Working In Japan

Many people had asked me about my short stay in Japan for work - and wonder how one does it - since it’s so expensive living in Japan.   Are there many jobs in Japan?  What kind of cultural shock do one have to prepare for?  what kind of benefits?  Is there insurance provided by the company you work for?  What kind of life insurance quotes online do one have to look for back home - in order to go to Japan to work?  Is there health insurance or health benefits?  Can I bring my family with me?  So many questions - that one always have when they are going to Japan to work and who can blame them right?

I don’t know about those who are from different countries - as for me - I needed to get some form of insurance before I can work in Japan and I also needed to get a health check up to be presented to immigration before the company I was working for accepted my temporary position.  A work visa is also required before leaving for Japan - like all other countries - one cannot work if you are on a tourist visa.  There are more than a dozen types of work visa in Japan - and you can only work within that confine - when you apply for it.  The work market in Japan is very competitive - besides a few types of professions that I know is in great demand - like teaching and IT position - the rest are not in so high demand and even though there may be a vacancy - they are usually given to their fellowmen first.

Working in Japan will means you need some sort of health insurance - and usually the company you are working for - are usually pretty good at it - the cover you - totally.  But you have to make sure you have one - because visiting a doctor in Japan is not cheap and if you are in need to be admitted to a hospital - it could cost you an arm and a leg.   So once again - i cannot stress enough how much a insurance is a must.

As for cultural shock?  I don’t really think so - because even though not all Japanese speaks English fluently - they are generally nice people - and they do understand English because it is a subject they take in school.  And if you work in Japan - make sure you are not the first to leave the office - because it is frown upon by the bosses.

War Heroes Of Japan

Some people are offended with the Yasukuni Shrine - in Tokyo - but the Ysaukuni Shrine is where the remains of the soldiers and more than 1000 convicted war criminal from WWII are now.  I can really understand why some Koreans and Chinese are upset with the shrine - because my own grandparents were one that wouldn’t buy anything Japanese as long as they lived.  My grandfather used to say that the Japanese not only invaded our country but they violated our womenfolks and killed our children.

The Shrine was a very beautiful place - very serene - love the building - as you can see here.

We had lunch in the nearby cafe and watched the world go by and many who came to see the shrine were tourist but I see lots of Japanese too.

Road Trip - Temples In Nara City

Nara Prefecture is where the capital of Japan once was - located less than an hour away from Osaka and Kyoto - one can take a road trip to view historical temples of Japan.  So off we went after buying our auto insurance and renting a car -  you see we were renting it from a co-worker and in Japan - you have to get individual insurance. I don’t know if you know this - but one can check on international auto insurance when you are on vacation - but when you rent from a car rental - I think they take care of all insurance for you.

There were many old statues as you can see in the pictures that follow - but one thing i missed about visiting temples from Japan and in Hong Kong is - when in Hong Kong - you can opt to have a vegetarian meal at the temples there.  Here in Japan - they don’t offer this kind of service.

Nevertheless, it was a pretty good trip - a lot to see and a lot to take in - and if only they have all the description in English too - that would be perfect.

Outside of one temple - outta the 7 we visited - i like the Kofukuji Temple best.

Favorite Summer Dessert In Japan

Yes! my favorite summer dessert - in Japan - but ironically i wasn’t introduced to this when I was living in Japan - it was in Malaysia - in a cafe at Daimaru that I first at this dessert called Azuki Shiratama.  You see - i had some online coupons to this restaurant and anything free or discounted is great right - especially for a student then.  Yes ! i was only 17 years old and had gone there with a friend to try this summer dessert.  Never did I think that 10 yrs later - i would be sitting in Osaka having the same dessert in a small little cafe - I hear it’s a favorite summer dessert for a lot of Japanese as well.  Consisting of red beans, green tea ice cream, glutinous rice, jelly at the bottom, fruits and lots of brown sugar syrup.  Glad that there were the online coupons for me to go try this wonderful dessert.

Famous Miso Katsu In Nagoya

Miso Katsu is very famous in Nagoya - therefore if you are there - you have to try it out.  While most restaurant would just pour tons of miso sauce onto your Katsu - you can definitely ask for them to have the sauce on the side.  They even have Miso cutlet on a stick - pretty yummy and a must try according to everyone - even the pamplet at the tour desk recommends it.  For those who are not aware of what a Katsu is - it’s pork deep fried in bread crumbs - really tender inside and crispy on the outside - sinful?  yes - very!  but what the heck - you don’t go to Japan everyday right.

Nagoya Pokemon Center

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I had almost forgotten about the Nagoya’s Pokemon Center because there is another one in Tokyo - that looks a lot nicer than this one.  But if you are in the Nagoya’s vicinity - and a Pokemon crazy fan - you can check it out.  If I remembered correctly it’s located in the Oasis.   Do check out the internet/manga cafe while you are there - pretty interesting - hopefully they are still there though.

Fashion Stores

While some people must shop in Harajuku - i found some interesting fashion stores away from Harajuku in Yoyogi area.  Relatively cheaper and it’s a great place for watering holes and cafes.  It’s a charming little area - where you can find locally owned store instead of big chained stores in the city.

The Japanese are very creative and everything has to be really pretty - even the front shutter of its back door to a restaurant.

Bamboo Water & Ladle

Don’t be surprised when you visit Japan and they asked you to drink from a bamboo scoop - when you visit a temple.  You would also noticed that a lot of people are drinking from the same scoop - and it’s a kinda culture in Japan.  Do i ever drink from the wooden bamboo ladle?  no i usually just scooped them and put some in my hand and wash my face.  So yes! you don’t have to - drink it - it’s only polite not to gawk if you see them do it though.

Wisteria Flowers In Season

Sometime in May every year - there is the Wisteria Flower Festival in Japan that I remembered when i was in Japan for work.  Held in a shrine - there are these kind of purple flowers all over for folks to enjoy - very much like lavendar but not. They are definitely fragrant though - i loved the festival a lot because during the evening the place get lit up right up to late at night.

HRC & Tony Romas

I wonder why i never talked about the Hard Rock Cafe and Tony Romas In Roppongi - Tokyo - afterall, I used to be fascinated with HRC and collected teddy bears from all the HRC that i go to - i have like 28 bears from different countries from HRC.   But it was the buddy in tokyo who bought some Kwikset locks in Roppongi that got me thinking of Tony Romas as well - because they looked exactly like the door locks i saw at Tony Romas.  How do i know?  well, silly me one day went to get something to eat on my own but the restaurant wasn’t really opened for dinner yet - and i yanked and yanked on the locks and it just wouldn’t budged - and i thought it was stuck.  Hhaaha!  until a waiter came out and unlocked the door and told me that they weren’t opened yet.  How embarrassing right?  That was how i recognized it when the buddy from Japan showed me a picture of it.   And i had exclaimed !!! oh!! from Tony Romas!!!!  next to Hard Rock Cafe right?

Anyhow - there is a Hard Rock Cafe and Tony Romas in Tokyo - if you are missing Western food a lot - and if you are anything like me - you would wanna get your western food there only - because other “western” restaurant in Japan - just cannot be compared to good ole Hard Rock Cafe and Tony Romas for the baby ribs. But Hard Rock Cafe Roppongi wasn’t called that when i was in HRC Japan in the 1991 - it was the only Hard Rock Cafe there - and unlike the above picture given by the buddy in Tokyo - it had a gorilla hanging on the window and not the huge guitar.

Like any Hard Rock Cafe - it will be another Hard Rock Cafe - so you will pretty much get the same menu all over the world but try their vegie burger that is new i heard - but don’t quote me the next time you are there - and yes they still have the metal rock music there.   There are also more than one Hard Rock Cafes in Japan now - in fact there are 8 I heard.  So if you are in Japan - don’t worry about missing out on Western food - just head to the nearest HRC.  Good luck !