Going to Japan to study Japanese for a year

[Rokudaime]

I pondered for a while which sub forum and potential thread on the site would be the most appropriate place to post this, but I eventually settled on here...Mods, feel free to move it somewhere else if needed.

So, there were a lot of time consuming and expensive preparations in the way (visa, place to stay, student loans, getting into the school etc etc), but I'm now finally all set to go and study Japanese in Tokyo starting in January (the 16th) next year, at Kai Japanese Language School. I'm going to study there for a year, for now. If anyone on this site live in Tokyo (whether permanently or temporarily), or are going to go there at some point over the next year, whether on vacation, or to study like me, or for work, etc, and want to meet up at some point, go ahead and let me know if you want, I'm all for hanging out with fellow BL members when/if I can find the time.

I'm assuming I'll probably not be able to resist occasionally posting some stuff in my forum blog while I'm there, though it probably won't be frequent. Or maybe I should just post here? I dunno. *shrug*

Anyway, I just wanted to let people know I guess.

[Iceblade44]

Congrats mate, hope you have a good time

[SpoonyViking]

Have a fun trip!

[Mattias]

Hope you have a good time.

[Rokudaime]

Thanks, guys!

[Rokudaime]

Well, tomorrow is the day I leave for Japan. :-) I went ahead and made a simple blog. *shrug* https://studyinginnippon.home.blog/

[warellis]

I hope you enjoy your time and ztay in Japan.

It's always hard to move away from home, let alone all the way to a foreign country with a culture and la guave deeply different from the one you're used to.

While you're there, do tell us about your experiences in your new home.

[Yoyomaster]

That's cool. Will you be able to eatch the HF II movie first hand?

[Rokudaime]

That's cool. Will you be able to eatch the HF II movie first hand?

Naw, I wanna watch all three in a row, so I'll just wait until they're all out before watching them. Which of course means I won't get to watch them in theaters, and will have to settle for the blurays, but ah well.

- - - Updated - - -

I hope you enjoy your time and ztay in Japan.

It's always hard to move away from home, let alone all the way to a foreign country with a culture and la guave deeply different from the one you're used to.

While you're there, do tell us about your experiences in your new home.

Thanks. And I'll try.

[Rokudaime]

Have had some trouble finding an adapter for my computer's power cord that allows me to use it in Japan, so I haven't been able to go online much on the 4 hour battery. I also had trouble with my cellphone data bugging out, causing me to not be able to use Google maps to find a suitable electronics store that sells said adapter (and it meant I had trouble finding my school and other things as well)...That's all taken care of now though, and I have my data back, and I finally found an adapter, so I can finally go online now. I also have some stuff to write about now on my blog, so I'll do that over the next few days.

[Rokudaime]

Heard Shinji's voiceactor on the speakers in one of the department stores I go to pretty much every day today lol. That was kind of fun.

[Draconic]

It sounds fun.

[Rokudaime]

Haha, indeed! Literally!

[Rokudaime]

Bumped into this randomely in Shinjuku when I wasn't looking for it (apologies for the shitty quality and squished picture in the last image, I accidentally deleted the two images that I actually wanted to use...):






You apparently need a reservation to actually get in and be able to order something there though...*shrug* They will let you in if you're only there because you just want to buy one of their merchandises, but I had to wait like half an hour for that, and I didn't end up buying anything of what little they had to offer...

[Rokudaime]

Man, Japan is a nice place to be during cherry blossom season (2 weeks from the end of March to the beginning of April). It's fast approaching the end now though...

After passing all my tests and making it to the next level of my Japanese studies, I've had a week off from school, so I've been going with friends to Shinjuku Gyoen (a nice park/garden in Tokyo) to see the Sakura trees, and climbing Mount Takao (1,5 hour train ride from Shinjuku. It's on the outskirts of Tokyo I think) with them, among other things. Shinjuku Gyoen is a good place to relax and see the Sakura trees. Stay away from Ueno Park though...It's horrible during this time of year, as there are waaaaayyyyyy too many people! Plus they only have one main row of cherry blossoms on a concrete road anyway. It's nothing compared to Shinjuku Gyoen's massive, sprawling gardens full of nature, and much much less people.

Climbing Mount Takao was really awesome. It's only 599 meters tall, is close to Tokyo, and there's lots of nice nature and scenery to look at (path 3 was my favourite). You can also see Mount Fuji from the top (though you can see Mount Fuji from a lot of places in Japan. It's so gigantic that it can be seen from extremely far away). It's popular with hikers, obviously, but I didn't feel like there were too many people. Oh, and at the top you can buy Belgian chocolate soft ice cream, and at the foot you can buy the biggest servings of shave ice you'll ever see! Highly recommended!

Cherry blossoms:




(Parts of) Shinjuku Gyoen:



Views from Mount Takao. The first image is not from the top:



The shave ice. That's a regular spoon btw, not a teaspoon...:

[Levani]

Amazing photos, reminds of me the time I was in Japan. Ahh, such good times.

[Mcjon01]

Relish the spring, for hell is sure to follow
It’s almost here...
Summer

[Levani]

I was in Osaka during September and fuck was it hot. As soon as I stepped out of the aiport, something just hit me immediately and I didn't quite realize what because it was so sudden. After I found myself sweaty and literally melting did I realize it was the heat. Can't imagine what it's like in actual summer.

[hanafubuki]

bro, i wish luck to you! Japan is great place to live!

[Rokudaime]

Amazing photos, reminds of me the time I was in Japan. Ahh, such good times.

Thanks. ^^ Glad you liked 'em.

Relish the spring, for hell is sure to follow
It’s almost here...
Summer

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to that, especially since I come from a cold place...The summer's extreme heat, and the lack of the kind of regular food I'm used to, might be the two things that could potentially make me give up on living in Japan in the long run...If nothing else goes wrong I mean.

bro, i wish luck to you! Japan is great place to live!

Thanks! Japan certainly is a great place to live. There are downsides as well though.