I LOL'ed hard at the sniffing & then you were off to wash your hands but there was no water...followed by another sniff...followed by more lolz from me...not sure about about the lion dogs. They may be based upon the artists impression of what they believe a lion may look...like the Tigers in Nijo-Jo, depending on how old they are...could be newer recreations based upon thoseolder artworks, if you know what I mean..but yeah, you see them everywhere : )
@MicknFumi lol Yeah, I was actually looking forward to "purifying" my hands, you know! :P Glad you liked the video! :D I think you might be right about the lion dog things being the artist's interpretation of a lion. And I don't know how old they are so they could be recreations of something else :) No idea! It's a cute little shrine, though! :D Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it!! :D Hope all's well! :D
Hihi Love the videos! Cant wait till I can go! But I was fixin dinner and thought of a question for ya! What is the diet like? Did you have to change drastically? Some stuff that you loved in the states but Japan doesn't have?
Anything that is truly seasonal or do you have stuff like we have here (Walmart/Target)
Also i noticed some of these schools says you would be spending 60,000 yen a month on food? How have you budgeted with it? (it seems a lot to me. I only spend like 200 a month on food
@MrThrive2 Hey :) If you do a quick search on Japanese food, that's basically what you'll find here. They have vegetables that I've never seen before and probably don't use vegetables we find common here. Pretty much everything in Japanese grocery stores is made in Japan or elsewhere in Asia. American foods are VERY hard to come by unless you buy online. I am doing a video eventually on what foods I miss :) At least where I am in Japan, the growing season doesn't really end lol (con't)
@MrThrive2 (con't) It's January and people are still growing things and planting flowers. Not much is seasonal. They don't have Walmart or Target here but there are a few Costcos. I've never been to one so I don't know whether it's American or Japanse food. All Japanese supermarkets sell basically the same stuff by basically the same companies. My coworkers have never heard of a health food store, actually! I don't cook for myself so I spend about $110 a month on food. (con't)
@MrThrive2 If you cook for yourself and buy all the ingredients and somehow find preparing space in your apartment and use gas or electricity to cook the food, it can probably get pretty expensive quickly. There is no Walmart or place you can get food for almost nothing. There are very few preservatives in food so things don't keep long. I don't know how much you'd spend a month, but I'd be careful :)
@LaurenNIHON Ahhh.. good to know.. i didn't think about the space thing... good thinking, lol... when you say you dont cook... you mean you just eat out or only eat food that is already prepared? As for costcos they are like same clubs (you can buy everything in bulk, but i dont know how it would work in Japan.. lol)
@MrThrive2 I both eat out and eat pre-prepared food :) Often, I go to 7-Eleven and buy dinner there. The food I have in my apartment is microwaveable. As I said before, I've never been to Costco here, so I have no idea how it works. Costco in America is related to Sam's Club (if that's what you meant by Sam's Club). I'd assume that Costco here would be significantly smaller and have less of a selection. They are definitely not common here, though and are only found in major cities.
@Lexa1010 You like the music?! :D I'm glad you like it! It's a lot better than just listening to heavy traffic like 30 feet away lol Try to imagine it in your head if you visit in person :) I try to do that sometimes myself! :P Thanks for watching!! :D
@2:40 are Shishi / Shisa dogs (think its an Okinawan 'term')... may also be called guardian dogs. Or you can pretend they're 'Terror Dogs', if you're into Ghost Busters :P.
Thanks for the date at the shrine L! I love seeing them... I will def. spend a lot of time visiting shrines when I come over!
@TheMadPoppet Why didn't I reply to this!!??? Ugh! lol This is why it's a problem sometimes to check email on my phone lol I don't always remember later to respond to things. :P Anyway!!! I think that shisa is purely an Okinawan term from their native religion (according to Okininjakitty!! :D) But they seem pretty bad ass, don't they? :P
I'm glad you liked the visit!! :D There aren't a whole lot near me, actually. I live in suburbia that was farmland until recently lol I hope you find more!
@TheMexicanGaysha It's beautiful, isn't it? :) I'm sure it's prettier when there are leaves on it lol I'm sure you'll find cute little shrines! I wouldn't say they're everywhere, but they're not that difficult to find :)
I hope this shrine isn't TOO close to you; it seems to be giving out a lot of bad luck!
FYI:
- komainu (狛犬): Koguryo [ancient Korean kingdom] dog (lion-dog) statue pairs to ward off evil
- kadomatsu (門松): pine decoration to house the toshigami (年神), New Year god, who will bring a good rice harvest (which was closer when New Year's was in spring)
- shimenawa (注連縄): ropes for warding off evil spirits and marking a sacred place
@languageandhumor It's not that close to me, don't worry :) It's a 10 minute bus ride away from my station :) Thanks for the information and thanks for watching! :)
@ozzy78 Haha, thanks :P Those sunglasses are like, almost 6 years old now. They're almost like another appendage at this point lol I always have them either on or very close to me lol I'm glad you like them, though! My students often ask me to wear them in class lol Thanks for watching, Ozzy!! :D :D Glad you still have internet! :P
I love your title, "Quick Trip" like running out to 7-11 to get blessed. Perhaps that is why there is a shrine on every corner. Your hair still looks amazing! You have those large Kardashian like glasses I bet the Japanese think your an American celebrity.
@Blueyedcin For small shrines like that, it definitely can be a "quick trip" :) I'm glad you like the title! I'm glad you still like my hair! Despite the rainy weather that day, it was a good hair day! :P My students love it when I wear my sunglasses and tell me I look like a famous person lol Though, for the record, I've worn those sunglasses for almost 6 years now, which is before anyone had heard of the Kardashian sisters :P Thanks for watching and I'm glad you liked it! :D
I just thought about something! I know interac pays 250K a month, what about taxes and everything? How much do you actually get to take home? I only ask because I have loan payments I have to think about and was wondering if I would be making enough money!
@MrThrive2 Interac only pays 250,000 yen a month depending on which BOE you are working for. Everyone is different. Many locations are only 230,000 yen a month, actually. Taxes are different depending on how long you live here and if your contract with Interac requires you use national health insurance or Interac's health insurance. If Interac helps you get an apartment, they will automatically take your rent out of your paycheck each month. I won't make a video because not only is it (cont)
@MrThrive2 (cont) completely specific to your BOE and the contract Interac is able to create with them, but also I've only experienced one type of contract with Interac thus far. So, I can only really tell you about my own contract stuff. It's a good question, though, but only Interac can answer that for you if they eventually give you a job offer. Thanks for watching!
I think it's a traditional Japanese bath tub. If you stand at front of the dragon and chant a charm "Agepoyo!", then holy water comes out. So you need to go to retake it with some bathing suit. I apologize if my thought is wrong. :(
Btw, Though you may know, I recommend you contributing 5 yen(Go-en = emotional ties, fate, bond, etc...) usually.:D
@keeponblind It's definitely not a Japanese bathtub :) Those are much deeper and not inside shrines :) It's for washing your hands to purify yourself for the shrine. I think there wasn't any water because nights have been getting below freezing recently. I don't think they want any pipes to freeze! Traditionally, 5 yen is thrown in, but most Japanese put 10 yen or more in there nowadays. That money helps take care of the shrine, so it's good to give more if you can :) Thanks for watching!! :D
@edtomorrow I'm glad you like my sunglasses! :D I bought them during my senior year of high school lol They're always with me, though! Like an extra appendage! :P
Wait, you're only supposed to tie the bad fortunes up? What of upi tie up a good one? I hope that doesent mean you leave that good luck there. That would really explain 22011 for me. LOL!!!
@edtomorrow Well, you like HAVE to tie the bad ones up or bad luck will follow you. According to wikipedia, if you tie a good one up, your luck with increase? Not sure how reliable that is, though. Most of my Japanese friends tell me to take the good ones back with me :) All in all, it's just a neat little tradition! It's hysterical on hatsumode, though, when thousands of people go to shrines and get omikuji. The places to tie bad ones up are all full!! :P
I LOL'ed hard at the sniffing & then you were off to wash your hands but there was no water...followed by another sniff...followed by more lolz from me...not sure about about the lion dogs. They may be based upon the artists impression of what they believe a lion may look...like the Tigers in Nijo-Jo, depending on how old they are...could be newer recreations based upon thoseolder artworks, if you know what I mean..but yeah, you see them everywhere : )
MicknFumi 5 days ago
@MicknFumi lol Yeah, I was actually looking forward to "purifying" my hands, you know! :P Glad you liked the video! :D I think you might be right about the lion dog things being the artist's interpretation of a lion. And I don't know how old they are so they could be recreations of something else :) No idea! It's a cute little shrine, though! :D Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it!! :D Hope all's well! :D
LaurenNIHON 5 days ago
Sorry for all the questions! lol... I just seem to have so many!
MrThrive2 3 weeks ago
Hihi Love the videos! Cant wait till I can go! But I was fixin dinner and thought of a question for ya! What is the diet like? Did you have to change drastically? Some stuff that you loved in the states but Japan doesn't have?
Anything that is truly seasonal or do you have stuff like we have here (Walmart/Target)
Also i noticed some of these schools says you would be spending 60,000 yen a month on food? How have you budgeted with it? (it seems a lot to me. I only spend like 200 a month on food
MrThrive2 3 weeks ago
@MrThrive2 Hey :) If you do a quick search on Japanese food, that's basically what you'll find here. They have vegetables that I've never seen before and probably don't use vegetables we find common here. Pretty much everything in Japanese grocery stores is made in Japan or elsewhere in Asia. American foods are VERY hard to come by unless you buy online. I am doing a video eventually on what foods I miss :) At least where I am in Japan, the growing season doesn't really end lol (con't)
LaurenNIHON 3 weeks ago
@MrThrive2 (con't) It's January and people are still growing things and planting flowers. Not much is seasonal. They don't have Walmart or Target here but there are a few Costcos. I've never been to one so I don't know whether it's American or Japanse food. All Japanese supermarkets sell basically the same stuff by basically the same companies. My coworkers have never heard of a health food store, actually! I don't cook for myself so I spend about $110 a month on food. (con't)
LaurenNIHON 3 weeks ago
@MrThrive2 If you cook for yourself and buy all the ingredients and somehow find preparing space in your apartment and use gas or electricity to cook the food, it can probably get pretty expensive quickly. There is no Walmart or place you can get food for almost nothing. There are very few preservatives in food so things don't keep long. I don't know how much you'd spend a month, but I'd be careful :)
LaurenNIHON 3 weeks ago
@LaurenNIHON Ahhh.. good to know.. i didn't think about the space thing... good thinking, lol... when you say you dont cook... you mean you just eat out or only eat food that is already prepared? As for costcos they are like same clubs (you can buy everything in bulk, but i dont know how it would work in Japan.. lol)
Thanks so much!
MrThrive2 3 weeks ago
@MrThrive2 I both eat out and eat pre-prepared food :) Often, I go to 7-Eleven and buy dinner there. The food I have in my apartment is microwaveable. As I said before, I've never been to Costco here, so I have no idea how it works. Costco in America is related to Sam's Club (if that's what you meant by Sam's Club). I'd assume that Costco here would be significantly smaller and have less of a selection. They are definitely not common here, though and are only found in major cities.
LaurenNIHON 3 weeks ago
I love how you put music on top of your shrine videos... though when I see one in RL I may be left disappointed.. :P
Lexa1010 3 weeks ago
@Lexa1010 You like the music?! :D I'm glad you like it! It's a lot better than just listening to heavy traffic like 30 feet away lol Try to imagine it in your head if you visit in person :) I try to do that sometimes myself! :P Thanks for watching!! :D
LaurenNIHON 3 weeks ago
@2:40 are Shishi / Shisa dogs (think its an Okinawan 'term')... may also be called guardian dogs. Or you can pretend they're 'Terror Dogs', if you're into Ghost Busters :P.
Thanks for the date at the shrine L! I love seeing them... I will def. spend a lot of time visiting shrines when I come over!
TheMadPoppet 1 month ago
@TheMadPoppet Why didn't I reply to this!!??? Ugh! lol This is why it's a problem sometimes to check email on my phone lol I don't always remember later to respond to things. :P Anyway!!! I think that shisa is purely an Okinawan term from their native religion (according to Okininjakitty!! :D) But they seem pretty bad ass, don't they? :P
I'm glad you liked the visit!! :D There aren't a whole lot near me, actually. I live in suburbia that was farmland until recently lol I hope you find more!
LaurenNIHON 3 weeks ago
fun vid!! i love the tree at the shrine!!! i hope i can find cute little shrines around my new home too!! :D
TheMexicanGaysha 1 month ago
@TheMexicanGaysha It's beautiful, isn't it? :) I'm sure it's prettier when there are leaves on it lol I'm sure you'll find cute little shrines! I wouldn't say they're everywhere, but they're not that difficult to find :)
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
I hope this shrine isn't TOO close to you; it seems to be giving out a lot of bad luck!
FYI:
- komainu (狛犬): Koguryo [ancient Korean kingdom] dog (lion-dog) statue pairs to ward off evil
- kadomatsu (門松): pine decoration to house the toshigami (年神), New Year god, who will bring a good rice harvest (which was closer when New Year's was in spring)
- shimenawa (注連縄): ropes for warding off evil spirits and marking a sacred place
- shide (四手): zigzag papers for purification
languageandhumor 1 month ago
@languageandhumor It's not that close to me, don't worry :) It's a 10 minute bus ride away from my station :) Thanks for the information and thanks for watching! :)
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
nice sunglasses. Digging the celeb look. =)
ozzy78 1 month ago
@ozzy78 Haha, thanks :P Those sunglasses are like, almost 6 years old now. They're almost like another appendage at this point lol I always have them either on or very close to me lol I'm glad you like them, though! My students often ask me to wear them in class lol Thanks for watching, Ozzy!! :D :D Glad you still have internet! :P
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
I love your title, "Quick Trip" like running out to 7-11 to get blessed. Perhaps that is why there is a shrine on every corner. Your hair still looks amazing! You have those large Kardashian like glasses I bet the Japanese think your an American celebrity.
Blueyedcin 1 month ago
@Blueyedcin For small shrines like that, it definitely can be a "quick trip" :) I'm glad you like the title! I'm glad you still like my hair! Despite the rainy weather that day, it was a good hair day! :P My students love it when I wear my sunglasses and tell me I look like a famous person lol Though, for the record, I've worn those sunglasses for almost 6 years now, which is before anyone had heard of the Kardashian sisters :P Thanks for watching and I'm glad you liked it! :D
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
有名な神社もいいですが、自分の住んでる近くの地元の神社にもあいさつしとくと、きっといいことがあるでしょう。
tontonrhythm123 1 month ago
@tontonrhythm123 ほんまに？よかった！この神社は小さいだけど、いい感じありますよ。すごくきれいですね！見てくれてありがとう！
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
Nice video!
I just thought about something! I know interac pays 250K a month, what about taxes and everything? How much do you actually get to take home? I only ask because I have loan payments I have to think about and was wondering if I would be making enough money!
Thanks for all the help!
Love the video!
MrThrive2 1 month ago in playlist Uploaded videos
@MrThrive2 Interac only pays 250,000 yen a month depending on which BOE you are working for. Everyone is different. Many locations are only 230,000 yen a month, actually. Taxes are different depending on how long you live here and if your contract with Interac requires you use national health insurance or Interac's health insurance. If Interac helps you get an apartment, they will automatically take your rent out of your paycheck each month. I won't make a video because not only is it (cont)
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
@MrThrive2 (cont) completely specific to your BOE and the contract Interac is able to create with them, but also I've only experienced one type of contract with Interac thus far. So, I can only really tell you about my own contract stuff. It's a good question, though, but only Interac can answer that for you if they eventually give you a job offer. Thanks for watching!
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
I think it's a traditional Japanese bath tub. If you stand at front of the dragon and chant a charm "Agepoyo!", then holy water comes out. So you need to go to retake it with some bathing suit. I apologize if my thought is wrong. :(
Btw, Though you may know, I recommend you contributing 5 yen(Go-en = emotional ties, fate, bond, etc...) usually.:D
keeponblind 1 month ago
@keeponblind It's definitely not a Japanese bathtub :) Those are much deeper and not inside shrines :) It's for washing your hands to purify yourself for the shrine. I think there wasn't any water because nights have been getting below freezing recently. I don't think they want any pipes to freeze! Traditionally, 5 yen is thrown in, but most Japanese put 10 yen or more in there nowadays. That money helps take care of the shrine, so it's good to give more if you can :) Thanks for watching!! :D
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
Cool, another nice little shrine. Maybe that should be your theme. LOL
perdomot 1 month ago
@perdomot Haha, it could be!! :P If only I found more shrines on a daily basis :P Thanks for watching!! :D
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
Oh and, nice shades. Looking good!
edtomorrow 1 month ago
@edtomorrow I'm glad you like my sunglasses! :D I bought them during my senior year of high school lol They're always with me, though! Like an extra appendage! :P
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
Wait, you're only supposed to tie the bad fortunes up? What of upi tie up a good one? I hope that doesent mean you leave that good luck there. That would really explain 22011 for me. LOL!!!
edtomorrow 1 month ago
@edtomorrow Well, you like HAVE to tie the bad ones up or bad luck will follow you. According to wikipedia, if you tie a good one up, your luck with increase? Not sure how reliable that is, though. Most of my Japanese friends tell me to take the good ones back with me :) All in all, it's just a neat little tradition! It's hysterical on hatsumode, though, when thousands of people go to shrines and get omikuji. The places to tie bad ones up are all full!! :P
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
That was great! Thanks for sharing your experience.... :-)
cloudsplitter24 1 month ago
That was great! Thanks for sharing your experience.... :-)
cloudsplitter24 1 month ago
@cloudsplitter24 You're very welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! :D I'm glad I finally went to visit! :D Thanks for watching!! :D
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago
Lauren-san you are Shrine watcher!!
kota11051991 1 month ago
@kota11051991 Haha, it sounds like a superhero name! :P I do try to look out for shrines!! :D I wish there were more of them around me to visit! :D
LaurenNIHON 1 month ago