Home Forums 自己紹介 (Self Introduction) Hello from Indiana

This topic contains 8 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by  Joel 12 years, 8 months ago.

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  • #23185

    James Dugan
    Member

    Hello everyone my name is James, and for years now i have wanted to go to japan but it was really for the anime and i didn’t think something like anime was a good enough reason to learn the language or reason to live there, but over Christmas break i was lucky enough to go! The trip was only 7 days but had made a profound impact on my life, i have found an interest that grew much further than anime. The cities were alive, the sights were indescribable, and the people were more tolerant of foreigners than i had expected. Leaving japan was the hardest thing i ever had to go through, i have found a new desire to learn the language and a hope to live there one day.

    #23188

    Joel
    Member

    Welcome. It’s great that you were able to visit Japan. Where did you go? What did you see?

    Did you take any pictures? =D

    #23225

    Jason
    Member

    Welcome! I’m glad you made it to Japan and hope you had a good time. Anytime I go to places I enjoy, I take a camera and never take a single snap of anything. LOL Please tell me you made it to Akihabara? I could get lost there for ever!

    Good luck with your studies!

    #23247

    winterpromise31
    Moderator

    Hi James, welcome! How cool that you were able to visit Japan and that it fueled your motivation to learn Japanese.

    Good luck with your studies!
    Cassandra

    #23272

    James Dugan
    Member

    Thank you everybody for your support, yes i took quite a few pictures (over 1000) the flickr account is posted below. I hope to get around to sorting these out later.

    Thank you all again!
    James Dugan

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/73395504@N08/

    #23291

    Hashi
    Member

    Hi James! Glad to hear that you got to visit Japan and had such a great time there. What inspired you to finally get on that plane and head over to Japan?

    #23318

    Sunnie1
    Member

    Hi! Ah, it’s refreshing to hear about your awesome experience in Japan – it fuels my desire to go there even higher! Welcome, and thank you for sharing your pictures! Nice to meet you! (Happily heads off to go look at pictures nao)

    p.s. What are some of the things you would recommend absolutely must be experienced in Japan, or some of your favorite memories from your time there?

    #23386

    James Dugan
    Member

    I finally decided to go because i had enough money saved up, found a travel company, and had the time off work :)
    If you are planning on visiting Japan for the first time (and don’t know a lot of japanese) i would highly recommend the travel company I went with (http://www.japandeluxetour.com/app/index.php) The flight is a little expensive ( who am i kidding its ridiculously expensive) but the tour itself is relatively cheap considering everything you get to see and do, the tour i took with flight included was almost 5000$.
    However if you do decide to go on your own, I recommend staying in or near Tokyo because you can experience japan in one city (ryokans, onsens, bullet trains, sushi, ect) but the entire tour was a great experience (even the maid cafe) definitely one of the best trips i have ever been on.

    #23387

    Joel
    Member

    I went on my own in August-September 2010, and even though I didn’t know much Japanese at the time, I managed on just a phrasebook and charades. I’d heartily recommend the opposite advice to James – don’t, by any means, limit yourself to just Tokyo. The country has so much to offer. I’d recommend every place I visited. Except maybe Osaka Castle.

    I can’t really speak for tours – I went on one with a school group to China way way back in 1998, but I don’t really remember much of what I thought of it how I felt after it – but for me, going to Japan with a friend on our own, being able to choose where we wanted to go, was kinda fun. I will say this, though: my friend and I went for two weeks, and we each spent $AUS 3333. That’s in total, including airfares, food, hotels and the JR Pass – everything. Read into that what you will. =) (Mind you, to be fair, the airfare from Australia to Japan is probably cheaper than Indiana to Japan.)

    There’s a link to my blog in the sticky blog thread.

    • This reply was modified 12 years, 8 months ago by  Joel.
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