Several questions since I'm going to Tokyo in May/June

[yz81]

Originally Posted by Polar

Yes very accurate.

If it means anything your incoming calls and texts are free on the cell.

Oh thats not bad then. So all incoming calls/text are free? no matter their duration?

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by yz81

As for housing, aren't there like family housing programs? Where a family basically houses traveling students? I definitely don't mind paying rent to a family or person to share a place, but would like to keep it under 700$ a month.

You mean homestay? Yes but its not cheap.

$700 a month? that's $23 a day, well you can't even afford youth hostels at that rate. There are really nasty dormitories that I heard can go as low as $20 but I have no idea where to find them. Of course conditions would be like shared toilets, and 4 people+ per room kind of condition I'd imagine.

Things are expensive in Japan especially right now due to the massive appreciation of the Yen.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by yz81

I'm just going by what i've been told by friends and read online. I took 2 semesters of japanese, so I know at least some. About the being white thing I'm getting from my asian friends. They say if I go pretty much anywhere in asia, I'll be treated like a minor celebrity. Maybe they're just saying it to play with me though.

Only in small provicial towns in remote part of Asia where nobody has seen a white person.

Not in Tokyo, plenty of clueless white guys with their loud English, it is neither appricated or welcomed.

[Polar]

Originally Posted by yz81

Oh thats not bad then. So all incoming calls/text are free? no matter their duration?

To the best of my knowledge yes.

Housetek mentions using Skype and having that number forwarded to the cell here.

I though about grabbing one but seeing as I have free internet from the hotel I decided not bother. Just using email instead.

[yz81]

Originally Posted by kirakira

Not in Tokyo, plenty of clueless white guys with their loud English, it is neither appricated or welcomed.

I'm clueless, but I'm not loud

Thanks for the help for those that gave answers. It will help me better prepare.

How will finances change if I go with a friend or two? Will I be able to save a decent amount that way?

[Polar]

Originally Posted by kirakira

Only in small provicial towns in remote part of Asia where nobody has seen a white person.

Not in Tokyo, plenty of clueless white guys with their loud English, it is neither appricated or welcomed.

I have red hair and freckles and pretty much no one has given me a second glace. The odd one here and there but nothing special.

[kirakira]

Originally Posted by yz81

I'm clueless, but I'm not loud

Thanks for the help for those that gave answers. It will help me better prepare.

How will finances change if I go with a friend or two? Will I be able to save a decent amount that way?

For accomodation, why not. However, you still need to expand that budget of $700 a month. I mean that's just way too low.

One more tip, if you see a vending machine with pictures of food on them outside a restraunt, use it before you go in the restraunt. Those are food voucher machines, you put the money in to get the food voucher, then you present the voucher to the shop assistant inside. I've seen too many times where people just marched in and the shop assistant has to explain over and over again how the food voucher works, in a language he/she can't speak.

[yz81]

Originally Posted by kirakira

For accomodation, why not. However, you still need to expand that budget of $700 a month. I mean that's just way too low.

I'll be going there with about 2500-3000$ total, I'm just hoping it lasts me a good 2 months, 3 if possible.

Arent there under the table temp jobs people can get? Technically not legal, but there's gotta be something I can get. I honestly think I'll be pretty bored there for 2 months if I'm not at least doing a part time job. Sight seeing is nice and all, but I can't do that for 2 months straight!
I have like "life ADD" and if I'm not working or taking a class, I get bored very quickly.

[samurai007]

You might want to consider visiting some other part of Japan besides Tokyo. Outside of Tokyo a) things are a lot cheaper, b) you can experience more traditional Japanese life and scenery, c) you can be stared at and ohhed and ahhed over more. Tokyo is ok, but I much preferred the Japanese countryside and other cities and towns. A big city is much like any other big city... lots of high rises, bustling people, expensive, noisy, crowded... give me rural Japan over that any day. And you can get by for a lot less money and stay longer if you leave Tokyo.

[yz81]

I forgot to ask, but is one of the other major cities a lot cheaper than tokyo? Maybe I should mainly stay in another city and just visit tokyo.

hahaha, must have typed this right before you posted that