[jasonbvr]

English teaching isn't so bad. I suggest going the ALT route, these are the teachers that work in public schools. You will be exposed to the language and culture more. You also learn what it is like to work with Japanese coworkers and the life that they had growing up in school. Check out ohayosensei.com and just do lots of google searching. Or sign up for the JET program.

As far as Japanese women, I agree that they are very attractive but have to insist that you don't just date them because they are Japanese. What I am trying to say is that I see too many guys over here who's main purpose is just finding a Japanese girl. These are probably the same a'hole English teachers that Nyororin has had trouble with in the past. They have these pumped up attitudes like they are the bomb and all Japanese women love and adore them because they are just so cool. You don't want to be like that. Being a foreigner you will attract a lot of attention from women because you are a like a rare commodity, but don't abuse this that's all I am trying to say.

Also far as dealing with prefudices, there are rare (extremely rare) instances where you will not feel welcome. One day I was on the train and this middle age guy kept on walking through the car and giving me and another foreigner dirty looks. It happens you know, but don't dwell on it and let it affect you. These types are a small minority. Like this type of thing has happened twice in the four months I have been here. It isn't anything physically threatening and maybe the guy just had a bad day and I became an outlet for his frustration or something.

As far as permanent residency I don't know that much about actually getting it, but I know a lot of foreigners who have been here for years and own bars, English schools and other businesses without being married to a Japanese woman.

Mixing with Japanese is fairly easy especially after they get a few drinks in them. I hang out at this tiny one room bar sometimes and besides the Irish guy that owns a bar down the street am the only other foreigner that seems to even know about the place. We hang out and drink beer and do language exchange. Trying to communicate with my broken Japanese and their broken English is always fun at six in the morning while you drink coffee and Baileys waiting on the trains to start running.