I live in Japan!

[AwakenxBenihime]

Nyororin -
First of all I want to say that your story is amazing. I admire you for doing what felt right for you and following your heart. I hope your family is well.


So far today I've read I think up to page 57 of this thread... and I had a few questions that as far as I can tell haven't been asked yet. (Anybody that wants to is welcome to answer )


My fiance and I are both U.S. citizens so I know that we can both visit for three months without a visa. My question is regarding the visas for a longer stay.. am I right in thinking there are only the work visa and student visa? My main question is do they have an option for someone that can show that they have sufficient funds to live in Japan without having to work? (I'm not rich or anything) I'm thinking about the future after saving and inheriting/selling a family home. I have to admit I feel lazy asking but I just thought if anyone happened to know I would appreciate any information.


As for just visiting for 3 months can anyone tell me how difficult it may or may not be to rent a small apartment for 3 months? (something with a private bathroom but it can be a studio apt sized) I know that we wouldn't want to stay in a hotel that whole time.


As for everyday life I was wondering how available non-Japanese foods and/or the ingredients to make non-Japanese dishes are in Japan? Now when I ask this please understand that we enjoy Japanese food very much and I've been learning to cook more Japanese dishes but for example my fiance who's Japanese/Filipino and was born in Hawaii really likes Spam Musubi and this may seem stupid but I'm really not sure how available Spam is in Japan. From what I understand Spam Musubi is more of a Hawaiian dish. I'm just curious really.


Thank you in advance for any answers.

[gr8gonzo1775]

Nyororin,

I am an American citizen getting ready to marry a Japanese national, and I plan to move back to Japan with her in August of next year, how much paperwork is there for me to just live there as her husband, and I know that you do not like the teaching gig, but that is what I will do for a short time until I can get something that fits my Bachelor's degree. I also would like to buy a house for me and my new wife, so that we will have more space for a family. What advice can you give me..

Gr8gonzo1775.

[SSJup81]

Originally Posted by gr8gonzo1775

Nyororin,

I am an American citizen getting ready to marry a Japanese national, and I plan to move back to Japan with her in August of next year, how much paperwork is there for me to just live there as her husband, and I know that you do not like the teaching gig, but that is what I will do for a short time until I can get something that fits my Bachelor's degree. I also would like to buy a house for me and my new wife, so that we will have more space for a family. What advice can you give me..

Gr8gonzo1775.

If you're marrying a Japanese citizen, then you can just apply for a spousal visa. You'll have more choices, if I'm not mistaken, as far as jobs are concerned.

Also, seems that with your wife, you wouldn't have too much of a problem with buying a place to live, but I'm not entirely sure about that

[mariyaBG]

What are ways to search a job?

thanks for yours answers

[SSJup81]

Originally Posted by mariyaBG

What are ways to search a job?

thanks for yours answers

Gaijinpot.com. Not the best in the world, but it's better than nothing.

[KylieHJensen]

Nyororin.

The story of your life was very touching and smiliar to mine with the exception that I grew up in Taiwan and spent my teenage years in United States. My parents are from 2 separate worlds, (father Norway, mother Taiwan.) I was born in Norway and moved to Taiwan at the age of 3. I spent the next 10 years there before my mother passed away from cancer.

When I was young, my father was never that responsible and after the death of my mother, he moved back to United States (where my parents first met) and left us in Taiwan. My sister and I stayed with my uncle in Taiwan a year before we decided to look for our father in America.

My father lived in New York, and the school system was not an ideal place for us to be educated. I continued to have problems coping with the loss of my mother, ran into trouble in school and got addicted to cocaine.

At the age of 16, I ran away from home and for the next 2 months on the streets and with people who I would never associate with today. Long story short, I overdosed and almost killed myself but was lucky enough to be rescued by someone who found me unconscious. At that time, I was yet fluent in English and found myself questioned by police in the hospital and that was the lowest point of my life. Perhaps the incident woke my father up and from that moment he began to take responsibility for us by quitting his job and moved us to Maryland (an area that was much safer) It was there, I went through rehab, focused on my academics, went to college and obtain my doctrine in psychology.

I was no where near as strong as you, but I can relate to the time when I ran away from home. Like you, I was in a country where I had no cultural knowledge and background, I felt lost and yet tried to survive on my own. This is also the major difference between us, you succeeded where I failed.

Life is hard for some of us, yet we make the most of it. I salut you for the ability tobeen able to succeed in a way that you did and look forward to become a good friend with you online.

I will be in Japan (okinawa, tokyo, and Fukushima) this fall and if you have some time, I'd like to meet you for a coffee. I am not sure where you reside and I'm not all that familiar with Japan.

My name is Kylie Jensen. I am 26 and of Norwegian/Taiwan descendant who travels the world whenever I can.

[fubukishigo]

I'd like to come to Japan, a big dream form, but like You've said...
Life gets complicated, and its not easy now to leave. I'm Polish, went to Sweden, and then UK, and I'm still in England...
Learning Japanese on my own now as I can't take any course with my current job .
My heart aches when I hear such stories . Well done !

[Akihiko]

I have come to the Kyoto prefecture for study abroad. I heard a rumor that Japanese girls like American guys basically because they are american. Is this true?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Akihiko

I have come to the Kyoto prefecture for study abroad. I heard a rumor that Japanese girls like American guys basically because they are american. Is this true?

You missed the boat by a couple decades.

Where in Kyoto are you living, now?

[noneedforname]

I didn´t want to make an entire new thread so thought I would just add my question here. moving to japan for about 5 months in two weeks.
been looking over my financial situation and it is not looking too great as I´m living off a student loan. I am going to be studying japanese and after school tuition fee and rent for apartment I will have about 50.000 yen to live off each month.

Is this enough at all? been hearing lots of different stuff like : food there is cheap, shouldn`t be a problem. but also : japan is expencive etc.

guess I´m just looking to eat a couple of meals each day. grabbing a couple of drinks every now and then. and maybe getting out of the chiba prefecture once or twice during my stay. answers would be appreciated will be living in chiba, togane (if it helps).