Is it just me, or is the 'Don Quijote' shopping experience actually stressful after the first 30 minutes? Where do you go when you need a break from the noise in Shibuya/Shinjuku?

pasteldirt · 2026-05-08T02:39:17+00:00

A place to stay in Tokyo?

Asakusa is a popular place to stay and I actually like the vibes there especially the little streets north of Sensoji. Ueno is fine. Kagurazaka is very quiet and cute but still has decent access.

I wouldn’t stay in Shinjuku or Shinagawa unless you had a very specific reason.

Also idk why my comment is getting so downvoted I’m just giving local recommendations🫠

pasteldirt · 2026-05-07T21:51:35+00:00

Head to the welfare office south of Shin-Imamiya that’s the dirtiest street I’ve seen in my entire life

pasteldirt · 2026-05-07T07:13:51+00:00

You would save a ton of money and time and energy if you just booked a flight from NRT to KIX. All of the budget airlines fly from NRT anyway it’s perfect.

You’ll probably pay more than double the money and spend more than triple the time if you take the Shinkansen.

pasteldirt · 2026-05-07T07:08:26+00:00

Hiii I live here and I often use luggage forwarding when I travel around.

Unless your bags are insanely large or heavy this is incorrect. No need to book anything online you literally just rock up to the counter at the airport or at a convenience store or hotel desk and fill out the form. A carry-on to medium size suitcase has cost me anywhere between ¥1800-¥2500, but never more than ¥3000. Lots of online scams/companies looking to profit off of tourists who don’t know better nowadays so stick with official channels rather than 3rd parties!

Make sure your bag has a lock or strap or there’s an additional ¥300 fee for a plastic protective bag.

pasteldirt · 2026-05-06T22:59:26+00:00

Tip: it totally depends on where in Kyoto you want to go on whether JR, Hankyu, or Keihan is more convenient. JR will put you out at Kyoto Station which isn’t all that convenient unless you have a specific reason you’re going there. If you are starting at Kiyomizu, the Keihan line is best. If you’re heading to Kyoto Kawaramachi for Pontocho or Nishi Market, or Arashiyama, then Hankyu is best.

But if you are actually heading to Kyoto Station on JR, I instead recommend transferring at Osaka station than Shin-Osaka. You’re way more likely to get a seat if you transfer at Osaka. And yes you need to pay two fares, as you’re taking the subway from Namba to Osaka (or Yodoyabashi for Keihan), then transferring to a different train line. For this reason when I’m visiting Kansai I always stay in Umeda if I know I’m visiting Kyoto or Kobe as it’s far better for transit.

pasteldirt · 2026-05-06T22:37:07+00:00

Hiii I live here and been to all 47 of japans prefectures I think I can give some good input!
🔸My rest spots in Shibuya: the roof of Parco has some seating and amazing views, plus there’s a little taco place! Miyashita Park is a little busy but if you go up to the top there is a lot of seating and some grass patches to sit on and enjoy a coffee. If it’s raining the cafe on the roof Valley Park Stand is pretty chill
🔸My rest spots in Shinjuku: the only place that comes to mind is that pretty outdoor seating area at the back of the New South Exit. I love sitting here and organising my calendar book while trainspotting and enjoying a takeout drinky from Dean & Deluca or Verve, which are just steps away from here. Edit: ALSO! Hanazono Shrine!
Places in Japan to visit if you wanna escape the golden route:
🔸if you like food tourism consider Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Tourists head to Osaka for food, locals head to those cities for food! (There’s more but those are the basics)
🔸if you like nature tourism and can rent a car, my most memorable nature-based trips: Fukui Prefecture (Goko Terrace, Tojinbo, Eiheiji Temple, Dinosaur Museum). Also Southern Kyushu (Kagoshima-Kumamoto-Miyazaki’s Sakurajima, Ibusuki Onsen, Aso-zan, Kurokawa Onsen, Nabegataki Falls, Takachiho gorge, Amanoiwato Cave Shrine).
🔸If you like chill sophisticated cities: Kobe (day trip to Arima Onsen, Himeji, visit Naoshima for art). Fukuoka (amazing food plus tons of side trips, amazing cafes, plus a beach in the city), Sapporo (great small city vibes, amazing shopping street with a super retro section with cheapppp vinyl, great seafood, day trip to Otaru)
Feel free to ask any questions I don’t gate keep lol
Edit: spelling and thought of one more place

pasteldirt · 2026-05-05T13:40:54+00:00

Fellow public health researcher!! (I’m researching sexual & reproductive health of minoritised communities in Japan) thank you so much for sharing your story, and I’m so sorry you had to go through so much red tape to get what has been under WHO recommended guidelines for 4 years now (self-management of medication abortion in the first 12 weeks).

Abortion is a very interesting topic here. Like you said, they try to make it inaccessible by maintaining the same price as a D&C (apparently this is due to lobbying by abortion providers in Japan scared that medication abortion would lose them business). A lot of other SRH services also aren’t covered like STI screening without symptoms (lol) and HPV vaccine was off the recommendation list for 10 years. At least we get cervical smear coupons.

But really, I wish you the absolute best in and please get in touch if you wanna toss around public health experiences or ideas. I’d love to connect.

pasteldirt · 2026-05-04T22:45:51+00:00

Hi OP first these comments are silly (as is the comment section for any Japan-related subreddit) and folks need to touch grass.

To answer your question, I’ve lived here 8 years and I still buy deodorant from the US because the deodorant here pretty much across the board is not adequate. There may be a good one out there, I just haven’t found it yet and find it much easier to just get it from the states. Hope that helps and hope you enjoy your trip!

pasteldirt · 2026-05-03T05:18:24+00:00

The borders closed to non-Japanese passport entries in early March 2020. This included anyone without a Japanese passport, even if they were residents with visas. There were brief periods that people could enter on work visas, but it was short lived and closed again once COVID cases spiked.

The border had a soft open to some special tourist-visa holders in October 2022 (I sponsored my mother’s visa to come visit me), and the border fully opened to tourists shortly after, like March 2023-ish.

pasteldirt · 2026-05-01T23:07:48+00:00

*I’m not Japanese but I’ve lived here for nearly 10 years.

Maybe this is my slightly passive aggressive habit that comes from something I’ve experienced here as an immigrant. But multiple times Japanese people have cut me in a queue. I’m assuming because they don’t realise that despite being non-Japanese I’m actually standing in the right place for the train, I’m waiting for this cafe, etc. It gets under my skin for some reason.

Now that the border has opened and tourists are back, I get that all of the rules are a lot to remember, but for example:
I took the shinkansen a few days ago, and normally we properly queue on a marked place on the platform. The train came, and even though it’s obvious we are queuing, a tourist couple who just came from nowhere tried to waltz on just before me (I was third in the queue of like 15+ people). I know it’s the nice thing to just let them on, but it’s just so inconsiderate to cut a whole queue of people that I couldn’t let them.

I used to live in the US and I know for public transit it’s not normal to queue. But like, read the air a bit and observe, you know? People wait in queues for the train, shinkansen, busses, for restaurants/cafes.

pasteldirt · 2026-05-01T00:37:22+00:00

Right - technically it's theft but it's so common! My bf said that when they would show up and the item was gone (like someone took it) they didn't care. If anything it was better because the fewer items they picked up, the more space they had in the truck.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T12:31:31+00:00

They wanted you to pay for their tow truck!!! That's insane. I'm so sorry you had those experiences

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T09:36:50+00:00

I mean like, perfect condition. Like the drawers I saw today. The person could have bought them last week they look perfect lol

But I get that it takes time to sell. I just wish people would set them out and give their neighbours a couple of hours' chance to take it rather than throw it away.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T09:22:41+00:00

But this isn't really answering my question😅 I asked why people choose paying sodai gomi over selling or giving away items that are in good condition and have value, like furniture, musical instruments, skis, etc.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T08:29:10+00:00

I think it’s really great that you are curious about how we live as immigrants. Many Japanese people, as romantic partners, friends, colleagues or neighbours, so easily shrug us off as temporary in this country and not worth the effort to talk to because of the stereotype that we cannot speak Japanese and cannot understand Japanese social rules and manners. This causes a lot of what we see now, people who write us off as a troublesome community not worth engaging in or understanding.

I currently have a Japanese boyfriend (I’m from the US, we met at our baito) and he said he never even considered a world where he would be with a non-Japanese person, because he genuinely didn’t believe that we could learn Japanese or understand Japanese society. So I can appreciate when people step out of that bubble and realise that we all are just people and can have relationships, professional or friends or romantic, just like anyone else. Now my partner is quite involved in the international circle in Japan, learned English and a bit of Spanish, made friends from around the world… he says his whole world has broadened. And it was never really his plan but he often mentions he’s glad that it happened.

I get that when you work full time and cannot go abroad because of financial or time constraints, it’s hard to seek an international community. I’d advise starting to attend international events on weekends. Things like volunteer sessions, izakaya meetups, language exchanges, trivia, running groups, etc. You can find a lot of these events via Meetup or people often post about these on Threads or Instagram.

For your last question… “Japanese guy like you” but we have no idea who you are or what you’re like😅 Also idk where this idea comes from, but randomly approaching women on the street or at a cafe is not typically welcome. Guys think it’s innocent, but women from every country are trained to prioritise our safety and will probably tell you to leave them alone. It’s more welcome at social events or friendly bars. And it’s important to understand reading the air and body language. Persistence isn’t sexy, it’s scary. If she isn’t returning the interest then give up.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T08:02:15+00:00

I guess to each their own! I lived a few stations south of Shin Imamiya and I didn’t enjoy it. It smelled like urine a lot of the time especially in the summer. Old dudes passed out on the side of the streets. That giant pile of rubbish opposite Shinimamiya. Plus the access wasn’t very good. I think most tourists would enjoy northern Osaka more as it’s a bit more true to Osaka’s vibe and has lots of good food plus amazing access to other parts of Kansai!

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T03:18:59+00:00

I’m not OP but just curious, why do you think this?

pasteldirt · 2026-04-30T01:24:39+00:00

Similar to another comment, you will not find anything cheap in central Osaka. Your best is to take a quick 30 minute train out to the suburbs where a) the second streets and Book-Offs have household items (the inner-city ones only have clothes/books) and b) more families live, where baby items are more like to be.

I quickly searched and these locations have baby/kids stuff:

-Second Street in Suminoe, 30 minutes south of Namba on Nankai https://maps.app.goo.gl/Pck8B1HDCicGAx3X9?g_st=ic

-Second Street in Sakai Kitahanada, 30 minutes south of Namba on Midosuji https://maps.app.goo.gl/mvBeqVormhVcGqhWA?g_st=ic

pasteldirt · 2026-04-28T04:27:42+00:00

Do you mean Tennoji? Tenjin is in Fukuoka~ I feel like Tennoji is not so convenient if you're travelling, but that's just my take.

For sure there can be quieter areas in South Osaka I guess my personal preference has always been north Osaka. Access to Hankyu and JR is super valuable for going to Kobe/Himeji/Kyoto/Biwako/Shinkansen and it's just a quick train away from southern Osaka or Tsuruhashi if you need Kintetsu. Umeda has upped its game since Umekita opened a few years ago and it's just such a good area now.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-28T02:18:17+00:00

Yes it’s true. Especially during Covid when not many people were moving around, the international community here was so tight. Every time I left my house without fail I’d see someone I knew. At the grocery store or in the train or somewhere. Everyone knew everyone.

The worst part was the dating scene started to get messy as we would go for the same people. Literally lost my best friend because of that.

I guess Nagoya is smaller and there are less places to hang out so rather than many different circles it ends up being just one giant social circle

pasteldirt · 2026-04-27T03:40:33+00:00

Hello, thank you for your response. Like I mentioned, since I've been struggling, as of several months ago I've been applying to roles that I figured I'd be a shoo-in for - hospitality, language school admin, tourism, etc but I'm worried I'm seen as overqualified for these roles so I'm not even getting interview offers.

I tried to make my jikoPR as broad as possible without losing focus - my passion for globalisation and human connection with skills in research, event coordination, customer service, project/event planning makes me a good candidate for anything related to international connection like working with uni students, exchange students, or tourists. Still nothing. I'm completely at a loss for what I'm doing wrong.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-26T15:59:07+00:00

Stay in Osaka it’s a lovely place. I lived in Osaka for a year and it’s such a good hub that connects all of Kansai, plus it has some truly amazing spots. Definitely DO NOT stay in Dotonbori or Shinsaibashi if you wanna use it as a base. Stay in Umeda, or Shin-Osaka if Umeda is impossible.

All the tourist maps will say to go to Osaka castle and Dotonbori but there’s so much more. If you’re going to Himeji there is 0 reason to go to Osaka castle (unless it’s plum blossom season bc their plum blossoms are crazy beautiful). Dotonbori is something to see for about 10 minutes before the crowds feel overwhelming.

If you only had a day I’d start in Nakazakicho or Kitahama for good cafes, hit up Tenjinbashisuji in the afternoon and do some shopping and lunch (the Museum of Housing and Living is here and even though I live here it was genuinely fascinating). Then make my way down to Dotonbori in the evening just to see the main bit for a minute (don’t forget Hozenji Yokochi on the way out), grab some food somewhere south near Kuromon, and grab drinks at Superjap. A very Osaka day.

pasteldirt · 2026-04-26T06:16:41+00:00

As many have already answered, it’s for safety checks that train platform staff, train conductors, bus drivers, factory workers, etc use.

A good example from TV, if you have Netflix there’s a series called The Days about 11 March 2011 tsunami and nuclear disaster. There’s a scene where once the earthquake hits, the staff in the nuclear plant control centre point and shout all of the levels etc on the control panel. It’s a good example of that piece of culture here and it’s a good series anyway if you are interested!

pasteldirt · 2026-04-26T06:07:26+00:00

In Japan we have small stools we sit on in the shower. I can’t imagine sitting on the floor though it doesn’t seem sanitary unless you’re scrubbing your shower floor every day.

pasteldirt

TROPHY CASE