What to bring...

[bananathursdays]

So we can send stuff ahead of time?? Reading this that was my biggest concern. I have decent sized suitcases and know what I want to bring with me. The biggest thing is the desktop/monitor...I could leave them here, but my laptop has some serious issues right now (needs a new battery, power plug and disc drive). I have NO clue how to put computers together and I would really want to bring it and my laptop (with a new battery) for bringing to school with me. I also will be looking into bringing my 360! I loves me my video games XD

Yes you can ship ahead of time. I sent 2 boxes (winter clothes/boots/books) over about a month before I came, they arrived about 2 months after I got here.

As for your computer, leave the monitor at home. Hell, leave the case and powersupply as well. Just pack up the internals and put it in some carry on luggage. It's safer to bring it over that way than ship it freight (2-3months) and hope for the best. (There is NO reason to ship a PC air, at all.) Once you get here, pick up a case/powersupply off amazon.co.jp and you're good to go.

Wait....so it took 3 months for boxes you shipped from the U.S. to arrive in Japan? That's a little bit longer than I thought it would take.
Did you send the two boxes by freight, then?

[Gizmotech]

One box was quick, it arrived 2 months after I sent it. The other box took an extra month because it missed the boat I guess. They were shipped ground, via Canada Post. I do not know about the US, but the major delay was not getting across the continent (that took a week ground... not that bad), it was getting it across the ocean. The foreman grill I ordered using "international shipping" from amazon also took about a month and a half from the west coast US. Your results will vary, but don't bet on speed unless you slap airmail on it.

[merkypie]

USPS does not do Surface Mail to Japan, it has to be air. Pro tip.
You can send Surface Mail from Japan to the US though.

[coop52]

Yep, you can only send mail by ship from Japan to the US. It took about a month for a box of stuff I sent to get to my house in America. Airmail takes about 10 days. There's a box you can send for $50, no matter how much it weighs. I'm not sure what it's called, so you'll have to go to your post office and ask about it.

[rollins]

Yep, you can only send mail by ship from Japan to the US. It took about a month for a box of stuff I sent to get to my house in America. Airmail takes about 10 days. There's a box you can send for $50, no matter how much it weighs. I'm not sure what it's called, so you'll have to go to your post office and ask about it.

I believe you're thinking of the flat rate boxes. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but at least from my memory, there is a limit on how much you get send, weight wise. But if it fits in the box and it's below the limit, you can send it for a set rate, so it may turn out to be cheaper than other shipping methods.

https://www.usps.com/send/priority-mail ... l-flat.htm

[JJJTTT]

If you live in an area where Yamato transport has an office, shipping a big box is reasonably priced, and super convenient. I came from Portland OR last year and shipped a fifty pound box of winter clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous crap to my school. Cost about $150 US and it was there on my first day of going to school (I sent it out a week or two before I left). The guy from Yamato came to my house to pick up the box for no charge. I had to fill out a customs packing slip detailing the contents of the box before he took it. The only potential hassle is once you get to Narita you need to go to the Yamato desk and sign for your stuff. You're sending it as unaccompanied baggage so your physical presence is required to get it out of the airport I guess. It was fine when I did it as buses were running from Narita all day and I got there in the early evening. I had time (only took 20 minutes maybe but I left the comfort of the herd for a while) and I had no problems, but be ready to deal with a slight detour. Anyway, dude that picks up your box at home will explain what to do.

In hindsight I brought too much crap with me so if you can stand to leave stuff behind, you'll more than likely not regret it.

here's the link:
http://www.yamatoamerica.com/e/parcel/us.php

[shinmei2006]

In December 2011 I sent 100 T-shirts weighing ~35lbs for ~$150 via USPS to Tokyo.

[toddx77]

I didn't see this mentioned so I apologize if someone mentioned this but why are you all saying not to bring a map and use a smart phone? I was in Japan back in the summer of 2006 with my high school and American cell phones did not work over there. Is it different now with all the smart phones that smart phones from the US work over there now?

[teabot]

I didn't see this mentioned so I apologize if someone mentioned this but why are you all saying not to bring a map and use a smart phone? I was in Japan back in the summer of 2006 with my high school and American cell phones did not work over there. Is it different now with all the smart phones that smart phones from the US work over there now?

i'm not sure if my experience is an extreme outlier or anything, but i got my phone like the second day at my placement. though i'm under the impression other JETs may have to wait a while before they can get that up and going.

anyway, even if you did want to go the paper route and use a map, i'd think it would be much easier to get a better map once you're over here. presumably it's going to be a little difficult to find a map of Inaka-cho, Inaka-ken, (which will be the most useful to you; you don't really need one of the whole of Japan, right?) in your home country than it is here. (but then again, maps here, unless you live in a larger city, will likely not be available in English...) if you're in a smaller place it may actually be more useful for you to wander around and make your own mental map.

your home country cellphones will likely not work over here, and if they do, roaming data (which is necessary for Google Maps, etc.) is scarily expensive.

[toddx77]

I didn't see this mentioned so I apologize if someone mentioned this but why are you all saying not to bring a map and use a smart phone? I was in Japan back in the summer of 2006 with my high school and American cell phones did not work over there. Is it different now with all the smart phones that smart phones from the US work over there now?

i'm not sure if my experience is an extreme outlier or anything, but i got my phone like the second day at my placement. though i'm under the impression other JETs may have to wait a while before they can get that up and going.

anyway, even if you did want to go the paper route and use a map, i'd think it would be much easier to get a better map once you're over here. presumably it's going to be a little difficult to find a map of Inaka-cho, Inaka-ken, (which will be the most useful to you; you don't really need one of the whole of Japan, right?) in your home country than it is here. (but then again, maps here, unless you live in a larger city, will likely not be available in English...) if you're in a smaller place it may actually be more useful for you to wander around and make your own mental map.

your home country cellphones will likely not work over here, and if they do, roaming data (which is necessary for Google Maps, etc.) is scarily expensive.

When you say you got your phone are you saying the JET program gives you a phone while you are there? As for American phones by roaming data do you mean 3g or 4g usage and if I bring my phone can I still connect it to a wifi network? I would like to bring my phone for an MP3 player and e reader since I don't want to carry my tablet around to do that.

[teabot]

i'm not sure if my experience is an extreme outlier or anything, but i got my phone like the second day at my placement. though i'm under the impression other JETs may have to wait a while before they can get that up and going.

anyway, even if you did want to go the paper route and use a map, i'd think it would be much easier to get a better map once you're over here. presumably it's going to be a little difficult to find a map of Inaka-cho, Inaka-ken, (which will be the most useful to you; you don't really need one of the whole of Japan, right?) in your home country than it is here. (but then again, maps here, unless you live in a larger city, will likely not be available in English...) if you're in a smaller place it may actually be more useful for you to wander around and make your own mental map.

your home country cellphones will likely not work over here, and if they do, roaming data (which is necessary for Google Maps, etc.) is scarily expensive.

When you say you got your phone are you saying the JET program gives you a phone while you are there? As for American phones by roaming data do you mean 3g or 4g usage and if I bring my phone can I still connect it to a wifi network? I would like to bring my phone for an MP3 player and e reader since I don't want to carry my tablet around to do that.

you must purchase your own phone and pay for the services. you can choose whether you have a data plan and specifics therein, but you pretty much need a phone of somesort, whether it's a dumbphone or a smartphone.

roaming data means using your data while you're out of service area (international), so yes 3/4G. wifi networks are pretty much nonexistent in Japan, so it's a nonissue. no one's going to prevent you from bringing or using your American phone, but given that you can get all of the features you want on a Japanese phone, there's not really much reason.

[toddx77]

i'm not sure if my experience is an extreme outlier or anything, but i got my phone like the second day at my placement. though i'm under the impression other JETs may have to wait a while before they can get that up and going.

anyway, even if you did want to go the paper route and use a map, i'd think it would be much easier to get a better map once you're over here. presumably it's going to be a little difficult to find a map of Inaka-cho, Inaka-ken, (which will be the most useful to you; you don't really need one of the whole of Japan, right?) in your home country than it is here. (but then again, maps here, unless you live in a larger city, will likely not be available in English...) if you're in a smaller place it may actually be more useful for you to wander around and make your own mental map.

your home country cellphones will likely not work over here, and if they do, roaming data (which is necessary for Google Maps, etc.) is scarily expensive.

When you say you got your phone are you saying the JET program gives you a phone while you are there? As for American phones by roaming data do you mean 3g or 4g usage and if I bring my phone can I still connect it to a wifi network? I would like to bring my phone for an MP3 player and e reader since I don't want to carry my tablet around to do that.

you must purchase your own phone and pay for the services. you can choose whether you have a data plan and specifics therein, but you pretty much need a phone of somesort, whether it's a dumbphone or a smartphone.

roaming data means using your data while you're out of service area (international), so yes 3/4G. wifi networks are pretty much nonexistent in Japan, so it's a nonissue. no one's going to prevent you from bringing or using your American phone, but given that you can get all of the features you want on a Japanese phone, there's not really much reason.

What about wifi in your house? Do they have it there or can you bring your own router and get internet installed? Even if it is wired internet? Phone wise do they have american phones over there like windows or android phones? I know they have iphones but I'm trying to move away from iphones and ipads.

[coop52]

They have Android and Windows phones, as well as routers and such so you can have Wi-fi. Come on, it's not a third world country.

[toddx77]

They have Android and Windows phones, as well as routers and such so you can have Wi-fi. Come on, it's not a third world country.

lol I know but when I heard wifi was non existent I just got worried since Japan is a pretty tech savvy country lol. Anyway is the monthly fee for internet expensive in Japan? Can I connect an Japanese windows or andriod phone to my American pc? Also will a Japanese wifi router work on an American pc as well? I know these probably sound like dumb questions, but I just want to make sure lol.

[Gekishinken]

They have Android and Windows phones, as well as routers and such so you can have Wi-fi. Come on, it's not a third world country.

lol I know but when I heard wifi was non existent I just got worried since Japan is a pretty tech savvy country lol. Anyway is the monthly fee for internet expensive in Japan? Can I connect an Japanese windows or andriod phone to my American pc? Also will a Japanese wifi router work on an American pc as well? I know these probably sound like dumb questions, but I just want to make sure lol.

You are asking some pretty specific questions. I suggest you google them to get the best results.