Foreign exchange - help?

[chachava]

Originally Posted by MMM

Most Japanaese don't need them, so it looks like you are trying to look cool or have something to hide. Gangsters are notorious for wearing gaudy sunglasses.

I see girls all the time in Tokyo wearing those stupid sunglasses which are half the size of their head...

[Harold]

Originally Posted by MMM

Most Japanaese don't need them, so it looks like you are trying to look cool or have something to hide. Gangsters are notorious for wearing gaudy sunglasses.

I guess that makes sense, I guess. I'm glad I asked about what to bring before I brought it. I'd hate to make a bad impression on my host family.

Originally Posted by Hatredcopter

Just be aware that Japanese outlets wont accept plugs with polarized prongs or with three prongs - that's where you need an adapter.

Polarized? I only checked the voltage on all my stuff and I already know they are 2 pronged, but I haven't heard of this polarized business.

Originally Posted by chachava

I see girls all the time in Tokyo wearing those stupid sunglasses which are half the size of their head...

Like these?
http://urbanupdater.files.wordpress....osh-small2.jpg

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by Harold

Polarized? I only checked the voltage on all my stuff and I already know they are 2 pronged, but I haven't heard of this polarized business.

Polarized means when the two prongs are slightly different sizes. Hair dryers and hair irons are commonly polarized, so check yours. Polarized plugs won't fit into Japanese outlets.

[godwine]

Originally Posted by Hatredcopter

Polarized means when the two prongs are slightly different sizes. Hair dryers and hair irons are commonly polarized, so check yours. Polarized plugs won't fit into Japanese outlets.

Hmm, if I recall correctly, my old thinkpad's power supply is polarized but it plugged right in to the outlet.. i could be wrong...

On the note of sunglasses, its "acceptable" for girls as its a fashion statement... for guys, you are likely to be mistaken for Yakuza member if you walk around with them. I suppose it should be OK if you are in a more quiet tourist area, but definitely avoid wearing them around Namba Osaka and Shinjuku...

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Hatredcopter

Polarized means when the two prongs are slightly different sizes. Hair dryers and hair irons are commonly polarized, so check yours. Polarized plugs won't fit into Japanese outlets.

They fit just fine. It just won`t be polarized though.
In the worst case scenario, it may be a tight fit - but I`ve never had any not fit at all.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by godwine

Hmm, if I recall correctly, my old thinkpad's power supply is polarized but it plugged right in to the outlet.. i could be wrong...

On the note of sunglasses, its "acceptable" for girls as its a fashion statement... for guys, you are likely to be mistaken for Yakuza member if you walk around with them. I suppose it should be OK if you are in a more quiet tourist area, but definitely avoid wearing them around Namba Osaka and Shinjuku...

I don't do anywhere outside in Japan without sunglasses, but am always sure to take them off when I am talking to someone. At this point, most of my Japanese friends wear sunglasses, too, but we are all well out of college. I think it takes more than sunglasses to be mistaken for a gangster.

[godwine]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

They fit just fine. It just won`t be polarized though.
In the worst case scenario, it may be a tight fit - but I`ve never had any not fit at all.

AC source won't be polarized anyways... the only thing that "makes" it polarize is the difference between live, common and ground, so it wouldn't matter polarized or not, most applicances uses an oscillator to switch it back to DC source....

Hmm, ok maybe not mistake as gangster.. but i am sure my cousin told me that sunglasses protrait a cocky image.. is that still the case?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by godwine

Hmm, ok maybe not mistake as gangster.. but i am sure my cousin told me that sunglasses protrait a cocky image.. is that still the case?

It depends who you ask. I think a few people find them "disrespectful", especially on teenagers. They are associated with gangsters, but only if you are wearing really garish ones and a velvet jumpsuit. They are most often seen as something "important" people like movie stars wear. That might be what your cousin meant. I would never wear them inside or while waiting for someone to answer the door, but for the most part, I don't think people in Japan really have a strong opinion either way, and I see lots of Japanese wear sunglasses, especially in the big cities.

[Nyororin]

Around here you pretty much NEVER see anyone wearing sunglasses unless it`s a fashion queen trying to look like a "celebitch" (An actual word they use to refer to themselves...) You don`t even see people wear them while driving - only the occasional truck drivers.

No one will actually think you`re a gangster, but they are sort of associated with that... Just like tattoos. No one will mistake you for something you aren`t, but the image still carries the connections and will not give a good impression. You might be able to get away with it in Tokyo or Osaka, but I know that around here it`s definitely not a common thing.

Oh, and an update on the polarized outlets. I actually took a look, and all the outlets in my house are polarized and about 1/3rd of them have the third prong.

[Hatredcopter]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Oh, and an update on the polarized outlets. I actually took a look, and all the outlets in my house are polarized and about 1/3rd of them have the third prong.

Must differ from place to place then. In my dorm rooms it was all two-pronged outlets, and trying to fit a polarized plug into one of them would have resulted in either damaging the plug or the outlet. I guess if worse comes to worse, you can just buy an adapter while you're there in Japan if need be.