Placement requests!

[Elysi]

It really depends on how old the car is. Getting rid of a car is so expensive and annoying in Japan that most preds will just sell it to you for fairly cheap. Of all my JETs that went in 2014, a few of them bought cars from their preds and none of them were over 1 thousand dollars. Most of them were 10-15 years old. If your pred does not have a car, someone from your CO will assist you. There are JETs who rent cars insted of flat out buying them as well. Depending on the location, and how often you need a car for your school, this sometimes works out best.

What you really have to be careful with is the Shaken(car registration). You could buy your preds old car for 300 bucks then find out you need to drop another $1000 on your registration. Shaken tends to vary greatly. Sometimes its a few hundred only, sometimes its much more. At any rate, when you are talking to your pred, it is always important to ask when the shaken will expire, and how much it was previously.

I have never heard of a JET buying a car from their pred for 5k. Then again, most JETs have problems as it is scrapping up the 2-3k for the first months expenses. I cant imagine anyone buying a 5k car at the same time.

That's good to hear. 5k was mostly a maximum estimate for me, including things like the Shaken, parking space, maintenance or any other expenses. I was just curious as I'm working on saving the money now, so if I needed to add any to the initial expenses I thought better to plan for it now and not need it/have extra money. And if I don't get accepted, at least I'll have enough for a vacation!

[miamicoordinator]

That's good to hear. 5k was mostly a maximum estimate for me, including things like the Shaken, parking space, maintenance or any other expenses. I was just curious as I'm working on saving the money now, so if I needed to add any to the initial expenses I thought better to plan for it now and not need it/have extra money. And if I don't get accepted, at least I'll have enough for a vacation!

Save as much as you can. If you can save 5k, 6k, 8k, whatever. Save it! That way at least you will have an emergency account for whatever may happen(flying home for a family emergency etc..) I can't tell you how many JETs struggle their first month because they do not take enough money to live on.

[Ark42]

Save as much as you can. If you can save 5k, 6k, 8k, whatever. Save it! That way at least you will have an emergency account for whatever may happen(flying home for a family emergency etc..) I can't tell you how many JETs struggle their first month because they do not take enough money to live on.

"take" or "have" enough money to live on?

I can't imagine flying with $5k in cash (USD or in Yen).

I'm going to have to change my bank to something other than a smalltown local bank before I leave. I wonder which banks have the best rates on ATM cash exchange withdrawals overseas?

[miamicoordinator]

"take" or "have" enough money to live on?

I can't imagine flying with $5k in cash (USD or in Yen).

I'm going to have to change my bank to something other than a smalltown local bank before I leave. I wonder which banks have the best rates on ATM cash exchange withdrawals overseas?

Have available would be the better word. I wouldnt recommend taking all your money in your pocket, but i do recommend taking at least 1.5k cash with you in order to cover expenses until you open up a bank account in japan. You will waste unnecessary money on fees if you go to the intl atm a couple times a week. You usually open a bank account fairly quickly, so its nice to be able to deposit a nice sum of money from the getgo.

[therealwindycity]

How exactly is owning a car stressful???

It's a hassle to make sure all the paperwork and licensing is maintained (especially when you're not very comfortable with Japanese), can't drink, having to apologize to the BOE in case of an accident (that was the part that really stressed me out), all of the elderly drivers lunging out from blind corners, etc.

On the other hand, it's really nice to not have to worry about the last train, getting to shopping and transporting stuff home, etc.

[AyaReiko]

How easy is it to obtain a license in Japan? Is it really better to get it from home?

[miamicoordinator]

How easy is it to obtain a license in Japan? Is it really better to get it from home?

Its much easier to get your IDP before you get to Japan. Its good for a year. No hassle, you just fill out some papers and pay a small fee. The driving test in japan though.... well, lets just say it doesnt have the reputation for being the easiest thing in the world.

[greyjoy]

I actually love driving, both the convenience and the feel of it. I just hate other drivers being on the road with me. Nobody in the city I lived in knew how to drive. Given what I've observed in Japan, nobody knows here either, although at least they tend toward the side of crazy assholes on the road, rather than idling nitwits that I had to deal with back home. I would actually be more comfortable driving here, but fuck the expense. I live next to a train station. My monthly transportation bill is less than 5000 en.

[word]

Quick reminder--this is Aspiring and Applying. It would be very beneficial for ITIL if we could work together to make this sub-forum a very welcoming and polite sort of place. We should be able to keep the honesty and sincerity that makes the advice offered on ITIL a unique and meaningful thing, but I'm sure we can do so in a respectful manner. Please keep your posts on-topic and empathetic in spirit.

[TweedPawn]

I'm interested in Gunma, Shimane, Aomori and Gifu. Now I'm interested in Yamanashi. I have friends in Yamanashi and Aomori. Shimane has a prefecture that is a sister city to New Orleans. Gunma seems a really cool place. and Gifu seems nice too. I really want to leave near mountains. I'm so sick of swamps and flatlands that it would pretty lame if I got stuck in the one bog in all of Japan.

I've been trying to find information on Gifu, but it's kinda hard to really find anything that sticks out about it.

[Ini]

Lots of cheap cars in Gifu.

[TweedPawn]

I ain't gonna lie. That already has my attention. What are the taxes and fees like, though? And the rent? Is Gifu pretty cheap in general?

[Gizmotech]

My friend moved there recently and things seem to be going swimmingly.

[dstin]

I'm interested in Gunma, Shimane, Aomori and Gifu. Now I'm interested in Yamanashi. I have friends in Yamanashi and Aomori. Shimane has a prefecture that is a sister city to New Orleans. Gunma seems a really cool place. and Gifu seems nice too. I really want to leave near mountains. I'm so sick of swamps and flatlands that it would pretty lame if I got stuck in the one bog in all of Japan.

I've been trying to find information on Gifu, but it's kinda hard to really find anything that sticks out about it.

Tweed, I'm going to assume we're fellow Louisianans. I know of at least one person in Shimane-ken that used the sister-city excuse even though I think she was actually from BR. I'm going to go up to Gunma next weekend(get out of Dasaitama for a bit for my sanity). I know of another Louisianan up in Maebashi, Gunma from LSU. She seems to really enjoy it there.

[therealwindycity]

If you request Shimane, I have a pretty strong feeling you'll get it whether you have a sister city relationship or not ...

[5100]

If you request Shimane, I have a pretty strong feeling you'll get it whether you have a sister city relationship or not ...

Myargonauts' native land?! That's weeaboo heaven!

[mothy]

C'mon guys.

[AyaReiko]

Its much easier to get your IDP before you get to Japan. Its good for a year. No hassle, you just fill out some papers and pay a small fee. The driving test in japan though.... well, lets just say it doesnt have the reputation for being the easiest thing in the world.

What if I don't even have a learner's permit yet? I have to admit that I'm not sure if the test is much easier here...

[5100]

What if I don't even have a learner's permit yet? I have to admit that I'm not sure if the test is much easier here...

It is. Pretty much guaranteed.

[SomePeopleJustSaySnow]

What if I don't even have a learner's permit yet? I have to admit that I'm not sure if the test is much easier here...

Yeah, seriously... whatever test you do, do it in your home country. A friend in the same town as me is currently trying to pass the Japanese driving test for the third time, and I've had a running commentary of how hard the thing is for a few months now - expensive to test, awkward scheduling, certain driving schools not willing to accept foreigners, certain instructors very eager to get 'creative' with 'mistakes' to keep the dangerous speed-demon gaijin off the road.

I mean yeah, said friend could just secretly be a terrible driver, but I've heard a lot of stories about taking the driving test as a foreigner in Japan - including from other Japanese teachers that have worked with past ALTs - about how obscenely hard it is, and how easy they'll fail you.