Top 5 things you hate about living in Japan

[Rezz]

30) Natto (in particular the natto factory 200m from my house stinking all the way through winter)

I feel for you... I really do. That must be terrible... god I hate the smell of Natto.

I also like this one:

31) Arrogant new arrivals, fresh off the boat, thinking they know everything.

I have to interview new teachers all the time, and it makes me cringe how especially the Americans (Rob! Don't take this the wrong way!!! ) have this "You guys (Japanese) are cool, but you don't know sh!t" and talk to our students like they're educating them on how to talk to other people (like they're a clueless child), even though the student is in her mid 30's. I guess they seem to think that if they can't speak English well, then they must be retarded? Makes me angry.

[InspectorGadget]

I have to interview new teachers all the time, and it makes me cringe how especially the Americans (Rob! Don't take this the wrong way!!! ) have this "You guys (Japanese) are cool, but you don't know sh!t"

Oh yeah. Ever year we get a batch of them, straight out of university . . .

The problem is that most of them have never had any experience fending for themselves (having usually lived at home with mum and dad, then in dorms at university). They then arrive in Japan having to learn all these things, in a foreign country, with foreign systems, a foreign language etc. Not a good mix.

Occasionally you get an American who has had several years in the workforce coming here, and boy, are they much easier people to hang out with.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Americans, but I really believe you need some life experience under your belt before coming here. And that goes for any nationality.

Where abouts are you based Demon Dave? Yamanashi?

[DaiOni]

Rezz: re: 'the chime' - no, not a warning, some programs (maybe only on bs2, but I can't remember) have a constant, just audible, 'ding' 'ding' 'ding' - it kills me

Dave: When doing the changeover, you've got to be careful they don't give you a provisional (green sticker) licence - they tried to do it with me (as I had a new passport and, thus, couldn't prove I'd had my licence in australia for a year - despite a three page (hehe) official driving record - perfect example of the bureacratic insanity). A friend of mine, instead of complaining, accepted the prov licence - a few weeks later he causes a major accident, and due to the lower points on the licence - now has to sit through drivers' ed - poor bastard.

and that neatly leads to...

19. The Niigata Shi Vehicle Registration Department. Notorious, racist, incredibly illogical/bureaucratic, scumbag scumbags.

20. The myth of the 'hard-working japanese'. They certainly have made 'looking busy' an artform though. Gotta get that bonus!

21. Having to say 'ohayo gozaimasu' 50,001 times every morning. Why can't we just smile and nod?

22. Having to work with north americans. Sorry to any north americans reading this (and sara - if you're reading this, you are a shining exception), but my experience has been pretty bad. And it has actually been canadian males who have been some of the worst - are they all the same person? (loud, deaf, arrogant, sleazy, perversely patriotic, sociopaths...). Fresh-out-of college americans really shit me too.

23. Echoing troy - Bozosoku - do they realise they are the gayest bike gangs in history? (gayer than the dude out of the village people). I want to sit on my window ledge at 3am and shoot them with my shotgun (air gun - but it would still be fun). Somebody buy them mufflers.

24. Japanese who, when talking in english, nod their heads and agree - when they really don't understand half/all of what you have said. Conversely, very guilty of this myself.

25. The price of fruit (and, yeah, many other things). I'm glad I don't eat rice at home.

26. The sun's just too damn bright, too damn early

27. Along with the ATMs... petrol stations that shut early/aren't open on sundays (why am I always out of fuel on a sunday???)

28. My 90 year old next-door-neighbour who pulls stickered (refused) rubbish bags out of the collection bin and then stares at me like it was mine.

29. The fact that I am forced to walk 100m down the road to put my rubbish out - when there is a perfectly good (always empty) collection bin across the road.

30. The motherf*cker who stole my bike

[Demon Dave]

Yep - Yamanashi...home of grapes...Mt. Fuji...and yet more grapes

DCD, on here, is also from Ibaraki

[Demon Dave]

Yeah, DaiOni that was it...I had a green license before...now moved up to blue.

[Evo_Lee]

Jesus...Dave said top 5 or 5 things you hate the most not 50!

Also my last post...what are we comparing to guys?

Some of you seem like you have some real issues.

Inspectorgadget, you will hate this place more now. You don't get 3 years of your pension reimburse no more, it is now only 2.4 years.

[DaiOni]

haha! but I want to vent!

I don't think this is necessarily a comparison - just a straight-out 'that's how it is' reality check - and it's probably a good resource for those who are thinking about coming - it certainly isn't all roses.

As was said, it would be much easier to write an even longer list about 'things I love about japan' - but many of those things are self-evident in our post histories.

Conversely, it would be very easy (easier?) to write a 'things I hated about living in australia' list. There are many more things I don't miss!!!!!!!

I'm going to add one more:

31. The fact that my english is slowly going down the drain... I had to rewrite this post three times, and it's probably still full of mistakes, japanese-style grammar...

[Evo_Lee]

Agree with 31.) I know it's happening.

When I have to corrected their f*cked up grammer, sometimes it takes me a while to ensure what I'm really getting at...that is help correct the Project Manager's business letter so he don't look like a fool, but have to keep it simple enough so he understands that what I corrected for him is the same as what he wants!

...how unprofessional when trying to be professional!

[Ant]

lol, seems like y'all had to get a few things off your collective chests, especially InspectorGadget.

Tehehe, blame me for that, after spending a week in Japan with Mr Gadget I knew he had a fair amount of pet peeves to get of his chest so I pointed this thread out to him......

I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned the obvious one, was told by him and another ALT that their Board of Education's instructed them to teach English with an American accent!

A couple of minor ones based on a weeks experience of Japan:

1) Skyline museums that close without stating that they are closed on their website (But at least we found where it should have been, thanks to Dave's directions....).

2) Kids on trains that don't give up their seats for older people.

3) Pachinko.

4) Hello Kitty.

5) Echoing the others: Bozosoku - those guys don't realise that if they tried their tricks anywhere outside Japan the real bikie gangs would tear them apart in seconds!

6) The seemingly national obsession with school girls - actually I'm not sure if that is to be hated, it just seemed very, very, very dodgy.....

7) The 'Gaijin force field', you know when you sit down on a train etc some Japanese people (usually older ones?) will do anything to avoid sitting anywhere near you!

But as per Inspector Gadgets comments from my brief experience there are just as many cool/fascinating/intriguing aspects to Japanese life!

[Demon Dave]

Yeah...in the past we've covered the positive things about life in Japan, only fair we now cover the things that really pi55 us off

hehehe kinda like a gaijin group therapy thread this

DaiOni I know what you mean about losing English ability. When I returned home last month so many people came up to me and said my English had changed - most said my accent had become Canadian! :DHuh? But day to day, sometimes I struggle to remember less common words - in essence my vocabularly becoming simpler and my grammar patterns more Japanese in style.

Funny thing is my wife and friend (who returned with me to the UK) said they had no problem understanding my English, but were completely confused when my parents spoke to them!

[InspectorGadget]

Inspectorgadget, you will hate this place more now. You don't get 3 years of your pension reimburse no more, it is now only 2.4 years.

I came in before the system changed in April 2001, so my refund is calculated 1/2 on the old system and 1/2 on the new. But I still miss out on my 4th year of payments completely BUREAUCRATIC WANKERS!

I only miss out on 5 man over the 3 years that I was entitled to a refund. (1 man = 10,000 yen for everyone else reading this)

 

Some of you seem like you have some real issues.

Nah. I don't think so. As long as you keep things in perspective then it's OK. Everyone needs to vent once in a while, especially so if you live in this strange country.

The ones that have the issues are the ones that either don't vent, or can't see the good points to the situation that they're in. I see all too many of them as well, that's the sad part of being here this long.

IG

[Evo_Lee]

Really, AFAIK some colleagues that came before the change and left in March this year were calculated on the new system.

I'm f**k as it is I've been here for over 5 years...

[InspectorGadget]

Really, AFAIK some colleagues that came before the change and left in March this year were calculated on the new system.

I'm f**k as it is I've been here for over 5 years...

You'll be refunded entirely on the old system, as all of your initial 3 years of payments were made on this rate.

Your colleagues would have been refunded proportionalty depending on how long they spent on the old/new system.

All of this less the 20% withholding tax.

Have a read of this:

http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/new/National_health.html

:thankyou:

[Evo_Lee]

thanks but to be honest it ain't going to be much difference have already lost 2 years.

If only the Aust Govt pulled it's finger out, and had some agreement we would be able to take it all back like some countries (Germany) which have an agreement with Japan.

[InspectorGadget]

I've already lost a year too.

Stupid system eh?

IG

[DaiOni]

so guys, is the pension calculated on your first 3 years, or your last 3 years?

[Demon Dave]

I take it that most people in here have no long term plans to stay in Japan?

I'll add another one then:

Having to deal with the fact that 90% of the foreigners you meet here won't stay more than a few years....kinda puts a downer on making new friends..

boohoo

[InspectorGadget]

so guys, is the pension calculated on your first 3 years, or your last 3 years?

I'm pretty sure that it's calculated from when you STARTED to pay into it.

I take it that most people in here have no long term plans to stay in Japan?

I think that it's just one of those things. Few people move here with the intention of actually staying more than 2-3 years. Usually they just get caught up in something here that prompts them to stay longer.

I stayed on because of my partner, the good job/salary and conditions, plus I didn't really have anything urgent to go back to.

I would agree with you though. I've seen more than few friends come and go.

IG

[DaiOni]

Dave: I agree, I really miss some of the people who have come and gone. On the other hand, I really miss the mates I've had since school - I think that, coming to the end of my contract (next july - it goes so quick!), job frustrations, potential unemployment, and the march towards winter are all combining to make life a bit glum at the moment. That, and the fact that I don't have any money to mod! Thank god for the wife! I'd hate to be here and alone for this long.

Gadget: why I asked, is that I'd like to stay for a fourth year - possibly doing eikaiwa to keep me busy. But I'd be hesitant to do that if I had to sacrifice a better pension year.

My other half is currently doing her masters - and the intention is for her to get a job at an international school (very hard to do, I know) - that sort of wage would pay the bills - then I could do a private ALT job or eikaiwa - or be a bum Alternatively, we would both do a term as private ALTs - I'd like to spend a year or so on the mainland.

I think one more, maybe two years is enough for us (with the right jobs) . Actually, by my calculations, we HAVE to stay one more year - just to actually come home with some money! hahaha...

If anyone has any private job/international school contacts... LET ME KNOW!

[DCD]

I'll add a few from personal experience:

1)Japanese road and traffic system. People have no idea how to drive, they are cocooned in a system that lets hardly any decision up to the driver. Just look how people act once they are faced with a junction with no traffic lights or have to merge into a main road...total confusion and they always make people brake and overall do stupid sh1t! Traffic light heaven, I wish I owned a company building the things as I would be loaded! Traffic is too slow. Roads are too soft and actual tracks form on roads with heavy traffic. Not enough roads! Expensive tolls. Traffic.

2)ATMs ...like many said...why not allow people access to their money 24/7? It's not like there is a lot of crime here so I really don't see the problem?

3)Stupid ass rule at my pool...you can swim from the hour up to 50 past and then have to get out for 10 minutes while they check the water. Result, you freeze your ass off, your manhood shrinks and you can't be arsed to go back in the pool to finish your laps!

4)Stupid closing days at my gym. They close Wed every day...they are totally overstaffed so why the hell not keep they thing open all the time!!!!!!

5)My local Shell station. I get out and pay but I cannot pump gas myself and the idiots there never ever ever ever fill the tank to the max like I would. P1sses me off!!

6)People turning into main roads always take the outside lane. If you are turning from the opposite side they will always make you brake because they go on the outside lane. And why? Because thats how they were taught in driving school. God forbid they would do something outside the rules and use their brains!

7)98% People have absolutely no conceivable spec of common sense

8)Giggling school girls

9)Feticism....they are a bunch of dirty b@stards! Oh wait...that could be a positive thing:D

10)The bastardization of Italian (and most foreign) cuisine. Not saying that all restaurants are like this as they are not but most will make some disgusting stuff and call it Italian food.

11)Staring. I've gotten used to this now and it was much worst 11 years ago when i first moved here.

12)The fact that foreigners will never be accepted, ever. The best they can do is tolerate us.

13)Silly laws.

14)The "if in doubt jump off your bike syndrome" what the hell is that about then? I bet they were taught this in school and they will keep doing it until the day they die:p

15)Arrogant bachans on trains

16)That smell on trains. Don't know what it is but tis just rank

17)The way companies cover sh1t up and then go on TV and cry while apologizing.

18)Loud trucks that spit out the blackest clouds of diesel

19)TV channels...1,3,4,6,8,10,12,BS5, BS7,BS11...what happened to the numbers in between??

20)How people giggle and laugh when put on the spot or faced with a hard situation. Makes them look like idiots.

But I love Japan. Like any country it has its negative aspects but the positives would be so many more. If I start listing all the stuff I hate about Italy, my home country, I would need 10 times the space!