Lowest Cost of Living in Japan

[jasonbvr]

Okinawa actually has the lowest cost of living as far as taxes go. At least that is what I've been told.

[Stacmon]

Originally Posted by MMM

I don't think the pay rate for a JET has changed since the beginning of the program. Now, with the strong yen, it is a very nice pay. The budget for the JET teacher is set in advance, so there is no room for negotiation in terms of payrate (unless something has changed recently). Why would they? there are tons of people who will happily take your place at the original pay.

One things JETs learn quickly is that they are the smallest fish in a very big pond. Westerners often have great ideas on how to fix things, improve systems, make them better, etc. In your position as a JET that is rocking the boat, making trouble, being a loudmouth. I am not saying you are an English-speaking robot, but outside of the confines of your classroom a lot of work-related decisions are made for you. Even the most seemingly innocuous question will require approval of the prefectural board of education. It's a massive bureaucracy...but a good social studies lesson.

Everyone I know goes home after JET. You have to. What happens afterward, I am not sure.

Thanks for addressing those questions.

I love that you talked about the "strong Yen." In my case, the Yen is actually very weak, compared to the Canadian dollar. That's good for getting set up, but bad if I want to move my savings out of the country at the end.

If you're an American, then you'll know what I'm talking about. The Canadian dollar reached parity with the American dollar just recently and for the first time in 30 years! What sucks is that prices are still higher here than in the US, remember those "$25 US, $32 Canada" prices on the back of books ?

A lot of people are actually going across the border to do big ticket shopping. You can save hundreds of dollars at times and spend less on consumption taxes (here in Ontario, the sales tax is about 14%).

[vulgarshudder]

JETs getting a pay rise? hey hey don't be looking a gift horse in the mouth! And I'll bet money you'll be needing a bicycle!

Kyushuu is well........kyuushu..........um, nice pickled plums...

I wouldn't live in Kyoto personally. It's sooo touristy. I mean it's to the point that it's like some Japan theme park land. Nice to go visit if you want to see some Heian ira temples. But to live......

[Stacmon]

For some reason, I'm really liking Sapporo/Hokkaido. There are some advantages but also some disadvantages.

I've heard that the dialect spoken there, because many of the people are immigrants from various parts of Japan, is among the closest in the country to standard Japanese.

I've also read that the cost of living there is quite reasonable compared to other parts of the country. There are pictures of the city overshadowed by the nearby mountains and it looks so nice!

Unfortunately, because the city and island were populated mostly starting in 1850, I'm worried that it shows of very little of "classical" or "traditional" Japan. I've also heard that Sapporo incorporates many Western concepts (ie: just look at the city planning), so I'm worried about whether or not I'll get the "authentic experience."

There's also it's remote nature. I'd be far away from the rest of Japan, making it harder to travel and more expensive.

Does anyone have any comments about Sapporo or regarding to my views above about the city?

[MMM]

Just like Canada, America, or anywhere else, no one city is going to give you a wholistic Japanese experience, but that doesn't mean you can't have a full and complete experience somewhere. I worked in an office with a handful Japanese people. One was from Hokkaido, a couple from north Honshu, one from Tokyo, one from Wakayama, one from Hiroshima and one from Kyushuu. It was funny how the spheres of knowledge for NATIVE Japanese people was very limited. People inthe east knew the east intimately, but people from the west had no idea what they were talking about. I could talk about Kansai with the person from Wakayama, but places and things I assumed all Japanese knew were complete mysteries to those only a couple hundred miles away.

As a JET you are never going to know about all of Japan, but you will get to know about someplace intimately.

[Stacmon]

Fair enough, I suppose that's true of pretty much any country (larger than a quarter).

Can you comment on that person's dialect (from Hokkaido)? Was he easy to understand? Do you know if they tend to speak the standard language among themselves more in Sapporo?

[MMM]

In an office situation everyone speaks standard Japanese, so I couldn't tell you if her dialect was stronger or not. Those kinds of things kind of depend on the person. I knew people in Kansai whose Japanese was almost impossible for me to understand, and other Kansai people who only spoke standard Japanase, even in the most relaxed and casual situations.

[Stacmon]

I don't recall if I've actually asked you MMM (or anyone else on these forums for that matter) whether you've been to Sapporo.

I'm curious what people's impressions of the city are and whether they liked it .

[MMM]

I have been there once, and I thought it was a very nice place. Hokkaido is a very green place, and Sapporo was clean and the people seemed friendly. I hope to go back again someday.

[Stacmon]

Originally Posted by MMM

I have been there once, and I thought it was a very nice place. Hokkaido is a very green place, and Sapporo was clean and the people seemed friendly. I hope to go back again someday.

Thanks MMM!

That's exactly what I wanted to hear about Sapporo