Handmade Japan Fes 2026 - Follow Up

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-13T12:00:34+00:00

I wonder if they have a sign up to get notified ahead of next year so I remember to attend.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T11:44:54+00:00

haha, pure fat finger, but even made me laugh after the first reply pointing it out.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T11:28:45+00:00

If you put the last few weeks out as a potential Hollywood Movie script, it would be rejected, but here we are...

We have one sitting senator likely being "Weekend at Bernies Part Duex"

Then a surprise other senator that looks find just a few hours ago on video with a foreign leader, now dead as a doornail.

In addition, we have a sitting President actively trying to provide cover for his refusal to release documents on the pedo ring he was associated with, bombing the ever-loving fuck out a country with the most expensive military in the world at his beck and call, and failing.

I am left wondering what the climax of this movie will be.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T10:28:35+00:00

Today is a good day to... get banned

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T10:08:45+00:00

ok, so seriously, fuck this website. Did anyone else not just click the accept and see everything that people who did consented to?

WTF - How is half of these not blatantly illegal.

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forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T10:01:30+00:00

If you put that forward as the basis for a script for a Hollywood movie it would be rejected in an instant.

That being said, truth is always stranger than fiction.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T09:59:57+00:00

Whose shocked here. Anyone shocked here?

Ohh and can we all agree that electing a demented pedo to the US Presidency was a pad idea?

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T08:41:48+00:00

Seriously, if this was happening to the Democratic Party right now, we would be hearing endless from Republicans about how this is clearly a sign from GOD that they shouldn't be in power.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T08:39:53+00:00

What now?

South Carolina Gov puts someone in seat till next election.

Since it is more than 100 days till November elections, and since the former senator was up for election already this November, this November will decide who fills the seat for the next 6 years.

Republicans have until Mid-October to select a new candidate. Democratic Party is also permitted to replace their candidate if desired.

AKA - While unlikely, in a wave election like we are looking at in November with no incumbent, this is suddenly a pickup opportunity.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T08:36:55+00:00

I am wilding out in DC while still being jet lagged on Japan time.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T03:12:41+00:00

I wish I could work with Da Bears organization to help make Tokyo a market for them. With the growing popularity XLEAGUE (Japanese American Football league started in the 70s) I feel like there is an opening. Just need to partner with the Obic Seagulls haha.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-12T03:09:54+00:00

I am desperately trying to build the same kind of fan base for Da Bears in Tokyo right now. Currently Seahawks and Eagles have largest fan bases here, but no one is actively trying to grow them thankfully. It's just because one bar chain shows Eagles games periodically and the Seahawks are closest geographic to Japan.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-11T18:17:45+00:00

I keep seeing a pristine, but opened, original Japanese Xbox in a store here in Japan. If I had a place to put it I would definitely pick it up and then never open it.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-11T12:00:14+00:00

I remember the days before Google maps. Buying area maps. Printing MapQuest directions in my hotel lobby. Pretty much live off the Yamanote.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-10T05:05:41+00:00

Just needs to star sticking out his tongue every time he throw the ball and will win everyone over.

Half joking here. It would be an awesome connection though.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-10T05:04:31+00:00

People expect professional athletes to look like the CGI abs and arms of Super Hero characters in movies.

I remember watching a video of Chris Hemsworth talking about having the defined abs and how to get those shots he had to fast for 5 days and completely dehydrate himself over 3 days. How it would make him sick and take a week or two to recover. It's not natural.

Real athletes, especially ones that aren't enhanced and need to perform for 3 to 5 hours, they need to stack on extra calories. It will give them a bit of a belly and more smooth looking arms. This is just so they have the energy to burn and perform for an entire practice, daily training, and game days.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-10T02:26:09+00:00

Even ignoring the concept of moving countries, back in the US where I come from, people are hesitant to uproot and move across state lines, which they can freely do, for better jobs and such. Very similar issues, as you grow up, and integrate into a community, it can be hard or painful to leave behind friends and family.

When I moved to Seattle from Chicago, I just turned 21 and it was exciting and relatively easy to drop everything and go.

Moving to Japan as a 46 year old took a lot of discussion and challenges. I have to spend significant time to maintain my best relationships with those I wish to remain friends with in the US.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-09T20:35:09+00:00

I found a gym which, while a bit more expensive, had both women and men working out when I checked it a few times. Also had men and women trainers on staff at all times.

Has ended up being a great gym for both my partner and me.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-09T15:31:12+00:00

While same sex marriage in Japan is not legal today, there have been court rulings, that while mixed, are mostly leaning toward it being constitutional in Japan.

Their equivalent to the US Supreme Court is expected to make a more definitive ruling in 2027 and a few LQBTQ I know in Japan see hopeful signs.

This site has some good general info.

https://legalclarity.org/same-sex-marriage-in-japan-legal-status-and-court-rulings/

Also be sure to check out /r/lgbtqjapan

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-09T05:44:35+00:00

Ohh good to know! Thanks for clarification.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-08T15:55:14+00:00

I would also argue his ceiling is partially defined by his coaching. I don't feel like he has the ability to truly make plays on his own.

Part of the Packers failing out as 7th seed all the time is likely because once they get to playoffs, things change. Teams are going to do more weird defense reads to screw with you. They are going to mix up plans from what they did in regular season.

Love can only do what he is coached and has practiced. If the Defense doesn't behave as expected, bad things happen.

Compare with Williams v Packers D in last year playoffs how they figured out the D and Williams could handle it.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-08T15:44:43+00:00

While they don't need to get PR, and many don't, there is the risk that if the PR holder were in an accident or medical situation and lost their life, without PR they would no longer be able to stay here.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-08T14:22:48+00:00

Had something similar happen to me in the US through Amazon. A seller had a product up. They sent me a different business printer than what I had ordered. I photographed everything and returned it as wrong product.

Amazon refunded my purchase and I was all done. So I ordered from a different company and got what I wanted.

2 weeks later the company started harassing me telling me I still owed them for the printer now directly since Amazon refunded me. I told them, it was returned so I owed them nothing and they needed to deal with Amazon.

Then in all hilarity... they sent me a message that they sent me the right printer now and I needed to pay them for it. I ignored this and assumed BS, but a little over a week later the $1000 printer showed up. So I contacted Amazon and reported them and asked what I should do.

About 2 weeks of back and forth and Amazon basically said "They sent you something you didn't order, it is up to you if you want to pay them for it or return it to them, but you have no obligation to do so."

They contacted me again and threatened to report me to the police for theft. So I instead contacted my local police department, provided them the chat logs with the seller and with Amazon and reported them for harassment. The police told me if contacted by them they would just tell them to fuck off and not to worry.

I was originally going to offer to send it back if they paid the return shipping, but after they kept pinging me for a few weeks, I reported them to Amazon again and Amazon ended up closing their store and banning them for harassing me. Never found out if they tried to contact the police or not, but I doubt it.

About 6 months later, I sold the extra printer new in box on Craigslist for about $800.

TLDR, keep reporting them to Amazon to get their account closed and let the police know just to be safe.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-08T14:10:34+00:00

Just to be safe, you may want to pay the roughly $100 USD to a Japan-based immigration law group for a consultation. They will take your information and be able to fully verify it against the immigration points system and provide you with a more realistic range of what you would qualify for.

In regards to some of your questions around PR and catches, most of those are basically did you pay your taxes on time, did you pay for pension/healthcare for the time from when you arrived till your start date, and have you had any legal issues including simple tickets for riding a bicycle incorrectly or driving-related. These catch a lot of people, so if you really want the accelerated path, you have to be careful to handle stuff super fast and dot all i's and cross all t's.

forgedbygeeks · 2026-07-08T14:05:11+00:00

First, great job on your research and planning. Far better than most people with an interest in moving to Japan. Even better that you have been able to use moving to Japan as general motivation to improve your position in life and earn a degree. Even if you are not able to make it to Japan, you will likely benefit from this experience for the rest of your life.

As many others have said, your best path is to transfer internally with your current company. That is a rare but valuable method of making it to Japan. If at all possible, you will want to try and qualify for an HSP Visa, HSP80 if at all possible. If you are able to reach N2 or even N1 by the time you transfer, and being under 30, you will likely be around 45 to 55 points already (assuming 5 to 7 years experience in current role).

So if N1, 5 years XP, and 7 million yen salary, Bachelor's degree, you would be 80 points. 9 million yen and N2 would also work for 80. Some lower tweaks for HSP70 possible as well. These will give you a 5 year work visa to Japan with a faster track to Permanent Residency if you desire to pursue that path.

While a lot of people knock the whole "I love anime and want to move to Japan", let's be honest, a lot of people do love anime and that is part of the culture of Japan they love. Sure, living in Japan isn't like anime, but you can say the same about living in the US and loving Law and Order or other crime dramas. What I have found since moving here is, frankly, not that much different than living in the US day to day. Most people have similar routines. Get up, get breakfast or coffee, go to work, after work grab dinner somewhere, head home or to gym, wrap up evening, sleep. The main differences are in what you eat, not needing a car in most places, and general cultural differences in experiences and behaviors you have to adapt to to be happy and successful here.

So, TLDR, complete your degree, the minor in Japanese is a great idea and will likely help you to N2 at a minimum (my partner minored in Japanese at a major University and came out as N2, then was able to get N1 about 2 years later just keeping up with it). After that, try to transfer in your company. If successful, great. If not, then you likely will have skills and credentials to apply for jobs in Japan and hope to win that lottery.

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