about Moving to Work in Japan
 

Hi,

In less than a month I will be moving to Japan to work for a Japanese company. They are bringing me over and giving me a place but the budget will be tight for the first 3 months.

I am a little overwhelmed with it all and wanted to know if anyone in a similar position (of any nature) could give me their view on the most important thing to do before leaving the states (nyc)

things you forgot? so I may not! Things to buy before I come over, etc. etc.

Most Japanese don't use deodorant (they don't stink, apparantly) so bring as much deodorant as you are going to need.

Really? I always heard that they have like spray deodorants as opposed to the other types.

Those are more of a spray perfume. Pretty useless in the very humid summers.

So pretty much no anti-antiperspirants, for the most part. I was always told this myself, to bring over lots of deodorant...I now understand why.

Deodorant/antiperspirant ranks in the same category as condoms and tampons. It`s something "private", sort of tucked away out of view, that people don`t really make it obvious that they`re buying. But it is indeed sold in drugstores - and not just the perfume like spray type. You can find stick antiperspirant quite easily if you know what you`re looking for. It`s the knowing bit that is the wall.

I have noticed that it is indeed true that body odor is, in general, not all that strong here. There are a few people who seriously stink when they sweat, but in general people don`t have that sweat smell to them. I only personally know of two people here who have body odor issues - one smells like SWEAT and the other smells like... moldy bread (I have no idea why) when he sweats. Everyone else is pretty neutral.

I was able to find antiperspirant at a drug store in Japan, but I don't even sweat that much, and this stuff did absolutely nothing. I have smelled a few stinky people, but nothing like the gaijin stench...I don't know what it is.

I have to say it`s definitely a diet aspect. I was never particularly stinky to begin with, but after living here for so long my sweat is virtually odorless. My husband actually smells vaguely sweet (and not the sickly sweet type of sweetness either.)
I`m sure that bathing habits also contribute. An actual bath does a lot more than a shower to clean out the pores.

I barely sweat in the summer, even with the humidity... but sweaters kill me - inside it`s warm enough that I sweat, only to freeze once I go outside - so I always use antiperspirant during the winter.

Rexena stick type is the best.

From my personal experience, buy a new laptop if your current one is rather old.

Japan offers some of the best consumer electronic goods but they are not cheap.

To tell you the truth, it is much cheaper in the US and you should take advantage of it before leaving.

Medicine is also another things that you should make sure to bring some.

There are local brands but at first you may have difficulty choosing one and if your Japanese is not strong, you would have rough time finding it.

If you are still in the early stage of learning Japanese, maybe you should buy some textbooks in the US so explanations are in English rather than in Japanese.

Graphic calculator might be useful as it is harder and expensive to buy one in Japan.

Other than that, make sure to buy your favorite liquor at the duty free shop cos in Japan, you don't see too many foreign liquors at the regular stores.

What company are you going t work for and what do you do ? :)