Residency Card and Visa Expiration Woes in Japan

Recently I had to renew my landing permission at Japanese immigration. I was a little worried about the process because of my impending expiration dates and some upcoming plans to travel abroad. However, things worked out OK, and I ended up learning a lot from a nice lady at the immigration window. Here's the story:

The New Re-entry Permit System

As you most likely know by now, there has been a pretty big change in the Japanese immigration system over the past year or so. Gone are the "gaijin cards," replaced with more inoccuous sounding "resident cards." Even better, the expensive and terribly inconvenient "re-entry permit" (sai-nyukoku kyoka 再入国許可)that all resident aliens were required to pony up for before leaving the country. 

But little do many foreigners know, the re-entry permit system is not actually gone; rather, it has just been simplified and stream-lined, thereby removing the trip to the immigration authorities before you travel. Let's take a look.

Discount Rail, Concert, and Event Tickets in Japan

Looking to save some money on train tickets, event tickets, department store gift cards, or even postage stamps in Japan? The 金券ショップ (kinken shoppu, "discount ticket shop") might be one of the most overlooked saving tricks among English speakers in Japan.

It's a pawn shop that deals specifically in tickets and gift cards, and its cornerstone items are transit fares--shinkansen, local trains, and long distance buses. Usually located next to major railway stations in cities, this shop is an easy way to save a few bucks whenever you're planning to travel. They are usually tiny storefronts with a single counter and often-handwritten signage you mistake for a travel agency: dozens of destination cities listed up and down the storefront along with the (shinkansen) ticket prices to those cities.

Destination: Ushuku Daibutsu, Ibaraki

Having just relocated from Nagano to Ibaraki-ken, AJ co-founder Dom and I have a lot of exploring to do!

We started with the largest standing Buddha in the world, located in Ushiku, southern Ibaraki. 

Finding Private Baths and Onsen in Japan

I love Japanese onsens. I love the relaxing water, the pleasant designs of the tubs, and the views they often overlook--even the smell of sulfur has grown on me.

In fact, the only thing about onsens that I don't enjoy is the whole getting naked with a bunch of other guys part.

Find Your Local Fireworks Displays

We're in the midst of summer now, and any long-term visitor of Japan knows what summer here means: Weekend after weekend of crepuscular booming in your neighborhood!

Event news and entertainment site WalkerPlus just listed its annual Fireworks Display Calendar, with a cute (and highly distorted) little map of Japan you can click on to find dates and locations for fireworks and summer festivals going on wherever you live or are visiting in the country.

Once you pick an event, take care to arrange your method of travel and accommodations beforehand. Large displays in Japan are well-known for their massive crowds, blocking off whole segments of cities from vehicular traffic, tying up mass transit lines for hours following the grade finale, and booking their city's hotels solid.

Enjoy!

Train Stations and Platform Tickets

A while ago a friend of mine came to visit from the US. It was his first trip to Japan. As he was without a cell phone, we spent a little more time than usual planning how we'd meet up. He told me which train he'd be riding on, and I started to explain the layout of my station--how to exit from the shinkansen area instead of transferring to a local train, which exit I'd be waiting at, what stores were in the area, where the payphones were if he couldn't find me... the conversation got a bit bogged down until finally I realized, "Oh, duh. I can just meet you as you step off the train."

Reading Japanese Nutritional Information

Bought a food or drink? Want to know the fat content or something?

Trekking in Japan Trek Database

If you're into hiking, Japan has some fantastic sites.

How to Find Your Local Hot Spring (Onsen)

If you are anything like me, you might find yourself craving a long, relaxing dip in the traditional Japanese hot spring (known as onsen 温泉) after a long day at work. But how do you go about locating your local bath house? Lets take a look at some handy onsen location resources.

Hina Matsuri 雛祭り

Any recent visitors to a department store must have noticed the impressive and often terrifyingly expensive doll displays. If, like me, you were wondering what on earth they were, read on...

Local Event Guides

When it gets to the weekend, hanging out at home or revisiting the same pub for the umpteenth time can be a drag. Why not use the Internet to find something new to do? Any Google search can pull up a number of websites with local event guides, of course, but why spend your time wading through all those garbage sites to find the few that regularly update and have events you might actually want to attend when we'll introduce two to you right here today!?

Virtual Travel in Japan

Earlier this year, NHK unveiled their "Michishiru" interactive map site, a virtual tour guide of places and events all over Japan, introduced through streaming video segments of NHK on-location footage. The site targets a Japanese audience, as a way to find out about different destinations to visit within Japan.

However, it also makes for good intermediate-to-advanced Japanese listening practice, and even travelers who don't read or speak Japanese well will find that the intuitive interface and videos speak quite well for themselves.

Just drag and zoom the map around to any part of Japan you're interested in and click on one of the "Play" icons for a virtual tour of it!

Check out the site here: NHK映像マップみちしる

Dialects in Japan (map)

Japanese learners beware: Japan has some vastly different dialects. This post features a map of where the most prominent variations apply. Yay!

Rice Paddy Art

Rice Paddy art (田んぼアート) has become increasingly popular over recent years; with tiny towns drawing tens of thousands of visitors to view these intricate works of art magically growing out of the ground.

Renting a Car in Japan

If you're not quite ready to take the leap to buying your own car in Japan, but you still want access to a vehicle for a few days to travel or move house, consider renting a car. In today's post, we'll mention some attractive reasons to rent in Japan and introduce a site that can set up rentals on your behalf, at a discount and all in English.

Studio Ghibli Museum, Tokyo

The Ghibli Muesum in Mitaka (a short train ride from central Tokyo) is a fascinating visit for any fan of the studios animation.

Several floors of beautifully themed rooms provide a glimpse into the minds of the creators, and almost a step into a completely different world - a place where 'quaint' rules all.

There are hands on and play activities for children (and not easily embarrassed adults), including the wonderful 'cat bus' room, containing a large soft cat bus, complete with piles of little black dust bunnies.

Original short animations are also shown, a great day out for everyone!

ETC Personal Card: ETC Without a Credit Card

Japanese highways have tolls. You either pay in cash, or use a fancy ETC reader installed in your car, paired with an ETC card, which electronically tracks your highway usage and charges your credit card as appropriate.

However, getting hold of one was not as easy as it sounded... until today!!!!!!!!!!

Read on for a full description and a guide to filling out the application.

Short-Term Volunteer Opportunity in Tohoku

Japan needs you.

I blogged the other day about a competition to visit all 47 prefectures in Japan in 100 days and help with tsunami cleanup.

Just in case you don't win that, here's another chance to visit/help out.

Visit all 47 Prefectures in Japan... for free!

Want to visit Japan?
Want to visit all 47 prefectures?
Don't think you can afford it?

Win it!