questions about IBU

[titus]

Hey everyone, I'm 23, Canadian, and looking to take a year off after finishing a contract with an investment banking company.

So, plan is to go to IBU for a year. I don't speak any Japanese at all, and have about a year of kendo experience.

Questions:

Is there any kind of social life there?
Is dating possible? What about between locals and foreigners?
What about seeing stuff away from the "campus"?

Would it be a better idea to just find a job of some kind in Tokyo and join a club there?

Tnx.

[Ares2907]

Is there any kind of social life there?
[quote]

Depends on how much you like drinking beer or playing pachinko. Compared with just about anywhere else in the country, you'd have to give Katsuura the big thumbs down.

[quote]
Is dating possible? What about between locals and foreigners?


Possible? Yes.
Likely? bwahahahahahahaha
ahem. Sorry.

If your Japanese is non-existant you're going to have challenges, unless you're an international chick-magnet. If you're just looking to get laid, try Shibuya/Harajuku. Plenty of worldly lasses around there.

If you're looking for something more serious? Who knows. Good luck to you. Watch out for Budai-byou *grins at Hamish*


What about seeing stuff away from the "campus"?


Define stuff.


Would it be a better idea to just find a job of some kind in Tokyo and join a club there?


Depends on how serious you are about your kendo. If you want to do kendo 24/7 it's probably the best place in the world for you. God knows there's not a whole lot else there to occupy your time.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely bagging the place. I had a great time there. Got my kendo sandan, iai shodan, did some kyudo, met my current girlfriend, saw lots of stuff, went lots of places, but you do have to be very proactive about it.
My advice is to spend as little time with the other foreigners as possible, in favour of getting drunk or otherwise socialising with the locals as often as possible.

HTH

[nodachi]

What about seeing stuff away from the "campus"?

There are tons of places to see all around the area. Ask the locals about sites that you won't find in the guidebooks. I recommend the Temple in Katsuura as it is beautiful. I also highly recommend Nokogiriyama. Beautiful place with the biggest Daibutsu in the country, despite what some written sources might say. Good sashimi there too!

Dating is always possible, but be aware that there are those who want real relationships and those who want a gaijin accessory. It will be harder to find without any Japanese skills, but it isn't impossible.

[titus]

Originally posted by Ares2907


If your Japanese is non-existant you're going to have challenges, unless you're an international chick-magnet. If you're just looking to get laid, try Shibuya/Harajuku. Plenty of worldly lasses around there.

If you're looking for something more serious? Who knows. Good luck to you. Watch out for Budai-byou *grins at Hamish*

Don't get me wrong, I'm not completely bagging the place. I had a great time there. Got my kendo sandan, iai shodan, did some kyudo, met my current girlfriend, saw lots of stuff, went lots of places, but you do have to be very proactive about it.
My advice is to spend as little time with the other foreigners as possible, in favour of getting drunk or otherwise socialising with the locals as often as possible.

HTH

How good is your Japanese? I'm just wondering what kind of level is needed to associate well with locals.

I know what you mean about hanging only with locals, I've always focussed on spending time with them over foreigners. Spent a year in both Hong Kong and China, and had a much better time than all of the other international students.

Is the campus of IBU in the middle of nowhere then? Where do people drink?

And is everything pretty informal in terms of classes and stuff? I mean, is there a rigid structure or is it flexible?

[titus]

maybe a dumb question but how in the world does one apply for the one-year course in Kendo? The scholarship is automatically part of the deal right, not separate? There's no English website so I'm kinda stuck.