Contraception in Japan

The leading choice for contraception in Japan is condoms, the second most popular (almost 20%) being pulling out, followed by the rythm method. The pill languishes in last place with an audience of just over 2% of the female population (vs. 18% in the US, 25% in the UK and 52% in Germany, for example).

Not surprisingly, this leads to a fairly large number of abortions. 28% of the 300,000 or so women who underwent abortions last year claimed not being married as the primary reason.

Reportedly a large number of Japanese women don't consider contraception to be their responsibility, and are put-off by the price and stories of horrible side-effects. In fact, when the pill was introduced a survey showed that 70% of women would never consider trying it.

However, it's strange that a country so lax with protecting themselves during sex isn't flooded with children. Japan's aging population is a constant worry, and no amount of sex-standing-up contraception seems to be helping. Although the number of abortions sounds high, it's still less than half of those of the US or UK.

It's also true that an increased use of the pill is usually coupled with an increase in life-threatening STDs like HIV.

Anyway, this is starting to get too complex for AccessJ! Here are the rules on contraception in Japan:

• The Pill
  There are strict rules on bringing the pill into the country. It must be prescribed to you, and you're only allowed two months' supply. My girlfriend tried to bring more than that and had her parcel got stopped at customs waiting for her permission to destroy the contents. They wouldn't even send it back to England.
  You can get prescribed it here by an obstetrician and it costs about 3000yen per month, and you have to go back every three months for a check-up (not free).
  I recently found a great article about the types of Pill available in Japan.
• Depo-provera is not permitted.
  You can't bring it with you, and no-one will import it or inject you with it even with a prescription. However, there are similar shots available. Ask a gynecologist.
• Contraception patches
  There are several types of estrogen-only patches available (on insurance).
• Gels
  Several types containing both progestogen and estrogen.
• Condoms
  Japanese condoms are okay, but (it's not a joke) they will not always fit Western men comfortably. They may also come off more easily than what you're used to. There are several shops in the big cities that sell all sizes and shapes. Look for The Condom Store, Condomania or places like that.
• The morning-after pill
  Is very expensive (10,000yen and up) and not covered by health insurance, though I have heard of it going for only 3,000yen in Okinawa. It's referred to as the "aafutaa piru" and you need to see a gynecologist to get one. International clinics will also prescribe it to you if necessary.

Sources:

http://iussp2005.princeton.edu/download.aspx?submissionId=51736

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20091020i1.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/08/20/health/main637523.shtml

Any other methods or comments? Add them to the comments below.

Apartment Criteria (Inside)

A continuation of last week's post on criteria to consider when choosing an apartment.
This time, we'll look at the up-front costs of renting properties and internal amenities.

Deposits:
Japanese landlords are infamous for requiring huge amounts of deposit money as 敷金 (shikikin) and 礼金 (reikin). Because 3 or 4 months' worth of rent is a considerable amount of money, the deposit on an apartment is as important to consider as its monthly rent. "No deposit" properties are in vogue in Japan now, so if you don't like what one agent offers, look for another who advertises with the words 敷金礼金０ (shikikin reikin zero)!

Guarantor:
An increasing number of apartments in Japan are doing away with the traditional [LINK]guarantor requirement. These apartments are much more accessible for foreign residents who do not have established family members in Japan. But, it is likely that you are actually "paying" for the guarantor in the form of increased rent to pay for insurance or compensate the landlord for his assumed risk.

Flooring:
In the apartment layout, information should be provided about the styling of each room. Western style rooms usually have wood or faux-wood paneling on the floors. Japanese style rooms have tatami floors. Apartments with Japanese style rooms are losing popularity, so it might be possible to save some money if you don't mind living with tatami.

Bath & Toilet Separate:
This is a deal-breaker for many Japanese. Traditionally, the bathtub and restroom facilities in Japan have been separate. Some very compact apartments offer a "unit bath" setup, which means the tub, toilet, and sink are all contained within a single closet-sized space. Apartments with this setup are slightly cheaper.


Air Conditioning:
If you live anywhere below Hokkaido, and you were born and raised anywhere away from the equator, you will probably require an air conditioner to withstand central and southern Japan's terribly hot, humid summers. An apartment listed as エアコン付き (air con{ditioning} included) usually has a temperature control unit that can both cool the room in summer and warm the room in winter.

Washing Machine:
Not all apartments provide space and hookups for washing machines. Apartments with this feature are labeled 洗濯機置場あり (sentaku okiba ari). The spot for the machine can be inside the apartment (室内, shitsunai) or outside (室外, shitsugai). For an outside spot, you might need to purchase a more rugged model of washing machine that won't collect rainwater or rust.

High Speed Internet/TV:
Japan is a very wired society, and most apartments will offer hookups for internet and TV. Specific questions to ask are what kind of internet is available (are fiber optics wired to the building?) and what providers are available (is the building only serviced by one provider?). The cost of internet will probably not be included in rent. TV should be available for free. As of 2011, Japan will be switching to digital only broadcasts (地デジ, chi deji), and only apartment buildings with properly updated antennae will be able to receive these signals.

Other:
Pets - most rental properties in Japan prohibit them; if you want to keep a pet you must search for an apartment with that requirement out front
Female Only - a few apartment complexes enforce this policy, oftentimes in the area around a women's college; it is offered on the grounds of safety and cleanliness
Furnished - in principle, assume that the apartment has no furnishings beyond a sink, shower, and toilet. Some apartments near universities may come partially furnished, and the new real estate company Leopalace21 specializes in fully furnished apartments.

Back:
Apartment Criteria (Outside)

Related:
Housing Guide

Japanese Hot Springs: Onsen

When I first arrived in Japan, our boss took my girlfriend and I to a local onsen. It was a little embarrassing. Not because my privates were twenty feet longer than everyone elses, but because I accidentally ditched the guy when I got in there.

First of all, sexes separated, presumably to avoid boner-issues. Then we went and undressed. When I had finished unravelling myself I couldn't locate the Japanese guy anymore. I wandered into the bath room and looked around. I saw a selection of old Japanese men, none of which I had come with, and a sphincter: some guy was bent over double pointing his right at me. "huh," I promptly thought, and sat down to wash facing the other direction.

Well, it turns out the anus belonged to my boss. I guess I came across like a scared gaijin intimidated by naked nationals. To top it all after that I lost him again, so I went and got in the hot pool outside, only to find he'd gone and sat inside. Whatevs... He got fired 6 months later so never mind. That's life.


The score

An onsen is a hot spring. Some are natural, many are not (i.e. just regular hot water). I live in Nagano prefecture, which is pretty famous for them. I don't think there's anything particularly theraputic or special about the water (although the Japanese insist it), but some of the views from them are stunning. Most onsen in pretty areas are perched in the hills and have huge glass walls looking out over the vicinity. Very relaxing.

Onsen that are more than basic have several pools in various combinations. Usually one hot one (around 45 degrees C) and a cold plunge pool. Often there will be a pool outside, too, which is especially nice when it's really cold out there, or snowing. Sometimes there is a "special" one - collagen or some aphrodisiac or something.

Also you may find a sauna or steam room, often up around 90 degrees C. Take your friends and try to out-man them. Then get in the cold pool afterwards. I've never been so happy or comfortable to be in cold water.

Instructions

Pay your 500yen, take off your clothes, sit down, get all soapy, wash it off and get in the water. After a couple of minutes you will probably want to get out. The heat itself is okay, but the relentless steam up the nose can't be good for you, and always makes me feel a bit odd unless I'm outside. Get out, wander about flapping your huge western bodyparts, then get back in. Then, if you're me, get a bit bored, restless and confused as to why you really came in the first place...

Then the tradition is to drink milk, for some reason. I don't know why, but it does taste really good afterwards.



Update: last month I managed to find a private onsen in a beautiful ryoukan in Kyoto. I went with my girlfriend and had a very relaxing time. Maybe I just haven't been able to relax properly in the past.

Top 10 Dirty Japanese Phrases

Dirty Japanese is fun for all the family. I bought it last year, and since then about a dozen of my friends, both gaijin and Japanese have fallen in love with it's collection of... Dirty Japanese Phrases!

For the uninitiated, it’s a phrasebook containing useful to casual to very casual to vulgar, words and phrases. It's about as close to an encyclopedia of Japanese swear words as possible.

I made a post of 10 Very Dirty Japanese Phrases, but decided to let you discover those on your own and elected to list 10 family-friendly ones instead. So, in no particular order:

1. こんにちは、私はナンシーと言います、アル中です。
   Konnichiwa, watashi wa nanshii to iimasu, aru chuu desu.
   Hello, my name's Nancy and I'm an alcoholic.
   
   
2. ここは韓国？だって犬の味がするんだもん。
   Koko wa kankoku? Datte inu no aji ga surunda mon.
   Is this Korea? ‘Cos this shit tastes like dog.
   
   
3. やべー、お前、今日は自爆テロのようなオナラだな！
   Yabee! omae kyou wa jibaku tero no you na onara da na!
   Damn! You're like a suicide bomber with your gas today!
   
   
4. ヤバいゲリしてる。
   Yabai geri shiteru.
   I’ve got nasty diarrhea.
   
   
5. おしっこしたい。
   Oshikko shitai.
   I wanna go peepee.
   
   
6. 外人だからサツに怪しまれてばっかりだ。
   Gaijn dakara satsu ni ayashimarete bakkari da. :(
   The cops keep picking on me because I’m a foreigner. :(
   
   
7. サツが来るぞ。知らんぷりしろ。
   Satsu ga kuru zo. Shiranpuri shiro.
   The pigs are coming. Act like you don’t know shit.
   
   
8. 手に小便をかけちゃった。
   Te ni shounben o kakachatta.
   I pissed all over my hands.
   
   
9. 昨日なんか、べろんべろんになって電車の中でナンパしまくり。
   Kinou nanka beron beron ni natte densha no naka de nanpa shimakuri.
   Yesterday I got so wasted I was hitting on girls on the train.
   
   
10. 彼女はひどい歯ぎしりするから別れることにしたんだ。
    Kanojo wa hidoi hagishi suru kara wakareru ni shitanda.
    I dumped her 'cos she grinds her teeth like crazy.

I could easily list another 100 phrases, but I can smell my dinner cooking (and they might turn your stomach). Here's one more bonus word for you, though: 三こすり半 (mikosurihan) - literally three and a half strokes (premature ejaculation).

Anyway, that’s a sample of one of the best books you can buy to build up fun vocab! There are also more serious lists of words that will allow you to piece together some kind of conversation about food, fashion, travel, etc. And for those of us who already know the basics, there are some very useful examples of casual ways of saying common things.

You'll have to buy the book for the full rundown of Japanese rude words! And if you’re tempted to buy it, why not do it through this site and help us replace the panes in our flimsy Japanese paper doors?!

Dirty Japanese: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!"
by Matt Fargo. Buy: .co.uk / .com / .co.jp

Apartment Criteria (Outside)

If you are already aware of Japan's strict [LINK]guarantor requirements, and you are now looking to find an apartment of your own, you might start with one of the major real estate agents in Japan, like minimini or Apamanshop.

Even if you don't buy through these agents, they will give you a good idea of what properties are available in a given area, and how much those properties cost.

And, aside from location and apartment layout, there are many other details to consider in your apartment choice. Let's look at some of the common criteria Japanese people look at, starting from the outside environment:

Construction Year:
Sometimes the key to cheap rent is a building's age. Apartments in 30 year old buildings can have half the rent of apartments in newly constructed complexes. The tradeoff is, of course, style and comfort--and less obviously, safety. An older apartment won't look so good, and it might have pest problems. Additionally, older buildings are more prone to earthquake damage. Japan experiences enough large earthquakes every year for this to be pertinent. A rule of thumb a Japanese friend once taught me is to look for buildings constructed after 1990, around the time stricter building codes were enacted in Tokyo and elsewhere.

Distance from a Station:
Japan's public transportation system is one of the best in the world. Unless you are living in the countryside, you'll want to seriously consider commuting to work by bus or train. Apartments close to stations cost more.
It's worth checking details of the bus or train line served by the apartment as well: some lines do not have rapid service or (like Seibu Shinjuku or Chuo in Western Tokyo) are notorious for packed, uncomfortable rides during commuting hours.

Noise:
Along with prime location often comes increased noise. If the apartment is on a busy street, midnight traffic might keep you awake. If the apartment is near a nightlife district, noisy drunks might keep you awake. If possible, visit the property's neighborhood once at night and check its noise level.

Floor:
In a multi-storied complex, apartments at the ground level will be slightly cheaper than apartments on higher floors. This is a perceived safety issue, and especially Japanese women believe that living on the ground floor carries risk of robbery or assault (or perhaps panty-theft when hanging laundry out to dry).

Direction:
Apartments with a balcony facing the south are considered best. These apartments will get the best sunshine throughout the day. Next best are apartments facing east, since these get the rising sun in the morning. The "worst" apartments by Japanese standards are ones that face west; these apartments aren't as well lit in the morning and glare from the setting sun is unpopular in Japan.


Parking:
If you have a car, parking availability is another key point to consider. Unless living in a small town or village, car owners are required by Japanese traffic law to [LINK]own and register a parking space. Some apartments have adjacent spaces and others do not. You will almost certainly be required to form a separate contract and make a separate monthly payment for the parking space, even if it is on the same property as your apartment. In small cities, a parking space may be as cheap as $20 per month. In prime neighborhoods of Tokyo and Osaka, rent on a parking space can exceed that of a small apartment. I have heard numbers from $100 per month up through $1000 per month.
Of course, it is also possible to find a parking space separate from your apartment! However, the parking law requires the car to be within some 2 kilometers of your living space. (Check your local police station for your city's specific distance designation.) The Japanese site Parking-point can help you find spots and prices in your area.

Next:
Apartment Criteria (Inside)

Related:
Housing Guide

Applying for a Parking Space

Not the most exciting subject, but certainly an important one for many of us.

When you buy a car, before you can actually receive it you must have a police-approved parking space within 2km of your house. That is, unless you live in a tiny village with low population density, in which case the process is much simpler (though I can't offer advice as of yet).

You can pay your car dealer to do all of this for you, although I was quoted 30,000yen which seemed like too much. To do it yourself, follow these steps:



1. Find a parking space (durrr). You may need to pay for this if it is not part of your property. Fees can range from 2,000 to 100,000 yen per month per month depending on your location.

2. Obtain written permission to use that space. You will need to go to whoever owns the land - Board of Education, landlord, community centre, etc, and have them hanko the permission slip given to you by the car company. This hankoed form will be your 保管場所証明 (hokan basho shōmei): "Evidence of a place to store a car."

If you're very lucky, your employer will complete the following steps on your behalf and a week later present you with the final certificate: 車庫証明 (shako shōmei): "Parking Certification".

If not, you'll have to do it yourself...

3. Draw a vaguely-to-scale (though do measure it and include measurements) map of your parking space and the immediate surroundings (including the width of the road leading up to it). Your car dealer should provide a form for you to use for this. It doesn't need to be too accurate, but it does need to be clear.
Attach that (paperclip not staple) along with a google maps image of the parking spot in relation to your house/apartment to your hokan basho shōmei. There is a box for you to draw the map to your house, but printing one is much easier and clearer. If you print, be sure to write 別紙 ("See separate page") in the box.

4. Take all those forms to the police station, making sure you have stamped where necessary and written your name and address in all the right places (the car dealer may well do this for you). You will need to pay around 2,000yen but you can't do so in cash. Like when you get your visa renewed, you must change your money into stamps for some reason, and then affix those to your application. You do this at the police station. The station in my town closes to applications at 5:30, while the stamp window closes at 5. Applications received after 3:30 will take an extra day to process.

5. Wait. It will take approximately 3-5 working days to get your parking certification. It will come with two stickers detailing your right to park.

6. Post your parking certificate (with the stickers) and your inkan certificate to the car dealer, and your part of the deal is complete.

After the dealer receives your paper, he/she will take the car to be registered in your prefecture. With your registration details he will create a document called 車検証 (shaken-shō), which is necessary to sign up for optional insurance. He will then fax you a copy or just bring the original and a copy when he delivers the car.

One more thing - it is okay to have more than one parking space which you regularly use. For example, many Japanese teaching staff have a second, subsidised home if they have to commute. They do not need to register that second parking space.

Learning Japanese: Vocabulary building

A daunting part of learning Japanese is memorising reams and reams of words. Sitting down and forcing endless amounts of un-contextualised information into your brain is hard. Ideally, of course, you would learn in-situ. For a lot of people that isn't possible.

For that reason, here is a list of the ways in which I have learned vocabulary in the past:

Flash cards

Predictable choice. Actually I really dislike them; the paper and pen ones that is. What I use is a combination of several electronic variations. I like this because you can easily fill ten minutes with a cram session, and keep track of your progress easily.

1. Before You Know It.
   Basically just a simple program which asks you to memorise and then type words in your language and then the foreign language. Also supports sound, lets you make as many lists as you like and has a nice selection of hands to turn your cards for you.
   It's 50USD to buy, but the free version has a wide and great selection of vocab to get you started. The price-tag is a bit steep when compared to the following free alternatives.
   
   
2. Smart.fm
   
   Excellent free site very similar to Before You Know It. Has loads of custom made lists to cover all major tests, as well as specific themes. Like BYKi it supports dozens of other languages too. Also has a couple of famous voice actors reading the words and sentences.
   
   
3. SRS
   Spaced Repitition System. Smart.fm runs on this idea.
   The program will show viewed vocab at timed intervals spaced by some mathematical formula to best help you remember them. The most popular one of these is Anki. Not much to look at, but useful. This is apparently scientifically proven to be the most effective method, providing you stick with it long-term.

The most important point, whatever you use, is to keep reviewing. If you study hard every day for a week and then take two weeks off, then repeat, you aren't going to remember half as much as you would studying for a fixed period every day. Keep reviewing the old material and gradually introduce the new when you feel you can manage it.

The best thing about these three is that they save your progress. They also allow you to isolate your weaknesses. All three are also available on portable tools such as phones or iPods.
Of the three I think the first two are the best, mainly because they ask you to type your answers. This is an effective way of memorising the vocab, spelling and appearance of the target language, and interacting with your flashcards (as opposed to just shuffling them) is a high priority.

MP3s

I find these invaluable for retaining information. I used recorded notes to help me through university and continue to use them to help my Japanese along. The guy over at Tanos.co.uk made some MP3s of the vocab for the first two JLPT tests (1600 words or so). Even though he sounds like a bit of a gumper, I use and benefit from his recordings so here they are (.zip MP3 files):

Level N5 (easiest)

Level N4

His site also features audio tests and links for all the levels, so I would recommend visiting.

I love this way of studying and encourage you to make some files of your own to listen to on your way to work etc.

Anime/manga

A good long-term way of learning and remembering vocab is to find it in context. Watch anime in Japanese with subtitles and write down anything you can clearly identify, either words or sentences. Very useful for solidifying knowledge. Similarly with manga in Japanese, write down the things you need to look up, or didn't quite understand before. Review when bored.
But beware, characters in anime and manga often use words/phrases in ways which normal people do not, so exercise caution when talking to Japanese friends or you may sound like a moe.

Do you have any other methods which you find productive? Please stick them in the comments field below.

Workplace Transfers: 異動

One big difference between Japanese and Western workplaces is the common nature of transfers. In order to support traditional values of inter-connectedness, Japanese companies shuffle their employees around to different departments and regions every 1 to 5 years. The goal of these transfers is to create employees with a broad skill base and an overall understanding of how everything in the company works.

Every April, big Japanese companies scoop up a bunch of fresh faced 22-year-old graduates from the best universities in the nation. This is called 新卒採用 (shinsotsu saiyou). Unless hired to work in R&D, the educational background of these students is irrelevant, because they spend the next four months in training. They live in a secluded company dorm, eat at a cafeteria, take classes, attend seminars, and must pass tests, all to make up for the fact that [LINK]they didn't learn anything in university.

During training, supervisors watch the new employees carefully and note which areas each individual excels in. Once training is finished, these supervisors meet and assign each employee to a job role according to the company's needs. The new employee can be sent to any department in any branch of the company around Japan (or, if the company has international offices, around the world).

But, it doesn't stop there; a few years down the line, when the new employee is getting accustomed to their current job and company environment, 異動 (idou) time rolls around. The employee can be reassigned to a new job, a new department, and even a new region. Of course, the employee always reserves the right to refuse (by quitting). But subservience to the company's will is the price of the [LINK]lifelong compensation package Japanese companies offer.

Related:
Working Guide

Why do Gaijin Smell so Bad?

Japanese people think gaijin smell awful. Some say it's a buttery smell.

Well, that's pretty accurate. Right now I stink. But there are good reasons for this.

Listen up Japan: take this into consideration before you harshly judge us whiteys:

1. Summer is far too long, too hot and there is no air-con in this (or any other) school.

2. Japanese deodorant doesn't work! It's more like scented water. I'm forced to have the stuff imported.

3. Japanese washing-machines use cold water. What's the point in that?

4. You stink too, so shut up!

Second-Hand Stores

Pretty much synonymous with selling rubbish from dead and poor people's homes, second-hand stores aren't something I would previously have connected with Japan. How wrong I was!

They come in several guises, all of which are awesome.

1. Book/manga/CD/DVD/game places
   Often just one shop selling all of the above, such as BookOFF. A LOT of stuff here is 105yen, including all your favourite manga tankoban, classic computer games (although rare ones can be CONSIDERABLY more expensive), books (often including English-language ones) and CDs (also many English/American releases). DVDs, BD and VHS (yes, VHS) can also be cheap, but as this is Japan you may also find yourself staring at a copy of Nanny McPhee for 4,250yen.
   Places like BookOFF will usually have a wide selection of games, including NES and original Gameboy cartidges. If you want a better selection though, I'd head for a specialist place like FamicomWorld in Nerima, Tokyo.
   
   
2. Mystery stores
   In Gunma I found another two additions to the OFF series of shops - HardOFF and HouseOFF. I'm not sure what the difference between HardOFF and BookOFF is... I think the former is basically the latter without books or manga. HouseOFF was a junkyard of crappy cast-offs from people's attics, and fell into the (lower end of the) last category:
   
   
3. House shops
   Often with names like Second Street, Second Land etc, these places are a goldmine for cheap homehold electronics - ceiling lights, TVs, media players, white goods, sofas (wouldn't recommend the last one), air-con units etc.
   We needed a new fridge. Long story short we found it as new, just over half the new price in one of these stores.
   But one thing which should not be recommended is the clothes section of these places. Japanese fashion is, let's be clear, awful. And yet somehow the clothes here are even worse. Unless you want to look like an Eastern-European fashionista from the 80s who couldn't afford real shoes so made some out of cardboard and drew on his own laces, this is not the place for you. Stop for the photo opportunity with the huge fur coat, leopardskin hat and pink shorts, but draw the line there!
   Another odd thing about these places is that they seem to buy and try to sell completely unsellable objects - stained soft-toys, chipped cups, battered alarm clocks... what's the point?

5 Random School Lunches From Japan

When I first got here I thought lunch was great - plentiful, reasonably tasty and a new experience. 18 months later I dread the whole experience.

I recently explained why eating with my students kind of sucks sometimes, but now I want to talk about the food itself.

I'd like to point out, before any enraged Japanophiles get on my case, that although I openly dislike a lot of Japanese school lunches so do the Japanese.

Without further ado, here are the five lunches I was presented with last week:

1. Monday
   
   
   • Rice,
   • Prawn and dough fried thing (satsumaage)
     
   • Salad of carrot, cucumber, caggabe and tofu strips with a peanut dressing,
   • Miso soup with potato, two types of tofu, daikon and carrot.
     
   Calories: 789
   Review: Everything was fine except for the soup, which tasted awful and was a chore to eat. 2/5
   
   
   
2. Tuesday
   
   
   • One packet of softmen noodles,
   • Fried fish with lemon sauce,
     
   • Hijiki (seaweed), carrot, cabbage,
     
   • Miso ramen soup with pork, carrot, daikon and onion.
   Calories: 726
   Review: Pretty good! 4/5
   
   
   
3. Wednesday
   
   
   • Rice with yukari. Not sure what that is but it turned it purple and tasted similar to umeboshi (pickled plums),
     
   • Tomato omelette,
   • Fried sweet potato slithers, cucumber and lettuce,
     
   • Sumashi soup with wakame, mushrooms, reformed fish and indeterminate bits of vegetable.
   Calories: 734
   Review: Cold and miserable. 2/5
   
   
   
4. Thursday
   
   
   • A bread roll,
   • A cold hamburger with ketchup,
   • Seasame sprinkled pickled cabbage and cucumber,
   • A particularly flavourless soup containing boiled potatoes, carrots and daikon, with bizarrely thin pieces of hotdog sausage at the bottom.
   Calories: 820
   Review: Slimey yet satisfying burger, but the soup was dreadful. 3/5
   
   
   
5. Friday
   
   
   • Rice,
   • Some kind of tempura fish with tempura sauce,
   • Nori, beansprouts, carrot and celery salad,
   • What can only be called "stick soup". This is very common, and aside from the sticks (actually root shavings) contains tofu, carrots, daikon, small bits of funny looking chicken and spring onions. The proper name for this style is Kenchin soup.
     
   Calories: 742
   Review: Greasy, bitter, full of twigs. 2/5
   
   

Note that these are usually presented with a 200ml bottle of milk (included in the calorie counts). I have an allergy.

A previous post went into some detail as to why Japanese schools make such high calorie and bizarre meal choices, but actually this week was fairly tame. No pregnant fish, whale or awful soy-burgers. When I do get something like that I'll be sure to post it here.

UPDATE:

As promised, here are pregnant fish (komochi shisamo) in all their glory. Inside is literally full of eggs, and you eat them whole. Luckily their bones are made out of tissue paper so don't destroy your mouth. Despite their looks, they don't actually taste that bad, despite the ash-esque aftertaste.


Lunch Mats.

You may have noticed that each day I had a different coloured mat under my food. Lunch mats are big business in Japan. All the kids have a different one for approximately every day of their lives, and all the big shops have huge racks of them. All the big (and not so big) anime series are reprezentin', and I even found a Thomas the Tank Engine one.

I only have five different mats though, and I often feel a bit underdressed. Obviously it's time to invest in some more to retain some macho pride.

Your lunch stories in the comments box please!

Being an ALT series: 

Part #1: Teaching English in Japan 

Part #2: Your Role

Part #3: A Typical Day

Part #4: Planning Classes 

Part #5: Getting Drunk on Duty (the Enkai) 

Part #6: 4 Japanese Teachers You May Have to Work With

Part #7: Physical Resources

Part #8: Making Activities


  

5 Japanese Cars for Tall People

I'm 6'4" and have a pretty rough time in most cars. When I was car shopping I tried loads of different models. There are clearly a lot of nice, affordable cars in Japan; like the Nissan March, Honda Fit and Toyota Passo, but legroom can be a big pain in the arse (let's not even mention K-cars).

So let's look at five solid options for tall people in Japan:

1. Nissan Cube.
   Oh yeah, you know it! I love this car. The headroom is stupendous. I could wear a top-hat in this baby. It's also a beautiful car, despite maybe being aesthetically different to what Westerners are used to.
   The elegant curves of the 3rd generation in particular (inside and out) are really something. It's a good choice for a family car, too. In fact there is a version of the 2nd generation called the Cube Cubic which squeezes 7 seats into only an extra 20cm length over the regular 5-seater. I'm doubtful it's quite as roomy as the regular edition, though, and misses out on the excellent boot space (although you can take out two seats very easily and enjoy the bigger-than-usual boot).
   Anyway, I can't emphasise enough how much room there is in the front. The streeing wheel can be moved right up so that my legs don't even touch it getting in and out, and the dashboard is collosal - plenty of space for mascots etc, although the 3rd gen has done away with some of this in favour of sexy curves and cup-holders.
   It's a joy to drive, and effortlessly cruises through the narrow streets of my small town. Expressway driving is similarly enjoyable. Excellent car, try it!
   Price 300,000-1,300,000 yen used
   
   
2. Toyota bB.
   Similar in many ways to the Cube, although not quite as roomy in the front. The front bumper extends forward in quite an aggressive fashion, and the manacing grill and box shaped bonnet rear up in an alarming way. Good for studs.
   The upholstery is fantastic. Sexy, sleek and comfortable. However the dashboard is very oddly designed. The speedomoter sits above the dash like a child's clock, and there seems to be a lot of wasted space.
   All-in-all, though, a decent choice, especially for those wanting a more masculine ride. And unlike the Cube, the boot opens in the classic upwards direction more suited to the tight spaces often found in Japan.
   300,000 - 1,600,000 yen used
   
   
3. Toyota ist (Scion xD).
   A good choice, more attractive inside and out than the bB, though slightly boring in the dash area. Good boot space, but again has a slightly brash exterior when compared to my lovely Cube (okay, so the Pokemon version is pretty cool).
   400,000 - 1,500,000 yen used
   
   
   
   
4. Nissan Note.
   Another attractive offering from Nissan. Longer than the Cube but somehow less roomy inside. Lower head clearance, and the steering wheel is marginally lower set too, but still comfortable to drive. Plush interior. Costs a bit more than the other choices unless you get the older model.
   500,000 - 1,500,000 yen used
   
   
   
5. Honda Freed.
   The rich man's choice, the Freed is the updated version of the Mobilio (also a good one) and is a big car. Significantly larger than the Cube, and very spacious inside. However it has the gearshift on the dash which is just ugly. Very plush and new in other respects, though. If you have the money this is definately worth checking out.
   1,600,000-2,100,000 yen used

All-in-all you can't do better than the Cube if you're looking for something adequately sized for a decent price. There's plenty of room for me, and even if you have a few extra inches you should be fine.

Other honourable mentions go to the Subaru Dex, which seems to be an updated, more powerful version of the Toyota bB with an attractive interior, and the new Mini Clubman if you can find it in Japan (haven't tried it but it looks like a good choice).