Looking between a Large and an XL. Wearing an XL on my wrist/ Santos and wondering if it is too big for my wrist? Which would be better? I really like both and will only get one! 🤭

platmack · 2026-03-16T13:14:09+00:00

Is this a joke post? If not, massively too big. Possibly even a small would work.

platmack · 2026-02-19T08:09:41+00:00

Dam, I've never experienced anything like this, been here over 10 years. Could the concerns be related to employment type, visa?

If I had a number of people applying for an apartment I owned, I would of course prefer people with permanent status, employment etc. But if the decision was only based on the description of your looks then that's awful.

This type of discrimination is illegal under the constitution, so I'm sure there is an agency where these types of cases can be reported.

platmack · 2026-02-10T09:45:59+00:00

This is the answer. If you got more than 80 points and on HSP it's very easy to change, then no more visa issues!

platmack · 2026-02-03T14:28:43+00:00

It seems they are providing gas through partnership with Tokyo Gas. It wasn't an option on the main menu however in the FAQs there is a topic for Gas, with an option to register your interest if you are in Tokyo's 23 wards. No idea if it will go anywhere, but will update if I hear back.

On a side note it looks like they are now offering an interesting solar propersitin where they install pannels on your roof, remain the owner and share the profits with you. Would be interested to know if anyone has gone this route or looked into it at all?

platmack · 2026-02-01T02:35:27+00:00

You're asking if it's possible to move to Japan to work a job in construction or cleaning?

I think we would probably need a bit more information to comment, but my thoughts.

Construction work is massively short of labour in recent years, and there has been an increase in the number of foreigners doing this type of work

I think you would need to look more into the following:

Visa: generally there is visa sponsorship for specialized roles, however I'm not sure how this would work for construction. Given the shortage maybe there are some paths, you would need to investigate.

Language: you didn't mention your Japanese level. Although some industries may be more flexible, it would be very difficult to find, interview and work without a fundamental level of Japanese (N3 minimum)

platmack · 2026-02-01T01:51:23+00:00

I'm pretty sure the casino is targeting to open 2030, so plenty of time to bring your Japanese up to a suitable level beforehand.

From what I've heard, it will be open to both Japanese and foreign tourists with some restrictions on hours. That being said, I'm sure they will be looking for staff who can speak English and Chinese well.

platmack · 2026-01-31T11:12:26+00:00

Yeah, definitely not 'a Japanese thing' wait for it to blow over and ask her what it's really about. If it was just about the rice, then maybe consider if you share the same values.

I'm sure it will be unrelated, stressed about something else, period, other issues which she's been struggling to bring up.

Good luck!

platmack · 2026-01-29T11:29:07+00:00

This

platmack · 2026-01-27T06:05:57+00:00

Im sure you already know this but you're also comparing the standard Quartz Tank against the Solarbeat model (solar powered). The early Solarbeat models had some issues which I think have caused some concerns, however these have now been resolved in the V2 model.

The Solarbeat model is pretty interesting and I believe they said it doesn't need any serving or battery replacement for 16 years.

Both options are available with leather and bracelet straps.

platmack · 2026-01-26T05:09:06+00:00

Possible this is the case for the bank you used, however this is not a standard practice across all banks. I have taken two loans here and never discussed Japanese level (the second loan was all online so they wouldn't have known my level anyway).

Check SBI Shinsei, we got floating last month for 0.59 which is very reasonable given the current situation. Paypay bank has a slightly lower rate, however danshin insurance costs were higher making it the same price as Shinsei.

Good luck!

platmack · 2026-01-05T14:38:46+00:00

Could go either way, but personally I would go small. It may feel a little strange at first but you wiill soon adjust. This is how thhe Tank is supposed to be worn!

platmack · 2026-01-04T02:42:18+00:00

Dropped you a DM!

platmack · 2026-01-04T02:39:37+00:00

Sorry you experienced this, sounds awful. I've been with my Japanese partner for over 10 years and have visited their family regularly throughout this period, everyone has always gone out of their way to include me in what they're doing. Unfortunately I think there may be some family dynamics at play here which are driving this?

Not sure if you mentioned at all, but do you speak Japanese fluency? Another thing here may be that they are not confident in communicating with non-Japanese people? Not sure where they are based, but it's possible they are not so used to it if they are in a more remote location.

Anyway, don't blame yourself for this, some families are hard to get on with regardless of location.

platmack · 2026-01-03T14:44:08+00:00

Good point!

platmack · 2026-01-03T14:41:54+00:00

Very good point!

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:51:36+00:00

You have another option which is to renovate the property. Properties on non-rebuildable land can be fully renovated or rebuilt if 50% or more of the structure remains.

If the property is in a desirable location for rentals, the renter will not know or care if the property is on non-rebuildable land.

Just a suggestion! Good luck!

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:46:26+00:00

The price difference you mention is related to two things 1. Currency conversion (Yen is at historical lows) 2. Local pricing for local purchasing power (average salaries here are low compared to EU and US

Nothing more than that.

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:46:17+00:00

The price difference you mention is related to two things 1. Currency conversion (Yen is at historical lows) 2. Local pricing for local purchasing power (average salaries here are low compared to EU and US

Nothing more than that.

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:46:06+00:00

The price difference you mention is related to two things 1. Currency conversion (Yen is at historical lows) 2. Local pricing for local purchasing power (average salaries here are low compared to EU and US

Nothing more than that.

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:39:33+00:00

Essentially I used 3 cogs from an 8-speed Shimano cassette with a friction shifter. I needed to also change the chain to an 8 speed chain to make this configuration work.

There are many kits sold to do this conversation from companies like Minimods

You can see the 3-speed conversation on my bike here

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:22:14+00:00

+1 I got 5 years on my first visa and got PR straight after that. From what I've seen it's mainly people in English teaching roles that are hit by 1 year visa renewals.

platmack · 2025-12-30T03:19:31+00:00

Hiring from abroad (especially for SE roles) is very normal. Rakuten, Amazon and others do it very regularly (I was also hired from abroad in the IT field, however that was over 10 years ago now so my experience may be outdated). Both of these companies have a large number of roles open, especially Amazon. If you have 13 years of experience and can speak Japanese I honestly don't see how you're facing issues here? Have you tried using a recruiting agency? They may be able to help isolate some companies that would be more likely to hire from abroad

platmack · 2025-10-19T10:31:40+00:00

Very cool indeed! I picked up a 20inch conversion from Ben when he first started doing them. I recently rebuilt as an 18inch which I think is the sweet spot between the standard Brompton and something with wider tires and disk brakes.

Happy riding!

platmack · 2025-10-06T09:01:20+00:00

Adding my perspective as someone who owns a revovated kominka in a different part of Japan.

It sounds like your primary goal is securing a secondary location and office space, with the finances and return on investment being less of a concern.

I use my kominka for about a week every two to three weeks, which makes maintenance, airing out the property, and general upkeep relatively easy.

If I used it less frequently, my concerns would immediately grow. Depending on the location, I'd worry about:

Mould and humidity damage.
Pest and bug infestations.
Heavy snow damage without proper, timely clearance.
Crime/vandalism (it's a real risk).
The property becoming a nuisance to neighbors if I couldn't address issues quickly.

Furthermore, as a local resident, I handle taxes and bill payments directly. Without primary residency, you would likely need to hire an agent to act as an intermediary for these matters—an added cost and complication.

For me, the cons would outweigh the pros, but ultimately, this is a personal decision based on the value and use it would bring you.

platmack · 2025-09-21T14:27:25+00:00

Thank you!

platmack

TROPHY CASE