With burdens like language barriers and “key money”, finding an apartment in Japan is not a pleasant business. One of the blessings of the JET Program is the Contracting Organizations usually arrange housing for participants. Of course, that means we get plenty of questions about housing. My friend’s apartment is better/cheaper than mine. Contracting Organizations […]
The hot weather brings out some monstrous bugs. There are some pretty big bees, cockroaches, and centipedes, as well as the usual annoying ants, spiders, mosquitoes, and small flies. The best way to avoid an encounter with insects is to keep your house clean. Try not to leave dirty dishes around and clean up food […]
Your Home And School In The Summer Summers are hot and humid. If you don’t have air-conditioning, make sure that at least have a functioning fan, preferably one with a timer & remote control. If you don’t have air-conditioning, the best way to spend the summer is to open all of the windows and place […]
The typhoon season in Japan runs from May through October, with most activity from July to September. Typhoons are tropical cyclones or giant hurricane-like whirlwinds. These storms, accompanied by heavy rainfall, can cover areas of up to 500 miles in diameter and generate winds up to 180 miles an hour. Typhoons that hit Japan are […]
Keeping Cool Fans: uchiwa and sensu Shaved Ice Maker Cold Patches and Ice Pillows: 熱さま (Atsu-sama) in sheet and pillow variety Dealing with Bugs Mosquito Incense and Refills: アースノーマット and 水性 are two brands Roach Motels: ゴキブリホイホイ (gokubuiri hoihoi), and ゴキブリ取り (gokiburitori) Tick Spray for ticks that live in tatami: ダニアース (dani aasu) “Cockroach JET” コックローチジェット Fly Spray […]
Churches Kobe Bible Fellowship A bilingual church in Sannomiya (everything – songs, prayers, message are in English and Japanese). It’s a couple of minutes walk from Ikuta Shrine / Tokyu Hands. There are lots of Japanese and foreigners, and a variety of ages. The style is quite contemporary. The main service is at 4pm, and […]
This page is a resource for troubleshooting technical problems (computer, etc.) while you are in Japan. Please add your own experiences and information to this page as you see fit! General Information If you have absolutely no clue and you are at school, consult your JTE or another teacher for help. Each school usually has […]
As your parents or friends are certain to want you to call home once in a while, consider some of the following tips when you’re calling. Country Codes Country codes for countries that most JETs come from are as follows. Australia 61 Canada 1 Ireland 353 Jamaica 1 New Zealand 64 Singapore 65 South Africa […]
In recent years, it has become a question whether home phone lines are even necessary. Many people do not sign up for home phone service and only use their cell phones. With that said, if you are interested in a home phone, see the following information. Buying/Renting a Phone Line The way phonelines work in […]
Advantages Social communication in Japan is almost entirely conducted on cell phones (keitai), so it’s practically mandatory to sign up for one. Plus, with a Japanese cell phone, you’ll be able to: Send and receive e-mails (by far the cheapest way to communicate) Access the internet: weather, news, Google Use GPS maps, train schedules, and […]