was in Japan thread

[GaijinPunch]

Definitely not the worst thing married life has to offer.

[ED-057]

As of a week ago I'm back. Leaky roof, bad brake rotors, ants were all here waiting for me. Thoughts:

Teleportation technology? Surely that would have been better than flying?

Anyone know why it's called teleport station? I wonder what the Korean and Chinese labels mean.

I wasn't too concerned about it at the time but what is this thing?


It would be cool if there was a 24-hour beef bowl place near my house.

Do people in Japan not all hate their jobs like people here? Or could I just not pick up on it?

Thanks again, animaitor, for showing me around.

[GaijinPunch]

Do people in Japan not all hate their jobs like people here? Or could I just not pick up on it?

Required Reading

[Animaitor]

Good to know you arrived in one piece. I wish I could have spend more time showing you a couple of other "interesting" places but as GaijinPunch's reading says, I had to honor my company and return to my little cube asap!

I wonder how many time did I hear: "Wow, you are more Japanese than the Japanese!" Do I hate my job? If you omit getting paid 1/3 of what a CG "designer" gets paid in the US, not getting paid overtime (20-30 hours a week), not getting bonus, just few days for vacation... mmmh, only when I get pachinko projects and have to come on the weekends. I don't do tetsuyas anymore. Now you can call me things all day long if you want.

[Skykid]

What's a little loss of humanism when the result is thirty years of to-die-for media output?

[Aru-san]

Required Reading

I DON'T WANNA WORK IN JAPAN ANYMORE.

Oh, Jay...why did ya have to go!?

[GaijinPunch]

What's a little loss of humanism when the result is thirty years of to-die-for media output?

My guess is it's 3D animating, yeah? If it was sprites, I'd bow down.

[fd_analog]

There are a lot of people who work crazy hours in Japan.

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who don't.

[GaijinPunch]

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who don't.

Students and house wives.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

At least in the USA, if you work in a union job, any time worked after a normal 8 hour shift is considered overtime -- in some cases can be considered as double-time or time and a half depending on what the union contract says about overtime working conditions. Whatever it takes to get the job done. ^_~

If you work at Wal-Mart, you won't be compensated for working overtime whatsoever if you're just a lowly employee and not in a managerial position...in otherwords, you're fucked.

Ever wonder why the unions never mention unionizing Costco? Because Costco is unionized to begin with...I used to wonder why the unions never did so and now know the 411 on it. You learn something new everyday. Yep, there are Costco stores in Japan alrighty. It's all part of international commerce. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[GaijinPunch]

Ever wonder why the unions never mention unionizing Costco?

I was just thinking that moments ago... was walking in to work, stopped dead in my tracks on the sidewalk (in the rain) and thought, "Why the fuck do they never talk of unionizing Costco?" Mind-blowing!

[Animaitor]

Sorry if this thread is turning into something else.

My guess is it's 3D animating, yeah? If it was sprites, I'd bow down.

mmmh... just thinking about you in such position makes me horny... ;P but no sprites animation unfortunately. Does animating Marinchan's boobs for 2 weeks, count? That was the only time I had fun doing pachinko. Working in this field (as in many others) gets pretty crazy in this country but at least I had a chance to work on interesting stuff like animating in Street Fighter 4, doing cinematics for Lost Odyssey, Tekken 6, White Knight Chronicles, Monster Hunter Tri... no shmups though

The Union? I wonder if the Japanese know of such organization.

[GaijinPunch]

The Union? I wonder if the Japanese know of such organization.

One person talked of it once. His entire prefecture was forced to make a public apology for even contemplating such a wa-breaking idea.

[fd_analog]

On the other hand, there are a lot of people who don't.

Students and house wives.

Haha, cmon holmes, we know it isn't just them.

Whilst a lot of people who work for major corporations have to work STUPID hours, there are heaps of people who don't have to work like that. There are a lot of people with parents rich enough for them to just work a part-time job and have a shitload of free time to do whatever they like. Shops in Shibuya, Daikanyama, Harajuku etc., would go out of business if it wasn't for all those people.

But yeah, generally, people work a lot harder here than most other developed countries.

[Skykid]

But yeah, generally, people work a lot harder here than most other developed countries.

It's like communism at it's capitalist best.

[GaijinPunch]

Whilst a lot of people who work for major corporations have to work STUPID hours, there are heaps of people who don't have to work like that.

Someone once told me the number of salarymen in Japan (this was in terms of people, not 'working age people' or 'men' or anything like that). It was pretty shocking, but can't for the life of me remember what it was.

To get an idea of the magnitute of the issue, one really needs to only do the following on their next trip to Japan:
-Go to an office building, preferrably one with a Starbucks, grab a coffee and sit outside starting around 17:00. Count the people in suits leaving each hour.

Part two would be to ride a commuter train a few times between the hours of 18:00 and 23:00. It's pretty crazy, although a lot of those people were likely out getting tanked and/or banging hookers.

It is quite ridiculous though. When I lived in Hawaii, our office building was absolutely EMPTY by 18:00. They're definitely the other extreme though.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

When I was at my previous job, I rarely ever left late from the office. Thing is, I was rarely at the office since my boss sent me all the time to customer places located in the freaking butthole of the world. My current job is pretty laid back, though. Part-time and no benefits but I often leave early and nobody says nothing. The pay is pretty sweet too and right now I like having the time for my time sinkers like tech certifications and Japanese.

I should someday try the work in Japan thing. Hopefully, I don't turn into a zombie and start banging hookers .

[it290]

Just saw this on facebook:

http://www.debito.org/?p=3709

All I can say is, wild.

[ncp]

Oh Japan, how I love your entertainment, but am horrified of ever even considering living there.

[fd_analog]

Just saw this on facebook:

http://www.debito.org/?p=3709

All I can say is, wild.

That Debito guy is a bit of weirdo though.

[Skykid]

Oh Japan, how I love your entertainment, but am horrified of ever even considering living there.

That's a bit extreme. I reckon a change of lifestyle is a great thing - new experiences. Besides, if you don't go the whole hog and turn 'salary man' Japanese, most foreigners appear to have a great time living there. Sustaining it long term seems difficult (bow down to the GP), but a few years of hyper-eccentricity should be fairly liberating I'd think.

[GaijinPunch]

There's a level of horse shit you have to live with... just like anywhere. It's just really weird horse shit here. I've only known a few foreigners that have been "searched" on the street: one was coming out of a fucking head shop though, so what do you expect? The other just looked like a drug dealer, and the other one was (sort of) and had shit on him. He was arrested.

I do know of one Japanese that was searched, in Roppongi of all places, at about 10AM. Thing is he speaks native English and is more American than me. He laughingly tells me the story, "First thing I said was, 'Officer, I'm Japanese! I'm not one of these foreigners!'". Haha. They insisted though.

Some errors in links from debito's site:

If you do not cooperate, they will probably want to drag you to the station house--which they cannot do unless they arrest you. Make sure you know they know that.

Nothing could be further from the truth. If you're arrested (taihou) they can hold you up to 23 days. This is pretty fucking rare -- you really have to be under suspicion (and very likely guilty) of doing something. Getting taken to the police station for the "talk of shame" is actually pretty common. I rear-ended a lady on my scooter (no, didn't drive my cock in her ass if that's what you're thinking) without a license so of course, no insurance. They took me to a smokey room and told me what a douche I was, and that was it. They also got my home number and said they were calling my wife. I'm not saying that's what will happen if you refuse a drug test, but for petty "crimes" it's probably what's going to happen.

I was only randomly stopped twice in my tenure:
1: First time was on vacation during an election (I was living in Hawaii at the time). It was heightened security everywhere, and I knew that going there (wife gave me fair warning). The officers were nice, and quite apologetic. They just wanted to make sure I wasn't up to no good.
2: Second time, also on vacation, I was walking home in Shibuya at that street corner on Center-gai where the Iranians used to sell drugs in plain view (true story). They randomly stopped me to see if I was legit. DIdn't have my passport on me, but explained that the old ball & chain had them in the hotel down the street. They had her bring it down.

It's no paradise, that's for sure. If you get caught up in the sysetm, yes, you're very likely fucked. I do know a few people that have had issues with non-violent crimes (business, taxes, etc.) and while it's no picnic, they got to present their case and all that shit. Anything you read on the internet is the far extreme... it definitely exists though. You can't expect much more from a country that is (institutionally) petrified of change.

[GaijinPunch]

Also worth noting is that Japan is moving to the jury system this year, and it has caused quite an uproar. While not having my fate rest in the arms of one (very likely conservative) person, the argument goes that Japanese are taught their whole lives to really think critically. Then again, I think most people across the board are dipshits, so why should Japan be any different?

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

I'd say NY is a decent place for foreigners because it has a lot of racial diversity. You just don't stand out like a sore thumb. Places like China, Japan, etc that have one huge ethnic majority tend to facilitate discrimination and laws usually aren't there to protect people or just aren't followed.

[Animaitor]

I'm from Spain but the first time I came to Japan I departure from LAX. I was held at the Osaka airport for nearly 3 hours. They didn't believe I was Spaniard and even brought a guy who could barely say a word in Spanish to verify I knew the language... before they let me go, said there was something wrong with my passport. Right!! Never got caught committing a crime, just to be clear After 4 years of staying as a "guest" in Japan, I've been stopped only a few times on the streets by the "secret police", once in Akihabara and the other in Nakano, where I live. Just showed them my gaikokujin card and that was it. I don't look like a salariman and never wear suits, have piercings and stretchings on my ears and used to skate to work so I'm sure I was an easy target. But overall I had way more positive experiences than bad ones, that's for sure. If we could only get the working aspect right in this country...

By the way, do you guys get all your mail that was sent from overseas opened for inspection? Sometimes even letters!! That's pretty annoying.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

You just can't tell an apple from its skin .

I have the advantage of looking totally Asian but being fluent in Spanish. Pretty handy for when you're walking down the streets and there's a bunch of Mexicans talking about your sister's ass. Funny as hell (just because she's typical Asian build.) I feel like telling them that they need to go check themselves because there's nothing there to see.

[GaijinPunch]

They didn't believe I was Spaniard

You should have said, "You look Korean. Let's see YOUR passport!"

By the way, do you guys get all your mail that was sent from overseas opened for inspection? Sometimes even letters!! That's pretty annoying.

People still send letters?

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

You should have said, "You look Korean. Let's see YOUR passport!"

That'd just totally piss them off.

By the way, do you guys get all your mail that was sent from overseas opened for inspection? Sometimes even letters!! That's pretty annoying.

They definitely won't find someone who speaks Spanish in the post office!!!

Edit: maybe if they played Resident Evil 4.

[Animaitor]

They didn't believe I was Spaniard

You should have said, "You look Korean. Let's see YOUR passport!"

By the way, do you guys get all your mail that was sent from overseas opened for inspection? Sometimes even letters!! That's pretty annoying.

People still send letters?

hahaha!! That's a good one GP! I'm sure the airport incident will repeat in the future. I'll let you know how that goes.

As anybody knows, some people send drugs, that's why those assholes that look like (North) Koreans open the letters and packages. Not my mom. She used to send me "Iberiko buta" (in Japan, more expensive than any drug) inside the letters... FAT letters I must say Believe it or not it worked until this past Christmas. What a lovely mom I have (^3^)~chu!!