Quality of life in Japan: does it suck?

[neko_girl22]

Originally posted by Ninja Rock Star
Oamaru- sure, I've been there.
As for Japan's countryside- in my ten years in Japan- unfortunately- I haven't really had the chance to see the real thing.
I really should travel more...............

wow you know Oamaru! That's a surprise Not much of a town, but kinda cute.

Such a shame you haven't seen much of Japanese countryside!! IMHO cities are the same world over, so although I first came to Kobe, 3 years ago, now I live in Hayato-cho (pop 30,000 spread over a large area) in Kagoshima-ken. Kagoshima is beautiful. Have you heard of Kirishima? It's a mountain range with heaps of volcanic activity - which means lovely onsens!! If you ever travel to Kyushu , you should come here

 

[Ninja Rock Star]

Originally posted by nzueda
Have you heard of Kirishima?

Sadly, no. *hides head in shame*

It's a mountain range with heaps of volcanic activity - which means lovely onsens!!

*Holmer Simpson voice* Mmmmmmm.. onsens!!

Hafta admnit I'm a bit of an onsen-aholic. Shizuoka's pretty famous for them, I've been to quite a few.

Want to go to Beppu one day.....

 

[neko_girl22]

I looove onsens too
Thankfully here in Kagoshima, they have "family" onsens - a private onsen you can hire for an hour for as less as 400Y for two or more people.
but I've braved a lottenburo once, and I plan to go again....

If I go back to NZ, that's definately something I'll miss......

 

[jirzji]

my plusses for japan

- good service in general (never get looked down upon by a supermarket attendant)
- food (maybe china is more extreme)
- if you are into a certain japanese discipline like bushido, shodo, or any other -do, you'll more likely find your ways there.
- well sure! onsens are my biggest reasons to live in japan

up to you if that weights up against the disadvantages.

 

[Dream Time]

Vancouver is a great place,very beautiful,
maybe Vancouver does not so much entertainments like Japanese cities does,but it is beautiful here.

some young people who came from oriental countries,like Japan,Korea,Hong Kong,China,they would complain and says 'Vancouver is a boring place'

but hey,let me tell you,I do not like the lifestyle in places like Hong Kong which is my home city,it is always so busy there and the air is so bad,and if you want to enjoy nature places you have to drive for long time,
but here in Vancouver,there are many beautiful places,
also there are many trees around,
the air is so much better.

life is much more relaxed here,
in Asia many students keep studying for long time,
the teachers really give you LOTS OF HOMEWORK and EXAMS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not kidding.....
workers would work until late night,
lot of pressure in work and schools.

 

[noyhauser]

Ahh the BC love-in thread.

Uhhh Its not like north american kids don't get lots of work. I don't sleep much when I am at school, I consitantly put in 8~14 hour days in the library. Yes you can get away with doing less work, but then you won't get good grades. I think there is less pressure on kids to succeed, but you have more responsibility to do so. Like right now, I should be working on my article, but I took 2 hours to write a response to some of the responses on other threads. I think the time I spent writing those responses was time well spent, educationally (because I do politics) Just doing work doesn't give you a good education. There are so many people in my year who do get better grades than me but can't apply their knowlege worth anything. I think Western Universities are far better able to give balanced educations that are needed today.

 

[Dream Time]

yea..

in Asia,the schools force you to work alot,
they keep giving you homework,homework,exams,exams
I hate this,I mean this gives us lots too much pressure!!

if you grew up in Western countries,and suddenly need to study in Asia schools,I think you might go crazy!!

 

[Dream Time]

Originally posted by Dream Time
yea..

in Asia,the schools force you to work alot,
they keep giving you homework,homework,exams,exams
I hate this,I mean this gives us lots too much pressure!!

if you grew up in Western countries,and suddenly need to study in Asia schools,I think you might go crazy!!

I am not saying North American kids are lazy or whatever,
but North American students have much more of the time to do the things they want,in Asia it is always studying...

 

[noyhauser]

uhh... if you took some of the courses I have (50% finals, 75% finals, 5000 word essay worth 40% of your mark ) then I think you would reassess that statement.

 

[Mandylion]

Part of the studying thing has to do with how the system is set up. I can only speak for the US, but pressure to do well in school increases as you advance through high school and university. In Japan, once you pass the university entrance exam, as long as you go to classes, you will graduate. For most jobs, school legacy is as important as what you actually did in university, so the pressure is to get into the best school, hence all the studying in high school. I knew many Japanee university students who could hold down part time jobs and go to school no sweat. If I had tried to work through university, classes would have killed me. In Japan the acadmic pressure culminates in the college entrance exam. School don't look as much as what you did in high school, what kind of person you are, but look strongly at your exam marks. In the US, it is late 3rd and 4th years in university and the entrance board looks at things like sports, civicl service and your high school experience in addition to you marks. Different systems produce different study patterns.

 

[Sgt. Wang]

Answer to topic

quality of life in Japan: does it suck?

Answer: Nope.

I might elaborate later.............