Fall & Christmas Concerts

Fall & Christmas concerts tickets are currently on sale now and like the West - you can get your concert tickets even if you are currently overseas and planning to go for a vacation where the concert will be taking place.  The Japanese loves their concerts especially rock concerts and they would pay as much as $200 a ticket to see their favorite artiste play and perform.   The Japanese are very hype group of people - and they know the most popular band girl or boy’s that are performing.  Some I hear would travel to various destination for a vacation to see their favorite band.  I hear from my girlfriend residing in Japan that the current favorite is Lady Gaga - so if Lady Gaga wasn’t performing anytime soon in Japan - they would go to her instead.

Gadget Shopping In Japan

For the gadget loving tourists that are going to Japan - they definitely needs to visit Akiba - yes ! yes! we all know that.  And we all know that Japan does get the latest and the newest version of every gadget you can think of - including computers and laptops like the Sony VAIO .  But wait a minute folks!  - before you go rushing to get every gadget you can think of - in Japan - make sure that they are not all programmed in Japanese and the keyboards are in English - hahha! else - how are you gonna make use of all you new gadgets.  So as much as I love even the paper phones in Japan - I still get all my gadgets - especially laptops elsewhere.  Sorry Japan - you won’t be getting my money where the gadgets are concern.

Camping In Japan

If you are thinking that the Japanese don’t go camping - then you are wrong.  My girlfriend from USA who teaches in Japan - Osaka - tells me a different story on her FB.  Although Japanese camping van is different from the RV that we are used to in the States and Canada - they do have  rv towing in Japan as well.  The Japanese are very adventurous people and they love the outdoors and goes camping and hiking all the time and they love exploring the hot water springs.

Plus some places are absolutely beautiful to explore - like the beautiful southern island in Osaka.  Palm trees and beautiful weather most times in Japan - calls for a lot of outdoorsy adventures if anyone care for it.

The Rise Of Old In Japan

Like many country - Japan is no different - the rise of the older generation can be seen everywhere - although - they all seems a lot healthier than those in the West.  It’s probably the food they are eating?  or is it acetyl l carnitine - that produces energy.   I heard that if you have memory lost - it’s something to use as well.   I’m currently 45 and already feeling so tired all the time - and to boost my energy - I eat lots of fish - but I’ll take anything that can help and not harmful to my body.  What about you?

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.

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.

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 !

Career Advancement

I don’t know if you know this but I hear that getting into the University of Japan is darn difficult - I also hear that lots of students in Japan commits suicide if they don’t get a place in the University.  The culture is pretty harsh and the expectation of a child can be quite torturing. There are so many Asians that goes overseas to continue their studies and we in the West are definitely a lot luckier than the Asian who are so involved in competing with each other - it’s terrible.

In the West if you want to change your career or make a career advancement - taking a Masters of Science in Information Security for example is not difficult at all.  Do your studies online - take your time or complete the program in 2 years.  The courses are flexible and you don’t have to give up your job or sacrifice your personal life to make this career choice.  You also gets lots of help and it’s affordable because of the financial aids provided and Lewis University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.  And it doesn’t matter if you are 20 or 50 yrs of age, you can make a career change if you choose to, like my mother used to say - it’s never too late - as long as you want it bad enough.

Making Japan Your Home

Japan is one of the most beautiful place that I’ve lived in but it had to be one of the most expensive too.  A friend who is currently in Japan asked if it was feasible to invest in a house since he just got married to a Japanese girl.   He wanted to know if he needed a  credit report to buy a house - so I wrote back to let him know that it’s a tricky thing when it comes to investing in a house.

First, it’s expensive if you don’t know by now to live in Japan - and it is not the house that is expensive - it is the land!  Unlike here in Canada or the States where land is aplenty - it’s a rare commodity in Japan. Getting a loan is not impossible - I think a certain bank does good on the loan for permanent resident. Houses however depreciate over time. The key some believe is to buy land and house which is a little older – perhaps one which has a zero yen value on it but also one which is in very good condition – you must afterall live in it.  The myth about needing to get the wife to own the house is not true - so don’t let the outlaws make you believe that.  Good luck!

Tsunami Warning In Japan

The tsunami warning issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center includes parts of Central and South America, New Zealand, Russia, Japan, the Philippines, Hawaii and a number of Pacific islands.  When my friend from Japan wrote about it on her facebook - i cannot helped but put away my reading of spring plungers and went online to check about the upcoming disaster and tragedy.

“Sea level readings confirm that a tsunami has been generated which could cause widespread damage,” reads a bulletin issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. “Authorities should take appropriate action in response to this threat.”

The Center issued specific warnings for the entire state of Hawaii, saying the first wave of a tsunami could hit at 11:19 a.m. local time.

In Japan, broadcaster NHK quoted experts who predicted a tsunami could hit Japan in less than 24 hours, and could be tens of centimetres high. In 2001, a tsunami that hit Japan after an 8.4-magnitude earthquake near Chile measured 28 centimetres.