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Living in Tokyo
From Virtual Japan
Living in Tokyo is a common hope of many western youths. Due to the unique lifestyle and culture in Tokyo, the appeal to live in Japan has its own nickname (Japanophilia).
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Cost
Tokyo is an expensive place, and so living in Tokyo requires a substantial investment. If you are planning on staying for a short time you can stay in a hostel or a guest house, which will make the trip slightly more affordable, but the rent of a standard Japanese apartment can cost upwards of 100,000 yen or more, and the size of the apartment is no larger than 150 square feet – around 1/6th the size of the average small American apartment.
In addition to rent costs, food is not necessarily too expensive (400 yen for a loaf of bread, 130 yen for instant noodles), but electronics can be expensive as can clothes. Also, you will need to keep travel expenses, which can cost a few thousand yen per day. Living in Japan becomes a substantial investment, so a long term trip should be well saved for.
Customs
In addition, Japan has a large number of customs and etiquette that are expected to be followed regardless of your nationality. For example, chopsticks have a number of customs that can be insulting to others if not followed. Pointing your chopsticks at another individual is considered especially offensive. You are also not supposed to pass food with chopsticks. While these small customs may seem minor, they are very important for getting along with the locals.
Some other customs include:
- Taking off your shoes before entering someone else’s home (and bringing socks so you do not dirty their provided slippers).
- Never leave a conversation without a formal ending such as “Wish to see you again.”
- Japan’s language has several honorifics that are both necessary and polite.
- Upon leaving someone else’s house, one does not put on their hat or coat until the doors of the person have been closed behind them.
Health
Summer brings many additional health problems. Food poisoning is a common occurrence when the heat touches food that is sitting out for a long time. Allergies can be in full force and heatstroke is very common as well. Also, public baths (Sento) have been known to have bacteria when people do not fully wash themselves before getting into the bath (baths themselves are not for washing, but for relaxing). Tokyo, despite its dense population, is a fairly clean and disease free city, but one should always drink a lot of water and wash extensively every day to avoid any unnecessary sicknesses.