Well, after ive been a member of Japanforum for some weeks and have been reading many advises and threads in the traveling section i come to introducing myself and asking my questions to Traveling in Japan.
My name is Dennis, im 24 and im from Germany. I have been learning Japanese since around 6 months to have at least some language when i arrive there. I have already been on a Working Holiday in Australia and that worked out fine, so now im heading to Japan. (my german blog to Australia is
Japan 2008/2009 )
Now to my plans: Flight 24.06.2008 (booked) to Tokyo.
Staying in Tokyo for 6 weeks (of wich are 4 weeks japanese conversation class (booked))
Heading to Hokkaido, meeting a friend from Australia in Sapporo and buying a car. Traveling around Hokkaido by car, maybe some woofing. (time around 2 months)
Around september heading back towards Tokyo for staying there during the winter. I will travel from Hokkaido to Tokyo by car, but will defenetly try to leave the car somewhere outside Tokyo.
Getting a monthly trainticket and a accomodation in a Gaijinhouse/apartment in Tokyo and getting a job. Working and chilling in Tokyo till Spring.
Leaving Tokyo south (again with the car) and moving all the was south.
Getting some last days in Okinawa (maybe some more woofing) and then heading to South Korea.
I know this are big plans, and im sure im gonna change them here and there (as i did in australia) but its just to give u an idea of traveling. Now to my questions:
Accomodation: I plan to sleep in the car during the warmer days, just somewhere next to the roadside outside the Towns in rural areas or on camping places. Do you think this is possible at all?
I also plan to use couchsurfing and hospitalityclub: Anybody got expierence?
How about woofing, any expierence?
In Tokyo i will stay in a Gaijin House or apartment during winter. I have seen a link somewhere on the Forum to Apartment wich cater gaijins and dont have the high "buy in" (agent fee,...) but i cant find the link again, so post it if you know it.
Of course if nothing else works i will stay in Hostels, Ryokans, etc..
Car: Well, this is the part wich will probably be the most difficult, but trains are expensive, you cant get everywhere and you dont have the freedom you have in a car, so i want to try it.
Driving left shouldn´t be a problem, as i already did this in Australia.
Registration will be difficult, does anyone have an idea how it will be for a gaijin on a work visa (i know its possible and my german license is ok when i get a translation).
I want to try to avoid the highways if outside the cities because of the toll. I have time, so i can go throught the overland streets. What is the speed limit? I think i have been reading about 60km/h?
How expensive is speeding? Im not a speeding fan, but how about getting caught with 70-75 on a street where the limit is 60?
Alien registration: It says you have to change your address everytime u move? How about my plan, i would have to change it every day..... Does anyone know about that?
Bank account: Any Problems opening a bank account as gaijin? I heard its not so hard if you already have the alien registration. How about the costs of banking? Does it cost to take money out of the atm? Are differences between banks? How about the name stamp? Can i get one as foreigner wich will work? Or do i have to / can i use my signature?
Mobile Phone: Can i just get a used mobilephone and get it working (like here u just get a new card)? What does it ~cost to send mails(sms)? Are incoming calls free (in germany they are alway free)? How is the reception "off the beaten track"?
Voip:
VoipDiscount | Free Calls and SMS sounds pretty good to me. Has anyone tried it yet? Any experience? If i understand it right u can put some money on your account and than call some countries for free for 120 days. So i could put money on it 3 times in the year and call back to germany for free from my laptop (if i got internet off course)
Ah by the way, how about finding free wlan spots? Are there many around Tokyo? If not, do internetcafes allow laptops? are they charged higher?
Anyone else doing a WHV Year? It seems that there are very few young people doing it in Japan (around 6500 in 2007 from wich 3500 are Koreans! and only 250 Germans)
Sorry, for this many questions (and the mistakes), but that is just whats going through my head at the moment, so i hope someone can help me with at least some of them.
I´m sure i will find some more questions in the future, so ill just post them here.
Well, thanks in advance for any answers, suggestions, help,..... Anything is apreciated!
Ja mata in Tokyo
Dennis
Ah, well i will be writing a webblog from this time in Japan (in german) and i will probably be also writing one in English, but i will inform u of the adress when i started it.