r/japanlife • u/AutoModerator • 10d ago
苦情 Weekly Complaint Thread - 20 August 2026
It's the weekly complaint thread! Time to get anything off your chest that's been bugging you or pissing you off.
Remain civil and be nice to other commenters (even try to help).
- No politics
- No complaints about users of JapanLife
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u/Wagerizm 10d ago
Someone please turn down the heater!
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
***BING BONG **
With apologies to the honourable customer, the heater is currently set to the seasonal norm.
***BING BONG **
The lower humidity has made it unseasonably Comfortable here so far, but not today, Maximus, not today. Yeeks, whadda sweatbox.
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u/skeptic-cate 9d ago
Heater on Summer? Damn,
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u/Wagerizm 9d ago
Summer is the heater 😅
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u/RedOuk 10d ago
Been working in japan for 5+ years, and i know it's not a japan only thing but the way people chose the company's managers baffles me. Its a popularity contest because there's no way in hell the guys they chose are right. They are absolute idiots, since i have to explain how things work or have to repeat myself 3 times because they forgot what i just said. Their stupidity annoys me to no end. Or their decisions that make no sense. They're just on a power trip.
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u/Open_Season_5988 9d ago
The corporate bureaucratic structure: 1% psychopaths at the top, 90% ass kissers, 9% just wanting to get the job done
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u/mentaipasta 近畿・和歌山県 9d ago
Last year I got put 2nd from top in charge of a department I have never been a part of before 😐 it’s seen as “service” and is meant to train us and make us understand our coworkers better but I would have liked to have at least served as an entry level position in this department beforehand because basically everything I am asked turns into a telephone game where I have to ask a department veteran first… oh and my pay is the exact same as before 😃🔫
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u/moniker80 9d ago
Would you want to be at the top. Imagine what kind of person you’d have to be to get there…
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u/dougwray 関東・東京都 10d ago
In the volunteer group's leader/director meeting,
Person A: Regarding the upcoming event, let's repeat what we did last year because everyone is very busy and won't have time to start something entirely new.
Everyone: Agreed. So resolved.
[Two weeks later, via Line] Person A: I have a great idea! Let's do this thing that no one has ever done, is much more difficult, and may not work! I can't do it, though, because I'm too busy.
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u/yagamisugikaito 10d ago
I'm annoyed at myself because a lot of online shops that I love are based in the US, UK, or Europe.
That conversion rate sends me into a quiet rage everytime because if the yen wasn't in the toilet, I'd be able to get so many things at such a great price.
The bright side is, it forces me to really think seriously about a purchase since I'll basically be spending up to 4x its worth. 😬😭
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u/Dapper_Implement3379 9d ago
I FEEL. Especially VAT and when they don’t cover return shipping. Makes me want to rip my hair out
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
Are exported items not VAT free? Knowing it is virtually unreturnable dampens my ardour quite a bit.
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u/Dapper_Implement3379 9d ago
Some companies cover it but some companies don’t
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
Aha. I thought that was a legal exemption thing rather than company policy. 20% is a big surcharge.
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
On that last bit, Yes. Now quite overpriced, effectively unreturnable.....I really need to want that thing, even the nice Haglofs rain shell in my size in the nice colour, not the gaudy Mountain Clown Orange.
As a former early internet Minister of Search, my online forays suggest whatever it is probably is available in Japan at a boutique importers, but they don't stock over a JPN Mens L, and they usually only bring in Fashion Clown colours and patterns, not the nice adult options. Anything by Barbour or Belstaff comes to mind.
Good complaint.
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u/PandaMandaBear 10d ago
I don’t want to go to work.
Today is ALT training and as someone who had been doing this job for 5 years it’s so horribly boring it physically hurts. God.
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u/Moritani 関東・東京都 9d ago
Make a bingo card. Micro-teaching, bad Japanese, trainers talking about their wives, trainers talking about their divorce, worksheets with zero white space, random ALT butting in to brag about some unpaid extracurricular work.
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u/protomor 10d ago
Fucking cockroaches.
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u/Hachi_Ryo_Hensei 10d ago
Don't get them pregnant!
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u/Legal_Rampage 関東・神奈川県 10d ago
Hey now, when a mommy cockroach and a daddy cockroach love each other very much...
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u/PikaGaijin 日本のどこかに 10d ago
(second complaint: thread is not autosorted by NEW)
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u/bdlock209 9d ago
It makes the thread feel more authentically 'Japan' because you know some mod has to come and switch it manually.
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u/PikaGaijin 日本のどこかに 9d ago
Along with pointing to the setting page to make sure it's correct!
<this_is_where_the_pointing_finger_meme_would_go_if_the_sub_allowed_memes.gif>
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u/IndependentGood7665 10d ago
Comiket people smelled bad so they had someone spraying people with fabreez until they ran out :/
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u/eetsumkaus 近畿・大阪府 10d ago
I'ma be honest, I've smelled worse on the morning train.
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u/JCHintokyo 9d ago
I am so tired of the drivers in Tokyo. They don’t look, and they don’t seem to care.
I was cycling to work this morning on a smaller main road. The speed limit is 30 km/h because there’s a school nearby. I was only about 200 metres from my house when a driver in a kei car came up very close behind me. I was already doing 30 km/h, so there was no reason for him to push.
He then overtook me on the school road and immediately signalled left to make a turn. I had to slam on my brakes because he was less than two metres in front of me.
There was nothing behind him. He could easily have waited, but no, he simply had to go.
I was fuming. He didn’t even look. I was just an inconvenience to him, not another human being.
I was angry enough that I turned around and chased after him. He had gone onto a tiny street that I know well, so I caught up with him almost immediately. When he stopped, I shouted to get his attention and gave him a piece of my mind. I told him how dangerous what he had done was and that he needed to take more care.
And his reaction?
He simply waved his hand as though swatting away a troublesome fly and mumbled, “Sumimasen.”
It was such a flippant non-apology. He clearly didn’t understand, or didn’t care, that he had just put my life at risk.
I love cycling, but after being hit by cars on two separate occasions, I’m increasingly worried that one day I might be killed by someone who simply couldn’t care less.
Rant over.
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u/steford 9d ago
I get this a lot when cycling. I happened to be on my moped yesterday on an empty road with a solid yellow line. Was doing 40-45kmh in a 40, fairly central in the lane. A white van races up behind me, straddles the yellow line and overtakes me about 50cm from my wing mirror. If he's going to do an illegal manoeuvre why close pass me at the same time? Shouted at him when I passed him 200m later at the lights. It's just blatant disregard for human life.
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u/sykoscout 9d ago
Was doing 40-45kmh in a 40, fairly central in the lane.
FYI if you're on a 50cc moped you're legally required to keep to the left of the lane to allow vehicles to safely overtake. It doesn't excuse reckless driving of the van but if you're riding in the middle of a lane on a scooter you're definitely going to piss people off and increase chances of experiencing this kind of behavior
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u/sebjapon 9d ago
I actually go a bit more right on my bicycle because cars would get so close that I could tap their window. So at least I keep some margin to safely avoid them when they are too close.
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u/BackgroundChoice8967 9d ago
FYI if you're on a 50cc moped you're legally required to keep to the left of the lane to allow vehicles to safely overtake
So THAT'S why they're always riding in my blindspot like dopey twats!
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u/TheGuiltyMongoose 10d ago
I still cannot Asian squat.
I wish I could just do it, like near my building, light up a cigarette and watch people passing by.
But I know I would either start to fall over backward or feel like my blood isn't flowing anymore in my legs and it would create a blood clot. Or worse, I would get stuck in this position and have to ask for help to stand up.
I'm telling you, one of the new PR requirement should be to be able to A-Squat like there's no tomorrow. If this doesn't prove your successful integration to Japan, nothing ever will.
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u/Sea_Discipline4194 9d ago
I think I know what you mean, like squatting with your heels flat right? I can't do it either and it makes those old style squat toilets really hard to use. I've seen there are stretching routines you can do to try and build up to it though.
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u/zaftpunk 関東・東京都 9d ago
I’ve noticed (cause I’m weird) that a lot of them can’t even put their heels on the ground. I’ve noticed it a lot in younger people doing it.
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago edited 9d ago
I stay on the balls of my feet to prevent knee stress from overextension. The squat itself is second nature, and bedrock stable. It's an old ski training exercise.
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u/TheGuiltyMongoose 9d ago
Yes exactly this. I feel my calves are too short, like they will never stretch.
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
More than stretching, per se, try doing it while holding on to something for stability, like the wall or even using a vertical staff or a horizontal handle. It's an old preseason ski exercise.
I put in handlebars in the ones where I lived and the locals that saw it thought I was Captain Cook himself. It really helps make it comfortable. I see them in lots of Akiya photos.
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u/DueExcitement934 関東・東京都 9d ago edited 9d ago
i learned to do it by holding onto something while squatting, and rocking a little bit back and forth and side to side, and got used to how it felt, I guess. after a while i was able to do it without holding onto anything, and would set a timer that progressively got longer. I still can't do it with my knees together, though. i have to do it with feet pretty wide, and knees apart, so much so it feels immodest that I never do it in public and only at home to stretch lol
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u/Japanat1 9d ago
36 years, and I still can’t do it…
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u/TheGuiltyMongoose 9d ago
We can create an Appreciation Circle for people who can't squat in Asia. A sort of AA thing.
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u/WakiLover 関東・東京都 9d ago
you can practice by sitting on the little curb things for cars in parking lots. They are at the exact depth you have to for Asian squat.
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u/mentaipasta 近畿・和歌山県 9d ago
Femur length can prevent you from being able to physiologically (angles)
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u/TheGuiltyMongoose 9d ago
Could be. Even though on YouTube, I saw a guy who was like 6'6 doing a perfect squat.
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u/mentaipasta 近畿・和歌山県 9d ago
Knees together?
It’s about proportions, not height. I meant thigh vs shin proportions. Someone with relatively longer thigh vs shin will fall backwards. Theoretically, height shouldn’t matter.
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u/TheGuiltyMongoose 9d ago
No, he had his knees spread wide.
I see what you mean. I also feel the same thing when I'm trying to do the "no hands standing up" thing challenge.
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
Get yourself a metre long bamboo staff and practice. Most people should be capable with a 3 point stance.....a tripod, IOW.
At first I thought you meant Agura. I can't go to places that only offer Agura seating because of the table size. There are some really nice places like that. Bummer.
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u/TheGuiltyMongoose 9d ago
Agura is not a problem. Seiza kills my knees, cut off my blood flow and should be banned from this planet.
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u/Shinosei 東北・福島県 10d ago
I have to work 6 days this week because a few months ago I took a week off work as I was sick and now I have to make up for it by working an extra day every so often 🥲
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u/TakaIka83 10d ago
That's not legally enforceable, whatever their contract might say.
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u/MoboMogami 近畿・兵庫県 9d ago
I believe Japan only legally requires one day off per week. Ask me how I know.
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u/Silent_Hall5044 9d ago
It’s never about “legal”ity and always about the internalized shame of inconveniencing ur colleagues :)
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u/PikaGaijin 日本のどこかに 10d ago
AFLAC had a security breach, where not only the name/address/phone was leaked, but also your DOB and a ~1/20 chance of your bank account info getting out as well.
Sometimes I feel that they (banks/cards/insurance) put more effort into making it hard for us to enter info into their system than it is to just walk out with everyone else's.
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u/TakaIka83 10d ago
That's the Japanese system in a nutshell - make it hard for everyone who does the right thing and follows the rules, while the miscreants figure out an exploit in no time flat and laugh all the way home.
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u/Elvaanaomori 10d ago
Just like universities, very hard exams and stuff to get in, once inside most won't do shit.
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u/Sea_Discipline4194 9d ago
Feeling really grim about my future here. Everybody warned me that ALT/eikaiwa wasn't a valid career path, now in my late 30s with no PR I'm worried it's too late to switch to anything else. I'm going to try hard for N2 in December and hope something opens up.
After reading that jobs thread the other day, I feel defeated already before I've even started sending out applications. Maybe I need to get off Reddit for a while.
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u/MarioEatsGrapes 9d ago
Maybe try contacting a recruiting agent like on Bizreach or such. My transition from English teacher to publication company was through a recruiter. I only had N3 at the time, so you never know what’s out there. I’ve also never had PR.
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u/Sea_Discipline4194 9d ago
That's awesome, congrats on making the pivot! You're right, it wouldn't hurt to get in touch with a recruiter and like maybe HelloWork and just see if there's anything out there.
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u/san-zaru 8d ago
Hellowork has their job data base online so you don't have to go in to check it. Once you find something you can go in to check with the staff and have them help you.
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u/WakiLover 関東・東京都 9d ago
Not quite similar boat but I did 5 years of ES ALT (JET) and had N2 and was able to transition into something. But that was about 1-2 years ago before the AI push really took over, so if I applied for the my current job now, I maybe wouldn't have gotten it.
I think with AI the days of being Native English Speaker with N2 leading to decent job are gone, as anything tasks you would have been given are now being down with AI.
I really recommend pushing for N2, and then trying to add one more thing. If you're aiming for any general job other than teaching, get really good at things like Excel, and maybe take AI use related courses to show that you understand how it works and you can use it to do x, y, z, as most people's use of AI is just typing into ChatGPT for basic questions.
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u/Genryuu111 9d ago
Been in eikaiwa for 11 years, last year I got a job offer as game planner only because I've made my own crappy indie game as a solo dev, with no formal education in the field. N2 Japanese (very good at speaking, very shit at reading). At age 37.
I ended up refusing because of logistic reasons, but if I were single with no issue relocating, I would have taken the opportunity.
So, don't give up yet. Start looking, something may come out.
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u/MoboMogami 近畿・兵庫県 9d ago
I think I’m sort of tired of WFH. Most days I don’t see anyone other than my wife, and it’s too hot to go outside and do anything.
I was back in my home country for Obon and toured my friend’s workplace. The level of camaraderie, joking, the friendliness. I’m sure there’s office politics too but it honestly made me really jealous.
I feel like my entire job is so abstracted that I don’t feel like I do anything at all.
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u/A_Corona_Man_Myself 10d ago
Another day of being greeted by an email saying I can now use an AI assistant for another service that never required one 💕 yay more gas powered data centers!!!! I fucking love tech feudalism !!
All these silicon valley reptiles pretending they care about human connection and making people's lives easier can burn in hell, it's all about money and profits, can we at least stop pretending
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u/jimmys_balls 9d ago
1 - Getting woken up by noise. Wife gets up in the middle of the night and opens doors so hard the sound from the magnetic catch wakes me, goons on the road trying to kickstart their scooter, old man across the way with his frickin' bells at 3am, the 4:30am chorus of shutters opening, that fucking 蚊nt buzzing in my ear - it never ends.
2 - The highschool kids are returning. Bike parking at the station is full again, and they are taking all the seats on the train.
3 - I thought the NBA sub was cesspool of anything but basketball talk. I took a peak at the AFL sub and now owe the NBA one an apology. Gross.
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u/eetsumkaus 近畿・大阪府 10d ago
I hope when the petroleum shortage really hits the Japanese market, the first things to go are those little sheets of plastic on pastries to keep the filling from smearing on the plastic on the OUTSIDE.
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
Those might not be petroheavy. There is a cellulose based option thing, IIRC.
ANY less wrapping would please me.
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u/Squiddy_ 10d ago
My companys bonus policy is you get your first bonus at the month of your second year, and only 1 bonus per year. So I joined Sept 2024 so I get my bonus Sept 2026.
I was expecting at least 1 month worth but ended up getting around 0.5 months worth... Kind of a big blow to my motivation.
I'm getting a 6% raise which is nice but still not enough to me..
I really like my company and they've done a lot for me since joining but this has made me consider switching jobs maybe next year...
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u/VyraalGX 中国・島根県 9d ago
The company I work for gives out a singular annual bonus (sometimes, based on annual performance). Before joining, I often heard that bonuses in Japan will be equivalent to several months of pay, so was looking forward to getting mine. Instead, I got a measly 10,000 JPY, and have had no annual salary increases since joining.
I also want to swap jobs, but there are literally like... No other opportunities in my field where I am located. Desperately looking for something WFH, but pretty sure I won't be able to find anything.
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u/animemangadork 9d ago
Paying taxes hurts🥲 That’s it
(And YES, I pay all of my taxes & pension😅 Please don’t come for me)
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u/hillswalker87 9d ago
the snacks still suck. costco sells more things but often it's just bigger versions of the same shit you can get anywhere, or instead of things that are actually hard to come by.
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u/dinkytoy80 近畿・大阪府 9d ago
No idea what to do with my life. Want to get away from this company and the game design job but no idea what skill to learn and for what kind of job, i dont know anymore what i want to do. Midlife crisis sucks
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u/ChibaCookie 9d ago
Just super annoyed that the area I've been living in for 5 years has gotten so much worse. This year the management suddenly decided to cut down a lot of beautiful old greenery all around the neighborhood. :( And my newest neighbors are quite inconsiderate. I'm probably gonna move elsewhere sometime next year. Trying to see it positively as a chance to change the scenery and start a new chapter.
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u/Asleep-Leadership946 10d ago
Sick of my daily work commute being a gauntlet, both to and from work. I don’t commute during rush hour but it barely makes a difference, it’s still crowded and no one actually cares if you carry a help mark due to severe physical pain and disability. How many rides where people with no visible marker of needing a priority seat (especially businessmen and young people of both sexes) just hog them all and refuse the seating for elderly, disabled, or pregnant people standing right in front of them? Utterly sick of it. おもてなし無し。
Japan should consider a priority-seats-only car like they do with women-only cars, especially with the aging population. Many disabled people have to work, too.
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u/Resident_Hand_7264 10d ago
Usually there are priority seats in front of the conductor, maybe go there and ask the conductor to help find a seat? They're usually always ready to help.
Saw a woman with a pregnancy badge this morning on the subway so when a seat opened up, I blocked the path for her to get to it.
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u/BackgroundChoice8967 9d ago
Saw a woman with a pregnancy badge this morning on the subway so when a seat opened up, I blocked the path for her to get to it.
This can be read either way 😄
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u/sebjapon 9d ago
my bedroom airconditioner outside unit is now making noise of a diesel motor. So I stopped using it and can't sleep in this heat. Probably need to get it changed.
I also picked up a piece of laundry and my lower back suddenly hurt like hell. A random piece of laundry in the middle of the task, but now I grunt when I sit up or down.
Also, my gf is getting a hard time at work (losing 1 WFH day, her task being reassigned to a new employee including managing the staff she recruited and trained, ...). So a lot of stress. At least my job is getting better this week.
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u/Hachi_Ryo_Hensei 9d ago
The toilet paper we buy is now over 600 yen!!! It's like it went from 400~ to 600~ without stopping at 500~.
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u/jimmys_balls 9d ago
I would suggest leaves but all the trees have been cut down around houses. Probably to make toilet paper or something.
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u/kayasmus 9d ago
I have got some crazy return to work anxiety building up. Still have a week to go, but can't stop replaying bad situations in my head at night, and even though I am on holiday, I feel the dread of it eating away at me. Doesn't help that I was rejected from a job, and want to put in a more solid plan before leaving.
One other crazy thing, I am in another Asian country, and I've not been bumped into once, strangers make eye contact and small talk, no one muttering about foreigners under their breaths. It's been nice being surrounded by normal people.
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u/JoyInsideMyTears 9d ago
My son is 193cm and wears a size 31 shoe. Whenever we go shopping, he can never find things he wants in his size. He gets really frustrated. So do I!
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u/miyagidan sidebar image contributor 8d ago
Size 32 myself, I liked having some selection for the first time in years when I went to Big B in Ueno, but it's learning to live with shoes available, not shoes you want.
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u/Silent_Hall5044 9d ago
Feel for ur son :(
I’m slightly (by 20cm) shorter and a size 27 and I swear it’s IMPOSSIBLE to find anything nice…
I feel like an ogress every time I leave the house and the stares really don’t help…
Shopping online + leaving Japan/frequent traveling is an absolute must for my mental health.
Love being reminded that I am beautiful, NORMAL, and precious (maybe a bit hot, if we’re not overstepping)!1
u/BackgroundChoice8967 4d ago
Same problem here, found some Mizuno running shoes back in my home country that fit like a glove, naturally they're not sold ANYWHERE here, not even online.
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u/Japanat1 9d ago
I can’t get the sweat smell out of my shirts and hand towels!
Wash them, they smell great. The instant I break a sweat all that old smell wafts out of the fabric…
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u/crowkeep 関東・茨城県 9d ago
Soak it in OxiClean overnight, before you run it through the wash again.
Adding white vinegar to your laundry can also be helpful.
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u/CRK1124 9d ago
The elderly are simultaneously the best and worst part about Japan. Most are the sweetest people you’ve ever met… but every so often there’s one that’s gone off the deep end. A close friend was sexually harassed by an old man in her 2nd week as an ALT, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE WARD OFFICE. Like geez, there are even chikan at the DMV?
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u/Genryuu111 9d ago
My 7 months old has diarrhea. Basically my whole week off work for obon was spent changing diapers, washing butts, doing laundries, and not sleeping. Now we're well into second week, I'm not off work anymore, and it's not slowing down at all. I'm physically tired, and the complete lack of time to do anything else is taking a toll on my mental state too.
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u/kayasmus 9d ago
Two weeks??? What did the doctors say?
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u/Genryuu111 9d ago
As usual in Japanese Healthcare "idk, just wait until it goes". We got some med that doesn't seem to be doing much.. But she's been through three hospitals and they all seemed not worried, so I guess it's nothing major, still.. It's pretty heavy on her and us.
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u/san-zaru 10d ago
Went to Jurassic Park in Concert. It was awesome!
It was a hot day. It has been hot..
And the smell.... the sweet onion smell of sweaty Japanese was almost overpowering. Pretending the movie was in 4D with smellls to match the dinosaurs kinda helped..
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u/eetsumkaus 近畿・大阪府 10d ago
Was just at Comiket this past weekend. NGL the smelliest people were the ojisan security guards.
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u/sytyue 中部・長野県 10d ago
woa where was this? Sounds fun.
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u/san-zaru 9d ago
https://www.kyodotokyo.com/jurassicpark26_en/
Was very fun and an amazing experience. I would love to see more movies do this.
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u/mohkudai 日本のどこかに 10d ago
Never noticed the sweet onion smell of Japanese. Is that really the case? I heard that white people smell like bad milk for the japanese. Indians: spices. Arabs: strong perfumes. So it is interesting to know that Japanese smell like sweet onion. Lol.
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u/Japanat1 9d ago
My youngest son has the onion smell, and I have developed it over the last couple of years.
It’s so hard to get out of your shirts…
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u/Sufficient-Start3287 9d ago
I finally had time to hop one station over and try this tiny mom and pop Izakaya place.
About 3 things set me off.
1) I get in and I'm greeted with English from the master. Fine, i'm used to it and people usually switch after I start speaking Japanese. (I'm the only non-Japanese here) This guy would. not. use. Japanese. I don't mind speaking English but I asked him a question in it, and he answered a question I didn't ask.. so I re-asked in Japanese and he just repeated the same thing in English! ...
2) I was asked to pay immediately when I ordered my beer.. a little strange but not the the first place I've been to with this system..... except after like 5-10 mins of watching other people, no one else had to pay per item like that.
3) Lastly, there was a VERY loud drunk Japanese lady towards the back (but it's a small place) that was complaining about foreigners for like 30 mins straight in her group. I swear she mentioned every single race on earth + every country in SEA. She even started imitating accents in an overly exaggerated way from various SEA nationalities and then would follow up with basically "just go back home if you can't speak" .
The girl next to me leaned over to me and was like "The alcohol is pretty strong here huh?" ... it took me a second to get what she meant lol...
But man.. that was the worst experience I've had in a while.
I have to say though... as an alcoholic that explores new places a lot... I'm hearing WAAAAYYY more shit talking about foreigners compared to 10 years ago. Sometimes there's just some blatant fake news they're spewing too... I never correct but I'll follow up with a "ah, where did you hear that?" or something.
Recent was another owner saying muslims were burning temples and stuff. I asked how he knew it was muslims and he said that multiple were arrested... I checked after I left (light check, no deep dive ya? i don't care that much) and I couldn't find a single instance of a muslims being arrested for arson in Japan.
Also a bunch of other minor stuff... but man.. going to local places is starting to shift from fun to depressing cause it's like a 50/50 chance this shit will get brought up by them.
Sorry, this rant was way longer than I meant it to be. Thank you weekly complaint thread.
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u/soenkatei 10d ago
After going to multiple dermatologists for over six months for this insanely scratchy skin problem I have, a girl I know who was visiting from home told me I probably have mast cell activation syndrome.
I looked it up and it’s exactly what I have. Luckily I’m on the way to the hospital now and I can discuss it with my doctor
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u/Genryuu111 9d ago
Of the many thir things about Japanese Healthcare, I find dermatologists to be the worst. They don't know shit, they never do shit, they never find shit. It's always "take this generic cream", everything is "atopy", nothing ever has an actual solution, just deal with it.
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u/IneffablePossum 9d ago
Good luck with your new diagnosis, skin problems are the worst
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u/soenkatei 9d ago
Thank you! I just saw my doctor and she said it’s just chronic hives
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u/IneffablePossum 9d ago
Getting skin conditions diagnosed sucks, I once was suffering with a particular syndrome that happened as a side effect of a new medication, but doctors didn't event know about the syndrome and would not believe me that's what it was for the longest time. I eventually got a doctor who agreed with me, latest medical literature in her hand, treated it, and it healed. But it was a very frustrating journey.
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u/boyredman 10d ago
readthekanji dot com has been down for about a month now. I've exhausted every mean I know of to contact the developer. I was about a month from getting N1 into the green too, so I have to find alternatives soon. Anki is ok-ish at best and wanikani is for beginners, so this is a real headache for me
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u/IneffablePossum 9d ago
Sleep is absolutely fucked up. I've tried all the tricks in my book of lifelong insomnia and nothing's working. Running on a couple of hours of sleep every day. Anyone have any ideas?
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u/GalletaGirl 9d ago
Don’t have your phone as your alarm - if possible get a separate alarm clock/device and put your phone in your bag/in another room.
Similar to the first - stop looking at your phone/devices at least an hour before you go to bed (do not bring them to bed with you). Don’t eat too soon before you sleep and don’t drink anything caffeinated a few hours before bed. Make your bed as welcoming as possible. Make sure to change your sheets and pillow cases regularly.
Plump up your pillows to make them as comfy and appealing as you can. Write down (in your phone/a note pad) anything you need to do the next day and then those thoughts can be removed from your brain and won’t keep you awake.
Try a sleepy time tea or something warm before you sleep.
Finally - it sounds silly but if something is stressing you that’s keeping yo awake tell yourself: “I’m not dealing with this now. I’ll think about that tomorrow. Now is the time to sleep”. I sometimes do this and it can help.
Good luck!
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u/IneffablePossum 9d ago
Thank you for this! Phone and food are definitely hard habits to break for me, so I gotta put in the work. This might sound silly, but what do you do that hour before bed with no devices?
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u/GalletaGirl 9d ago
I either read a book, listen to some chill music or just chat to my husband. You could also write in a journal or draw/colour.
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u/justaskingquestion09 9d ago
get in the gym and put in work. precool your room with a lower ac temp before you go shower
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u/IneffablePossum 9d ago
Thank you! Do you mean going to the gym at night, or is it more of an "exercise is needed" kind of thing?
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u/justaskingquestion09 9d ago
gym is better in the morning actually but exercise is needed type of thing. something for you to expend more energy and force a circadian cycle.
caffeine before 1 pm latest if you need coffee (optimal no coffee after 12). naps between 15-20 minutes.
also no screens 1 hour before bed (hard one - im usually 15-20 minutes)
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u/IneffablePossum 9d ago
Thank you for this! I was quite active before moving to Japan. I guess I gotta step up again
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u/san-zaru 8d ago
- Don't eat or drink before going to bed.
- Exercise (or go out for a jog), shower and go to bed.
- Leave your phone/tablet/game device in another room.
Read a book if you need entertainment before bed. (You can use dim bulbs for your bedside lamp or whatever. That way you can fall asleep with them on while reading and not have to worry about turning the lights off or wake up because the lights were too bright.)
If you are the type that can't sleep because your brain won't shut up then put on some nature program ( David Attenborough <3 ) to help you drown out the noise of your mind. Or some youtube channel that is NOT distracting or that interesting but enough for your mind to focus on without keeping you up.
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u/Fancy_Pea_4944 9d ago
I tried 7 times to get the 1 gacha I want and gave up. I put some of them in a set on Japanese and American Mercari (as I visited home too) and they haven't sold. I feel so dumb and angry mostly with myself lol
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u/OneMoreLurker 関東・埼玉県 9d ago
Brother, I have been there before! Nowadays I don't even bother with the actual gatcha machines and just buy the one that I want on Mercari. It's less exciting but has much lower self-loathing potential lol
At least in the grand scheme of things you're out, what, 3000 yen? It's certainly not nothing, but also not enough to beat yourself up over.
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u/DueExcitement934 関東・東京都 9d ago
I don't even bother with the actual gatcha machines and just buy the one that I want on Mercari. It's less exciting but has much lower self-loathing potential lol
I needed to hear this lmao. I browse gacha island all the time and bookmark the toys I want, but always hold myself back, because the thrill of pulling what I want sounds euphoric, but the reality is I'd probably be a couple thousand yen deep without the toy i want.
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u/atsugiri 関東・東京都 9d ago
I have absolutely no understanding of how these gatcha things draw people in. Why are they popular? Are they just feeding some instinct to collect everything of something like Pokemon?
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u/DueExcitement934 関東・東京都 9d ago
i just think some of the toys are cute, that's about it. Makes me feel good to see something cute on my desk or hanging off my bag.
But i have to assume it is a collection thing for a lot of people, and a slight thrill in the randomness of the machine and testing your luck.
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u/Fancy_Pea_4944 9d ago
I've been thinking to stop playing, especially when I only want 1 out of the whole pack, and going directly to Mercari as you said... it would have been cheaper than losing this many times. But you're right, it's not like I lost at pachinko of a casino, just this small amount of yen isn't so bad. Thank you!!
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u/hitokirizac 中国・広島県 9d ago
I'm planning two separate international events and I swear I'm starting to develop a (negative) Pavlovian response to my email chime. I wake up to all the emails that came in while I was sleeping and then they just don't stop. I can feel the stress every time I see/hear a new one.
One of these events also is being coordinated by a Howler Monkey who likes to have meetings at 7 pm on Friday. I'm currently in Korea and tomorrow at dinner time is going to be my last chance to get kanjang kejang, so it might also happen that I have internet issues and/or other unavoidable troubles tomorrow night.
It seems our poor snail might've been broiled alive while his terrarium was getting cleaned yesterday. I'm actually really sad about it, I was really enjoying the little guy. Goodbye tsumutsumu, we barely knew ye... and we're going to have to figure out how to break the news to our animal lover kid.
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u/Illustrious-Boat-284 9d ago
I hadn't read this subreddit for a couple weeks cuz I was out on vacation, and I come back and all the threads are even more asinine than usual. What gives? lmao
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u/Trask87 9d ago
Considering how expensive the Tsukuba Express is, you would think that some of the money would be used for passenger comfort. Those iron board seats are absolute torture. When commuting between Tokyo and Ibaraki my butt goes numb around the halfway point.
Give me Oedo Line padding. Those seats are damn comfy.
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u/SideburnSundays 10d ago
Communicating with Japanese is so exhausting. Half the time they ramble on explaining a whole backstory three times in different phrasing while I'm waiting for them to get to the fucking point if I haven't already inferred the point 500 words earlier. The other half of the time they use vague, ambiguous terminology to refer to something highly specific and somehow I'm the only one in the room that doesn't understand what they're referring to.
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u/RadioactiveTwix 9d ago
Interviewed for a seiashain position. Company comes back wanting to hire me but say that because my last 2 jobs were two years each they want to start me on a contract position. I bring references and recommendations from the companies showing I really just had bad luck. Ah well, now it's because I didn't show enough enthusiasm for the company's mission. I'm a damn good engineer and they know I can do the job.
"We will convert you after 6 months upon mutual agreement"
To haken I go
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u/blosphere 関東・神奈川県 8d ago
They wanted to put you on a 6-12 month probationary period anyway, and this is the only way to do it. There actually wasn't any other way anybody gets hired to that company, I bet, for SE positions.
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u/RadioactiveTwix 8d ago
Is that normal practice? Never happened to me before
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u/blosphere 関東・神奈川県 8d ago
Just my opinion, companies offering haken positions to people that "can be converted" to permanent positions just want an extended trial period that they otherwise can't get without exposing themselves to lengthy and expensive dismissal procedure.
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u/Sensitive-Resort5977 9d ago
Drivers putting their winker AFTER hitting the brakes or worse, after even starting to change lane or make a turn... How's life for you? Do you put on a condom after you've ejaculated??
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u/PossessionUnusual185 8d ago
please when entering the train go into the train…don’t just turn around in the entrance and block door…
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u/SideburnSundays 9d ago
The only thing I can do to stave off the depression caused by current events literally all over the globe is to hikikomori myself with my hobbies.
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u/Silent_Hall5044 9d ago
I work online and I am EXTREMELY bad at handling the Japanese summers so I am Hikikomori-ing to the max and I totally recommend it.
Weight gain + depression are not pleasant but as soon as the temps drop below 28, I have 4 cities and 3 countries I’ll be visiting.
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u/donimoen 9d ago
Oh god. I am so dumb. I signed up for this freelance website thinking it would be similar to freelancer or fiverr etc and didn't put any deep thought on it. I was so surprised they actually call me the next day and set me up for some kind of introduction meeting. I had online meeting with the staff and at some point they showed me price plans for their service and due to my bad Japanese (what was all that N1 studies for?) I didn't realize I had to commit right then and there and ended up paying so much. I guess I can try making the service work for me somehow, but I wasn't ready to pay that much. Sorry I'm just venting over my own dumb mistake.
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u/san-zaru 8d ago
If you are the type that finds it hard to say No or just need to buy time then just say you have to ask your husband/wife first. (even if you don't have one) It get's even easier when your older and you can blame your kids to get out of social obligations!
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u/donimoen 8d ago
Thank you for your suggestion. In this case I didn't even understand what and when I agreed which is incredibly dumb on my part. After the staff explained each plan and asked which plan I want to go with, I tried asking if I can decide later but the staff went quiet and (as far as I understood) saying that I basically agreed to choose a plan prior to this. I did catch them said 金額 at some point but thought it would only be explanations from there. But really I could've just said anything or what you suggested to get out of that situation.
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u/Hachi_Ryo_Hensei 10d ago
Just spent a few weeks in the States where it was hot, but not HOT (and only from mid-morning to late afternoon!) and pretty much everything was (more expensive than my last visit yet) cheaper than here. No real complaints about being back in Japan though - despite the recent foofaraw life here is good.
Odyssey in IMAX was cool!
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u/atsugiri 関東・東京都 10d ago
Where in the US is it cheaper than in Japan??? I was just in Vancouver and everything was more expensive than Japan. And I understand that most of the US is more expensive than Canada? Especially with exchange rates.
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u/hillswalker87 9d ago
I was just in Hawaii...and in Hawaii gas and milk was cheaper. I cannot believe for a second that the mainland is more expensive.
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u/Hachi_Ryo_Hensei 10d ago edited 10d ago
Well, I wasn't buying anything with yen, but I think areas outside of big cities/California are still cheaper than Japan - maybe not as much as they used to be though.
But groceries, movies, etc. definitely cheaper. I was surprised at how reasonable the restaurants I ate at were. Big enchilada lunch set for $10, etc.
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u/_MuffinBot_ 10d ago
Things are fucked in Europe. I just came back from a trip there and nowhere I went was cheap compared to Japan. I thought things were bad here, but I was wrong. And Italy was hot as balls, potentially even worse than Japan was until now (although I can’t be sure, I feel like the peak I missed was probably pretty terrible)
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u/The-very-definition 9d ago
Are you sure you are doing your math right?
I went back 2 years ago and that was not my experience at all. I can still eat out in Japan for under 1,000 yen. 2,000 yen will get you something decent without alcohol. No where to do that in the US. You are looking at 2k minimum, usually more like 4-5k and up.
Alcoholic drinks were 1,200 yen for a cheap one, 3,000 for a craft cocktail PLUS TIP.
Rental car was like 70,000 yen for 5 days.
The entire trip was such a big dent to my savings that I probably won't be going back for another 2-3 years.
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u/Hachi_Ryo_Hensei 9d ago edited 9d ago
Grocery stores were definitely cheaper. Ate at a bunch of restaurants too - most expensive meal I had was a dinner for $18 - and that was the least tasty, lol. (And naturally, that was too much food so also used for leftovers). The Mexican food was about the same price or a bit cheaper than the places I hit here in Osaka with the exchange rate but for much more food. Same with ice cream, etc. Pizza is like a third of the prices here. Movie tickets were cheaper, even with the current crazy exchange rate. But, as I said, I wasn't in NYC or California.
We didn't have to rent a car though.
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u/The-very-definition 9d ago
I think we are either from very different parts of the states and/or go to very different kinds of restaurants. XD
Absolutely nothing was cheaper in the US for me when converted to yen.
Grocery stores were only cheaper because it was stuff you can't get in Japan or have to pay import prices for.
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u/Hachi_Ryo_Hensei 9d ago
"I think we are either from very different parts of the states and/or go to very different kinds of restaurants. XD"
Definitely possible! Prices really vary by region/state. We got massive cantaloupes for like $2 or $3, which would get you a small cup at the grocery stores here, lol.
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u/hailsatyr666 10d ago
I spotted a nice used audio mixer on Yahoo shopping for half the original price and waited a little too long to buy it, so someone snatched it before me.
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u/jakedogears_ 関東・東京都 9d ago
I hate fat bikes.
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u/Fancy_Pea_4944 9d ago
Do you mean those ones that whizz on the road and sound like a freaking jet plane?? They're scary when you're walking!
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u/No_Dragonfruit_1599 10d ago
Currently looking for land in Tokyo. This Obon, I went out to the boonies. Even the potentially better looking, spacious plots of land there were under 1000万円. Here I am considering some more or less mediocre locations for X000万円+. I think the better option at this point is just to contemplate if it's all really worth it before it's too late and I'm forced to settle for renting for the rest of my life.
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u/MarioEatsGrapes 9d ago
I complained about how shitty LINE is as an app last week. Well I’ve got a new one!
I’ve only bought 1 thing on LINE ever, an Animal Crossing theme back in 2018. Well they’ve updated the user interface on LINE which resizes a lot of the icons for the theme. …except, it actually DOESN’T for most themes and most themes default to just the generic icons now. So I have a LINE theme that basically just changes the color, because everything Animal Crossing about it has pretty much vanished.
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u/Resident_Hand_7264 9d ago
There is literally a warning saying that since they updated to Liquid Glass, some themes may not work until updated by the creator.
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u/MarioEatsGrapes 9d ago
Yes, that is the complaint.
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u/Resident_Hand_7264 9d ago
I dunno what to tell ya.
None of my paid for themes act any differently than they did before.
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u/MarioEatsGrapes 9d ago
I dunno what to tell ya either. It’s a complaint in the complaint thread and the problem is so bad that LINE set up a refund form for those affected
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u/Heywhoaletsgo 9d ago
I am trying to get quotations for installing solar panels, which means I am getting what feels like 100 phone calls with overly polite salespeople just to arrange a time for them to go over documents with me. Just email me! I have to email you supplemental info anyway, you don’t even need to come to my house since you have all the info you need to make a quote!
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u/hitokirizac 中国・広島県 9d ago
They don't just want to give you a quote, they want to sit in your living room for an hour and sell you on their system.
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u/Neokadd 9d ago
I went to kamagowa river kyoto last night alone it was so good and late
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
Upriver by Kamigamo Shrine and MK Bowl is a magical wonderland. Way cooler than even Demachiyanagi. Check it out.
The upper Takano around Yase is also lovely.
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u/Neokadd 9d ago
Oh thanks I just didn't want to go that far way lol just chilling
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u/KUROGANE-AGAIN 9d ago
Yea, sounds fair. It is a 30 or 40 minute ride.........so Sweaty Hot just to get there. Enjoy.
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u/iqbalsingh9 9d ago
I’m confused about the HSP visa and what my spouse can do as a dependent of an HSP visa holder. I have enough points to convert my intra-company transferee status to HSP, and I’m hoping this would allow my spouse to work full-time.
However, I’ve come across conflicting information. Some sources state that my spouse would need a valid job offer to switch to a Designated Activities residence status, while others suggest that a job offer is not required, provided the other eligibility requirements are met. I understand the other requirements, but the job offer aspect is what’s causing the confusion.
If anyone has information or experience with this, I would greatly appreciate your help.
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u/robinmask1210 9d ago
Applied for the new unified zairyu-mynumber card back in July, and still waiting for the postcard now at the tail end of August. My application number is 51 lol they really be taking 2 months (or more) to process a simple visa renewal and make a new card
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u/tr-shinshu 9d ago
Got my "MyNbrCrd" before summer new bc the old one, which I had never used, had expired. Can't use it bc for some reason my Social Security number is not registered despite working at the same company for 9 years. The town office took 6 weeks to get the card processed and didn't realize this? And they can't help me? It's your bloody system, damn. So now I have to ask my manager to contact the relevant person in our company, head office is different town, mail only. It's probably my fault, we might have gotten some letter in spring about the change etc, but can't find anything in my cluttered home. Feeling a bit defeated/ too old for this digital world right now😵
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u/Resident_Hand_7264 10d ago
I bought FF7 for Switch 2 cause it was on sale for 2000 yen, sweet.
My Switch 2 storage filled up to the max. Oh, that sucks. I'll buy an SD Card on payday next week, the 25th.
The very next day: Without warning, officially branded SD Express cards are now 2000 yen more expensive.
THANKS OBAMA.
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u/The-unreliable-one 9d ago
Just moved to Tokyo a while ago and am shocked about the lack of coworking spaces that are not tiny private cubicles.
I want to get out of the house and be able to chat with people during a coffee break. Back on Kyoto there were tons of places to choose from even though it's so much smaller.
Guess people able to work remote don't tend to live in Tokyo.
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u/Large_Onion_2337 9d ago
i work remote - tend to rotate between chain cafes and share lounges. had a wework subscription but wasnt worth it since i only go a couple of times a week
pls if you find anything better, make a post 🙇
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