Managing the Legalities: Maximizing Your Sightseeing

Maximizing Your Sightseeing

Every country in the world has a major city that defines it's experience and tells the world what those in charge feel represents its essence; the US has NYC, Italy has Rome, and France has Paris. If you ask anyone of the country, though, they'll be quick to tell you that that city isn't the only awesome city there, as I would tell you about the open air sprawl of LA, the charming eccentricity of Portland, and the delightful beaches and culture clash to be found in Miami, among endless others within the country I call home.

Japan is no different and has the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, the brazen street cultures of Osaka, the peaceful beach sides of Okinawa, and the expansive mountainside scenery of Hokkaido. Each of them also contain several different cities and hidden pockets of humanity that paint a diverse, rich and ever growing network of cultures that drive the things they do every day. Naturally, though, unless you have boatloads of money and free time, you can't see all of that in one trip, so to get the gears turning on planning your most excellent vacation, let's take a quick peek at these potential destinations, starting with Tokyo.

Tokyo: The Crown Jewel of Japan

The city of Tokyo is the political center of the country, but over it's history, it and surrounding area has also grown into it's historical and modern cultural center, housing countless things flock to see from all over the world to see. Like what? Well, there's the TsujikiFish Market, the geek mecca of Akihabara, the Asakusa Shinto temple, the land of fashionable kids known as Harajuku, and more multi-level specialty stores than you can shake a stick at. In fact, it houses so many of these aspects that there have been multiple volumes dedicated to helping people navigate just this area of the country (If that isn't enough proof, consider this: on the trains there, the terms used to describe leaving Tokyo translate as ascending, for going north, and descending, for going south).

On top of that, the international profile it's built up drive tourists in from across the world, meaning that it's been made more and more easier for them to travel, and that will mean there's a higher chance someone will be able to help you out in case things go south and you need to speak with someone; for getting a taste of a brand new culture, this is surely a safe bet for your travel destination(if you're intrigued, might I recommend Frommer's Tokyo as your guidebook?).

With all that said, though, isn't the whole point of traveling to go outside your comfort zone and see things you haven't before? What, about eating burgers at a McDonald's in Tokyo is adventurous? What, about eating at a sushi place everyone goes to, screams “I'm a traveler!”? What, about spending your hard earned cash to be among familiar foods, people and so on on the other side of world, says “This was a good use of my money and vacation days”? Tokyo is a perfectly wonderful area to sight-see in, but c'mon now! If you really wanna expand your world view, think beyond the familiar; perhaps consider looking into visiting Osaka and its surrounding area. 

Managing the Legalities: Do You Need a Visa?

Visa-Free Traveling

For folks from the US, you can stay in the country without a visa a maximum of 90 days(as in 90 calendar days, not 3 months), which is more than enough time for most folks to get their kicks before they return to the reality waiting for them back home. As for the rest of the world...

You need a passport if you're from...

Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa or South Korea*(plus others not mentioned)

*if part of a school group, you can stay up to a month

You can stay 14 days if you're from...

Brunei

You can stay 90 days if you're from...

Andorra, Australia, Barbados, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Monaco, New Zealand, Poland or Slovakia

You can stay 3 months if you're from...

Argentina, the Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus(the country), Denmark, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Finland, France, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Lesotho, Luxumbourg, Macedonia, Malta, Maritius, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal*, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Surinam, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey or Uruguay

*exception if originally attained in either former or current colonies of the country

You can stay 6 months if you're from...

Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland or the UK*

*only for UK citizens

Why Would I Need a Visa?

Short answer: the authorities can kick you out immediately, if they catch you after your visa-free time is up, and you don't have one. Long Answer: If you're going as an exchange student, worker, teacher, are visiting a relative long term(e.g. A year, or so) or otherwise need to be there for something other then tourism, you'll need to visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan's long term visa section of the site and look up the one you need.

     Afterward, look up a local Consulate-General of Japan and call them up for anything you may need to do concerning getting the needed visa. Should the country's charm stay with you after you visit, definitely give this stuff a moment of serious thought if you ever want to do something long term over there. While we're on the subject, let's take a look at the next phase of going to Japan: Where you want to visit for your vacation. 

Managing the Legalities: What to Watch for Before and During a Trip to Japan

An experience often thought of as a milestone is when someone travels to a country highly unlike their own, like someone raised in Italy traveling to Brazil, a South African denizen exploring the Irish countryside and a kid raised in America taking a journey to Japan. Through that trip, they begin to see beyond the things that make them different from others and look for the things they have in common, thus helping them see deeper into the way we all speak to each other and crafting a more meaningful understanding-or at least, that's supposed to happen.  

That kind of growth often isn't achieved in one trip, and if the things they held true are reinforced on their travels, they might even grow more narrow minded about the culture they experience. For example, say someone coming to NYC for a vacation thought that Americans were all arrogant, fat gunslingers who care only about themselves; if the only people they ran into there fell met those expectations, then they'd grow even harder to break, because now they have anecdotal evidence to back their claims(for those curious, the term for this is Confirmation Bias, and it's even worse when they meet those same people as completely blank slates to be shaped by whatever happens).

Before any of that stuff can take place, though, one has to handle things at home, so they can set foot in the country without getting turned away at the door, and 2 crucial aspects of world travel are the passport and the visa(which you'll see more of later on). If you haven't been outside your homeland, then you haven't had much of a need for either, but for traveling to Japan, they will become a necessity, especially the passport.

Getting a Passport

The general things you'll want to do are to...

• Hit up your gov't's travel site
• Visit the section dealing with passports
• Fill out all the needed paperwork
• Seek out the needed fee money and documentation for your passport(e.g. Birth certificate, Driver ID, etc.)
• Head off to get your picture taken for it
• Then turn everything in to the proper channels and wait for it to arrive.

The exact procedures will depend on how your govt does things, your current situation and many other variables, so be sure to look that stuff up and find out what you need. If you happen to be a US-citizen reading this, however, I can give you a few pointers on what you need to do.

Tips for US 1^st Timers to the Passport Process

To keep it simple, for getting your first passport, the Post Office is your friend and will stay so throughout the whole process. When you're there, you can find out what you need, how you need to dress, how long you'll be waiting(which can be somewhere between 2 weeks and 2 months if you don't have the $60 to speed things up) and many other things.

Before going there, though, be sure to hit up Travel.State.gov and check out the Passport and Visa sections for the specifics on what you need in your situation, what paperwork you'll need to do, and documentation you'll need on hand-Fair warning, though: this process won't be cheap(as of this writing, the whole package is about $160, minimum). As long as you head to your local Post Office, though, they'll be able to help you through the nitty-gritty red tape, and move on the next part of traveling to Japan: whether or not that passport needs further approval by the proper authorities for further travels, whether or not you need to get a Visa.

Essential Phrases and Body Language #10

Gesture #10: Culturally Flipping The Bird

Actual Gesture: Using the pointer finger, pulling down the lower eyelid and sticking out your tongue

It's Function?: Like flipping the bird, it's meant to show the ultimate, most childish disrespect towards its recipient

Any Associated Phrase?: With this one, the phrase is 「あかんべー！(Get bent!)」, which comes from 赤《あか》の目《め》(Red of the Eye, which is what you're displaying in the gesture), and can be said in two parts, あかん, as you're bringing the finger to the eyelid, and べー！ as you're pulling it down.

Anything else?: As the most disrespectful-and highly childish gesture, this won't produce anything good if you do it in front of the person, so most people want 'til their back is turned to show their disdain, possibly in the more emphatic form of あっかんべー! Sticking out the tongue, by itself, is a more feminine gesture used to show that they made a slight slip up in something, much like when someone says '”Whoops!” after drop their wallet when they pay for something.

Phrase #10: 只《ただ》今《いま》

Literal Meaning: Just now

Intent: "I'm home!(and similar meanings in translation)"

Usage: To let someone know you've come back to some place, home or otherwise, much like the phrase "I'm back!"

Notes: 只今帰《かえ》りました is the full, formal version of the phrase, both recognized by the other person/people there with the phrase 「お帰りなさい」, 「お帰り」 being the informal version of that.

Example: 只今帰りました

(I've come back home, ma'am)

お帰りなさい、お客《きゃく》さん。（笑）　まったく、アントニ、タメ語《ご》でもいいね。仲間《なかま》なんでいいじゃないじゃない？ ユックリしてね！

(Welcome back home, valued customer. *laughs* Honestly, Anthony, it's okay to talk casual. We are pal-y-pals, so it's all good, ain't it? EASE it up, there.)  

And now that we're through the 10, it's time to move to the next phase: learning how to plan a trip to Japan and what to do once you get there!

Essential Phrases and Body Language #9

Gesture #9: Showing Agreement with a Statement

Actual Gesture: Slamming the pinky side of a closed fist into an open palm

It's Function?: To express that the person just said something that agrees with your values/logic/etc or makes the point you've been working towards, but perhaps couldn't put it the way the speaker did

Any Associated Phrase?: Yes, and the one most often use with this one is 「納得《なっとく》！(Exactly!)」, which you can also use to discuss the concept of consent

Anything else?: If you rotate your closed hand while it's in the palm, you imitate the gesture of grinding sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle(known in Japan as 胡麻《ごま》擂《すり),　which implys that someone is buttering someone up in anticipation of getting something in return, or what some folks would call brown-nosing

Phrase #9: よくできました

Literal Meaning: "You were well up to the task at hand"

Intent: "Good Job!(and similar meanings in translation)"

Usage: To tell someone they did good after they finish a task, in order to let them know how well they did and encouraging them to keep up the good work(which can change in tone, if sarcasm is in the air).

Notes: This also applies when you see the different variations in this phrase, such as 大変《たいへん》よくできました, which tells then they did very well at something, and the more informal version of this phrase, よくできた(which can also be used as an adverb to show something is solidly built/written/etc).

Example: このスパ作《つ》る? 大変よくできたね! よくできたスパんだ!

(you cooked this spaghetti? You did super awesome at it, man. Really well made Spaghetti!)

Essential Phrases and Body Language #8

Gesture #8: Minimizing a Compliment
Actual Gesture: With palms facing the person, shaking the hand from side to side

It's Function?: It's meant to increase the politeness by showing that the thing you did for them isn't as great as they're making it out to be, much like a “It was nothing”

Any Associated Phrase?: Yes, and a couple of them are 「いいえ(No, but here, intending something like “It was nothing”)」and 「そんなことないです (Oh, it's not like that at all)」

Anything else?: You can also do this with two hands for emphasis, either one showing modesty and letting the other person you really do appreciate what they did for you or what they said

Phrase #8: ご機嫌《きげん》よう
Literal Meaning: "Your condition is well"

Intent: Take care, now

Usage: It's much like the phrase 'Aloha', in that in can be as both a greeting and a parting phrase, communicating good and
very formal vibes to the listener in either usage

Notes:
1. This likely comes from the archaic way to say this phrase 「ご機嫌ようございます」.
2. 機嫌, itself, is a noun discussing someone's mood, with a phrase to express someone is either in a good or bad mood(good mood being 機嫌がいい and bad mood being 機嫌が悪《わる》い)

Example: あら、リナさん。ごきげんよう。
(Oh hey, there, Lina. Aloha, to you.)
ごきげんよう。仕事《しごと》はどう？
(Mm, Aloha, there. How's the job treating you?)

Essential Phrases and Body Language #7

Gesture #7: Humbling Up for a Favor

Actual Gesture: Bowing the head (and possibly doing a bow along with that) while clapping the hands together

It's Function?: To show remorse for taking up the person's time/something you did while asking for whatever it is you're asking for

Any Associated Phrase?: ごめんくださいですが(insert favor here)
Anything else?: It's rather formal-and perhaps feminine?-, and short of actually groveling, is one of the most humble and polite ways you can ask someone to help you out in a pinch. If you're feeling desperate, a more pressing alternative to the Associated Phrase presented is 「お願《ねが》い(I beg of you!)！(insert favor here)」, e.g. when you're lost somewhere, you need help finding your way to the nearest subway station and the other person might be shaky on helping you because they feel their English sucks. When you need to cut through the nonsense, you'd wanna use the gesture and say something like 「お願い！近《ちか》いの駅《えき》はどこにありますか？(Please, sir! Where is the nearest train station?)」

Phrase #7: 宜《よろ》しくお願いします

Literal Meaning: "I request that you make it so"

Intent: "It's a pleasure to meet you(and similar meanings in translation)"

Usage(s): 1. To show you wish to create good relations between yourself and those you're speaking with
2. At the end of an introduction when 1st meeting someone
3. As a parting phrase in a formal setting(both this and the 2nd usage implying you want to establish long lasting relations, much like the phrases 'Nice to meet you' and 'It was a pleasure to meet you')
4. In asking favors

Notes: 1. 宜しく, by itself, is a casual way to say the phrase (some even say it's the preferred way in casual settings)
2. It can be used to show appreciation for an action, most often in the phrases 「(thing you want someone to do for you)を宜しく頼《たの》みます(I'd appreciate your help with X)」& ○に宜しくお伝《つた》えて下《くだ》さい(My compliments to X/Please give my regards to X/Say Hi to X for me) [○に宜しくお伝つたえて下ください also has a shorthand form, ○に宜しく, which implies the verb from either one]).
3. To increase the politeness factor, add どうぞ before 宜しく(also applies to its more casual forms!)
4. It's also used in the phrases 一《ひと》つよろしく-which is the parting phrase used in business calls and translates into something like "Handle it, man"-and 後《あと》はよろしくする-which is used after someone (most likely someone higher up the ladder than you) asks you to cover for them and they explain what you're doing for them, translating into something like "Handle the rest the way you think's best"

Example: (1) ねぇ、むっちゃん！　友《とも》が話《はな》したいんだよ。　こっちだね。　Hey Doug, おいで！
(Hey, Muchichi. My friend wants to talk to you! *English*, c'mere!)

あのう。。。えっと。。。はじめまして。　わたくしはダッグジョンサンでございます。宜しくお願いいたします。
(Umm...uhh...salutations. I be Doug of the Johnson clan. I do humbly beg your indulgence)

...Okay, this is some bullshit. First off, you are an asshole for getting this poor guy to think we all talk like that, 中島《なかじま》くん。 Second of all...ダッグ, was it? You obviously learned the formal style of our language my friends say they drill in you over there. If you are talking to a politician or whatever, fine, but when you talk like that in a casual setting, you come off as seriously uptight. You would not talk to your president and your friend the same way, would you? Did not think so. Please learn the other ways to speak our language so you are not lead to make yourself look like a fool, as 中島くん seems to enjoy doing, and can chat with people with the proper level of politeness. All that said...こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいします。 ダッグさん。　あたし、上川《かみかわ》むちこです！　I am not a pen.
(*speech*I am also pleased to be meeting with you, Doug. My name's Muchiko Kamikawa! *English school English*)