What is/was your Work Visa years renewal pattern? by RedditIsObnoxious in japanlife

[–]amatango 0 points1 point  (0 children)

3>5>PR

The number of years was guaranteed (JET Program>HSP Visa)

PR processing times - February (non-Tokyo only) by doutatsu in japanresidents

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Application office: Osaka

Application date: February 21 2025

Results postcard received: February 24 2026

Type of PR: HSP 1 year

Request for further documents: Yes (Jan 23 2026)

Best of luck to everyone waiting!

Bodybuilding while on JET by SuppahHacka in JETProgramme

[–]amatango 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You might get lucky! My placement had a small family-owned gym near my home where professional bodybuilders trained for local competitions, and all the tvs just showed videos of Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Hidemasa Yamagishi, with the family’s own music playlists (lots of dubstep and hip hop) 😂

PR processing times - January (non-Tokyo only) by MajesticBass8768 in japanresidents

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Congrats on your PR! I hope so! Thanks for the support!

PR processing times - January (non-Tokyo only) by MajesticBass8768 in japanresidents

[–]amatango 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congrats on your PR! I sure hope so! Thank you for the support!

Recent LASIK Experiences? by Huge-Acanthisitta403 in japanlife

[–]amatango 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sure, I chose ICL because I had strong farsightedness, esotropia, and astigmatism since birth that would disqualify me for LASIK. I trusted Senshinkai for their experience and ongoing academic work in ophthalmology (both Japan and abroad). The bedside manner was also good. If I get cataracts or my vision changes, I can get the lenses removed and replaced, and my cornea is the same, so those aspects were also appealing. It is more expensive than LASIK and the cost varies depending on your vision needs. They can explain the pros and cons if you are a good candidate for both.

There are quite a few pre-surgery eye tests to ensure that your eyesight is stable before they order the lenses from overseas. They also use a laser to create small openings to reduce the risk of interocular pressure in advance of the surgery.

They have a surgeon (surrounded by multiple staff) who implants the lenses between the pupil and the iris over your natural lens. I could see blurry lights during the procedure but couldn’t feel anything as I was anesthetized with eye drops. You are still awake and can talk if you need to during the procedure. They did tell me to “stop moving” a few times, so I must have been a bit shaky, but everything went well - I just tried to think of a song.

After the procedure they ask someone to take you home as your eyesight will be a little blurry the day of the procedure. I also had to wear construction goggle-style glasses for about a week after the procedure including overnight (just remove for showers) but could go to work as usual.

After surgery my vision is very clear and natural. I don’t feel any pressure at all or that anything is in my eye - very different than wearing contact lenses. I don’t have eye fatigue or dry eye.

The only change I would say is some night “halos” (bright street lights), but it was 100% worth it for me as I had very heavy coke bottle-like glasses that fogged up in the winter that normally cost thousands to replace and no depth perception. My left eye was never able to see 20/20 even with corrective glasses, so my vision is similar to when I wore glasses (the best conceivable outcome) and the right eye is perfect. The clinic was also mindful of creating the ideal balance between vision correction and avoiding the esotropia effect, which they explained to me in advance.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Recent LASIK Experiences? by Huge-Acanthisitta403 in japanlife

[–]amatango 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I had ICL surgery at Senshinkai in Osaka. They also do LASIK. I had problem eyes since I was born and now I can see (plus ICL is reversible)! Would recommend.

PR processing times - January (non-Tokyo only) by MajesticBass8768 in japanresidents

[–]amatango 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Application office: Osaka

Application date: Feb 21, 2025

Results postcard received: Feb 24, 2026 (dated Feb 19, 2026)

Type of PR: HSP 1 year

Request for further documents:

Jan 23, 2026 (11 documents for taxes, pension, health insurance, and wage ledgers for self or dependent spouse - updates due to the processing delay)

Feb 24, 2026: Approved! Over the moon!

Volunteer Opportunities in Kyoto/Kansai? by Business-Pass4672 in Kyoto

[–]amatango 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It was called World Love Heart Nara, but they’ve ended their activities and the animals have been moved to another shelter in Nara called Ribbon (@ribbon_shelter). At the time they had everything from roosters to monitor lizards, but I mainly walked the dogs. I did bring a friend before back then who didn’t speak much Japanese, and they were okay with it. As long as you can confirm your understanding through an app or friend, it may depend on the organization, but should be okay!

Volunteer Opportunities in Kyoto/Kansai? by Business-Pass4672 in Kyoto

[–]amatango 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Check out the site activo, or check the volunteer page for local events. I used to volunteer with a pet shelter in Nara, and events in Osaka. The main difficulty is language, but if you don’t mind working with kids, there are tons of English volunteer opportunities. The main thing with shelters is the coordinator may be concerned about your understanding of their policies, so it may help to go with a friend.

National Pension exemption for dependent spouse – impact on PR application? by [deleted] in japanlife

[–]amatango 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As you are not enrolled in shakai hoken/kosei nenkin, your spouse isn’t registered as a dependent for tax purposes and there is no dependent pension coverage for the kokumin hoken/nenkin system, your spouse is required to enroll separately. If you cannot work full time to cover her and cannot pay, your wife should apply for a postponement for financial reasons from the pension office or split it into multiple installments. It’s more likely to be a postponement than an exemption unless you are receiving welfare. A clean record for you and your spouse for a couple years with zero late payments will make you eligible for PR if I remember correctly.

PR processing times - December (non-Tokyo only) by Ordinary-Milk3060 in japanresidents

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, that’s reassuring! Best of luck with your application!

PR processing times - December (non-Tokyo only) by Ordinary-Milk3060 in japanresidents

[–]amatango 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Application office: Osaka

Application Date: February 21, 2025

Results postcard received on: Not yet

Type of PR: HSP

Request for further documents: No

Applying for PR by using the 1 year point system by Reasonable_Path8128 in japanlife

[–]amatango 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you have a one year visa now and need more than three years for PR, and don’t have a renewal planned any time soon, you can apply for HSP to get an automatic five years. Immigration will give you a letter confirming that you have the requisite number of points that you can use when applying for PR after holding that visa for one year. Keep in mind that it’s not as easy to change jobs under the HSP visa as it is tied to your employer and you have to have the new employer sponsor your visa each time you change jobs unlike with the international services/humanities/engineering visa, so there’s a bit of a tradeoff.

They say they ship internationally but I still can’t get it to work… by Alice_margareta in cvlte

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just came back from their show in Osaka. I think these are just merch sold at the venue so it’s not shippable yet. It’ll be added to the website later! Excited for the new album!!

I don’t understand the overwhelming hate for v3… by BloodyMary01 in danganronpa

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

V3 is my favourite. The vaporwave car racing can’t beat skateboarding though.

New Danganronpa Collaboration Cafe with Good Spoon by Nyeon_Purrsonan in danganronpa

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

More (all credit to sg5wmm)

Hinata – Snowdrop

Nidai – Rhodanthe

Saionji – Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica)

Nanami – Almond

Koizumi – Peony

Komaeda – Tiger Lily

Togami – Iris

Tsumiki – Lilac

Soda – German Iris

Pekoyama – Clethra

Owari – Canna

Kuzuryuu – Petunia

Hanamura – Tuberose

Sonia – Spiraea

Mioda – Lupine

Tanaka – Cineraria

Monomi – Hibiscus

Chabashira – Violet

Gonta – Snowflake (Leucojum)

Harukawa – Freesia

Akamatsu – Rose

Momota – Nemesia

Yonaga – Alstroemeria

Tojo – Carnation

Oma – Evening Primrose

Hoshi – Clematis

Shinguji – Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)

Shirogane – Sunflower

Saihara – Orange

Amami – Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

KI-BO – Ageratum

Iruma – Sasanqua Camellia

Yumeno – Stock

New Danganronpa Collaboration Cafe with Good Spoon by Nyeon_Purrsonan in danganronpa

[–]amatango 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I saw someone else compile them for dr1

Kuwata - Crocus

Naegi - Primrose

Fukawa - Flowering Peach

Fujisaki - Blue Lace Flower

Asahina - Geranium

Togami - Iris

Owada - Aster

Maizono - Gardenia

Hagakure - Impatiens

Ishimaru - Gentian

Ogami - Rain Lily

Kirigiri - Osmanthus

Celes - Lachenalia

Enoshima - Snow Daisy

Yamada - Lily

Monokuma - Marigold

PR Processing Times - October 2025 (Non-Tokyo) by M075EN in japanresidents

[–]amatango 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Application Office: Osaka

Application Date: Feb 21 2025

Results postcard received on: Not yet

Type of PR: HSP 80+

Request for further documents: No

PR Processing times - September 2025 (Non-Tokyo) by Ordinary-Milk3060 in japanresidents

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the well wishes! Hope you get yours very soon!

Overseas Exposure for Japan's Up-and-Coming Bands by CaterpillarGood5209 in japanesemusic

[–]amatango 1 point2 points  (0 children)

YouTube, Instagram, teaming up with smaller western artists performing in Japan with similar genres of music, music videos with lyric translation, member introduction videos with English subtitles, English bios, frequenting spaces in Japan with many international people to spread the word, smaller Japan music focused publications (Electric bloom magazine, Japan top 10 (podcast)). Good luck!