Can I as an American move to Japan permanently, and if so what steps would I have to take to do so?

Question:

I would absolutely love to live there, I plan on learning the language first before I actually do make any move, which includes reading and writing the kanji and kana's. But is it possible to move there permanently? I know I can get visas and such to stay there for a few years but I am talking about staying there for the rest of my life.

Answer:

You usually need working or student visa to live in Japan.

For working visa, you have to get a job offer from a Japanese company. But you can't look for a job in Japan without a visa. So you need it before you enter Japan.

For student visa, you have to be admitted to a Japanese college. You need to pay tuition and living cost for 4 years. It could be about $100,000.

If you want to become a Japanese citizen, you have to keep living in Japan for more than 5 years without a pause. Then, you will be eligible to apply for citizenship. But you need more like stable income, sufficient reason, Japanese language skill and so on if you want your application to be accepted.

You can apply for Permanent Residence of Japan under the same condition. And this is relatively easier than citizenship.

Travailing to japan for 4 to 7 days?

Question:

hi i really wanna go to japan right now i wanna save up as much as i can so how much do you need for a 4 to 7 day trip oh and if you could tell me about some cool places to go that be nice

Answer:

A regular hotel will set you back about USD$100 a night for a single room or USD$150 for a double. Try a Business Hotel for a good compromise with prices around USD$70 for a single room and USD$100 for a double. I recommend the Toyoko Inn hotel chain located all over Japan.

Prices at regular Japanese restaurants are usually USD$8-$15 a meal, but food can cost you about USD$5-8 a meal if you eat at budget Japanese restaurants like Yoshinoya, Sukiya, and CoCo Ichiban Curry House.

I would say about USD$80-100 a day is possible done on a budget.

The must see cities in Japan are Tokyo and Kyoto. Attractions in Tokyo include the Asakusa district famous for Sensoji temple and Nakamise shopping street; Meiji Shrine; The Imperial Palace; Ginza and Harajuku.

Read more about Tokyo here
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2010…

Kyoto attractions include Kiyomizudera; Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion); Ginkakuji (Temple of the Silver Pavilion); Nijo Castle; and Heian Shrine.

Read more about Kyoto here
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2011…

Other places I highly recommend include:

Nara - ancient capital and full of history and old temples
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2010…

Takayama - beautiful city known for its traditional architecture and crafts
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2010…

Hiroshima - beautiful city in Japan that reminds me of my home town of Melbourne in Australia with its green parks and trams
http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/2010…

Is it possible for someone who is not from Japan to work at GAMEFREAK?

Question:

Aside from having to study and master Japanese + major in video game design ,graduate from college, AND have to be very talented, is it possible for anyone to join GameFreak?

Answer:

Possible or impossible. It's up to you.

It's generally extremely difficult to get your dream job in Japan.

Going to Japan in sept 2012, need to learn the language efficiently and quick?

Question:

I am at art college and next september we are going to an abroad trip in Niigata, Japan. First off I just want to say, all my life i really really really really wanted to go. Japanese culture is very interesting and I hear great things about people who go. However I am on the frantic side. i have never been able to learn japanese at an affordable rare. My room mate did give me 1GB worth of downloadble text book material on hirugana and katakana. But other than that I don't know how to start. I wish i learned jap at the age of 3 so i can retain and absorb all that information. as an 18 year old it will hard as hell AND i have my college work to keep up with. So please someone tell me what I can do. i am not getting Rosseta stone its just too expensive. Also the culture. I don't wanna come off as xenophobic. But I am kind of afraid of the japanese people. I hear mixed things about them being nice or racist. But i mostly here they are cautious of foreigners and make people incredibly socially awkward. I have aspergers syndrome and I think my brain will go into overload if I were to encounter such a situation. So I wanna go its a once in a life time thing, but i don't think I can handle it. I don't wanna be seen as ome dumb american white kid.

Answer:

Rosetta stone is rubbish and expensive. To get up to scratch, learn using various methods: internet tutorials, books, CDs/DVD's and personal tuition (this need not be expensive if you look at your local community sites)

Could somebody translate these 3 short Japanese sentences for me?

Question:

Normally, my penpal writes to me in hiragana and katakana, but today she used lots of kanji. Usually, if I don't understand what somebody's message says, I'll ask them about it... But her English isn't very good...

(Before the following 3 sentences, I'm pretty sure she was talking about how much sleep she gets in a night. Then, she corrected some mistakes in a sentence I wrote in Japanese.)

1. 青・・・日本語での慣用句（２つ以上の言葉で1つの意味を言うもの）があります。
2. 顔が青ざめる　と使います。えっと、英語ではどのような言い方になりますか？
3. 普通にface blue って言うのかな・・・？

Geez look at all that kanji... In my last message, I told her about some of the new kanji I learned. 青 was one of the new ones I had learned. From what I can read, I think she is saying something about 青 having another meaning other than blue (a pale face?). Could you please translate the rest for me?

Answer:

She is saying that in Japanese there are idioms (慣用句 [kanyouku]) using 青 [blue] and explains what an idiom is in the parenthesis.

顔が青ざめる is one such idiom, which she then says she wonders how people say it in English.

She finishes by guessing how to say it in English... "face blue"

( You can answer her by picking a correct translation from here: http://eow.alc.co.jp/顔が青ざめる/UTF-8/ )

Is this except able for a yukata?

Question:

I found a yukata on ebay and would like the option of someone who knows a more on the the subject, here's a link to it:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/JAPAN-KIMONO-YUK…

I want to know if this is considered except able for a yukata as well if i need anything else to wear with it (i think some where i had looked you wear something under it, a dress or skirt slip ok?)

This is for halloween (we're allowed to dress up at my job!) but i want it to be as close to authentic with out going crazy spending money. Also for shoes any advice? I can't have anything open toed or open back, basically nothing sandal like, wound ballet flats be ok or would something different be better?

Answer:

Looks like it comes with an obi, so you don't need that. You will need a kimono slip or a reasonable substitute. I like to use a t-shirt with a low neck and a skirt slip if I can't get to a proper kimono slip. Just make sure the t-shirt neck is low enough to not show when you adjust the collar properly, and make sure the sleeves aren't loose enough to be hanging through the arm opening where it connects to the body (most kimono slips have t-shirt-like sleeves though so it should be fine). You also need some ties to hold things together. You can make your own from cotton, or you can buy koshi himo. There might be some for sale elsewhere on eBay or you can look on places like Ichiroya for them. Unfotunately for footwear, you really aren't supposed to wear anything other than geta. But if you really must I guess plain ballet flats would work. The hair stick is a little on the fancy side for most yukata outfits, but since yukata are so casual you can get away with a lot with them that you couldn't with a kimono, and there are several very fancy styles of yukata-wearing out there, so you should be okay with that stick. Just...don't wear plain hair sticks if you decide not to go with the butterfly one. They're too much like chopsticks, which really aren't an acceptable hair accessory for Japanese clothing.

At this point, the most important thing you need to do is take the time to look up information on how to put your yukata on, and then spend some time practicing once it arrives in the mail. It isn't too tough to put on once you get the hang of it, but it also isn't like tossing on a shirt and it does take some practice to get everything right.

This statement in kanji / hiragana?

Question:

I'd like to have my signature on a certain forum in several languages.
How would this be translated into Japanese:
"They say no one lives forever. Sounds like a challenge to me"

Answer:

誰も永遠に生きないと言われる。それはどうかな。
(daremo eien ni ikinai to iwareru. sore wa dou kana.)


A direct translation wouldn't carry the same connotation as what you have written, so I changed it just a bit. The first part is the same; the second part is more along the lines of the English versions's intended meaning ("We'll see about that." / "Don't count on it." / etc.).

This isn't really normal talk, though; it sounds as if out of a game or anime (which I believe is what you're after).

Westerners in Japan?..,?

Question:

Just for westerners living in Japan, have u had any issues with the locals or culture since moving there?

Answer:

Japan is a different experience. I have been living near Tokyo for the past 10 months, and there are some differences from the United States.

Cultural Attitude: One of the biggest differences that I noticed is the attitudes of Japanese versus those in the US. Individuals are reserved, but will be polite. When dealing in groups, each individual works to benefit others, not trying to put themselves ahead. One example of where this occurs is in driving. When two lanes merge, drivers will zipper in, without any individual directing them. Given the same situation in the US, most drivers will attempt to jump ahead of other traffic.

Crime Rate: Compared to the US, the crime rate in Japan is significantly reduced. One of the biggest reasons for this is the cultural attitude, although another reason is that it is expensive to own a firearm (as a result, few civilians own firearms, save for the Yakuza). The biggest threats that a US Citizen is likely to face would be run-ins with the Yakuza (you stay out of their way and they leave you alone - most of the time) and the Roppongi (Party District) Club Advertisers, who are large fellows that attempt to pull you into the club and extort large amounts of money out of you. If you ignore them and keep walking, they will focus on someone else and leave you alone.

Insurance: Driving is hectic no matter where you go. Insurance in Japan is expensive compared to the US, and you have to pay for two different policies, one of them being the JCI (Japan Compulsary Insurance). The JCI is payed every two years, and requires re-registration and vehicle inspections (any discrepancy at all must be fixed prior to re-registration).

Most accidents will be the fault of all parties involved. This is called no-fault, and applies to most situations, except for ones where you couldn't have prevented it (such as being parked in a proper zone, and away from your vehicle). Simply being at the scene places you at fault, for if you weren't there, then it wouldn't have happened. Each party involved is automatically responsible for at least 10% of the damages.

The laws regarding driving have a positive effect: Drivers are polite and reserved. In Japan, each driver is considered a professional driver. Anyone wishing to drive has to complete a driver's schooling. (Being US Military will afford you many breaks and discounts).

Trains: There is an excellent system of trains in Japan, especially around the Tokyo Metropolis. The farther you go, the more expensive it is, but this is the tradeoff to not using a car, which would take longer to get to the same spot, in most occasions.


Gaijin - Some places in Japan will not cater to foreigners, especially as you travel away from tourist frequented areas (Such as Tokyo). This is normal. If they say "no Gaijin", just smile, nod, and walk back out the door.


Have fun, it's a heck of an experience!

What are the rules for living in Japan?

Question:

In a about a year I plan on moving back to Japan , my home country to attend my old school, and my family need to stay in the US to support my grandmother with cancer, and my younger sister with her school. I want to attend my 2 last years of high school in Japan, and I realize I will be 16, and wont be able to live on my own. I have family in Tokyo, but they are 2 hours away from my school and I would have to get up at 4-5 am everyday . Is it legal to live with someone that is 18+ and not a relative? I have an older friend who will be 18 when I return, and she said I could move into her apartment, while she attends college, but I wanted to make sure. My question is: Is it legal to live with someone who is 18+ , but not family?

Answer:

It's of course legal for Japanese.

But if you are not Japanese, I don't think you can get a visa to live just by living with someone not your parents.

What are the strands of white diamond shaped streams tied around trees (usually around temples in japan)?

Question:

http://ih0.redbubble.net/work.7210724.1.flat,550x550,075,f.shimenawa.jpg

I've seen these and I don't know what they are or what they mean. I've also seem animes where priestesses have a stick with one of these on the end and they swish it back and forth. What does it mean?

Answer:

The zigzag papers are shide
The rope is a shimenawa
The stick with the shide is called a onusa
They are used to bless or purify evil in Shinto religion

What channel in Okinawa does Music Station come on?

Question:

What time and what days?

Answer:

On this channel at 8pm Friday.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryukyu_Asah…

Should I go to TUJ and Japan in general?

Question:

So I've got a dilemma... I think I want to go to TUJ in Tokyo, Japan, but I am very hesitant. I am a nearly 17-year-old Mexican-American girl (if that matters?) that is interested in Japan, so I thought TUJ might be right for me. I don't consider myself an otaku or Japanophile because I can tolerate few animes and I wouldn't say that I like or love Japan, but rather I admire it. I think the lifestyle and culture is fascinating and the disposition of the people and their values is highly respectable. However, I have never been to Japan and could very well be pulling this out of thin air, as I only have second hand experience of Japan as a whole. If I were to be accepted into TUJ I would probably major in general studies and work part-time at an eikawa or the like to gain experience with teaching English, as that is what I would like to do after graduating. I know, terribly original, right? But I honestly want to teach English, not just to stay in Japan, but I like the idea of molding minds and improving people's communication skills. I guess the heart of my issue would be that I don't know if I will be able to adjust to Japan and I don't have the means to travel there on my own, so school is pretty much my only viable option of experiencing Japan. That being said, the reason I didn't want to attend the university in the U.S.and spend my third year in Japan is because by that time I would have to decide on a major and if i decided on a major like TEFOL, then went to Japan to discover I could not adjust, I would be left with a major I didn't want to use in my home country. On the other hand, if I went to TUJ my first year and found that I couldn't adjust I would have to go through the struggles of transferring to a U.S. university. However, if I did find that I liked Japan and finished my time at TUJ I am afraid of not finding sustainable work there with a general studies degree and being sent back to the U.S., where I would have a nearly useless major unless i supplemented it with a master's degree, which is time and money I would rather not spend. Also, I know this will sound awful, but is merely me being brutally honest... I think I would punch myself in the face daily if I had to spend my four years in college with fangirls/fanboys, otakus, and Japanophiles, which I fear could be a possibility at TUJ. But again, I have no basis to go on, it is just a feeling I have. I apologize that this explanation is so lengthy, and I think you deserve a trophy for reading the entire thing, and an extra one if you can provide a solid, unbiased, non-trolling sort of answer. In conclusion, if anyone has any advice for me or is willing to share their experience with a similar problem it would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:

I think you can go to TUJ just for 1 year or so. So it's not bad to go there for a short time.

How do you say "I am trying to learn japanese" in Japanese language?

Question:

PLEASE NO GOOGLE/YAHOO/ETC TRANSLATIONS!! They're worthless!!!!

Answer:

nihonog wo benkyo shiyou to shite imasu

Is now a good time to exchange AUS$ for yen?

Question:

Answer:

Good or bad. It's up to your needs. I don't think 1A$=82 yen is so bad.

Can anyone translate these English commands into Japanese for me, please?

Question:

One-word commands, please, for:

Push.....(as in, "Push the door open.")
Pull.......(as in, "Pull the door open with your little paw.")
Up........(as in, "Come on up here, you cute little kitty, and get some of these yummy treats!")
.

Answer:

push = 押す (osu)
pull = 引く (hiku)
up = 昇る、上がる、etc. (noboru, agaru, etc.).

If you want them as commands...
押して (oshite)
引いて (hiite)
As for the last one, you wouldn't probably use those other verbs I gave you. You would just say 来て (kite) or こっち来て (kocchi kite) to say "come" or "come here," respectively.

I am in need of some help...?

Question:

I can not seem to find any Universities in Japan that offer degree's in any field of the Performing Arts.
Could you help?
Thank you!

Answer:

In my knowledge this uni is the best.

http://www.geidai.ac.jp/english/

Ryichi Sakamoto is one of the graduates.

Japanese to English translation, please?

Question:

超セレブな先輩役、憧れてしまうのは？

Thanks =3

Answer:

超セレブな先輩、思わず憧れてしまいそうなのは？ actually doesn't seem to be complete.
→ 超セレブな先輩、（あなたが）思わず憧れてしまいそうなのは（誰ですか）
Among those super gorgeous upperclassmen, who are you attracted to the most?

セレブな celebrity-like ---> almost slang for someone "looking so gorgeous/elegant/eye-catching"
-

Please can someone explian Japanese honorifics?

Question:

Like;
chan
kun
sama
sempai
kōhai
shi
san


etc...

Answer:

It's all good up until the "etc." There's a lot more to honorifics than that.

There are some good books out there. This question is beyond the limits of answering here.

But, basically...

-chan - added to kids names, and sometimes adults, usually female, but not limited to females.
-kun - added mainly to boys' names, but sometimes girls
-sama - formal, added in letters or other formal situations

sempai - this is a word on its own, referring to one's senior (for example in university, someone ahead of you in your programme)
kohai- the opposite - jr.

-shi - added to names in the past. Rarely used now.
-san - very standard suffix for names. It covers everyone. Not too informal, not too formal, not gender-specific.

Can someone translate this for me?

Question:

I'm trying to play a Japanese game but I'm getting this error, something about a card.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/846…

Answer:

Cannot access memory card. Turn off the power and properly insert the memory card.

Do Japanese people drink more milk than the Chinese?

Question:

I have noticed that Japanese women on average are much slimmer but are more top heavy than Chinese women. Is it true that the whole milk that they consume is leading to larger breast sizes.

Answer:

Milk has been a part of the daily school lunch for a long time now, so almost 100% of Japanese had at least one cup of milk 5 days a week for 12 years of their young life.

In Japan, cows are fed a lot of corn, so the milk tastes like corn. Milk is also sold at higher fat content than in the West. There's no such thing as 1% or Skim in Japan.

Top-heavy Japanese? Compared to Chinese? Where do you get your info. from?

Tokyo Concerts & Sports?

Question:

Hi, I'm going to be in Tokyo from December 10- January 3, I REALLY need information about concerts or any events that I can attend. I am looking for everything interesting, fun. Especially musical concerts, although all of the ones I have found have seem to be sold out already. Are there any websites that are easy to access? They can be in Japanese or English.

I was also wondering about any popular sports matches. Will there be any good baseball or soccer games in December this year? I don't mind if they are not games, I want to see practice matches as well, if there is any way to meet the players. It also doesn't matter if I have to be in Japan to buy the tickets, I have relatives and can ask them to buy them for me.

Answer:

There is an ideal site for all the information about concerts, sports events and theatrical events.
This PIA site is the one but the problem with it is the language is not in English.
If you have relatives in Japan, you can ask them to get detail information for you from this site.

How long does a typhoon generally last?

Question:

I'm in one right now, and would like some sun for my day off :(

Answer:

2 to 3 days. Some could only last in a day.
Depending on how fast or slow the typhoon travels.
After the typhoon, it doesn't assure a sunny day. The tail of the typhoon or the low pressure caused by the typhoon still causes rain.

Japanese:do you know about cricket?is it popular in yur cntry?

Question:

i will be coming japan soon.i love cricket.i will be spending time there playing cricket.will i be able to find sme friends to play cricket in your country?it is like a baseball

Answer:

Most of us know what cricket is, but that's all. It's not that popular. No it's not like baseball. Most of people here know and can play baseball, but I bet they doesn't know what is cricket, and can't play it at all. You can try find a club for it, though.

Any good Japanese songs?

Question:

I really like japan and I would like to know some good songs. Thank you :)

Answer:

Kikichi Yazawa. He uses a lot of foreign musicians. It wouldn't surprise me if he was using a foreigner to produce his work too. Here's an example.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi-l3uXV1…

and another one.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHbJfcwbO…

In Kyoto or Osaka, are there tea houses?

Question:

I am a loose tea leaf enthusiast. Simple things like hot tea is calming to me. I was wondering if there are tea houses like this in Osaka or Kyoto. Please suggest names. Thank you!

Answer:

Kyoto houses a large number of traditional venues and stores, as well as ryokans or the Japanese traditional hotels. Just walk up to an information center closest to you, usually near large subway or train stations, they all speak English can give you suggestions and directions.

When is it the best and cheapest time to travel to Japan?

Question:

When I asked about when is the "best" time to go I'm talking about the weather not being too hot nor too cold and that I don't have to worry about storms; especially, not a tsunami that just hit Japan earlier this year. Also, if you can tell me a good website to find airplane tickets I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

Answer:

I think April is the best time because you can see cherry blossoms.

What are these Japanese TV shows?

Question:

I'm in Japan and can't understand the TV...but what are the names of these shows? One is kind of a game show where celebrities compete with games like "kicking sniper" and "jungle bingo". The other one is a drama that comes on in the morning around 7 or 8, and it's about a bunch of women in a traditional Japanese house...I think it takes place during the 1950's? And theres one little girl. Anyone know??

Answer:

You need to tell us which channel and which day you saw it.

Addition:
I wanted to make sure by asking you which channel and which day. But you may not remember it.

I agree with another that the first one is VS嵐

I think the 2nd one is おひさま.
http://www9.nhk.or.jp/ohisama/

Can I bring a sword to the us from Japan? ?

Question:

How would I do it? When i go to Japan I want to purchase a katana or something of that nature. Is it legal to being it to the us? Thanks in advance!

Answer:

These days scanners can detect metal objects and the like in checked baggage so if they find something suspicious, chances are that they would stop you and question you (worse if you don't declare it) I used to watch the Australian border patrol program and they did this a lot (we have to assume the Americans will do the same). You options are: contact the U.S immigration to be certain and declare this always.