[Japan Travel + Life]: I'm back from a long, awesome trip!

[chochajin]

Hello everybody!

How have you been??
First of all: HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012!!!
I hope the year of the dragon will be an awesome one!

I came back from my 11 days winter vacation trip on Sunday and have been busy ever since then which is why I couldn't post earlier.

I guess it's time for a brief update, huh?
Ok, here we go. I have a new job and due to that I'll have to move in 6 weeks!
That is not much time! I'm so busy getting things done, getting packed, sending things, trying to figure out what I have to do etc.
Although it's gonna be my 5th(!! omg!) year in Japan, it's my first time MOVING in Japan!!

If anybody has any experience with moving in Japan, I'd really appreciate some advice.
Currently I'm trying to figure out what the best option to send my stuff is. Kuroneko looks promising.
I also need to get rid of quite a lot of stuff at Hard Off and House Off or whatever they're called.

Shifting money to another bank account that will work outside of my current prefecture.
Doing some last-minute traveling within my prefecture (you know the "oh, I live here I can always go, so I never went there yet" thingie, right? -___-;; ...)

As you can imagine all that leaves me even busier than I usually already am!

I will update you with more details some other time.
I think it's enough if I say that I'll move to Kansai in 6 weeks.


Because I'm so busy, I won't have time to post much in the next few weeks or months. I might even be without internet for a month or two once March comes!

That's why I wanted to give you at least a short review of my awesome winter vacation now!
I hope you'll enjoy it!~



Aoshima in Miyazaki.



Waterfall in Yakushima.

MUCH MORE over at ZOOMING JAPAN!
(sorry I can't post things twice all the time ...)

Thanks for staying with me!~

Comments

[moldypotatochip.livejournal.com]

Kansai is very near me, it's seriously about 2500 yen by local train to get to Osaka from here and much less to get to Nagoya. Let me know when you arrive and if you ever come my way :)
That is to say assuming my contract goes through in March (;_;)

But about shipping, I would say go with takkyuubin 宅急便 which is a service Kuroneko does. It requires you having a forwarding address and you being there when the parcels arrive (so know the date and time you can accept them). But it's super cheap for shipping boxes and suitcases. They have flat rates regardless of weight in most cases I think. It would be much much cheaper than say, the post office. And getting rid of excess baggage first is definitely a good idea.

I left all my stuff in Fukushima when I left my last job because I intended to move back there, but in the end I've come to Gifu and of course I couldn't access my things. But in the summer I shipped them to myself via takkyuubin. Everything arrived just fine and nothing was broken inside. Though they do warn you that super-fragile things may break and if you have a suitcase they offer you an optional cover (at some additional cost) because it may become dirty or damaged. They are not as gentile as the post office in that regard but all in all they are fast and cheap and I think they will get the job done for you. But if you have anything of sentimental value or anything fragile/expensive I would recommend taking it with you rather than shipping it.

If you have a driver's license (can't remember if you do or not) of course you could rent a vehicle but I'm not sure if you can just charter one without driving it.

I think any Japanese friends you have might know more than I do but I at least know that Kuroneko is a good option.

[koichiko.livejournal.com]

Welcome back!!! :D

Ich habe mich schon gefragt, wann du wohl wieder zurückkommst =D
Ich kanns gar nicht abwarten, mehr von deinem neuen Job zu hören, ich hoffe ja, dass für dich alles etwas leichter wird dadurch. Wo ziehst du eigentlich hin, wenn man mal so fragen darf?
Und WOAH! Die Bilder sind echt klasse - werd dann später mal fix zu Zooming Japan rüberhüpfen um mehr darüber zu lesen =D
Sieht aus als hättet ihr super Wetter gehabt *___*
... nicht so wie wir hier, mit Regen und Stürmen ohne Ende T___T

[kurikuribebi]

When I moved, I used 宅急便 and my boyfriend's car ^^;;;

Welcome back, by the way.

[jimjamjenny.livejournal.com]

I've been to both the places you posted pictures of! Yayyy!!!

Welcome back :)

[mit-souko.livejournal.com]

おめでとう about the new job! I wish you great luck with it [and with your move]

I loved Miyazaki and the coast line there, especially around Aoshima. and of course you know my impressions of Yakushima [I would love to go back]

[koronda.livejournal.com]

HAPPY 2012!!! :DDD

Ah, I've been sort of AWOL for a while but more or less keeping up with your posts (I'm sorry for not commenting as much as I should/would like to ;-;).

Unfortunately, I have no advice to offer when it comes to moving in Japan. (><) I'm sure it will go smoothly! I'm excited for you, even though I know moving is stressful and deciding on work/staying in Japan was a big thing.


Oh, and I finally figured out how to get Zooming Japan to appear in my RSS feed! :) I really like your site.

[amvn.livejournal.com]

Waaah a new job already :D sounds exciting!! Can't wait to see you post from Kansai ^-^

I'm heading over to your blog to read about your vacation, Aoshima looks so beautiful <3

Happy New Year btw! ^__^ (oh, and I received the parcel from you the day before Christmas Eve/the 24th!! All in great condition and I can't wait to start using the study material :D)

[kamishey.livejournal.com]

waaa that place looks gorgeous! and omg 5 years! i remember when i read that you where moving to japan for the first time and it feels like it was yesterday! time goes by so fast T-T

[starseed4.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the new job and good luck with the move! Is it another teaching job?

[angelbott.livejournal.com]

Congrats on new job! ^^ and Good luck with the move I hope these gonna smooth! :o