Moving to Japan

[jeisan]

So like in a some months I'm gonna move to Japan. I have a dog and cat and kid and wife. I will bring them all. I want to find a 3/2 house with a yard for my dog and but I will be living out in the boondocks so I don't think it will be an issue, though a 2/2 would work. I only know the Japanese I learned from anime but that should suffice for awhile. Hope I can hang out with all the cool kids from this forum that live in Japan, like mike cash, at some point. Oh I'm gonna need a car too since I hear its a pain to move the steering wheel to the other side. Any recommendations on some good sake?

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Wow??

So you have all the problems worked out? Job, money, visa, and the other difficult issues? All the posts here make it look next to impossible to live and work in Japan , and you make it sound so easy?

Uncle Frank

:?

 

[jeisan]

oh, no, actually my passport expired today, so I'm getting that renewed. But it is pretty easy when you get stationed there. Yeah you have to join the military and all that but they make moving to Japan pretty easy.

Also, maybe this should be moved to community...

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Ahhhhh!

A "minor" detail I forgot. I hope you have as great a time as I did there thanks to the Navy back then.

Uncle Frank

 

[Glenski]

My first advice is to leave the pets home with friends or family. Even if you find a rare place that will accept them, you will end up paying more in rent.

Second, are you saying that you are moving with the military? I'm finding it hard to understand your situation. And, did you actually have any questions?

I have one more: what is a 3/2 or 2/2 house?

 

[Mike Cash]

I'm guessing "three bedroom, two bath" or "two bedroom, two bath".....which leads me to think he has never lived here before. That and the mention of a "house with a yard".

Jeisan, just where exactly in the "boondocks" are you going to be? A house with a yard and some living space might be a possibility in Okinawa , maybe, but pretty much anywhere else built up enough to have U.S. bases around is not going to be the "boondocks" and even if you get what most of us would consider spacious living quarters you are likely to consider it a rabbit hutch.

 

[jeisan]

Glenski, the sake thing was a real question. Other than that though, I just felt like babbling on like a starry-eyed kid. Mike is right about the 3/2, 2/2 thing. Yes, I am in the military so my rent will be the same pets or no. Base housing: it's mandatory, for the first year, at least.

Mike, I am disappointed my anime language skills weren't brought up. But you are correct about my never having lived there. I'll be up in Misawa, so if I'm lucky I'll get a 900sf. 2/1 in a quadplex. I hear they have developed some nice American style homes off-base but again I'm still required to live on post for a year. How ya been?

[disclaimer] This was more meant to be a way for me to some old forum friends that I happened to get orders out there than anything else. Well that and poke fun at people trying to move to Japan on a whim, which is why I suggested Frank move it to community. Also I don't recommend joining the military just to get to Japan, it'd more than likely just be severely disappointing for whoever had that as their main motivation. [/disclaimer]

 

[Glenski]

jeisan,
Can't help you on choices of sake because I don't drink. Seems like an odd question to raise in preparation to living abroad, if you don't mind my saying so. I would think other matters would be more important.

As for boondocks, how did Misawa's region fare after 3/11? Be mentally prepared if nothing else. Who knows how that front yard looks now?!

 

[Mike Cash]

I've never had a place in Japan larger than about 500 square feet....with a family of four. I would kill for 900 square feet.

Why would you expect me to make some comment about your anime watching?

The only sake I know is Koshinokanbai; I'm a ラッパ飲み scotch guy myself.

 

[jeisan]

Well Glenski I've known that I was heading out there for awhile now so I've had ample time to look around the internet, I'd rather just do it myself than ask others to do it for me. Additionally I still have several months left here to prepare and get all I need to do handled before I go. Most of the initial questions I had were answered by people that I know who are a there currently or have recently returned. As far as I've heard though Misawa wasn't affected nearly as bad as Hachinohe a mere 15 miles away.

Wow, 500 square feet with a family of four, I can't even begin to imagine. Nevermind the anime. I generally prefer beer, but figured I might try some different sakes while I'm in Japan, but a good glass of scotch on ice to sip on is always nice.