TheManInJapan

Take the Money and Run

DMT here, and this is my first entry into the “Tips” tab.  Today’s post will be about cashing Traveler’s Checks (or Cheques, if you prefer).  These are how I’ve been getting cash when I need it, which is about every two weeks. For those of you who don’t know already, Japan has a lot of [...]

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Suica and Pasmo cards

When you get to Japan, I strongly recommend you buy a Suica or Pasmo card right after you settle in. They work like debit cards for the train, so you don’t have to buy an individual ticket every time. (Fortunately, the kiosks have an option for English) You can buy a card at most stations, [...]

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All about trains

There are basically three ways to get around in Tokyo: By foot By bike By train Yes, technically you could take a taxi, but that’s kindof expensive. And technically you could own a car, but that’s even worse. And anyway, Tokyo has a world-class train system. Trains are everywhere in Tokyo, so expect to use [...]

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Regular Train Tickets

You should really just get a Suica or Pasmo card. But if you don’t want to bother with that, just use regular train tickets:

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Missing the last train home

Something you should know: All the trains shut down at midnight. Well, ok, a few of them might run till 1AM or something. But basically, if you’re not home by midnight, you’re kinda screwed. (Trains start again around 5 or 6AM, I think) There was one time I missed the last train home. I was [...]

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On the train

Pictures from the trains and train stations:

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The shoe-place

If you’ve ever been to an Asian person’s house, there’s a good chance you were asked to take off your shoes as you entered. I’m not sure why this tradition started, but it is what it is. Here’s how it works in Japan: Almost every spot you can possibly stand on belongs to one of [...]

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Power Sockets in Japan

Before I came to Japan, I bought a nifty converter-thing to allow me to plug my American electronics into Japanese power sockets. That turned out to be entirely pointless, because all my American electronics work fine in Japanese outlets. However, it’s true there are still a few differences between Japan and America. (See here and [...]

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How to Study Abroad in Japan

Here’s my general guide for applying to study abroad in Japan. Things may work different for you than for me; I don’t really know. Here’s what you need to do: Read TheManInJapan.net Oh, wait. You’re already doing that. =) Get a passport I got mine several years ago when my family took a vacation in [...]

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Websites in English

You might not know this, but the internet has a basic idea of where you are. Some websites use this info so that, for instance, people logging on from Japan see everything in Japanese. But this is annoying if (like me) you can’t really read Japanese. So here’s the special link to get Google in [...]

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