 - This seems like a good service, although they only do (women's) sizes from 22 to 25 cm, unfortunately.

Travel

Random patdowns begin at 30 int'l airports in Japan | Japan Today

Japan Wheelchair Travel Journal - One person's experience getting around parts of Japan in a wheelchair.

Festival of Light: Experiencing the Nebuta Matsuri | Nippon.com

Tokyo Station celebrates major renovation through large-scale projection mapping (video below) | Spoon & Tamago - This is so cool.

Food

The Proper Use of Chopsticks, It’s Never Too Late to Change Bad Hashi Holding Habits! | RocketNews24 - Do you use chopsticks properly?

Chicken Teriyaki Recipe (Pan-fried) | No Recipes

How To Eat Like A Japanese Buddhist Monk, Part 1: What Is Shojin Ryori? | Tofugu

Cesium contamination in food appears to be on wane | Japan Times - Let's hope so!

Starbucks Espresso Journey in Harajuku Provides Unique Coffee Experience at World’s First Starbucks Pop-up Store | RocketNews24

Also in recent food news: Burger King is hoping to encourage sales by offering a black burger, called the Kuro Burger (kuro means black in Japanese), basically with bamboo charcoal to darken the bun. And speaking of black, a lot of tea farmers in Japan are switching from green tea to black tea, due to weakening sales of the former. Surprising to me a little, considering how healthy green tea is... (and delicious!)

And for Halloween, you've probably been seeing seasonal-themed goods everywhere, including Baskin Robbins and Mister Donut (I love the honey pumpkin old-fashioned donut! So good). And you might even come across some Palmer's Halloween peanut butter cups, like I did.

Tech

鉄道Now is a neat, potentially train map, which I saw on Facebook via Japanzine, who said it was real-time, but as it turned out, is not. It's based on the scheduled times, but it's still fun to watch the trains travel around. Apologies to those of you who took it be real-time because of my Twitter/Facebook shares; I was so excited about all the moving trains on the map I didn't read the text until later. That said, if you want to know the status of trains, this site might come in handy (it's in Japanese, but maybe I'll do a tutorial on this one).

Apple Maps Errors Send Japanese to Homegrown App | NY Times - If you're an iPhone user and you've upgraded your software to the most recent version of iOS, you'll probably have realized how terrible the maps app is. It doesn't even include the name of my neighborhood or surrounding neighborhoods, and the Shin-Tomei isn't on it at all. But it's not just Japan; it's having problems the world over (literally). There's no good replacement for the previous Google maps that I've been able to find yet, but you can download a Google maps bookmark to your home screen. It will still open in Safari, and is considerably slower, but it works better than other English maps I've used so far.

For those of you ok with Japanese, Mapion, mentioned in the article above, might be an option, although we don't really like it that much.

Gifu bank starts card-free ATMs | Japan Times

Docomo to introduce mobile translation of conversations and signage | Japan Today

Where to See and Enjoy Japan's Fall Foliage 2012 (紅葉)

2012-10-06T19:50:00.002+09:00

Now that it's October, we're inching closer to seeing the Autumn leaves in much of Japan -- although some places, like Hokkaido, are already boasting their colors. Lucky you folks in the North!

I've written previously about finding places to go to see and enjoy the lovely hues of orange, red and yellow here in Japan, this is a 2012 update.

You may already be familiar with the popular tourist destinations for Fall colors (such as Kyoto), but if you're looking for some less crowded areas or some place nearby, you might find one of the following sites useful. Each site offers a way to search locations all over Japan and find listings of good 紅葉 (こうよう, kouyou) spots. They are in Japanese only, which is why I'm also providing a tutorial below.

Sites to look up 紅葉 (こうよう, kouyou) spots:

Japan Travel and Tourism Association
Yahoo Japan
Mapple
Walkerplus
Tenki.jp

Before we go into that, here are some words to know:

青葉	あおば	aoba	fresh/green leaves
色づき始め	いろづきはじめ	irozuki hajime	beginning to change color
見頃 or 見ごろ	みごろ	migoro	best time to see
色あせ始め	いろあせはじめ	iroase hajime	beginning to fade
落葉始まる	おちばはじまる	ochiba hajimaru	beginning to fall
落葉	おちば	ochiba	fallen leaves
~月	~がつ, ~げつ	gatsu, getsu	month (~ would be a number, so 11月 is November)
上旬	じょうじゅん	joujun	beginning of the month, first 10 days
中旬	ちゅうじゅん	chuujun	middle of the month
下旬	げじゅん	gejun	end of the month

How to find a 紅葉 (こうよう, kouyou) spot using Yahoo Japan:

1. Go to this page, as shown below.

2. Click on a prefecture (whether your own or one you're visiting, etc.). For this example I'm going to click on Yamaguchi.

3. A list will show up with various locations (with the anticipated best time to view and current leaf status, indicated by the leaf color and changing icons) around the prefecture to view Fall foliage. Click on any of the names (blue links) for more detailed information.

4. Once you've selected a name, the next page to show up will list detailed information including the current status of the leaves (again), expected best time to view (again), type of leaves/tree, address, access information, fee (if applicable), inquiry info, whether the place offers nighttime viewing, parking, nearby onsen info, and other info such as public toilet info or shops.

And that's it! Though the other sites vary a bit in how you navigate them and some of the words they might use, it's still worth looking to see if they include any places the others don't.

Where is your favorite Fall foliage spot in Japan?

Beauty, Skincare, Organics, and Starting a Business in Japan [Interview]

2012-10-02T23:25:00.000+09:00

Today I'm happy to introduce Elana of Tokyo-based Elana Jade Organic Beauty Salon. Elana is originally from Australia and after starting her beauty business there, she later ended up coming to Japan and re-started Elana Jade. Her salon provides several services including waxing, massage, and facials.

I previously interviewed her for Expat Women over a year ago, which you can read here, but wanted to feature her here on SiJ with a more Japan-specific focus. She shares with us about starting a business in Japan, the organic beauty market here, and even takes on some of our readers' questions. Enjoy!

Ashley: First of all, would you tell us a little about who you are, what you do, and how long you’ve been in Japan?

Elana Gilbert of Elana Jade Organic Beauty Salon

Elana: My name is Elana Gilbert and I have been living in Japan for four years. I am a beauty therapist and personal fitness trainer. I believe a holistic approach to health creates optimal well-being. I have owned my organic beauty salon in Azabu Juban for three years now and I'm loving it!

Ashley: What led you to start a business in Japan?

Elana: After visiting my brother, Nathan, in Japan in 2007 I really fell in love with the country and quickly I decided to move here. The original plan was to come to Japan and start a health and beauty facility with Nathan (who was already working in Japan for four years as a personal trainer). Unfortunately, the timing proved to be wrong with the beginning of the financial crisis. We both decided it would have been too risky to open a place so large at that volatile time. Fortunately I was able to convince Nathan that it was viable to open a beauty salon as a great business model on its own and in 2009 the Elana Jade Organic Beauty Salon was born.

Ashley: What was the most difficult aspect of starting your business here and were you able to find a solution(s)?

Elana: The language was a major obstacle. Fortunately, teaming up with my brother, who had already set up a fitness company in Tokyo, was a major help as he could speak Japanese. More importantly, he had contacts that specialize in foreign company start-ups as well as local realtors.

The second major obstacle as a new and foreign-owned company was obtaining a building lease. Many Japanese landlords are very strict in regards to who they lease to. We overcame this by shopping around until we found a landlord who was willing to give us a go. Having properly set up a joint-stock company with paid-in capital also helped.

Ashley: Your salon focuses specifically on providing treatments and care with organic products -- how do you source your products?

Elana: I usually try to go back to what I know best and look at products from Australia, primarily because I know and trust the law of organics there. I have found a fantastic organic product line called ‘Jasmin Organics’ which is made in Australia and has a distributor in Japan. This product line is 100% natural and over 95% organic and has numerous studies to prove optimal results. They have also developed a baby range called ‘Koala Baby” that is unlike any another infant product on the market. I have brought both of these lines into the salon not only because they are organic and have recyclable packaging, but, because they deliver great results for my clients!

We also carry organic nutritional supplements from Japan. One of the products, Veggie Power Plus, is made from dehydrated vegetables from land and sea. I have not used a nutritional product that is so pure and I highly recommend it to all my clients and readers.

Ashley: What is your take on the organic/natural market in Japan in terms of cosmetics and body care? In your experience, do you think it has changed much since setting up Elana Jade?

Elana: Unfortunately, the organic beauty industry in Japan isn’t very strong yet; however. I am seeing some positive signs that the industry will take it more seriously soon. There are more and more organic product lines being introduced into the Japanese market, but I believe there needs to be more transparency in the actual percentage of organic ingredients in the products. Some organic products being introduced still contain potentially harmful ingredients.

Ashley: Do you also focus on eating organic or have any special type of diet that you follow for health/personal reasons? If so, how do you manage this here in Japan, where it can be difficult and/or expensive at times?

Elana: Yes, I definitely try to eat as much organic food as possible in my diet. If not organic (because sometimes it is hard to find and also expensive) I eat foods as whole and natural as possible. I really avoid processed foods, especially those that are white (sugar, bread, pasta etc). The organic food industry has definitely come a long way since I arrived in Japan four years ago and it is now much easier to get access to good chemical-free food -- hopefully the beauty industry will follow suit!

Ashley: Finally, what are your top three tips for expats living in Japan?

Elana:

1) Ask people for recommendations. There are many unknowns in Japan so it is best to ask friends, neighbors, and colleagues for their recommendations on services, places to go, things to see etc.

2) Don’t get too sucked into the Japanese diet. Although the traditional Japanese diet is very healthy, there are definitely foods that should be avoided (such as fried foods and too much rice & noodles!).

3) Socialize! Moving to a new country where you don’t know many people can be a huge challenge and at times lonely. Make time to meet new people and see others on a regular basis to help you feel more at home- don't wait until its time to leave to appreciate the wonderful social events here in Japan!

Ashley: Elana also kindly took the time to answer some of our readers' questions:

a) I just moved to Japan a month ago and my friends say it might have something to do with the humidity: I hate the pimples and spots that cover my forehead. Do you have any advice for how to deal with this?

Elana: Always keep your skin clean and protected. Not only is the Japanese summer very humid, other aspects relating to moving to a new country can cause breakouts, such as stress, different water and new foods. So please make sure you discover the root of the problem first.

Topically, I would recommend cleansing with a foaming cleanser, lightly exfoliating every morning, always using a toner (it brings back your skins PH level after cleansing) and applying a protective moisturizer to help stop toxins and bacteria from entering into the skin.

Internally, I would try and eliminate any food or beverages that make your blood sugar increase and decrease at a rapid rate, for example coffee, soda, cake and white rice as this can cause your skin to breakout. And of course drink plenty of water and make sure you keep exercising!

b) Why isn’t waxing common in Japan?

Elana: I believe that waxing hasn't been common here as Japan has a laser and razor hair removal culture. Many Japanese women don’t like the hair to ever be seen on their arms, legs, etc. so they shave it before anyone notices. I am seeing a change this year, however, as our salon's Japanese clientele has increased to approximately 60% of our total client base; and 90% of our Japanese clients are waxing clients (mainly Brazilian wax). Thanks to pop-culture references from such shows as ‘Sex in the City’, many Japanese women now see waxing as a trend that they want to be a part of.

c) How can I get rid of sunspots naturally?

Elana: This is a very tricky question to answer. With this skin condition, it is much easier to prevent sunspots from emerging than to get rid of them. So always use sunscreen, I know this one is well known but it is the most important step in protecting and improving your skin from pigmentation when exposed to UV.

Although I believe it’s impossible to completely erase sunspots, I do know some tricks that can help reduce the appearance of them:

1. Don’t be afraid of exfoliation! Exfoliating every morning helps to speed up the skin cell-regeneration which then can gently lighten the pigment in your skin.

2. Eat foods that are high in antioxidants, such as acai.

3. Use a serum that is high in antioxidants every night to neutralize the free-radical damage in your skin and to also prevent any further damage.

Ashley: Thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions, Elana! Best wishes to you and your salon!

*****

I haven't yet been to Elana Jade, but I'm hoping the next time I'm in Tokyo (which isn't often), I'll be able to check the place out. If you're in the area, or just visiting, it might be a great way to relax!

For more information about the Elana Jade Organic Beauty Salon, including the services they provide, products they sell and where to find them, please check out their website.

The Low Point of Culture Shock

2012-09-27T23:53:00.001+09:00

Sunglasses and hats. These days I often hide behind them, thinking as if in some way they'll conceal my dirty-blond hair and blue-green eyes -- features that stand out starkly here in Japan. Then again, if you've spent some time in Japan, you know how uncommon baseball caps and sunglasses are among young women here. I usually justify them as covers for my three-day-unwashed mom hair and the dark purple clouds accentuating my lower eyelids from a year of nightly baby wakings. But deep down I know that lately, it's also a bit more than that.

The end of July this year marked four years in Japan for me -- my first time ever in Japan, and abroad, unless you count Mexico and Canada, both of which sandwich the United States, where I'm from. It was a transition I was more than ready for -- I spent five years after high school working, volunteering, and a little school (to finish my bachelor's degree). And then I hit a wall. I needed to get out of my comfort zone. And a foreign country - Japan - was the ticket for me.

I've told my going-to-Japan story in interviews before, so I won't go into it here. When I first arrived though, I clearly remember stepping out of Narita airport and being hit instantly with a wave of hot, sticky air. I could even smell the humidity.

The weeks followed were a blur of the "honeymoon period." Everything was so new, different and exciting. Things a lot of newbies and tourists might think, such as:

THERE'S COLD TEA IN THE VENDING MACHINES! THERE'S DELICIOUS SUSHI EVERYWHERE! THE TOILETS HEAT UP AND SQUIRT WATER AND ARE SO HIGH-TECH!

Yes, the things that are quite boring or normal after even just a year of living in Japan.

Adding to my honeymoon period, and essentially extending it, was a (serious) marriage proposal. That's another story, but it wasn't some random guy I had just met, but rather my best friend of several years prior, who had moved to Japan a year before me.

So I got engaged. Then I got married the following year. Then I had a baby just last year.

I experienced a lot of lifetime highs during my initial years here, and as a result I never felt like I had hit any of the culture shock lows everyone talked about and said WOULD happen to me in the first year. I waited for them, but they just didn't come.

Sure, it wasn't all unicorns and rainbows. There were, and are, things that frustrate or annoy me just like any other person. I had an overbearing, control freak supervisor who made work difficult at times during my first year. And it had nothing to do with her being Japanese and me being American. She really was like this with everyone, even the students, and I tend to make mistakes constantly when I'm micromanaged, so that was stressful at times.

At the beginning of my second year in Japan I had a ridiculously long illness that no doctor in my area could diagnose and we ended up not getting a diagnosis until we visited the States.

We had some problems finding a decent OBGYN to help birth our daughter. One doctor made a comment towards the beginning of my pregnancy that I was gaining weight too fast, despite it being normal in the US.

And I struggle with the speaking/listening side of Japanese learning, because I am NOT an audio-type learner (visual is more my thing) and so while my reading improves, I get stuck speaking. It bothers me. And I do try, with all the struggles that come with it.

And giving birth. It was, to say the least, difficult. I tried my best, but that didn't really make things "easy". My second night in the clinic left me completely traumatized. And after weeks spent crying in trauma and guilt after the fact, and yes, even when I could laugh about it a few months later, I realized as time went on that the negative parts about the experience gave me PTSD. And the mom guilt I've had for things, I tell ya, it's hard. I'm sure some of you parents can understand this one.

Then I had to take care of a high-needs baby full-time. All day. Every day (minus weekends or days my husband was home). And then work as much as I could in the evenings and on weekends.

This led to the monotonous days. Day after day of feeding, cleaning, getting baby to sleep. Trying to go out when I could and had the courage to do so with the little one. To the grocery store, at least. And that started the constant choruses of "kawaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!" (cute). Everywhere we went. People coming up, asking to take pictures, wanting to touch her cheeks or hair, saying they want a foreign baby. I mean, I was stared at before and all, all the time, while my dark-haired husband is usually ignored, but with a little blond baby, it's like you're carrying a celebrity around. A demanding, high-maintenance, celebrity.

At first it was cute. Endearing. Made me feel like a proud parent and all that. But after months of this I wanted to hide. And hide my baby. Run away from anyone trying to come up and interact with us. It was like any sort of bubble I had (which wasn't necessarily much) had been popped when I brought this baby into the world. Japan-world, that is.

And I felt myself feeling more and more down. Very out of sorts. Not myself. When I came to Japan I usually tried to roll with the punches and I could easily just go with things and didn't care what people thought (in a polite way). If you go to a foreign country and can do this, believe me, it will help your adjustment and dealing with all those "unexpected" things that come up.

But it started to change with different experiences I've had here, slowly eroding that "go with the flow" mentality. And perhaps mixed with the trauma of my birth experience and whatever postpartum hormones I have, it's brought me to this strange point of feeling negative, withdrawn, and disconnected.

I thought it might get better with the hot, sunny summer weather (as I hate winter and the cold and I'm 98% sure I have SAD). But then there was finding an apartment, packing, moving, and taking care of baby and working, so, stress. After moving, even more stress, even though I was looking forward to a change.

And then I realized that, in addition to my issues with the birth, postpartum hormones, etc., I think I've finally reached the lowest point of culture shock. I looked around online for a good model of the stages to share here, but it seems there are several models varying from three to five stages and having different low points.

But that said, I don't think it helps that most of my work revolves around thinking, researching and writing about Japan and how to live here. Japan to me right now is kind of the like the significant other that you spend all your waking moments with, and all you do is talk about each other and to each other and everything revolves around this "other". Not the healthiest of relationships.

I don't think I ever thought about the U.S. this much when I was living there. At least, not directly.

I'm sure some people might read this and think, or possibly say, "so go home," or, "you wanted to have a baby." Or something like that. But I'm not regretting or even trying to complain about my choices. You won't see me going around badmouthing it to people or whining about how horrible my life is (because it's not, and even in my darkest days when I might want to say that, I know ultimately I'm blessed).

Japan IS my home now, at least to some extent. I don't dwell in negativity and find that doing so just makes me bitter and resentful. And there aren't any good reasons for me to feel bitter about Japan, even though there are things I don't like here in general. But there are things I don't like in the US, where I was born and raised, as well. I think it's best to not view any country as some kind of ideal that sits on a pedestal that all other countries should emulate.

I'm just trying to say that culture shock happens. Different stages of it. And that I'm struggling with some low stage of it myself right now. I have good and bad days. Sometimes I feel like going to the US for a break, even though that's not possible at the moment.

With all that said, though, I do love Japan. I might not love everything about Japan, but I love it. I've had a lot of meaningful experiences here. I've met so many wonderful people.

But I think it's ok to go through periods when you feel like you don't love Japan. Or maybe you love it just fine but you're just feeling annoyed or frustrated because you spend too much time talking to it and thinking about it. You just need your own space once in a while and some time to relax.

Maybe you don't want to go out in public much if it means answering more questions about your baby's age, how long you've been in Japan and what you do (even though maybe in general these don't bother you). Or maybe you just don't want to use Japanese, even though you know it's fantastic practice because you live here. Or you don't want to sit for five minutes trying to figure out some of the ingredients in a product -- the ones you don't recognize -- AGAIN. (Because there are an awful lot of ingredients in products and food...) And by you, I mostly mean me.

The next stage is the part where I'm supposed to find myself feeling more part of the culture. More integrated somehow. Not that I'll ever truly fit in, and I don't necessarily expect to. I feel like I'm getting closer to where I feel integrated to the point I can or need to be, while also figuring out what part of me still fits the US. I haven't been back in almost three years, and I'm not sure when we'll go back for a visit, so this has been difficult to figure out.

Especially when you find your relationships back home dwindling. People sort of forget that you're a part of their daily life (because you're not there), and you change. And they change. And whenever you do get around to talking with some of them, you realize that some of the things they say make little sense to you (and probably vice versa). Or you find some people still looking at you as this person from years ago, rather than seeing you for who you are now. It's not their fault at all, as it's just a result of living overseas and away from loved ones. Not everyone, but in my experience, a lot of people.

At times, I can feel that next stage RIGHT THERE. As if I have some sort of breakthrough I'm waiting for. But for now I'm still waiting. And "hiding".

Please know that I love writing about how to survive in Japan here on SiJ, and I love more than anything helping folks. I also feel so blessed to have made so many friends and have found the support I've found in you, because some days the kind words you say, the thank yous, the encouragement, and support you offer are what gives me hope to just keep going that day, or week, or just a good reminder to be thankful. And you brighten my days more than you know.

I know I'll get past all this in time. I wish it was now, but at least I'm aware of how I feel and what's going on and I keep going forward. And if you're ever in this situation, especially for those of you who are newly arrived, just know that those feelings are normal. It's ok to feel that way. But also remember that ranting about it on forums (or emailing me nasty emails, and no it doesn't happen often) won't help you feel better, and it doesn't help anyone else either.

So, now that I've told you how I've honestly been doing, has anyone else experienced a low point of culture shock here in Japan? I've been here four years and from when I spoke with Andrew Grimes of Tokyo Counseling Services earlier this year, he mentioned something about the third or fourth year being a difficult point in time, which seems to be the case for me. Anyone else?

I'd love to hear your thoughts below, and also your best advice on dealing with the low points of culture shock.