Sendai: Things to Do?

I won't even tell you the shit I had to do when I was grading papers & summarizing progress in a business English school.

How long have you lived here?

 

to the point 4 years by now. but as you can see every day, even when you think it can't go any futher, there's always something that put you right. btw. I never came across with any kind of educational works (yet).

 

Only 4 years mate? You've only just hit the tip of the iceberg. From now you'll find out more and more annoying and stupid shit every day. I've been here 11 years now and to be completely honest I really don't know how the general populace of Japan can be called normal.

Independent thinking without influence = NO
The ability to alter or slightly bend the rules even when it makes perfect sense = NO
Able to do something without consulting another = NO
Give a straight answer = NO
Have a serious debate = NO
Come up with a simple solution to a simple proble = NO
Make a TV show without some TWAT talking crap or eating = NO

and so on.

 

We've both got here at about the same time, then. The only difference is I've seen how utterly idiotic their education system is here! Actually, I have no idea what you do here other than collect tons of PC Engine stuff, but I'm guessing you've never been formally introduced to what they pass off as formal education here. If I have kids here, I'm leaving this country before they get to Junior high... preferably before kindergarten. Parent interviews at kindergartens just to see if your family is "good enough" to attend someone's small, unheated in the winter and uncooled in the summer kindergarten where kids learn military-style drills every morning and then the teachers let them do whatever they want after because they suck too much to actually dicipline the students? Furthermore, unless you get into a "good" kindy, their university career is shot. F'k that. Either international school (most of which are also a total joke) or get out of Japan.

BTW, do you know where I can find some Mark III controllers and a Mega CD for a cheap price? None of the Hard-Offs here have them, and I honestly can't find any in Akihabara without spending 10,000yen plus on a Mark III system set!

 

I used to teach business English. One of the places was a Japanese bank. Didn't go to Toudai or Waseda? You would never get a management position. The ironic thing is most state universities in the US are ranked higher than those two schools which are generally the best in the country. The cliques here are a fucking joke. The trend to get a western education (and therefore, western employment whereby you're rewarded on your merits, not your age) is a growing one, albeit amazingly expensive.

On a micro level it seems to be getting better. I remember days when substituting a side order was a dream. But the whole "simplicity" thing is painfully obvious. Nothing is ever laid out and simple here. Nothing. Official documents? You have to stamp 3 of the same contract in 3 places each.

I made a police report at a kouban once. I shit you fucking not, the cop pulled out a sheet of printer paper and had to DRAW THE FUCKING BOXES TO WRITE THE REPORT IN! Streamlining is simply a lost cause here. I wouldn't blame the people though. Maybe it's b/c of the lack of pressure to think freely, but infrastructure and job security here relies on having tons of manual, redundant and mundane tasks which must be done by a person.

Haha... touche'. But what about Mr. Brain?!

 

I've not seen the educational side of this country yet, but I have seen a lot lot deep shit on customer side in exchange. dealing with major customers like toyota, softbank, Hitachi etc. you won't believe what can go on there and in what deep shit stress you can fall as working in a minor company with lack of manpower and shitty management.

anyway, our kiddo once will go to the german international school, where it learns as it would alomst the same way as living in his home country. they even have a swiss class, for dialect and history etc. teaching.. lol

as for mark III etc. finds, i dunno. just be at the right time at the right place (right hardoff) i guess

@yakumo, I know probably 4 years ain't that long, but it's quite long enough to see behind a lot of things. and as I said, there's always something that put you right. everyday, doesn't matter how long you lived somewhere.

fortunately, in a more technical environment where I'm working, some of the peeps actually seems have an own brain and learned of how to think on their own. surely, this doesn't count for every individum here. but one thing is for certain, what ever a japanese is doing, mostly he does it on the most complicated and indirect way just possible (seen from a westerns logical point of view).

 

If your office is a majority of Japanese people and you're there most of the day (or all of it in some places) that's like triple time.

 

Don't watch it but I have seen (because the missus watches that carp) a section where they were in a izakaya eating and talking shit so nope, that doesn't pass.

 

Funny how lately every topic in the ''Japan, Japan'' section gets hijacked by our Japanese members who turn it into a rant about all the things wrong with the country. :lol:

 

There is no Sendai Castle, only some crappy early 90's CG reconstruction.　;-)

Rinnouji 輪王寺
Zuihouden 瑞鳳殿
Oosaki Hachimanguu 大崎八幡宮
...
Should be enough to keep you busy for at least a few days.

 

Sadly... I can believe it. A few years ago... no way. For me, Japan was an advanced country. One of the leading nations in this world. Now... it's really a miracle that it's not a 3rd world nation.

I hope the best for your son!!!

I might've asked you before, but do you see much old Sega stuff at the shops near you? I'm talking Mega CD and older, but even more so Master System and before that.

Where I'm currently working (for one more month!), the instructors have to make things like crossword puzzles by hand on graph paper. I tried to point out to them while they literally spend a couple hours making a puzzle, you can do it in a couple minutes on the internet. But... nope, it is the company method. What can you say to that? There's no arguing it. When someone has bowed down to that kind of logic, they are beyond help.

We're trying to help the members here who haven't spend much (less than a couple years) or any time in Japan from developing a case of Japan fever! We're preforming a community service here. :thumbsup:

 

Too right. We're the unlucky ones :nod: Sure, we have games galore but the amount of crap we put up with is unbelievable. It's not always directed at us but just having to "understand" the retarded (sorry but that's basically what it is) way the Japanese think and do many things is depressing. I'm not trying to say that the westerner knows it all but anyone can see the difference from a quick easy solution to a long drawn out head ache of a solution apart from the Japanese.

Yakumo

 

I obviously haven't lived in Japan long enough(roughly 1 year) because I don't feel this immense frustration yet :lol: .

 

if I hadn't to work i wouldn't be such frustrated

 

b

 

B/c the things that are wrong, are wrong for the wrong reasons (is that right?). If it was just something stupid, that'd be one thing... but it's the failure to assimilate to the times that makes it hysterical (or frustrating if you live here long term).

There's good things, too, but most people know of them, and they're not nearly as fun to talk about. Oddly enough, the potholes in the education system are relatively unknown outside of residents, I've found.

 

I consider that cheap. I basically never see Mega CDs outside of Akihabara occasionally, and other than the 500yen Mark III I picked up from a junk bin, I only see Mark III systems going for between 10,000-20,000yen. I've never come across loose accesories for it, and I need to go to Akihabara to pick up games. It's sad...

Of course, I don't usually venture past the 4 Hard-Offs within bicycle distance from me (45 minutes max. More than that and I say screw it) and local game shops, so I'm probably missing a hell of a lot. If I knew that a certain place had exactly what I wanted, then I'd make the trip. I don't plan on travelling out of Kanto, though!

 

b

 

my record is cycling 6 Hard Offs in one row (kanagawa). it really became one of my fav. weekend hobbies. the problem, lot of stuff is accumulating.

 

My record is 8 stores in a single day (tochigi) cycled over 140km, left home at 9am and got home at er 9pm and managed to find quite a lot of things that I really wanted. Had a large rucksack on my back and it started off at 1kg (the weight of bag, water and map) and weighed over 15kg when I got back... Next time I want to cycle to more of them in Gunma as there is a much nicer view of the mountains and countryside.