Driving tips:
A LOT of people in Japan do not turn on their headlights early enough. Every night I saw half a dozen cars driving in full dark with no lights and I frequently saw people pull into the street and only then turn on their lights.

Never ever jump a green light because so many people dash thru the yellow light and the first two seconds of the red light.

Cars turning into multi-lane roads will usually swing into the far lane instead of near lane. Do NOT think you can squeeze in a tight left turn at the curb while someone opposite is making a right turn because they will be swinging out to the curb lane too.

You are less likely to encounter road rage in Japan. A honked horm is more likely to mean ‘thanks for letting me into traffic’.

Trains are usually faster and cheaper because they don’t have to stop at a zillion stop lights or pay high expressway tolls.

I’ve been listening to the podcasts for a while now and they are absolutely great! Still trying to catch up, I’ve just reached March now…

I read the posts on today’s podcast and wanted to say I’ve been to Japan about 3 years ago, and travelling with the Japan Rail Pass was very easy! I only started learning a bit of Japanese after that trip, so my Japanese was limited to すみません and perhaps a couple more words. I really want to go back now

Thanks a lot for making these podcasts! どうもありがとうございます!

Alard (from Groningen, the Netherlands)

To use the JR Rail pass, show it to the people at the window to go in and out.

Gomen, chotto nagai n desu ne. Sorry, it’s a bit long.

My second day in Japan, I went to Narita Airport to exchange my exchange order for the JR Rail pass. I didn’t do it on my first day because I was in a rush to meet my friends in Yokohama at the YCAT. At the exchange office, they told me to get to Yokosuka, I would take the Narita Express (NEX) to Yokohama then change trains to Yokosuka. So with the rail pass they gave me a reserved ticket.

I arrived in Yokohama station. I looked around and see everyone heading toward the an exit. I look to the left and saw that no one was exiting through there. So I slipped my ticket in the wicket (gate) then the little doors close and I heard the noise. So I looked around waiting for my ticket to come out it didn’t pop out. So I informed the person manning the gate, Digitaljo: “Kore wa boku no kippu o tabemashita.” (This ate my ticket.) [I was thinking, “That is so wrong to say.” ]
He asked me, Station Person: “Doko kara kimashita ka?” (Where did you come from?)
D: “America kara kimashita.” (I came from America.) [I automatically responded this way because what I was taught to say. ]
S: “Chigaun desu. Station. Station.” (Not that. Station. Station) [He snickered a bit]
D: “Ah… Narita kara kimashita.” (I came from Narita.)
The station person got my ticket pointed me in the right direction, which is where everybody is exiting.

BIG TIP: Sometimes it’s best to follow the crowd, especially if you don’t know what you are doing. I finally found out that it is a transfer from the JR line to the Keikyu line.

So I went to the correct exit, slipped my ticket in the wicket, and the noise and the doors popped out. I went to the window I asked the Lady at the window, Digitaljo: “Sore wa boku no kippu o tabemashita.”
Lady at the Window: “Doko kara kimashita ka?”
D: “Narita kara kimashita.”
The lady brought me out to the wicket. Then she brought me to the window and asked, “Doko made ikimasu ka?”
D: “Yokosuka desu.” [I forgot that station I was supposed to go was Yokosuka-chuo]
L: “Yokosuka-chuo desu ka?”
D: “Ahh. Sou desu.”
Then she pointed me to the tickets to the Keikyu Line for me to go to Yokosuka-chuo.
D: “Arigatou gozaimasu.”

Sometimes, I could here the “pin-pon” sound in my head and the feelings I felt. It was a major learning experience I’ll never forget.

Later on I found out that certain tickets are used for the gate eventhough it is with the same company. [Here is a quote directly from the website: “Note: Do not use an automatic ticket-reading gate with a JAPAN RAIL PASS or a reserved-seat ticket. Please show the PASS at a manned ticket gate.” http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en007.html]

There’s been a lot of talk about driving in this thread. I did bring an international driving permit with me, to give the option of driving a car out to rural areas (There’s some places with preserved historical village buildings that you can’t reach by train). However I found more than enough to do without that, so it didn’t happen. Maybe next time. It would be useful to have some information about car hire in Japan. What are the insurance options? Can you get a copy of the highway code (or whatever the rules of the road are called) in English…or even in Japanese if it’s on the web somewhere. Maybe this would be a good survival phrases topic. What do you all think?

The other tricky thing is organising accommodation, although I “cheated” and arranged all that via the internet before going, which is a lot easier (and safer if you are travelling anytime in peak season). ‘yoyaku’ works for making a hotel reservation.

It’s probably difficult to make survival lessons exciting as they have to be kept simple. On that topic, the later beginner lessons are very enjoyable and are now covering stuff I don’t know. gambaru watashi wa.

仕事ののでまた有難うございます。

Most people can’t afford to be taxied around.

Plus, many of those topics Sindyさん mentions get touched on from time to time, especially in the Culture Class lessons. I vote for staying the course.

JockZonさん、

いいなー！ Going on vacation. Must be nice. Have a good time and we look forward to your return.

-Daniel B