Shopping > Amemura in Osaka (Shinsaibashi exit, ask people if you get lost)
Old Japan > there's a zillion temples/shrines in Kyoto but the most famous there are Kiyomizu Temple, Fushimi-Inari shrine and Ginkakuji Temple

Public transport here is really good for people with wheelchairs, though not in the way we Westerners are accustomed to. Basically for a train you would alert the staff at the ticket gate, and he would get someone to a) get your dad down the stairs if there was no elevator b) set up a bridge for your dad to cross the gap between the train and the platform and c) call down to the station you're getting off at for someone to meet you. Most bus entry platforms nowadays are without steps and easy for wheelchairs to get on, and the bus driver will help as well. It seems maybe patronizing and too dependent on other people in the western-individualism sense of things but this is more of a group-oriented society and Japanese service is awesome anyway.

A quick google brought this up, it may be useful for you http://www.tesco-premium.co.jp/aj/ui/uiall.htm


Tourist spots is a much harder question to answer because there's a lot to do and it depends on what kind of things you like (museums? crazy fashion shopping? old japan? new Japan? temples? sake tasting?). These may help:
Kyoto official tourist site > http://www.kyoto.travel/
japan-guide's Nara travel guide > http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2165.html
Kobe official tourist site > http://www.feel-kobe.jp/_en/

Speak slowly, say easy things, repeat, gestures, patience, and smiles.

At this point I'm close to fluent with speaking/listening. My reading/writing still sucks :(

I started learning Japanese in college, and I spent one year studying abroad in Japan.

I got my job by applying for it, basically :) A lot of my friends were already in Japan and they gave me tips. Many people apply for the JET program or to English language schools such as GEOS or AEON. If you want basic information, try searching for those programs, and not only looking at what their official websites say but also what people who have worked for them say about them. Of course there are many very tiny language schools (and Board of Educations that hire directly) too.

Your college's office of career services may be able to help you as well. Good luck!

My phone. Need to communicate, but also find information.

I didn't find things in this country half as well last time I was here, when there were no smartphones.

Likes - the food, the fashion, public transportation, the way people are considerate of each other even if they don't know each other.

Dislike - I would say the main one is how (if you're Japanese - different rules apply for foreigners sometimes) work is supposed to rule your life. Work even comes before family, eg fathers will often not take off work for their child's sports day or school open house. And many people work too many hours.

A lot of Japanese people don't like this and clearly it's not contributing to people having babies so I think it's changed a little and will continue changing.

Crackers.


Though, maybe ate my weight in kimchi recently.

Cats. Fireplaces. Walking. Going to Osaka.

Yes. And I'm lucky I've got a man that likes doing it too because some Japanese guys really don't want to in public.

Sometimes elementary girls and first grade elementary boys will take my hand and drag me somewhere...it's super cute. We're social animals...we like touching for the most part, I think.

You can blame Osaka clubs for me staying awake all night. Though, not anymore since most of the clubs are closing early....sad. These days it's often passing out at 3AM at SpaWorld.

I can't stand potato chips and almost never eat them.

So french fries, but I want big cut wedges with not too much oil and not too much salt! And ketchup! No mayo, Japan >_>

One 80s pair of high waisted black Lees that found their way to Harajuku and were ripped and sold to me, one grey pair from the Guess in Honolulu, and one pair of Gap flares that are too close to wearing through and are only going to be worn for dirty stuff now.

And I have pairs of skinny leg jeggings, one grey from Uniqlo and one dark blue Express from a used store.

The jeggings and the 80s jeans are what fit the best :-/

I liked Gossip Girl for a long time but it got really, really stupid after it overshot the books.

I liked The Office and still do but recent episodes have been either really funny or not at all.

People are telling me to go for Parks & Rec but that the 1st season isn't funny and to just slog through it and that's where I am now...

Secret Diary of a Call Girl is good, but over. The Japan move interrupted me watching both Weeds and Mad Men and I should try both again. Heard Breaking Bad is super good too.

Despite this long answer I barely watch tv lol. I go through a big spurt of watching it, then only movies for months.

Mixed bag...

I went to America, met someone I started talking to on the Internet when I was literally 13 (& she was great), hung out with fam, got a kindle, moved forward moving plans...

Hung out with a great cat. He got sick and had a bunch of seizures which was a big drama and I was seriously worried he wouldn't make it, but he's back to being fine now.

Met my bf's family which was super uneventful among everything else that happened (in a good way). We had coffee and cheesecake and his mom showed me kindergarten pictures of him.

Too much interpersonal drama going on...I ended the month being sick...

But I finally went to the Sailor Moon cafe.

Has formspring decided to be Questions ESL Year 1 Students Ask today?

They do...

I actually don't go to McDonald's much tho because I like MOS burger and Freshness Burger (which has veggie burgers!) better.

I didn't eat spicy food much before but after coming to Japan I eat spicy Indian and Korean all the time. I go out of my way to get real Korean kimchi too, not that Japanese sweet crap.

Not anymore. I don't watch anime much anymore...Plus it took a lot of time/money to do the costumes!

If I had the opportunity and someone handed me a costume that fit of a character I liked I suppose I might.

It's way more classy than in America, and perceived as a young peoples' hangout tho def adults eat there too.

People study there and hang out like it's a coffee shop (maybe since Starbucks kicks out studiers...) and they have free wifi.

Whenever there's a McDonalds in a party area like Amemura it will be open 24hr and there will be people passed out on tables in the early morning hours for sure.