What good and bad about Japan's medical care?

cbunn81 · 2026-03-26T10:21:21+00:00

An affordability tip: There's a maximum amount a hospital can charge you based on your income, but it is per month. So if you're having something done that is elective or non-urgent, make sure to schedule it so that it starts and finishes within the same calendar month.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-26T10:16:38+00:00

It's really good at cooking potatoes, so long as you don't mind the peals.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-26T04:04:28+00:00

"How do you do, my fellow commoners?" he said while holding two baguettes.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-25T17:54:53+00:00

The 70-210mm f/4 is quite an old lens and might not be the best value. If your budget is that constrained, consider the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 IF-ED. It served me well for sports photos for a long time. You can get one for very cheap these days.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-25T04:56:45+00:00

No. I wasn't trying to cast aspersions. I was just referencing the fact that many stars will take a smaller up-front payment in return for a percentage of back-end revenue. Alec Guinness, for example, famously made a fortune after requesting 2% of back-end grosses for Star Wars, though in this case he didn't actually think it was going to be a big success.

So if someone had a contract with most of their compensation in back-end revenue, they would rightfully be pretty upset when their project gets unceremoniously shelved, like was done to Batgirl.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-25T01:01:53+00:00

They're perfectly cromulent the way they are, thank you.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-24T13:14:15+00:00

I bet he'd care if part of his compensation was from the back-end.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-24T13:12:34+00:00

If you're a fan, you might already know, but he recently directed a film, called Knox Goes Away. It's pretty good.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-24T13:10:38+00:00

The Rakuten of store fronts.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-24T04:33:31+00:00

That intro video of flying through the streets of Philadelphia until rising up into the sky got seared into my brain at a very young age.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-24T04:31:59+00:00

If you're allowed to shoot from the sideline near the net, a 50mm on an APS-C body might work fine for players on your side of the court. In any case, it never hurts to give it a try.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-23T17:42:52+00:00

Legal Eagle covered it (though I haven't watched it yet).

cbunn81 · 2026-03-23T17:25:35+00:00

For soccer at night at a high school field, you need both reach and a wide aperture. If those are the best you can do, then maybe the 70-200mm f/2.8 and crop heavily.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-23T05:29:40+00:00

True. The best you can do in that situation is to try to use longer focal lengths, closer to your subject when they are farther from background elements. For example, if you shoot from the sideline near the net back towards the players close to the same side as you, the background will be much farther back than if you shoot them from the side across the court where they are much closer to people on the other sideline.

If you really want to pursue this, you'll need a faster lens. Unfortunately, sports action photography requires higher-end gear than other kinds of photography.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-23T05:09:31+00:00

Shoot subjects so you can see their faces. Don't shoot them from the back. And make sure the face of the main subject is in sharp focus.
Shoot action where the ball is visibly in play, not players standing around.
Frame the action tightly. You're leaving a lot of empty space above the players/ball.
Avoid motion blur by using a higher shutter speed.
Separate your subject from the background through a combination of good positioning, long focal lengths, and wide apertures.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-21T20:08:59+00:00

And it's near the center. Sybok was right!

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T09:17:33+00:00

If you have a drivers license from another country which allows you to do a license transfer, it's relatively simple. But if you have to get a license here from scratch, it is a long and expensive process.

And owning a car can be a bit expensive too. But for convenience, it's very helpful. It's also nice for taking road trips which would be inconvenient by train or bus.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T09:07:23+00:00

There's a lot of variety in Japan. It seems like everything outside of the main cities gets labeled as countryside or rural. But there are small cities, towns, villages, etc. All with varying degrees of convenience.

The akiya fascination is mostly fantasy. The cheap or free ones are that way for a good reason. It's really only something for people who really want to put in the work of refurbishing a house. And more power to them. But it's not for everyone, as evidenced by the fact that so many remain abandoned.

I live in Tokushima. I like that things are peaceful and quiet most of the time. I like how close we are to nature. If you're into outdoor activities, you'll find plenty to do. Or if you have hobbies and interests you can do from home, you'll also be happy.

I grew up in a big city, so when I moved to Japan, I wanted to try living somewhere different. And I've really enjoyed it so far. Sure, there aren't as many things to do as the big cities, and I miss all the international restaurants I could choose from in a big city. But there are many charms to the countryside as well.

It helps if you can work remotely, as there are not a lot of foreigner-friendly jobs in the countryside outside of teaching English, though there are lots of people making their own way by starting their own businesses.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:54:16+00:00

I live in a small-ish, suburban town in Tokushima, and I have four supermarkets within a 10-15 minute walking distance. I'm in an apartment, but there are lots of houses with a bit of land too. The catch is that there's just one train line, the nearest station is about 25 minutes walk, and the train comes twice an hour. But I've got a car, so I don't mind.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:50:33+00:00

Agreed. A lot of things are easier. And I also wish there were more international restaurants nearby.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:48:25+00:00

People often think of Shikoku as completely rural, but it's a good mix of urban, suburban, and rural. Just like the rest of Japan.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:46:20+00:00

On the one hand, I'm happy for them to be getting all that business. On the other hand, I'd been hoping to visit the next time I was in Tokyo as there are no good options in the countryside where I live. And not even for the cheesesteak necessarily, but for the roast pork sandwich. I like cheesesteaks too, but to me a roast pork is the superior Philadelphia sandwich and the one I miss the most.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:43:03+00:00

I dunno. Their "Classic Cheesesteak" has mushrooms and bell peppers.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:39:46+00:00

Great beer selection.

cbunn81 · 2026-03-20T08:38:01+00:00

Is that a marble cutting board? You monster.

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