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DJElo

SnowJapan Member
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Posts posted by DJElo

  1. well,about the tattoo thing it's quite a shame as japan has a long standing tradition of great tattooing..it was first really banned in the 1930's(i think) because one didn't want the outsiders who were now arriving in japan to think badly about it..since then the yakuza has been using it etc..

    It really is a shame as I said. Japanese traditional tattoo art is sooo beautiful, full of history and tradition smile

    If you take a look the pacific islands and new zealand, tattoo's are a very important part of our society, atleast among the islanders and the mauri..in the same sense it used to be in japan..so it really is a shame it's changed so in japan..although im sure it will come back again in the future..there is just so much tradition there biggrin

  2. Well,then the best suggestion IMO is to let them feel it first hand razz

    As you seem to be much more itnerested in the customs and the differences you will appreciate it that much more when the japanese will notice this in you biggrin Let the guys to themselves..let's see how long they can keep it up haha..

    don't worry about staying sober though..just head to a bar most nights and dont be surprised if even after downing quite some drinks still being the most sober person there razz

    It's not unussual to find lots of business men out drinking if they miss their last train home..esp in tokyo .. in tokyo last july i ran into several business men sleeping peacefully on the sidewalk at 4/5 in the morning using hands as pillow,suit jacket as cover, with their suitcase and shoes neatly places beside them.

    was wicked..wished I had my camera with me ;/

  3. well..just tell them to try and be somewhat respectful while on public transport. I hope they can do that! they can be loud and laugh in a different place then the pt.. Even I who don't live in japan find it very annoying when people talk on the phone or talk loudly when im there..it's relaxing on the tube when it's not packed ofc..it should stay that way.. I would really like for this kind of behavior to become standard in western countries aswell..Ive been in stockholm for the last 2 months visitng family over x-mas and find it utterly amazing that people can't have the respect towards eachother to refrain from talking loudly on the phone, shouting and not just taking it easy and chilling out on the trains and subways..and this isn't just in sweden..

     

    so,in the end again..you should REALLY REALLY and i cannot stress enough REALLY in beforehand tell them the customs and ways in japan , especially the part about respecting others and being quiet on public transport...or else you will just enhance the idea of the uneducated,brashfull and ignorant gaijin in japan and then you shouldnt be surprised if your treated differently razz

    not to rant or put you down..just a hint wink

  4. Well,as a strong supporter of things that make sense ..

    I very heavily support the idea that tax free should be purchased just before embarkation as to save room n weight for luggage,further it should hopefully soon be a norm that a person can only bring a certain TOTAL weight onto the plain to make it even. Ie..150 kg or so..or somehow relevant to the plane they fly..like take max flight weight/seats etc..if you weigh 100 you can take 50kg including everything (youll have to stand on scales aswell as baggage :p).as you know whatplane it is when u book normally they can tell u immediately. If you weigh 150 or more you dont have to pay extra,but cant bringany baggage free of charge! Any addweight here would be classified as overweight baggage (it could also be made so any of ure own kgs over the limit count.evenbetter but less feasable). This makes much more ecoomical sense plus it sets a clear,even line.

    Plus it will make flying more friendly as people wont have to complain about injustice with the weightsystem and perhaps create a whole new market..light people hanging around airports and helping people out by taking baggage withem for others razz

    Families etc would be able to total their allowance etc.it would ballance itself out just fine

  5. i think thats for the best if you email them as has already been mentioned it's normal not to wear anything at all..the only thing in the water should be your body,nothing else.

    In most sento there are separate baths , onsen might be mixed depending on the size and the location..bigger places usually are separated.

    Also you are often given a small towel that people will discreetly hold over their private parts when they are walking around out of the water.

    For people not used to it it can feel abit uncomfortable at first, but there is no reason to be as there's nothing strange about it..it's not like you have never seen a naked person before razz

    But you will often notice that there can be a distinct lack of younger japanese girls in the mixed baths..mainly due the now much more frequent gaijin visitors and the influence of western prudishness ;/

    At least thats my experience and what my japanese friends have told me.

    Last time was back in juli and a girl friend (who is japanese) and me went to a tiny mixed onsen in kyoto and she was the only younger girl there, she told me she didnt mind but barely any of her friends go to mixed ones at all so..

  6. yeah,,it's really annoying with all the various standars etc..

    e.g i've flown all over the world with my ski's and on 90% of the time it's fine, counts as sports equipment etc..

    some good airlines from my experience:

    -Air Canada : two pair of ski's, boots, mountaineering gear(ropes,crampoons etc)..total of mroe than 30kg just sports equipment was just fine razz

    -Austrian Airlines/Swiss/Lufthansa : Ski equipment is fine, other sports equipment max 15kg i think? never had problems

    -Thai: there is a max on volume kg..never had problems though

    -SAS: ski equipment no problems, other equipment counted towards total

    -Finnair: no problems

    -Cathay pacific: also no problems with them

     

    following i have had trouble with:

    -Air New Zealand: sports equipment can be up to 10kg...even when my flight was booked with austrian who allow free set of ski's they charged me all the way from auckland to stockholm..austrian flew me fromt tokyo to sthlm..luckily I got that part of the charge back from austrian..but next time i'm soo gonna tell them at the counter they can stuff it and will put on my skiboots,helmet and backprotector and tell them they are just stupid razz apart from that air nz is one of the best carriers!!

    - BA: had to really bring a copy of the allowance before they were ok with some stuff

    -Quantas: well, actually I havent had any trouble with them even with lots of sport equipment..but ive only flown continental withing NZ with them..but my gf had some trouble with all her climbing gear last time she went home..had about 15kg extra climbing gear from wellington-sidney-singapor..quantas flew welli-sidney and wanted to cahrge her..but I talked to the clerk and showed em my frequent flier card and he talked to a manager etc..

     

    So, I recommend checking beforehand, have a copy of allowance printout and be a member in both a star alliance club and one world..to cover both alliances razz

  7. well,i'll be in jap 16-27th of feb..so middle and end haha.

    prolly skiing around the 25th or so razz

    thx for the suggestions, will be discussing with my friend. Date also depends on when she can get off work n that razz I def. dont mind riding the shinkansen for abit if it means a chance at good snow biggrin

    i really like the idea of the 1,5 day ticket most resorts offer..and some even include free nighta biggrin

    golf, where abouts are you and the "fellow kiwis" ?

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