My experience living in Japan

[10splaya22]

I just want to start off and say this thread really isn't about my daily life but more so about some of the cool things I've done or seen. Of course if you have any questions feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer.

Backstory
I was offered an opportunity for a new position at work and a requirement was to live in Japan for a year and train at our head R&D center. I started in September 2016 and will be here until October 2017 with a couple trips back to the US in between. I'm living in Hiratsuka in the Kanagawa Prefecture. Its a pretty small town but its a 30 min train ride from Yokohama and 1 hour south of Tokyo. Anyways on to the pics which there will be quite a lot of!

Just landing in Japan for the first time in September '16 and I see a F12 TDF being unloaded from and Emirates plane.
20160921_001025 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Welcome sign at Narita Airport
20160921_002357 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

A typical supermarket. Food is much more expensive here as is everything else.
20161001_161548 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Japan is very mountainous so the highways just go straight through them.
20161003_063933 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Dried fish...I have no idea how people eat this stuff
20161003_214107 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

A month in and I was able to sign up for a gym which was a huge relief. Pretty small but gets the job done
20161017_201925 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Not sure I'll ever get used to putting slippers on to use the bathroom lol.
20161021_195026 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Like I said everything is expensive...$4-6k for these dogs!
20161022_171435 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

An interesting Subaru R2 Kei car
20161023_150906 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Not sure what to even consider this...
20161110_084802 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

They are really into their minivans
20161126_155309 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Japanese style "pizza" okonomiyaki
20161203_180312 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

A small side street in town
20161209_205749 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

They even use bikes to deliver packages
20161217_152325 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

 

[Sonic605hp]

Interesting how different things are around the world compared to home.

 

[c5longhorn]

Cool photos, who do you work for?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[ssj4sadie]

You been to Arashi's? Get that yaki-ramen, it's awesome. Also CoCos, always CoCos.

 

[10splaya22]

I went home for Christmas and came back in January. I was able to get tickets through work for the Tokyo Auto Salon which is similar to SEMA for Japan. It was my first car show of this magnitude and I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

IMG_0430 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0438 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0448 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_145432 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0490 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0410 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0399 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0235 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0243 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0263 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0265 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0281 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0286 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Downforce?
IMG_0217 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_160506 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_160555 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_160634 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0250 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_152320 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_153741 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

 

[Zemedici]

Wow! Incredible thread!

 

[10splaya22]

20170114_154250 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_154754 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_155250 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_161321 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_161138 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

One of the few Mustangs I've seen in Japan
20170114_162825 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_164122 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_163816 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_163159 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Typical strange Japanese shows
20170114_162001 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_161128 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

An R32 with complete R35 swap
20170114_173720 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_173752 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Even the interior!
20170114_173714 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_175724 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_175622 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_174256 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_173929 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_164919 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_174956 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

 

[10splaya22]

Interesting how different things are around the world compared to home.

Definitely is, definitely has been good to experience this and just see how people live in different places. I've been out of the country many times before but never immersed in the culture like this.

Cool photos, who do you work for?

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I work for Yokohama.

You been to Arashi's? Get that yaki-ramen, it's awesome. Also CoCos, always CoCos.

No, I haven't seen that yet. We do have a CoCo's and I walk by it a couple times a week but haven't tried it yet. I'll have to do that soon

Wow! Incredible thread!

Thanks! I'll try and post whenever I come across something interesting. Hoping to go to some races at Fuji this summer and the Tokyo Motor Show in the fall. I'll be sure to post pictures then!

 

[10splaya22]

Some WTF photos from the Tokyo Auto Salon

IMG_0372 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_174911 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_174926 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_165845 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170114_165904 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

 

[ssj4sadie]

Yeah Japan is a crazy place. I was there for 4 months (Yokota AB) back in 2015. Definitely didn't get to see/do enough. That last set of pics...lol

 

[10splaya22]

In February I went to Tokyo with some friends. First stop was Akihabara. I think its known for the maid cafes where girls dress up as animals and serve you food or drinks. I didn't spend a lot time here because it wasn't that interesting to me haha
20170211_143453 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

I also went to Shinjuku which is where a lot of big skyscrapers are located.

Shinjuku Park Tower
IMG_0540 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Tokyo Metropolitan Building
IMG_0542 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower on the right and Shinjuku Center building on the left
IMG_0548 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Shibuya Crossing, famous intersection in Japan that was in F&F Tokyo drift. When the lights change all the people cross at once from all different directions. It wasn't that busy when I was there but still fun to watch
20170212_143015 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0557 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Need to do this before I leave, hopefully they are still around because I heard Nintendo was suing them for obvious reasons
IMG_0574 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Harajuku, seemed like a big shopping area, was really busy and there were many tourists. Its amazing the difference with the amount of foreigners when visiting Tokyo. In the small town I live in I feel like I'm the only one.
20170212_133343 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

 

[Outlaw99]

look on the bright side. You'll never have to over night parts to yourself.

 

[gimmie11s]

HOLY crap... awesome thread OP!! Sounds like a dream job!

The GTR's, the z car, the s2000... so much win here. Good for you!

Ive always loved the Japanese's idea of how to tune the GTRs... Was the white car a mines car?

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

Loved Okinawa when I was there. Wished I could have got out more and seen the mainland especially.

Very cool OP! That must be an awesome experience.

Sent from my SM-G935P using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[CobraBob]

Great photos. Thanks for posting them. I visited Japan a few times, years ago. A beautiful country. Enjoy your time there and build lots of memories.

 

[97snakebite]

I wonder if the ferrari in the 1st pic is the same one at the car show

Sent from my SM-N920P using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[RichM1983]

Thats cool. I wish I had a job like that lol.

 

[10splaya22]

look on the bright side. You'll never have to over night parts to yourself.

Very true although I don't have a car here and my apartment is already to small to hold any car parts. I do know some people here so shouldn't be an issue if I ever need anything.

HOLY crap... awesome thread OP!! Sounds like a dream job!

The GTR's, the z car, the s2000... so much win here. Good for you!

Ive always loved the Japanese's idea of how to tune the GTRs... Was the white car a mines car?

If you are talking about the white R32 at the end it was from the shop Top Speed. It had an R35 drivetrain and interior put in it.

Loved Okinawa when I was there. Wished I could have got out more and seen the mainland especially.

Very cool OP! That must be an awesome experience.

Sent from my SM-G935P using the svtperformance.com mobile app

It definitely is an awesome experience. So much to do although I haven't really been many places, I definitely plan on seeing more when it warms up. I would love to see Okinawa but I think its a little too far.

Great photos. Thanks for posting them. I visited Japan a few times, years ago. A beautiful country. Enjoy your time there and build lots of memories.

Thats the plan! It is very beautiful and very clean, can't wait to get out and explore more this summer. Hoping to climb Mt. Fuji before I leave!

Thats cool. I wish I had a job like that lol.

It was honestly a complete surprise. My girlfriend wasn't too happy with the decision but many people don't get an opportunity like this so I felt like I didn't have much of a choice. I definitely miss being home but its been a very rewarding experience so far getting to experience a new culture like this.

 

[10splaya22]

Took a trip to Yokohama to get a haircut. After I decided to walk around some of the shopping centers and go to Minato Mirai. It is a little "island" with a small amusement park and some shopping centers. On the way there I accidentally ran into the Nissan Global HQ so I had no choice but to check it out.

Just outside Yokohama station
20170318_144330 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0581 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0582 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0587 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0588 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

Nissan R89C and R90CP race cars
IMG_0605 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0606 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0613 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

If I had an iPhone I might have bought one...a little steep at $140 though
IMG_0619 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0625 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0632 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

20170318_185005 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0641 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

IMG_0653 by Drew Nelson, on Flickr

 

[racerbox77]

Very cool. Following cause this is the closest I'll ever get.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using the svtperformance.com mobile app