Japan how ordinary people live. Japan is a rich country

1. Happening in Japan earthquakes. You probably already know about it. But here they happen almost every day - small, such that you will not immediately notice. There are also terrible, destructive earthquakes, such as in 2011. And tsunami.
2. Japanese office work- Stress for a foreigner. Do not even think that you will like to rush headlong to the office in the morning (in no case should you be late for a minute - everything is like at school) and sit out until the victory until the senior manager leaves. With the seeming efficiency of the Japanese, innovative ideas and initiatives are often received with hostility, as a rule, employees simply sit in the office from morning to night, stretching the time before leaving and imitating activities.
   P.S. In fairness: foreigners are sometimes allowed concessions about leaving before the boss, etc.
3. Forget English- on the streets, in shops, even in hotels (!) Almost no one knows him. Better learn a few phrases in Japanese. If you speak English, use as simple vocabulary as possible and speak slowly.
4. And if you still speak English, always and everywhere you will be mistaken for an American 🙂
   Some daredevils will try to practice English with you by starting a conversation.
5. No matter how many years you live in Japan, you will always be a stranger. Even with a Japanese husband / wife, or with children. Even after 17 years.
6. urban architecture in Japan (we are not talking about temples and Japanese gardens) leaves much to be desired. In general, these are pessimistic gray square buildings of 3-4 floors, with empty eye sockets of windows that evoke thoughts of loneliness and the frailty of being. Networks of wires are strung over the gray boxes.
7. No sidewalks. The area for pedestrian traffic is simply separated by a strip of paint from the roadway. A pedestrian in Japan is less powerful than a cyclist - they drive both on the roads and on the pedestrian zone (in defense of the latter, I will say that there are not so many bike paths, despite the fact that Tokyo is the same cycling city as Copenhagen, to example.).
8. Lines, always and everywhere. Lines for ramen at lunchtime, queues for the escalator on the subway, giant queues at Disneyland, queues for who knows where...
9. The Japanese are always very neatly dressed. A tourist in sneakers and jeans will feel acutely white crow among the tastefully dressed and combed Japanese.
10. Incredible crowds of people in the morning on the subway. Try to avoid peak hours (7-9 am and 5-7 pm) and allow plenty of time for transfers at major subway stations such as Shibuya or Shinjuku.
11. Expensive transport. Japanese trains are comfortable and modern, but ticket prices are very, very high. If you intend to explore at least a few Japanese cities, get ready to splurge.
12. Your driver's license will be invalid: both Russian and international driver license too. Renting a car with such rights will not work. Some acquaintances (of those who live in Japan) manage to drive with Russian international rights in Japan for several months (by car of a spouse, for example), taking advantage of the fact that the inspectors can turn a blind eye to this for some time. Not sure if this will work for a tourist.
13. Prices for vegetables and fruits. In Japan, this is a very expensive pleasure: as elsewhere, local products (mushrooms, vegetables) are slightly cheaper. An apple costs 150 yen on average, an orange the same. Vegetarians will have a hard time, as there are almost no specialized restaurants. Even if it says that the dish does not contain meat or fish, there may be fish sauce, for example.
14. Japanese holidays - time for mass tourism: these are high prices for hotels that are snapped up 2-3 months in advance, these are crowds of people everywhere you can imagine. The Japanese roam the country at the following times: “golden week in May” = our the May holidays, a week in August, New Year and early January.
15. For the same reason enjoy the khans() or momiji () Not sure it's going to happen. Places in the parks during the cherry blossom season are clogged from the early morning - one of the employees is sent under a tree, and he will sit on a mat, waiting for lunch or evening until colleagues come. It is difficult to move between the trees among the mats. Everywhere is the smell of beer and other alcohol.
16. Difficulties with waste disposal and sorting. This will present difficulties for both the tourist and newcomers to Japan who will have to deal with sorting. There are no trash on the streets: look for them at the combi, sometimes on the platforms at large stations (for example, after getting off the shinkansen in Kyoto, you can throw a bento box into the bin on the platform).
    
17. get ready unshoe many times a day. For example, when walking through the temples in Kyoto, every time you have to take off your shoes. Shoes must also be taken off in front of the fitting room in the store, in the gym, in some restaurants, etc. You will also have to change shoes in ryokans, and don't forget - oh horror! - about special toilet slippers.
18. fancy japanese toilets with a thousand buttons. They are everywhere - in apartments, in the subway, in shopping malls. The presence of buttons inspires fear in an unprepared tourist, who in a panic will rush around the booth in search of the flush button.
19. Weird Japanese Foods, such as yuba - tofu skin, the film removed from tofu, or natto - rotten fermented beans with a terrible taste and smell.
20. Lovers of Western food will have a hard time. For example, in Japan it is bad with high-quality cheese - all because this product became known to the Japanese relatively recently, after the Meiji restoration. The cheese here is very wonderful (made in Japan), or it is cosmically expensive. The same applies to European meat (prosciutto and the like), various sauces - even pesto is not available everywhere. Chocolate brands popular in the West (and in Russia) will have to be looked for. Even Pringles chips - and then some strange ones, in a narrower package. Scarce foods include oatmeal, buckwheat and the like.
21. Size of Japanese apartments. Apartments in big cities like Tokyo are expensive and quite tiny. There are instances of 20 sq.
    
22. Apartments for long-term rent are completely empty, and you have to furnish everything from scratch. It will not be possible to leave the furniture upon departure - the contract obliges the tenants to vacate everything completely. And this means that for each piece of furniture, for your own money, you will have to call a special service that will dispose of the thing.
23. Tattoo rejection: of course, no one will associate you with the yakuza, but you will definitely not be able to use the pool and public onsen. If the tattoo is in a prominent place, you may be asked to cover it (in a ryokan, traditional restaurant, or other establishments where it may cause discomfort to other guests)
24. This is where other restrictions on appearance: girls should not open their chest / shoulders / back - this is the same as driving in the Moscow metro in one bra - everyone will stare. Men with hipster beards are also not held in high esteem. But short and even obscenely short shorts are welcome (for girls, of course 🙂)
25. Many Japanese restaurants you can smoke. Sometimes there are no non-smoking rooms at all.
26. People sleeping in the streets. These are not homeless people, these are just tired/drunk office workers - Salarimen. Going to bed on a trip on the floor (or on a platform) is not shameful. Of course, not everyone does this 🙂 but no one will call the police.
27. In Japan, there are a thousand and one rules that are familiar to the Japanese, but introduce a foreigner into a stupor. First time you will always be confused: how to eat japanese food - noodles, udon, sushi? When and where to take off your shoes? How to sort all the same garbage? How to put on a yukata in a ryokan, how to use an onsen, what kind of food is this, and in general, is the food accurate?
    
28. The abundance of drunk At the end of the week. As a rule, this is Thursday-Saturday, but izakaya (Japanese pubs) gather revelers around them on any day of the week. There are entire streets and districts consisting almost exclusively of drinking establishments. As a rule, drunken Japanese are noisy but harmless. However, there are exceptions.
29. To foreigners, the attitude of the Japanese towards personal space may seem strange. Get ready to line up in neat lines on the platforms waiting for the train (I personally find this convenient), and in public transport forget about talking on the phone- this is not accepted here.
30. This can also be attributed restraint in behavior. If you do not want to seem rude, try not to bawl loudly, do not point your finger around, it is considered impolite to gesticulate aggressively and blow your nose (you can sniff as much as you like).
31. Insects: huge Japanese cockroaches and terribly loud cicadas, tearing the air with their songs in the summer months. The sound of cicadas, similar to the peals of an electric drill, reaches the 20th floor.
32. Taxi drivers in Japan they are almost always nervous when foreigners sit down with them. Firstly, we speak English they do not understand, and secondly, many try to slam doors when they are fully automatic in all cars. It is better to print the address or write it out on a piece of paper in Japanese. In Kyoto, we once came across a driver, born 39, who could not read the address we needed from google maps on the phone that we showed him - even in Japanese.
33. Climate. Japan is located in the subtropics, there is high humidity and it often rains (in winter, spring, in June during the rainy season). There may be a typhoon. Summer is very hot and stuffy. Choose the time for the trip thoughtfully and take everything you need: sun protection, hats or a raincoat.
34. When it rains, at the entrance to a store or supermarket it will be necessary to use a special plastic bag for an umbrella (the so-called umbrella condom), in other public places - leave the umbrella in the place designated for this. This can also cause some misunderstanding at first.
35. In Japan, as well as in Russia, it is customary to take a seat in a cafe, leaving a bag or outerwear.

The features of life in Japan listed in the post are our Subjective opinion. We do not want to offend anyone 🙂 There are more pluses in Japan than minuses.
Come and see it with your own eyes 😉

my neighbor left with her husband. Both are Russians, when he lived here he worked in a joint Russian-Japanese company, he traveled there very often. In general, the fixed idea he had was to live in Japan. He taught the language himself, from films, from tutorials. Now he has some kind of business there in the same area. 2 children, 1 were born while still living in Russia, 2 are already there, both children have citizenship. It is very difficult to live emotionally, there is not enough communication, they worry about the future of their children, he says that there are very few prospects for them in the future, they will always be strangers to the Japanese. But, of course, there is no way to return back, if they leave Japan, then obviously not to Russia, the United States is considering.

better go to a western country, I myself am on permanent residence abroad, all the Japanese only dream of leaving there, we have a lot of them here. You work hard at work like crazy, you have to bow and smile even when you hate a person, no one ever tells the truth in person, and it is difficult with work especially for foreigners, unless, of course, we already have an offer. In short, as a tourist fun, if living is not an option. Go to Canada or America

when I lived in Japan, every night and in the evening and in the morning some pervert called me and breathed into the phone, when I complained to the owner of the hostel - he just laughed at me. I then went to the director of the school, to which he said that it happens with the Japanese, this is a spring exacerbation, that I just have to be patient.

and I also lived in the window-to-window area, at first I freely walked around the room with open curtains, until I noticed that some man was watching me every time, somehow I felt uneasy, and practically didn’t open the curtains.

and how they dress people so many beautiful clothes in the store, but on the street you don’t understand who walks.

I don’t understand why schoolchildren have to go on weekdays only in school uniform???? and girls even wear leggings in winter (or as they are called, like golf), my friend studied at a Japanese school, her mother barely persuaded the director to meet them halfway and allow her to wear tights in winter.

By the way, if they have everything for children, why no one gives birth. in Japan most of people are old people. their birth rate is very low.

well, you'll just never, NEVER become the same members of society as they, the Japanese, unless you are the wife of a Japanese, like my sister. Yes, it’s like that everywhere, and in Canada it’s like that, they will never say in the eyes, they are tolerant, but it’s read in the eyes, you just lose interest when they hear an accent, or find out that they are from Russia (or Russian speakers), they don’t want to hear an accent , it is not comfortable for them, they have the right))).

I have not yet written the procedure for buying a car, well, there are many more things, for example, why the Japanese smile and do nasty things behind their backs. In the subway, give up a place from the category of our gopniks, if you are sitting in the subway or bus, then the Japanese can get away from you for some personal reasons, in his opinion.

In general, Japan is a very strange country, well, no one is eager to live there, although it is high-tech, but this is where its plus ends.

It’s cool about heating in general, since the houses there are without heating, if I’m not mistaken, except for the northern prefectures.

Of course, ours live there, but basically they are connected either with corporate business or used-trade in Russia.

By the way, natural products are present only in the form of seafood. Everything else is local chemistry. They love to stuff monosodium glutamate and all sorts of flavor enhancers into products.

In general, the country is for lovers of the east with the Japanese mentality of obedience and doing stupid work that is ordered.

Neutral Feedback

I certainly do not know where all the Japanese speak English Lived in Sapporo, but a miserable number of people speak English. language. In Sapporo, Russians were not loved in 2001, closer to the south, Russians were more loved. When I came to settle in a hostel (rather expensive among hostels), the owner of the hostel, his wife, and the representative of the university who brought me to settle down just stupidly laughed at me. They cheerfully watched as I perverted and dragged the heaviest bag to the 4th floor. It was the first acquaintance with the "pleasant" Japanese.

Honestly, I concluded that the higher the social level of a Japanese, the smarter and more pleasant he is in communication. Since I communicated with the Japanese doctors heaven and earth. Although when I got very sick in Sapporo, I went to see a doctor, he first laughed at my level of Japanese, despite the fact that my temperature was under 40, in the end I recovered only when Russian antibiotics were sent to me.

I personally have an ambiguous opinion about Japan, I just ran away from there, it’s not mine, this is the hypocrisy of the Japanese, you have to get used to it.

education. I don’t know how they teach there, but young people are not just stupid, but simply stupid, there is practically nothing to talk with a Japanese under 40 years old. I just lived in a Japanese hostel where girls lived - schoolgirls, this is generally a comedy. cute stupid monkeys.

but I know a lot of Russians who like everything there, and I know how many get an education there and run away from there

Preamble.

Before moving to Japan, I worked as a doctor for more than ten years with all the consequences: many acquaintances, my clients, a huge number of studies, including internship and residency; unfinished PhD and much more. In a word - active life and I was happy.

On the first trip, Japan was like in the pictures on the calendars. Absolutely the same. Initially, my children and I did not plan to move in with my husband. The school year in Japan starts in April, so the teachers in Vladivostok went to meet us halfway and credited the fourth quarter. We planned to return in September.

So, we arrived on the 4th of April, and from the 8th of April the children had already gone to a regular school at the place of residence (so as not to hang out), I went to the Japanese courses at the mayor's office three times a week.

Languages ​​have always been difficult for me, even Russian. Previously successful, I became a nobody and call nothing. Constant feeling of being disabled. I was deaf and mute, because I did not know what they were saying to me and could not answer. I was an idiot because I couldn't express my thoughts and emotions.

It's terrible when there are people with whom you want to communicate and who want to communicate with you, but your vocabulary does not allow to specify nuances, and something clumsy turns out. Language has become my stumbling block.

I tried to return to the profession. Near three years Worked as a volunteer (for free) in a nursing home. Experience in terms of Japanese traditions, holidays, food, relationships is priceless. But I was not even allowed to work as a nanny, I was not even allowed to roll a wheelchair.

However, medical knowledge is very helpful when contacting local doctors. The hospital epic is a separate issue.

Today I have close friends, many acquaintances. I often receive guests and go to visit. These people perceive me as a person, advise me something, take advice from me. For everyone else, I'm just Russian. I am invited to schools and clubs to talk about Russia, to give a master class on cooking borscht and other dishes of Russian cuisine. Once a month we prepare a lunch for 40 servings, and anyone can try it. Appearances on radio and television, interviews in newspapers and magazines - this is the niche in which I found myself. But I will never be able to dissolve in Japan.

When I come to Russia, I am identical, and it's a thrill. I enjoy riding the bus because I understand what people are talking about among themselves. I even know that they answer on the other end of the line by talking on the phone.

Well, perhaps these are the most primary experiences associated with Japan. Views have changed, the scale of values ​​has changed, the attitude towards oneself and people has been revised, and a huge number of different kind discoveries.

A year after my arrival in Japan with my children, my husband decided to explore a new country. Accordingly, the question arose, where will we live? We will stay in Japan or return to Russia. We chose Japan. And I went looking for a job. Since I preferred to work with an age contingent, I was looking for a similar job. I began to go to interviews with representatives of nursing homes. Received polite refusals - lack of language and ignorance of hieroglyphs. During this time, my husband decided to stay in Japan, and my desire to remain in the profession, even as a scarecrow, did not evaporate. We went to the city hall, found out where volunteers were needed nearby, and I began to work.

Nursing homes are different. I'll tell you about mine.

Three-storey building. In the ward for 1-2 people. If the patients are recumbent, then the beds can be moved around the entire floor. And it doesn't matter if a person understands something or not. All have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. On the ground floor there is a small kitchen. I worked on the first floor, where there were no wards. Every morning, workers brought grandparents in several cars by 9 o'clock and after 4 they took them back to their homes. Such is the "kindergarten" for parents. Someone was brought every day, someone once a week. On average, there were 15-20 people every day. Of the workers - three men, three women and one nurse. There are no doctors or nurses.

Everyone eats breakfast at home. After arrival, before dinner, they are washed. While some are being washed, others, more or less sane, are doing needlework. A poster is drawn for every holiday. Then lunch. Now, when someone declares that he loves Japanese cuisine, I understand that the person has absolutely no idea what he is talking about. After dinner, someone goes to bed, someone watches TV for an hour. And then games. seated volleyball balloon, bowling with plastic bottles, fishing with magnetic rods and a lot of other things.

Then afternoon tea and home. In good weather, everyone is taken to the park for a walk. I wasn't even allowed to push the wheelchair. There was no special training and something else that I did not understand.

I left after two and a half years. Now sometimes I go there to chat.

Judging by the minuses, people do not like the obvious truth, all books and various narratives about Japan in Russian containing any conclusions are nonsense. Unfortunately, those are the vast majority, including the same Ovchinnikov.

Well, let's go through this article.

1. "Highest" level of Japanese proficiency? What is this all about? Japan has several different testing systems. If we are talking about JLPT, then the maximum N1 is the minimum level for understanding written and spoken Japanese, which is necessary for admission to a university, that is, this is the level of a student. Before being fluent in it like the moon, the Chinese get it in droves after 1 year of study, but even then they can't string together a few normal sentences. In addition, the test is so synthetic that the Japanese themselves cannot write it properly. In addition, for some tests, there are ways to simplify their passage.
2. "I learned them [the alphabet] in three hours." Firstly, there is only one alphabet - kana, two graphic representations of it. Secondly, the person is clearly disingenuous about 3 hours, he probably meant “learned” only their readings, but this is a rather small part, working out muscle memory with all the intricacies of the correct style takes much more, even photographic memory will not help here.
3. Many Japanese understand English but have no practice in speaking. Yes, and they do not teach for 12 years, but only from the 5th grade, if the parents did not worry about this before. There are plenty of chances to talk with foreigners, but who needs it?
4. Only children's films are dubbed into Japanese, adults come with subtitles. Apparently someone has never been to the cinema.
5. Some Japanese people shy away no matter what language they are spoken to. Moreover, this trend is stronger just in Tokyo.
6. Yarksi is not a dictionary for words, it is an overgrown dictionary for kanji. As a dictionary for words, it is extremely poor.
7. Japanese is full of intonation and stress. There are enough everyday words that sound the same in syllables and differ only in tone stress, for example, hashi, kaki. Sometimes the meaning of a sentence changes with intonation. But apparently this is not included in N1.
8. Education in Japan is free, as long as parents don't chase fashion like a cooler school. Public schools and universities charge only for extras like air conditioning. In addition, there are grants that people receive if there is a desire and will. The quality of education in paid ones is almost the same, only more time is devoted to cramming tests. Both there and there the quality is rather poor, just like in Russia. The presence of some additional things in Russian textbooks does not guarantee that students have this knowledge if they do not need it.
9. Most Japanese do not have higher education, only 45% go to universities.
10. A Japanese company does not care about the origin of a university diploma; for a foreigner, the main thing is only its presence as one of the requirements for a work visa. The Japanese, in general, do not work in their specialty. Companies that have to hire graduates organize special courses for 1-2 years in their specialty, all the most elementary, for example, for the position of a programmer, they go through the concept of a cycle.
11. Going through a hundred interviews is absolutely not normal, and simply does not exist. In extreme cases, there are a dozen interviews. There is no point in them, often different people not directly related to the work itself ask exactly the same questions, everyone wants to eat and pretend to work, especially in large companies. You don't have to be a unique specialist to be hired without speaking Japanese, you just need to be able to do the job, it depends on the company. There are companies in Japan that don't even try to hire Japanese as it's basically a waste of time. (see above)
    * about the visibility of work by the Japanese is absolutely true, but this happens only in large companies. I recommend to google about Japanese company zombies.
12. The Japanese stay up late not only to create an appearance, many simply do not know what to do other than work. At the end of the working day, they can just read manga.
13. In Japan, far from everywhere, "your opinion is of no interest to anyone," in addition, for this you need to have some authority. The employee's "give-bring" ideas are of no interest to anyone. In addition, the person clearly does not have explicit work experience either in Japan or in Russia. It's the same in Russia.
14. People are not responsible for anything, only the boss is responsible. When everyone's bonuses are cut because of a comrade, you yourself will follow your comrade.
15. Corporate parties are not held every Friday, and attendance is definitely not required.
16. Japanese pensions are funded.
17. "very cold apartments" said a rogue who lives in the cheapest housing, where necessary, there are normal walls and double glazing. But even here there are plenty of options to warm up, for example, a heated carpet.
18. "additional tax 8%". And in Russia 18%. AND? Needless to say, a simple price comparison does not make sense? The total tax burden per person, including additional mandatory payments, in Russia is over 60%, and in Japan about 30-40%. And wages are higher in Japan.
19. "Uchi - soto - yoso" has nothing to do with class and is almost no different from Russia. And how do customers feel about this system?
    "one of the paradoxes of the Japanese worldview" How does this differ from Russia? In addition, it strongly depends on the place, the larger the city, the more likely.
20. "Japanese are cold", it depends a lot on the place.
21. "Japan is technically excellently developed" Japan lags behind the United States by various estimates by 10 years.
22. "Also in Japan, there is no such thing as 'ladies first'." This is not the case in many other countries.
23. "it is unlikely that a girl will marry him", this is just insanity. Millions of Japanese women who are married to Japanese men working as porters and similar jobs will not agree with this. Many loaders receive a higher salary than office workers, naturally for not the most comfortable working conditions. Moreover, the crisis of 2008 showed that salarimans are the first to leave their jobs. In addition, Japanese women themselves are far from being princesses.
24. People don't watch videos to visit another country, in Russia people mostly look at "Russians abroad", something that has something to do with Zadornov. People expect stupid comments from the host, with or without reason. It makes absolutely no difference to them whether what is told leads to objective reality. Sometimes it's like a clown.
25. The most unpleasant thing is that you can carry any nonsense about Japan, people will believe and even prove that it is, because it was in the video from the "come in large numbers".

It is only necessary to take into account that Japan is a mono-national state with minor inclusions of other peoples.

In any case, Japan is a very specific country and not everyone can get along there, let alone work in compliance with the requirements and the local mentality.

I know this not badly, since I worked in a branch of a Japanese company and the Japanese themselves spoke about their vision of the world.

Positive reviews

I only lived for a month, and even then everything was ready, they can really imagine the level of income / expenses, but I suspect that it should be. well, very high, real estate, transport, food .. I can’t really say anything good or bad about the Japanese, the others are quite, like from another planet, the traditions are very strong. I probably wouldn’t be able to because of communication, the language is very important, we were in Tokyo, in fact it’s very difficult to explain English, in restaurants only from pictures and so on .... you can probably try to live.

Someday the women and the Japanese will fly away to their own planets. In general, I love Japan. They have a lot to learn.

I personally, although I am dissatisfied with many, but we don’t complain about living conditions in Japan yet ... garbage in separate bags at a certain time is absolutely not a problem, it’s even nice to contribute to the protection of nature ... a Japanese bath (capacity) - if you don’t know yet, not for washing, but for relaxation ... they wash before taking a bath, and not sitting in it. And in general, the water can be changed if it’s so problematic. I think that the pools are dirtier. They also pee some irresponsible elements. And saving on hot water still won't give much, well, maybe 3,000, well, a maximum of 4,000 a month. I spend more on coffee.

Water-gas-electricity is not turned off. Public toilets are free of charge (which is also sometimes, oh, how important)

Further. nutrition. It seems to me that here, despite the high cost of food, the average Japanese can eat much better than in our country, where the grocery basket for a month is sometimes more than the salary of a state employee. The same applies to any consumer goods, furniture, equipment, cars. many in our country will buy a new computer for a monthly salary?

Developed services sector. Transport, communications, banks, IT are ahead of us by n-years.

a sore point in Ukraine, for example, issuing all sorts of papers ... police checks (foreigners and other suspicious persons) ... customs ... traffic police ... - it’s not even worth raising here ...

what is expensive from the necessary. Housing: a house of 200 square meters is the total average income for 10-15 years ... Education. Medicine. Although where it is cheap ... except in the ever-memorable USSR.

The conditions in private apartments, houses, which I myself saw, are quite decent ... The main thing is that they can’t clutter it up. Here the land is expensive ... it’s not enough. Therefore, the minus is that the houses often stand literally a meter apart. There is no space .

In general, the misfortune of the Japanese (especially Japanese women) is the love of loans (which are not cheap here) and purchases of various really unnecessary rubbish for three hundred years, new products, orders on the Internet and in TV stores "consumption race" and then they try to save money on matches on bathrooms, as they say. ..

And there is also cleanliness and order. Of course, not everywhere is licked like a tongue, but, but, but ... excellent ecology, again ... seas-mountains-okiyans, gardens-parks-water parks-zoos-onsens-beaches, temples -historical places-museums, etc. etc.

that's all that I was able to give birth at 2 o'clock in the morning about the everyday side of life, some kind of all positive, already unusual.

* and as for not the everyday, but the psychological side, nda-ah-ah ... addiction is still painful. but the topic is not about that, is it right? *

You can live! the main thing is not to get sick and if you get married, the owner of the home or with the prospect of buying it without much tension.

a friend married a Japanese, went there, gave birth to Lyalya in May last year, took out a loan for the construction of a house and on January 1st they already moved to new house. a loan at 5% of everything .... she likes it, in any case, the prices there are cheaper than ours, for example, eggs are 25-30 rubles (so they can’t be compared with ours))

I would like to write about food .. I think the food in Japan is excellent, you don’t feel heaviness in the stomach at all. I agree that for the first couple of years you dream of herring, gingerbread, cheesecakes! But then you get used to it and find products that replace them. In Kyoto, I think it’s quite expensive, because of course I saw such expensive apples, but this is usually in department stores, and in simple supermarkets, especially if you move a little away from the center, the prices are completely different. I lived in Gunma Prefecture, there were Brazilian supermarkets relatively close, so they bought big cheese and beets and other similar products there. There are many restaurants in Japan in general. national cuisine, but I think this is almost non-existent in Kyoto, unlike Tokyo (where there are several Russian restaurants). Of course, the Japanese mentality is different from ours, but it is convenient to live there (when you have friends, preferably Russians or foreigners)!

The population of Japan is 124 million people and is gradually declining despite the highest level of life expectancy. Japan is a densely populated country with a density of 327 inhabitants per square kilometer, while most of the country is covered with mountains and forests where construction is impossible. People live in the east of the country and on the coast of the ocean. For the past two hundred years, Japan has practiced isolation from other countries, which has contributed to a unique culture and traditions, but now up to 10% of citizens of other countries live in the country. The main religion is Buddhism and Shintoism.

Culture of Japan

Japanese culture is one of the most interesting and mysterious in the world, the Japanese mentality at first glance is similar to the values ​​​​that are very important for European countries and the United States, for example, law, discipline, duty and responsibility, the difference lies in the natural geographical isolation of Japan and limited spaces, which ultimately led to the fact that the Japanese, in such squeezed conditions, were only capable of internal realization, however, this did not prevent expansion during wars. The savings of the Japanese have been brought to extreme limits, naturally this is due to the fact that the borders are too close, you need to save money, because despite the high salaries, prices are still higher, spacious housing is available only for millionaires, an ordinary Japanese, for example, sleeps on a mat or the mattress, which is then put away in the closet during the day, in Japanese apartments and houses there is no place for the furniture we are used to, in everyday life it seems that the Japanese are like small children, in apartments everything is just a toy and small.

Even greater savings extend to the concept of time, everything here is calculated for seconds, traffic, meeting times, the Japanese even manage to sleep in the subway or at any corner, all this is also a time saving, in the evening there will be more time for yourself. But it is worth noting that Japanese men spend an order of magnitude less time on housekeeping, personal care, cooking and sleeping than men in Europe.

Restrictions, longevity and moderation in Japan

The limited space of the whole country greatly influenced the internal limitation of the inhabitants of this country, first of all, it is restraint in everything, even the innate longevity in Japan may not be connected with national tradition nutrition, but with the fight against harmful desires and the manifestation of emotions, especially in public. It is believed that the number of movements during a conversation with another person will directly express respect for him. The Japanese are the most law-abiding nation, they consider the streets their home, it is unlikely that a person will steal something in his house, the same applies to attacks, the minimum crime rate in Japan is due to internal self-restraint, and not external threats and restrictions from the law as in European countries and USA.

From early childhood, the Japanese learn to subordinate and, accordingly, to subordinate, internal self-discipline is transferred to the outside world, discipline and responsibility aimed at others responds from a group of people to whom these qualities are directed.

Japanese attitude to life and death

Japan is called the country of centenarians, but this has become true only in recent decades, for example, back in the fifties of the last century, the average life expectancy was only 52 years, now the Japanese live an average of 82.7 years, this is the highest result in the world after Switzerland. The Japanese attitude to life and death is twofold, on the one hand, the cult of old age flourishes here, it is believed that a person was born for the benefit of Zele and Heaven, mother and father, respectively, the body of a newborn does not belong to him, according to this theory, you cannot destroy the body or sacrifice it , life should be long, this is the main duty of any person to his parents, the body as an instrument of serving the father and mother should be kept clean, both external and internal. In Japanese religious culture there is no similar image of the suffering Christ.

On the other hand, the Japanese tradition of seppuku or hara-kiri is known all over the world as a demonstration of the purity of one’s thoughts and intentions, first among the samurai or as a sacrifice of servants after the death of their master in feudal Japan, and now as a way to get away from troubles or shame, for example, caused by resentment or material difficulties, while the old etiquette is lost due to the adopted laws, which should help reduce the number of suicides with the help of material punishments for the entire family of the deceased. In many ways, suicides are justified by the doctrine of the rebirth of souls of the Taoist-Buddhist system of worldview and the natural acceptance of non-existence, about an indifferent attitude towards it. However, the suicide rate in Japan is only twice the level in Europe or the United States.

Food culture in Japan

In the middle of the last century, with a much shorter life expectancy, the main foods in Japan were seafood, vegetables and fish, as you can understand, this is a low-calorie diet with a lot of fiber and starch, the predominance of vegetable proteins over animals. Already in this century, rice began to lose ground, the Japanese are gradually switching to Western foods, including bread, vermicelli, sausages, meat, sausages, cheeses, hamburgers, ice cream, chocolate, cakes, ice cream and carbonated drinks, wine, beer became available. and juices.

Despite the increase in calorie content and variety of food products, the Japanese remain the thinnest nation, according to various sources, the obesity rate ranges from 1% to 3.5%, for example, in Europe the same indicator is 18%, and in the USA 34%, while The Japanese are very critical of their health and never say what they have the most. better health and that they feel great, no matter how jinx it is. Government spending on health care is relatively large, but still Japan is still far from some countries in Europe, and especially the United States in this matter. Now the average Japanese consumes 5 times less meat, fat, sugar and dairy products than residents of European countries and the United States. Despite the advent of the Western lifestyle, the number of diseases associated with the cardiovascular system is significantly reduced from year to year, Japan has the lowest mortality rate from diseases associated with poor diet, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, including stroke and cancer. It is believed that with the advent of Western food, the Japanese have become taller. The Japanese rarely eat meat. Just look at the statistics of calorie intake per capita from animal products in the countries of the world.

The lack of meat and animal proteins for many generations to a lesser extent increase the level of growth hormone, which in turn stimulates the furious speed of cell division with which the human body cannot cope and streamline normal life, which will inevitably lead to malignant tumors and other diseases. Therefore, the Japanese are undersized, they never constantly pressed the gas to the stop, the car-organism of the Japanese drove very slowly, but for a long time, they look like a small mouse, which was kept by British scientists on a low diet, as opposed to another huge and fat mouse, which was fed from the belly, we all know about how long these mice lived, probably. So the Japanese, the slogan Faster did not take root here! Above! Stronger! The Japanese prefer moderation in everything, and most importantly in nutrition and movement, the Japanese do not like to compete in lifting weights, just as patients usually outlive their doctors for five years, so "suffocating" bury champions, and not vice versa. In relation to their health, the Japanese are most likely the complete opposite of the inhabitants, the Japanese appreciate close attention to their health, and the concept strong character which leads to rash and unwanted action they neglect.

Features and traditions of behavior in Japan

A doctor in Japan is the main teacher of life, in addition to moderation in movement and nutrition, Japanese doctors will also advise their patients to have equanimity, restraint and modesty in everyday life, materialism can lead to wasting energy on caring for these things and, as a result, overwork of the heart, the Japanese tend to be moderate in one’s emotions, the excessive manifestation of which can lead to the burning of the body, also applies to other qualities, such as envy, anger, and various desires. However, everyone knows about the aggressive manner of speaking Japanese men, and the Japanese are now under the influence of the desire to own electronic gadgets, new technology or automotive industry, Japanese women often become victims of bank loans taken, mainly for goods, without which one could live peacefully.

Old people and pensioners in Japan

Elderly Japanese can be said to be the complete opposite of ours, in Japan, after retirement, a person’s life can only be said to begin, this does not lead to a loss of motor activity or social participation in society, older people become the main organizers of numerous national holidays, are engaged in volunteer activities, study, especially women who missed their time in their youth. The old student in Japan is a common thing, various amenities for the elderly and people with disabilities add to the desire to extend the autumn of one's life as long as possible. Ecological problems in Japan are now largely resolved, there are not so many passers-by with masks in megacities as there were several decades ago, but still, the level of air pollution is much higher than in Europe or in the USA.

We realized that the life of pensioners in Japan is easy and cloudless, of course, provided that this person has earned a pension, which, by the way, is relatively low, but what about the life of working people? According to statistics, the Japanese work, on average, significantly fewer hours per year than residents of Europe or, but the number of employees who devote more than 50 hours a week to work is larger, in Japan there are only two weeks of vacation, but there are more official days off and holidays. Socio-economic protection of childhood and motherhood in Japan is at a very low level, here again, you can attract the cult of old age, not childhood. Women now prefer to give birth less, to postpone this stage of life for later after receiving an education and building a career, in most cases it is impossible to combine work and caring for a child, women usually lose their workplace failing to get a part-time job. Japan has possibly the lowest birth rate in the world.

The average Japanese earns about $ 3,000 per month, this is the average result by country. Western Europe, however, the total savings and assets of Japanese families are among the highest in the world, which indicates the frugality and prudence of the Japanese, however, such incomes are typical for industrial developed countries with a large number of billionaires and a deep social hole in society.

Prices in Japan are astronomical, this applies to everything, food, especially alcohol and cigarettes (from $ 8 per bottle or pack), housing and rent prices (from $ 2,000 for a one-room apartment in Tokyo), transport and parking prices.

Today it is fashionable to set the Japanese as an example in everything and dream of reaching their level of being. At the same time, only the most devoted connoisseurs of its culture and special mentality and courageous specialists who leave to work there decide to live permanently in a prosperous Japan. It is understandable - the country is too original for the average citizen to live comfortably in it. However, not everyone is afraid of difficulties and successfully find their meaning of life on the islands of Ancient Yamato. The main rule here for good luck is to know in advance what exactly to prepare for.

If the decision to live next to the Japanese came after a tourist trip or a personal trip to Japanese soil, then there is at least some idea of ​​​​Japanese reality, you can proceed to the next stages of preparation for. However, if you want to go to the Land of the Rising Sun from scratch, at random, you should take into account that the usual scenario of arriving abroad, which works for other countries, can fail here, starting from the airport. What is worth it is that the traditional arrival-departure sheets for passing through border control are printed entirely in Japanese, but not duplicated in English. And without their correct filling, no one will let them into the country. Therefore, for beginners, before rushing to the islands for good or for a long time, it is more useful to go there for the first time as a tourist as part of a group provided with a guide.

Japanese filling pattern migration card. Click to enlarge.

As a last resort, one should study as much as possible in detail as many different blogs, forums, and thematic websites as possible, where Japan is presented through the eyes of Russians who have been directly in it for a long time or are living now. Fortunately, there are plenty of their stories and videos on the network.

Traveling to the islands on your own is recommended to smart people who are confident in their abilities. Otherwise, according to the experience of experienced people, it will not only be impossible to get out of the airport, get a place to sleep, not fall for deception, but also simply buy something to eat at first.

Will English help?

Those who speak English well may think that they can handle any foreign trip, and even more so developed, civilized Japan, because the entire advanced world knows English. The idea is wrong and will let you down from the very first steps of a new Japanese life - the Japanese practically do not speak English. And those who speak are ashamed of their pronunciation and do not speak either. Therefore, you can count on a more or less comfortable existence here only if you know the local language. Better yet, both foreign languages ​​together. Then there is a good chance to get a decent job, make a career, make a useful circle of friends.

Japanese is one of the most difficult in the world, but without knowing it, living in the country is problematic

Without language knowledge, it is also possible to move and live permanently. But it will be a life completely isolated from society, and it is better not to rely on the Russian-speaking diaspora, it is very small. Moreover, all official documents, indexes, newspapers, bills, announcements are executed by the state only in traditional hieroglyphs. And from speaking in English, they strive politely, but quickly move away. So you will have to learn the language in any case, and it’s better to start doing it not right on the spot, but a little earlier.

We rent housing

For short-term visitors, the state has created excellent hotel chains. However, it is cheaper and more reasonable for long-term guests and migrants to rent an apartment, because a hotel day eats up to 3 thousand Russian rubles. Business travelers are often provided with service accommodation.

Features of the local real estate market:

1. The cost of renting a separate, one-room apartment is on average 30-40 thousand rubles.
2. The concepts of dimensions, due to the population density, differ from the usual, native ones: a small living space - 6-15 m2, an average apartment - 20-35 m2, large apartments - everything that is more spacious than average.
3. The closer to the city center, the smaller the footage of the apartment, the more expensive it is. More spacious housing on the periphery is cheaper.
4. When concluding a lease agreement, a deposit equal to 2-3 months of payment is often required, a commission to the realtor in the amount of one month of payment, as well as a special gift to the owner “for the keys” - an amount equal to 1-3 months of payment for housing. When renewing the contract, you should “thank” for the keys again.

As for buying your own living space, here are some subtleties:

1. How much an apartment costs does not depend on the condition of the house where it is located, but depends on the distance from the center.
2. Intermediate-type apartments (middle between "economy" and "business") with a size of about 60 m2 cost 20-25 million rubles.
3. A large, separate house in the city will cost the same amount as a regular, small city apartment.
4. Buying a home is possible through government mortgage programs offering loans at 1% for 100 years (the debt is inherited).
5. When buying a house on a separate plot of land, the transaction is subject to six types of taxes and fees, which together adds up to 10% of the total investment value.
6. The acquisition of local real estate by a foreigner counts as a big plus when applying for citizenship or a residence permit.

The main difficulty for immigrants who need to provide themselves with housing in Japan is the fact that many real estate agencies emphasized that they do not deal with foreign nationals. Those that provide such services tend to greatly inflate prices, hoping for a misunderstanding of the language and situation. Therefore, it is better to look for housing with a local intermediary, who can simultaneously act as a guarantor to calm suspicious agents.

Work and earnings

A full life in Japan is impossible without work, unless there are a couple of free millions of yen in the accounts. But the earnings of the indigenous islanders should not be equal - the state allows foreigners to receive a salary equivalent to an amount not exceeding 1.5 thousand US dollars. However, you can live on this money. But only if you feed yourself alone. The family will need an income of 2-2.5 thousand dollars.

Statistics average salary in Japan according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (yen per month). As of November 2018, it has increased to 321,210 yen/month.

Another question is how to find a normal vacancy. Low-skilled labor is not available to immigrants according to two state institutions:

• do not take foreigners to positions where there are many candidates among the Japanese themselves;
• do not take foreigners without knowledge of the language.

So even as a janitor, a salesman or a cleaner, it’s not so easy to go to the Japanese.

Those who know Japanese well will be helped out by local legislation obliging them to teach languages ​​only by their native speakers - you can get a job as a Russian teacher in educational institutions. The rest is better to be quick-witted IT specialists or talented scientists. It is in these fields that 95% of compatriots in Japan find themselves. Another area of ​​activity that can bring income to a foreigner is a rare ability to design, fashion.

What and how much does it cost?

A high standard of living does not preclude high prices. As of 2019, food prices are set as follows:

• bread: 182¥ or 109 rubles;
• milk, l: 175 ¥ or 104 rubles;
• potatoes, kg: ¥1180 or 704 rubles;
• rice, kg: 373 ¥ or 223 rubles;
• eggs, box of 12: 218¥ or 130 rubles;
• meat, kg: from ¥830 to 1800 or from 500 to 1070 rubles;
• chicken, kg: 644 ¥ or 384 rubles;
• tea bags, packaging: 218 ¥ or 130 rubles;
• oranges, apples, kg: 317 ¥ or 190 rubles;
• wine, 0.7: ¥787/470;
• beer, 0.5:182¥/109 rubles;
• sake, 0.3: ¥462/276 p.

• cigarettes, pack: ¥400/238 rubles;
• subway, day pass: ¥1000/596 rubles;
• gasoline, l: 103 ¥ / 61 rubles.

In other words, to get approximate ruble data, you need to multiply the price of goods in yen by 0.6. Also worth knowing a large number of Japanese stores lower their prices a couple of hours before closing (in the evening).

Is a car a luxury?

Despite the leadership among automobile manufacturers, the Japanese themselves prefer to do without personal transport, with the exception of bicycles. The reasons for this: the high cost of gasoline (2 times higher than in Russia), heavy traffic on the streets, lack of parking. Cars are mostly used by suburban residents for commuting.

There are taxis everywhere, landing is 200-300 rubles, but the final price rises many times, since the following are taken into account along the way: call time, travel time, mileage, conditions. A kilometer costs about 50 rubles.

It is most convenient to travel by public transport. His work is organized in a very high level- metro trains, buses, trolleybuses, trams, ferries - nothing, never late, even for a short time. Therefore, you can plan the road and the day calmly up to a minute.

Leisure and Japanese entertainment

The most common entertainment of the descendants of the samurai:

• shopping;
• gatherings in cafes, bars;
• movie sessions;
• TV;
• corporate parties (especially outdoors);
• a day spent with family.

Relaxing with friends over a cup of coffee or a drink in a bar is quite affordable at prices comparable to Moscow rates. But the cinema is not cheap - from 500 to 1000 rubles per session. The way out is to catch discount days when either girls, or guys, or students, and so on, use privileges. The most expensive tickets are for prime time, cheaper during off-peak hours.

The Japanese love shopping, but not at all in terms of buying clothes and accessories, but in terms of new technologies, devices, and gadgets. The country loves and knows how to produce such goods, so it costs less than abroad.

Local television is likely to seem boring to a Russian person - a lot of advertising about food, a lot of talk shows, programs about the choice of products. But there is no dominance of negative, political and criminal news.

Undoubted advantages

Summarizing, we can say that in addition to the fact that the standard of living in Japan is very high, the following advantages await Russians:

• polite, timely service, regardless of the status of the client;
• cleanliness on the streets;
• it is forbidden to disturb others with loud chatter on the mobile, especially in public transport;
• a small number of traffic jams, including megacities, since the system of road junctions is highly developed;
• well-established network Catering, many cafes where you can eat freely for a small amount;
• ideal toilets;
• responsiveness on the streets;
• the Japanese do not have the habit of stealing, pocketing things left unattended, accidentally forgotten.

These are the main benefits. There are also many other features that are able to please foreign people, especially the Eastern mindset.

Ineradicable cons

What visitors to Nihon-go might not like:

• even having perfectly learned the language, customs, habits and completely Japaneseized, a foreigner will still forever remain a stranger to the local population, although they will treat him well;
• residential buildings in the country of the Rising Sun do not provide for central heating, in winter you have to warm yourself;
• all purchased goods are subject to an additional state fee of 8%;
• excessive initiative at work, openness is not welcome.

However, the Japanese pros and cons are very subjective, and for some they can change places.

People who have chosen permanent residence in Japan, they can count on citizenship or at least the right to permanent residence only after 5 years of devotion to their new homeland. Although this does not give them any guarantee of success. In order for the state to call a foreigner its subject, very good reasons are needed and a lot of positive characteristics including financial security and a good job.

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What are the salaries and the general standard of living in Japan, as well as the prices of apartments, cars and food in 2018-2019.

Japan is a great country to live in. However, it will be very difficult for non-indigenous people to thoroughly settle and feel at home there. This is partly due to the special Japanese mentality, as well as specific everyday problems. The Land of the Rising Sun welcomes guests, however, it is categorically against illegal migrants. Therefore, you need to plan your life in Japan carefully, and start preparing for this event in advance.

Without a guide-interpreter, you will have to solve a lot of everyday problems already at the exit from the airport. Hire a taxi, explain where you need to go, make sure that you are not deceived, find shelter for a couple of nights, and then rent your own accommodation. If a tourist still cannot get by with knowledge of English and pantomime, then alone, without an escort group, it will be simply impossible to fulfill some of the conditions of the quest. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Language skills and opportunities

Knowing English will not solve all problems. As an analogy, one can cite an American in the Russian outback. You will feel the same way. The only difference is that the Japanese will not have a reverent attitude towards you because you are Russian.

Own Japanese it is simply necessary, and it is better to do it at a level sufficient for free communication and writing. The fact is that all official documents in this country: announcements, receipts, bills are printed only in their native language.

all documents in the country are issued only in Japanese

Ideal for getting a good job, promotion, training, communication in everyday life to know both English and Japanese.

Without knowing the language, you can even come here, but it will be a very closed existence, limited by the family circle or the society of the Russian diaspora, by the way, not so numerous. Solving daily tasks, going to the store and contacting the local population will be extremely difficult.

Renting and buying a home

Tourists have a well-developed hotel infrastructure. For those who come for a long time - up to three months or more, it would be more expedient to rent housing. You can rent an apartment in Japan, in terms of our money, for 30 thousand rubles. The closer to the capital cities, the more spacious the apartments, the higher the level of comfort - the more expensive. A hotel room, for comparison, will cost three thousand per day.

Most of the native Japanese live in their own country houses or urban apartments. And only a third rent an apartment in Japan or use corporate apartments. The practice of providing housing for workers is quite common, as are other measures of social support.

The average cost of an apartment in Japan is in the range of 20-25 million rubles. It will be a medium quality housing of about 60 square meters.

Wherein own house or a townhouse will cost the same amount, only its area will be twice as large. High housing prices are offset by government mortgage programs. Their conditions, unlike Russian ones, are much more humane. For example, a common practice is when a loan is issued for the purchase of housing at 1-2% per annum for a period of 100 years.

Meanwhile, buying your own home is a factor that the migration service will regard as a big plus when considering your candidacy for obtaining a permit for permanent residence or citizenship.

Available vacancies and salaries

Getting a job without knowing the language is unrealistic. Even if you are fluent in English, you will not be able to count on any position. But even speaking Japanese, it is pointless to hope to occupy high positions. Immigrants for the role of a worker are considered as a fallback, first of all, they pay attention to the indigenous people, then the Chinese and Koreans.

For immigrants, the salary level in Japan cannot exceed $1,500. Unless you belong to a special privileged segment of the population. Namely, diplomatic and consular specialists.

A significant part of the Russians who come here to work are engaged in science or development. For example, the rule of the Ministry of Education states that teaching foreign language only a native speaker can, allowed our countrymen, who know Japanese well, to work as teachers in schools. Almost 95% of Russian immigrants are employed in IT-spheres, and also work in various scientific institutes.

It is almost impossible to get an unqualified position, such as a salesman, cleaner, concierge. An irrefutable argument will be used as a refusal - insufficient knowledge of the language.

The salary in Japan, in order to live comfortably alone, should be 70-90 thousand rubles. To feed a family - 120-150 thousand. This corresponds to 200-400 thousand yen. However, do not envy the attractive amounts, the standard of living in Japan is much more expensive than in Russia.

What to spend money on

When resolved housing problem, and, importantly, the issues with the rent have been resolved, since it can be 1/3-1/2 of the rent for an apartment, you can solve pressing everyday problems. Going to the store, buying food, organizing leisure activities.

The cost of food

Prices for goods are much higher than in Russia and are comparable to the difference in wages.

• Bread will cost 80-100 rubles instead of our 30;
• Milk can be purchased with about the same price difference;
• Vegetables are more expensive by 50-80 rubles;
• Pasta, cheeses, sugar, eggs, tea cost the same as in Russia;
• Alcohol of local producers is on average 2 times cheaper;
• Meat is a little more expensive, chicken is a little cheaper.

It is clear that the difference in prices will be noticeable when comparing the capital and the provinces, and the place of purchase will also affect the cost of products in Japan - an expensive supermarket or a small-town market.

What definitely should not be done in the Land of the Rising Sun is smoking. The price for a pack of cigarettes is in the range of 420-460 yen.

The cost of household services

These include tailoring, laundry and hairdressing services. Surprisingly, most of them are comparable to Russian prices or even lower. For example, a haircut at a barbershop will cost 1100-1700 yen, while our average price tag is 500-1500 rubles, depending on the level of the beauty salon.

Laundry services are very common. Moreover, these are not elite companies that only wealthy segments of the population apply to, but, on the contrary, very affordable ones. This is due to the fact that small apartments are popular in the Land of the Rising Sun, people live on 6-10 square meters. It's not even our studios. On such an area it is impossible to put your own washing machine It doesn't even have a separate bathroom. All amenities are shared and located on the floor.

Hence the popularity of laundries. The cost is quite popular - 100 rubles per load of the machine.

Options and cost of leisure

The most popular entertainments of the local population are shopping, cinema, visiting bars and cafes. Preference is given to rest in the company of friends or colleagues. family people most often rest at home or get out of country house on weekends.

The average check in catering establishments in 2019 is about 1,000 yen. It doesn't really include booze. But given that the prices in Japan for products of alcohol producers are 1.5-2 times cheaper than in Russia, simple calculations can be made.

Cinema compared to Russia is an expensive pleasure. A ticket will cost from 700 to 1500 thousand rubles. However, just like us, there are various special offers, promotions and discounts: a day for students, a day for girls, for pensioners and small children, and off-peak hours when tickets for all films are cheaper.

Shopping is one of the main entertainments of local residents. But it is not stores with clothes that are especially popular, but with gadgets. Modern technology, computer technology, telephony, various electronic devices - what the nation is obsessed with. Well, the price tag for such toys for adults is much lower than in Russia.

And this is how a typical weekday goes in Japan for Russian students who study there.