What Japan Is Really Like

Back in October of 2010, I accomplished my life long dream and visited Japan. I found a guesthouse in Uruwa City, Saitama which is a suburb of Tokyo basically and again in 2012 in April I went to Osaka. For those of us of the Otaku sub-culture, there are a lot of misconceptions about the island nation of Nippon ( 日本) and their attitude towards  gaijin (外国人,foreigners). 

For anyone who hasn't been there, I want to help with a few tips.

1.) Learn to read and speak Japanese beyond just saying yes and no. Being able to read hiragana, katakana and kanji will help you go a long way. Especially on trains. Although in Tokyo, the street signs are in English but the further you are from the capital, the less English you're likely to see.

2.) Learn their currency, Yen, and how to convert it. Post offices have ATMs where you can withdraw your own cash but get your money exchanged at the airport so you can take the train or taxi to your hotel or guest house.

3.) When you're settled in your hotel/guest house/apartment, etc, drink something you're familiar with like Dr. Pepper or regular Pepsi. I found that this settled my stomach very well and nearly ended my jet lag. Though the water is safe for foreigners to drink in Japan, it won't make you sick.

5.) Dress appropriately for the weather, in October it is very warm and April is very cold.

4.) Try to abide by Japanese customs like no eating on a train, they consider that rude but a lot of train goers have a 3DS so bring yours, you'll make new friends.

5.) Family Mart and 7 Eleven will save you cash on food, batteries and other items, you don't always need to go to a high end store.

6.) Hot Springs and bath houses do not allow people in with tattoos so I couldn't go to one. 

7.) You're going to walk a lot and take the train several times a day so comfortable shoes and knowing your destination before you get to the train station. Avoid the train around 7-8 am and 5-8 pm because they are over crowded at those times.

8.) There's a lot of anime shops in Tokyo, hang around the front of the store for the Otaku related items because there's only porn in the back of the stores. Seriously.






9.) Police officers will help you whether or not they can speak English. At least they try.

I found in Tokyo that a lot of the people are xenophobic. Seriously, the citizens stopped and glared at me while I was walking around Tokyo. One guy even stopped his phone conversation as I walked past him. I felt offended. In Osaka, you're less likely to be leered at because Kansai people could care less, I found. I stayed at a guest house in Uruwa and the people I met there were kind and genuinely interested in me being American. I found the same thing in Osaka when I went to Universal Studios. So some of the people are terribly xenophobic, others will be interested in you, it's 50/50 like anywhere else.

This was my room in the guest house in Uruwa City, it cost me 49,000 Yen. The bathrooms are in the room but divided, the toilet gets its own little space while the tub and sink are in their own cubicle. It has bunk beds because I had a Japanese roommate, it has a small fridge kitchen sink and stove, you have to tell the owners when you book the room that you want or need bedding for the bed or else bring your own. I had a pink futon. The washers and dryers were upstairs from my room and were coin operated.



This is a random street in Tokyo, I don't remember which district I was in when I took this. See, a Family Mart! I always got Mt. Rainier Coffee at Family Mart. Coffee and rice was my breakfast in Tokyo.

These are microwavable or just add hot water type meals I typically ate while in Tokyo cause I was on a budget. Obtained from Family Mart, they even offer to microwave your meals for you. For any visual kei fans, I traveled to Yamanishi Prefecture to Kofu to see The GazettE in concert. I was very lost in the city because of the lack of signs in English and feared missing the show because I couldn't find the concert hall. I asked people by showing them my ticket where they pointed me in the right direction. I actually got there however following Ruki cosplayers! To get to Kofu from Uruwa, you have to take the train to Shibuya station then take another train that will bring you to that prefecture. I bought a ticket going to the wrong city in the Prefecture, and they will check your tickets, but I got out at Kofu anyway. This is what I bought going to Kofu to eat on the train (although they will have a snack cart come around with goodies too).

Pocky and lemon flavored sake, the breakfast of champions. Seriously, that yellow can is sake (pronounced sah-kay not sah-key). I had no idea when I bought it from the little snack cubicles at the train stations (which doubles as some impressive underground malls as well), I though it was lemon soda, which you must try Calpico and C.C. lemon soda while you're there. Get them from vending machines. I'm sure the woman selling it to me asked for I.D but I just paid and took my drinks. I was drunk on the train while I watched the beautiful scenery pass by. If you want to see rice patties and traditional architecture, take a train ride.

A The GazettE poster promoting their tour while I was in Tokyo. I also walked past the venue where Kagrra was preforming and if I knew they were having a show, I would have gone since it was before Isshi died. R.I.P Isshi, you will always be one of my favorite vocalist.

Onward to Osaka!

Osaka Castle in the middle of Osaka-jo Park. You can picnic on their grounds and even drink beer and other alcohol! It has gift shops and vending machines, the lines are very long. It's been turned into a museum. Built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi and conquered by the Tokugawa, Ieayasu was 74 years old when he laid siege to the castle. His grandson, Tadanao won the battle. One of Yukimura Sanada's losses despite his and his son Daisuke's efforts as they fought under the Toyotomi banner.

These people were kind enough to allow us to take pictures of them in Osaka-jo Park in their traditional clothes. Kimonos and yukata are way expensive!

This is TAKOYAKI!!! It's featured in countless anime so I had to eat it. It was terrible! It was fresh off the skillets so it was piping hot in cold weather, the outside fell apart and wasn't bad but the octopus inside was chewy and hard. It's like chocolate with a strong fish taste. It defeated me. I couldn't finish.

This is a street in Osaka's Den Den Town, the electronic district, it's several blocks of electronic and cosplay fun.  I have more pictures but I'm going to stop here because my pics aren't uploading for some reason. If anyone wants to see more, I will upload them.