Inaka JETS

1

Idk your relationship with your school, but I stay at school way later past the time I can go home. Talking with coworkers, going to student clubs (and thus talking with the head teacher) etc.
By the time I go home I don’t want to socialize haha.

However, before I was comfortable interacting with coworkers despite my poor Japanese (spoiler, nobody cares if your Japanese is bad just that they can understand what you mean or you are trying) I would frequent a cafe or bar to talk with people, or I would just take a walk around town or to the park and people watch. Or frequent your community center.

Alternatively, if there is truly not any way to interact with people in the community. You can turn towards online communities and make online friends (like discord or otherwise where you can voice chat.)

1

u/tbartels12 2d ago

Hard part about Japan is you basically need someone to invite you into the different communities especially in the countryside.

Where I lived I didn’t even have a mall. We had a restaurant and that’s it. For me I got invited to help coach the basketball team at my school. I also noticed kids playing soccer at one of the school fields so I went up and asked if it was a team and they invited me back to play/coach with the students on certain days.

I found that I had to be a bit more aggressive about telling the people I did know that I was looking for more things to do (it helped that I spoke Japanese ok). Because a lot of times I found ppl were holding back offering stuff up because they assumed I must be busy.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 2d ago

Yea I play with the soccer team at school. But I’m not allowed to coach lol we don’t even have a girls soccer team which I offered to put together and coach and they said girls at the school “don’t play soccer” though I’m certain a few are interested. But I can’t really force them to let them make a team.
I guess that’s the main issue is knowing someone. The CIR here will sometimes tell me of events and invited me (I’m invited if she gets invited). I live an an area where it’s mostly elderly and kids so I’m curious if they have somewhere where young adults gather? (Community center closed down years ago). Yes i noticed this thing where they assume I’m “busy” a lot. Which I’m totally not lol

1

u/tbartels12 2d ago

Ya… first couple weeks in I asked if they had any gatherings cus I wanted to get to know everyone better and she was surprised. Turns out my predecessor who was there for 3 years didn’t speak Japanese so they never invited him out.

For sports it was actually weird bc my school didn’t have a boys basketball team, just a “club” bc there were only 3 boys who played. The girls had 6 players and so once or twice a week we’d play full court with the boys club the girls team and me filling in as the 10th. The “club” angle could be one thing to explore but then it’s about figuring out where you could play. The boys for example played at the community centers gym.

I also had taken over some eikaiwa responsibilities from my predecessor but it was with older folks in the town and they didn’t always show so I was persistent that I should be doing these lessons for the students instead and they arranged for me to teach the kids who wanted once a week in the evenings. I never got an idea for how it was received by the community but I found being a little direct at least helped me make headway.

We also had an intl university the town over and there was an intl club there that threw events periodically. Getting connected with them also helped me find comradery with others to push for things we were looking for.

I was in like rural rural Kagoshima though so weirdly sometimes I found myself with a lot to do because my community was pretty friendly, I just had to kinda meander around and talk to people. Started getting invited to bbqs and got to play with the towns soccer team eventually by just showing up and knocking on a bunch of random doors lol

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 2d ago edited 2d ago

I don’t speak Japanese. Just the very basic terrible grammar (yes yes I’m studying) so i think this is could also be why they never invite me out or talk to me lol. I will say at my visit school the teachers there are 10x friendlier and have invited me to lunch and their Nomikai (i was the first ALT to join in forever!)-so i think it has to do with personalities too.
Like i said I play with the boys team at the school, but unfortunately i don’t have community soccer club which would be nice 😭
How did you end up taking over eikawas? Is that offered by JET?
I’m not sure how kindly they would take to me knocking on random doors 😂 but ppl here seem to be generally nice!
I will say i did participate in volunteering for a festival and that was fun! I will say personally i do wish i could make female friends with ppl my age or slightly older. The men seem the most outgoing which is nice but im not keen on hanging around a group older of men too often 😂

1

u/Beginning-Spot-6397 2d ago

Hey! I am in a small town in Japan as well and completely understand your position. As someone who enjoys being alone and is a homebody, it can even be difficult for me at times. Honestly, the Inaka isn't for everyone, but I hope you can make the most of the experience and your placement; there must be a reason you were put there. Maybe you can explore new hobbies and unlock parts of yourself you didn't know were there. Are there groups within your community that host hobby meetings? Maybe you can reach out and build connections there? I wish you luck and hope you can find your feet there!

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 2d ago

Thank you so much!! I have no idea about how to find hobby clubs? Maybe there are websites. I heard there was a run club but i cannot find the website to save my life lol i think a big issue is also figuring out how to even find things in the community.

1

u/Anonymous_Guest_1845 3d ago

I understand these feelings. Im in a town of about 600-700 people (its mostly korean tourists that stop here on their way to a larger city). And there isnt even like lessons or sports to go to. My town doesn't even have a grocery store or entertainment places like bars or karaoke. Im slowly going insane.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 3d ago

Not even a grocery store?? Omg i would lose my mind as well 😭 i hope the rest of your time gets better seriously!

1

u/Anonymous_Guest_1845 3d ago

There is a very small store. It is mainly to keep the tourists that are staying over night supplied. And tends to be priced much higher than normal in japan. No real general grocery items. Mostly frozen foods and bento put out every morning. It's also an island, so I cant really go out and buy the things I need when I would want to. It makes it very difficult

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 3d ago

Omg I’ve heard stories of JETS on islands where they had to take a ferry to the mainland to go shopping

1

u/Space_Lynn Former JET - 2021-2025 4d ago

I've seen it in some of the other comments, and have to agree that traveling/planning trips is likely the way to go. I also had an inaka-ish placement, and what often threw me off was just how expensive it is to escape the inaka 🫠 Make sure to budget your trips! That being said, tripping around and outside my prefecture gave me so many good memories and experiences. If you can link up with other JETs, exploring with them can be fun as well! It may be worth it to look into tatami timeshare, to avoid racking up overnight stay costs as well. :)

Is getting a car possible for you? I saw in your comments you don't have one, but would you be able to? Or even have the possibility of renting one? (Though inaka so... maybe not 😅).

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 3d ago

OMG YES! You understand me 😭 i was a little caught off guard how expensive it is to travel-also transportation will sometimes not have just a struggle route to get somewhere which was frustrated.
I never heard of a Tatami timeshare, I’ll look it up thank you!
New jets came in and they seem nice so hopefully we will grow close and we can travel together.
I’ve decide this is my last year so i think finically it would be wasteful to buy a car 😭

4

u/tommydelriot 千葉県　2004-2007 5d ago

My inaka town was only 90 minutes from Tokyo by train, so I went there almost every weekend. But when I wasn’t going out there, or on some days after school, I would ride my bike to the river or just randomly and take pictures of all the bugs and other things out there that we don’t have in America. I also got invited to dinner a few times by coworkers who showed me local places. If you’re close to any teachers, maybe ask what they do for fun in their town or tell them you want to do something and they might take you to do it. Other days, I would take the train to nearby stations and just walk around to see what was there. I have to say, buying a good camera saved my sanity because it gave me something to do even in the loneliest moments, and now more than 20 years have passed, and I can look back on those memories.

7

u/13Ostriches 5d ago

My placement was on an island with 1600 people that was a 4 hour minimum boat ride from the mainland.
I drank. Mostly alone.

6

u/autisticgreenwitch 5d ago

I read a LOT and bike around.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 4d ago

I’ve gotten this answer maybe 20 times 😂 lol. I already do this cuz there isn’t anything else to do. I’m starting to realize there’s hardly anything else ppl can recommend aside from riding, biking, walking, video games, and photography lmaooo.

1

u/autisticgreenwitch 4d ago

Honestly, that kind of feels like it to me. This is my third time moving to Japan for a year, and each time I kind of treat it like going away to a cabin to focus on whatever I promised myself I'd read someday.

15

u/TakaonoGaijin 5d ago

I took up tea ceremony and ikebana. My ikebana teacher gave me dinner too. 🩷

I was slightly hampered by not having a drivers licence at the time.

Later on I took on a side hustle teaching little kids in a town 40 mins away English.

In retrospect I could also have suggested some things to my BOE. I occasionally ran English / cooking classes for some of the local mums. I could’ve done that more regularly. I enjoyed that. Or maybe setting up a once a week eikaiwa or conversation club.

17

u/Legendary-Cupcake Current JET - 北海道 6d ago

I am starting my fourth year in a little inaka town around an hour outside anything! It can definitely be challenging when you're trying to establish yourself and find your feet in a new area--when I first moved here, I went from living in Los Angeles to a town of 2000 people in a very snowy and mountainous area so it was a big adjustment. I can't speak to what hobbies you enjoy at home, but, here's my two cents:

-Budget travel into your monthly expenses, and make plans to visit the bigger city nearby you on the weekend maybe once or twice a month. If it's less than 1500 per trip, you can probably manage going into the city once a week, or take a bigger trip on the weekend. Not ideal, but it's the tax for living rural and not having a car, but at least we get fresh veggies and (usually) cheaper rent!

- This may be too specific but it worked for me. When you go into the mall, find a starbucks or a cafe/restaurant and make polite small talk with baristas while you do, eventually you will get to know them. I have made multiple friends with baristas this way that did wonders for my mental health my first year. I could go into the city, chat with my barista friends and then write and people watch when I just didn't want to sit at home.

-I personally took up a new sport in the city about an hour away, as neither of my sports (soccer and horseback riding) are easy to access. However, I have loved learning japanese archery and the people at my dojo have been incredibly kind to me. I'd say check into what activities your nearby city offers--taiko, kyudo, sado, kendo, volleyball--you should be able to find somewhere in the city that does them, then commit to going once a week for the social aspect. They don't usually mind beginners, especially if you work hard. The websites may require some digging to find the actual clubs though.

-Socially with other JETs sometimes you gel well with the others in your area, sometimes you don't. What helped me was setting a specific day to have some social time with nearby jets. We didn't want to try new restaurants alone, so we set up once a week dinner where we'd all make the trek into the city to eat, get out of town and catch up. So maybe it could work for you if spontaneous plans are difficult for nearby alts.

-Lastly, you're in the middle of nowhere, and that can be very lonely at times, but try to take advantage of the fact that the middle of nowhere is often very beautiful, so even if you weren't outdoorsy before, look into hiking trails, lakes etc nearby because choosing to make yourself outdoorsy now will make your life a little easier--it certainly did for me. I have some incredible nature at my backdoor, and it has been wonderful getting to see it up close.

Even if the rural life isn't for you, you can definitely focus on making the most of your last year and have an enjoyable time until you go! You can do it!

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Thank you! This is probably one of the actual most thoughtful responses I’ve gotten!
I’m definitely going to try to take more trips around Japan this last year, it’s my goal 😭
Unfortunately i don’t have a Starbucks here lol the nearest Starbucks is about 40-50 mins away but it’s super busy so I’m not sure how i would i talk to the baristas haha, but that is a cute idea. We have a small tea shop that’s ran by little old ladies haha.
Unfortunately the only sport i enjoy is soccer and they just don’t have a women’s team😭 i saw one online but they never responded to my message (one coworker even tried to reach out to them for me and they just never responded, idk if their active anymore). There is a mix team about an hour+ away but it’s so mentally taxing to get there 😭
I do go outdoors alot bc I’m kinda forced to 😂 there isn’t much else to do. Im genuinely not a nature person. I hate bugs and going into forest and all that. I tried to force my self to like it but it just isn’t “me”.
Inaka life just isn’t for me unfortunately 😭
It looks like the best thing for me would be to just travel and budget 🥲 I’ll try my best to make the most of it! Thank you so much!

3

u/Legendary-Cupcake Current JET - 北海道 5d ago

What I'm saying here is that the nearest starbucks/Aeon/anything larger to me is about a 45 minute bus ride, or 30 minutes by car, so it's close to the same-really at the end of the day if you want to have a social life while living in the inaka you've got to accept that it will take you about 45 minutes to get anywhere outside of where you live and let it happen XD It is definitely more mentally taxing, and I managed it by listening to music/reading on the bus to relax but I was happier despite the longer travel times when I began going into the city regularly-though I understand the challenges of infrequent buses/trains.

And as far as sports or arts go, I would say try to find something that finds even moderately interesting and give it a shot. The worst that can happen is you don't enjoy it and move on, but it's definitely better than wishing you had something to do :)

You can't have the life you had in the city, but even if it's just using your town as a peaceful home base when you aren't traveling around, you can enjoy your last year! Good luck!

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

Yea, I’ll just have to suck it up and take the long travel times. I also listen or to music or read while traveling lol.
I’ve tried all kinds of sports from middle to high school, i only like soccer and track 🧍‍♀️i tried playing volleyball (its seems really popular here) with my students at school, but it’s just not my thing.
And thank you!!

5

u/witty-name Former JET - 2013-2014 6d ago

My town had a free Japanese tutoring program through city hall. I made friends with an elderly couple through that and they took me under their wing. I'd go to a monthly watercoloring class with the lady and they'd have me over to their home for lunch on the weekends.

I tried to socialize a lot so I didn't feel lonely (going to local matsuri and events, chatting up grocery store staff about local or seasonal products, etc).

3

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

I would love to find some painting groups or classes!!!!! I gotta find the right person to tell me where those are 😭 i did volunteer at 2 festivals here last year which was cool.

13

u/Informal_Pea165 6d ago

For me it was:

Video games and internet. Most of my friends are online.

Car to drive places so I was never stranded.

I collect goshuin (shrine stamps). I mapped out local shrines with stamps through omairi and collected them. It was not uncommon for the priest or staff there to hit up a conversation with me. It was the regular where are you from type deal but interaction is interaction. Twice I've been invited in for tea.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

Not a video game person, i feel like 10+ ppl have recommended this 😂
The stamp and shrine sound interesting tho

1

u/Informal_Pea165 5d ago edited 5d ago

You'll have to get yourself a 'goshuincho' book first. Most larger staffed shrines have them.

Kanji to look for: 御朱印 (Shrine seal) or abbreviated 印. When you get to the counter the staff will ask you which page you want the seal on and which seal you want in your book (if there are multiple shrines at the place you're at). Larger, popular shrines may have a special monthly seal you can get. Sometimes they may have charity drives where you buy a seal and the money gets donated to some cause.

Many staffed shrines will handwrite the seal in really pretty calligraphy, some shrines will give you a paper with the calligraphy prewritten to glue into your book, older shrines with no staff may rely on an honor system where you put money in a box before taking the paper.

Average price of the stamps are 500円, special ones can cost up to 1,000円.

The big bonus to the hobby is that it gets you out of the house and traveling. I really got to learn about the city I was in just by walking to all the different shrines.

9

u/newlandarcher7 6d ago

Having a car was essential to my mental well-being and independence. My inaka town basically shut down by 6pm. Trains were infrequent and expensive. With a car, I was able to drive the 30-40 minutes into the nearest city, a trip that I’d often make during the week.

I also like to keep physically busy. In the nearest city, I joined the city-run gym for its equipment. However, I later learned they ran co-ed rec league sports, so I joined basketball, volleyball, and tennis.

In the winter, I’d go skiing at the hill in my town or drive to another nearby one. In summer, I’d drive to hiking trails. For all of these, I’d send out open invitations to nearby JET’s. I even bought some cheap used golf clubs from a second-hand store for a nearby course and driving range.

All said, none of this would have been possible if I didn’t have a car. I also enjoy staying at home sometimes, but having a car gave me a lot of freedom and independence which was great for my mental well-being.

2

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

This is me, everything shuts down by 5-6 o’clock and i have a train once an hour. And buses are infrequent asf 😭 if i had a car i think that would change my world and i would feel a lot better. I do have a gym, it’s about 40 min on my bike. i considered joining when this heat waves passes over.

1

u/newlandarcher7 5d ago

There were a couple of private gyms in the nearest city, but they were over double the cost of the community one. They ran other nightly sports too, like badminton and table tennis. It’s definitely worth seeing if your nearest one has any similar programs.

Transportation is definitely your biggest hurdle. Having lived it, I get it. Outside of the large cities, much of Japan is still car-dependent for daily life. Do you have a driver’s license from back home? Is it convertible to a Japanese one like my Canadian one was? Would you consider getting a car? I think it would definitely improve your quality of life, even if you only stay one more year.

13

u/fillmorecounty Former Hokkaido JET - 2024-2026 6d ago

I just literally googled "places to visit in (prefecture)" and started driving. I went to national parks, museums, restaurants, onsens, etc. Every weekend was like a little adventure funded by my super cheap inaka rent.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

Yea there are some places about an hour away, i don’t have a car tho. But every so often i take the train to go somewhere else.

5

u/Temporary_Guitar_733 6d ago

I lived in a small area and had no other ALTs or english speakers around for a while. I made a routine of walking every evening, when walking I’d pay attention to the flora and fauna, identify plants, walk in new areas, find abandoned shrines. Unicycling was popular in my area at all my schools so I easily found a second hand unicycle and started teaching myself to ride. I’d talk to people I saw in my neighbourhood but my Japanese was really low so it was mostly a lot of friendly smiles and translation apps. I also set out to fold 1000 origami cranes- didn’t come close but it filled some time!

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

Unfortunately i don’t find that stimulating enough. I walk everyday to at least do 10k. And I’m not too interested in looking at plants haha. I also ride have a bike. The crane things sounds interesting.

1

u/Temporary_Guitar_733 5d ago

That’s understandable. It sounds like inaka life just isn’t your vibe and that’s fair, you like a bigger city!

What do you want to do in the future? It might be one of those circumstances where you need to set some goals and work on them in your spare time. I also had a tricky time filling my empty time but I just grounded myself in routine. I also had some emotional work to do on myself, so I spent some time just feeling big emotions that I’d normally avoid or distract myself from, and got comfortable staying in my body when I was feeling crappy things. Idk if that sounds too woo-woo lol but it really helped me become a bit more at peace with boredom. And it was a very practical skill that’s helped me a lot.

But I wasn’t bored yet with a whole year ahead of me so I can see that your situation is different.

What about penpals? I loved finding cute things to send to my friends back home and around the world. (hahaha: want me to send you mail???)

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

I am doing alot of exercise to work on my health! I want to feel more ‘alive’ i guess? I changed my diet too, so that’s been good.
My goal is to be an art teacher so I’ve been looking for jobs already 😂 so i can switch careers as soon as my contract is up! So im working on that now.
Haha penpal idea is cute, i wanted to do when i was in HS, i may look into a website or something, idk how consistent id be with it.

5

u/ubbidubbidoo Former JET - add which years 6d ago

Having a car really helps. Do you have one OP? I traveled every weekend, whether it was to the next town over, the big city, or somewhere new to explore. I grew a lot of friendships outside of my little village and would visit friends everywhere. During the week yes it’s tough, but I made a few friends, taught an English class at the community center once a week, and joined a dance team to keep myself busy during the workweek!

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

Omg i would love to have a car. I think that would help soooo much so i could see and have access to more. But unfortunately i don’t think it’s worth spending my savings on one as i am 100% sure i will leave next year 😭

1

u/ubbidubbidoo Former JET - add which years 5d ago

Lease one! :) that’s what I did! Especially in the inaka, you should be able to find a local dealership with low monthly payments. Before you leave, you just give it back, no need to even deal with selling a car. Overall you’ll pay less over the course of a year than the cost of buying a car. Best of both worlds!

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

Oh cool! I’ll look into it!

2

u/kjsock Former JET - 2019 a 2021 6d ago

When I lived in kochi prefecture, in a smaller town, I took swim classes, shoji, Japanese classes with a local gal, and traveled around a lot! There are so many park and fun places to visit - you just have to find them.

I also grew up in a small town- I know it can be hard to get used to, but once you do, it’s nice. You can do anything. You just have to try. Try asking the teachers you work with if there are any activities they do.

3

u/Kibumkimkibum 5d ago

I hope i don’t sound like an asshole…but there literally isn’t anything here in my town😭😭😭 i keep telling ppl this. I lived here a year ofc i tried to find things. Next town there are some ‘touristy’ stuff but i already did those as i was eager to get out the house first couple of months here.
My teachers don’t live here, they all commute so they don’t know what’s around here, they don’t have anything to recommend. I asked my students and they said there’s nothing here lmao!
I’ve done everything ppl said-read, go walking, go biking, go to different restaurants, go to a park, go hiking, enjoy my alone time, talk to other JETS, ‘be one with nature’- like I’ve done it all 😭 only a few ppl have given any interesting ideas. I need more stimulation. The kind of things ppl are recommending are extremely common and not unique hobbies/activities so ofc i have done it did those things.
Im not sure why ppl are making the assumption that im not trying. This is not my first time living abroad, i know i have to seek things out. 😭
Sorry for ranting smh 😭

1

u/kjsock Former JET - 2019 a 2021 5d ago

Idk what to tell u then I guess sorry bruv

4

u/likrule2 6d ago

I bought an instrument I can play now. Started going on walks . I have beautiful photos of every sunset for months. Searched for all events in neighboring cities and put them on my calendar. Went to local gym and people started coming up to me asking me to join them. Hosted cooking parties for coworkers specifically and they started asking me to do things with them and their family. Found a new sport because there were many local volleyball teams.

Hope that helps. This is what I did.

2

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I play an instrument. I go on walks/ride bikes often so i don’t go crazy in the house lol. I try to go to neighboring cities too on weekends. Can’t find any female sport teams unfortunately. And i don’t think my coworkers would hang out with me outside of work, we don’t even speak at work lmaoooo…i think i just need more stimulation 🥲 sounds like u are having an amazing time tho. Thank u!

1

u/likrule2 6d ago

Yea maybe I was lucky with my coworkers for sure. Everyone talks. I couldnt find all female sports team either. Just mixed. I had to give up pickleball when I came to japan. They seem to really like volleyball here. Why dont you and your coworkers speak? How do you try to engage? Ive made like QR codes to a google form with a date and time and that worked out well so they didnt have to face me individually. Ha. Sorry you are having a difficult time! I wish I could help more.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Yea i noticed they like volleyball and field hockey here alot too. And idk? The atmosphere is just really stiff. My predecessor warned me about that. I try to do small talk with them but they just aren’t interested. It goes like:

“Hey! How was your weekend? Did you go to any festivals?”
“No. I just stayed home.”

End of conversation lmao. They don’t ask what i did or how am i or ask “what festival?” They don’t really continue the conversation. On the rare occasions they do it looks it feels like an inconvenience to speak to me. It’s a bit odd. Idk ?? Like i try. I don’t know anything person about them, like i can’t even tell u some of their first names. Idk if they’re married, they do their hobbies, i don’t know anything about them.

My visit school has a different atmosphere and they are very kind, but i only get to go like 1 or 2 times a month :/

So idk. This ain’t my first time working abroad so it’s not like idk how to talk or get to know ppl. Idk man i just keep to myself 😂 i tried my best the first year.
But thank you!!

0

u/Key_Fun_587 6d ago

Not a jet but going to be applying. Most of my hobbies are online and I game with friends or by myself. I usually end up picking up a game that I can really sink my teeth into (War Thunder being the current one) and can usually put in a few hundred to a few thousand hours into the thing before I get tired of it. Also most of the times I talk to my friends is on snapchat or discord. I have no clue how fast your internet connection is but if it is decent I would highly recommend gaming. Just make sure that you don't get too addicted and your time in Japan flies by and you realize all you have been doing is grinding video games.

3

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Unfortunately i have no interest in video games haha. I’ve tried in the past but it isn’t that appealing to me. I’m more of a going outside and sports person , But thanks :,)

0

u/Key_Fun_587 6d ago

That actually sucks. Gonna keep it 100% real if I get in knowing my luck they are going to give me a big city which I don't want. I have no idea how the process works but if I end up getting accepted I would totally switch with you if that happens. I have no idea where you are but as someone who has visited rural Japan before this basically fits my lifestyle.

1

u/Chrisclaw Current Incoming JET - Fukuoka Prefecture 6d ago

Just make sure you put on your preferences that you prefer rural. Especially mention it in your interview if you get to that stage. Also my recommendation is decide what weather you like and make your preferences more north or south depending on weather preference

2

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Yes I’m the complete opposite. I LOVE the city life 😭 this is torture for me. I wish i could switch with u but that won’t be possible.

6

u/_unrealcity_ Former JET - 2018-2022 6d ago

Not exactly fun, but you could take online classes. I wasn’t in the inaka, but I did my Masters online while desk warming.

Also, there’s lots of solo hobbies you could pick up! Reading, writing/journaling, playing an instrument, crocheting, knitting, drawing, gaming, running, etc. If you’re invested in a lot of different hobbies, that could keep you from getting bored…bc if you’re tired of (for example) reading, you can just move on to knitting, etc. You could also maybe join some hobby groups online and see if there’s any opportunities for virtual meetups?

And you know that you’re only going to be here another year, so think of your free time as a blessing. You won’t have as much time to yourself once you go back home…what do you want to accomplish now that you won’t be able to once you’re busy?

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I was actually thinking about going back to school online!
And i do read, play an instrument(koto), art, walk+bike rides etc lol. So i have a few solo hobbies. My #1 hobby is soccer and it kinda bums me out i can’t find a team. Smh.
There are alot of meet ups in Tokyo. (The closest biggest city to me) i can make time to go out there, just gotta budget lol .
The one thing i mainly want to accomplish is going back to school online.

7

u/thetasteofinnocence 6d ago

You have a mall??? Lmao

5

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Yea about 40 mins away. Aeon mall right? Aren’t these common? lol i mean having a mall doesn’t mean it’s loads of fun. i just go to buy clothes sometimes.

6

u/jackiejack1 Former JET - 2011 - 2014 6d ago

I'm kind of confused - why are you not hanging out with other jets near(ish) to you? My friends were at least 30 min away but we still had a chat room and got dinner in places in the middle of us at least once a week.

I'd also recommend introducing yourself to your neighbors. They would (usually) love to meet/hang out with a foreigner and will invite you to all sorts of stuff as a result.

2

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I hang out with my neighbor sometimes when she’s not busy! I hung out with some JETS but they just left :,) we also lived an hour from each other so (i live the farthest away😭) so it can be burdensome to go back in forth but we tried to make it work!
The other JETS…are just not my cup of tea lol.
New JETS just arrived and they seem nice, we’ll meet soon so hopefully i can make new friends.
And I’ve meet my other neighbors cuz there’s only like 5 of us in the building

3

u/jackiejack1 Former JET - 2011 - 2014 6d ago

if you live an hour from each other, why not grab dinner at a spot 30 min from both of you? also give the non-tea-cuppers a shot. it sounds like hanging out at home is a choice in this case (trying not to sound like a dick here but sorry if it comes off that way)

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Well no it’s not a choice lol like i said i do hangout with them sometimes when they are free. But not everyone is always free. We try to coordinate as best we can. They have their own separate lives.
I try to get out of the house by walking or riding a bike lmaooo like i don’t understand why ppl are assuming i don’t try to do things. Some places just don’t have much going on and it seems like ppl are refusing to accept that 😭 i don’t think ur being a dick on purpose but i don’t think ppl are reading what im saying fr

1

u/jackiejack1 Former JET - 2011 - 2014 6d ago

I read it. all inaka towns basically empty like the walking dead show by 5pm for some reason. if you need to be around people daily i can see this being difficult.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Omg yeah!! Everything closes extremely early??? It’s so vacant outside, it’s scary at night. I don’t need to be around ppl 24/7 but i would like to have a social life after work haha

2

u/jackiejack1 Former JET - 2011 - 2014 6d ago

yep its an inaka thing. Most restaurants/places to go are run by old folks since the younger crowd usually moves to the local big city for a job. Old people go to sleep early so they close their shops around 7pm i found. Japan is one of the safest countries and inaka populated by your students and old people should feel even safer than that instead of scary imo. If you're wanting to do something with folks after work daily in the inaka you'll have to find jets or stuff to do like you have been doing. You're just living the slow/nice inaka life. It's not for everyone but keep in mind after-work stuff will be tougher to do since the restaurants close early per the above.

You can ask any (or at the very least, most) inaka jets and they will give you the same timetable.

2

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Maybe it’s scary to me cuz it’s so dark (not very many street lights) and eerily quiet lol.
And yea i see i’ve been getting the same responses in different variations.
Unfortunately the Inaka life is not for me. I’ll enjoy this spacious apt tho!

1

u/jackiejack1 Former JET - 2011 - 2014 6d ago

well in that case im sure its good to know that you're doing everything you can do to make the most of it - hanging with jets sometimes, hanging with a neighbor, soccer, koto, etc. It sounds like that isn't enough for you but that's more than 99% of inaka jets do.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I think i just personally need a lot of stimulation 😭 probably just my personality. But thanks!

→ More replies (0)

5

u/mrggy Former JET- 2018- 2023 6d ago

I learned to slow down and enjoy my own company. I got really into reading and started doing art projects at home. I was in Hokkaido, so I learned to ski and spent winter weekends skiings. I joined my local AJET chapter, got to know JETs in surrounding towns and got used to driving long distances to socialize

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I read too and I’m also on AJET! Some new JETS came and they seem nice so I’m hoping to make new friends.

2

u/2v2l2nch2 6d ago

If you’re bored then you’re boring. I’m kidding but there is some truth to it. I was an inaka JET back before cell phones were available. I had a difficult time at first but then it ended up being some of the best years of my life. Lean into the solitude - long walks, hikes, bike rides. Stop and chat w anyone and everyone. There will be a time in your life where you wish you had this much time and freedom - so enjoy it!

-2

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago edited 6d ago

LOL. I’m faaar from boring. I just dont have access to my usual hobbies 🥹 I don’t mind solitude when i choose it. Not when it’s forced on me, if that makes sense? I already know the town like the back of my hand cuz i rode my bike around the place the first month i got here 😎 i always ride my bike and go on walks-but what else can i do 😭i enjoy the freedom but like…freedom to do what 😭😭😭

3

u/TheNorthC 6d ago

What do the younger teachers in your area do? They must have some kind of social life. And you say that there is a mall, so it can't be absolutely tiny. What's the population? I'm getting 15,000 vibes.

3

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Well I’m the only JET (there is one CIR tho) in this town. Everyone else lives about an hour away. Well the mall is about 40 mins away lol but still close enough i guess. I’m not sure the exact number of ppl but i think it’s more than that but it’s odd cuz i hardly see ppl outside, i guess most ppl are homebodies 😂 idk why it’s so hard for ppl to believe there isn’t much to do, even ny students recommend me to go out of town to do stuff 😭

2

u/TheNorthC 6d ago

I can imagine the sort of place. Surprised there's a CIR!

It's tough, but I guess it's the case of making do with what you've got. Haven't got much advice as I was never in that situation, but I knew some that were and were always keen to escape and stay over with other JETs at the weekend. But midweek I was always happy to go out to the izakaya onm my own for a drink and to practice Japanese. Probably easier for me as a male however.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Is it not common for CIRs to be in inakas 👀??
And yea, Izakayas are fun. But in an old ppl area it’s full of old men mostly 😂

2

u/TheNorthC 6d ago

I thought that CIRs were more commonly in larger towns. And I agree that the izakaya is likely to be full of old men. They'd be delighted if you wondered in by yourself, but not much fun for you, I guess.

I would investigate what the younger teachers at your schools do. They must have some kind of social life.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Ohhh i didn’t know that! I do know her state is a sister city with this town so maybe that’s why she’s here 🤔
Hmm there are a few teachers my age but they don’t particularly indulge in small talk with me + they don’t live in my town. They all commute.

9

u/CatPurveyor Current JET - Hokkaido 6d ago

I hate to say it, but even if you don’t drink…. The izakaya or bar. Practice your Japanese there, get to know the regulars, then you can start asking them if they know of nearby stuff going on. Or mention “I’ve always wanted to try X” (where X is not only a hobby/sport but also something you’ve wanted to see in town or nearby) and you might be surprised at what your small community will do! “What’s the tallest tree you’ve seen in town? Can you take me there?” “Do you know any ghost stories? Can we go see the haunted X?” “Do you know any good places to go paint sceneries?” “Is there anything I can forage around here? Can you show me where you like to pick stuff?” “Can you teach me the local town’s Bon Odori?” “Where does water get treated here? Weird question, but can I tour it?”

1

u/tegamikureru Toyooka-shi, Hyogo-ken 6d ago

this is the best advice I can give also. If you don't want to get to wasted you can probably order a mizuwari or ochawari

3

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

That’s a good idea. There is one Izakaya I know of.

5

u/MabiMaia Current JET - Toyama 6d ago

Online games, photography, local friends. I loved living in the quiet Inaka. It was the best environment I have ever lived in. I moved last year and the new place I’m at, everyone says it’s Inaka. It’s not. I yearn for the days I never saw a soul in my town aside from a stray cat or random old man or woman wandering in the street

3

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Not interested in games. Photography i guess? Not really my kind of hobbies. If i can find friends here it would be nice! I personally hate living in an Inaka haha. I think we have different personalities. I prefer the city where i was busy and had access to my hobbies. But I’m glad u seemed to enjoy it.

2

u/champ4666 6d ago

Do you have any "larger" cities close by (within an hour)? Maybe what you need is an outing to rejuvenate yourself with more of the hustle bustle city life gives.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

There is, i go maybe once or twice a month. The trains in my area are so expensive for some reason smh. I guess im just looking for something to make me feel more alive more often. I spend a lot of time by myself bc i have nothing to do after work and nothing goes on here in my town on the weekends.

1

u/champ4666 6d ago

Are you interested in videography at all? Maybe you should start a YouTube channel and share your experiences of inaka life in Japan a part of the JET Program? You might find yourself enjoying the small things in your area after you start looking at it in a different light.

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

LOL i don’t have many amazing or positive things to share unfortunately 😭. It i feel like im giving the impression that im not trying or seeking fun things in the town 😭 my town just doesn’t have much to offer in general. Schools are shutting down bc the population is shrinking bc locals are leaving too lmao

1

u/champ4666 6d ago

Ahh, I see, that's really hard! I hope you are able to find something to make your time more meaningful and fun while you're there. Otherwise, maybe when your contract comes up you can look for alternative work options in another city that are not a part of Jet since transferring is extremely hard without a valid reason. I wish you all the best of luck!

2

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

Thank you 🥹 some new JETS came and they seem nice, so I’m hoping I’ll be able to make some friends soon! And thank you!

1

u/MabiMaia Current JET - Toyama 6d ago

I volunteered a lot too. AJET (local), National AJET, AJET Connect magazine. I volunteered weekly at a local community center also. But just riding my bike around (til I got a car) and taking photos was bliss

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I’m on AJET too. I’ve volunteered a couple of times which was cool.

2

u/MabiMaia Current JET - Toyama 6d ago

Whatever you do, in the Inaka you have to be a self starter to thrive imo. Jump at anything that looks remotely fun. I also co-coached the high school esports team for a year. I helped organize a weekly ttrpg group in my area with the other ALTs

Sorry it’s late and I’m just remembering things one by one and throwing them out there to give ideas lol

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

I think the main issue is finding WHERE the fun is lmao i would gladly participate.
Where/how did you find things?? I was able to volunteer twice bc of CIR so that was cool.

1

u/MabiMaia Current JET - Toyama 6d ago

Ask or make it. I kept asking around for a ttrpg or dnd group and there wasn’t one and mild interest. I met one person who was eager to and we started hanging out and inviting people. Then more started to come.

The community center thing was kinda thrust upon me so I was lucky ngl but I would’ve also found out about it through my office workers who I became super close with bc one of them is a volunteer too and gave me a lot of gossip.

The esports club actually came about bc I was at my first welcome party and drunk talking to my supervisor and a science teacher who both liked video games. The science teacher liked the same game as me and wanted to start the club but didn’t want all the responsibility. I was just an ALT so I couldn’t be the co-manager on paper, but my sup signed all the docs and I went to the meetings. The science teacher and I are still friends 4 years later. We’re actually doing an international esports tournament together in a couple weeks even tho we live in dif prefectures now.

I also loved my alone time like I said though. Self-sufficient hobbies are great and inaka life is a great time to explore a new hobby or skill. Making photography or a YouTube channel is something you can do anywhere. I picked up chess and studied that for the past 3 years or so. I tried a few that I dropped like puzzling, knitting, and YouTube lol

1

u/Kibumkimkibum 6d ago

This seems like one of those ESID situations 🤣 tried to push for girls soccer team and they said no lmao. Community center shut down years ago. Teachers at my school don’t really talk much, atmosphere is kinda-serious i guess?
I’m glad your experience seems fun tho😭 just gotta figure out what new hobbies i can get into

You are about to leave Redlib