Can You Really Go to Japan?

Warning: This is an organized rant, but very eye opening. Please be open-minded to the ideas I’m stating. Thank you!

Inside Tokyo Airport.

People always tell me they want to go to Japan. When I ask them why they haven’t been yet I mostly get the reply, “Well, I don’t have the money to travel to Japan.” I used to feel sorry for them and nod in agreement but I’ve finally realized that they’re wrong.

Let me explain.

If you have a job you’re obtaining money. Most of that money goes towards bills and living expenses, but what does the rest of it go towards? I see it all the time. People spend their spare cash on going to the movies, video games, DVDs, eating out, and other various things. They spend that money on things they enjoy doing. That’s totally acceptable, but that’s the reason why you’re not going to Japan. If you would just save up all the money you used on the little things in life you would be able to eventually go to Japan.

Now, why are you spending that money on those little things? I’ll tell you.

It’s because those little things come to you immediately. You see them in front of you and they’re easy to get when you want it. A trip to Japan is opposite of that. Japan is not in front of you and you won’t be going immediately. It’ll take a while to save the money you need but you’ll get there eventually. You just need patience and restraint.

I can’t tell you how many friends come to me saying, “We should go to Japan together one day.” Now, I just say sure and let them think what they’d like. I know that we most likely won’t be going to Japan together because we spend our money differently. I hoard my money while they spend it on a bunch of random stuff. Our priorities are different. My #1 priority is going to Japan as many times as possible. My friends have totally different priorities ranging from collecting video games to dining out. I used to buy books like it was nobody’s business, but then I realized I wanted to go to Japan way more than having books. Now I only buy a book if I get gift cards as present or if it’s my birthday.

Point being, I know what I want to do with my life and I do what I have to do to get what I want. Yes, that means I can’t go out to eat as often as I’d like or blow my money on some amazing game that just came out. Those are the sacrifices I’m willing to make in order to go to Japan. That’s what’s important to me. Don’t complain over and over again that you can’t go to Japan. YOU CAN! The problem is that you’re not determined enough to save the money to go to Japan. That’s your own choice. You’d rather do other things with your money, and that’s fine. Do those things. If traveling to Japan is that important to you you’ll work hard to get there. And when that day comes, I’ll sincerely be happy for you.

The Japanese You Should Know

In my last post I said Japanese was not needed in order to go to Japan. I still believe that statement, but it never hurts to know a little bit. Knowing even a bit of Japanese will be a great cushion for those of you who are nervous about visiting a country whose first language isn’t English. Some of you may be ambitious and determined enough to learn Japanese fluently, but for people who don’t have the time nor desire to learn may still want to know the essential words just to get by.

Pronunciation

The first thing you need to know is the sound/pronunciation of Japanese consonants and vowels. This is the easiest part about learning Japanese. The Japanese consonants sound exactly like English consonants. Vowels will be easy for people who have studied Spanish before. Japanese vowels sound exactly like Spanish vowels. Now knowing this, you can actually speak English to Japanese people by using Japanese pronunciation on English words. You will have a higher success rate in being understood.

Congratulations! You’ve taken the first steps into learning Japanese!

Numbers

You don’t really notice how much numbers are used on a daily basis until you go to another language speaking country. Yes, you will encounter the numbers in the form of 1 2 3, but you should definitely know the Japanese pronunciation. I say this because on signs outside of shops or on menus you’ll see actual numbers, but what happens if you ask a clerk how much something is and she understands you but doesn’t know how to answer in English so she says it in Japanese. This is why I said you should know how to pronounce numbers. Other incidents could be closing times or train arrivals. The list can go on. Below is a short list of the numbers you will need to know and its Japanese pronunciation.

0 – zero                                        11 – juu ichi

1 – ichi                                          12 – juu ni

2 – ni                                             13 – juu san

3 – san                                          20 – ni juu

4 – shi/yon                                   100 – hyaku

5 – go                                            123 – hyaku ni juu san

6 – roku                                        1000 – sen

7 – nana/shichi                            10000 - ichiman

8 – hachi

9 – kyu

10 – juu

Phrases

Phrases will be your life-line. They never change and are constantly used by both Japanese and foreigners. It’s helpful to know these phrases when traveling in Japan. They are great practice in speaking Japanese. The Japanese are usually impressed when a foreigner speaks Japanese. They are so impressed that they may mistake your little Japanese as knowing Japanese fluently. They will figure you out once you put on that blank stare and come back down to a lower level of Japanese or even go straight into English. The phrases I’m about to suggest will help you get around in Japan and to interact with the locals a little. Some of these phrases are round about translations because they may not have an exact English meaning and I’ve shortened some words for easier memorization. Remember to use Japanese pronunciation!

Nice to meet you – Hajimemashite

Hello – Konnichiwa

I don’t understand – Wakarimasen

Excuse me (to get someone’s attenetion or as a sorry) – Sumimasen

It’s ok – Daijobu

Here (after you) – Dozo

Thank you – Arigatou gozaimas

How much is this? – Ikura desu ka

Where is _______? – _______ wa doko desu ka

Yes – Hai

No – Iie

It’s cute – Kawaii

It’s delicious – Oishii

No thank you – Keko desu

Japanese classroom assignment.

And this is your survival Japanese. Unless you get super adventurous, which some of you will, you’ll only need this much for those unexpected encounters. This is a very beginner introduction to Japanese that is taught in the first 3-4 weeks in a Japanese class. It’s pretty hard to teach Japanese in a blog but if you need any advice about Japanese please don’t hesitate to ask. I will do my best to answer you. Due to its difficulty, this will be one of the last times I try to teach Japanese on here unless it’s requested. I hope you learned a lot and you get to use some of this in the future.

Until next time! Matta ne! That means see you. :)

You Don’t Need to Speak Japanese

If you plan to travel to Japan there’s no need to panic about not knowing Japanese. Most of you who will go visit Japan will be traveling to the cities of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. These cities are bigger in size and are used to having tourists around. The only time you would have to worry about knowing Japanese is if you go out into the rural areas of Japan. Japan is very tourist friendly.

Some Japanese Can Speak English

Most Japanese people know that English is becoming a world language and have interest in learning it. It is a requirement in school for children to learn English from elementary to high school. Some students even continue their English studies into college. Think of it as the equivalent to American children learning Spanish all throughout their elementary and high school education. Their English won’t be perfect but it’ll be enough for you to understand.

Japanese People are always willing to help

Not all, but some Japanese people will be courageous enough to approach you about needing help. When you’re looking lost or confused don’t be surprised when a Japanese person comes up to help. If they don’t understand your English they will either get through it with hand signals or search for another Japanese person who knows English. They will do whatever it takes to help you out. I have experienced this kindness several times through my journeys in Japan. Same came be said the other way around. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. They’ll get through it the same way I described before.

Signs can be in English

If not English, signs will at least be in Romanji which is essentially the Japanese words using English letters. You will encounter this on street signs, in restaurant menus, at train stations, and at airports. These places are really the only time you need English signs. If the signs are not enough help you can always find the help desks at train stations and airports. They have a Japanese staff that is fluent in English and other various languages ready to help tourists.

Osaka train station platform.

Now of course, knowing any kind of Japanese can help. In my next post I will talk about how much Japanese you should know in preparation of your trip to Japan. You shouldn’t be stressing out about being fluent in the language or not.

Until next time!

Why You Should Visit Japan

Japan is a country dear to my heart, even though I’m not from there. It has so many great things to offer. Whether you have always wanted to go to Japan or it never even crossed your mind to go I can tell you why you should visit Japan.

The Traditions

Japan’s traditions run deep and are still practiced in their society. You don’t have to feel like you can’t participate in their traditions because all of them cater to tourists such as wearing a kimono and sitting in a tea ceremony. Some countries lose their traditions over time but Japan has kept it alive for generations of people to experience. The only thing I could compare it to in New Orleans is visiting a plantation and going to a Mardi Gras Ball, but even that isn’t the same. Japan has a much older history compared to New Orleans. Not only that, but Japan has also kept its traditions unchanging. In New Orleans if you were to go to a Mardi Gras Ball now it would be more modernized than when it first started and plantations are more like old museums now. So experience wearing a kimono for rent around the city for a day and go sit in on a tea ceremony to enjoy the art of the ceremony while trying the tea and sweets. Be a part of the traditions.

Tea ceremony in Uji prefecture.

The Culture

Japan is a culture of order, presentation, and convenience. These qualities sum up life in Japan. Going to work or meeting a friend? Their train, subway, and bus systems will get you there in time. The transportation system is the definition of order and only one of many examples I can give right now. It’s pretty entertaining to time the buses to see if they get to the bus stops at their designated times.

Go out to eat at any restaurant in Japan and order whatever you like. I can bet you it’ll be a beautiful plate of food. I remember going to a parfait restaurant in Kyoto. I didn’t know what to expect because the closest thing to a parfait I had in New Orleans was a parfait at McDonald’s. When my strawberry shortcake parfait came out I died. I never knew ice cream could look so beautiful. And that’s what Japan does, makes their food beautiful along with tasting delicious.

Last but not least, Japan is a country of convenience. I’m sure if you go visit Japan you’re going to want to see as many tourist attractions as possible. In order to gain more time you and your friends decide to skip lunch because going to sit at a restaurant will decrease your time spent on exploring Japan. You don’t have to make those sacrifices when there are convenient stores at every turn, supplying you with quality to-go meals such as yakisoba, sushi, spaghetti, and sandwiches. Another example is if you visit Japan during the summer and you’re walking the streets visiting all the shrines you can find. It’s a hot day and you’re getting thirsty. No worries. There are vending machines filled with cold drinks at every corner. If that’s not convenience, I don’t know what is.

Strawberry shortcake parfait at a restaurant in Kyoto, Japan.

The Best of Both Worlds

Ever wanted to travel back in time? In Japan, you can while staying in the comfort of the 21^st century. Japan has the best of both worlds. You can travel to small rural cities to enjoy the simple lifestyle or go to the big cities to enjoy the luxurious shopping malls and restaurants. Either way you can always find history in Japan by visiting temples, shrines, and castles. Japan has some of the oldest structures, long before America was even discovered, that are still standing today. It is breath taking to stand in front of a castle that had a crucial function to history. A prime example of the phrase “best of both worlds” is the city of Kyoto. Kyoto used to be Japan’s capital during the samurai times so it has a lot of history to offer. Some of that history can be seen by visiting landmarks such as Nijo Castle. Even though the city is old it has developed a lot over time. Take a 5-10 minute bus ride from Nijo Castle to step out onto the streets of the Shijo shopping district where you can find great shopping, delicious restaurants, arcades, and karaoke. You can’t go wrong with the city of Kyoto who has the best of both worlds.

Inside the grounds of Nijo Castle.

My 3 Reasons for Starting a Blog about Japan

Hi! My name is Jennifer. I'm from Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb about 5-10 minutes away from New Orleans. Living around New Orleans seems like fun with all that goes on such as Mardi Gras, crawfish boils, Voodoo Music Festival, French Quarter Fest, etc. I've heard the phrase, "You must be adopted," several times in my life. I don't like Mardi Gras because of the big, mostly drunk, crowds and getting hit by plastic beads in the cold, can't eat crawfish because it always makes me sick, and the crowds at festivals bother me because they're either pretty drunk or the smoke from them smoking gets me sick.

Let's just say I don't get to enjoy New Orleans as such as others do, but that doesn't mean I can't call it home. I've lived my whole life here, made friends, and started a family. I can't just pick up all of my things and leave to go live in Japan. That's just not realistic to me, even though I'd probably enjoy living in Japan. This brings me to my reasons of why I'm starting this blog.

Garden of Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto, Japan and the skyline of New Orleans.

1. For Therapy

I've had an interest in Japan since middle school when I got introduced to manga and anime by a classmate. In high school I increased my interest when I came across J-pop and Japanese dramas. College is where I drove into the culture and language, and took the big leap of studying abroad in Japan for one month in the summer. Ever since that study abroad trip my love for Japan has escalated; I study Japanese when my life schedule lets me, I watch YouTubers who are living in Japan to get the latest on trends and insights, and I even welcomed a Shiba Inu into my family. But none of this is enough! I want to do more things related to Japan when I'm not taking occasional vacations over there. Just being home in New Orleans makes me anxious. I always have Japan on my mind.

A good friend of mine encouraged me to start blogging about Japan. He thought it would be good for me since I want to be a writer, and because he knows how much I love to share my knowledge and interest of Japan with others. Hence why I say it's therapy. I'm getting all my Japan craziness out of my system while sharing my experiences with other people who might also like Japan.

2. To Share with Others

Like I said before, I watch a lot of YouTubers who live in Japan. They have good information and advice to share about their life experience. Some of them even seem really nice and down to Earth, people I could totally see myself hanging out with in real life. The only problem I have is that they live in Japan. No one is vlogging from a tourist point of view. All they're doing is making people anxious to go live in Japan when it could be a really bad idea for some people or even not possible for others like myself. Some of these YouTubers put in the effort of mentioning to viewers to go visit Japan first before making such a big decision like moving permanently. I applaud those who made a video on this topic because it's true. Just because someone else is doing fine living in Japan doesn't mean you're going to have the same experience. It's a completely different culture and lifestyle from any other country. Not everyone is going to adjust to a new environment easily.

That's where I come in.

I've already experienced Japan from the perspective of a study abroad student and as a honeymooner. My goal is to experience Japan in as many different ways as possible and to share that experience with others who are trying to get their own taste of Japan. Moving to Japan is not for everyone, but that doesn't mean you can't go to Japan. I want to help people discover Japan in a way they are comfortable with.

3. Preparing People

I touched upon it a bit earlier but I want to emphasize on it more. People will always have expectations! If they don't take the effort to learn more about whatever it is they're interested in they may be very disappointed in their outcome.

Story time!

When I had to pick my foreign language credits for college I already had it set in my mind that I'd take Japanese, and so did the 45 other people who were in my Japanese 1001 class. My reason for taking Japanese was because I was amazed by the culture and language and I knew at some point in my life I was going to Japan. I didn't know everyone's reason for taking Japanese but I suspected it involved anime since that's what most people seemed to talk about before class started. By the time the middle of the semester came by a quarter of the class dropped to save their GPA. It wasn't what they suspected and they were failing. I finished the class with a B average and went on to Japanese 1002 with a few new friends I made from the previous class. We were surprised on the first day of Japanese 1002 that only 23 students signed up. More than half the class from Japanese 1001 did not go on to 1002! I was astonished to find this out, but was not surprised. They could have thought since they love anime learning Japanese should come naturally and should be easy. It doesn't work that way at all. You have to work really hard to learn Japanese and be dedicated in learning it.

The same could be said about traveling to Japan. It's not enough to love anime. You should learn to love all of Japan and what it has to offer. If you go to Japan just because you like anime you will be very disappointed. Remember, anime is a work of fiction set in Japan. Your adventure/life in Japan will not be like an anime. I'm not saying liking anime is wrong because it's not. I love anime. I'm the person all my friends come to for recommendations or anime related news. I'm saying you can't relay on anime only. Just give more aspects of Japan a try. I promise you won't be disappointed.

The city of Tokyo taken from Tokyo Tower

And those are my reasons for starting a blog about Japan. I hope you stick around to see what I have to offer. I will be trying to post two-three times a week, hopefully. Like I said before, the topics will range from all aspects of Japan and I will even tap into New Orleans. If you have any requests please let me know at any time. I hope to gain your support. I look forward to writing.