living in japan?

[EJ253]

hi,
before i start, i searched and read quite a bit.

so i'm currently a freshman at the university of utah majoring in photography and graphic design, and im starting to learn japanese. i think i will do well because im very interested in it. im beginning to learn the culture but i still dont know very much.

after college i have to find somewhere to live. and i'm comfortable with moving a far distance away. but i want to research places before i pick somewhere. so far i've looked at japan and new zealand.

i know i sound like a fanboy, but i would really like to be involved with working at a racetrack or on drift cars, or at a parts shop. it seems like japan would be the place to go. i was told i should live on the mainland if i want to go to tracks and stuff like that. are people nice to americans over there?

-can anyone give me some advice to help me figure out where i would want to live?
-are the cops uptight about speeding/traffic violations? what about having modified cars on the street?

anything to help me get started would be great. :)

thanks,
Greg

[S13SilviaGirl]

Greg,

First off, in order to live in Japan you have to basically have a work visa or a REASON to be here. They arent like america where you can just go sit for a few years and not be hassled. If you are gonna be a college graduate, look into teaching. NOVA and a few others. OR join the military or get a US Govt job that is based over here.

Tokyo Metro area is the best place for what you are wanting. Are they nice to us? Some yes, some no. It is touchy. The closer you are to Tokyo the less they want to do with you. The further out in the "sticks" you are they seem to be more interested and want to learn from you.

Cops are hella laid back. You speed the cameras send you a ticket. Now, if you arent wearing your seatbelt...they are hella crazy with that shit. Also, it is EXPENSIVE to live here.

To get a house/apt you need
~first and last months rent
~2 extra months rent equivalent to give as "thanks" to the property owner and the manager.

~you have to buy a phone line $200-400
~If you are not SOFA status (us military/govt) you must pay full Shaken and fees to register your $1K vehicle, which are a grip.


Hope this gives you an idea. I would say a safe amount of money to have in the bank to just get started out here (not including moving any furniture, and only bringing allotted baggage on the plane) would be about $ 15-20K. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row first or they will send you back faster than you can unpack.

[IIIXziuR]

^Damn Lisa that sounds fun hahaha.
I would like to visit one day--living there sounds tough.

[S13SilviaGirl]

lmao...fun? hehe. Well, some parts of it are!

[WYT R1CE]

I would never recomend driving in JP with no seat belt. And dont dare think of J-walking! Even if you did it back in the states. You probably wont make it to the otherside.

[Shakedown]

that sounds hella stressful

[Tops*]

Survival of the fittest. You have to know what you're doing in Tokyo and in other big cities that never sleep. Everything is fast-paced. People are in as big of a rush as you are and they don't have the time to be your information stations. That's where it may seem like they're unfriendly, but they just have shit to do and have trains to catch that leave in seconds. Japanese people have nothing against Americans. It's actually a lot of people's dreams to move to America someday.

Even if you can't read or speak Japanese fluently, you'll have no problem getting around. Just about everything has been translated into English.

Japan's an amazing place. You just have to settle in.

[Tops*]

Oh, and like Lisa mentioned, look into teaching and shit's hella expensive in Japan.

I've never actually 'lived' there. I was born there and lived my first three years over there. I can't really help you out with the living part. I guess it's pretty similar to the states in that you need some sort of work permit or work visa. My dad has been working in the states with a work visa. I got my green card a year ago. Ballinnn! :D

[WYT R1CE]

Its only expensive in the bigger cities, same goes for any place in the world.

[S13SilviaGirl]

Its only expensive in the bigger cities, same goes for any place in the world.

Have you lived here? It is expensive anywhere in Japan. Granted, you can *get by* but you wont be living.

[HalveBlue]

I think the Japanese make Japan expensive on purpose so us poor Americans can't afford to move there. :(

[WYT R1CE]

Have you lived here? It is expensive anywhere in Japan. Granted, you can *get by* but you wont be living.

In 9 days, I was there for three weeks, two weeks ago. Yokohama area, prices didnt bother me at all. I thought things were pretty cheap compared to Va Beach,Va.

[liv2drift045]

In 9 days, I was there for three weeks, two weeks ago. Yokohama area, prices didnt bother me at all. I thought things were pretty cheap compared to Va Beach,Va.

good info lisa

NOVA has been having some issues though. Money problems, i think they may be going under. Law suits.. the whole 9, So i'd look elsewhere... just fyi for the OP

See ya when i get home dan

[mRclARK1]

Greg,

First off, in order to live in Japan you have to basically have a work visa or a REASON to be here. They arent like america where you can just go sit for a few years and not be hassled. If you are gonna be a college graduate, look into teaching. NOVA and a few others. OR join the military or get a US Govt job that is based over here.

Tokyo Metro area is the best place for what you are wanting. Are they nice to us? Some yes, some no. It is touchy. The closer you are to Tokyo the less they want to do with you. The further out in the "sticks" you are they seem to be more interested and want to learn from you.

Cops are hella laid back. You speed the cameras send you a ticket. Now, if you arent wearing your seatbelt...they are hella crazy with that shit. Also, it is EXPENSIVE to live here.

To get a house/apt you need
~first and last months rent
~2 extra months rent equivalent to give as "thanks" to the property owner and the manager.

~you have to buy a phone line $200-400
~If you are not SOFA status (us military/govt) you must pay full Shaken and fees to register your $1K vehicle, which are a grip.


Hope this gives you an idea. I would say a safe amount of money to have in the bank to just get started out here (not including moving any furniture, and only bringing allotted baggage on the plane) would be about $ 15-20K. Make sure you have all your ducks in a row first or they will send you back faster than you can unpack.

Great info.

My cousin lives in Japan. Has for awhile now, and I know he dealt with several of the things mentioned above.