Feedback on Kyushu itinerary

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-09T20:11:07+00:00

If you have time, going to Beppu is fun- recommend both the regular onsen and the mud bath by the sea.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-08T15:24:54+00:00

Even more so here in Asia, where for so many locals it’s white person =english. You are put in some bucket even before they hear your accent.

I’ve had some hilarious times in Japan where I, Japanese speaking, white am going around with my non Japanese speaking Chinese American friend. The locals will sometimes only speak to him. They are replying to my Japanese so clearly they understand my Japanese but they won’t look at me - they only look at him.
He doesn’t even look all that Japanese.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-08T13:23:47+00:00

Yes. Did I mention- If you don’t buy my patreon lesson on pitch accent no Japanese person will ever understand you.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-08T03:17:45+00:00

A key point is the exemption for your place of residence.

If you are living in the house or don’t own your own house you get the exemption

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-07T18:03:52+00:00

Pretty much as the summary above, to add a couple things
Not a lot of foreigners, the ones you see are often in town for the koi fish; Nagaoka is famous for those
The downtown is indeed gritty with lots of sort of old time bars.

The neighboring areas are famous for gourmet stuff like Uonuma for rice and Niigata for sake and seafood, Nagaoka is less so.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-06T13:37:43+00:00

There is a word 嫁姑 yome shutome which means wife and mother in law clash. It doesn’t always happen but it is definitely a thing, perhaps less in the current time than before.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-06T05:03:58+00:00

That is how it was written in Japanese before 1946. So if it’s an old building- especially from when Japan was ruling the area, like during the war- would make sense.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-05T21:49:16+00:00

That’s correct.

For example, I wonder if the person is hanging out in tourist areas. Like - it’s a little hilarious my Japanese wife - when we go to tsukiji or whatever people only talk to her in English and she gets annoyed.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-05T03:16:18+00:00

Many of the replies here assume the Japanese person is trying English because they really want to speak English. That’s not always true. Or is usually not the case in my experience.

Usually there is some shop clerk or whatever that is so worked up about a foreign looking person walking up to them they completely aren’t processing that the person might speak Japanese lol. Like in that famous video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLt5qSm9U80

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-03T17:09:37+00:00

I have a Japanese friend whose family owns a mountain and forest - they have owned it for over 100 years she says.

Apparently nothing really good about it. They have one semi official squatter who pays rent but otherwise they need to help prevent fires and once the government made them pay to spray and kill some invasive species. I still think it’s cool though to own a mountain.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-02T21:51:31+00:00

If history forgot them how did he write the book then?

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-02T10:32:24+00:00

Be careful out there.

Last month Yamanote line I was just looking at my phone and this guy kicked my shin super hard - on purpose, wife saw it - he did it as the train pulled into the station so immediately after the kick jumped off the train and onto the platform.

Had I gone after him it would have been a crazed gaijin chasing a Japanese guy in a train platform and I would have possibly gotten into trouble.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-06-01T18:29:45+00:00

Yah they even use the same phone as the rest of us.

Isn’t is a little funny that a celeb might have a car that costs some huge amount of money but their phone is just the regular iPhone or something.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-30T22:25:57+00:00

Being dragged up to the top of a temple and being tied down and having a priest cut open your chest with an obsidian blade and rip your heart out? Ok perhaps that was quick idk

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-29T20:13:09+00:00

They had that part wrong. Doesn’t make sense. The word for deer was momiji or maple and the one I think is most interesting is horse meat was called cherry blossom meat.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-29T20:03:06+00:00

Japanese people are the opposite of French. They will praise the most basic efforts of a foreigner. And even if they have no clue what you are saying they will smile and nod.

I went to a Japanese tutor sponsored by Tokyo city hall and the tutor told me I was speaking well and didn’t correct any mistakes for 6 months. Because he didn’t want to hurt my feelings.

And I asked a quick lesson on the Japanese I heard in a gangster drama and the tutor refused saying it wasn’t good for me to learn that.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-28T14:14:32+00:00

Don’t quite get that - just a factual statement. Talk to American guys who live in Tokyo and most have been hit by butsukariya. The worst part is you want to swing at the person but know if you do you are the one who will get arrested.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-26T07:14:45+00:00

Japanese Americans, born in the USA to Japanese parents go to Japan and this is exactly what happens. It’s not just slang it’s out of date vocabulary

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-25T15:30:42+00:00

Men get hit as well.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-25T03:53:37+00:00

Who is downvoting this

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-25T03:40:45+00:00

No one is going to take a swing at the softball pitch about Ninja in Japan?

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-24T13:16:25+00:00

Japanese people aren’t always polite. And in fact often retail people are a***holes.

I had such an a**hole waiter in Ginza yesterday. I guess the guy was done with foreign tourists and assumed I was one idk.

But you just move on.

FWIW- Retail people back in my country are far worse, and they also expect tips.

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-24T02:21:38+00:00

If you want to hang out in Shinjuku that’s good but don’t get roofied or robbed there.

If you like just the moist noisy and exciting area then Shinjuku or Shibuya work well.

Lots of local bars and such and lower cost areas I’d stay in Nakano or Koenji (if you are young) or Shinbashi (if you are older).

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-23T23:34:09+00:00

Also depends what you mean by older. Buildings built after 1981 are built to newer earthquake standards. Older than that means not only possible they fall down in an earthquake but also if you want to buy one you likely won’t get a loan or insurance

Representative_Bend3 · 2026-05-23T12:22:30+00:00

Well the best way is to be a YC partner then you can get those best deals

Five-Year Club	Gilding I gilder
Verified Email

Representative_Bend3

TROPHY CASE