Jun 5

Japan Local: JET blog on Aomori sightseeing

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Here’s a really nice JET blog on sight seeing in the Tsugaru region of Aomori by Aomori JETs Emma Sayers, Mike Moses and Kelly Isom: 

Let’s Go Tsugaru:  http://letsgotsugaru.blogspot.com.

*If you’re aware of any other JET blogs about sightseeing and tourism in Japan, please let us know at jetwit [at] jetwit.com.  Yoroshiku.


Jun 2

Local Japan: Prefecture Tourism Links

Japan Local, Local Government, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism, Uncategorized Comments Off on Local Japan: Prefecture Tourism Links

 

Here are the results of the “Local Japan Prefecture Tourism Websites Project.”

Reminder: One of the purposes of the project is to help increase the “Return on JET-vestment” for Japan by helping to promote tourism to Japan, especially to more local and regional areas.  JETwit also intends to use this list so it can hyperlink to prefectures when mentioned in future JETwit posts.  (e.g., “Steven Horowitz (Aichi-ken, Kariya-shi, 1992-94)”)

How you can help further:

  • Build the list: If you’re aware of any additional links that might be helpful–e.g., a blog (especially by JETs) or sites for a region or a city or a town–feel free to post in the comments section or e-mail to jetwit [at] jetwit.com and I’ll add them to the appropriate section.
  • Tell readers one reason why someone should visit your (former) region/prefecture/city

*Note:  Where prefectures didn’t have their own tourism website or English language info guide, I’ve used the Japan National Tourist Organization’s (JNTO) reference page for that prefecture.

Regional  Tourism Sites:

Prefecture Tourism Sites

Aichi

Akita

Aomori

Chiba

Read More


Jun 1

Shimane JETs Raise Over $21,000 USD for Tohoku Disaster Relief

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From the JETAA USA website originally posted by JETAA USA Country Rep Jessyca Wilcox:

Shimane JETs Raise Over $21,000 USD for Tohoku Disaster Relief

Shimane AJET gathered their local ALTs, CIRs and Japanese community members to join together for a charity hike. On May 15th over 60 ALTs and CIRs and 50 Japanese people took part in a sponsored “Charity Hike.”

The hike took place on Shimane’s highest mountain: Mt. Sanbe in Oda City, Shimane. It was attended by people from 14 countries: America, Ireland, France, England, Jamaica, Canada, Scotland, Kenya, China, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

In the weeks leading up the event particpants raised $21,023 USD (¥1,715,338) from local and international donations (via the internet). At the summit of Mt. Sanbe, the participants held a photo opportunity and called out a strong message of support for the people of Tohoku and Japan from the international community. Please see the photograph below.

In the week after the event, the money was transferred to the Japanese Red Cross (70%) and “SMILE and Dreams: Tohoku Kids Project” (30%).

Lauren Hale, a Shimane JET from Denver, CO said, “Japan has been such a great home to us all and we were so glad that we could be a part of the relief effort.  We raised over twice the amount that we had originally hoped for!”

Check out the project website for video coverage and photos: www.sanbehike.com

*Shimane JET alums (and anyone else), please don’t hesitate to post words of support for the terrific work of Shimane AJET and all involved in the comments section below.


Jun 1

Surviving in Japan: 40+5 more ways to survive the rainy season

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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

Bleak, gray, rainy season, or 梅雨

The rainy season (梅雨, つゆ) has arrived.

Apparently beginning 12 days earlier than last year in central Japan, according to tenki.jp, and also earlier than normal in southern Japan as well. Though it doesn’t feel all that humid yet. I typically associate the rainy season with tropical jungle-like humidity that makes you feel like you’re living in a sauna.

Don’t be fooled though – it will likely sneak up on us before we know it. For now, my pregnant self will enjoy the moderate temperatures and bearable humidity levels.

Oh, and for those who may not know, it doesn’t actually rain constantly during the rainy season in Japan – it will either spontaneously downpour or sometimes rain for a while in variations between sprinkling and heavier rain, with some breaks here and there.

Before coming to Japan, being from Seattle (U.S.), I rarely, if ever, used an umbrella. In fact, it’s usually quite easy to tell the difference between locals and tourists in Seattle for this very reason. (Everyone thinks it rains there all the time, but it doesn’t – it’s just cloudy most of the year).

So I came to Japan with no umbrella, figuring I could just buy one somewhere easily (but in no hurry). Except that my friend and I got caught in the rain on our second day here. Not Seattle drizzle we were familiar with. A downpour. Sheets of rain.

As we were outside with no cover, we were instantly soaked (as if we’d fallen into a pool or something), and spent the next 10 minutes or so running from building cover to building cover to the nearest convenience store to buy an umbrella. (With bystanders laughing at us good-naturedly, of course).

Of course, by the time we bought the umbrella and walked out of the store, the rain stopped. That’s Japan for you. Everyone gave us strange looks when we entered the hotel again, dripping all over the floor. Lesson learned: During the rainy season, Always. Carry. An umbrella.

So, in honor of the arrival of this year’s rainy season, I pull from the archives:

40 tips to survive the rainy season in Japan

There are also some good suggestions in the comments, so be sure to read those as well!

And of course, a few more to add:

41. Forget number 4 on the previous list – with all the energy conservation we should be doing, go out instead and share the A/C instead of using it at home. (Although with the temps the way they are right now there really isn’t much of a need for A/C…) — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.


May 30

JET Prefecture Round-Up 05.30.11

Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, Japan Local, JET Prefecture Round-up, Uncategorized Comments Off on JET Prefecture Round-Up 05.30.11

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Emily Lemmon, (Hyogo-ken, Shiso-shi, 2009-present), PSG volunteer, organizer of Hyogo-ken’s PEPY Ride, student of Shorinji Kempo, and editor of the Hyogo Times, gives a little taste of what JETs are doing around Japan.  To submit items for future JET Prefecture Round-up posts, e-mail Emily at jetinfogather [at] gmail.com.

Events by Region

Hokkaido

 

Tohoku Region

Aomori

  • On Saturday, June 5th, Aomori AJET will be holding a double-parter event, a gala dinner and a club event, in Morioka City. These  events are being held to bring together JETs from all over Tohoku, and raise money for Earthquake Relief (Japan Red Cross).
  • There will be an International Lunch at the Aomori City Chuo Shimin Center on Saturday, June 18th. On the menu is Thai curry! At the same time, Aomori Prefecture’s branch of UNESCO will be presenting sessions on Japanese culture, and providing free tea ceremony sessions for those who would like to try it.

Akita

Iwate

  • JETs are invited to attend a tour of Nataya-cho, led by volunteer guides, in Morioka on June 12th.

 

Kansai Region

Nara

  • The International Arts Festival, featuring performances in a wide range of disciplines, will be put on by the JETs of Nara prefecture on June 19th.
  • Nara’s farewell to leaving JETs, the Bye Bye Bash,complete with awards, will be held at the Yagi Kintetsu Beer Garden on June 17th.

Hyogo

 

Chugoku Region

Tottori

  • Tottori’s Got Talent, in which participants compete to win money for charities of their choice, will be held in Tottori city on June 11th.

 

Shikoku Region

Ehime

  • “There is Hope Through Music” for Tohoku – On July 9th, Ehime JET Dan will gather fellow JETs to the Asakura Kominkan in Imabari to record videos with the fireman brass band. The videos will be combined with videos from the Kurosawa Piano Music Foundation of California and broadcast both online and to the victims in refugee camps in Japan.
  • Eight JETs will assist with the Imabari Higashi Secondary School English Camp June 11th and 12th.
  • Ehime JET Melanie is planning a fundraising festival event, in conjunction with Imabari City International Exchange Association (ICIEA), to raise funds for Tohoku and Kanto region disaster relief. The event will take place on Sunday, July 24, at Saisai Kiteya in Imabari.

Kochi

  • Ladies Day Spa – ladies of Kochi gather for pampering on June 4th.
  • Kochi Surf Camp will be at Irino Beach July 16th – 18th.
  • JETs Sam and Douglas are now teaching weekly self-defense classes in Kochi.

 

Kyushu Region

Oita

  • A team of Oita JETs will be playing in the Mud Volleyball tournament in Nakatsu City on June 5th.
  • JETs and non-JETs will mingle and show their talents at the Rotary Dinner and Talent Show in Oita City on June 18th.
  • Oita JETs will assist with rice planting on to Moritas’ Organic Farm in Bungo Ono City on June 18th or 25th.
  • Sayonara Party – Oita JETs say farewell on July 9th in Oita City.
  • Bad weather forced the cancellation of the Oita camping trip on May 29th, so JETs went bowling instead.

Kumamoto

Nagasaki

  • ALTernative Nagasaki, the photo art exhibit explores Nagasaki through the eyes of its transient population of ALTs. Opening night is June 11th

Kagoshima

  • Bound in Japan is an art project promoting multicultural exchange and diversity awareness, presented by a former Kagoshima JET.

 


May 28

Surviving in Japan: How to Find Anti-itch, Insect Bite Medicine

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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

This post is a follow-up to A Survival Guide to Mosquito Repellent in Japan, for those who try in vain but perhaps still end up with itchy, annoying bites (I know the feeling…). My first apartment in Japan was constantly bombarded with mosquitoes, as it was next to this swampy water pool. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t keep them all away. (Although I’m convinced I seem especially attractive to them – they go after me far more than my husband!)

I visited a drug store in the first month after my arrival in hopes of discovering some anti-itch cream, the kind you use for mosquito bites, but without any idea of what exactly to look for or what it was called. After browsing the walls and aisles of various items, still unsure of what to get, I asked one of the store employees for help. I looked up mosquito in the Japanese-English dictionary on my phone, showed her the result, pointed to some of the red welts on my hand and arm, and asked if they had anything for that. Fortunately for me at the time, she understood right away and led me to the anti-itch/insect bite medicine, pulling out a box of ムヒ (Muhi), which is a common brand here in Japan.

So, to help you in your search for anti-itch/insect bite medicine, and perhaps save you some trouble of finding what you need at the store, I’ve included some necessary words to know, and some of the common ingredients you’ll typically find in these types of medicine.

Words to Know

When searching for anti-itch, insect bite medicine, look for these words:

虫さされ      むしさされ       mushi sasare                insect bite　(may also see as 虫刺され)
かゆみ　                                   kayumi                           itching

Though the brand and item name are typically most prominent on any packaging, you’ll likely see 虫さされ and/or かゆみ somewhere on the box/bottle.

Depending on your personal preference, you can find anti-itch, insect bite medication in various forms, including the following:

gel          ジェル
lotion    ローション
patch     パッチ
cream   クリーム
liquid type 液体 (えきたい) (usually this rolls or dabs on)

If you want something “extra strength”, try looking for the following words, or something with “EX”: — CLICK HERE to read the rest of this post.


May 19

Japan Times: JET teacher aids school rebuilding

Blogs, Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Local, JETs in the News, Local Government, Notable JET Alums, Return on JET-vestment, Volunteer, Writers Comments Off on Japan Times: JET teacher aids school rebuilding
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This below article about JET Andras Molnar (Miyagi-ken, Yamamoto-shi) appeared in the Japan Times on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.  First an excerpt from Andrew’s blog (yamamoto-fund.blogspot.com), which is part of his effort to help rebuild Yamamoto:
“My name is Andras Molnar, an English teacher from Yamamoto Town in Japan, a place recently devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. I am trying to raise funds for the reconstruction of the schools in my town, as well as buying school supplies and uniforms for children who lost everything in the tsunami.”

U.S. teacher aids school rebuilding

Kyodo

SENDAI — An American English teacher at a middle school in Miyagi Prefecture has set up funds to solicit donations for rebuilding elementary schools damaged by the tsunami following the March 11 earthquake.

Pennsylvania native Andras Molnar, 25, said that although he is leaving the prefecture’s town of Yamamoto in August when his teaching contract ends, he is “hoping to stay connected” with the town through the fund.

Molnar said he became interested in Japan through “anime” such as “Gundam” and spent a year in the country as a high school student and again while at university. He came to Yamamoto, a coastal town of around 16,000, in August 2009.

He said he got along well with locals through a drum circle and surfing, a hobby of his.

“Everyone is very open, kind and I like them a lot,” he said in Japanese.

After the town was engulfed by the tsunami, he stayed at the junior high school for a week, busily checking the whereabouts of his students and doing what he could at evacuation sites, he said.

He then moved to Tokyo for around one month at the suggestion of his parents and friends.

But after getting email from friends in Yamamoto inquiring about him, he wondered why he was not giving his best when all the people in the town were doing their utmost, he said.

Molnar said it was this that prompted him to return to his apartment in Yamamoto.

“It was really good that I returned,” he said. “I feel encouraged by the children.”

He set up relief funds in Japan and the United States to help rebuild two elementary schools where buildings were devastated by the tsunami, and is soliciting donations through his blog.


May 17

Surviving in Japan: A Guide to Mosquito Repellent in Japan

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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

That wonderfully hot and humid time of year is upon us – summer. And of course, the rainy season and along with it, mosquito season. I still remember my first apartment in Japan, next to a large drainage pool area where I can only guess thousands of mosquito eggs were hatching every day. And then they show up at 3am – that high-pitched buzzing whine in my ear as I attempt to sleep.

Since being in Japan, I’ve struggled with the best ways to control them, and though not every solution is always 100% effective, hopefully some of these options may help you get through the summer with a few less uncomfortable, itching bites and restless nights.

Words to know

First of all, wherever you’re looking for mosquito repellents or related items, you’ll probably want to know some of the following words and terms:

蚊                               か                               ka                         mosquito
虫　　                      むし                           mushi                  insect
虫よけ or 虫除け     むしよけ                  mushi yoke         insect repellent
防虫                          ぼうちゅう              bouchuu              protection against insects
忌避                          きひ                           kihi                       avoid, evade
殺虫剤                      さっちゅうざい     sacchuuzai          insect killer/insecticide
蚊取り                      かとり                      katori                   “remove mosquitoes”
天然成分                 てんねんせいぶん tennen seibun     natural ingredients
室内用                     しつないよう          shitsunaiyou       indoor use
屋外用                     おくがいよう          okugaiyou            outdoor use

 

Ingredients in Insecticides and Insect/Mosquito Repellents

You’ll generally find most insect repellent products in Japan fall into one of two categories (although a few will be part of both):

Natural mosquito repellents usually contain oils such as citronella (シトロネラ油), lavender (ラベンダー油), lemon eucalyptus (レモンユーカリ精油), and other essential oils. Some may also contain pyrethrum (a certain kind of flower), such as the natural mosquito coils, in which you’ll want to look for these kanji: 除虫菊. Many natural products will use 天然成分, though, keep in mind some of these still contain some chemical or harmful ingredients – so best to check the ingredient label if that is something you’re concerned about.

Chemical mosquito repellents/insecticides: Nearly all of the chemical repellents and insecticides contain pyrethroid, which is a chemical imitation of pyrethrum. You’ll typically find ピレスロイド系 in the active ingredient list, sometimes in parentheses, as most of the ingredients listed among chemical repellents are pyrethroids of some kind, even if the name is different. Though pyrethroid is considered safe for general use in certain amounts by the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. (and of course, considered safe in Japan as well), it doesn’t make it necessarily healthy, especially if you have respiratory problems – so feel free to read up on it, learn more about it, and decide for yourself if it’s something you feel comfortable using. Also, please remember to take appropriate precautions when using any product with pyrethroid – try to keep areas ventilated, wash your hands/skin if you come in contact with the chemical surface, etc.

The other chemical commonly used (in body/skin repellents), and which I’ve also mentioned in the skin repellent section, is deet (ディート), which you may already be familiar with.

 

Important note: when looking for the following items at your local daily goods store or home store, keep in mind that some of the insect repellent items for your body are actually located in the pharmacy area, while the others, such as insecticides and other insect repellents, will be located in another area, most likely under: 殺虫剤.

 

Electronic Vapor Repellents — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.


May 15

Group Project: “Local Japan” tourism websites?

Japan Local, Local Government, Return on JET-vestment, Travel/Tourism Add Comment (50)

Question: Do you know of any Japanese prefectures, cities, towns, regions, etc. that have their own tourism website in English?  (e.g., Shimane Prefecture:  http://visitshimane.com)  Or even their own English language website that might be helpful in some way to potential tourists?  And if not, do you have time to look some up?

Your help needed: Please either post the locations and URLs in the comments section below.  Or email the information to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.

Goal: To gather in one place a list of as many English language tourism sites for Japan as we can find.

Background: One more thing the JET alumni community can do to increase the “Return on JET-vestment” by helping to promote tourism to Japan, especially to more local and regional areas.  I thought about this when I stumbled on the visitshimane.com website and realized that there must be a bunch of other Japanese prefectures and local governments that have set up sites to encourage tourism.  In addition to gathering and posting them all in one place on JETwit, I thought it would also be great if every time we list a JET alum along with prefecture and years on JET (e.g., Steven Horowitz, Aichi-ken, 1992-94), we can hyperlink the prefecture and/or town to the appropriate tourism site.  This will help drive more traffic to those sites and also provide additional linkbacks, which are valuable to a website with regard to search engine optimization.

Thanks for everyone’s help with this collaborative effort.  Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

p.s.  I checked with Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) as well as CLAIR and as far as I can tell there’s no previously existing version of this kind of list.


May 11

Surviving in Japan: How to Find (Good) Deodorant in Japan

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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.


deodorant, JapanIf you’re coming to Japan, you will probably hear someone lamenting about the inability to find any “real” deodorant here. When I heard this before coming, I promptly bought a 4-pack of my favorite kind (which I hadn’t even used up after two years). Yet, for those trying to save luggage space, unless you are REALLY attached to your deodorant, let me reassure you, it IS possible to get deodorant in Japan. And no, I’m not even talking about typical Japanese stuff – I haven’t tried any of it (as everyone often says it doesn’t work as well). Though, many of the Japanese brands do use aluminum as a main ingredient, which is the active ingredient you’d find in anti-perspirants anywhere.

So, before I lay out your options, you’ll need to know the Japanese word for deodorant when searching: デオドラント. This may also be shortened to: デオ. You may even see something with アンダーアーム (underarm).

A few other words to know:

stick: スティック
mist: ミスト
cream: クリーム
spray: スプレー
bar: バー
gel: ジェル

how to find deodorant in Japan: — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.


May 6

Essay: “Rikuzentakata”

Earthquake Tsunami, Fundraising, Japan Local, Writers Add Comment (4)

Thank you to Vancouver-based JET alum Alison Dacia Brown (Iwate-ken, Rikuzentakata, 2005-2008) for sharing the below piece which she originally wrote for JETAA British Columbia:

“Rikuzentakata”

Rikuzentakata in Iwate prefecture is the best little town that you’ve never been to.

I think I can safely assume that. I think Vancouverites in particular would have appreciated it because to me, Rikuzentakata as of March 10, 2011, was Vancouver in miniature, complete with a beach and mountains in the background. It made me feel like I was just across the pond from Canada. I actually requested Iwate on my JET application, which hardly anyone does. I was more than lucky to be placed where I was, and not just in terms of geography.

It had a quaint little sake factory called Suisen that held hanami parties during the cherry blossom season. It had a gorgeous, sandy beach lined with thousands of slender, yet majestic pine trees. It had the best neighbours a foreigner could ever have when she is away from home. Neighbours who fed her when she was sick with a stomach infection. It had an amazing Japanese woman, who translated all of her farewell speeches from Japanese into English. It had a hard-working Board of Education. It had an amazing ALT from Alaska.

Suisen is gone but I was told that in the days after the tsunami, the smell of sake permeated the area. I’m sure it was hiding more insidious smells. All of the trees which lined the beach are gone except for one. This tree is now called ‘The Miracle Tree’ and it’s giving hope to tsunami survivors. Unfortunately, it’s become a tourist destination and it’s making transportation into Rikuzentakata difficult.

The neighbour who fed her when she was sick, sometimes 3 times a day, lost her house which also housed the family’s tatami business. Her son was a volunteer firefighter and went directly to the beach to close the tsunami wall. His body was found 4 days ago and he has been cremated. The woman who translated her farewell speeches into English, Mutsuko Ozawa, is alive but has lost her mother, sister, nephew and cousins to the tsunami. Only her sister was found. Her house is gone and she has sent her children to central Japan while she and her husband fix up a new house to live in.

21 out of the 26 people who worked at her Board of Education are dead. It was an emergency meeting point, but unfortunately, the building which housed the Board of Education, was only 3 stories high. The tsunami went over it. My good friend, Kie Murakami, was still working at the Board of Education when the tsunami hit. I was hoping she wasn’t, as people change jobs every 3 years, as many of you know. I prayed she was somewhere else, away from the shore. She was found two weeks ago, and she has left behind a daughter and a husband who will miss her immensely. Kie was with Monty Dickson, who was the current JET ALT. He had taken over my position a year after I left Japan, and I know he loved the place as much as I did. I have a picture of Kie and Monty on the top of the local mountain, and it’s very hard to look at, knowing what has happened to them.

I hope to return someday to help. I think many of the former Iwate JETs feel this way. Right now, the only way I can help is by donating money, which we have all been doing. I have given hugs to Japanese people on Granville street in exchange for money. I have bought t-shirts. I have done a charity walk for Japan to raise money through JETAABC. I have donated money directly. But of course it is not enough. I desperately want to return to my adopted city which took care of me for 3 years to let them know that they have not been forgotten.


May 3

Surviving in Japan: Yellow Sand in Japan – How Does it Affect You?

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Surviving in Japan: Ashley Thompson

Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese."

Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

Weather reports recently (May 2011) mentioned an increase in 黄砂, kousa starting today and continuing over the next few days over much of Japan, which I mentioned on Twitter and heard many replies from people wondering what exactly yellow sand is and why it’s important to know about, so I wrote up the following information:

Along with the prevalence of spring-time pollen, there’s another annual annoyance that often affects Japan, known as “yellow sand”, “Asian dust”, “yellow dust”, or a more official term, Aeolian Dust, and in Japanese as 黄砂 (こうさ, kousa). This dust is stirred up by the wind from deserts in Mongolia, northern China and Kazakhstan, and carried in clouds over China, North and South Korea, and Japan. Seems relatively harmless, but supposedly this dust has also been found to carry a variety of toxic particles, such as heavy metals, sulfur, viruses and bacteria, asbestos, and other pollutants. As far as I’ve been able to find, Japan doesn’t seem to have experienced many health problems due to this dust (please correct me if you know otherwise), though South Korea has reported adverse health effects, particularly in those with respiratory problems. The dust can also decrease visibility, stain laundry, and cause other problems.

Just to clarify, this isn’t necessarily something you need to worry about on a daily basis during spring, but it might be good to be aware of for when it does occur, particularly if you live in Okinawa, Kyushu, Chugoku or Kansai (though it can apply to other regions). If it does appear in significant amounts, you may want to think about hanging your laundry indoors and possibly wearing a mask outside, especially if you have allergies and/or respiratory problems. I’m not a medical expert, so definitely look up “Aeolian Dust” and “health effects” so you can gain a better idea about how it might affect your health, because as I said, the information about adverse health effects in Japan seems to be sparse.

The U.S. Consulate of Naha (Okinawa) issued this statement on April 28, 2011 about dealing with Aeolian dust, particularly if you have health issues:
If you suffer from allergies or have a pre-existing respiratory problem such as asthma, emphysema or other forms of chronic respiratory disease you may want to consider limiting outdoor activities when high dust levels are present.
– Wear glasses instead of contacts
– Close windows
– Wash exposed skin after returning indoors
– Wear long sleeves
– Cover mouth and nose
– Do not drink or eat food outside
– Drink water frequently
– People with lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion

Now, I want to introduce to you two tools you can use to determine the levels of “yellow sand” in your area on any given day, and also how to look at predictions: — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.


Apr 26

Surviving in Japan: 6 Ways to Deal with Allergies in Japan

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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

Surviving in Japan: Ashley Thompson

Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese."

Are you going to Japan, or in Japan, and wondering what to do about your allergies? I know the feeling. I’m allergic to mold and dust mites, which are especially hard to escape in Japan.. Last winter they somehow managed to debilitate me while allowing a little virus to invade my inner ear – labrynthitis. Labryawha? It’s a deep inner ear inflammation. Makes you dizzy, lightheaded and generally unable to move. Some people get vertigo, and motion sickness. Anyway, that all aside the point – you can read the full story here.

*Note: This post is about nasal allergies and rhinitis, rather than food allergies. Please also note I am not a medical professional, and if you have severe allergies you should seek a doctor’s advice and appropriate medication and/or treatment.

Allergies are quite prominent in Japan – with a large number of those suffering primarily from pollen type allergies. So if you too suffer from rhinitis, you will find a very allergy-friendly (so to speak) country in Japan. A few ways to deal:

1. Wear a mask – Folks in Japan wear a mask for a variety of reasons, but most notably to keep allergies in check or to prevent the spread of whatever illness they might currently be carrying. Personally, I avoid wearing the mask because it annoys me, but just saying.

2. Allergy meds – I won’t go into too many specifics, as those with allergies probably already use specific kinds of medicine. My doctor in the U.S. primarily prescribed me Flonase (a nasal spray), which is available in Japan, so if you use Flonase, you can get a prescription here as well (and much cheaper at that, with the national health insurance). Whatever prescription you have in your home country or whatever OTC meds you use, bring the info to a doctor in Japan to find what you need (or a similar alternative). You can also get Claritin by prescription here in Japan. The Japanese pronunciation is: クラリチン.

3. Drink beni fuuki (べにふうき) – a very strong, concentrated green tea. The taste is quite bitter compared with regular green tea, because of the concentration, but studies in Japan have shown that those who drink it have less histamine response – due to the higher number of catechins. Available in supermarkets and online. — CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.


Apr 19

Surviving in Japan: How to do a Furikomi (Bank Transfer)

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Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese"

I’m going to assume you already have a bank account in Japan. And perhaps you signed up with GoLloyds to transfer money to your bank accounts in your home country, or you made some online purchases, or even have a bill that needs to be paid by furikomi (bank transfer). So now you are at the bank, panicking in realization that the stupid ATM doesn’t have a “transfer” button in English (usually only withdrawal, balance inquiry and deposit). I’ve been there, too.

You can of course, ask the bank employees to help you, but they are only available during business hours, which often end at 3 p.m. Not the best news for those of you (probably most of you) who are working during the day. Or you could take someone with you who can read kanji. But what if those said kanji-readers start to passive-aggressively hint that they are busy and would just love to help but don’t know if they can? Ok…. you think. I guess I’ll try to do it myself. After my constant barrage of questions within a two week duration, I decided to figure out the transfer thing myself – even if it took me ages. Two days and two ATM visits later, I succeeded.

Oh, and try not to sit in front of the ATM the first time you try this with a long line of folks waiting behind you for their turn with the machine. (Avoid after-work rush hour). They may not show it, but they are burning with rage inside, thinking you are clueless, and why would you be so stupid as to do this by yourself?, and that they have families and dinner and shopping and things to get to. And yet, soon enough you will be impressing the socks off all of them, and standing behind them in line thinking the very same thing.

*Note: Some of the information here may not display on the ATM you use, although most of it should at some point. The placement may vary slightly, as may the color and size of buttons. Just look for the particular kanji here, and you’ll be all right.

**Remember to bring along the information from GoLloyds, or the online retailer, or the bill, or whatever it is you have furikomi information for.

Some of this information may or will include:

Account/beneficiary name (for GoLloyds type transfers): 受取人　(うけとりにん, uketorinin)

Financial Institution (the “receiving” bank, or recipient):　振込先 (ふりこみさき, furikomi saki)

Bank name: 銀行名 (ぎんこうめい, ginkoumei)

Branch name: 支店名 (してんめい, shitenmei)

Account Number: 口座番号 (こうざばんごう, kouza bangou)

Remitters/payers name: 振込人名 (ふりこみじんめい, furikomi jinmei)

 

other words to know:

furikomi (bank transfer): 振込 (ふりこみ) – sometimes this is preceded by お

bank: 銀行　(ぎんこう, ginkou)

account: 口座　(こうざ, kouza)

regular deposit: 普通預金　(ふつうよきん, futsuyokin)

confirm: 確認 (かくにん, kakunin)

correction: 訂正 (ていせい, teisei)

amount: 金額 (きんがく, kingaku)

cancel: 取り消し (とりけし, torikeshi)

go back/return: 前に戻る (まえにもどる, mae ni modoru)

cash: 現金 (げんきん, genkin)

*When doing a furikomi, keep in mind there should be a cancel button on every screen if you need to stop the process at any time (say, a line 20 people long are standing behind you, starting to invade your personal space). You’ll see confirm and correction typically when entering information.

 

how to do a furikomi (bank transfer)

I just want to apologize in advance for the lack of quality pictures – I had a mad horde of folks surrounding me from behind, waiting for me to hurry up and finish as I discreetly and hastily snapped photos with my iPhone.

1. Make sure to choose 日本語 (Japanese) on the main screen, instead of English (unless the ATM you use has a transfer function in English, then you won’t need to worry about the rest of this tutorial).

2. Press お振込, the polite form of “furikomi”. (Some ATMs may just say 振込). In the picture it is the button on the bottom.

CLICK HERE to read the rest of the post.


Apr 14

Surviving in Japan: 7 Words to Know When You Have a Cold (in Japan)

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Ashley Thompson is "Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese."

Posted by Ashley Thompson (Shizuoka-ken, 2008-2010) of Surviving in Japan: without much Japanese and Lifelines columnist for The Japan Times.

Here are some essential Japanese words you might want to know if you come down with a cold in Japan.

I tend to stick to more natural remedies when possible, but when the symptoms are bad enough, I head for the drugs (medicine). Although, and some of you may already know about this, eastern medicine, or kanpou, is used in Japan.

So where do you find cold medicine? The best places to look are your local daily goods store and/or local pharmacy – called 薬屋 (くすりや, kusuri ya) or 薬局 (やっきょく, yakkyoku). 薬 (くすり, kusuri) means drugs/medicine. Now, let’s look at some of the most common cold symptoms and the corresponding Japanese so you know what to look for (or ask for) when seeking out cold medicine in Japan.

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