Meticulous Work With Japanese

If you’ve been to Japan - you know how meticulous japanese are - whatever they do - in regards to eating - preparing food - wrapping of presents and even with presenting a report or giving a speech - everything is done so professionally - one has got to admire them for being so meticulous.  Although, we cannot be compared to the Japanese work ethic - I know that we could use a report designer for our report presentation to our bosses which I had picked up when I was working in Japan.   But it’s not only the Japanese who worked with report designer now - here in the West a lot of us - use the report designer now - for all our business presentations and other sales report.  I’m happy that I’ve learned all the good stuff from my Japanese co-workers in Japan many years ago - and was able to bring this knowledge home with me.

Baby Shopping In Japan

My friend who just had her baby not too long ago, shopped for most of her baby stuff in Japan - because they are ohhh - so cute!  as she puts it.  But because she jogs a lot and walks everywhere in Japan for her daily shopping and groceries - she needed a good stroller but can’t find one that is tough enough for daily walks and jobs.  So she ordered it online - the UPPAbaby Cruz was what I had recommended her - because I’ve seen everyone using it in my neighborhood and they are for the on-the-go parents.  My girlfriend is constantly on the go - so this would be an ideal product for her and her baby.   Lucky for us - we have the internet to buy whatever we need even if we are not in the same country.  90% of her baby stuff were bought in Japan - but the stroller and car seat I know she chose to get it from home.

Living In Japan

Houses may be small in Japan - and most people only lived in cubicle houses or apartments - but the Japanese living is by far the most innovative - because they have all sorts of gadgets to make living easier and so much more pleasant.  One would think you cannot entertain in such a small place - but it’s far from the truth - because the Japanese uses the electric grill to BBQ and entertain so much - just like us in the west.   They also have this tako machine that I wished I had bought one back from japan - and they make this yummy tako and have tako parties.  The Japanese loved grilling everything and anything they can lay their hands on - and entertaining whether family or friends is second nature to them.

Gadget Shopping

So the girlfriend from her migrated to Japan in the name of love - and had emailed me to get her a list  laptop computers because hers has broken down and was getting too old and needs to retire.  Being in Japan - you would think she could get one there - with  no trouble right?  but apparently, everything was in Japanese - as you can see above and it’s really expensive to get someone to put in the English version of anything in Japan.  So yes I’m out hunting for a  laptop computers list to compile for her - and let her make some comparison - when it comes to what is inside the laptop.  We are definitely more fortunate here when it comes to shopping for a new laptop or computer - everything is written out and they tell you what the operating system is - and how much hard drive and what kind of video card  - and for someone in Japan who don’t know too much Japanese - to shop for a computer - I can understand why she prefers to shop from here in Canada.  Mailing might be a bit costly - but she said it was worth it.

Outdoors In Japan

If you think that Japan is all about sushi and shopping - boy ! are you wrong.  My girlfriend who is in Japan permanently is doing more outdoor stuff than when she was in the West - and she had photos of her going for white water rafting, atv rides, snowshoeing and hiking and camping outdoors as well.  Just the other day - she wrote to me asking me to look for atv winches for her - as well as hiking stuff.  So if you are heading to Japan - you may want to try doing one of these sports if you haven’t - they are quite fun.   As for myself - I haven’t done any of it in Japan - like most people we go shopping and eating in Japan - and enjoying the scenery - but I would love to go for an atv ride - or white water rafting sometime.

Used PC In Japan

A very, very small used computer store right in the middle of the busiest part in Japan - so if you are looking for used computers/PC  - head over to shibuya.

Internet Cafes In Japan

Many friends from here who are planning to visit Japan had asked me - if there were internet cafes in Japan - and I had to assure them that they will be able to find plenty of them around Japan - especially in Tokyo.  Most internet cafes in Japan are opened 24 hrs like this one - and they are cheap too - with food and drinks to offer to customers. If you are a manga lover - or prefer to watch a dvd - you can find it all in these internet cafes.

While internet cafe didn’t take off as well here - in Japan it is a culture.

Road Trip Around Japan

Japan is quite a huge place - although this map does not do it justice - so come this summer - my friend originally from San Francisco will be taking a road trip around Japan with her hubby and new born baby boy.  They had taken a sabbatical in conjunction with having a new baby.  As soon as she told me she was going to drive around Japan - I told her about  rv repair and insurance in case the RV breaks down.  I certainly admire her but stuff like health care, travel insurance or an emergency number for the RV - she didn’t seems to know at all.  Lucky for her - I was able to give her some last minute tip before she heads out for the around Japan trip with the entrie family.

Mini Laptops For Expats In Japan

Visiting Japan can be quite a lucrative trip if you know a lot of expats living there.  A friend who just came back from a teaching job in Japan told us that laptops are expensive in Japan - plus they come with the Japanese version of software for the operating system.  So if you are going to Japan - you can buy some  cheap laptops or netbooks aka mini laptops and sell it to those working or teaching in Japan - that would be really a paid work trip wouldn’t it. So this friend of mine told us that when he finishes his vacation - he was going to do just that - take some orders from his friends living in Japan and sell them the laptops he brings from here.   But how many laptops can one carry thru’ custom we had asked him out of curiosity.  He said quite a few - in his luggage if we were looking at netbooks - and all he needed to do was to tell custom that they were gifts.  Well, you need to gift wrap them of course.  Haha ! pretty smart and an entrepreneur in the making.

Offices In Japan

I was stationed in Japan for 6 months while a hotel was being built - many years ago and I’ve had found memories of working in Japan - from buying discount office supplies for the hotel - to working on the Standard of Procedure before the hotel was opened.  But working in Japan and the offices in Japan is quite different from working in the West.  While the Japanese are very high tech folks - they believed that getting office supplies are for the women folks in the office - the executive secretary is not any more superior than the other secretaries in the office.  And when you work in Japan - it is preferred that you leave after the boss and not before.  In Japan, the ladies are the ones who make the coffee and tea - and they clear the garbage before leaving.  Men are treated like the king too in the office it seems but you should hear the screaming - at a Japanese office - I don’t know if it is the norm - but the office i was in - was quite the drama.  But I do love Japan and if I had a chance to go back to work - I probably would but not too long.