Residents in Japan

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/dendaera on 2023-08-11 19:22:44.

I have a job interview in a few days for the position of mechanical engineer and I'm running into some contradicting information about this. I'm a senior in my field and apparently that might affect what I can wear. The suit isn't very dark and not very bright either. If I owned a black suit I would just play it safe but I don't know if I can find a good one for a decent price in time.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/jitenshasw on 2023-08-11 18:30:51.

I moved to Tokyo a little over a year ago with my husband and we've really struggled to make friends. He grew up in Japan until 8 years old so he's pretty fluent conversationally. I'm about intermediate level, enough to comfortably enjoy kids TV. More than anything we wanted Japanese friends, so that we could assimilate here.

We knew Tokyo was notorious for being a hard city to make friends in before we moved here. We were prepared and introduced ourselves to all our neighbors with gifts when we moved here. I occasionally bring over gifts to my neighbors from our travels or baked goods I've made. We have a great relationship but all our neighbors are much older or if they're our age, they have kids and are generally busy. We don't have kids. Nothing has clicked.

Hubby and I both work from home, so no luck making work mates either. We joined some community events, but most of the people were either too young or old, the events are also further from my home, usually Shibuya, when I'm on the east side of town. After a year, our only outing with an extra friend was with my Japanese teacher.

We really needed to make friends for our mental health, so I decided I needed to think outside the box, so I made a post on Jmty. I wrote it myself without hubby's help because I want them to get a taste of how garbage my Japanese is lol. I made my focus on gaming, because that's what I do with most of my free time with my husband. I made the post a little funny and wrote blurbs about our background, hobbies, etc. Then I wrote a bit on what we were looking for in a friend.

Some of the things I mentioned were age (5 year max difference). We also asked for a person with an open mind as we're both tatted foreigners, we will probably make mistakes. I kept the listing up for only a few days, only listing it under my part of Tokyo (not spanning all of Tokyo), and we've made 4 friends already (1 couple and 2 single people)!! One of them lives less than a 10 minute walk away. Everyone has been so kind and really cool! We've been having so much fun the past few weeks going out and we're doing weekly hangouts at our house to play Smash bros!

If you're struggling to make Japanese friends, I really recommend Jmty!! Good luck 🤞

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/NakimushiNeko on 2023-08-11 16:24:23.

I’ve been craving the sort of pretzel you’d get at an American mall kiosk (Auntie Anne’s, Wetzel’s Pretzels, etc)

According to Google, Auntie Anne’s used to have a few locations here but they seem to have all closed down. Does anyone know where I can get a good soft pretzel in Tokyo or Yokohama area?

Thanks in advance!

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/watertrashsf on 2023-08-11 12:00:41.

The machine ate my money and doubled my 200 yen payment before I could type my number for the bike parking in front of the grocery store in Sangenjaya, and this Australian or NZ dude help me out by giving me 500 yen. Thank you man! I wanted to buy you a beer or something to say thank you again but you ran off. I hope you get good karma for helping me out.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Hunter_Lala on 2023-08-11 11:53:02.

I realize this is a long shot but I figure I'll post anyways and maybe I'll get lucky

I'm wanting to go for my commercial pilot's license and work for a major airline based out of Japan. But as of right now my Japanese is pretty poor (probably around N3 level) so I know my prospects don't look great.

I'm starting a 2 year language school this October that should take me up to N1, so I'll certainly have more options at that point.

But I'm an impatient little shit and I want to start getting my flight hours in so that I'll hopefully already have enough hours accumulated to meet the minimum requirement for major airlines.

Even if it's Tokyo that's fine

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Siviel on 2023-08-11 11:12:22.

I was trying to go to a post office today to use the atm and pay a bill. Normally it would have been open but I didn’t see that it’s closed on holidays and I honestly I didn’t know mountain day was an actual holiday. The door to the atm wasn’t locked and when I opened the door the alarm triggered. I waited for a policeman, he understood it was a mistake and wrote down my name before he let me off. He didn’t really explain, but what usually happens in cases like this, will I get a fine for wasting public resources or get this on my record ?

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/weeweechoochoo on 2023-08-11 10:49:49.

Newb question, sorry lol.

I got a BS/衛星放送 installed today (I don't have 地上 or CS) and flicking through the channels I can watch NHK, and channels like TBS, 日本テレビ, and 朝日 show up on the channel listing but when I click on them it says 「現在放送されていません。番組表などで放送時間を確認してください。雨や雪などの天候の影響で一時的に受信できない場合もあります。決定で受信強度を確認します。」

The weather's fine and the 受信強度 was at 95 so there's no issue there. Obviously I'm not subscribed to anything that would give me these channels, but how do I subscribe to them and gain access?

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/LUVko on 2023-08-11 09:55:00.

Hi - my husband has been suffering from itchy male parts(his balls) for years and only now he starts being open to go to the doctor after years of me pestering him to go to one. we just want ask what kind of doctor do he have to go to ? Thanks

I was diagnosed with clymidia in 2019 and he didn’t get himself checked

and bacterial vaginosis during my pregnancies

he used to just self medicate by putting on lotion he just says its dry skin all the time but wouldn’t it be great for him not to worry about putting lotion and be healed

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/CasperandFez on 2023-08-11 09:05:39.

Hello! I hardly ever post to Reddit so if I do something wrong please let me know. My husbands friend rescues stray kittens and finds them new homes. He has a kitten right now that he hasn’t been able to find a new home. Initially someone wanted her so he didn’t join her in a local adoption event. The person ended up canceling and the kitten lost her shot at the event and haven’t found a home yet. I remembered that sometimes it’s difficult for foreigners to adopt in Japan and I wanted to help anyone out who was looking. so I was wondering if anyone knows of any adoption websites I could introduce her too? Or is it ok too introduce her here?

Fuu-Chan A tiny kitten with a big personality. She loves to play and play and opens up to new people quickly. After getting to know you she will curl up to you to sleep. Right now her favorite thing is playing with new toys and the squeeze treats. Friendly with other cats, not sure about dogs or children. She’s only a few months old and a little small for her age but otherwise a very healthy and happy kitten! I have photos and videos.

Please let me know if anyone has any resources to help her find a home or if anyone’s interested!

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/freshfeesh26 on 2023-08-11 08:33:11.

So I just moved into my new apartment, it’s older but I can’t really complain. Only thing bothering me rn is the shower drain. At least I hope it’s the drain.

Is it supposed to look like this? There’s water inside and it’s dirty, what can I use to clean it? I’m not sure if it clogged or what. Also it looks like there’s supposed to be a cover. This is all new to me so I’m just not sure.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Detonationfocusme on 2023-08-11 05:26:09.

Hello everyone, I’ve been working in the construction business for several years now and in 2 years I will finally be able to open my own construction company. As a Japanese who can communicate in English/Spanish/Japanese, I’ve been wondering how could I differentiate my company to other companies, and I thought maybe I should cater to the foreign community? You know how buying and building your dream house is maybe a once in a lifetime thing, and what better to do it with a company that fully understands your mother language right? What do you fine people think about it?

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/AutoModerator on 2023-08-10 23:00:14.

Now daily! Feel free to ask any silly stupid questions or not-so-silly stupid questions that you haven't had a chance to ask here. Be kind to those that do and try to answer without downvoting. Please keep criticism and snide remarks out of the thread.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/hiringjp on 2023-08-10 17:10:38.

I have a regular car license and I want to get the 400cc motorcycle license (and possibly continue to the unlimited). I'm looking for a driving school in the Kansai area that will either do motorcycle lessons in English or is willing to train somebody with shitty but not non-existent Japanese. Does something exist?

I found similar threads from awhile ago and reached out to the schools recommended and all of them are a no-go.

Seishin Driving School in Kobe (who seem to be the same company as Port Island and a couple other Hyogo driving schools) say they only do regular cars in English and they are not being super communicative regarding a willingness to do lessons in Japanese to a mediocre Japanese speaker so that seems like it's a no.

Minato Driving School in Osaka gave a (very polite) hell no. You need good Japanese to study with them.

I was desperate enough to look into Koyama in Tokyo who would be happy to do it but they only let you take 1-2 lessons a day and even if I was crazy enough to make a 20,000+ yen round trip commute for each day of training, they are booked out for 4-6 months.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Budget-Bicycle-9962 on 2023-08-10 12:19:18.

JP post office international mailing question:

Do they have labels for an A4-Fold into three-sized envelope?

Normal mail envelope size, like your lovely NHK notification mails.

I see the pouch for the international labels is bigger than my envelope.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/WeakTutor on 2023-08-11 02:32:24.

Hi, Has any guy gotten Gynecomastia treatment here in Tokyo? I’m interested in doing it while I’m living here because I think prices are more expensive in the USA. If anyone has any recommendations or have heard of clinics that have done please let me know. It does not need to be an only English speaking clinic, Japanese is okay too. (I’m also considering going to South Korea to do it if it’s more affordable there)

Thanks!

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Tornstripe on 2023-08-11 00:05:27.

So I realized recently that the tiny microwave oven I got from Nitori doesn’t have a baking option (it’s basically just a microwave from what I know of microwaves in America). I really love baking, it’s one of my few joys in life, and I think in order to survive Sapporo’s snowy winters I’m going to need some sort of stand in for an oven. I usually love baking cookies, pies, and cakes so I need something big enough for those. Has anyone lived here long enough to know what the best options are? Online stores or in-person stores are fine. I live in Sapporo, so if it’s an in-person store I has to be within the city. I can only get around by walking and the subway.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Gloomy-Sugar2456 on 2023-08-10 16:08:28.

Have been reading up on various posts dealing with the issue of keeping your PR status while being outside Japan for an extended period of time. However, what remains unclear to me (and maybe someone can share her/his personal experience) is the following:

1. Let’s say I need to be back in my home country to take care of my ailing parents for potentially more than 5 years. My Japanese wife and our son would come with me. I get my 5 year re-entry permit, cancel our apartment, and de-register at the Kuyakusho. What will happen to my still valid residence card? Will the Kuyakusho or Immigration put a comment on the back of the card saying something like ‘no address’ or ‘moved overseas’?
2. Can you actually (and legally) have no address in Japan (not talking about a friend’s paper address) while holding a PR and being overseas for up to 5 years or more?
3. What do I do if I need to get a further 5 year re-entry permit, come back to Japan for a week or two to apply for it, but obviously have no address? Is that legally possible?
4. What do you do, if at any time during your stay overseas, you need to renew your residence card while not having an address in Japan?
5. Bonus question: can you renew your driver’s license with a valid PR and a valid residence card that potentially states ‘no address’ on the back (assuming the renewal notification postcard is mail forwarded to a friend’s address)?

I contacted two immigration/visa agencies with these questions and the only answer I got from both was ‘uh, not sure, talk to immigration.’ Before I do that, I wanted to see if anyone out there was in a similar situation and how he/she went about it. Yes, I could keep a paper address with a friend or give up my PR and go the spousal visa route later on, but this is not what I’m asking for above.

Thanks for any valuable input/experiences.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/tomme23tomme on 2023-08-10 15:31:05.

Good evening everybody! I have a question I can’t really find an answer to, maybe someone has experience and can help. It’s my 7th year in Japan, right now I’m on a student visa, just finished 4 years in university here, got an N1 and an internship. My school work is done, my student visa runs until November this year. The problem is my internship: my boss asked me if I can stay longer than November, however, I am unsure on what kind of visa that would even be possible.. do “they” (my company) have to take me aboard as an employee and give me a work visa or are there other ways for me to stay and work, even if it’s just for an additional 3-4 months. I looked into 就活ビザ but as I’m not looking for another job, I don’t think that really applies to me.

Any hint or experience would be greatly appreciated, I wish you all a nice Obon and hope the Taifun leaves you alone x

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/BirdsbirdsBURDS on 2023-08-10 14:35:33.

Basically. I can’t learn Japanese. It’s like there’s a sheer vertical cliff in my mind that needs to be scaled for me to learn it, and I’m having a hard time doing so.

Basically, I wanted to ask if there is any utility in getting wanikani to help me learn. I’m in a Japanese language school right now and I’m just getting my ass kicked everyday with vocabulary words. I need something to help me, so that I can at least make some progress. I learn grammar ok, but it means nothing when I can’t read the words. It’s like I have a memory leak or something, and I simply haven’t found a way to put the words in and keep them in.

To add; I’ve been trying to study this language for several years, and I probably still didn’t pass the N3 exam.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Maleficent-City1805 on 2023-08-10 11:15:34.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.

My mother and brother will be coming to visit me later this month for a few weeks. They are going to be bringing a bout $8,000 USD each that hey have already exchanged to JPY (approx 1,150,064 JPY each - total around 2,300,000+ JPY). My plan right now is to put their money into my Japan Post Bank account so that they don't have to carry the cash with them/leave it in the hotel room. I have a few questions that I can't seem to find any information about online.

1. Is there a maximum amount of money I can deposit into an account (ATM/over the counter)?

2. Should I worry that depositing this much money might cause a red flag or for my account to be investigated/reported/frozen?

3. Do you have any advice or further information you think I should know regarding my plan?

Thank you again for your time and help. I really appreciate any information you can share with me on this topic. Have a great day.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Seedark on 2023-08-10 09:20:44.

I hold the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa which expired earlier this month while waiting for my application to be approved but I got rejected.

Is it possible for me to apply for any other visa at this point?

I have the "在留期間更新許可申請中” stamped on the back of my current expired visa. Will it prevent me from applying for another visa?

I really don't want to leave Japan yet, please help.

Edit 1: My boss just called me to ask me stuff and told me there aren't any cases where people get their visa renewal application rejected after getting the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa even once. Can anybody confirm?

Edit 2: I may have been too quick to judge, seems to be a misunderstanding on my side that my application is rejected. I thought it was rejected cause my postcard came back blank.

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/walrusAssault on 2023-08-10 05:50:40.

TL;DR ex has been storing a bunch of stuff at my house for almost a year and is being wishy washy about when he'll come pick it up. Am I legally okay to just donate it all?

About a year ago I broke up with my ex. The timing was kind of shitty - he had just left his job and was going to move in with me for a little bit before finding a new one and moving on. He quit his job and right before he was set to move in I had a eureka moment and knew we had to end our relationship. It had been in trouble for quite some time and I wanted to end it ASAP instead of dragging it out and having us live together in that situation. I live in a pretty big house with way more space than I need, and I didn't want to be cruel and make the situation any worse for him, so I told him he could store his things in a spare room of mine until he could get back on his feet. He went to go live with his sister in a nearby prefecture (he is also a foreigner so he doesn't really have the option of taking his stuff to his parents house). As far as I know he has been able to get a job, I'm not sure about his housing situation. But he has not been back for his things despite me sending occasional messages about it. I messaged him last June and he said he was "very busy" but that he would get in touch about getting his things at some point. A message I sent two weeks ago didn't get any reply until last night when I told him I would be donating his things soon if he didn't come by - he just told me he would "contact me later". So while I'm waiting for that, just to get ahead on things - if it comes down to it, could I get in any sort of trouble for giving his things away to a recycle shop? Thanks!

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Unchigadechatta on 2023-08-10 05:41:22.

I have a JLPT N2 (I know it’s just the beginning), and a fully remote tech help desk job for a gaishikei company in Tokyo which I have been doing for 3 years.

I studied at a music academy and have a higher diploma in professional musicianship (I know that this is not ideal for finding a real job).

I also have a Japanese CV which was made with the help of my wife who is Japanese.

I live in Nagoya and I’m looking for just standard office work where Microsoft Office software is used. Data processing, input etc, or any tech support job. The reason I want to change jobs is because I want to make use of my Japanese and improve it. I also want to work alongside people in an office.

I have years and years of experience in IT and I’m always resolving technical issues in my current role, but nobody in Nagoya seems to want to hire me, even if the job is almost identical to what I’m doing now?

I’ve even applied for jobs where they say ‘put your name, email address, and number down, then we’ll contact you’. Then I get an email back saying I don’t fit the position before they’ve even read my CV or given me a chance to talk?

I’ve been in contact with recruit agents for career counselling, and the person who I talk to always tells me ‘it’s going to be hard’ then just sends me loads of the lowest paid soul sucking jobs which nobody wants to do, and they have nothing in common with the role I’m in now. It’s like they’re automatically sending me jobs which everyone else has refused.

I currently have real issues with working from home, it’s eating away at my mental health. I’m the type of person who needs to be outside and around others to be happy, but I feel really isolated. Every day I am grinding to learn as much Japanese as I can but I feel I’m getting nowhere.

I’d be happy to take a cafe or retail store job if I could, but even then I get refused.

My options seem to be either work ridiculous hours for peanuts at Donkihotei or teach English with no prospects. (I don’t think that being an English teach is bad, just I want to look into the future and see the potential for promotions etc)

Is there anyone out there who can relate?

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/Chonko_hikes on 2023-08-10 05:28:28.

As the title posts what are two things you discovered in Japan 1 you love and 1 you detest! I’ll go first:

1: mabo tofu 😂 love it, can’t believe I didn’t find this in my home city.

2: “real” humidity - I thought I loved summer until I met Japanese summer 💔

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The original was posted on /r/japanlife by /u/CarlyFries28 on 2023-08-10 03:36:36.

People who previously or currently work for a foreign based company with no Japanese branch, how was/is it? Pros and cons?

I’m thinking about switching jobs, but I’m worried about things like conversation rates, job retention, health care, pension, etc. Please let me know how your experiences have been, how you liked it, would you do it again.