Travelers' Information for Japan:
A Quick Guide
All photographs copyright of John H. Stewart.
Preface:
This page was originally created for the members of the
International Association of Language Learning and Technology as they prepared
to attend their joint conference with the members of the
Japanese Association for Learning Education and Technology. This joint conference,
the Foreign Language Education And Technology
Conference, or FLEAT, was the fourth such joint conference, and was hosted
by the Kansai Chapter of J-LET in Kobe in 2000. I'm in the process of revising
the page, as the conference is done, but there was information here that still
seemed useful. So consider this a work (still) in progress... Also bear in mind
that the conference was in Kobe in August, so there is a lot of information
specific to that time and place. I'm also including specific information for
my sister-in-law (I only have one, so you know who you are!) who will be going
in May to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Atami. So there will be information specific to
that time and place as well. There will also be "SIL-Notes"
(sister-in-law notes) for her as well. Tell me when (if?)you actually get to
reading them, Sis. Even if it is after you get back. I'm seeing how long it
takes you...
This document is a supplement for IALL members to the very good documentation
provided by the FLEAT IV conference hosts at http://www.hll.kutc.kansai-u.ac.jp:8000/fleat4.html.
I will try to give useful information in a direct manner; in doing so, I acknowledge
that there will be generalizations made, by which I mean no offense or insensitivity.
One cannot make "true" statements about all individuals in a culture
or country, and even these general statements are my interpretation based
on my experiences and study, and are additionally subject to the interpretation
of the reader. Generalizations can be useful tools for understanding and adapting
to another culture, so long as they are recognized as such. I believe that all
such information is subjective by definition, however, I have striven to make
this information as objective and devoid of judgment as possible. I have also
aimed my comments to fit my interpretation of the "average"(obviously
another faulty term) IALL attendee. Some information will be superfluous as
many Japanese attendees of the conference, as well as many residents of Kobe
are already well versed in their exposure to foreigners. Any references to the
U.S. are not to imply that I don't acknowledge the existence of other countries,
but rather that I am an American, and will therefore not presume to speak for
countries/cultures that I don't know well. This is also written from the eyes
of a foreigner who lived in Japan rather than a Japanese person's perspective
(although I did have Japanese peers read it to make sure I didn't say anything
too stupid). I have also taken the vulgar liberty of being very frank about
such subjects as what Americans refer to as "Bathrooms" or "Restrooms."
Once again, I believe that conveying this information takes priority over the
risk of offending readers. I therefore apologize for any offense or distastefulness
in the entire document. I also tried to make it a bit fun. Any faults in the
content are purely my own. (Isn't it great to live in a legalistic society?)
Lastly, I have tried to provide the kind of information that would have been
helpful to me before my first trip. Alas, the books I read and the people I
talked to could not prepare me for everything (what fun would that have been?),
nor can I you.
General Information:
- SIL-note: Start doing some walking, and some
stair-climbing. The more you can do this now, the less you will ache the second
or third morning when you wake up... This is an aspect of Japan I really like,
well, I like it after I reacclimatize to it: Japan is (or was...) a country
of walking and stair-climbing.
- Transportation in the big cities is a combination of walking, trains, bicycling,
taxis and busses. And it's hard to imagine living anywhere in this country
(with a few large-city exceptions such as NYC) without having a car. So in
Japan, you either walk or bike to the train station, walk up and/or down a
few flights of stairs, ride the train to your stop, walk up and/or down a
few flights of stairs, and walk to your destination. Busses and taxis are
a part of this equation as well, but taxis are generally viewed as a special
occasion/unusual circumstance mode of transportation. One measure of an apartment
is its proximity to the nearest station -- a 5 minute or less walk is good
(and accordingly more expensive) than a 30 minute walk.
- There has been quite a bit of construction to add escalators and elevators
to train stations since the 1990s, but generally, getting around in a wheelchair
has been pretty difficult. A greater proportion of Japan's population is elderly
than the U.S., though, and on trains and busses you'll see "silver seats"
that are supposed to be given up when a "silver" shows up. In practice,
what I generally see is that most people don't sit there at all unless there
are plenty of seats or no seats, and then (some) people will just sit there,
and not even give them up when a "silver" shows up! I've seen a
very few "silvers" actually have the guts to ask someone to move,
but I'd guess that few will feel it's worth the effort or social hassle, and
will just stand. Though I've seen a few decent people give up their seats
for their elders, I've seen more give their seats up for children or mothers
with children. I'd guess the prevalent feeling is that the trains are anonymous
and impersonal, so there is less obligation, and that if you gave up your
seat to every "silver" that got on the train, you'd never sit on
a train!
- Bring comfortable shoes that you can put on and take off without using your
hands. You will be standing and walking more than you might usually in the
U.S., and you will be putting on and taking off your shoes MUCH more than
you do in the U.S.
- Likewise, this is a good time to check to make sure that you have enough
socks without holes in the toes and heels!
- Bring a few cotton handkerchiefs. Many bathrooms in Japan don't have hand
dryers or paper towels, and the expectation is that everyone has a handkerchief
for drying their hands. Oh yeah!!! I seem to have forgotten the far more important
thing than being able to dry your hands! One should bring tissues along to
these public bathrooms as well! So where and what kind? Well, you are welcome
to carry a role of TP with you if you want, but what most Japanese do is carry
a little packet of "facial tissues." You'll notice that most of
theirs weren't purchased through a store, but rather were advertisements.
These are often handed out on the streets of large cities. But how do they
decide to whom to hand these? Many are for businesses like "phone clubs"
where (let me be blunt) dirty ol' men go to "rent" a telephone.
The tissue packets are handed out to women (usually younger and not traveling
as half of a couple), and have the telephone numbers of these businesses.
The women are paid for calling and talking to the "renters." It
has become common that the women will make outside dates with these men to
bilk them out of money, etc. ("I just wanted to know where to get a packet
of tissues," you're saying?) There are more advertisers than just this,
but you should be able to buy tissues in any convenience store rather than
trying your luck at getting free tissues...
- While we are on the subject of "bathrooms" and "restrooms,"
you might find that you raise eyebrows when asking for the "bathroom,"
unless, of course, you are planning to take a bath. Japanese bathrooms (where
the tub is) and toilets are almost always separate. While asking for the "toilet"
has a coarseness in English, it doesn't carry that nuance in Japanese, and
so is perfectly acceptable. You may also elect to use the Japanese term "otearai"
(lit. hand-washroom).
- Unless you find yourself traveling out of the major cities, you will probably
not encounter a "squat toilet." If you do, and you are comfortable/adventurous/desperate,
don't panic. Facing the back wall, straddle the benjo, drop your drawers
to about your knees, grab the pipe going down to the benjo, and squat.
Go ahead and use the pipe to help pull yourself back up. If you need an image
to work from, picture a graceful Japanese doing this in a kimono. Here's
a site http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~AD8Y-HYS/movie.htm
that (un)covers the "usage," aspect in (I think I can safely say)
gruesome detail, and I will warn, contains links that also go quite a bit
beyond beyond...
- So what's with the electronic toilet seat? You will probably only encounter
this in a private residence or hotel room, but you should know that at the
least, it is probably heated (not much use in the Summer..), but many include
a nozzle that extends to perform other water-spraying duties . I won't elaborate
here, but I will tell you to proceed cautiously (i.e., don't touch any buttons
unless you are a thrill-seeker). More than one foreigner in Japan has run
screaming from a self-inflicted surprise attack in the otearai.
- If you are traveling in less cosmopolitan areas, don't be shocked to see
men heeding the first (I've never seen the second being openly heeded) call
of nature. How openly? Say, by the side of the road, on the side of a building,
and so on. This is considered perhaps only slightly more "uncouth"
than spitting on the sidewalk. Okay, enough with the "colorful"
stuff and back on to the decent!
- Alright, so how do I take a bath? If there is a separate tub and shower
(which there may not be in the hotel where you stay), you first fill the ofuro
(tub) with nice hot water, then take a thorough shower (there should be a
little stool you can sit on while showering). After rinsing yourself, you
ease into the tub and just soak there for a while. Very relaxing and soothing.
Incidentally, it is typical for Japanese to take a bath at night rather than
in the morning (you wouldn't want to get into bed without bathing after a
sweaty, grimy day, now would you?)
- Kobe is in the Kansai region of Japan (West metropolitan area of
Japan) You may hear the word Kansai tossed around quite a bit. Tokyo
is in the Kanto region (East metropolitan area of Japan).
- If you go drinking with Japanese, don't pour alcohol for yourself, and don't
let others' glasses go dry -- be vigilant, and when someone's glass is less
that half full (or half empty?), grab the beer bottle or sake flask and fill
it up. "Kanpai!" (lit. empty glass) is how
you say "Cheers!" This is from a custom of serving others, and pouring
your own implies a degree of being antisocial.
- A lot of people smoke in Japan, and a lot of public places have not disallowed
smoking, such as restaurants. Look at the bright side (if you're not a smoker,
that is...), until about 1995, smoking on the flight WAS allowed. It was like
being in a bar for 14 hours...
- It's going to be very hot and humid if it is July or August. June is already
starting to be hot and humid...
- You should also be prepared for rain -- rainy season will just be ending
mid-July, but a small umbrella would be worth considering, or picking up a
cheapy there.
- Rokko Island is a classy place -- there will be air conditioning.
- Especially when crossing the street, remember that traffic drives on the
left side of the road in Japan.
- Cross with the crosswalk lights, like the natives do, and form lines
- Kobe in one of Japan's most "internationalized" cities, so getting
by in English shouldn't be too much of a problem.
- In general, Japan is a very safe country. For women to walk alone at night
is not considered dangerous. The water is clean and safe. You shouldn't need
any vaccinations (disclaimer: I don't even play a doctor on TV, and so you
should check with your doctor about this -- but that's what my doctor said,
and I have found it so).
- Get a stack of business cards to bring along. They don't have to have Japanese
on the back side, but you can if you want to go to the effort and expense.
- SIL-Note: Bringing DVDs?Are you kidding? Like
you're gonna have time or the inclination! You're going to be in Japan, for
crying out loud! Besides, DVDs have region
codes (copy protection) on them that don't allow them to be played in
other regions. Japan is a different region (region 2, to be exact...) By the
way, for those of you who aren't my sister-in-law, the site that the region
codes links to is a GREAT site: the DVDFAQ.
Everything you ever wanted to know about DVDs...Really! Everything!
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On Travel and Culture in General
- I often describe the process of communicating across a language barrier
as requiring both sides to meet half-way. If you don't already, you will truly
appreciate this notion after you go to Japan.
- First of all, there is a natural tendency for people to "filter"
against understanding non-native speakers -- no matter how clearly they
may be pronouncing it, we have already unconsciously decided that, because
of the accent or some other evidence that they are a foreigner, we just
aren't going to be able to understand them (read about prejudice below).
This time, we will be the foreigners, though! Some people filter in this
way more than others, so when possible, it's worth looking for people
who are NOT convinced that they won't be able to understand you.
- Then there is the fact that we don't know what are critical aspects
to the other culture when we are trying to operate in in -- and this includes
pronunciation. Here's an example: The way Americans generally pronounce
something like, "Wateryagonnado ta pay me back for this coffee?"
"Imonagetcha a cupa coffee tomorrow." is quite divergent from
how we were all taught to pronounce it! We all know that it is NOT critical
to pronounce "Wateryagonnado," "Imona," and "getcha"
in the textbook way, but if we started being sloppy about the other (critical)
words, people wouldn't understand us so well. We know what is critical
and not in American English. D'ja ever notice that a non-native speaker
of English pronounces each one of those non-critical words discretely
(i.e., "What- are- you- going- to- do...")? Well, it takes time
to learn what is critical in another language and culture as well. So
even though YOU may think you are saying or doing everything you are supposed
to, you may unwittingly leaving out or wrongly using critical information.
No matter how slowly or loudly you say (or yell) it...
- That said, there is the part that is not related to understanding the
word that someone is pronouncing, but rather the grammatical and conceptual
barrier. This is where it is nice to find someone who will meet you half-way
-- it's not just that you are trying hard to -say- something to them,
it is also that they are trying hard to -understand- what the heck you
are trying to communicate, despite your lack of speaking ability or grammatical
or cultural knowledge. (I'm using the pronoun "you" so that
you can visualize yourself in this situation better, but believe me, -I-
have been through plenty of this myself.) Furthermore, if the other person
puts no effort into understanding your "less that perfect" communication,
there is little chance they will understand you. Rather than getting frustrated
or angry with them, it is better to just move on and find someone who
has the inclination.
- You will likely find yourself on both sides of this balance -- both
the person trying to be understood, and the person trying to understand.
Generally, the much harder side is trying to be understood, because you
have much more at stake than the other person -- they may have absolutely
no investment in "reaching across" the communication gap to
understand you.
- However, I think that in the vast majority of cases, you will find great
kindness extended to you, and people trying to help you with your communication
limitations is no exception. Remember that while English is a mandatory
part of the Japanese curriculum, many Japanese will be embarrassed by
their English communication abilities (how confident are you to dredge
up that Spanish you "learned" back in Junior High at a moment's
notice for the native Spanish speaker asking you directions ? That's what
I thought...). Don't expect English -- ask humbly, remembering that the
obligation is with you to ask them in Japanese, rather than for them to
answer you in English. With that mind set, you will find many people very
willing to help you, and even self-consciously expose a bit of long-ago-studied
English.
- You may also encounter those that view you as a free walking English
lesson. Often welcome to the short-term visitor to Japan is the highly
enthusiastic English student, just dying to practice on someone authentic
(that would be you...)! I'd guess that English lessons now range from
about $50 per hour for a group class to upwards of $200 per hour (or more)
for a private lesson, and so now perhaps you can start to visualize the
bull's-eye painted on yourself. You can pay back some of the kindness
already extended to you by speaking for a while with such a person, but
more likely than not, they will be more comforting and helpful to you
than your speaking English with them will be to them.
- Stereotypes, Generalizations and Prejudices, OH MY!
- Prejudice is pre-judging -- almost always a negatively-valued term.
In the case mentioned above, we have prejudged them, and it has diminished
our ability to understand them (if this were the worst kind of prejudice
that existed, the world would be a better place!). But before you get
defensive, this isn't an accusation: I'm assuming that you accept the
fact that we *ALL* (me too!) have prejudices, and that it doesn't make
us evil or members of the KKK!!! Understanding and accepting this is an
important tool for, well, the human condition, but in this particular
situation, for traveling to a different culture. Suffice it to say, it
is better to be self-aware and acknowledge that we all have prejudices
than to feel guilty and be in denial about it, or to cop a "holier-than-thou
-- 'I have no prejudice!'" attitude about it. Okay, I have a very
mild, hopefully palatable example that will illustrate a "non-evil"
prejudice: do you have brand name that you have either a loyalty or aversion
to that reduces your ability to view that brand or others objectively
and fairly? You can also see, then, that at times this can be fairly close
to making reasonable, critical judgments -- a necessary part of daily
life.
- Alright, what's the difference between a stereotype and a generalization?
A stereotype is an OVERsimplified conception (generally regarded as having
a negative value associated with it), and a generalization reduces conceptions
to simpler, more general states. They BOTH are reductions, and it is useful
to think of them as being separated by degrees, rather than one simply
being bad and the other being completely good. I think of stereotypes
as oversimplifying to a clearly irrational degree -- which brings us full
circle to prejudice -- the fuel for stereotyping.
- It is worth bearing in mind that generalizations ARE a reduction; nonetheless,
we can take advantage of them as a vital tool for interacting with other
cultures. The process goes like this:
- We observe some aspect of the culture
- We form a theory (by definition a generalization)
to explain our observations
- We test our theory through more observations, inquiries,or
actions
- We refine or abandon our theory
(and practices based on our theory) and return to
the first step
- Let's try a run-through:
- You show up to a 7:00 p.m. dinner invitation at 7:20 p.m., and the
host asks you if "everything is alright," "did you
have trouble with the trains," and you notice that all the other
guests are already there, if not a bit concerned themselves.
- You start to think that maybe (in general -- not for every last
Japanese person, mind you) Japanese may have a bit more precise "time
reckoning" than Americans. Or at least, they expect you to show
up AT the appointed time, and not after a 20 minute "grace period."
- You start to note that (again, in general) Japanese seem to show
up AT the appointed time, or within a couple of minutes of it. You
yourself then arrive exactly on time at a couple of events, and precisely
because your showing up exactly on time is a non-event, you conclude
that it is seen as unremarkably"normal."
- You show up 15 minutes early for your next dinner invitation, and,
based on the reaction, decide that "exactly on time" plus
or minus a couple of minutes is probably a better choice for the future.
- Making cultural mistakes is inevitable. Most people understand and expect
this, and are not going to unreasonably hold a sincere person accountable
for this (I throw in the "sincere" part of this because I have seen
despicable people deliberately taking advantage of their hosts' goodwill in
this regard...). So again, do your best, and then don't worry about it after
that. Hopefully, you'll make some great mistakes (without overly negative
consequences) that yield good stories!
- When I was first in Japan, I was told by a Japanese colleague of my father's,
"There will be a lot of people who will do a lot of very nice things
for you. You know what my advice is to you? Let 'em." This may sound
a bit crass, but think about it: People WILL help you and take very good care
of you, and you can fret over it, trying to reciprocate every kindness (which
will be virtually impossible) or you can appreciate it and be grateful, and
repay it forward.
- This is a good time to talk about putting yourself in other cultures. People
will take good care of you, and do things for you that you can't repay. Often,
you won't even have the linguistic capacity to thank people! This can make
you very uncomfortable (unless you are a leaching freeloader). For me, this
is one of the best experiences you can have while traveling. I'm not referring
to taking advantage of peoples' goodwill; I'm talking about having a very
clear, distilled experience of people taking care of you -- of experiencing
goodwill. It seems to me that this is even more intensified by your not being
able to verbally express how grateful you are. It has become a very pure interaction,
undiluted by speech. You are indebted, and rather than struggle against it,
enjoy it. And remember it. And repay it forward.
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Clothing and Weather:
- When are you going? You can check the forecast here:
http://www.wunderground.com/global/JP.html
- SIL-note: The weather the third week of May
will be during the "Little Rainy Season", which is just before and
not as extreme as the full-fledged "Rainy Season". It should generally
be in the 60s or 70s, and there will be a fair amount of rain. That means
you should take this into account for what clothes you bring:
- A good raincoat. What do I mean by this? One that is waterPROOF, not
water resistant. I use a Goretex®parka, but anything that won't get soaked
after being in the rain for an hour.
- Shoes that not only are easy to put on and take off, but also are waterproof
or are treated for water resistance.
- An umbrella. Of course you can get one there, but then you have to get
one there. Which means you have to figure out how to get to where they're
sold and buy it. This can be a hassle -- why not just bring a compact
umbrella in your luggage?
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Money:
This, in my experience, was entirely different than the
differences in buying power. In fact, I would describe that difference
as potentially mind-numbing. This is how I think of the money*:
- First of all, for a quick and dirty conversion of yen to dollars, just drop
two number places (600 yen = 6 dollars, and so on).
- 1 yen coins are like pennies/gravel
- 5 yen coins are neat because they have a hole in them, and because they
are good (the best!) for making a wish in wishing wells (usually ponds or
temples, actually). These are the best as gifts when you go home as well!
- A 100 yen coin is like a quarter -- it goes in vending machines and buys
train tickets;
- A 1000 yen bill is between a buck and 5 bucks, depending on the purchase;
- A 5,000 yen bill is like 10 dollars;
- A 10,000 yen bill is like a 20 dollar bill.
*This is not because I'm rich. You could, for example, easily drop ¥5,000
on lunch. If you are doing a mental conversion, it might well be shocking; if,
on the other hand, you are thinking of it as $10, it's not so bad at all. This
isn't to say that every lunch will cost you $50, but you should be prepared
for some to cost that. It can be awkward to back out of a meal (or eat
nothing while those around you eat plenty) because you refuse to spend that
much on principle. The way I came to think of it (to console both my cheap and
social sides) was that this is the cost of having this wonderful experience
in Japan. Other experiences (going to the movies, for example) cost a lot as
well; do I want to cheapen my experience here (and constantly be doing conversion
math) by constantly fretting about money? Well, I can't always say that, but
warm up your credit cards...
That said, the people you will be dining with aren't made of money either --
this is a special occasion for them too. Perhaps plan to have some more expensive
meals and then have fun looking for some of the less expensive meals -- Kobe
has very good takoyaki (dough balls with octopus inside -- for example).
- Virtually always, when you give someone a big wad of cash, they will give
you the correct change, and not rip you off. Watch how precisely the money
is counted -- it's usually very impressive.
- Budget: As was pointed out to me via a nice e-mail
message, I still haven't given budget information. So how much should you
plan on bringing with you? Here is an excerpt from my response with some additions:
Your question is a somewhat difficult one. My wife, who is Japanese, can't
really give a reasonable estimate, because she is unfortunately very
literate in Japanese; she can inquire about, find, and understand how/what
to order in order to stay on a strict budget. This is where my experience
as a (former?) complete illiterate comes in handy...
First of all, try to hook up with someone who knows their way in Japan
(and
of course, it doesn't have to be the same person for each meal!). That
person can help you find reasonable meals for around 1000 yen ($10) for
lunch and 2000 ($20) for dinner. These are quite modest (in terms of "haut
cuisine"), but quite adequate. The hotels listed on the FLEAT page
do
include breakfast, so that leaves us at about $30/day. Transportation
(primarily between your hotel and the conference center) will probably be
around 1000 yen/day ($10), which brings us to about $40/day.
This is a very modest budget, and will probably require some work to
maintain, as you will have to find places that serve less expensive meals
and figure out how to order there... as opposed to going into the first
restaurant you find; again, natives will be happy to help, as should
foreigners who have lived there (as they have no doubt been through this
themselves...)
Some key (cheap) "food groups" to look for:
- Ramen (Noodle soup -- MUCH better and more substantial than what is
sold at
grocery stores here...)
- Soba (another kind of noodles, usually (mercifully) served cold in the
summer)
- Takoyaki (octopus in batter balls -- a Kobe specialty and very good!)
- Okonomiyaki (lamely called "Japanese Pizza" -- cabbage, sprouts
and other
supplemental veggies fried in a egg/flour batter with a kind of BBQ sauce
on top -- very delicious, and another Kobe specialty)
- Another decidedly less romantic but nonetheless cheap and surprisingly
good
resource is just about any convenience store (7-Eleven, Lawson, Circle
K,
Family Mart, etc.), which have "bento", or lunch boxes (which
you can of
course eat at any time). The larger train stations also often have bento,
which are probably a step up from the convenience stores'.
If you can bring more money rather than less, you'll hate-but-thank yourself
afterwards!
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Gifts:
- If you are planning on having a completely anonymous visit to Japan, you
don't need to worry about gifts. But you aren't going to have a completely
anonymous visit, are you? No, you are going to be interacting with people,
some of whom will touch your life. I didn't say they'd profoundly change your
life, but they certainly may! So, you know how we have tipping here? Well,
there's gift giving in Japan. If you find the idea of gift giving confounding,
rest assured, lots of Japanese feel the same way about tipping...
- What to bring: Remember that you can get just about anything in Japan that
you can get here. My first trip, I brought Cross
pens, as Cross is a 150 year-old American company, so I thought it would be
a good idea. I can't tell you how many Cross pens I saw in every corner of
Japan after I got there... So NOW, I try to bring things that are local to
where I live (Great Lakes petosky stones or University of Michigan logo goods,
for example), things that aren't available in Japan (See's chocolates are
a good/bad example -- they'll melt in your mouth, but in July, they'll also
melt in your hand, in your bag, etc.), or things that the U.S. is known for,
(Jack Daniels, Zippo lighters, Harley Davidson logo item, etc.) I like to
bring local things, though, because most of the brand-name stuff is available
there. However, if you live in Lynchburg, Tennesee, Bradford, Pennsylvania,
or Milwaukee, Wisconsin (the respective homes of Jack, Zippo, and Harley),
that is a very nice connection. My brother who lives in Louisville, Kentucky,
gave a Louisville Slugger baseball bat as a gift, though (even before 9/11)
it was not allowed as carry on luggage.
- Other gift ideas that are coming to mind at the moment: dried cherries and
dried blueberries make nice gifts -- they are expensive and popular in Japan
now, plus there may be a regional connection for you (Michigan grows both,
so they're a good connection for me!). Microwave popcorn is fun for kids,
and isn't readily available in Japan. Picture books showing the area you are
from; people will be curious about you, and where you are from is part of
that -- and if the language barrier seems daunting to you, remember how many
words each of those pictures is worth!
- How many gifts to bring? This is always a tough one. How many people do
you think you will be staying with and significantly helped by? If you don't
know, then don't worry about it too much. Bring a number of gifts and dole
them out as you go. Pace yourself. You may run out of gifts, and you may go
home with extras. But remember, it's pretty unlikely that you'll have exactly
the right number of gifts. People will understand. Make your best guess, and
then don't worry about it.
- To whom should you present gifts? Simply, people with whom you have spent
significant time. If you are a house guest, then definitely present your host(s)
with a gift. If someone totes you around for a day or more, a gift would be
in order. If it's a business trip, bring gifts (and possibly different "levels"
of gifts -- remember, presidents of companies shouldn't get the same "level"
gift as an office worker...) You don't need, though, to give gifts to everybody
who helps you. You would do nothing but give gifts!
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Transportation -- Flights:
- Again, please visit the FLEAT IV site http://www.hll.kutc.kansai-u.ac.jp:8000/FAQ.html
which is a very good first stop for valuable travel information. I'm planning
on flying into KIX (the perfect airport for a techno-nerd like me -- the airport
itself is computerized -- it has leveling jacks that are controlled by
computer to keep its foundation level as it ever-so-slowly sink into the reclaimed
land at an uneven rate). One good reason for not flying into KIX, though,
would be if you get a cheaper flight by flying into a more obscure airport
-- just make sure to factor in the subsequent transportation to Rokko Island...
Another good reason would be if you are planning on combining a layover with
another destination -- Taiwan, for example.
- Flights to Japan are expensive, and FLEAT IV will be held during the most
expensive travel period. Currently, Northwest has prices posted for around
$1,400. For a straight fair, this will be about parr for the season. It is
probably worth looking at http://www.travelocity.com
or a similar site for prices. (Actually, I've more recently found
http://www.expedia.com to be much more complete, especially for hotels
in Japan. However, I much prefer IACE -- read on...) An "insider"
source for tickets to Japan is IACE Travel in Chicago (toll free 800-782-4223,
local (248) 569-0555 http://www.iace-usa.com)
which is not yet posting prices for July, but usually ends up with pretty
good deals (don't be surprised if they answer in Japanese...but they do speak
English). Another agency (which was used by IALL in '92) is Japan Budget
Travel in Atlanta. Their name has changed, but the toll-free number still
works: 800-875-4333. You should feel especially good if you can find a flight
for less than $1,000, but it's not very likely! Likewise, if you've accumulated
enough miles to get yourself a round trip ticket, this might be a good time
to use it, as it will likely cost you the same number of miles regardless
of the relative price of tickets -- i.e., you'll get your money's worth at
this most expensive time to travel.
- Jet-lag: You will probably be a zombie the entire time you are there. The
effects of jet-lag when traveling across 10-12 time-zones usually lasts about
10-14 days. A not-so-precise version of the Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag-Diet http://performance.netlib.org/misc/jet-lag-diet
is available at this site. It's not a bad idea to bring some bottled water,
ear-plugs and eye shades. It's also a good idea to dress comfortably -- at
12 - 15 hours, it's a long flight!
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Transportation -- Local:
- There are more and more sites all over for transportation in Japan. Here
are some nice (and more recent) ones:
- http://www.metropla.net/as/kobe.htm is a map of Kobe subways. You should be able to get them when
you arrive, but this is in the meanwhile...
- http://www.jnto.go.jp/db/traffic/
A quite extensive site with lots of train information. If you are the
type of person who likes to read details of this sort of thing, this page
is for you.
- It is not considered bad or incompetent in Japan for a taxi driver to not
know how to get to a destination. Big hotels, train stations, airports, and
other landmarks are generally not a problem though. It is useful to have where
you are going written down in Japanese characters if you are unsure of your
pronunciation, and roman characters may not be readable to some (although
generally, this is not an issue -- roman characters are taught in Japan).
- Public transportation in Japan is very well developed. The trains run on
time. You can set your watch by them. (As a matter of fact, I
used to use the time charts to determine when to get off the train
when I couldn't read the signs or understand the announcements...) The Japan
Railway (JR) used to be a government-run system, but has since been broken
up into regional businesses. JR also runs many of the major bullet
train lines as well ("slow/local" bullet trains are called kodama,
express shinkansen are called hikari. There are also private
train lines; a ticket for JR trains is not accepted by the private lines,
and vice-versa.
- http://www.jnto.go.jp/04budhint/hints/transp/intracity.html is a site for JR rail passes (similar to eurail passes), with
information on both regional and national passes. If you are planning to spend
time touring Japan before or after the conference, these can be a real value.
The national pass must be purchased outside of Japan.
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Arrival:
So your flight arrives, and you rush to get off the airplane.
You see the Japanese passengers breezing through immigration and
think, "This isn't so bad." But in fact, that's not
your line. Look for the slower non-resident line.
- As an American, you won't need to apply in advance for a visa unless you
want to stay longer than 90 days. If there are no problems (remember
Paul McCartney...) you'll get a stamp for a temporary visitor visa in
your passport and be on your way...
After you've made it through, you pick up your luggage and
head for customs, and upon exiting customs, you might consider
the following:
- Changing some money
- Getting a 700 Yen glass of aisu kohi
- Visit the Tourist Information Desk. Hit them up for English
train & subway maps, information on getting to your hotel,
etc.
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Language:
Kobe is a very "international-friendly" city; most
important signs will be in roman characters and/or English, and
probably other languages as well. English is compulsory in Japanese
schools in junior and senior high school, and though this far
from guarantees fluency, many people will happily make the attempt
to meet you halfway.
All of Japanese is made up of syllables rather than an alphabet
of consonants and vowels -- once you learn the system of syllables,
you should be (reasonably) able to pronounce just about any word
in Japanese. The syllables are made up of the 5 individual vowel
sounds or a consonant plus one of the 5 vowel sounds. There is
one terminal consonant, "n" as well as contractions.
These syllables are usually taught in a grid chart, shown below.
a |
i |
u |
e |
o |
ka |
ki |
ku |
ke |
ko |
sa |
shi |
su |
se |
so |
ta |
chi |
tsu |
te |
to |
na |
ni |
nu |
ne |
no |
ha |
hi |
fu |
he |
ho |
ma |
mi |
mu |
me |
mo |
ya |
|
yu |
|
yo |
ra |
ri |
ru |
re |
ro |
wa |
|
|
|
wo |
n |
|
|
|
|
ga |
gi |
gu |
ge |
go |
za |
ji |
zu |
ze |
zo |
da |
ji |
zu |
de |
do |
ba |
bi |
bu |
be |
bo |
pa |
pi |
pu |
pe |
po |
kya |
|
kyu |
|
kyo |
sha |
|
shu |
|
sho |
cha |
|
chu |
|
cho |
nya |
|
nyu |
|
nyo |
hya |
|
hyu |
|
hyo |
mya |
|
myu |
|
myo |
rya |
|
ryu |
|
ryo |
gya |
|
gyu |
|
gyo |
ja |
|
ju |
|
jo |
bya |
|
byu |
|
byo |
pya |
|
pyu |
|
pyo |
Vowel pronunciation
"a" is like the "o" in "hot"
"e" is like the "a" in "say"
"i" is like the "ea" in "seat"
"o" is like the "oa" in "toad"
"u" is like the "oo" in "food"
For an online audio guide to pronunciation, please see
http://www.japanese-online.com/language/katakana.htm
or
http://www.umich.edu/~yomoto/Katakanapro/index.html
Now you can muster that:
shin is pronounced as the English word "sheen," not like the
painful-when-wacked bone between your knee and ankle, and ichi man is
10,000, not a guy with poison ivy. So from here on in, no more "carry-oakie"
or "socky"! (Karaoke and sake)
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Some common words that you will
likely hear/use:
Daily interactions:
kudasai -- please (in the context of someone doing something
for you)
arigato -- thank you
domo arigato gozaimasu -- thank you very much
sumimasen -- excuse me, thank you (for going to the
trouble), I'm sorry.
hai -- yes
ie -- no
ohayo gozaimasu -- Good morning
konnichiwa -- Good afternoon/day
konbanwa -- Good evening
oyasumi nasai -- Good night
hajimemashite -- pleased to meet you
sayonara -- goodbye
Eating:
Many restaurants will have models of the food that they serve;
you'll only have to point at it and say, "kore o kudasai"
("This, please").
"Itadakimasu" -- what is said before eating.
Often translated (butchered, really) as, "Let's eat!,"
this is really a phrase that acknowledges the many factors and
efforts that brought the food to the table, from the elements
like the sun, rain, and soil, to the farmers, merchants, cooks
and servers. "Let's eat" indeed!
taberu -- eat
nomu -- drink
sushi -- rice with vinegar, actually; most commonly
thought of as molded rice with a slab of (usually) raw fish on
top
sashimi -- thin slices of raw fish
soba -- buckwheat noodles
ramen -- you know, ramen noodles!
somen -- thin white noodles
ocha -- tea; cocha is English style tea, Nihoncha is
Japanese style tea
kohi -- coffee; since it will be hot, ice coffee will be being served
often as well, usually with syrup (not maple) for sweetening (this is a much
better solution than granulated sugar in cold drinks...). Also, you'll notice
canned coffee in vending machines everywhere...SIL-Note:
Well, let's go on a tangent off the vocabulary topic for a moment; coffee
is worth it... Japan is a coffee country;not like Italy or Greece, but it definitely
is a coffee country. I'm not sure, but the most expensive average cup of coffee
is probably there. -- No free refills, but often the coffee is accompanied by
saabisu, i.e., cookies or other treats given free as "service".
Of course there are Starbucks everywhere in Japan now, but the fun places are
the little coffee shops, kisaten. There are many kinds of kisaten,
catering to lots of different kinds of people -- jazz listeners, classical listeners,
philosophers, shoppers, school kids, and so on. These are great places to take
a break and gather your energy for the next step of the day.
yooshoku -- western-style food
washoku -- Japanese-style food
Directions:
migi -- right
hidari -- left
masugu -- straight
tomatte kudasai -- please stop
kore -- this
sore -- that
are -- that way (over there)
koko -- here
soko -- there
asoko -- way over there
Culturally significant
Smithsan -- Mister/Ms. Smith. San is usually
translated as "Mister," which leaves out some interesting
information: san is also used for women, and like mister
does not signify marital status. While formal, san is also
relatively informal. Co-workers, where we would use given names,
will use san; in this usage, it is not more formal, it's
just the norm. Also, when referring to oneself, one does NOT use
san. It conveys the feeling of being self-important. By
the way, the name order in Japan is family name first, given name
last.
kanji -- Chinese-origin characters
kana (hirigana/katakana) -- phonetic syllabary characters.
Hirigana is used for many words, with kanji for
verb endings, particles, and so on. Katakana is associated
with "borrowed" words ("konpyutaa"
or computer), and foreigner's names, but is also used for signs
and so on.
gaijin -- foreigner; this a common term, and though
a bit unrefined, should not be taken as offensive, though it is
not as "PC" as
gaikokujin -- foreign country person
nihon/nippon -- Japan
nihonjin -- Japanese person
Interested in more? There is a very practical guide to Japanese called, appropriately
enough, The Quick and Dirty Guide to Japanese http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/dirtyguide.html
This guide is now hosted on the site of THE internet source for electronic Japanese
language materials, that of Jim Breen
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/japanese.html. He modestly refers to
it a "page" rather than a site, but it includes (among many, many
other useful materials) his incredible JDICT online dictionary and its related
variations. If you want more than this, I'd start looking at full-fledged textbooks
and a human to teach you!
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Power adapters/transformers:
Electricity in Japan is 100 Volts AC, 50 Hz. Most notebook
computer power adapters are designed to operate at this current,
but you should double-check. Peripherals likely will not work
at these settings (well, they *might* work - kind of - but they
may never work the same afterwards...), including wall-wart-style
transformers; you can buy international versions of wall-warts
for many portable peripherals, such as zip drives.
Outlets in Japan are just like the U.S. with the following
exceptions: 1) they only have two blade holes -- they are lacking
the third-prong ground hole, so you may need a ground-lifting
adapter, commonly sold in hardware stores and places that sell
electrical supplies; and 2) they aren't polarized -- so overtly
polarized plugs may not fit in every outlet. This also can be
remedied with a ground-lifting adapter -- just file down the nubs
that stick up on the plug.
What about travel transformers? Certainly an option, but bare
in mind that it's a lot of weight to haul around with you, and
a bit difficult to track down. Remember that the travel adapter
sets that are sold are almost always just the plug adapters, NOT
transformers -- so they won't protect your electricals from inappropriate
current.
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Telephones:
In homes and hotel rooms, phones and phone plugs (RJ-11) work
the same way in Japan as the U.S.; I've never heard of a U.S.
modem not working in Japan, though I suppose it's possible (let's
face it, it's possible here in the U.S.!). Pay phones in business
areas often have RJ-11 jacks for both analog and digital connections.
Telephone cards -- the preferred way to pay for phone calls
from a pay phone. First of all, you need to purchase a phone card,
which come out of vending machines in some booths, and are commonly
sold in convenience stores in denominations such as 5,000 Yen
and 10,000 Yen. Then go to a (usually) green payphone (if you
want to make an international call, it should have a gold faceplate),
and stick the phone card in the slot. A digital readout will tell
you how many units you have left. If it gets down to one or two,
it will start to beep, and you should have your next card ready
to avoid being cut off.
Cell phones -- Don't bother bringing one, even though you may feel like the
odd-person out (the number of cell phones sold in Japan is greater than the
total population!) The Japanese cell phone system is different than the U.S.
and Europe, so if you need a cell phone in Japan, rent one. --This just in:
A more recent option is renting a cell phone in this country to take with you.
I don't currently have any recommendations, so take a look on Google... Also
note that there are two prominant cell phone systems in Japan -- the type we
are used to here in the States, and a more short-range system called PHS used
in the cities. When you are in Japan, watch the kids on the subways numbly typing
e-mail into their cellphones so that when they resurface, their messages will
get sent. If you know anything about Japanese word processing, it's amazing
that there is such a sophisticated Front End Processor for generating Japanese
packed into the phone!
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E-mail
Are you going to be an e-mail junkie? With your own notebook,
you'll probably be able to connect to the phone in your hotel
room. Check with your school to see what arrangements need to
be made to connect abroad: your school may subscribe to an international
Internet Service Provider, and may make that service available
to you.
For the uninitiated: Good ol' telnet: This is probably the easiest way to connect
to your own school's e-mail server (if it's a UNIX server running PINE). All
you need is access to a computer with an internet connection and a telnet client.
Simply type your school's telnet address into the <host> field, and login
just as if you were at home! A potential drawback is that telnet clients don't
necessarily encrypt passwords or the body text.
Okay, the previous paragraph now looks a bit outdated. I would strongly suggest
ONLY connecting with ssh (secure shell) or some other encryption if you are
going to access e-mail in a terminal session. More than likely, you'll be able
to get e-mail via a web browser, which more than likely uses SSL (Secure Sockets
Layer) technology. There should be plenty of "Internet Cafes" around
at this point.
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A (Very) Few Recommended books,
movies:
I haven't looked at guidebooks to Japan in a long time, and so would simply
suggest that you find one that has the kind of information that you wonder about.
As far as books/movies that give a reasonable picture of what Japan is like,
I can recommend the following (unfortunately, Tokyo Style and From
Bonsai to Levis appear to be out of print, so perhaps there is a copy at
your library...) Please bear in mind that there are LOTS of great books and
movies on Japan out there, and believe me, I know that. These are just some
favorites of mine:
Books:
I've left "reasonable" and merely "good" sources out of
this list. It is short and with (in my opinion) superlative items only, with
a mind towards actually being able to finish them by the time the conference
roles around.
- Tokyo
Style -by Kyoichi Tsuzuki- The ONLY photography book
on Japan I've seen that allows one to see what real typical
apartments look like.
- Ransom
- by Jay McInerney, author of Bright Lights, Big City.
This book captures a lot of what is funny to Americans in Japan
without being disrespectful, and also gives a great picture of
the "foreigner in Japan" experience. My cousin gave
this book to me to read before I went, and I've read it since
living there -- it still rings true. McInerney MUST have lived
in Japan. Warning -- there is a dark ending to this one...
- From
Bonsai to Levis - by George Fields. A classic! Well worth it if you
can find it; it should be in libraries. Fields had a Japanese parent (I've
forgotten which; father, I think), and grew up in Japan through high school.
He left before the war, and schooled in Australia (where the other parent
was from) and the U.S. Then he went back to Japan (knowing more kanji characters
than Japanese schooled in the post-war/post-education reform period) to introduce
Market Research to Japan. Through this essentially anthropological study,
he amassed a great number of very interesting and often funny anecdotes and
observations about Japanese culture. Fields then declined to have the book
translated, as he felt a "mere" translation would not suffice in
reaching the (different) target audience. So he rewrote it himself in Japanese!
The Japanese version was also very popular in Japan. Just last week, my (Japanese)
wife was telling some of her Japanese friends the rice-cooker-cakemix story...
Movies:
- Lost In Translation --
My wife and I agree, this is the most accurate depiction of Japan in a movie
made outside of Japan. That is not to say that it is 100% accurate, culturally
speaking, but how do you convey cultural differences that can't be understood?
You make them more understandable, and therefore less accurate. But this movie
had the "look and feel", and was very nostalgic.
- Shall We Dance --
The house, the guy, the company, the train ride, the "hobby" of
dancing; now this is a slice of typical Japan!
- Tokyo Story -- or (since
this is a Japanese film, Tokyo Monogatari). This is an older film, but if
you are going to Japan in the late Summer, this captures the feel. A great
film as well, embodying (romanticizing?) many values in Japanese culture.
- Ikiru -- (To Live) -- If
you haven't yet seen a Kurosawa film, this is a great one to start with --
and, well, I don't need to say anymore. It's a Kurosawa.
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Womens' Items:
Another conspicuously missing topic pointed out to me by colleagues!
- Stockings -- often worn, but not necessary
- Skirts -- same thing
- In fact, to put the fashion thing to rest, it's MUCH more
likely that Japanese fashions will shock you than vice-versa.
Think New York (including punk), Paris, Florence, and Austin
Powers... Strangely, I still think of many aspects of Japanese
fashion as "conservative"...
- "Sounds" in the bathroom stalls -- In order to not have to hear
or be heard, it is somewhat of a common practice to "flush to camouflage."
So to save water, many women's stalls will have automatic electronic "flush
sounds."
- Safety at night -- Japan is a very safe country, and I consider
(this phrase designates opinion -- not fact. I don't want
to get sued!) it safe for women to walk alone at night; and this
extends fully into the category of people I care deeply about.
The worst I've ever heard of is obscene (if one can understand
it...) comments.
- Groping -- an ugly but necessary topic to touch on. ( And it appears I've
just contradicted my previous point...not to mention that I made a terrible
pun.) Though infrequent, it happens, and then often on trains. Be on your
guard. My guess is that the frequency of occurrences is declining as Japanese
women have become more aggressive in confronting it. My favorite method is
to "slash" the perpetrator's clothes with lipstick -- unquestionably
marking them not only everywhere they go, but also when they get home to their
wives and families! Is being groped likely to happen to you? No. In fact,
you'll probably feel safer in Japan than you have in the U.S. for some time
-- it's quite relaxing to let your guard down in general. Trains are probably
not the place to let your guard down, though, because there is anonymity,
crowding (therefore excuses) and people who have been drinking. I don't think
you have to worry, but be aware of your surroundings.
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Sites of interest:
A good place to start is the Japan National Tourist Organization
(JNTO): http://www.jnto.go.jp/
Recommendations:
These are suggestions based on what is close to Kobe, and therefore
more economical/feasible. But please don't think that you'll be
missing out on Japan if you don't see these sights. The everyday
aspects of Japan aren't romanticized like the "classics"
below, but I think they are just as interesting. If you don't
have much time outside of the conference, take a walk through
Kobe, into the little neighborhoods. I guarantee you'll enjoy
yourself. Remember that this city was devastated just a few short
years ago, but you'd be hard pressed to identify any remaining
sign of it (there are still displaced people, but you'd have to
know where and what to look for...) Spend an evening out with
people, experiencing the food (invariably what Japanese outside
of Japan seem to miss the most!)
- Himeji Castle -- 15 minutes by shinkansen. Considered
by many the most beautiful castle in Japan.
- Kyoto -- 30 minutes by shinkansen, (I'd take the taxi
to Shin Kobe Eki -- the bullet train station in Kobe).
Probably the most glorious of cities in Japan when it comes to
old temples and shrines. This is where you should go to take
your pictures of what people will want to see when you get back...
- Nara -- another 30 minute train ride from Kyoto station.
Another great set of temples, a great, big Buddha, and shameless
deer herds that mingle with and are fed by the tourists.
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New Links:
http://www.direct.to/tokyo/
QTVR of all over Tokyo
http://202.23.150.181/users/kkitao/pictures/ikaruga/horyuji/
Horyuji ? the oldest wooden building in the world, and my favorite
temple complex
http://www.dancy.com/vr/ QTVR
views of day-to-day Tokyo
http://www.metropla.net/as/kobe.htm
A map of the Kobe subway lines
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~AD8Y-HYS/movie.htm
How to use a Japanese style toilet!
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~AD8Y-HYS/index_e.htm
Pictures of Japanese style toilets along with a map/rating
of Tokyo subway station bathrooms
http://www.tokyometro.go.jp/metnet/3600e.html
If you'll be spending any time in Tokyo, this is a nice set of
maps ? of course you'll want to pick up your own to carry with
you, but in the meanwhile, this will whet your appetite for going
http://www.jnto.go.jp/db/traffic/
A quite extensive site with lots of train information. If
you are the type of person who likes to read details of this sort
of thing, this page is for you.
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Last Minute Inspirations...
In case you needed a non-linguistic nudge to help you decide
to go...
Contact the page's author --
NOTE: After you click that link, please delete theword "delete"
from my e-mail address -- I'm trying to cut down on junk e-mail scrapers...
Last updated May 2, 2004