There is one website I suggest registering with.  It’s called Couch Surfing and on it’s most basic level it’s a bit like a “dating site” for travelers (although it doesn’t mean real romance is included).  There’s a nominal fee to get your address verified and I recommend doing this if practical.

The idea is that you create a profile and browse the profile of other members.  Some members profiles will indicate that they are able to host you for free during your stay, others might not be able to host but may be available to meet up so you can meet new people and get some local insight.

The site works based on feedback so therefore if you host people or they host you then you both get an opportunity to leave feedback.  A series of good references on your profile makes it easy to attract the next host.

The Couch Surfing community is big in Japan however it’s not easy to get hosted by Japanese people.  They often find it difficult to host because

• their rooms are too small
• their housemates aren’t comfortable with strangers sharing
• many Japanese tend to work crazy hours and just aren’t available
• a lot of rental contracts forbid guests staying there

Couch Surfing

A lovely couple, Martin and his wife, registered with Couchsurfing back in December 2008 and hosted a lot of guests in their apartment in Thailand before flying to Japan in April.  If you can also host then it looks good to other members but if not then a sincere email to the potential host should be enough to encourage them to host you.

When they visited Japan they flew during the cherry blossom time and found that many hosts were booked out for months in advance. They got lucky and spent some time staying with westerners who lived there. They spent about 5 nights with one host close to Kyoto and attended a Couch Surfing picnic in Kyoto too.  During that picnic they were able to meet a lot of english-speaking Japanese friends who were happy to take them around the city in their spare time. In Tokyo they got to see some great parts of the city after meeting a Couch Surfer there.

They kept a detailed diary of our adventures here:
http://pavion.net/category/japan/

You’re going to love Japan.  Japan can be one of the best holiday’s you’ll ever have, and one of the most interesting. Doing some Couch Surfing will help broaden your experience when traveling internationally. To explore more about the country and culture it’s always a good idea to brush up on some Japanese language so you can get the full experience.

The first time I stumbled across the unusual fashion of Japan I was young, impressionable and in a local Waterstones. From what I can remember I was looking around, for a fantasy novel no doubt, when all of a sudden my attention was grabbed by a multi-coloured book entitled FRUiTs.

Peeking inside I was surprised to find a collection of photographs, seemingly taken on the street, of people dressed in clothes bright enough to make a circus clown seem drab. 10 years later I found this book was a collection of the best photos taken from Japan’s premier fanzine “FRUiTs.”

The idea behind the magazine was to document the growing explosion in street fashion within the Tokyo suburbs and because of my recurring recollections of the event I decided to track down a copy and I ordered it for myself. In doing so I hoped that I might rekindle some of those long lost feelings that kept hampering me and maybe explain part of the reason why I have such a fascination with everything oriental.

Once it arrived the thing that struck me most about the book was just how much of the fashion was inspired by the UK.

You see, many of the clothes were actually created by eccentric British designer Vivienne Westwood –the 70 year old woman with the bright red hair – and she was featured on almost every page.

Then it hit me. That was the reason why I was so entranced by the book. You see the images were both so foreign and familiar to me at the same time. Vivienne Westwood was deeply inspired by the Punk movement of the 60s it seems and you can see it in the edgy nature of her clothes. The FRUiTs on the other hand are also edgy but have swapped the political machinations of the punk movement for bright colours and a cool look. That I realised, was why I found it so unusual.

Vivienne has her own theory on why the Japanese are so fond of her clothes though, she said: “The young Japanese love to wear the latest thing and when they come to London they head for my shops as part of what they want to find in Britain.”

Two models wearing Westwood’s GOLD collection made exclusively for the Japanese market.

It seems funny, then, that Japanese fashion is inspired by a stereotypical or idealised view of the West – if Vivienne’s statement is anything to go by – but the more and more I look at Japanese fashion the more I see the western influence. Perhaps it has something to do with the American occupation following WWII.

One thing I know for sure though is that my knowledge of Japanese fashion is extremely limited and I want to know more. I want to know if any of you have had experiences with FRUiTs or if you know a modern Japanese brand that isn’t inspired by the west. If so then we’d love to see them below. Sayonara!

Vivienne Westwood Sites:
http://www.vanmildert.com/vivienne-westwood-222.phtml (UK)
http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/w/store-directory/japan

When I’m at home I work from my SOHO (very small office home office) but in the last few years problems have come up that can affect relationships because people don’t understand my work schedule and situation. I don’t keep a routine schedule, it’s not the standard Japanese way, and I don’t play by the rules of a normal work environment or a Japanese company (or any other).

Besides the fluctuation in my work hours, I think there are two main factors involved. One is called “Holiday Mode” and the other is called “In The Zone Mode” and it’s hard for people in my life to witness the transition from one to the other. I see a lot of confusion, jealousy for having too much play time, and anger for not having enough time. Here’s a quick breakdown…

Welcome to... HOLIDAY MODE!

Holiday Mode: Some days people see that I work only 1-2 hours giving me a lot of free time. My clients are taken care of, I need a break, and it’s the perfect time for me to take advantage of this. I have time to spend with my loved ones, time to explore, time to travel to visit family and friends, time to party, time to spend money and have fun. I go to sleep late, I wake up late. Holiday Mode usually lasts anywhere from 5 days to 2 weeks with an occasional blip (once it lasted more than a month).

Welcome to... IN THE ZONE MODE!

In The Zone Mode: When I need to get things done I dedicate everything to my clients and projects. I enjoy what I do and I can easily get “IN THE ZONE!” with a full tank of energy and confidence. I’m no stranger to working 80 hours a week when I need to. My sleep schedule starts to become batches of 2-4 hours so my working hours can conform to other timezones. Some days I’m so busy that I work long stretches without stepping away for a meal or to answer non business related calls to my keitai (cell phone). I’m marketing, networking, researching, ad buying, having conference calls, among other things, and “In The Zone Mode” usually lasts 1-2 weeks at a time.

Regular Mode: This wasn’t mentioned as a problem because it’s not an issue  This mode comes up once in a while and I can keep regular Japan time office hours.

My work structure goes in cycles. From Holiday Mode to In The Zone Mode to Holiday Mode to Regular Mode back to In The Zone and so on with little prediction of when things will change. My work schedule offers me my own time off but that time off usually doesn’t land on many national holidays.

Let’s face the facts… I wasn’t raised in an Asian or Japanese culture and I’m not a “salary man” that slaves away with a set schedule with certain days off. Over 7 years ago I left a six-figure income job to pursue my dream of owning a business that gives me freedom, time, and money. Sure it was a bumpy ride in the beginning but I pushed ahead and smoothed things out. Now I’m living abroad, enjoying what I do, and it feels like I’m making magic happen. I’ll hit the grind stone when I need to because I don’t want to end up being forced to go back to the U.S. or work for an unpleasant employer while possibly earning a lower salary than I’m worth. When I’m in the zone, I have to take full advantage of the situation and mental power because it’s a part of my life.

Increasing Business and Capital for Longevity

Here’s more details of the problems with people not understanding what it means to be an entrepreneur.

During Holiday Mode my woman and friends love it! Sure, why not? I’m a younger looking enthusiastic gaijin that seems like he’s on a permanent holiday with time and money to burn. A lot of fun times could be had! On the down side sometimes friends and family get jealous if they are a slave to the office. They go to sleep when I’m still out having fun or they wake up when I’m still sleeping or playing video games.

During In The Zone Mode my woman easily gets upset. She thinks I’m ignoring her, my personal schedule changes and all of a sudden I have no time for fun, and she doesn’t understand why I’m working so much and ignoring friends and family. People go to sleep while I’m still working, and people wake up to go to the office when I’m still working. In the home base I speak firmly, I speak briefly, when I say I’m going to eat out it means I’m leaving in 3 minutes with or without a companion, and this easily causes her to become emotional. (It feels like a woman having her period for a really long time!) Luckily I quickly learned to ignore things that negatively affect my In The Zone Mode and that means Holiday Mode will be more enjoyable because I won’t be carrying around any resentment.

In Japan I feel that people define one another too much based on what job you have, meaning ‘what you do‘ is ‘who you are‘. On the flip side, a lot of Japanese girls (and guys) see a job or work like this… a person works for a boss who tells them what to do, a person talks up or down to coworkers depending on status, a person does his or her task for a set amount of days per week, a person gets paid holidays, a person gets a paycheck and after a person puts in a lifetime of work that person retires with a nice pension, the end. That’s not usually how an entrepreneur works.

I feel that life needs to be prioritized especially when you work for yourself. Money = taking care of family. Do you love your family? Sure! Having a good job can cover that money issue, but if you run a business there’s more at stake The equation should look something like Work = money = family financial security = family understanding. But that understanding part isn’t so easy. Also an entrepreneur that works from home experiences many tough situations because his wife or girlfriend sees him all the time and might associate his work with “playing on the Internet” and start asking for help with household chores or help with something ‘really quick’. This would never happen in an office, and having somebody breaking your train of though to ask you these questions destroys productivity.

Because of the way of life Japan, I think it’s easy to become less manly and have less control of the family and finances. As an entrepreneur you need to really cowboy up and take control of the situation before it gets too deep into the dead zone of unhappiness, but at the same time don’t forget to understand and respect the culture of the country you’re living in.

Owning your own business, even one online with or without employees, you will most likely create a business forecast estimating your profits and losses. See profits? Work hard and make more. See losses? Work harder, and get back into the green zone. But make sure to take some time to enjoy life! Anyway, this is the end of my little rant and I wish all international entrepreneurs and foreigners working abroad the best of luck!

Japan has an amazing and dynamic culture. It has fascinating buildings and architecture that date back thousands of years that simply ooze Japanese culture. This history sits along the much more modern elements of the shifting fashion trends and technological development that is constantly reinventing itself. This mix of old and new creates a country of stark contradictions which is one of the reasons Japan is a must visit destination. Before you go, here is a quick heads up on Japanese customs and how to get along if this is your first visit.

Table Etiquette
If you are eating out with the locals and you’re presented with a traditional Japanese dish, you may find it hard not to be a noisy eater and to slurp on the food you’re not so used to eating. Its commonplace in Japan and for everyone to do so and it’s seen a sign that you are enjoying your meal! If you find it hard to eat noodles or rice with chopsticks, it’s more than welcome that you are allowed to raise the bowl you’re eating from to chin level. This will reduce any chance of an accidental spillage. Before you even start to eat anything that has been offered to you, it’s polite to say “itadakimasu” which means I will receive. This is expected whether you are in the best five star restaurants or sampling a taste of food at the local market.

Tipping
In countries such as the US, Tipping is expected and is often automatically added on to your bill. The very opposite is true in Japan. In restaurants for example, they believe that the price they set for a meal is the price they believe it to be worth. Any more is seen as offensive and frowned upon. You will find that some waitresses will begrudgingly accept a tip just to avoid the confrontation but in general, it’s seen as an insult. So remember the price you see is the price you pay.

Visiting someone else’s home.
It’s custom in Japan for you to remove your shoes as soon as you step into someone else’s home and in most cases, if you enter a hotel or business too. There are a few westernised businesses based in Japan that don’t require you to remove your shoes so it’s not always necessary. As soon as you pass through the door, you will probably notice other people’s shoes lined up and a pair of complimentary guest slippers will be sitting nearby; many Japanese bring a pair of indoor slippers just in case. And be careful to remove the toilet slippers waiting for you in the bathroom once you leave the bathroom. If in doubt, take your shoes off! If the host doesn’t expect it, they will let you know.

Bathing
During your trip you will notice public bathhouses (Sento) dotted all around Japan whether you are in a major city or a small village. You might also notice the hot springs (Onsen) too. Unlike their use in the western culture, a Japanese bath is a place for you to relax after you have washed. It’s not a place for actual scrubbing! If you are in the home of a local, you may be offered the choice of using their bath. This is seen as an honour and you should be careful not to dirty the water you bathe in. The sanctity of the Japanese bath (Ofuro) is incredibly important.

This guest post was provided by Adam, cheap car hire provider, Carrentals.co.uk. If you are travelling anywhere round the world and want the ease that a car brings, take a look at the site for the best deals around.

If you are coming to study at a university, then you may ask the university officials to arrange a living space for you in the student dormitory. The rent is comparatively cheaper and you have the ease to get along with other students from various nationalities.

It also gives you an easy way to interact among the Japanese students and communities. However, an early enrollment into the student dormitory can be convenient.

There are many housing companies that offer furnished apartments based on rental system to foreign students. However, as a matter of fact, these apartments are highly expensive and will cost you too much if you plan to stay for long. Contrarily, the apartments from the residential housing schemes are also far too expensive to live for a longer period. There is a lot of cash-in-front required to arrange a private housing in Japan.

While you are looking into getting an inexpensive place to live, do not go for cheap places either. These will save you money, but will bring in many other issues that might be costly to you. For example, you will have to spend extra money to get warm water during the winters. You might also have to share toilet and kitchen with other tenants as there are only one each located outside the building.

In addition to monthly rent, you should also expect to pay off monthly maintenance charges, environment cleaning fee, utility fee etc. These costs are clearly mentioned on the fliers so you should look into then with detail before deciding.

There are several things you should take notice of; some of these are described below.

• Key Money: Reikin is an amount of money which is usually given to the landlord (ooyasan) as a gift. The amount may vary but usually it is equal to a month’s rent. Shikikin is another amount which prevents you from disappearing from the house without prior notice, whereas Tesuuryou is an amount payable to the housing agent, if you hire any.
• Maximum Length of Stay: Usually, all rental housing schemes ask you to mention a minimum period of your stay. If you breach the contract afterwards, it might result in a penalty. If you plan to reside for less than a year, then inform the ooyasan early.
• Room furniture: Generally, apartments do not contain any furniture, but you will be given some equipment, such as gas stove, common washing machine, an air conditioner and maybe an internet connection.
• Miscellaneous items: There are several other matters, such as fire insurance, gas usage, neighbors, room size and type. These directly link to the housing agent and the homeowner.

The last thing to keep in mind as a foreigner is that people mostly do not prefer to rent out to foreign students. You might come across some fliers that clear mention their reservations about foreign students. Just hire a housing agent and ask for moderately priced rental location with basic utilities.

About the author of this contributed article:
Andrew has been travelling to Japan as a student a few years ago. Andrew is now distributing sushi conveyor belt and sushi maker

And above all what is more lyrical than the Japanese ritual of bathing, cleaning the body from impurities, soaking and soothing in hot water? Actually I hear this story all the time, of westerners who visit japan for leisure or business entering reluctantly in an onsen (hot spa) and returning home with an addiction for hot tubs. Soaking is actually so obvious, so natural, it fills up the gap that modern life creates in our lives. Like the “tea ceremony” or the “ikebana” (flower arrangement) or the sushi, what strikes us westerners is the poetic simplicity and pure beauty of this ritual. Entering in a Japanese ofuro (wooden hot tub) is a regenerating experience for both the body and mind and I bet you are never going to forget your first time.

You can find more about Japanese ofuro bathtubs from this homepage: www.bartokdesign.com/japan

First of all, soaking in 42-43 C (107-109 F) hot water improves blood circulation, skin irritation, and eases the expulsion of toxins from the body. The steam and flowing water originate minus-ions which have direct anti-aging effect and are beneficial for relaxing the mind.

There are different types of Japanese baths: from the hot springs where you bathe in natural ponds, to modern ceramic or acrylic tubs equipped with recirculating systems. A tub relatively unknown in the west is the wooden tub, which combines the advantages of being compact and built with natural material. A wooden bathtub has high thermal insulation and soft touch, moreover it generates a soothing cedar aroma when filled with hot water.

I read often of so called “Japanese Tubs” built with inappropriate woods, using mitered joints or other phony details which will cause poor performance and leaks. I think that there are many types of deep soaking tubs, many types of ofuro-style tubs etc. Anyway we should be more precise when we talk about Japanese Tubs. First of all, “Japanese Tubs” are made in Japan. (aka: Chinese tubs are made in China or American tubs are made in the US). If they are made in wood, they should use only coniferous wood (not teak, mahogany etc.). Then these tubs should be handmade, using techniques of wood joinery derived from traditional ship building. Only these details developed during the centuries guarantee performance, durability and genuinity.

I recommend to consult the Bartok design Japan Co. homepage for hundreds of examples and FAQs answered. If you are looking for natural bath accessories visit their hinoki bath accessories page. (direct purchase with PayPal is available).

In an effort to show the world that Japan remains a safe destination and promote international tourism back to Japan, we are sponsoring two “Travel Volunteers” to visit Japan’s 47 prefectures during a 100+1 journey.

The idea for this project came from one of our employees at The Real Japan: three months after the events, we were brainstorming on ways to restore confidence and bring back tourism to Japan. We had all seen the coverage about Japan from international media and felt an important part of information was missing… Although the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear issue are terrible disasters which claimed many lives, Japan as a country was NOT entirely destroyed or irradiated. All other places outside the evacuation zone remained totally safe. But the media never mentioned it.

An idea arose and immediately caught everyone’s enthusiasm: ”How about creating a contest to win a journey through all 47 prefectures of Japan in 100+1 days and report on a Blog and social media? All travel and accommodation expenses, including international airfares would be covered by the project. Impossible? Crazy? The seed for the “Travel Volunteer” project was planted…

www.travelvolunteer.net

We also involved Japanese tourism businesses from all over the country to sponsor a part of the journey and many contributed in the form of complimentary room-nights at hotels and Ryokans, with local guides offering their services to escort the Travel Volunteer for free in their city. We would like to thank them for their support.

On July 6th , after one month of excitement and intense work, the Travel Volunteer website was launched. It took off immediately, with over 200 applications in less than two days. Two weeks later, the Facebook page of our project was shared more than 10,000 times!

On July 31st, the application closing date, we had received 1897 applications from 85 different countries in the world… Every applicant was requested to pay a USD 5.00 fee to enter the contest, thus ensuring they were serious and committed. The funds were raised to support “On The Road”, a grass-root NPO, actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in the devastated Tohoku region.

Board of Messages full of Support and Hope

On August 15th, we had read all 1897 applications and pre-selected 5 candidates based on their answers to three simple questions:

• What is your personal reason to apply for Travel Volunteer?
• If you are selected, what would be your dream while in Japan?
• Why should we choose you?

The “lucky five” were 3 single applicants – 2 female & 1 male) from Canada, Malaysia & Ukraine, plus two couples from the UK and the USA.

On September 13th, they were invited to join the final selection process (return flight paid) at Kaikaro, a prestigious Geisha Tea House in Kanazawa, in presence local personalities and Japanese TV’s covering the event. The selection process was broadcast live on U-Stream (watch it here) and on local & regional TV’s.

Foreigners (Gaijin) wearing traditional Japanese kimono with Geisha girls and learning more about Japanes tradition as well as culture.

This non-profit project also aimed at raising funds for a grass-root NPO called “On The Road”, actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in Tohoku region, through a USD 5.00 application fee. As a result, USD 10,000 have been raised and symbolically handed over to the President of “On The Road” by the 5 pre-selected candidates, at the end of the ceremony.

Contestant winners Katie & Jamie from the UK who will be visiting 47 47 prefectures of Japan while they blog about their experiences!

On September 15th, our finally selected Travel Volunteers – Katie & Jamie from the UK – departed Kanazawa at 08.50 am to their first destination, Toyama. They are now on their way through Japan and will keep blogging everyday about their journey in Japan, until Christmas Eve on December 24th, when they will be in Tohoku, distributing gifts to children displaced by the tsunami.

For more information, please visit:
The Website: Travel Volunteer｜トラベルボランティア
The Blog: (Japan) Travel Volunteer Blog
The Facebook Page
The Twitter Page

1. The University of Tokyo – (Tokyo Daigaku) a major research university. Fifteen prime ministers in Japan have studied at University of Tokyo. During the Summer Olympics in 1964, the university hosted the running portion of the pentathlon event. The University’s School of Science and the Earthquake Research Institute are both represented on the national Coordinating Committee for Earthquake Prediction.
   
2. Kyoto University – (Kyoto Daigaku) It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan’s Imperial Universities. The university claims six Nobel Laureates and two Fields Medalists among its faculty and alumni.
   
3. Osaka University – (Osaka Daigaku) It is the sixth oldest university in Japan, and formerly one of Japan’s Imperial Universities. Not only is it one of the top research institutions in Japan, it’s very difficult to get into.
   
4. Nagoya University – (Nagoya Daigaku) It is one of the most prestigious universities and it’s one of the top research institutions in Japan, and Nagoya Law School is considered as one of top Law schools in the country. It’s very selective with the students they select.
   
5. Tohoku University – (Tohoku Daigaku) It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and one of the 13 universities selected by the government to lead the internationalisation of higher education in Japan. They offer international degree courses taught completely in English, at both undergraduate and graduate level. The radiology department has been actively measuring radiation levels throughout the city of Sendai since the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant meltdown, which is about 100 kilometers south. One of the interesting research centers they have is the Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions.
   You can view the top Japanese Universities and see where they stand in the country of Japan as well as where they are listed in top 500 worldwide rankings right here.

Visitors to the ‘Friends of Japan’ area on the American Express Japan Facebook page can select one of four messages or create their own ‘Message of Hope’ for Japan in the form of a virtual postcard. Donations from American Express will go to Japan Platform, an intermediary non-governmental organization that supports various relief agencies active in the affected areas. Facebook visitors can also view the messages of hope shared by others around the world; each postcard is customized with the sender’s first name and country. In addition to sharing and reviewing messages of hope for Japan, Facebook users will be able to learn about the status of relief efforts, share information and photos with Friends and encourage their participation.

“It’s been five months since the East Japan Great Earthquake and there are many impacted areas that are still in need of support,” said Robert Siedell, Country Manager of American Express in Japan. “Leveraging the power of Facebook’s global platform and American Express’ global network, ‘Friends of Japan’ is a way to bring an international community together and re-ignite the conversation to maintain support for ongoing relief efforts.”

A Global, Social Call to Action
The ‘Friends of Japan’ area on the American Express Japan Facebook page will be translated into Chinese, English, French, German, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish. Visitors from across the globe will receive a customized experience based on their location and can personalize their messages of hope for Japan. Each virtual postcard will be stamped with the sender’s name and country. To drive participation around the world, American Express will be promoting the campaign globally and communicating about the program through its social media channels, including American Express Facebook presences in 14 countries. The program will run for eight weeks; however, the Facebook presence will continue to be updated with new content thereafter.

# # #

About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com

About Japan Platform
Japan Platform (JPF) is an international emergency humanitarian aid organization, which offers more effective and prompt emergency aid in response to situations worldwide, focusing on the issues of refugees and natural disasters. JPF conducts such aid with a tripartite cooperation system where NGOs, the business community, and the government of Japan work in close cooperation based on equal partnership, making the most of each sectors’ characteristics and resources.

Mio Matsumura Loves Kokeshi Dolls

Check out this site if you want to know more about what a Kokeshi Doll is. Here’s a quick summary though – There are two main styles of Kokeshi dolls. One is the traditional style, the other is the creative style where the artist can show more expression in his creation.

This one is huge in Japan!

The traditional Japanese kokeshi dolls are often linked to an onsen within the Tohoku region of Japan. They are given the following types of names which are spot on or closely related to the onsen name: Tsuchiyu, Yajiro, Togatta, Naruko, Sakunami, Zao Takayu, Hijiori, Kijiyama, Nambu, and Tsugaru.

Kokeshi Doll Collection

But what about staying in contact with your home country? You know… a phone number, voice mail, and a mailing address? Sure you can use your parents address or another family members address and this would be the most affordable way, but sometimes it feels good not to have to rely on anybody to get things done. Here are some steps on how to make it happen on your own terms.

1. Get a new address first using a 3rd party service. You could use the service Mailboxes Etc, but it’s not convenient. I recommend an online service such as Earth Class Mail. They’ll email you, scan your mail, even forward things to you. It’s important to do this first because once you decide where you’ll be getting your mail you need to get a notarized copy of USPS Form 1583 to authorize the service to receive mail on your behalf. Get this done at a notary or your local bank. But watch those fee totals! You’ll be paying a monthly fee + scanning fees + mail forwarding fees. Last year I spent a more than $1200 USD on this service. This year I’m estimated to spend about $800.
2. Keep one credit card with a small limit. This is my recommendation so you can shop online more securely. You don’t want to become a victim of fraud where somebody drains your Bank Debit Card and you have to fight with your bank (while in Japan) about how to get your money back. You can check your credit score free at Credit Karma and they also can recommend credit cards based on your score.
3. Get a bank account you want to keep for a long time or forever that offers nice online banking and minimal fees. You’ll need this to pay bills that may come up, etc. I have a checking account but I also bank with Capital One for savings (high yield money market account) and the cheapest withdrawals. I also just got a Charles Schwab savings account. They told me they don’t charge a conversion fee and reimburse ATM fees worldwide. I also signed up with mint.com to track all of my bank accounts from one login.
4. Get a PayPal account and tie it to your bank account and any credit card you need to. Sometimes it’s a convenient solution to paying people or to buy products, but you should consider getting it even though you might not use it. I can access Paypal on my iPhone!
5. I run my business online (from my ‘virtual office’ aka laptop) so I also have a fax number. I got a free fax number from j2.com so I can receive faxes. I also then use a  send-only service like Green Fax to send outgoing faxes using my email.
6. More than 90 days before moving, renew your driving license for the longest time possible. This way you can use it to get an International Driving License, and when you return home it might still be valid. Why 90 days? Well sometimes if you have the proper visa it can be transferred to a Japanese license. Please don’t ask me about this, I have no idea how to do this or the rules because I use the subway. On a side note – make sure your passport is current!
7. Secure your internet connection. When you do online banking, work, and even Facebook it’s a good idea to use a VPN. I use proXPN’s VPN service on my laptop and my iPhone. proXPN works great in Japan and gives me a dynamic USA IP address. They do offer a limited free version, but I pay for the premium membership for unlimited speed and server locations. Before using a VPN I’ve gotten locked out of my PayPal account a handful of times and my regular bank account. And wow, it is a pain to get the accounts verified and re-verified when you need your money asap. I’ve even had to verify orders I make in America or the UK over the phone because my IP was coming from Japan or wait for mail to be delivered and scanned. The benefit of using a VPN service is you’ll be able to encrypt your internet connection at home, at an internet cafe, wifi hotspot, and even on your smart phone. We’re talking serious business here… 2048 bit VPN encryption for my laptop and 128 bit for my iPhone at the same time (it’s basically 2 accounts for the price of one)! ProXPN let’s me choose the server I connect to each time (USA, UK, Singapre, Netherlands…) I’ve also been able to use geographically restricted sites like Hulu and U.S. network TV and even listen to Pandora online.
8. Secure your laptop. Most likely you’ll have everything on your laptop (banking, contact info, important documents, photos, etc) and it’s stuff you can’t afford to lose. It’s a good idea to sign up for LogMeIn (even the free account) in case you lose your laptop or it gets stolen. I used to use 2GB of free online storage with DropBox and treat it as “My Documents” but then I switched to SugarSync that offers 5GB of free storage and multiple folder backup, then I back everything up using Carbonite in case my hard drive crashes.
9. Get a phone number. One that you can receive calls to and originates from your home country. I recommend doing this through Skype. It’s a solid VOIP company and I haven’t had any problems over the last 3+ years. For $60 a year you’ll have a number your friends and family can call to talk to you, leave voice mails, and you can use it to call phones for an unlimited amount of to the US and Canada. If you’re from another country then visit their site for more details on what they offer. I can use Skype on my iPhone! So that’s an added bonus.

And there you have – those are my tips for moving overseas and living in Japan or a another country abroad while still having a presence in the United States. It’s all about living a location independent lifestyle! If I think of anything else I’ll update this blog entry. If you have any useful tips please post them in the comments section.

-  JAPAN RELIEF DONATIONS -

Save the Children: Emergency Relief for Japan Quake
www.savethechildren.org/japanquake
Toll free: 800-728-3843
Text JAPAN or 20222 to donate to help Japan.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
www.ifrc.org
Your gift will support the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. Funds will be utilized for the on-going provision of immediate relief and for eventual recovery support to the affected population.

The American Red Cross: Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief
www.redcross.org
Text REDCROSS or 90999 to make $10 donation by text message to help Japan.

ShelterBox
A U.K. based organization that delivers shelter style boxes. Go to their site, choose your country, and start donating.
shelterboxusa.org

Salvation Army
donate.salvationarmyusa.org
Toll free: 800-SAL-ARMY
Text QUAKE or 80888 to donate $10 to help Japan after their tsunami and earthquake.

International Medical Corps
www.internationalmedicalcorps.org
Text MED or 80888 to donate $10

Doctors Without Borders
www.doctorswithoutborders.org
An international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to give those in need some medical help and assistance.

Global Giving
www.globalgiving.org
Text JAPAN or 50555 to donate $10

World Vision
www.worldvision.org
Toll Free: 888-56-CHILD Text 4JAPAN to 20222 to donate $10

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
If you’re Canadian, you can learn how to help Japan by visiting this site
www.international.gc.ca/humanitarian-humanitaire/

Send Socks to Japan
Here’s how to do this: jasonkelly.com/helpjapan/

Most of my information is America related because I’m an American living in Japan, but disaster relief needs world wide effort. If somebody you know is missing, or if you have information regarding a missing person from the Japan Tsunami and Earthquake, please visit FamilyLinks, or visit Google’s Person Finder, or if it’s a family member from abroad, contact your country’s embassy (such as the U.S. Embassy)

- ANIMAL RELIEF DONATIONS -

Animal Refuge Kansai
www.arkbark.net/?q=en/node/2901
The charity is appealing for help for the animals in Japan made homeless by the Japan tsunami and earthquake. You can make a donation through PayPal.

Japan Cat Network
www.japancatnet.com

World Society for the Protection of Animals
wspa-international.org
WSPA is sending their own team of veterinarians to Japan.

You’ve probably seen the dramatic earthquake and tsunami videos and photos already, so thanks for taking the time to read this, and thanks for those who have donated to help Japan.

If you are looking for a missing person in Japan or know something about a missing person, please visit this website. And here’s the link to the US embassy in Japan.

As a friend noted – The saddest part of this disaster in Japan is that it hit the poorest and most vulnerable people in the country. Most of the victims were fishermen, farmers, and the elderly. They did not live the high fashion, high technology, and trendy lives we see depicted in Tokyo life.

Thousands of people are dead, thousands are missing, over half a million people are homeless, and aftershocks keep creeping up. If you want to get involved, visit this link to learn how to help Japan!

Visit CNN to read and watch videos with up to date information, death toll, and destruction. Visit National Geographic to see some unbelievable tsunami and earthquake aftermath photos. And visit The NY Times for interactive before and after pictures.

You’ve probably seen it all over the news, but here are a few unbelievable videos.

Right here you can view the collection of NASA images of Sendai, Japan from space, showing the northern coast of Japan both before and after the Mar. 11, 2011 tsunami. These were taken from 220 miles above Japan. Here are some other photos from Japan. Also if you’re interested in learning how tsunamis are formed, check out their video Tsunamis 101.

Earthquake and Tsunami damage - Minamisoma, Japan

The three earthquake zones that caused the tsunamis

US military earthquake / tsunami Relief efforts in Japan. Click the photo to see the photo set.

Destroyed houses and buildings from the Japan tsunami and earthquake. Click the photo to see the Operation Tomodachi photo set.

Do you want to get involved? Here’s how you can help japan. My thoughts and prayers go out to everybody affected by this devastating event.