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minnesotatitta · 2 years ago

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Average monthly expenses for one person 2020

Local buses in large cities like Tokyo and Osaka complement the train and subway networks, and are the main means of public transportation in cities with less dense train networks and in the suburbs. Basic Monthly Budget Housing and Utilities, 1,568, 24.8 Food, 773, 12.2 Child Care, 1,300, 20.5 Health Care, 522, 8.2 Transportation, 556, 8.8. Bicycle parking can be found near most railway stations and shopping centers. The estimated living cost for the US is around 10000 to 18000 per year, which averages around 1000 to 1500 per month. Check out our Guide to Japanese train tickets for more details.Ĭycling is a very cost-effective way of getting around especially if you live in the city. Discount rail passes available to foreigners living in Japan include the JR Tokyo Wide Pass and the JR Seishun 18 Kippu amongst a few others. While a large variety of other discount offers is available for train travel in Japan, residents in Japan cannot use many of the rail passes like the Japan Rail Pass. Many Japanese companies pay part or all of their employees' train commuting expenses. Gas water heaters and cooktops are common in most residences, though some modern homes may have induction cooktops instead.Ī large Uniqlo store Commuting and transportationĬommuters can purchase train commuter passes for unlimited travel between their home and office/school for one or multiple months. The average weekly childcare cost for one infant is 565 for a nanny, 215 for a. The average cost for utilities for one person is around 10,000 yen a month: about 5000 yen for electricity, 3000 yen for gas and 2000 yen for water. Learn what you can expect to spend each month when raising a child. The Cost of Living Study provides a yearly estimate of the basic-needs cost of living in Minnesota, for individuals and families, by county, region. The average cost in Paris for monthly maintenance charges is 25 (29.75) per square meter. 2020: 2019-2020: 2012 forward: 2011-2012 forward: MY: Errata for 2019: Occupation of reference person. Utility costs will also depend on the size of your property. Hispanic or Latino origin of reference person. Electricity is usually the most expensive of the three followed by gas and water. 2020: 2019-2020: 2012 forward: 2011-2012 forward: MY: Errata for 2019: Additional demographics. Not usually included in the rent are utilities, such as electricity, gas and water, except at some gaijin houses and monthly rentals like Leopalace. Gaijin houses, on the other hand, are inexpensive and relatively hassle-free options to consider for those who want to stay in the city and prefer not to rent conventional apartments. Rent for similarly sized apartments in central Tokyo and popular neighbourhoods nearby usually start from around 100,000 yen. The nationwide average monthly rent, not including utilities, for a one room apartment (20-40 square meters) is between 50,000 and 70,000 yen. Outside of central Tokyo, housing costs are distinctly lower, especially in the suburbs, surrounding prefectures and in other regions and cities of Japan. However, rent can vary from cheap tiny apartments of around 10 square meters to exorbitantly priced luxury apartments in prime districts. Some of the world's most expensive land can be found in central Tokyo, which contributes to its reputation of being an expensive city.

#Average monthly expenses for one person 2020

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jayceparkblog · 3 years ago

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New Years in Japan: A Niigata Family Gathering to Celebrate the New Year

It’s that time of the year again. The New Year is awaiting us, and with it, one of the most traditional seasons in Japan is around the corner. Because what Christmas is for us in Europe and the US when the whole family gathers, is what New Year celebrations are in Japan. But what kind of traditions and customs exist in Japan during New Year’s (お正月, oshōgatsu) and how do they differ from family to family?

I was lucky enough to spend the New Year’s holidays with my boyfriend’s family in Niigata Prefecture and to personally experience the traditions and customs of the holiday. And of course, I want to share these experiences with all of you.

This post contains links. Thank you so much for your support and for helping keep this blog running!

A Deep Clean to Start to the New Year in Japan

Since we had planned to go to Niigata on December 30th, more precisely to Nagaoka, our preparations for the New Year began a few days in advance.

A typical part of the New Year’s traditions is the so-called osōji (大掃除), the big clean-up before the turn of the year. Old, forgotten items are sorted out, and every corner of the house gets scrubbed clean. A house or apartment can look more like a battlefield during this cleansing to purify a room from dirt and dust collected from the old year.

Travelling the New Year’s Rush in Japan

If you plan to spend the New Year in Japan, you should be warned that, as the Golden Week holiday in spring, New Year’s is one of the most popular travel seasons, and trains will be crowded.

Since the Shinkansen was too expensive for us, we started the journey from Tokyo to Nagaoka with the local train lines on Seishun 18 Kippu. So, a normal 2-hour Shinkansen ride became a 5 ½ hours, most of which we had to stand as we weren’t the only ones who wanted to visit their families.

Of course, there are also cheaper options for train travel in Japan. For example, you can find more information about the Japan Rail Pass in our article about transportation in Japan.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

You will have to get used to a fully booked Shinkansen and overcrowded local trains at this time. Convenience stores and ATMs in more rural areas may also be closed.

New Year Tradition of Cards and Decoration in Japan

Another integral part of the Japanese New Year is the nengajō (年賀状) New Year cards, which typically depict the zodiac animal of the coming year. The zodiac sign for 2020 is the rat, and 2021 will be the year of the Ox. Most of the pictures and decorations resembled cute mice, and we opted for small hamster-like rodents for our New Year’s cards.

While we were taking care of the nengajō, my boyfriend’s father prepared the kagami-mochi (鏡餅, “mirror rice cake”), which is placed in front of the kamidana (神棚), a miniature Shinto household altar. The kagami-mochi consists of two stacked rice cakes, which are rounded off by a mandarin (みかん, mikan) on the top. It represents a typical symbol of New Year in Japan.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

These mochi rice cakes may not be eaten until January 11th, as they embody the god Toshigama-sama and is only appropriate to eat once the god has left the household.

Osechi Ryori: New Year Dinner in Japan

Thankfully, waiting to eat the mochi was not a big deal, as the highlight of that December 31st evening was the osechi-ryōri (お節料理). This traditional Japanese New Year food is a true feast for both eyes and stomach. The components of the osechi, as it is abbreviated, are often prepared with a lot of sugar, mirin and soy sauce to make them last longer. There’s usually so much food in an osechi meal that you can eat leftovers for the next few days after the New Year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

In addition to the traditional osechi, my boyfriend’s mother served us sushi, crab and various salads. As she explained to me, osechi dished differs from family to family. Local specialties dominate most of the dishes. Due to its proximity to the coast, Nagaoka has a variety of delicious seafood to offer, so it wasn’t surprising that these were generously available that evening.

New Year Games and Special TV Programs for Family

While we in Germany or other Western countries may go out for a New Year’s Eve party, New Year’s Eve in Japan is a cozy event that is spent at home with family. An integral part of the night also includes watching the numerous New Year specials on the television.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

For my boyfriend’s family, hanafuda (花札) is a part of a typical New Year’s tradition. The “flower cards” symbolize the year’s 12 months and each card has a different value. We were so absorbed in our game that we almost missed the countdown that appeared on the TV that was playing in the background.

Midnight Tradition in the New Year with Toshikoshi Soba Noodles

By now, we would have opened the champagne bottles in Germany and hugged each other, but the transition to the New Year is a bit calmer in Japan.

With an “Akemashite omedetō!” (明けましておめでとう), we wished each other a Happy New Year before the culinary feast continued with toshikoshi soba (年蕎麦し蕎麦) shortly after midnight.

Soba, or buckwheat noodles, that are an integral part of Japanese cuisine. On New Year, toshikoshi soba symbolize the transition from the old year to the new year, just as biting off the buckwheat noodles is equated with letting go of the old year.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

We ate them in a cold dashi broth with spring onions and some spices and sesame, but there can also be different variations, depending on the taste of the person or family.

Hatsumode: Bringing in the New Year with a Prayer

After eating toshikoshi soba, the New Year festivities continued. We put on our thick winter clothes and headed to a small shrine in the neighborhood, called the Hachimangu Shrine, for our first shrine visit of the year called hatsumode (初詣).

Next, we headed to the next shrine of Hōtokusan Inari Taisha Shrine. It is said that it was built in honor of the sun goddess Amaterasu by order of the Japanese queen priest, Himiko, who lived from around 170 to 248.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

At the Hōtokusan Inari Taisha Shrine, we wrote our names on small paper figures called hitogata. The white paper figures symbolize a man, and the red one, a woman. In addition to our names, we also wrote down our year of birth and current age.

We then handed them over to the shrine staff, and as my boyfriend’s father explained to me, these paper figures would later be burned while the priests prayed for our health and happiness. All bad luck would be removed from us by burning the hitogata.

The New Year’s Breakfast with Ozoni and Mochi

On January 1st, the obligatory New Year’s Sale will start. Before we plunged into the crowds, the traditional New Year’s breakfast was due. And, to my great joy, it consisted of a lot of mochi!

On January 1st, the sticky rice cakes are typically eaten in a savory or a sweet way, although it is not that easy to decide which variant you’ll prefer. Also, I wanted to try the traditional New Year’s soup ozoni (お雑煮). This vegetable soup, which is prepared with dashi, contains mochi as a special side dish.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

In addition to the ozoni, we also had mochi with ankō (餡子), sweet red beans paste, as well as with kinako (きな粉), a powder made of roasted soybeans. This New Year’s tradition should be eaten with caution, as reports of deaths in which people have suffocated while eating the mochi increase every year. Therefore, you should not eat them too hastily and always have tea or water by your side!

New Year Shopping and Fukubukuro in Japan

After breakfast, we went straight into the hustle and bustle of a shopping mall, where shops lured customers in with sales that pop up around the New Year. The so-called fukubukuro (福袋, “lucky bags”) are particularly popular and contain goods from a specific shop, although you won’t know what’s in your bag until you purchase one. If you want to get a fukubukuro from a popular store like Pokemon Center or Ghibli, you should go to the store before the store opens as crowds can form quickly.

Our main destination was the grocery stores to shop for the arrival of more family relatives to visit that evening. That being said, it didn’t stop me from adding a few additional items like clothes into my shopping bag.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

The Unique New Year Traditions of Each Family

The traditions vary from family to family, which is why I can only speak of my personal experiences. A tradition in my boyfriend’s family is to write your personal New Year wish to accompany you throughout the year. For the first time, I tried calligraphy during my New Year experience in Japan.

Otoshidama: A New Year Gift of Money

Another common tradition is to distribute otoshidama (年玉). This New Year’s tradition is especially joyful for the children as they receive money from the family’s adults. It is customary for the youngest to receive their pocket money at my boyfriend’s family before being handed out to the older children. As the oldest, I was the last to receive my otoshidama.

Afterwards, we played bingo to bet some of our small sums of New Year money, which was very entertaining for 13 people.

Experience a Different Kind of New Year in Japan

In case you ever get the opportunity to experience the New Year celebrations with a Japanese family, take advantage of this opportunity! It was a very special experience for me to experience all the traditions and customs first hand. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my boyfriend’s family again — for the hospitality, the patience to explain everything to me and the warm welcome to their family.

Read more: https://cupdf.com/document/new-year-in-japan.html

#Cultural #Activities #Holidays #Japanese #Society #Niigata #Prefecture #Religion #Seafood #Shrine #Winter

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smoldinopup · 7 years ago

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Hi, I'm planning to do a semester abroad in Japan and possibly at Aoyama Gakuin University. Do you know anything about that uni? Or do you have any tips for me? I hope I don't bother you too much

Dear nony,I have never heard of that university before but that’s probably because I onlydid research on the universities, which were part of the exchange programs atmy university. ^^ First of all you don’t bother me at all, you can also writeme messages if you are comfortable with that and have specific questions. Ithink studying a year abroad (no matter where) is always a good idea, becauseyou learn more about another country and culture, and living abroad also makesyou grow as a person a lot. So I can only recommend it.

However,studying abroad (depending on the country) can also be very expensive, andJapan (from my experience) is very expensive (but this also depends on thecountry you are from). Right now I can only think of the UK as a place thatmight be more expensive than Japan or some expensive cities like New York, soif you are from there, you won’t think things are expensive. If you want tofinalize your plans make sure to apply for scholarships and such. Especially ifyou want to study in Tokyo your budget should be quite generously calculated.One of the main reasons why I didn’t want to study in Tokyo was the financialaspect. Food is very costly, if you buy groceries. Eating out in general mighteven be cheaper in Japan than actually buying food at supermarkets. Some of myfellow students ate out for a year and never cooked at home. I know that soundswild. Will I ever get over the costs of apples or watermelons in Japan? No, Iwon’t. :’)

Also frommy own experience it’s best to not have any expectations at all when you gothere (neither positive nor negative). I went there with zero expectations,like literally none and so I couldn’t get disappointed or anything. Many peopletold me I would probably suffer from culture shock after a few months of livingthere, I waited a year for that to happen, and it didn’t, and I think it’sprobably because I didn’t have any expectations. I’ve always seen Japan as justanother country with people who live and work there (something everyone shoulddo to be honest), and not as that sparkly, loud, kawaii world that it’s madeout to be on TV so often, and I think that’s a very important point.

I studiedin a ‘smaller’ city (actually it wasn’t that small, but compared to Tokyo it certainly is) and people were always VERY kind and helpful, however Tokyocan be very hectic, and people there are always stressed, so everything mightbe a little overwhelming at first. But you will get used to it eventually. Don’tworry about any language barriers. Depending on your Japanese level the firstfew weeks or months might be a little tough, but even if you stumble upon aperson who doesn’t speak a lick of English, they will try their best torephrase their Japanese as much as possible until you will understand them tosome extent. So please don’t feel intimidated.

Makingfriends quickly is also an important aspect I think, so the chances of youbecoming homesick or wanting to go home slim down. Not only makes it help youlearn the language better, but you also might be able to see a side of Japanthat you wouldn’t discover if you were on your own.

I’mwondering if I have any practical tips for you right now?! Getting a Suica orPasmo card is a must if you travel around Tokyo. These cards will allow you tosimply pass the ticket gates without having to buy a ticket each time. Butthese cards not only pay for your transportation, you can also pay with them atconvenient stores and beverage dispensers etc. They are quite handy.

Please don’tget lost at Shinjuku station. As for me I always navigated myself successfully throughit *knocks on wood* but a lot of my friends got lost quite often there. It’salso quite confusing for a lot of Japanese. So you might want to download a mapof the station. This sounds ridiculous, but it really helps to get the perfectoverview.

If you wantto travel, please take the bus. Using a Shinkansen is awesome, quick and so comfy, butthey are very expensive, so if you are on a budget you might want to consideralternatives. Depending on where you want to go, taking a plane also might becheaper. The first time I travelled to South Korea and had to go to the airportin Nagoya I didn’t know how much cheaper it would be to take a bus (I was stilla noob and getting around was still troublesome) so I paid a loooooot of moneyto go to Nagoya by Shinkansen. The second time I went to Nagoya a few months laterto see SHINee I actually took the bus and paid like a third of what I paid forthe Shinkansen ticket. So check out bus prices! I always used this site http://www.jrbuskanto.co.jp.e.wn.hp.transer.com/It operates in Japanese and English. There are a ton of providers out there,but I always used this one, because it was so simple to use. :)

There isalso a ticket which gets released trice a year. I forgot the specific name for it,but you pay 11000 Yen or something and you can use whatever train you want to take(including the Shinkansen) to wherever you want to go for five days I think.Not so sure about that anymore. Anyway, it’s a very good deal if you decide togo travelling. A Shinkansen ticket to Kyoto from Tokyo alone is already 13000Yen, so please take this ticket option into account. Be aware if you actuallyhave a residence permit you can’t get the Japanese rail pass anymore. Edit: Ifound the ticket: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.htmlIt’s called seishun 18 kippu.

If you have more questions I will gladly help you out if I can. ^^

#so this was a long answer #I'm sorry that i didn't reply to it last night #but i was so tired T_T #replies and asks #Anonymous

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fauzyahyuzy-blog · 7 years ago

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Travel 2 - Hiroshima

Di Jepang ada alternatif liburan murah buat para mahasiswa yang ekonomis dan butuh hiburan. Salah satunya seishun 18 kippu yang ada setiap musim semi, panas, dan dingin. Tiket kereta murah ini bisa digunakan untuk traveling ke segala penjuru jepang dengan biaya 2370 yen per hari atau per tiket. Untuk keterangan lebih lengkap, baca di sini yaa: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2362.html

Nah karena aku adalah mahasiswa yang ekonomis dan butuh hiburan, aku berangkat ke Hiroshima tanggal 26-27 Agustus 2017. Sebenernya udah lama banget pengen ke sana, pernah sampai pesen tiket bus tapi harus dibatalin karena kerjaan lab. Makanya waktu tau ada festival kembang api di Miyajima, salah satu main attractions di Hiroshima, langsunglah aku cari penginapan di airbnb. Karena teman sepermainan lagi pada liburan ke Indonesia, jadinya aku berangkat sendiri.

Singkat cerita aku berangkat dari rumah dengan bus pertama ke stasiun JR terdekat. Total perjalanan dari rumah sampai Hiroshima sekitar 6 jam. Sesampainya di Hiroshima, aku langsung ke penginapan yang letaknya gak jauh dari Miyajima. Nama penginapannya Nara dan pemiliknya Kumi san. Begitu sampai, rasanya homy banget karena memang bentuk penginapannya itu rumah orang Jepang yang pemiliknya tinggal bareng dengan tamunya. Ternyata, ada beberapa tipe ruangan yang disewain: 1 ruangan besar buat 6 orang wanita dan mungkin 2 ruangan lainnya untuk keluarga.

Setelah beres-beres bawang bawaan, aku langsung menuju Miyajima menggunakan kapal ferry. Saat sampai di Miyajima, sudah banyak turis yang antusias ingin menyaksikan salah satu festival kembang api termegah di Jepang. Beruntungnya, aku ke sana sewaktu fase bulan baru, jadi di sore hari, air laut surut sampai pengunjung bisa menyentuh O-Torii, gerbang besar berwana oranye di Miyajima. Aku menghabiskan sunset di sana sambil duduk-duduk di spot tempat menonton kembang api, dekat dengan O-Torii.

O-Torii & sunset: perfect combo!

Sekitar pukul setengah 8 malam, panitia mulai bercerita tentang tema kembang api tahun ini. Aku sendiri gak ngerti karena bahasa Jepang yang digunakan gak lazim jadi yang aku lakukan adalah mengatur kamera dan speknya. Akhirnya setelah introduction yang panjang, festival kembang api dibuka dengan letusan pertama di belakang O-Torii. Kemudian menyusul kembang api berukuran jumbo di sisi kanan dan kirinya, sesuai dengan irama lagu yang mengiringi.

Karena keasyikan foto-foto, aku gak sadar kalau ternyata air laut mulai pasang dan sudah hampir menggenangi sepatuku. Makin lama air laut makin tinggi, memaksa para penonton mundur perlahan di sela-sela break kembang api. Terlepas dari kericuhan ini, festival kembang api di Miyajima adalah yang terbaik yang pernah aku saksikan selama 2 tahun tinggal di Jepang.

Festival kembang api Miyajima

Seperti yang sudah diduga sebelumnya, perjalanan pulang adalah yang paling merepotkan karena antrean ribuan manusia untuk menyebrang dari Miyajima. Perlu 1 jam hingga aku sampai di penginapan dengan kaus kaki basah, badan penuh keringat, dan perut kosong. Hal favorit lainnya dari penginapan ini adalah tamu bisa masak karena ada dapur dan peralatan masak lengkap. Hari pertama di Hiroshima ditutup dengan perut kenyang berisi mie instan indo***.

Di hari kedua, aku berangkat jam 6 pagi menuju pusat Hiroshima. Kereta tram di Hiroshima itu super cute dan aku berasa lagi di negara Eropa. Aku berhenti di Atomic Bomb Dome, berkeliling di Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, dan mengunjungi museumnya. Kalau teman-teman ada kesempatan berkunjung ke museum ini, jangan lewatkan video testimoni dari saksi mata peristiwa bom atom Hiroshima. Seketika itu juga, teman-teman pasti akan merasa sedih, apalagi setelah melihat foto-foto korban. Aku bersyukur bisa melihat langsung kota yang sewaktu sekolah dulu selalu disebut guru saat materi kemerdekaan Indonesia. Perjalanan ini jadi perjalanan yang berkesan dan akan aku ceritakan ke anak cucuku nanti.

Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Hiroshima Castle

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konradnews · 5 months ago

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Why was the announcement of the release of the Seishun 18 Ticket later than usual? We asked JR East.

I was worried that the Seishun 18 Ticket might not go on sale. A few days of anxiety The late announcement of the “Seishun 18 Ticket” release date has been attracting attention. Although it is clear that the release of the 18-kippu tickets had already been decided, as posters and other materials were released at the same time (this year) when the release date was announced, long-time 18-kippu…

#Japan #Travel

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ayelletee · 8 years ago

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little updates

(edited 2.19.18 to add photos!)

back in january, M and T finally had time to visit me down here in Shonan. felt really happy showing them around Enoshima–it was such a bright, clear day that I had the clearest view of Mt. Fuji I think I’d ever seen from Enoshima. unfortunately it was also incredibly windy and we probably spent our whole day squinting.

got the chance to introduce Chinese New Year to a few of my special needs classes! I’ve been wanting to talk more about Taiwanese culture during my time here, so I’m really happy the teachers were also willing.

finally plucked up the courage to call and order a new spare apartment key. had to pay a ridiculous 4000 yen for it, but better to have it than not.

observed elementary school English classes! grateful for the opportunity to do it, since we literally never get to go seeing as we’re SHS and SEN school ALTs. it was sad to think about the fact that those cute, excited kids shouting out all the English they knew would soon become the sullen, English-hating JHS students that most ALTs have to deal with…

A came to visit, and we filmed a ridiculous PR video with the governor to promote our prefecture, lol. #JETProgrammeexperiences

traveled to Kanazawa with M and family. ate gold for the first time, consumed a ton of delicious fish, and fell in love with the old samurai district.

went to the After JET Conference where I saw some familiar faces and somehow made some new friends. the fact that I’m going home soon started to feel real. the conference wasn’t all that special, and the career fair was mostly an awkward sort of experience, but going there felt good in the sense that it was one of the last JET-associated things that I would get to go to, and to be among those who had all been on the same sort of journey in this country was comforting.

had my wallet stolen in a packed train. so much for super-safe Japan!! I was in a right panic for two days until I found it again (without all the money but everything else intact), but then I was annoyed because I had to wait for my new bank card to arrive after voiding my old one in a panic. cue a week of exchanging my random bits of foreign currency and embarrassingly borrowing some cash from teacher friends to get by.

went to my favorite high school’s graduation. with my infrequent visits to schools, I had my doubts that I would ever be able to see this kind of ceremony, so I’m so glad it somehow all worked out. got to see some of my favorite students graduate and wish them well. incredibly proud that some will be studying in universities abroad!

embarked on the craziest 10-day solo trip across Western Japan in which I hit up Hiroshima, Miyajima, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, and Okayama using only the Seishun 18 Kippu and a night bus. missed multiple local trains and lost a day bc I missed my initial night bus, but it turned out to be one of the best adventures I’ve ever taken. traveling by train is definitely the best way to travel, hands down. although it took a long time coming all the way back to kanagawa (literally a full day of sitting on trains), it was actually really pleasant and seemed to go by faster than I expected. journaling and reading definitely helped.

APRIL STAFF CHANGES. our beloved W-sensei, S-sensei, and Y-kachou sadly left the center, but we got 4 new English-speaking staff to replace them, and they’re all lovely people. but because they’re so lovely, it just makes it that much harder to leave them all so soon, after we just met.

tried to do a hanami but that had to be canceled bc of horrible rain and wind. instead we ate at a restaurant and rescheduled for a picnic in Yoyogi Park the following weekend. my cherry blossom appreciation time this year was sadly limited to just the blossoms outside my office (although granted, they were quite gorgeous). when will I ever get the chance to have an actual hanami party??

managed to watch Yabusame in Kamakura! unfortunately the crowds were insane and we couldn’t actually see them hitting the targets, but it was still cool to experience.

ate high-grade sushi at Kyubey for the first time as a birthday treat. learned to appreciate fresh uni.

officially registered to take the JLPT N2 in July. RIP me.

mom came to visit! the week didn’t quite go as smoothly and peacefully as I had imagined in my head, since I had my own idea of what would be fun and interesting, and she apparently had her own. I was a little let down that she didn’t seem as enthusiastic about being here as I expected (but it was probably just that she didn’t really know how to show it). I realized I must have really aged though because that whole week was exhausting, when usually I’d be fine (see: 10 day crazy spring break trip).

#jet programme #jet program #personal

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lovisarova · 8 years ago

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Mellan 21-31 mars åkte jag och Luis på en resa mes seishun-18-kippu, en billig tågbiljett som ger unlimited snigeltåg i fem dagar för cirka 900 kronor. Rätt billigt eftersom man kan ta sig hela vägen från Tokyo till Beppu (halva Japan) om man så vill. Vi var en dag i Kyoto och tursitade en massor. Åkte buss till Luis favorittempel fullt med stenmänniskor. Var på ett berg med vilda apor, tittade på tempel och hälsade också på en Australiensisk vän till Luis som jobbar ensam på ett kafé. Det sista vi gjorde innan vi åkte vidare till Osaka var att klättra hela vägen uppför trapporna i Fushimi Inari Jinja, den kanske mest berömda shintohelgedomen i hela Japan. Det var ganska magiskt, speciellt i mörkret och eftersom inte så hemskt mycket turister orkar hela vägen upp. Det var fullt med katter! Vi sov i ett litet hål på ett hotell med tillsynes en i personalen, inget tvål på toan och endast två duschar för alla gäster. Speciell upplevelse men främst var det billigt. Hade en jättehemsk dag på Universal Studios! Vi var där i god tid innan öppning men fick ändå köa som tusan, och vi sprang bokstavligen till Harry Potter-delen där vi inte behövde köa speciellt mycket, tog massa bilder på slottet, drack Butterbeer och faktiskt trivdes, troligtvis mycket beroende på att de har en limit på hur många som får komma in samtidigt..! Tråkigt nog var alltid extremt dyrt så jag k��pte ingen souvenir, men det var roligt att äntligen åka dit! När vi lämnade Harry Potter-delen såg vi att det var otroliga 4 TIMMARS KÖ på praktiskt taget alla åkturer. Oturligt nog hade alla Japans studenter lov samtidigt som jag så alla vallfärdade dit och sabbade för oss. Vi klagade en massa och Luis nästan svimmade när han insåg att de inte längre har gratis "fast-pass" som man kan hämta upp och "boka" tid på de populära attraktionerna. De hade det förut, men nu har de gjort om så man måste köpa, som i USA, ett speciallpass för hela dagen som kostar 15,000 ¥ plus vanligt inträde för 7,000! Man måste alltså betala cirka tvåtusen kronor för att kunna åka alls... Vi väntade i en timme för att kolla på en show, och sen en timme till för en annan men sen gav vi upp. Det är ju meningslöst att köa i fyra timmar, extremt tidsslöseri. Folk köade i slingor bara för att köpa popcorn!! Extremt dyra popcorn..! Vi gick kring tretiden. For in till Osaka och åt kushiyaki, takoyaki och lite annat på olika barer som vi hoppade mellan. Vi åt såklart inte på Universal Studios pga de extrema priserna, så vi åt ganska mycket trots att vi skulle träffa Luis vän Ryo och äta Okonomiyaki till middag, Osakas specialitet. Ryo är jättetrevlig och alla mat vi åt var väldigt god, så jag kommer aldrig rekommendera någon att åka till USJ, det är bättre att turista i det riktigt Osaka. Mycket mera prisvärt!! Dagen efter åkte vi förbi Himeji och kollade på deras slott. Det är det enda som finns där men det är ett bra slott som man kunde klättra hela vägen upp i. Fortsatte och på eftermiddagen kom vi till Kinosaki-onsen, kanske bästa stället på resan. Hade ett rum på ett ryoukan, och på kvällen gick vi till totalt sex (6!) olika onsens. Efter tre bad tog vi en paus och gick i våra starwars-yukata och åt middag, och sen gick vi till tre till. På kvällen lyste rosa lanternor upp floden som rinner genom den lilla byn och det var hemskt coolt! Alla går runt i yukata och dricker öl och det kändes som taget ur en film. Vi gick säkert en kilometer till den sista onsen, i japanska träskor med två klackar onödigt nära mitten vilket är riktigt obekvämt och vingligt. Efter 6 bad var det inte så skönt längre, sved liksom och man kände att kroppen var trött på varmvatten. Vi ville bara se alla bad och var ganska nöjda när vi kunde promenera hem! Det coolaste baden var ett täckt med stenar och ett konstgjort grottak, och sen ett bad med ett stort vattenfall som rann ner framför ögonen på en medan man satt i vattnet och kollade ut mot buskarna. Nästa dag åkte vi aslångt till Hiroshima. Anlände på kvällen hos ett slags Airbnb, ett hus i japansk stil en bit utanför staden och sov nästan direkt. Nästa dag var vi turister i Hiroshima, först åkte vi båt ut till Miyajima och klappade rådjur, tog foton med den berömda toriin i vattnet och såg en parad med dansande folk och monster och sånt. Väldigt avslappnat ställe, och vi hade tur med vädret också. Kollade in slottet som tyvärr behövts renoveras rejält så endast utsidan fortfarande ser äkta ut, insidan är ett vanligt museum. Promenerade i fredsparken och åt Okonomiyaki, Hiroshimastyle. Tog buss hem och tittade på originalversionen av ninja warrior och drack varsin öl sittandes under kotatsun i vardagsrummet. Jag råkade ta sönder pappersväggen när jag skulle öppna dörren. Först fick vi panik sen skrattade vi väldigt mycket. Pappersdörrar är en asdålig idé. Nästa dag var det mest tåg igen och vi mötte Takuya i Fukuoka på ryoukan-rummet. Vi promenerade igenom Fukuoka och åt middag och satt sen på en hemskt dyr och liten make-shift-bar (ett skul på 8 kvadrat) på strandpromenaden ovanför en flod. Jag var dödstrött nästa dag men vi använde tiden ändå till fullo och efter frukost på ett old style Mugiwaraboushi-liknande kafé åkte vi till Fukuoka tower (de har världens hemskaste temasång, usch, asjobbig, googla). Sen åkte vi tåg till en gammal stadsdel med mycket tempel. Det var riktigt vackert, speciellt när vi klättrade upp på det lilla berget, bort från turisterna. Vi klättrade genom en skog och kom till en tunnel av toriis liknande dem i Kyoto. Plötsligt ljöd musiken som spelas över hela japan klockan fem (lång historia) och det var riktigt magiskt att stå och lyssna till det ute i skogen. Lite högre upp bakom templet på toppen hittade jag en grotta det fanns ljus och fler rävfigurer att be till. Vi hade ett litet äventyr ute i skogen helt enkelt! Sista dagarna spenderade vi i onsenstaden Beppu. Näst sista dagen på resan kunde vi tack vare någon kampanj bada gratis på det dyraste badet, uppe på en höjd. Det bestod av flera små bad utomhus i varierande temperatur med utsikt över staden och mot havet. Fanns en bastu också och det var inte speciellt mycket folk. Klinkers istället för stenar är inte så mysigt men det var lite roligt att det regnade hela tiden, och att man slapp sitta nära andra människor. På det andra badet vi besökte blev jag attackerad av en jättefet gammal tant som började visa mig hur man skulle tvätta sig (?!?) vilket var motbjudande och störigt eftersom jag knappt förstod vad hon sa eftersom hon pratade på dialekt. Efteråt pratade tanterna om utlänningar (de trodde nog inte jag hörde) och jag skyndade mig ut och när jag berättade för Takuya och Luis om vad som hänt kom den smällfeta kärringen ut igen och började prata med Takuya om att hon behövt förklara saker för mig, fast att det var svårt för henne eftersom jag inte verkade fatta... Vi flydde. Asirriterande, låt folk vara..! Sista dagen åkte vi med en liten buss över en kam ner till en dal på andra sidan av ett berg. Hamnade i en jättefin liten by som vi promenerade bort ifrån i en cirkel och sen kom tillbaka till. Längst vägen fanns ett antal bad. Det var varmt och soligt så inte helt nödvändigt, och eftersom jag var lite trött på hetvatten räckde det med ett bad. Men vi hade en avslappnande sista dag tack vare naturen med skog och vatten, utsikt över berg, tempel och sånt. Somnade nästan på väg till flygplatsen och det var så sjukt skönt att komma hem!!

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