Going to Japan what should I know

Moose also reminded me: Taxis in Japan ARE NOT bad. HOWEVER they can be less efficient in more heavy traffic cities. If you find yourself taking a taxi allow the driver to open and shut the doors when you enter and exit the cab. It is a huge insult to the driver if you open and shut the doors yourself. Never ever open or shut the door yourself. I also disagree, walking is the main mode of transportation. Sometimes the trains are loaded wall to wall! In Japan you will learn that personal space does not exist on a public train. The trains at times are unreliable. Sometimes they will come right on time, sometimes they will come super late. They are great, but you'll find yourself walking a LOT!!! However, if you do take the train make sure to be respectful of those around you, this means you should probably be quiet most of the time on the train, no loud music, don't use your cell if you happen to have one- this includes texting. You probably won't even have room to lift your arms certain times when you are on the train. Japan is generally very safe. Lively and vibrant, colorful at night. You shouldn't feel unsafe anywhere really, but be aware of your surroundings as you would anywhere else. :) Hmmm... I don't want to jump to conclusions but maybe somewhere in the vicinity of Akihabara in Tokyo? It is a nerd paradise. Multi-story arcades, stores full of anime goods, computer components, electronics, and game consoles. If so you are in luck as you would likely be an anime fan being on this site. My best advice to you in this case would be keep a budget so you don't blow all your cash, and bring an empty suitcase. If you can buy it while you are in Japan, then don't pack it with you. Have a whole suitcase empty for your loot you'll buy while you are in Japan.

The subways and railways are by far your best bet for travel. They sometimes are over packed, but that mostly is during the start and end of work hours at the busiest stations like Shinjuku or Tokyo station. They are very cheap and easy once you get learn how it works. If you have a computer there you an always Google map directions and it will tell you what train/subway to take. As for safety you are quite safe at your age. Nigerians at worst will try to sell you fake shoe's and stuff like that. They are out to rip you off but they will not push too far and are quite funny. Crime is very low, but watch out for traffic as you might have a few close calls. Like others have said be quite on trains and don't talk on phones. Texting and video game systems like 3DS are a little different as I saw a lot of people on them in the trains and any train that does not allow it will have it posted. If you eat at restaurants make sure to slurp noodles and soup as it is rude not too. I know this sounds weird but it is true. Also do not blow your noise at the table, either leave for a moment or snort it back up as this is very rude. As for dangerous animals there is one snake on the main land that is venomous but it is a pit viper and is more scared of you, and will only strike if you get right next to it. Then there are the Japanese Hornets. They are passive and will leave you alone, but if you see one or hear what sounds like a remote control helicopter get the hell out of there. They are strong enough to kill with one sting. The centipede is the real asshole of Japan as it is very aggressive, but the sting painful as it is is not that harmful. Lastly if you end up in Tokyo than Harujuku would be a great place for you to go as it is the Teen to young adult area for shopping, and the park there is awesome for hanging out. Go there on a sunday if you can. It will be packed, but it is a lot of fun. Akihabara is a no brainer, but there is a mall in Nakano, Tokyo that is called Nakano Broadway that has a lot of anime, games, and manga related store that can be much cheaper than Akihabara. Also go to YouTube,there are quite a few American bloggers that live in Japan.Have fun.

ummm. I will think that it is good, if a memo pad and a pen are brought. Except urban areas and a public institution, almost all persons cannot understand English. However, since he thinks that it can read, it is convenient for communication.

Suna has a great suggestion. :) Bring a memo pad and write things down. Some Japanese can read English better than listening and speaking. You can't blame them really. So, in case you need help finding a location, you can write down the name of the location and they may recognize it. On the subject of restaurants: No tipping! Wifi is scarce. I know you probably expect with such a seemingly technologically advanced country that they would have wifi all over, this is NOT the case. In fact, they still use fax machines quite a bit, too as well as other things we don't get here in the states because we have wifi everywhere and believe in scanning and e-mailing etc. They also are all about sticking to rules and traditions. My friend had the hardest time with documents because sometimes it was REQUIRED that you had your documents stamped with a hanko and she didn't have one for the longest time. >_< I lived in Yokosuka for 2 years and cause I work for the military I encountered a lot less paperwork issues. Most of my stuff was military-related.

Ive got a pretty good mental picture of Japan now. Nigerians in Hawaiin shirts creeping around while monster wasps attempt to murder you on a packed subway with no wifi

My experience with Nigerians was they spoke good Japanese and some English and they were like "hello! How you doing? Here's a flyer! Half off drinks! Come on in!" I was like, "hey, thanks! I'm not thirsty!" And that's it. They don't kidnap you or steal your wallet. But, the bars they lead you to make you feel robbed. Bugs... I never encountered many stinging bugs. I hated roaches! They fly! Omg hate flying Japanese roaches...during the summer there are mosquitoes. I hate those too. ): The train... It's good if you're going a long distance but you're going to be walking a lot to get to things nearby.

What the cheapest places to stay? I thought I recall finding info on some hostels there but can't remember details. Capsule hotels are cheap for short term I believe but uncomfortable and not cost effective for longer stays. Can gaijin find any jobs other than teaching English without being great at Japanese? Like manual labor or something? I've found apartments there that are relatively cheap online but heard that landlords can be picky about renting to gaijin. (As in many don't want to)

@vampire_neko I never experienced hotels or hostels but I wish I had. I lived on base. I can ask around for you, though. As for jobs... Uh... Do you have a bachelor's degree or higher? It's an absolute must for gaijin.

There are tons of easy hostels to go to if you're in a city area or even like the cheap capsule style places. Even love hotels can be convenient because of the pricing to where it's not too expensive but at the same time a lot more accommodating than a typical motel one would find in the US. Also, to Moose about the whole not mentioning the Chinese in Japan. You're blowing it way out of proportion, sure maybe some Japanese dislike the Chinese as the Chinese dislike the Japanese but in all honesty no one gives a shit. There isn't that big of race tension between the two especially with the younger generations, politically, however, there obviously are till some issues but it's something everyone has to deal with. There are some well known Chinese districts in Japan as well so it seems you are making a bit of a rash generalization.