BGSU-HJU Traveling Home Hiroshima Links Dining Manners Life home Banks, Mail Faith ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Safety ~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~ Things to Do If Japan is a fun place to live, it’s an even more entertaining place to play! Though the people work long hours, when they get the time they know how to have fun. The only catch, having fun usually requires spending money. Karaoke Whether you're singing and practicing kanji to favorite tunes or simply getting silly with friends, this is a great way to kill a few hours and relax. Karaoke is undoubtedly the activity I have missed the most since my return to the United States. True, many bars and pubs in my area have special karaoke nights, but it simply isn’t the same. Although there are such things as karaoke bars similar to the places here, the majority of ‘karaoke parlors’ consist of a maze and often multiple stories of small, private rooms where just you, your friends, business comrades, or significant other can literally spend the night singing, drinking, and eating. Upon entering a Japanese karaoke parlor, you need to go to the front desk where you order a room for a period of time. This entails paying a “room fee” plus a charge for every half hour you spend in the room. Most the time these fees are around 100-200 yen for a half hour and another 200-300 for the room itself. However, the companies always have special deals such as ‘free time’ where for a set fee around 1300yen you can sing as long as you want between certain times like midnight til 6:00 AM. Others businesses offer deals such as ‘ladies night'. There also are usually coupons and promotions to help make that next night out just a bit more affordable. In any event, you don’t actually pay until you’re leaving as the parlor knows that once you get started, it’s very tempting to stay at least one half hour extra to get in a few more songs on your list. Thus, the front desk won't call the room until your session draws to a close at which point they will ask if you want to stay on. If you decide earlier that you wish to stay a bit longer, you can call the front desk yourself or go down and talk to them in person. The only time when you cannot buy more minutes is on busy nights, usually Fridays and Saturdays, when the demand is high. If there are people waiting for a room, you may have to leave no matter how much money you are willing to spend. To avoid this, and to avoid waiting, you may want to go to karaoke either very late, during the daytime, or on a weekday. So what about karaoke itself? Well, even if you don’t like singing it’s always fun to learn new songs and kanji while hanging out with friends. Modern parlors also aren't just limited to singing. The majority are designed to let customers watch tv and some of the most technologically advanced offer video games, digital cameras, and even dating services although these all cost extra to use. Karaoke parlors also sell food and drinks. Many businesses have special deals where for a few hundred yen you can get unlimited beverages, alcoholic or non, for as long as you stay. Considering the general cost of drinks in Japan, it’s actually a fabulous deal, but they also will give you ice water for free so if you’re on a budget you can always stick with that. To order, simply pick up the phone in the room and wait for the person at front desk who will take your request then dispatch someone to bring it to your room. Some parlors make it even easier with a system by which you can order food and drinks through the TV, using the same device by which you choose songs. The problem is that food in karaoke parlors, though usually pretty good, is very expensive for what it is. If you’re on a budget and don’t mind walking the fine edge of the law, it’s usually cheaper to drop by a convenience store on the way and sneak in snacks by putting them in your purse, much like Americans take food to the movie theatres here. In Hiroshima, there are two karaoke places I really recommend. The first is Big Echo. This chain can be found all around the country and is usually the cleanest and most technologically advanced. They have a good selection of songs, including LOTS of music from the US. However, if you like more obscure Japanese songs, especially from videogames and anime, you might prefer the other big chain, Billy the Kid. This parlor, apparently centered in the Chugoku region, uses the same system as Big Echo (DAM) but supplements it with a few others meaning you get more selection for your money. The downside is that their equipment is not usually in as good of a condition as Big Echo's, nor is it as modern. Movies and Rentals If you’re the person who loves to go to the theatre, you may have some trouble in Japan where the general ticket price is around $18 a person. Luckily, being a foreigner, at least in Hiroshima-ken you can get the Hiroshima International Card (HIC) which automatically reduces the ticket to a more manageable $10. Most theatres also have special deals like “lady’s night” where all women get in for $10. Children and senor citizens also don’t need to pay as much. Like in the states, there are two kinds of theatres: Huge megaplexes and tiny private ventures. Both show a wide range of films, including many from the United States with Japanese subtitles. However, the small theatres in particular are likely to show a wide range of other international films. One of the Salon Cinemas in Hiroshima in fact specializes in this genre. Besides the arts cinema, there are eight or nine other theatres in Hiroshima, although the only ones I had experience with were the small 2-movie regular Salon Cinemas and the Warner Brothers’ Megacomplex. The atmospheres are totally different, but I would recommend either one. If you can’t afford the tickets to the theatre, you can always rent movies. The prices are a bit higher than here, but many stores allow you to take the film for a week at the basic price. Most also offer CD and occasionally game rentals as well. Selection is usually pretty good, the companies offering a host of international films alongside Japanese movies, not to mention racks of anime and drama (Japanese soap operas). The only problem with rentals that I experienced was that although they are being rapidly replaced by DVDs, video stores still carry some older films in VHS format only. Thus, if you can it might be a good idea to have both a DVD and VHS player though if you have to choose one, pick the DVD. My haunt for rentals was Futaba at Hiroshima Station. To rent, you first have to create an account there. They actually have a contract available in English although the clerks rarely speak it. By signing a form, you receive a ‘Soft Pia’ card that allows you to borrow anything in the store. Futaba has a good selection of Japanese and foreign movies as well as many racks of anime and drama. There is also an entire section of CDs, all of it available for reasonable rates. Pachinko The only regret I have in Japan is that I never actually went to a Pachinko parlor. They really aren’t places a girl is supposed to go alone and none of my friends (all females) were interested. The places have a negative connotation as being crowded, smoky, smelly, and even dangerous not to mention a waste of money. However, if you want to give the game a try, you won’t have trouble finding the opportunity. From gargantuan casino complexes with valet parking and hostesses to little holes in the wall with a few ragtag machines, pachinko is everywhere. Arcades, Purikura, and Other Amusements Being the home of videogames, it’s little wonder that arcades are extremely popular in Japan, and enormous in size. Many of them have not just games but karaoke parlors, bowling alleys,and floors of pachinko. Generally, only the newest games are available, many with innovative 'joysticks' such as drums, motorcycles, and even touch pads. There are also a growing number of role playing games you can do with your friends. All arcades have myriad of ‘claw’ games as well. A lot of the prizes are Disney related as it is extremely popular in Japan at the moment, but sometimes there are video game and/or anime related items as well as generic cuteness like stuffed kittens with huge heads begging to be won and taken home. Lamentably, the games are generally upwards of 200yen for a single play, even on even old consoles like Street Fighter. Therefore, like with gambling, you may want to decide on a limit of money you are willing to spend prior to entering. The other fun thing to do in arcades is purikura. A combination photo-booth and videogame, they’re geared toward females, especially high schoolers who collect entire albums of these sticker-pictures. Men, be aware that to help cut down on sexual harassment, some arcades won’t allow males to enter the purikura area unless accompanied by a girl. Each purikura machine is different, but they all have the same basic function of taking tiny pictures that can be decorated with a variety of backgrounds, stamps, borders, doodles, and words. Some arcades also provide racks of props and costumes you can use including stuffed animals, hats, fake flowers, and occasionally even gothic Lolita, Disney princess, or anime-related ensembles. To take purikura, you generally need around 400-500 yen per ‘game’. Once the money is accepted, the machines will generally ask the participants to select backgrounds, types of pictures, themes, and sometimes even what skin coloration is preferred. Be quick about your choices though as almost all machines have a time limit for your decisions. On the command of the machine, you and your companions pose as for any other photo booth, but keep in mind that the whole point of purikura is to have fun so unless you’re going for a serious theme, the sillier the better. Once the snapshots have been taken, you will be asked to exit the photo-booth section of the machine and dip under a curtain in the back where there are two touch screens with styluses. The snapshots will appear on the monitor and within the time limit, you and your friends can use the assortment of decorations to make the shots even more interesting. When time runs out or you’re finished playing, you select how you wish the pictures to be arranged on final copy based on the number of people involved. This done, you simply need be patient until the shots are finished printing. Some machines have little games you can play while you wait. Within a few minutes the machine will spit out the pictures on a small piece of sticky-backed paper. Then you simply need to use scissors, available in the purikura area, to divvy up the snapshots. In Hiroshima there are many arcades and purikura parlors with a huge concentration around the Hondouri shopping arcade. Dance Clubs As in any nation, there are all manner of dance clubs in Japan, though hip hop and trance seem to be the most popular. Especially in larger cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka however, you can find all manner of scenes, from gothic to regge. Unfortunately, cover charges get very steep especially on weekends although there are often special deals. One venture in Hiroshima gave tickets for free drinks in exchange for the cover charge which, considering the price of alcohol, actually meant that I broke even. Hiroshima has a number of clubs, though they’re usually small, expensive, and filled with other foreigners, mainly army-boys from Iwakuni. Bars and Izakayas There are a lot of bars in Japan, more so even than in the States. Most cities even have an entire section of town, a literal drinking district, filled with skyscrapers of tiny pubs and dotted with restaurants, karaoke ventures, strip clubs, 24 hour restaurants, flower shops, and pachinko parlors. Hiroshima’s drinking district is Nagarekawa, located just east of Chuo-dori, between Aioi-dori and the Peace Boulevard. Having no alcohol tolerance I can’t say much about how the bars work, though I will warn that they’re often expensive. You can occasionally get beer for as low as 200 yen ($2.00), but most mixed drinks cost upwards of 500-800 yen. A lot of the venues have a cover charge as well, some of which can be pretty steep. The most famous type of Japanese bar is the Izakaya. It also could be called a restaurant though most people don’t go there for the food. These places are usually large halls with western-style tables or Japanese tatami platforms where you and a large group of friends can go and have a party. Most izakayas immediately charge all their guests around 200-300 yen as a ‘seating fee’ though in return customers are often given little appetizers. Otherwise, you order from the menu, usually an extensive affair with low prices. However, you do not choose a meal for yourself but instead order many dishes and to be passed around. Portions are tiny so even were you to go alone it would be necessary to get two or three items, the cost of which add up quickly. The main point of going to an izakaya however is to drink, and those in particular can get quite expensive. At the end of an izakaya party you’re supposed to take the tab and split it evenly among everyone present. This can pose an obvious problem if you’re on a budget, especially if there’s a heavy eater among your group. My suggestion is, if you really know the people you’re with, to either set a cap on how much you buy or agree to pay for only what you order then keep a tab throughout the meal. You also might try splitting the cost of the food but paying for your own drinks (especially if like me you can’t drink much anyways). Keep in mind though that although most don't care, some people may consider the notion of splitting the check a bit rude or stingy. Other Party Restaurants Beside Izakayas, Japan specializes in a variety of dining experiences that involve large groups of people eating lots of food and usually getting drunk. Five of the most popular are yakiniku (literally, cooked meat), shabu shabu (named for the sound of boiling water), sukiyaki (meat how you like it), kushiyaki (cooked on a stick), and oden (Japanese ‘stew’). First, yakiniku. Restaurants that specialize in this dish generally have a pit or stove on the table that burns gas or that is filled with hot coals. I have heard that coal burners are considered superior though either way it tastes great. The servers bring plates of finely sliced meats and vegetables that you carefully place on this grill, trying not to singe your arms. When the pieces have been cooked to your taste, remove the meat and dip it in one of the sauces, lemon juice, soy sauce, or a chili-based salsa. The main dish in these venuse of course is meat, though seafood such as squid and mussels is available as well. There are also a variety of vegetables, and though it may sound a little strange to say, a vegetarian could do quite well at these restaurants Shabu shabu is another form of communal cooking, this time with a big pot of boiling water instead of a grill. As with yakiniku, plates of thinly sliced meat, vegetables, and seafood as well as noodles and eggs can be brought to the table for sharing. Again, various dipping sauces are provided. Sukiyaki is very similar to shabu shabu except it is cooked in a soy-mirin broth filled with raw sugar, and always includes noodles. Furthermore, the only ‘dipping sauce’ that is provided with this meal is raw egg. Though usually eaten in restaurants, it is not an uncommon meal at friends’ homes for special events or entertaining. The problem with the restaurants that specialize in the forms of cooking above is the price. Most ventures have either course meals or a ‘tabehoudai’ (all you can eat within a time limit). This generally costs between $15-20 per person, more for fancier places. Although this is actually a good deal considering the cost of meat in Japan, it’s too expensive to be experienced by most people on a daily basis. For parties and celebrations however, the price is worth it. If you’re on a really tight budget you usually can order your food a la carte. Kushi-yaki is served in a variety of ways and not always eaten in a group setting. However, there are many restaurants that specialize in this dish, and they do so in a variety of ways. Generally speaking, kushi-yaki is some mixture of meat and vegetables that are broiled, boiled, fried, or baked while on a skewer. The array of possibilities is endless and most, though not all, are quite delicious. Kushi-yaki is served in different ways. My experience was that it was brought to the table by servers, though I understand that there are many places where you can assemble your meals then give them to the cooks to finish. The skewers are often sold piece by piece, though there are tabehoudai specials as well. Oden is a very common dish in Japan, and is even sold per piece at convenience stores. However, it is also popular at house parties as it is filling and easy to make. Oden generally consists of soy, sake, and\or mirin broth though the exact mixture depends on your companions. Traditionally the Hiroshima area uses a clear broth with a lot of mirin while Tokyo uses a thicker, dark base. Like other group meals, the ingredients consist of whatever people in the group desire (or bring to the party). Compared to sukiyaki and shabu shabu there is usually a stronger emphasis on seafood and chicken, and thus oden is generally less expensive. Mushrooms, vegetables, and noodles are also typical ingredients. Oden is cooked in a pot with a lid and you let it simmer for a while before removing your favorite pieces from the broth. Most of the time, there is a bowl of soy sauce or raw egg to dip them in.