What's it like to live in Japan?
    Wonderful.  Frustrating.  Exciting.  Lonely.   Life-changing.  All of the above. 

    If you have never lived overseas before, you will find it wonderfully exciting and sometimes highly stressful.  You need to be open-minded, adaptable and curious to survive in any foreign country, and perhaps Japan more then most.  If you delight in the new and different, you will always have something here to interest you.  

    For some, it is too much.  Japan can often push guests to conform, to "be Japanese."  But of course you cannot be one.  And so, the stress of being different (being a blond in a sea of dark haired people or being constantly a head above the crowd) can wear on a foreign resident.  You'll tire of being asked if you can use chopsticks and if you like raw fish.

    But you'll also experience some of the warmest, most generous welcomes in the world.  You'll find doors opened for you (although not literally, ladies!) into all areas, and be offered opportunities that many Japanese will never have.  You may well find a new philosophy in Zen, a new hobby in flower arranging, or a new sport in aikido.   And you will be able to sample some incredible food and have an experience which will stay with you forever. 

    The answer to this question will change for you day to day, and it will be different for everyone individual.  Four Seasons will do everything we can to make the answer a positive one.

Can I find my own place?
    Teachers do not have to live in the same apartment building, although many find it more comfortable to do so since it provides a ready-made community. If you wish to find your own place, you are welcome to do so as long as it doesn't interfere with your ability to teach for us.  However we will not pay additional deposits on more apartments since we already have so many in a beautiful building downtown, nor will we be able to subsidize the rent at the same level as we are able to do at "Q".   Really, you can't do better than the apartments we provide.

What about appliances and electronics, will they work in Japan?
    The voltage in Japan (Nagoya area) is 100 volts. In the U.S. the voltage is 110 volts.  This means that some appliances (like hair dryers) purchased in Japan will burn out faster if used continually in the U.S. However, appliances purchased in the U.S. generally work fine here (at slightly lower voltage).   Appliances from most other countries work as well.

We don't recommend planning on using a radio here, because the frequencies do vary and we have found there to be reception problems with non-Japanese radios.  However CD players and other electronics seem to all work fine.

What's Japanese food like?

Sushi is of course the most famous of Japanese foods.  But there are many other types as well.  You will enjoy everything from elegant and subtle vegetarian delights (don't like tofu?  Guess again!) to fried pork cutlets and a wide variety of noodle dishes.  Most guest fall in love with tempura, veggies and seafood lightly battered and fried.  (In Hamamatsu, be sure to try Tenkin and Mimatsu, two of the finest tempura restaurants in the country.)  The world's best and most expensive beef is Japanese and some of the biggest and juiciest fruits.  The Japanese cuisine is highly seasonal in nature, so be prepared to sample some of Hamamatsu's famous barbecued eel (we recommend Unagi Fujita) in the summer (pictured here) and special mountain vegetables and mushrooms in the fall. 

What's the nightlife like?
    Hamamatsu has a variety of discos, bars and restaurants.  The bars all have different themes and environments, some are really just for Japanese locals, some for foreigners, some for a mixed clientele. Some bars favor rock and roll and others for a quiet drink.  There are two or three gay bars, but they are not well advertised.  At night, it seems as if the town is divided by its main street between "old folks" and "young folks."  The old folks area is filled with small clubs and pubs down narrow alleyways while the young area is brightly lit, always changing and is filled with trendy bars and cheap restaurants.  Both areas are worth exploring and we're sure you will find something that appeals to you.  


What are the site-seeing options nearby?
    Several beautiful temples and shrines are nearby, as well as a small pottery village. There are several good onsen areas within an hour's drive.

    The Tenryu river, the third largest river in Japan, runs from the mountains down past the east side of Hamamatsu City. The river is popular in the summer for a place to cool off . There are wonderful spots for wading, swimming, fishing and rafting along the Tenryu and we often have school BBQ's along the shore.

    Bentenjima, about 30 minutes away, is at the mouth of large brackish lagoon where most of Hamamatsu famous eels are raised.  The beaches are popular for windsurfing and there are a number of attractions including a small amusement park and a "flower park" which can offer a wonderful afternoon's relaxation year round.  

Will I have the opportunity to travel around Japan?
    Of course!  There are several vacation periods each year, and many teachers take advantage of the time to enjoy seeing more of Japan.  The old capitals of Kyoto and Kamakura are each only two hours away, and the painted temples of Nikko can be reached in a few hours.  Thought-provoking Hiroshima could be a day trip, although we'd recommend taking a day or two and also seeing the natural beauty of Miyajima and the greatest castle in Japan, Himeji.  See our image gallery for sample "sights."

Tell me more about this health club.
    The health club has a weight room, gyms, saunas, pools and restaurants. Our teachers are free to use the facilities. Classes in everything from aerobics to tennis are offered there as well.

Speaking of health, how's the medical system over there?  Do I need any special shots?
    Generally, medicine is top rate, however, Japan does have a nationalized health system.  That means you may have long waits and not much time with the doctor when you have a cold.  And the hospitals are often a bit dreary (but aren't they always when you're sick?)  But don't worry, for an emergency, you should be fine. 

    No shots are required or really even recommended, but if you are in doubt, you should call the nearest Japanese consulate or talk to your local doctor just to be certain.

    We would recommend having your teeth checked and getting whatever dental work you may need done before you come to Japan.  While it is very cheap to have the work done in Japan, Japanese dentists are incredibly slow and tend to bill out as much as possible.  There have been cases of a single cavity taking 12 visits to be filled (one to check, one to clean, one to empty and then yes, the patient spent several days with an unfilled hole, then one to make a temporary filling, then a permanent filling, then a filing and cleaning and then a few others whose purpose was not really clear except perhaps to run up the bill to the national plan...)

I have children.  Are there any international schools in the area?
    Unfortunately there are no international schools in Hamamatsu or nearby.   The closest is Nagoya (2 hours drive or 1 hour by train) and they do not allow boarders.  There are schools in Tokyo and Osaka which would allow boarders, but we would not recommend splitting up a family like that.  Children are normally enrolled in local schools.  While we do not discriminate against families with children, we will note up front that it would be difficult to have a comfortable family life, the hours are irregular and while the salary is more than comfortable for an individual, it is not sufficient for a large group.  Nor are we prepared to make any significant special allowances or conditions for families, it is not fair to the other teachers. 

I don't speak any Japanese at all. Am I going to be able to survive?
    Sure!  Most of our teachers don't speak much Japanese although we always welcome those who do.  First, we believe it is important for students of English to have classes in English as much as possible.  We do tend to give teachers with some Japanese ability pure beginners, but for most classes, we feel that good ESL teachers will encourage their students to work and relate in the language being taught.

    Second, life is comfortable in Japan.  You'll quickly learn numbers and basic pleasantries, and you will find, if you choose, that you can exist with only that.  The school will help you set everything up from the bank account to paying your utilities.  Many signs are in English and hundreds of thousands of non-Japanese speaking tourists travel comfortably and safely in Japan every year.   The more Japanese you learn, the deeper you will be able to enter into the culture and the more you will be able to experience, but don't worry, you can live here without knowing the language if you choose.

I'm addicted to my e-mail. What are the computer/Internet access options?
    The school has a number of computers which you can use for both business (lesson development) and personal needs (letters home and e-mail.).

    For access at home, we advise signing up with one of the local ADSL providers (Yahoo and TOKAI both offer good packages with unlimited access for about 2000 yen/month).

    And yes, you can almost always use your own personal computer in Japan. Most all computers/laptops come with international power adapters which eliminate any risk from the different current rates here. We have never had any trouble with any machine brought over by a teacher.  You can also get excellent computers in Japan.   However we would recommend buying one in your home country because you would then have all the manuals and software in English or your preferred language.  The keyboards also vary slightly from language to language and if you are a touch typist, a Japanese keyboard will frustrate you (as would an Italian or Spanish or German, each vary slightly from the English standard.

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