General questions about Japan

Hey guys,

actually, there are a few questions I wonder about and maybe you can give me a ''professional'' answer ;)

1.Since washing machines always just have one (or 5 similar programms where you just can change the amount of water or maybe wash wool or so) program and ALWAYS wash cold... are there any others where you can change more, on top of all the temperature?!

2. Talking about overwork... I realised not all work is neccessary and ften ppl just sit around doing nothing during the last 3 hours. Even in famous companies oO Is it true?

3. Talking about overwork... do you really HAVE to do it everyday or can you leave after 8 hours (if written in your contract)? Does it hace disadvantages?

4. How do Japanese in general see european/american women because they are - compared to Japanese ones - usually 気が強い xD

5. Can you do ice skating somewhere in Tokyo?!

Okay, that's it for the time being. I'm sure there are more questions to come which just don't pop up in my mind right now...

Shunima,

I'll let someone else answer your vaguer questions, but...

1... are there any others where you can change more, on top of all the temperature?!

Yes.

5. Can you do ice skating somewhere in Tokyo?!

There are several outdoor rinks in Tokyo running until February (e.g. Akasaka Sacas, Tokyo Midtown, Toshimaen), and there's even one close to you at Kawasaki La Cittadella. There are other indoor rinks operating all year round if you're interested.

1.Since washing machines always just have one (or 5 similar programms where you just can change the amount of water or maybe wash wool or so) program and ALWAYS wash cold... are there any others where you can change more, on top of all the temperature?!

Not all washing machines in Japan are so simple. Even the cheapest machines may have over a dozen different program washes, and not all machines only wash cold, especially if you are also considering coin operated laundromats. There are a wide variety of options and the type of machine that you encounter has more to do with your how you are staying in Japan. For example, will you be a resident that will purchase your own machine, will you use coin operated laundromats, or are you a traveller that only uses hotel or serviced apartment laundromats. A little more insight into your situation will help with more specific answers.

#2- True. They sit and look at each other seeing who will leave first. All the time is overtime pay too.
#3- If you leave after 8 hours, you are the bad Gaijin. This exact thing happened to me. My contract said 8 hours, 5 days a week. I worked 12-14 hours a day, 6 days a week. I left early once (after 8 hours) and the outcry was so bad that I worked all the extra hours without pay.

shunima,

All your questions have been asked before by someone else, so perhaps you can find the answers by doing a search.

One of the easiest to answer is the waching machine question. Most people in Japan wash in all kinds of tempratures, because they have their machine conected to a faucet that provides warm water.

Hmm,
I wonder then why working so long! O___O This is no life anymore, isn't it? Or is your work so much fun you also consider it as a hobby?
Could be possible, too ^^

"Or is your work so much fun you also consider it as a hobby?"

For a lot of people, yes. But that doesn't necessarily mean that working long hours is appreciated.

Uco: Yes, that is what I think, too.
Hmm, but it seems there are a lot of these ''unfair'' Jobs where you have to work 12 or even more hours although it is written differently in the contract.
But there seem also to be enough ''good'' ones where you don't need to work so much overtime.
I really like Japan. There are really a lot of things which could make living there fun and/or a good option. But unfortunately the most important stuff in life is difficult: Working.

Question No. 6:
Marrying a Chinese or Korean who are living in Japan, is this common? Or do Japanese (women) prefer Japanese? Or their family, do they prefer Japanese? Or is it totally no problem and nobody thinks about this?

Hmm, but it seems there are a lot of these ''unfair'' Jobs where you have to work 12 or even more hours although it is written differently in the contract.
But there seem also to be enough ''good'' ones where you don't need to work so much overtime.

Japanese work culture may be different from your own, and it comes off pretty ethnocentric to label those jobs where people routinely stay late as unfair. People know what they can expect when they apply for a job.

I really like Japan. There are really a lot of things which could make living there fun and/or a good option. But unfortunately the most important stuff in life is difficult: Working.

Living in Japan really is a great experience. But work doesn't have to be difficult or unpleasant. Find a job that suits your needs and values. If you value your free time then get a job with well defined work hours. This is the same around the world.

Question No. 6:
Marrying a Chinese or Korean who are living in Japan, is this common? Or do Japanese (women) prefer Japanese? Or their family, do they prefer Japanese? Or is it totally no problem and nobody thinks about this?

It entirely depends on the family.

Oh, how can you know how defined working hours are? I have not yet understood how you can know this through 就活.

I'm happy that this is possible, too. But it's what people say, you know. Sometimes it is difficult to get a real wide information about certain stuff, eg working in Japan.
Is it also possible to make a good carreer even with well defined working hours?

Actually, if there is a wide range of different possibilities it gets more and more interesting.

3. Talking about overwork... do you really HAVE to do it everyday or can you leave after 8 hours (if written in your contract)? Does it hace disadvantages?

Staying late (not necessarily working hard so I wouldn't call it overwork) is more about being a team player than the actual work being done. I suppose if you were to regularly be the first to leave, or always leave right when the clock struck quitting time that it would influence your reputation with your coworkers. But of course that depends entirely on your company's work culture.

Oh, how can you know how defined working hours are? I have not yet understood how you can know this through 就活.

Do your research when looking at companies to apply for. Talk to current/former employees. Talk to the recruiter. Also, foreign based companies tend to have different work cultures than Japanese companies, so that may be a consideration as well.

Is it also possible to make a good carreer even with well defined working hours?

I'm sure it is if you find the right job to suit you. However, I think you'll be limiting your choices if the work hours are a big concern to you.