visting japan for a month

[darksidekei]

Me and my friend really wanna go to Japan and we found a place where u stay at a guest house for an entire month and you pay a months rent. it was an awesome find glad I found it, but what I wanna know is how much would I need to stay in Japan while I am there estimated ( In US money). We are also gonna look around the area for employment well not acutally working but future jobs because me and him want to live in Japan. The great thing bout the guest house we are gonna stay at is gas, electric, water, and internet is included as well as dishes so all we would need is food shopping money, transportation, and shopping money to bring gifts back home. Thanks for the help!

P.S. one more question: can you take the Japanese exam while living there or while employed? or do I have to pass the exam first then be able to get a job or live there?

here is the site for future reference i found the guest house at its:
sakura-house.com

[trunker]

depending on where youre going, and what youre lifestyle is like, i wouldnt take less than Y100,000 or US$1,000 for the month each, and i would hope that you have access to more via ATM's for just in case.

I was in Tokyo for 3 months, homestay type of deal, so food, rent, and net were taken care of,..... and just from the travel cost of exploring all day everyday and having lunch outside, i burned through Y100,000 a month, and i'm not exactly the shopper frappucino burger tourist trap kind of guy.

i did have a pretty damn good time though

[JBaymore]

Just got back from 2 months there.

Legal employment in Japan can be a difficult situation for a gaikokujin. USUALLY, you already have a job before you get there...and a company/person that is sort of "sponsoring" you in this endeavor. The US JET program does not require passing Japanese language tests at all, I believe. But I would imagine that a LOT of other jobs would require that pretty much up front.

As to your more short term trip, it is VERY easy to spend money in Japan in oh so many ways. So if you are really scrimping to pull this off...... you might get yourself in trouble easily. Or get totally frustrated.

And it is no longer really a wise thing to think of 100,000 円 = $1000 US Dollars if you are from the USA. The exchange rate is worse than that now and it is showing no signs of getting much better anytime soon. That is an easy way to spend more (in your home currency) than you planned to.

Don't underestimate the cost of "getting around". The subways and trains add up FAST.

best,

...................john

[MMM]

It sounds like you are going there on vacation and to see things, so I would have at least 75 dollars a day. You are going to want to do things and see things and, assuming you are in Tokyo, buy things.

Which test are you talking about taking?

What kind of job are you looking for?

[darksidekei]

well the place that i found is called Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku and it is walking distance from Shinjuku - 8 min. Ikebukuro - 11min. and Shibuya - 14min. the rent for the month to stay there is 100,000Y. So that aside and plane trip I would like to know the estimated cost for the Japanese lifestyle such as clubbing (even tho im not the clubbing type), eating out to try new foods I never tried and always wanted to, as well as otaku like things and so on just to experience the life in full. so is $4000 good enough or would I need more?

as for jobs I want anything that can help me make enough for supporting myself and splurge from time to time without being in debt, because I found one for 107,000Y a month apartment with loft. so if being a waiter or a job placement job or working in hotels is going to make that much money I would do it.

[burkhartdesu]

Originally Posted by darksidekei

well the place that i found is called Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku and it is walking distance from Shinjuku - 8 min. Ikebukuro - 11min. and Shibuya - 14min. the rent for the month to stay there is 100,000Y. So that aside and plane trip I would like to know the estimated cost for the Japanese lifestyle such as clubbing (even tho im not the clubbing type), eating out to try new foods I never tried and always wanted to, as well as otaku like things and so on just to experience the life in full. so is $4000 good enough or would I need more?

as for jobs I want anything that can help me make enough for supporting myself and splurge from time to time without being in debt, because I found one for 107,000Y a month apartment with loft. so if being a waiter or a job placement job or working in hotels is going to make that much money I would do it.

4,000 dollars is fine.

There's no way you would get a job/want a job. A month isn't very long.

[darksidekei]

I didnt mean to get a job while I was there for the month I meant I want to eventually live in Japan and I would need around that much to live in Japan. But are you sure $4000 is enough to survive for a month I am good with money I can manage it BUT I am going to want to buy A LOT of stuff to bring home.

[JBaymore]

darksidekei,

It is so very hard to answer these types of questions with anything definitive. Much is so open to personal desires.

You can find places to "eat out" unique foods from street stall type places near Ueno Koen where you can get good traditional stuff like oden for cheap (maybe in the 600 to 800 円 range) to needing a mortgage on a really first rate kaiseki dinner in what is considered a "fine" restaraunt by Japanese standards. (But that concept is pertty much true most ANYWHERE, really.)

Much the same goes for "clubbing".

I think that the aforementioned $1000 a week US for disposable money above basic rent would afford you a lifestyle that would be a lot of fun.

But that also depends on what you want to buy. I collect Japanese pottery. It would be a snap to spend $1000 US on a SINGLE piece of GOOD Japanese pottery by a good artist. If you collect real katana....... same kind of sitution. Collect rare manga or anime.... likely the same. But if your tastes and demands are simpler..... than that $1000 will go a lot further.

I think some of the issue is to set your overall budget and then plan to live within it. Unless you have a trust fund sitting in the background .

best,

................john

[sarasi]

Have you checked whether you will legally be able to work in Japan? Unless you are of Japanese descent, as an American there is no independent visa (i.e. not spouse or student visa) that will allow you to work as a waiter or in a hotel. Employers who will hire you illegally and pay you under the table are very rare in Japan and it is a great risk.

For hospitality work you need very good spoken Japanese anyway- how are your Japanese skills?

If you have a university degree then you may be able to find someone to employ you as an English teacher, but a month is probably not enough time to find a job, especially if you plan to do a lot of clubbing while there.

$4,000 is certainly enough to survive for a month- many people in Tokyo only earn about half that amount a month- but whether it is enough for you to do all the shopping and clubbing you are planning is entirely up to you- we can't tell you that.

[darksidekei]

well as for food wise I don't expect to eat out at a restaurant that's expensive unless I met a girl there and going on a date....which is close to 0 chance since I'm not the type to go up to chicks to ask them out. but stuff like ramen takoyaki and other foods that r famous in japan that Americans cant find often that's what I meant bout foods. I'm 22 going on 23 so a club with 18 and up would be best.. but i don't know anything bout japan travel like the hot spots and stuff. and as for shopping i was thinking anime stuff from mangas to toys plushes and little trinkets for the family like key chains, cellphone straps simple stuff. I'm going with a friend and he's gonna have money too so if worse comes to worse I can borrow from him if I'm short on change. I am trying to avoid that though I want to have my own cash for what I want.