Costco in Japan

credit: http://tokyodesu.com/

I visited a friend last week. She lives in Chiba, less than an hour away from Tokyo.

There are lots of things to see in Chiba. Disneyland and Disney Sea are there. (The name Tokyo Disneyland is wrong technically.)

There's Chiba Tower, Lighthouse and the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line.

If we wanted to see more shrines and temples, Nihon-ji Hokekyo-ji, Tanjo-ji, Manman-ji, Awa Shrine and Chiba-dera are just all around Chiba.

Had we felt really genki (genki means active), we could have hiked Mt. Tomi, Mt. Atago or Mt. Nokogiri.

If we wanted a leisurely cultural day, we could have visited Kawamura Museum of Art, Nambo Paradise Botanical Garden, Museum of Science and Industry or Suigo Sawara Aquatic Botanical Garden.

There are really a lot of possible places to visit in Chiba. But, my friend and I didn't go to any of those places. Instead, we went to a very foreign place- COSTCO!

Things to See in Odaiba, Japan

Side Note: I haven't blog for more than a week cause I did a Sheldon. (You know the guy from the Big Bang Theory.) I've been on the train for a week travelling in various places in Japan. I have more than 2 weeks of spring vacation. That's one of the perks of being an ALT. I'll catch up on my writing this week and share the places I've visited. 

Odaiba's an artificial island a few minutes from Tokyo. It was originally designed to be a defense zone but became a commercial district. It has a port city atmosphere similar to Yokohama and Kobe- laidback but progressive.

Don't miss visiting Odaiba if you're visiting Tokyo.

I mean, it's really close so might as well see the things in there, right? Also, Odaiba's really a great place to spend a day. It's close to the city but it's not as crowded as Tokyo proper. You also don't need to spend a lot of money unless you're planning to go shopping.

So what's not to miss in Odaiba?

Expat Life in Japan: Interview with Expat Finder

Are you seriously considering moving to a different country? like Japan maybe? 

Problem is you're not sure where to start. I can feel you, mahn! (or womahn!) I've been in your shoes before. 

Before you decide to head out or chicken out with being an expat, find helpful information from Expat Finder. It's a wesbite that provides information for various information of expat life. It has a job page, housing info, insurance, money, education, credit and other things related to moving. 

Real expats from different parts of the globe also share their personal experiences and opinions of their life abroad. I've also shared my own take of expat life in Japan. 

Here's an excerpt:

''There are three things I enjoy about Japan- the safety, the seasons and the chance to meet foreigners. I can go home late at night and feel safe unlike in the Philippines. I don't have to constantly look out for my back. The changing seasons is also something I enjoy. In Japan, the lifestyle is heavily based on the seasons which I actually find exciting. We only have a tropical climate in the Philippines all year round. Lastly, I'm grateful for the chance to meet people from other parts of the world. It makes my perspective of the world broader.

Three things I don't like about Japan- the winter season, the indirectness of people and the inconvenience of going to the doctor. I love the seasons but I hate the winter in Hamamatsu. The coldness is bearable but the wind is deathly chilling. (Hamamatsu is the windiest city in the world.) I also find the indirectness of people frustrating. I have to always read the atmosphere or mood when I'm around the Japanese. I'm not quite sure when I'm saying or doing the right or wrong thing. I've never met an English-speaking doctor yet and I hate that fact. I always have to ask for assistance of a translator when I have to go to the doctor. (For some reason, I've gone to the doctor in Japan more than I did back home.''

More of the interview here:  

Faye Angeli Vitan - Expat in Hamamatsu - Japan

If it has always been on your mind to live in another place or maybe you're already preparing to move in a new place, definitely visit Expat Finder's site. 

Happy Moving! 

Disclaimer: Expat Finder did not pay me in any way to endorse them. I've personally browsed and analyzed the helpfulness of the information in their site.