Ever been to Japan ?

Silvera

Have you ever been to Japan ?

What is the siatuation regards getting a visa (short term or long term) ?
Would I have to get a visa here (before I go to Oz) or is it possible to get a visa in Oz (i.e. for Japan) ?

Whats the cost of living like over there ?

davros

As always, the answer to visa questions depends on what passport you hold. For an Irish passport holder, you can just turn up in Japan and stay for 90 days, no visa required. If you are working, of course, it's a different story.

You can have that 90 days extended for another 90 days within the country or just by exiting and returning.

(I confirmed all of the above on the embassy site).

It has been 8 years since I was in Japan so I don't know about cost of living these days. It had an expensive reputation back then but I reckon that was mostly expats complaining about the price of Guinness in Irish bars. A bowl of noodles is cheap :-)

Ichiro

A must for every traveller.

Was there a couple of years ago, in Tokyo and it was brilliant 24 - 7
Davros has given you all the info for Visas

But when there be sure to watch what the Japanese do
or When in rome do what the Romans do

Loads of Irish bars to check out
one called PADDY FOLEYS the main hub for the Irish it's in a area of Tokyo called Roppongi big night life area

Well enjoy your stay

Good Luck

Lex_Diamonds

Lol, main hub of the irish my ass

Run by english, frequented by english. Seriously, didnt meet one paddy over there!

I think we are pretty thin on the ground.

sceptre

Originally posted by Lex_Diamonds
I think we are pretty thin on the ground.

About a thousand or so, maybe two AFAIR. GF's sister was working in the embassy over there for four years.

It /can/ be cheap if you've some idea where to go. Tokyo is relatively expensive, even by Japanese standards. Accommodation can be the main cost of staying unless you're prepared to slum it a bit.

Guinness is really expensive (ooh, there's a shock). There are a few nice Japanese beers so soaking up some local produce might be good.

davros

Originally posted by Lex_Diamonds
Lol, main hub of the irish my ass

Run by english, frequented by english. Seriously, didnt meet one paddy over there!

I think we are pretty thin on the ground.

There was a fairly active Irish society while I was there, called Irish Network Japan. There was even a St. Patrick's Day parade and a Bewley's Cafe in Harajuku! I think the Bewley's is gone now though.

Silvera

Thanks for the info guys.
I'm going to Oz and NZ in January, and am thinking about coming home via Japan and Canada.

Pinkchick03

Hiya!

Just saw post! I am dying to go to Japan! I've had an obsession with it this past 10 years! Let me know if you went and how it went!!

Cheers
xxx

tbh

I was in Tokyo a couple of months ago, and I fricken loved it. Brilliant public transport, brilliant food (and i am FUSSY), very friendly people, am dying to go back.

I found that it can be quite expensive, but I'm told that if you know where to go you can minimise your costs.

Check it out!
Caimin

Unpossible

how would one go about working there, in studying computing and am interested in going there when i graduate

nadir

yeah id like to know about working there too, i hear there is a big it shortage, id like to work there for a while maybe in line a year or two if there are job oppertunities

HenryChinaski

Japan is awesome I've never seen better city for going out on the lash than Tokyo. I had my 'Lost in Translation' night out too where me and this American girl I bumped into in the hostel got scooped up by a group of Japanese, went on the tear, and ended up in a Karaoke room with them all yapping away at us at full speed in Japanese and we didn't have a bog what they were saying but it was awesome nonetheless. I remember walking out into Shibuya square at 6am, in tatters drunk, with hundreds of people going to work and just thinking 'f**k me, I'm in Tokyo'. I went on to spend a month travelling around the country and I'd rate it as one of my favourite places I've been. I loved it so much that I wanted to move there but there were better earning opportunities in Korea so I came here as a next best thing. I love it here too but I wish I had the Japanese food it's the best cuisine going.

HenryChinaski

Unpossible wrote: »

how would one go about working there, in studying computing and am interested in going there when i graduate

I know that if you don't speak Japanese, it's very hard to get jobs outside of teaching or engineering without some serious specialty skills that are in short supply, but it's not impossible either. I'm not sure what exactly my uncle did but his background is in computer science and marketing of related equipment and he got a job there, but again his contract didn't get renewed because he hadn't achieved a good enough level of the language a couple of years in.

the_syco

Eh... you dragged a 7 year old thread back to life... why man, WHY? :pac:

HenryChinaski

Ha no way how did I end up seeing that in the first place? I didn't even do a search for Japan - I assumed it was fresh given the recent events. Sorry.

mikedragon32

Die, Zombie Thread!