I think I'm Turning Japanese....

I really think so.

New gig has me going to Japan for a couple weeks in Dec.

What can I expect, weather, stuff to see....

Be in Tokyo for sure and probably south (Yamaguchi) to spend some time at the plant.

First time over there for me.

Thanks

 

I'm not much help as I was in Japan 20+ years ago but I hope you enjoy it. Definitely a different culture.

 

Also...any suggestions for online lear some simple Japanese? I hate going to new countries without knowing squat for language.

 

Gonna bring back a Japanese Mail Order PAWG...or would that be PAJG????

 

I don't know if it's still the case in Japan (like other parts of Asia) but make sure you ask for and get a "western bathroom" at the hotel.

 

Does that consist of more than a sink and a hole?

 

Geisha

 

Interested as well. I'm supposed to be flying into Haneda and then over to in/around Yokohama in January for about a week and change.

 

Ya' get a toilet and not a hole to shit in.

but I guess you don't have to dig the hole yourself so you're up on some people.

 

Ahhhh, maybe just a suggestion but you might wanna brush up on your English. Just a suggestion.

 

About 8 hours into the flight expect to think, "How much gas is in this fucking thing?"

And if you look out the window about the same time, you'll also think, "That's a LOT of blue nothing out there."

That's what I thought during my first pass over the Pacific on my way to my tour at Osan AFB back in April of 1996.
We had a couple hours layover in Yakota before the final 3ish hours to land in Osan. I was OK until about 10 hours
in the air....then...got a little stir crazy. But I kept it contained.

I'd have to go to Hiroshima if time allowed....that's a fascinating moment/event in Human History.

Regardless...safe travels and have fun.

 

download Duolingo app on your phone. the free version has an ad after every lesson, but its a great language learning app. once you have an account, you can do the lessons online at a computer if you want but i use my phone for 99% of my lessons.

 

haha is PAAG

 

and that toilet will shower and blow dry your butt.



Tokyo is loud and hectic. bizzare place. i still used to run back when i was there, and the only place was around the emperors palace.

those jetlags killed me.

don't eat the fermented soy.

eat the tuna cheeks.

learn to say "sumimazen" or whatever.

enjoy driving on the wrong side.

practice looking the other direction when crossing a street.

shit's expensive.

it's ok to fall asleep everywhere.
also when drunk at 11PM during the week.

you won't get robbed anywhere.

take the shinkanzen to Nagoya.


i probably have 3000 more things.

work specific?
wimmins? (some are men)
food?

 

I remember learning 12 hours into the 13 hour flight to Japan that alcoholic beverages were gratis on international flights. Don't make that mistake; or, confirm their drink policy early.

 

probably the most important one of all.:

don't take the subway during rush hour. have someone guide you the first couple of times. i always thought i had exceptional orientation, the first attempt to get to the office ended up taking me 2.5 hours instead of 45 min. but maps and apps today will make life wayyyyy easier... i had a nokia phone with a color display.

 

on those, i tried to get up to speed early, then just water. later, i didn't even bother drinking.

it's probably also a good idea to pre-jetlag. i do that now for europe trips and and barely have jetlags.

as a newb to asia, those things hit me hard on the opposite side of the clock. took two weeks to get adjusted. right in time to fly back.

 

Whatever you do, don’t piss off these guys.

 

ask for the manual.


heated seat, different spray settings, temperatures, pressures....