Thread: Ask me about Japan, culture, language, history.

Thank you for this thread. It is very helpful for me. I'm looking to study abroad in Japan, and perhaps even move there one day. I had just a few questions:
How expensive would you guess land is in rural Japan? What is life like there?
How expensive are lychees? I do so love these...
Would it be possible to "westernize" a home in the less populated areas? Shower, oven, etc...?
How difficult do you think it would be to obtain a position in pharmacy?

In your opinion, what are the main cultural differences between Japan and Korea? After 2 years in Korea, I might go over to Japan for a year, if I can.

Also, do you know anything about the availability of teaching positions there? In Korea there are more positions than there are foreigners, so there's hardly any competition. I hear it's a bit different there...?

"The “WALK” lights on street corners make a chirping sound so that the blind can know when to cross the street."

Don't they have this everywhere? It's here in BC, too.

I've seen a lot of news stories about young working-age people in Japan feeling hopeless, a widespread fascination with suicide, and "suicide meet-ups" being regularly arranged online. Does that seem accurate to you? What do you think is/are the prevailing attitude(s) about suicide now?

Originally Posted by CoLd BlooDed

"The “WALK” lights on street corners make a chirping sound so that the blind can know when to cross the street."

Don't they have this everywhere? It's here in BC, too.

You see them in Ohio, but they're not common.

Why is fruit so damn expensive? Watermelons are like 5-10 bucks at the most lol

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Why is fruit so damn expensive? Watermelons are like 5-10 bucks at the most lol

I don't think there's enough room to grow fruits in Japan, so they have to import them from other countries
that's just a guess though

^In which case, it'd probably be cheaper to just have your relatives mail you packages full of fruit.

Originally Posted by CoLd BlooDed

"The “WALK” lights on street corners make a chirping sound so that the blind can know when to cross the street."

Don't they have this everywhere? It's here in BC, too.

Got 'em where I live. Also seen them in some major California cities like San Jose. They're obnoxious as all hell and I hope whoever came up with the idea falls down a manhole...in the most comical sense possible, of course.

Anyway, one thing my Japanese sensei talked about was this one waterfall (forgot the name) where people go to commit suicide...usually over something like getting bad marks on a test. Which sounds quite trivial to us, but in Japanese culture, failure is apparently disgraceful enough to warrant killing yourself over, am I right?

It seems to also be an honorable act, too. For example, an ex president of Korea like... was in all this controversy about whatever, and then he committed suicide, and everyone magically forgave and forgot about everything else. A famous actress was in debt, and she committed suicide. Another famous actress had to do sexual favors for people to get the role that made her famous and SHE committed suicide.

Recently someone jumped off a bridge not far from where I live, and students giggled about it when they heard. It's so bizarre.

o genki desu ka?

Originally Posted by Demon Parasite

I don't think there's enough room to grow fruits in Japan, so they have to import them from other countries
that's just a guess though

Hmm...so, if I were to move to a rural part of japan and begin farming a small orchard, I could *theoretically* sell off the extra fruit for a semi-decent profit?

Originally Posted by Mario92

Hmm...so, if I were to move to a rural part of japan and begin farming a small orchard, I could *theoretically* sell off the extra fruit for a semi-decent profit?

You gotta grow square watermelons. Grow them in boxes. They stack easier in the stores and shipping and are very expensive. But you could make a better profit off creating an apartment building and selling it. I think apartment buildings are called mansions there.

Originally Posted by Dannon Oneironaut

You gotta grow square watermelons. Grow them in boxes. They stack easier in the stores and shipping and are very expensive. But you could make a better profit off creating an apartment building and selling it. I think apartment buildings are called mansions there.

Heh heh. I was thinking more on the lines of lychee trees and whatnot, but square watermelons could also be fun.

Originally Posted by Mario92

Thank you for this thread. It is very helpful for me. I'm looking to study abroad in Japan, and perhaps even move there one day. I had just a few questions:
How expensive would you guess land is in rural Japan?

I'm very happy that I could help. ^.^ If you are planning to study abroad in Japan, I think you should start by learning basic Japanese language now. Even though you can find English speaking Japanese fairly easy in large cities like Tokyo they are not so common in the outskirts. If you are thinking of living in a more rural area of Japan then you will find almost no one that speaks any other language besides Japanese. My grandparents live in one of the more southern areas on the island of Kyushuu in Saga prefecture. The dialect is also quite different as they speak a more "country slang" type Japanese dialect also referred to as ((佐賀弁) "Saga-ben" Many of Saga's dialectical properties are variants, in particles or conjugations, of regular Japanese. This is quite common in outskirts as many rural areas has their own sort of dialect. I think you should look into purchasing Rosetta Stone before you go. Just to get a good sense of common words. You could also take advantage of a free website that is very informative regarding the teachings of basic Japanese.

Take a look at Japanese Pod101. This is a very good tool for learning basic Japanese. ^.^ In any case you want to get as much of the basics under your belt before you go it can make your transitions that much more smoother. You will also find that Japanese people tend to flock more toward foreigners that are able to speak their native language. Most Japanese girls including myself find foreigners who speak Japanese very attractive ^.^

Originally Posted by Mario92

What is life like there?

Crowded. Actually it could be quite a culture shock for those who has never visited before. There is a lot to take in and it could become quite overwhelming for those not accustomed to Japan's lifestyle. There is a lot more in Japan than just Sushi ^.^. I would say the best way to travel within Japan is by train considering all the trains actually do form a true network and they are always on time usually running every 15 minutes. It's not uncommon to see quarky things happening in large cities like Tokyo. There is really a lot to see but key places of interest for most foreigners visiting are Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Osaka and Okinawa. Just as I mentioned before one of the most important things is to make sure you learn a few basic Japanese phrases before you get on the plane, and then accept the fact that you won't be able to understand the answers to any of them. But by at least saying 'sumimasen' (excuse me or pardon me) you might get some attention and understanding, and then quite possibly an answer in English. Do not be afraid to embrace Japan for what it is. We are a proud people, with that in mind try as much as possible to mimic Japanese and become Japanese if you are to live there. You will see a vast amount of differences from what you are normally accustomed to. Try as much as possible to embrace the differences without judgement. In Japan, you will see young girls in incredibly short skirts everywhere, at all hours. It is very common. You will see pornographic magazines frequently in a lot of convenient stores and on the trains. You will be around people who smoke and drink, and then smoke and drink some more, and then fall down. Accept it, it's part of my culture and a good example of how a personally tolerant and incredibly safe my society functions. Most Japanese are heavy drinkers and if you make friends and go out with any Japanese keep in mind that they will keep your glass full. Most restaurants and any functions of entertainment are going to be pretty expensive. People are very kind and considerate to foreigners and very helpful if you find yourself lost. Rural areas are more close knit with consisting of people of older traditional Japanese etiquette. You can read as much as you like on blogs and help sites but you will never really get the full understanding until you actually arrive. While tradition and etiquette may be a little more important in Japan than some other countries, keep in mind that people are people and as a new comer you'll be expected to screw up once in a while. So relax, have a good time, and make a fool of yourself. It's inevitable.

Just don't forget to remove your shoes. ^.^

Originally Posted by Mario92

How expensive are lychees? I do so love these...

I am not all to sure but I will try and find out. I would assume that they are quite expensive as they are usually imported from China and Thailand. I've never purchased them before but I will find out for you.

Originally Posted by Mario92

Would it be possible to "westernize" a home in the less populated areas? Shower, oven, etc...?

It's possible. My fathers home in Fukuoka is like his home here in the U.S. with just a few subtle differences. He has central air. I do recall how much he complained about how hard it was to find and from what I understand it can get quite expensive to run. We have showers in all 3 bathrooms and a digital stove in the kitchen. Usually most homes in Japan consist of a sort of heat pump unit within each room thats usually mounted on the walls and are operated by a remote control device. They pump out cold air and hot air and operate as dehumidifyers as well. Digital stoves are becoming more common placed in homes also.

Originally Posted by Mario92

How difficult do you think it would be to obtain a position in pharmacy?

In my opinion the poor economic conditions are making things quite difficult to find work in Japan. If you are over 21 and you have a degree and you are not overly particular then the chances of finding work is essentially easier. I do not really know what employment is like in pharmaceuticals but I am sure there is a demand. Just keep in mind that the current recession is affecting wages and the number of jobs that are available. Make sure you have enough funds to last you until you are able to find something even if it's not in the field of pharmaceuticals, you can find a number of opportunities in a variety of other areas and fields that could hold you over until you find something in your area of expertise. Also keep in mind that jobs in the service industry usually require a high degree of Japanese ability. People with high levels of expertise in a certain field sometimes find work despite not being able to speak Japanese, but such people are the exception.

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

In your opinion, what are the main cultural differences between Japan and Korea? After 2 years in Korea, I might go over to Japan for a year, if I can.

Foods are certainly different in my opinion. Koreans tend to use herbs and chillis and we use more soy sauce and binto soup. Also certain kinds of foods can be quite spicy to me. As far as culture, Koreans Hanbok traditional clothing seems to lean more toward Chinese traditional clothing in appearance. I feel that Korean culture leans a lot toward Chinese culture as they normally seem to celebrate the same holidays as Chinese. Koreans seem to have a stronger outward expression in their feelings and thoughts and we normally find it more courteous to stay fairly quiet and keep a lot of words to ourselves. The first time I've visited Korea I was in shock to see that they did have open displays of affection in public which is something you do not normally see in my country. Korea's technological infrastructure seems to have been on the rise for the past few years and I believe I've read somewhere that they currently hold the number one spot in the world for internet speeds. I think the younger generations of Japanese and Koreans are quite similar in appearance as they both tend to overly dye their hair and are greatly influenced by western things. Considering that Japan consist of a group of islands we have a long history of interdependency and isolationism form the mainland unlike Korea I believe it gives my country it's own sort of uniqueness even if Japanese and Koreans tend to look very much alike ^.^

I can understand bits and pieces of Korean language when spoken because phonetically it appears to be similar to Japanese. There are many aspects of japanese daily life that is quite westernized compared to modern Korea. The association feeling of the U.S. is more predominate in Japan. Religion is a very huge difference also.

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

Also, do you know anything about the availability of teaching positions there? In Korea there are more positions than there are foreigners, so there's hardly any competition. I hear it's a bit different there...?

Yes its quite the opposite. From my understanding there are a limited number of positions available to a large number of applicants. I also understand that participants are selected on a qualitative rather than quota basis. For this reason they have no data or statistical information that supports the true fluctuation of demand and supply. The program for teaching English position that is mostly utilized in Japan is called JET / Japan Exchange & Teaching program

Originally Posted by CoLd BlooDed

"The “WALK” lights on street corners make a chirping sound so that the blind can know when to cross the street."

Don't they have this everywhere? It's here in BC, too.

Yup. There are quite a few places and major cities in the U.S. that doesn't have this.

Originally Posted by Demon Parasite

I don't think there's enough room to grow fruits in Japan, so they have to import them from other countries
that's just a guess though

Fruit is considered perishable so importing is quite expensive. Also our government protects the agricultural sector intensely. We see ourselves as an agricultural nation. Many of the more powerful politicians come from farming prefectures and must support their communities to remain in office. The farmers normally protected from imports of crops similar to their products. Oranges for examples are popular but Japanese farmers of mikan (mandarin oranges) opposed imports. Much of the high price you see in all imported agricultural products are tariffs.

Originally Posted by Taosaur

Anyway, one thing my Japanese sensei talked about was this one waterfall (forgot the name) where people go to commit suicide...usually over something like getting bad marks on a test. Which sounds quite trivial to us, but in Japanese culture, failure is apparently disgraceful enough to warrant killing yourself over, am I right?

Hikikomori has been introduced as one of several reasons why the suicide rate among young Japanese tend to have increased. Hikikomori is a psychological condition that deals primarily with isolation. Hence, the reason why there tends to have become a rise in suicides where individual have met over the internet as a result in group suicides. This area depresses me so I'm not going to be completely elaborative on this. There has been a "counter-suicide white paper" plan that has been introduced which will hopefully curve the suicide rate by 20% over the next 10 years. Some additional information can be located on this link.

Originally Posted by Dannon Oneironaut

You gotta grow square watermelons. Grow them in boxes. They stack easier in the stores and shipping and are very expensive. But you could make a better profit off creating an apartment building and selling it. I think apartment buildings are called mansions there.

Square watermelons where purposely created in efforts to stop round watermelons from tumbling around in the refrigerator. For those who has never seen one, here is a nice photo.

^.^
Yay!
Thank you so much! Or (correct me if I'm wrong), 本当にありがとう！　I think...heh.
Definitely gonna have to check out the website. Now that things are beginning to slow down a bit more, I can hopefully start learning Japanese! I have a very (very) basic vocabulary, and I would love if I could expand it and actually do something with it.

You will also find that Japanese people tend to flock more toward foreigners that are able to speak their native language. Most Japanese girls including myself find foreigners who speak Japanese very attractive ^.^

WOOOOOO! Motivator ahoy!

Thank you so much, again, for taking the time to answer our questions.

Right... Something I've been thinking about recently...

How romanticized is the world of ancient/feudal Japan in the current mainstream? Is it akin to the way the Wild West is portrayed? Or the Middle Ages?

We all know the glamorous and great stories of samurai and great lords, and stuff, but how was it... really?

Originally Posted by Mario92

^.^
Yay!
Thank you so much! Or (correct me if I'm wrong), 本当にありがとう！　I think...heh.
Definitely gonna have to check out the website. Now that things are beginning to slow down a bit more, I can hopefully start learning Japanese! I have a very (very) basic vocabulary, and I would love if I could expand it and actually do something with it.

Thank you so much, again, for taking the time to answer our questions.

taihen yoku dekimashita! (You did very well! ^.^)

Do itashimashite (you're welcome)

Originally Posted by CryoDragoon

Right... Something I've been thinking about recently...

How romanticized is the world of ancient/feudal Japan in the current mainstream? Is it akin to the way the Wild West is portrayed? Or the Middle Ages?

We all know the glamorous and great stories of samurai and great lords, and stuff, but how was it... really?

The great Samurai's of the past are not 'overly' glamorized in modern Japan, but they are looked upon as heroes with the highest admiration of honor and respect. We learn about their history in schools. You can notice certain Samurai influences upon Japanese video games, film, television and animation. So the idea and the general influences are very much still alive. The ideas the Samurai's has stood for in ancient times are still very much predominate in Japan but on a different level. One of the key elements of importance are of loyalty to one's superior, this is exercised in a great deal in everyday Japanese life. There is a different way words are expressed when you are talking to someone who considered a hierarchy, in this sense it shows respect and honor. Self sacrifice and personal honor is a great influence from ancient times that is very well and alive in modern day Japan. Regarding self-sacrifice it is important to note that I am referring to personal production and how it is virtually easy for any Japanese to put others who has a hierarchy status above their own before themselves. In any case Jidaigeki (old drama) is pretty much popularized on Japanese television. The legacy of the Samurai is an intricate part of our society and it rears it's head under certain subtle conditions. They will always have the highest honor and respect.

Thank you for this thread Switch. Do you have any comment on foreigners in japan. I have heard it is quite hard for white people in japan. I KNOW that some White Gaijin, can treat japan like it is a party place and show little respect. but not ALL gaijin are that way.

Do you see this social structure changing at all in the future?

Originally Posted by Switch

There are four writing systems. Hiragana, Kanji, Katakana and Romaji.

As far as I understand both hiragana and katakana are syllabary, why do you need both?
And how common is it to use the latin alphabet for text in day to day life? (If you're a tourist, are you likely to encounter it, or is it mostly just on the internet or elsewhere where it might be difficult to use other glyphs)

Originally Posted by Switch

It is customary to take shoes off before entering ones home. You are normally provided with slippers to walk about within the home.

Would you take of your shoes while you are still outside the house, or just inside the door?

Originally Posted by Switch

What does the first word mean?

edit: Oh, and one more thing. There are several ways of referring to yourself in Japanese, like 'ore', 'boku', 'watashi' and 'atashi'. As far as I understand the first two are used by men and the latter by women. Other than that, what do they mean/imply? What is the difference between them?

Originally Posted by khh

As far as I understand both hiragana and katakana are syllabary, why do you need both?
And how common is it to use the latin alphabet for text in day to day life? (If you're a tourist, are you likely to encounter it, or is it mostly just on the internet or elsewhere where it might be difficult to use other glyphs)

As I understand, and have learned, Hirigana is what is usually used for all Japanese words (as long as Kanji isn't being used). Katakana is used for un-Japanese words, like spelling out Western names, places, and such. COrrect me if I'm wrong, Switch. (I hope I didn't get them mixed up, but I do know that one is for Western-like words like spelling names)

I also wanted to ask about Romanji? I've never heard of that. What's it used for

Is anime as popular that as Americans may think? I think that we have a thought that it's big over there(Bigger than it is here)

This thread makes me want to visit. It would be sweet to go there and learn Judo or Aikido for a few months while working and embracing the culture.

Is martial arts popular in Japan? I used to think that the average Japanese person took Judo or Karate at some point in their lives, but thats probably not the case.

Also, how hard is it to just find regular jobs? Like construction or cooking or something simple to do for 6 months to a year? Is it easy to get around by using public transportation in the big cities?

I'll probably have more questions later, thanks for this thread

Yeah I too am curious about how Japanese people perceive the foreigners living there!

Korea's foreigners are CRAP! My favorite activity is complaining about them. It seems like Korea attracts all the losers and misfits from the West.

I've heard of JET and would have applied to it if I wasn't such a procrastinator (it's a lengthy application). But I've also heard that these past couple of years, that program has been falling apart, in a big way. Lots of teachers losing their jobs and stuff...

Sorry these are not in order Nevertheless you all had some very excellent questions and i sincerley hope I've accommodated everyone questions if not please feel free to let me know and perhaps I can explain a different way.

Originally Posted by Man of Shred

Thank you for this thread Switch. Do you have any comment on foreigners in japan. I have heard it is quite hard for white people in japan. I KNOW that some White Gaijin, can treat japan like it is a party place and show little respect. but not ALL gaijin are that way.

Do you see this social structure changing at all in the future?

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

Yeah I too am curious about how Japanese people perceive the foreigners living there!

Thank you for your questions Man of Shred. I love sharing stories regarding my country^.^ I just wish I would've done this earlier.

In my city Fukuoka-shi, foreigners are very scarce and I normally do not encounter any outsiders until I travel to one of the more populous areas like Tokyo or Kyoto and they are usually in fair numbers at the electronic district Akihabara or Roppongi. It seems as though a lot of foreigners flock to most of the party scenes at night and that's when I see the majority of them. It's almost as if they are still in their time zone. Japanese people find a certain curiosity toward foreigners in which if visiting you will receive a great deal of attention because people want to know what it is like on your side of the world. On another note many Japanese will not tend to deal with foreigners immediately and it's not out of rudeness it's mainly because we do not want to inconvenience your experience. We are very proud of our country and we want you to be just as proud of your visit. In any sense if a foreigner were to speak a little Japanese they will find it will take them a very long way and it generally breaks the ice. We can get pretty outrageous ourselves especially with the amount of pranks that goes on daily in large cities so we normally do not get offended when a foreigner like the MTV's Jackass team comes to Japan and act crazy while having fun. We actually get quite amused.

As for a social change in foreign acceptance in the future. I think the acceptance is already there as we are finding more and more foreigners visiting our country often. You can see it very well within the industry as a lot of advertisements has some sort of western influence or a lot of English alphabets within them as we do find English letters to be very cool the same as people from outside Japan find Hiragana to be very cool ^.^

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

This thread makes me want to visit. It would be sweet to go there and learn Judo or Aikido for a few months while working and embracing the culture.

Is martial arts popular in Japan? I used to think that the average Japanese person took Judo or Karate at some point in their lives, but thats probably not the case.

You should visit. It will be an unforgettable experience for you. Martial Arts is very popular in Japan with Aikido and Karate being the most popular two. Aikido has a very important philosophical meaning behind it which incorporates the unification of lifes ki 氣 and the control of ki to harmonize the spirit. A lot of teenagers in Japan will take Aikido not normally for fighting techniques but to heighten ones spirit and to get one to become well oriented and familiar with their own ki as well as the ki around them. Aikido teaches us how to redirect the flow of ki from an aggressor and to utilize their ki against them. I did not do very well when I took class for Aikido as a little girl, my sensei was very tough on me.

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Also, how hard is it to just find regular jobs? Like construction or cooking or something simple to do for 6 months to a year?

I think for someone who has intermediate Japanese spoken skills it is usually fairly easy to find simple work. Japan enforces immigration laws a great deal. So you will need a proper Visa to work their. If you are between the ages of 18-25 you can get a holiday working Visa which is valid for 6 months depending on which county you are originally from. If you are over 25 then more than likely you will need a full work visa, which usually entails having a job sponsor in Japan, and meeting immigration requirements for a work visa, which usually includes having a university bachelors degree.

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Is it easy to get around by using public transportation in the big cities?

Yes I would highly recommend it. The public transits system is a bit pricey but you will arrive on time. As I mentioned earlier, Japan has a true working network infrastructure of it's transit system. During rush hour times it can be pretty hectic as the flock of business men and women pour out of those office buildings and onto the transits systems. Those trains can become crowded very quickly. So do not let this surpise you.

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

I'll probably have more questions later, thanks for this thread

No problem ^.^ I'll try my best to answer as throughly and concise as possible.

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

Korea's foreigners are CRAP! My favorite activity is complaining about them. It seems like Korea attracts all the losers and misfits from the West.

I believe Japan gets it's fair share also.

Originally Posted by Mes Tarrant

I've heard of JET and would have applied to it if I wasn't such a procrastinator (it's a lengthy application). But I've also heard that these past couple of years, that program has been falling apart, in a big way. Lots of teachers losing their jobs and stuff...

I actually haven't heard this but it is very interesting news. I'll take a look further and see how the program is standing up currently and let you know if anything is going downhill for it.

Originally Posted by khh

As far as I understand both hiragana and katakana are syllabary, why do you need both?

Armistice explained this very well. ^.^

Originally Posted by Armistice

As I understand, and have learned, Hirigana is what is usually used for all Japanese words (as long as Kanji isn't being used). Katakana is used for un-Japanese words, like spelling out Western names, places, and such. COrrect me if I'm wrong, Switch. (I hope I didn't get them mixed up, but I do know that one is for Western-like words like spelling names)

Very good.

Originally Posted by khh

And how common is it to use the latin alphabet for text in day to day life? (If you're a tourist, are you likely to encounter it, or is it mostly just on the internet or elsewhere where it might be difficult to use other glyphs)

It's fairly common and as a tourist you will encounter Romaji pretty much all around you in Japan. They are normally used on street signs, corporation names, convenient shops and stores, magazines and other forms of advertising are expressed Romaji by extension English. We are taught to read and write Romaji in early elementary school.

Originally Posted by khh

Would you take of your shoes while you are still outside the house, or just inside the door?

There is normally a small space that is inside the door where shoes are removed this space is referred to as "Genkan" This space is also considered as the face of the house that faces outside. Shoes are removed in this area and normally one step up within traditional Japanese house you will come across a rack for slippers and you put those on for entrance into the remainder of the home. Shoes are removed as feel the need to separate the outside from the inside of the home and to keep cleanliness within the home, also for the purpose of relaxation once one enters the home.

Originally Posted by khh

What does the first word mean?

Yokoso means "welcome' Yokoso Japan = Japan welcomes you.

Originally Posted by khh

edit: Oh, and one more thing. There are several ways of referring to yourself in Japanese, like 'ore', 'boku', 'watashi' and 'atashi'. As far as I understand the first two are used by men and the latter by women. Other than that, what do they mean/imply? What is the difference between them?

The words are gender specific as you've pointed out. The difference for me when I am talking to the opposite sex the word 'ore' is not usually expressed by males speaking to me but could very well be more expressed by males when they are speaking with another male on professional terms. Boku sounds a little more pleasant for me when I hear a male utilize a first person's noun. I rarely use the word watashi or atashi in normal conversations. In any case a lot of times within our normal everyday conversation subjects are usually dropped so you do not hear these expression to often. I hear them more by foreigners who speak Japanese than native Japanese speakers.

Originally Posted by Armistice

I also wanted to ask about Romanji? I've never heard of that. What's it used for.

Romaji usually refers to the romanization of Japanese words that would usually be written in kanji or kana. It is normally used in Japan for street signs also for visiting foreigners, transcription of personal, company, or place names to be used in another language context, dictionaries and textbooks for learners of the language; or even simply for typographic emphasis. There are several variation of romanizations systems used in Japan. Here is an example how it works

Example: I (referring to oneself)
Romaji: Watashi
Hirigana: わたし　(わ＝wa, た＝ta, し＝shi)
Kanji: 私

Originally Posted by Armistice

Is anime as popular that as Americans may think? I think that we have a thought that it's big over there(Bigger than it is here)

Actually anime is quite popularized in certain areas of Japan. Akihabara is Tokyo's electronics, gadget, animation culture and manga center. If you have a love for manga and anime your taste will be fulfilled here. A lot of my male friends brag about this place as you will see girls dressed a lot in cos-play for famous anime and manga characters.

This is basically what you will see there.

Is theft common in big cities? So many people, it seems like it would be easy for a pickpocket to roam around and hide among the people.

Are there programs that help North Americans get job sponsors? I've never spend more than 2 weeks in a foreign country...I'll have to look into what it takes to apply for work visas. I've been thinking about taking kinesology in university...I wonder if there would be a demand for trainers in Japan becuase of that new waistline limit law they passed recently...

Wow...I think I'm developing goals for the first time in my life.

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Is theft common in big cities? So many people, it seems like it would be easy for a pickpocket to roam around and hide among the people.

It's pretty common but it's also very highly monitored by surveillance cameras. Which leads me to another topic of importance. Cameras are normally discreet and hidden but they are everywhere. If and when theft occurs it's dealt with pretty swiftly. When you visit Japan just do not lose your basic common sense principles. As for any crime anywhere, they mostly occur because a criminal see's an opportunity so make sure you do not give one.

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

Are there programs that help North Americans get job sponsors? I've never spend more than 2 weeks in a foreign country...I'll have to look into what it takes to apply for work visas.

Yes there are several programs that you will find very helpful. I've had to consult with one of my friends who is actually a U.S. citizen working in Japan right now, she gave a few good tips. It's a bit of information but whenever you have time take a look at these links.

Japan Times Jobs
Do not get intimidated by the hiragana on this site, it's very conducive to English as well.

Daijob/Work in Japan

Careercross

CDS - Consulting

Japan Jobs guide

Tokyo Connections

Asiaco

Asia-net

Also a good read over The Visa Game in Japan will give you some pretty good insight on what to expect. Also there are some great reference stories from experienced people who has went through the steps to finding sponsors and work within Japan. If this doesn't help you in any way please let me know and I will find other resources to direct you to. ^.^

Originally Posted by grasshoppa

I've been thinking about taking kinesology in university...I wonder if there would be a demand for trainers in Japan becuase of that new waistline limit law they passed recently...

Wow...I think I'm developing goals for the first time in my life.

Kinesology is an awesome field of study. I've always wanted to learn a bit about human kinetics myself. I'm not all to sure of the demand for this field but I would think it would be pretty much in demand. I'll see if I can find out any additional information for you. Let me know if the links and resources I've provided were of any help. ^.^