Hello! from Japan

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life in japan

A great place for camping in Tokyo

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Hi! It’s been a while.
Sorry for not updating anything on this blog for such a long time!!

Since the Corona outbreak, the economic conditions in the local cities got bad and I had to change my lifestyle.
Currently, I mostly work in Tokyo but sometimes go back to Takayama − Going back and forth!

There has been a lot of bad news these days like Corona, war, such and such …, and I feel really depressed. When I feel down, I put my cell phone away in my bag (to stay away from media), and I try to find some time to spend in nature.
The other day, I camped with my friend in Okutama at the Hikawa Campsite. It is a very famous camping site (especially for beginners).
I really like this place because it is very conveniently located, and you can enjoy campfires and tent stays. If you live in Tokyo and haven’t been there yet, I recommend that you go!

Hikawa Campsite

Access（about 2 hours from Shinjuku Station)

Take the JR Chuo Line from Shinjuku Station to Tachikawa Station.
From Tachikawa Station, take the JR Ome Line to Okutama Station.
Hikawa Campground is a 5-minute walk from Okutama Station.
Advance reservation is required for use. Please check the availability on the official website and make a reservation. https://www.okutamas.co.jp/hikawa/

Charge

Camping only 1,000 yen per person per night
Tent stay: 1,500 yen per person per night
Accommodation (lodge) use from 5,000 yen per night per building

There is a hot spring facility called “Moegi no Yu” about 10-minute walk from the campsite, and the “Hikawa International Trout Fishing area” nearby. Great place for fishing, and you can also barbecue on the riverside.

There is also a convenience store and a store selling meat and vegetables near the station, so you can go to the campsite without preparing much.

Be careful of the temperature difference between daytime and nighttime. It was the middle of March when I used it, and it got so cold at night that I hardly slept at night … Me and my friend had to spend the whole day staying close to a fire until morning lol

I really think that it is important to put yourself in nature once in a while.

By the way, Family Planet Japan (a group in Takayama city)’s google site is open now. https://sites.google.com/familyplanetjapan.jp/family-planet-japan-official/

If you are in Takayama (or somehwere in Japan), please sign up for our official LINE account, “Our Planet.” You will be able to get information on our upcoming events, listen to special radio programs, and more.

You can also contact us via Line if you need any help with your life in Japan (or even by commenting on this post). We will do our best to support you.

See you soon!
Taka

こんにちは。コロナ禍に入ってから、長い間全然ブログ更新していませんでしたが久しぶりの投稿です！

コロナの影響で地方都市の経済状態が非常に悪くなったため、現在、僕は東京と高山を行き来する生活をしています。最近は戦争も起きていて本当に良いニュースがなくて気持ちも落ち込みますね、、

気分が晴れない時は、携帯電話をバッグにしまって、自然があるところに行ったりして過ごすようにしています。東京でも最近キャンプが流行っていたりして、先日は奥多摩の方に友人と氷川キャンプ場で宿泊をしてきました。超有名どころで、キャンプも初心者向けですが、焚き火やテント泊も十分楽しめておすすめです。都心に住んでいて、まだ行ったことがない人は是非行ってみてください！

氷川キャンプ場

アクセス（新宿駅から2時間くらい）
新宿駅からJR中央線で立川駅へ
立川駅からJR青梅線で奥多摩駅へ
氷川キャンプ場へは奥多摩駅から徒歩5分です。

利用には事前の予約が必要です。
公式サイトで空き状況を確認して予約をしましょう。

https://www.okutamas.co.jp/hikawa/

料金
キャンプのみ　1名1泊 1,000円
テント宿泊　1名1泊1,500円
宿泊施設利用 1棟1泊 5,000円から

キャンプ場から徒歩10分ほどの場所にもえぎの湯という温泉施設もあり、少し離れたところには氷川国際ます釣場もあり、河原で気軽にバーベキューもできるので至れり尽くせりの都会のキャンプ場という感じです。

また、駅の近くにはコンビニやお肉や野菜を売っている売店などもあるので、キャンプ場まで手ぶらで行ってOK。ただやはり山の中なので、日中と夜の寒暖差に気をつけてください！僕が利用したときは3月半ばで、夜中はめちゃくちゃ寒くなってほとんど寝ずに焚き火を朝までして過ごしました笑

たまには自然に身を置くことが本当に大切ですね。

ところで、僕が代表を務めている高山市の市民団体、Family Planet Japanの公式サイトが出来ました。https://sites.google.com/familyplanetjapan.jp/family-planet-japan-official/

外国人移住者と地域住民とのつながりと交友関係を深めるべく様々な活動をしていますので、良ければぜひご覧ください。公式Lineアカウント、Our Planet に登録していただくと今後のイベント情報や特別ラジオ番組の視聴などができるようになります。また、外国人移住者の方は生活面で困った際、Lineアカウントへメッセージを送っていただければできる限りサポートいたしますので、お気軽にご利用ください。

それではまた！
Taka

※ Please note that the translation is not exact. I’m just writing for fun!
※ブログの対訳は気分で書いてるので、厳密な文章ではありません。あしからず

Today’s words and phrases

go back and forth　行ったり来たりする（いったりきたりする）
economic conditions　経済状況（けいざいじょうきょう）
the other day　先日（せんじつ）
once in a while　時々（ときどき）
upcoming　今後の（こんごの）

Online Interview with Haitham-san from Egypt【English subtitles】

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NqAKZBpM0A&feature=youtu.be

Hi, how are you doing?
We had an online interview with Haitham-san from Egypt and asked about life in Japan. It is always fun to meet someone from different countries!
Below is what we talked about:

0:06 Introduction 

0:50 When did you move to Takayama? 高山にいつから移住したの？

1:09 Where in Japan did you live before? 以前は日本のどこにいたの？

1:50 What did you study in school? 学校では何を勉強したの？

2:09 How many Egyptians are there in Japan? 日本にいるエジプト人はどれくらい？

2:23 Is learning Japanese popular in Egypt? 日本語を学んでいるエジプト人は多い？

3:15 Why did you decide to study Japanese? なぜ日本語を学んだの？

3:50 Was it hard to get used to life in Japan? 日本に慣れるのは大変だった？

5:10 Any difficulties after moving to Takayama? 高山に来てから苦労はあった？

5:50 Why did you choose to move to Takayama? 高山に来た理由は？

6:55 Any things you want the city to work on? 高山で改善して欲しい事は？

8:55 Any plans for the future? 今後やりたい事は？

11:14 Advice for new-comers! これから日本に移住予定の人にアドバイス

13:12 After the Interview インタビューを終えて

We will keep on making connections online/offline.
About our organization, Family Planet Japan, please visit our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/familyplanetjapan

See you next time!
Taka

3 Tips to make a good impression at a new workplace in Japan

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How’s it going?
It is the rainy season and very humid in Japan right now.

It seems that Japanese government is starting to welcome travellers and business people from Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand again soon (from Aug if things work well). For those who are coming to work in Japan for the first time, I’m giving 3 tips to make a good impression at your new workplace.

You might get nervous and worried if you have no experience working in Japan, but don’t panic! With these 3 tips in mind, you will be able to start off well at your new work.

1.Take notes

It is very important to bring a note and a pen and take notes at your new office. It is of course to memorize what you learn there, and also to show others that you are carefully listening to them.

Japanese workers tend to worry about a new colleague thinking if he/she can work well with their team. By taking notes as you listen what they say, people there will know that you are trying to learn the ropes. It is a good way to build trust with your new teammates!

2.Say “Yoroshiku onegai shimasu”

The next tip is to say “Yoroshiku onegai shimasu” to people you will be working with. We often use this phrase when we introduce ourselves and also at work. It is like saying “Let’s work together!”. The phrase is polite enough, but if you want to be more polite, add “Douzo” and say “Douzo yoroshiku onegai shimasu”. Casual way of saying this is to simply say “Yoroshiku”.

Instead of shaking hands (of doing shaking hands), we often say this at work.
[Slow Speed]よろしくお願いします/Yoroshiku onegai shimasu
[Natural Speed]よろしくお願いします/Yoroshiku onegai shimasu

3.Say “Osakini shitsurei shimasu”

We use this phrase when we finish working and go home. It means “I’m going home (before you)”. Most Japanese people work as a team and always concern teammates. You can use this phrase to show that you care others that are still working in the office.

[Slow Speed] お先に失礼します/Osakini shitsurei shimasu
[Natural Speed] お先に失礼します/Osakini shitsurei shimasu

These are 3 tips that will help you start off well at a new workplace in Japan. Unlike many western countries where people think and work more indivisually, people in Japan always think and care others (that’s why everyone’s so polite and crime rate is low here).

Good luck with your new life! And enjoy working in Japan.

See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected] 

How’s your life in Japan? (Online interview with Sean)

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How are you doing?
We had another online interview with a foreign resident in Japan.
It was really fun talking with him and we got some interesting opinions about life in Japan.

He came to Takayama city about 3 year ago!

0:13 日本に来たきっかけは？
What brought you to Japan?

1:29 日本に馴染むのは大変だった？
Was it hard to fit in the different culture?

2:08 日本が外国人にとっても住みやすい場所になるには？
What should Japan work more on for foreign citizens?

3:35 どうやって日本語を習得した？
How did you learn Japanese?

5:11 日本の幼児教育について
About early child education in Japan.

7:23  先輩移住者としてアドバイス
Tips for new-comers

9:06  今回インタビューをしてみて
After the interview

I hope this will be helpful for someone thinking about coming to Japan in the future!

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.
Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]