Last year was a bit shaken up… but we are alive and kickin! Now in 2012… same ol’ stuff, just another year on this rock.
Rules for Posting:
- Keep it clean! No unnecessary flaming.
- If you’re coming to Japan for a vacation, cool! Welcome!
- If you’re in this thread cuz you have a hardon for Japan but have no way of coming here, GTFO.
- If you dislike Japanese girls, GTFO.
- If you enjoy some sweet ass curry rice, welcome!
Visitors to Japan
If you have a question, feel free to ask us, but first COMPLETELY read and answer the following questions:
1. Where are you going to stay? (Tokyo is not an answer, it is just like saying New York City, L.A., London, or Hong Kong)
2. What games do you play?
3. If you are asking for budget approximations, please give detail about:
-The number of people you will be with
-Where you want to go
-How luxurious of a place you want to stay in
-What your spending needs are (ie. gifts for the family, everyday arcade, sightseeing, etc.)
Useful links to old threads, etc.:
Spoiler
ScottPopular: JAPAN THREAD 2012: 2011 was a bit shaky, but we're still here!
Useful Info from ScottPopular’s Official Japan Thread (General Discussion):
http://forums.shoryuken.com/t/2012-japan-thread-we-are-still-here/139492
The Official Japan Thread 2.0 “Nani?”
Graveyard of Japan Threads (World Matchmaking):
JAPAN THREAD 2007 (Konnichiwa B!tches!)
2008?!?!?!?
JAPAN THREAD 2009: 3rd Strike!
JAPAN THREAD 2010: Let's do this ish!
JAPAN THREAD 2011: Lets get it on!
Read this if you have been convicted of ANY crime in the past and you are coming to Japan!
http://shoryuken.com/f3/official-japan-thread-2-0-nani-194316/index38.html#post10036993
Train Directions in English:
www.jorudan.co.jp/english
Bus Maps in Japanese:
#1 Recommended Forum for Japan talk:
CAUTION: This is the best place to get solid advice on just about anything… but I warn you, you have to be able to take the shit that goes a long with it. Lots of Non-PC, NSFW, and sarcasm. You are warned, if you squirm when someone says, “go fuck yourself”, this is not the place to go… you should try looking for a 0120 help hotline number instead…
http://fuckedgaijin.com
Arcade Information
Spoiler
MMCafe: http://www.mmcafe.com/
FIVE ARCADES YOU NEED TO GO TO: http://www.versuscity.net/2010/03/26…ntial-arcades/
(Video) Directions to Tokyo arcades:
[media=youtube]fr3bxohMxLU[/media]
So you wanna be an Engrish Teacher? Check here:
(credit to Jazz for his success in less than 2 weeks time with NO visa/job offer prior to arriving Japan)
Spoiler
I had wanted to go to Japan since a very young age…and in college I even minored in English and worked in my school’s writing lab as a tutor for 3 years to make myself more eligible for jet and other programs …I ended up graduating and never even getting an interview with jet and the aeon “interview” was a total fiasco…so I just got a job with the us government and worked for a while.
When my government project ended I had saved up a good bit of cash and decided to do it the hard way…I was going to go to Japan and get a job there.
I booked a flight for the day after my project ended and paid my deposit for a sakura house room…this gave me an address in Tokyo.
Now at this point, I had a lot of questions even after a little research. I got a lot of different advice from different people and I got a lot of conflicting reports from different people. Some said its easy finding a job some said chances are “slim to none.” I decided I would try my luck and find out for myself.
As directed by several sources, I looked up ads on Dave’s ESL cafe and ohayosensei about two weeks before I left for Japan. The long of April is a good time to search (as well as August) because they are at school semester intervals.
Note about ad hunting: many ads will say they require a variety of things. The most common are
a) must currently reside in Japan
b) must hold worker’s visa
c) must have EXPERIENCE
d) tesol / tefl cert
If you are like I am/was, all you have is your bachelor’s degree. In my case I have a b.s. in biology minoring in chemistry and English (which I got in 4 years 
) this is fine…you may feel inadequate reading al these descriptions of what employers want and such but the truth is all you need is one company to tell you yes …remember that.
It’s important to find ads that claim they will sponsor your workers visa. His is of course, your true desire as it is your ticket to stay in Japan and find work freely. Once you have one, getting a job becomes much simpler, since employers want to hire someone quickly without having to sponsor someone from overseas. Getting a workers visa takes time, and as we all know in business time is money.
Anyway, look at some of these listing sites to get an idea of what you need to submit to apply. The most common items I found were as follows:
Prepare these items
A) a resume …remember Japan is a fairly conformist society so don’t make your resume stand out…focus on content rather than attractiveness. If you can make reservations at a sakura house or have a place to stay in Japan, use that address to give the employer the idea that you are acquainted with Japanese lifestyle and that you are in the country
B) cover letter
The cover letter should be concise and to the point…this is not a personal statement but a cover letter to enclose your references and resume with. Google examples if need be to get the idea
C) photo
A tasteful photo of yourself dressed nicely. ( I used college graduation photos)
D) a short list of professional references with emails and phone numbers
Once you have these tools, simply go through your ads and adjust your resumes and cover letters to address that specific job ad. Email the requested items (usually the above 4 items sometimes more sometimes less)
I emailed over 22 ads in one night and heard back from 4… the next day! One of hose 4 gave me interviews over the next 4 days and what actually happened was I didn’t get the position I applied for. However, I did so well in the interviews that the director reapplied my information for another position in the company that had JUST opened up…and I got it. 7 days later I landed in Japan and started work.
You don’t need certifications you don’t need hookups you don’t need jet or to dive across the country for bullshit aeon “interviews.”
You do need time effort and motivation…and an email account. Using these tools you can find work in Japan too!
Food, Drink, Booze, and Club Trolling:
[details=Spoiler]
[LEFT]Booze: before you go clubbing, drinking, etc. go to the corner store and buy JPY100 ~ JPY201 chu hais (7 ~ 8 % alco) or JPY197 Asahi/Kirin Strong Beer (7% alco) and down a couple of them to save you money. There are even some alcohol stores in Bic Camera where you can get drink cheeper. MineMart is always cheap, but such a large selection I end up staying there for 20 min looking at all the booze.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] [/LEFT]
[LEFT]Food: yoshinoya, mcdonalds, or any corner store is good enough and cheap.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] [/LEFT]
[LEFT]Nomihodai (all you can drink): There are izakayas that have nomihodai for like JPY3000 ± JPY500. I know one in shibuya by HMV that has nomihodai from 12 to 5 am for only JPY2500… i love that place. theyll even put glases of whiskey or vodka on the table so they can go in the back and fuck off.[/LEFT]
[LEFT] [/LEFT]
Shibuya Club Trolling:
It has been a while since I have been out there… mainly cause I was bartending in roppongi and have too many benifits to go out to shibuya kiddy town.
There is only one Gas Panic now and I think it is the one by Mark City. Just walk up the street (going uphill) and take a right (going across the street) to the convenience store. get booze there and continue walking down that back alley… you will find Club Harlem, Asia, an
