Is Japan expensive?

[Greji]

Except for Greiji where it means Food SEX Sheep.

You mean all three don't have the same meaning?

[Iraira]

I think a more accurate measure is the SBI (starbucks index) - in which case you'll find that Japan ranks pretty even across the globe - except for volumetric adjustments - that pretty much seal its fate as high on the 'expensive' list.

Does this have anything to do with the Starbuck's Index?

[AssKissinger]

Does this have anything to do with the Starbuck's Index?

That picture is hilarious! Did you make that?

[Jack]

My dentist yesterday, upon hearing that I will go to Japan, uttered the words he should not have: "but Japan is expensive". I guess the stigma of the eighties will stick around forever.

I watched a show for the first time called I survived a Japanese Gameshow. It was my first time watching but most of you probably know this anyway. The prizes in this show described Tokyo pretty well. The winning team stayed in the presidential suite of the Grand Hyatt and the losing team spent the night in a capsule hotel. One extreme to the other. The presidential suite of the Grand Hyatt looked, on TV anyway, like nothing I had seen before. I thought I had stayed at all the top hotels in the world until I saw that suite. It was out of this world, not only in size but design and sophitication including a private swimming pool. At the other extreme, there was a tiny capsule hotel, very clean mind you, but still tiny. In most of the world you don't have those extremes and I think that illustrated Tokyo and Japan. You have the low price and the outrageously expensive. You have a choice, whereas here we have no choice, everything is shitty but cheap.

[Iraira]

That picture is hilarious! Did you make that?

Alas, I cannot take credit for such brilliance.

[Mike Oxlong]

Right Jack, what a dump!

http://www.thehazeltonhotel.com/

[Iraira]

Nice place....a quick scan through the website and I found no listing of prices...meaning that I definitely cannot afford the Hazelton Hotel.

But, I did realize something about Jack. He claims to be from Canada and/but/or to eventually live in Japan and compete with Warren Buffett for top honors, but so many things he says are so easily disputed. Could he be a figure of our collective unconsciouses. I'm not getting all L. Ron here.
Maybe, we all take turns morphing into a Jack state, post unknowningly about whatever happens to be firing out of the frayed neurons at the time...shit, I do that, too...but...yeah....

[Jack]

Nice place....a quick scan through the website and I found no listing of prices...meaning that I definitely cannot afford the Hazelton Hotel.

But, I did realize something about Jack. He claims to be from Canada and/but/or to eventually live in Japan and compete with Warren Buffett for top honors, but so many things he says are so easily disputed. Could he be a figure of our collective unconsciouses. I'm not getting all L. Ron here.
Maybe, we all take turns morphing into a Jack state, post unknowningly about whatever happens to be firing out of the frayed neurons at the time...shit, I do that, too...but...yeah....

That's because it is not even opened yet.

There is a new Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Trump Tower and a Shangri-La under construction in Toronto all at the same time. There is also a Park Hyatt which has been opened for many years. But since you guys have no money, how can I explain it in terms that you could understand? Maybe if I put it in terms of hourly English language lessons?

Anyway, brand for brand, hotels in Canada do not stack up to the same quality as in Asia or Japan. So a Park Hyatt here will be of lesser quality/sophistication as a Park Hyatt in Tokyo or Hong Kong and so on. Now you can nitpick as much as you like. Be my guest.

[Iraira]

That's because it is not even opened yet.

There is a new Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Trump Tower and a Shangri-La under construction in Toronto all at the same time. There is also a Park Hyatt which has been opened for many years. But since you guys have no money, how can I explain it in terms that you could understand? Maybe if I put it in terms of hourly English language lessons?

Anyway, brand for brand, hotels in Canada do not stack up to the same quality as in Asia or Japan. So a Park Hyatt here will be of lesser quality/sophistication as a Park Hyatt in Tokyo or Hong Kong and so on. Now you can nitpick as much as you like. Be my guest.

And what are you basing this judgement on, you hanging out in the hotel lobby and watching the female staff?:confused:

[Greji]

Maybe if I put it in terms of hourly English language lessons?

Your class amazes me Jack. We are sponsoring a major international conference in Tokyo in the late Autumn and rejected the Hyatt. I would like to claim the honours, but there were actually four of us that gave it the thumbs down for lack of convention type facilities, lack of a large number of what you like to call plush rooms and other amenities. We took the New Otani instead. I might add at a cost that you probably wouldn't understand as you seem only cognizant of eikaiwa terms....

I also haven't received a reply from you to my offer to meet with you if you ever visit Japan and discuss the cry baby matter....

[nottu]

[Iraira]

Jack may only understand costs in terms of bottles of Scotch...

no...no...Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill....

If consumed even at moderate volumes, can cause diabetes and chirrhosis at the same time.....clearly more effective than scotch alone, and can also be poured on pancakes in Jack's mobile home on any given morning.

[nottu]

[Mike Oxlong]

Speaking of Canada, mobile homes, and alcoholism...

http://www.trailerparkboys.com/site_clip.php

[canman]

What I can't understand about Jack, is that if he hates Canada as much as he seems to, every other posts lists how backwards and uneducated and unsophisticated Canadians are, then what the hell is he doing living there? Or is he taking advantage of their stupidity to make a killing, and then jetting off to cheap Tokyo to spend his ill gotten gains.
I think that if Jack came and lived in Japan for longer than a couple of weeks he would begin to sing the praises of life in Canada. He is doing exactly what the rest of the old timers here have a tendency to do. Complain about what you see around you. It doesn't mean you don't like it, only you wish things were a little better. That is my take on things, anyway.

[Sadebugo]

Before I actually lived in Japan, I dreaded the high prices I'd heard about. Once I arrived though, I found out that it was not exactly true. Apartments were a little on the high side but mine was paid for. Japanese food was cheap and food in restaurants was moderately higher than what I'd paid in the West. Most of the higher-priced items are imported such as English novels, etc.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[Kagetsu]

I can't honestly say I've lived long term, but I did stay for a two month stint at one stage, renting an apartment for that time (I've since come and gone many times for various lengths usually 6 weeks long) and admit, I had no idea what to expect.

Honestly, after spending the first time there, it become abundantly clear, you could live in Japan (well Saitama anyway) a little cheaper then you could where I live now... In Darwin (Aus) which is the only place in Australia where the price of property is climbing, against the trend of all the other capitals.

Yes, fruit 'can' cost 5 bucks an apple (but my God! With apples that good and that big, I'd pay it!) but they have normal apples too. In fact, I found the overall quality of the produce in Japan to be exceptionally high, especially when you start to go out of the over populated area's (Tokyo, Osaka etc) closer to the country side.

I'm always happy to tell people that Japan isn't the expensive place we're led to believe it is.

EDIT: I just wanted to add though, the only thing we have over the Japanese, is watermelon. Sure it's nice to have a perfectly semetrical ball of one, but it won't make it taste better.

[AssKissinger]

OMG! Is it time for someone to bump the square watermelons thread again???

[pheyton]

Kagestu, no no no my friend. Japan it EXPENSIVE and the people are xenophobic, backwards ass racists. Don't ever move there and to everyone else thinking of going there, stay away at all costs!

Sarcasm off, you discovered our secret. Food is high quality, often locally grown and just as expensive as anywhere else. If you have the obasan/ojisan farmers nearby they often have little tables set up and you can buy vegetables/fruit for very cheap from them.

Property? Get outside of Tokyo and you can own a nice piece of anything for ridiculously cheap. Shit, some places are even paying you to come live in their towns!!!

When I have done the calculations, everything always comes out in my favor to move back to Japan vs. living here in California.

Do us a favor though, keep it a secret a bit longer until most of us can get settled. Drinks are on me ok.

[AssKissinger]

Shit, some places are even paying you to come live in their towns!!!

Link please

[canman]

I don't have a link, but I can confirm what pheyton said. Here in Aomori, there are some communities that are trying to attract retired people to come and live. The appeal is to grow old with nature. Plant your own garden, raise your own food etc. So to do this they are offering gov't owned land for next to nothing, or in some cases nothing. Now I don't know how you aply or who qualifies, but at least some places are trying to help the falling population.

[pheyton]

Kiss, I will try to get you some links, but surely you have heard of it. It is happening all over Japan.

In my wife's hometown of Kazuno, Akita the gov. there is going to start a program providing subsidies for people who come back and raise families there. We are seriously thinking about it. The catch with Kazuno's plan is you have to be a former resident.

[Mike Oxlong]

With those free land deals, I've heard there are certain "catches", or restrictions, built-in. Issues with what you can grow, or when you can grow it, tax, zoning, and so forth. Can anyone confirm or deny those sorts of rumors?

[Gilligan]

Link please

Do you consider free land as payment?

http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20796&highlight=hokkaido

[AssKissinger]

my wife's hometown of Kazuno, Akita

Akita bijin? Here's to it bro!

Yall I could go with some freeland to set up an eiikaiwa on! Especially if I was drawing some cake from another source back in the states.