The other day I was riding to work in the women's-only car, and a man got in. He was running in at the last second, relieved to make it onto the train before the doors closed. It took him about half a second to realise: 'oh...' and his shoulders sagged.
He turned to face the door. There was a notice on the door explaining that this was a women's-only car during peak hours. The man made a point of reading this sign, following the words with his finger. The car was such a packed mass of women that he had no chance to make his way through to the next car without attracting more attention.
I felt bad for the poor guy. Next stop and he was out and across the platform like a hare.
A lot of trains have certain cars designated 'women's-only' during peak hours. They say this is to deal with unwanted pervy attention from gropers. I don't know that intentional groping is really the big issue; I think it's more just a matter of making both sexes feel more comfortable. Men don't have to deal with the awkward 'aaagh, where do I put my hands' and accusing looks, women don't have to travel to work pressed against the body of some random businessman. These trains do get very crowded.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Toilets
One of the exciting things about coming to Japan is the toilets.
Well, okay, there are an awful lot of squalid and smelly 'squat' toilets, which inspire considerably less joy. But Japan is also the home of the Washlet, an all-singing, all-dancing toilet with heated seat...
Anyway, I'm blathering. Basically, toilets in Japan come in three kinds: squat toilets, normal toilets, and high-tech electronic toilets with control panels. The most basic of these latter come with some kind of bidet. The sophisticated ones have more buttons than the Apollo 11.
A fairly typical design might have four main buttons - 'stop', 'bum', 'bidet' and 'fake flushing sound', to mask the sound of your shame. There will also be buttons to increase the water pressure from 'weak' (='bracing') to 'strong' (='enema').
Useful toilet kanji:
止 = stop (you should identify this BEFORE pressing any other button)
弱 = weak
強 = strong
Other key buttons should be illustrated with handy pictures. ^_^
Other toilet functions I've encountered include being able to select the position of the bidet nozzles, massage seats and other buttons I've never dared press. Fully utilising some of these toilets could become a kind of ongoing hobby.
One other funky function of many toilets is their 'no touch', 'eco' system where a sensor detects that you've gotten up, and flushes the toilet automatically. What this invariably means is the toilet will flush about three seconds before you're ready, forcing you to wait and then flush it again. It may even flush multiple times before you're ready. And it really gets going if you're just going into the cubicle to change your clothes. I don't quite understand how that makes the toilet 'eco'.
The alternative is that the sensor doesn't detect anything at all. The absence of a touch button robs you of any power to do anything but walk back and forth between door and toilet, sitting down and standing up again, hoping something you do will trigger it.
Well, okay, there are an awful lot of squalid and smelly 'squat' toilets, which inspire considerably less joy. But Japan is also the home of the Washlet, an all-singing, all-dancing toilet with heated seat...
A standard model
Anyway, I'm blathering. Basically, toilets in Japan come in three kinds: squat toilets, normal toilets, and high-tech electronic toilets with control panels. The most basic of these latter come with some kind of bidet. The sophisticated ones have more buttons than the Apollo 11.
A fairly typical design might have four main buttons - 'stop', 'bum', 'bidet' and 'fake flushing sound', to mask the sound of your shame. There will also be buttons to increase the water pressure from 'weak' (='bracing') to 'strong' (='enema').
Useful toilet kanji:
止 = stop (you should identify this BEFORE pressing any other button)
弱 = weak
強 = strong
This is my own toilet!! In my own apartment! Isn't it exciting!!
Other key buttons should be illustrated with handy pictures. ^_^
Other toilet functions I've encountered include being able to select the position of the bidet nozzles, massage seats and other buttons I've never dared press. Fully utilising some of these toilets could become a kind of ongoing hobby.
One other funky function of many toilets is their 'no touch', 'eco' system where a sensor detects that you've gotten up, and flushes the toilet automatically. What this invariably means is the toilet will flush about three seconds before you're ready, forcing you to wait and then flush it again. It may even flush multiple times before you're ready. And it really gets going if you're just going into the cubicle to change your clothes. I don't quite understand how that makes the toilet 'eco'.
The alternative is that the sensor doesn't detect anything at all. The absence of a touch button robs you of any power to do anything but walk back and forth between door and toilet, sitting down and standing up again, hoping something you do will trigger it.
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Taking trains
If you live in a Japanese city you will soon become familiar with trains as a mode of transport. Of course you can also take buses, but buses mostly run within fairly local areas; they're good for taking you to areas not near stations, but they aren't a good way to cross a city.
1. Check the map and fare
If you're coming to Japan for the first time, one of the first things I recommend doing is picking up a metro map from the airport or a major train station.
Be aware that Tokyo, and Yokohama, have more than one railway company. You have JR (Japan Rail), which operates trains all over the country; they also have lots of stations throughout Tokyo and Kanagawa prefecture. Many cities also have their own subway, like the Yokohama City Subway, and the Tokyo metro. So if you pick up a Tokyo metro map, it may not have all the JR stations on it; likewise, a JR map may not have subway stations on it. Also, if you have a special pass that allows you unlimited use of a particular line - JR or metro or whatever - you probably won't be able to use it on other lines.
How to ride a train
1. Check the map and fare
It shouldn't be too hard. Let's imagine you're at Yokohama station and using JR. You go to the ticket machines and there is a big JR map above them, showing the different stations and the fee for each. (Occasionally at less important stations, this map will be all in kanji, and you're screwed. Hahaha...)
You see that it will cost you 450 yen and that either the Tokaido line or Keihin-Tohoku lines will take you there. The Tokaido line has considerably fewer stops between Yokohama and Tokyo, so it will obviously be faster (though they run less frequently and there may then be less opportunity of getting a seat).
2. Buy a ticket and check the route
Now you know the fare, you can put your 450 yen in the ticket machine and buy a ticket.
If you do not have a map or a clue where you're going, you will want to check the map to see some of the other stations in the direction you want to go. Once you get in the station, it's more difficult to find full railway line maps (though they are inside the trains themselves), and if you're going to a smaller station, it might not be immediately obviously which direction train you should take, since most trains and platforms are labelled with two or three main stations in that direction, eg 'for Kawasaki, Shinagawa, Omiya' or 'for Kannai, Ofuna'.
(If you use trains regularly, you might want to buy a card like Suica or Pasmo. That way, rather than buying a ticket every time you go to a station, you can put credit on the card and swipe it over the card reader on ticket gates. These can also be used in selected vending machines, buses and stores bearing the Suica/Pasmo logos.
If you plan a lot of travel in one day, day pass tickets are also possible.)
3. Go to your platform and check the type of train
Then put the ticket in the ticket gate - take it as you go through - and now you can go to your platform. Check the signs for your platform and destination. Sometimes, as with the Tokaido line, one train line will have more than one platform, and occasionally, one platform may have more than one train line (or lines that change their name after a particular station).
Once you're on the platform, you can find maps of the line you are on. You might have to walk up and down the platform to find one, but they do exist. These maps should also show the route of the local trains (stop at every station), rapid trains (stop at some stations), limited express trains (stop at major stations), etc. This is important as if you're not going to a major station, the rapid/limited express trains may not stop there.
One other point is that some kinds of trains, including some limited express trains, require reserved seating and therefore an extra fee. If this is the case there will usually be a ticket machine on the platform itself. The Tokaido line has regular trains with 'green cars' for those wanting the comfort of a guaranteed seat; these green cars require a reserved seat and extra fee, but you can ride on a regular car for no extra fee.
4. Changing train lines
If you have to change train lines, it's not too difficult. Unless you're changing to a different railway (eg, JR to Keikyu, Yokohama Subway to JR), you shouldn't need a new ticket or to exit through any gates, but can change within the station on the same ticket you originally purchased.
5. Getting out
Once you get out, put your ticket in the machine again, and the machine will eat it.
Incidentally, you can enter a station on the cheapest possible ticket, and then travel anywhere you like. If you've gone further than the price of your ticket - eg, you changed your mind and went further than you expected - the gates won't let you out until you've paid the balance. But you can easily pay on exit. There are 'fare adjustment machines' inside train stations, in which you can top up your ticket (or Suica/Pasmo) so you can get out.
Train times
First trains usually start running at or after 5am. Last trains are often around midnight, maybe as late as 1am. It depends where you're taking it from. A station near the end of the line will obviously have a later 'last train' than one near the beginning. Also, some last trains don't go all the way to the end of the line. And if you're changing trains, you gotta be aware of the time of your last last train! I speak from experience. Taxis are expensive in Japan, and if you get stranded too far from your station, you might end up sleeping in an Internet cafe or doing all-night karaoke (again, I speak from experience ^_^).
In short
I made taking trains sound more complex than it is. Actually, taking trains in Japan is *usually* quite simple, provided you know where you are going and what lines to take. Again, I strongly advise getting a map, or at least checking carefully where you're going before entering the station. And make sure what kind of train you are getting on, whether it's a local or rapid...
Links
You see that it will cost you 450 yen and that either the Tokaido line or Keihin-Tohoku lines will take you there. The Tokaido line has considerably fewer stops between Yokohama and Tokyo, so it will obviously be faster (though they run less frequently and there may then be less opportunity of getting a seat).
2. Buy a ticket and check the route
If you do not have a map or a clue where you're going, you will want to check the map to see some of the other stations in the direction you want to go. Once you get in the station, it's more difficult to find full railway line maps (though they are inside the trains themselves), and if you're going to a smaller station, it might not be immediately obviously which direction train you should take, since most trains and platforms are labelled with two or three main stations in that direction, eg 'for Kawasaki, Shinagawa, Omiya' or 'for Kannai, Ofuna'.
(If you use trains regularly, you might want to buy a card like Suica or Pasmo. That way, rather than buying a ticket every time you go to a station, you can put credit on the card and swipe it over the card reader on ticket gates. These can also be used in selected vending machines, buses and stores bearing the Suica/Pasmo logos.
If you plan a lot of travel in one day, day pass tickets are also possible.)
3. Go to your platform and check the type of train
Then put the ticket in the ticket gate - take it as you go through - and now you can go to your platform. Check the signs for your platform and destination. Sometimes, as with the Tokaido line, one train line will have more than one platform, and occasionally, one platform may have more than one train line (or lines that change their name after a particular station).
Once you're on the platform, you can find maps of the line you are on. You might have to walk up and down the platform to find one, but they do exist. These maps should also show the route of the local trains (stop at every station), rapid trains (stop at some stations), limited express trains (stop at major stations), etc. This is important as if you're not going to a major station, the rapid/limited express trains may not stop there.
One other point is that some kinds of trains, including some limited express trains, require reserved seating and therefore an extra fee. If this is the case there will usually be a ticket machine on the platform itself. The Tokaido line has regular trains with 'green cars' for those wanting the comfort of a guaranteed seat; these green cars require a reserved seat and extra fee, but you can ride on a regular car for no extra fee.
4. Changing train lines
If you have to change train lines, it's not too difficult. Unless you're changing to a different railway (eg, JR to Keikyu, Yokohama Subway to JR), you shouldn't need a new ticket or to exit through any gates, but can change within the station on the same ticket you originally purchased.
5. Getting out
Once you get out, put your ticket in the machine again, and the machine will eat it.
Incidentally, you can enter a station on the cheapest possible ticket, and then travel anywhere you like. If you've gone further than the price of your ticket - eg, you changed your mind and went further than you expected - the gates won't let you out until you've paid the balance. But you can easily pay on exit. There are 'fare adjustment machines' inside train stations, in which you can top up your ticket (or Suica/Pasmo) so you can get out.
Train times
First trains usually start running at or after 5am. Last trains are often around midnight, maybe as late as 1am. It depends where you're taking it from. A station near the end of the line will obviously have a later 'last train' than one near the beginning. Also, some last trains don't go all the way to the end of the line. And if you're changing trains, you gotta be aware of the time of your last last train! I speak from experience. Taxis are expensive in Japan, and if you get stranded too far from your station, you might end up sleeping in an Internet cafe or doing all-night karaoke (again, I speak from experience ^_^).
In short
I made taking trains sound more complex than it is. Actually, taking trains in Japan is *usually* quite simple, provided you know where you are going and what lines to take. Again, I strongly advise getting a map, or at least checking carefully where you're going before entering the station. And make sure what kind of train you are getting on, whether it's a local or rapid...
Links
I've plugged these site a couple of times before, but check out Hyperdia, through which you can plug in any two station names in the country and it will give you the possible routes, cost and travel times between them.
Japan-Guide also has a good section on transportation, for example, Transportation in Tokyo.
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Japanese Pet Peeve: Feeling the sun on your skin... or not
I went on a Japanese cruise ship, and one thing I noticed was that very few of the Japanese passengers actually used the swimming pool. When I asked them why, their answers were either 'I'm too shy', or 'I don't want to get the sun on my skin'.
If you live in Japan, you will notice that even in warm weather, many ladies will wear long sleeves that cover their skin. Some also carry umbrellas, even if they are only walking a couple of blocks in the sunshine.
In Japan, white skin is the beauty ideal, rather than tans (although this is less true for men). So I'm not sure whether the sun safety ideal is a result of health concerns about UV and skin cancer, or a desire to prevent cosmetic effects like a tan, freckles or wrinkles.
I currently work at a university. The weather has been gorgeous all week - about 26 and sunny every day - but one thing I've noticed is that, in striking contrast with Australian universities (and Australian *anywhere*, really), nobody was sitting outside. There is outdoor seating available, it's just that I'm always the only one enjoying it. I brought this up with my students and they agreed they didn't sit outside. Why? 'The UV,' they said.
Coming from the Land of Skin Cancer, Australia, I appreciate that this is very sensible, and much better than the opposite extreme of lying in full sun for hours to get a tan. However, I feel like we should enjoy nice weather when it comes up. That's why it's a pet peeve of mine - it feels like overcautiousness to me - especially when you feel you can't walk outside with your skin exposed to the sun for even one minute. Or swim in a pool on a 35 degree day (why not put on sunscreen? And lie in the shade after you've finished swimming?) My culture has instilled in me a sense that when the weather is nice, you should be out there enjoying it.
The other day it was cloudy, with no sunshine, but it certainly wasn't raining. We went down to a river in the countryside. A lady was clambering over the rocks while holding an umbrella aloft. To protect her from the non-existent sun. For some reason, I found this sight depressing.
If you live in Japan, you will notice that even in warm weather, many ladies will wear long sleeves that cover their skin. Some also carry umbrellas, even if they are only walking a couple of blocks in the sunshine.
In Japan, white skin is the beauty ideal, rather than tans (although this is less true for men). So I'm not sure whether the sun safety ideal is a result of health concerns about UV and skin cancer, or a desire to prevent cosmetic effects like a tan, freckles or wrinkles.
I currently work at a university. The weather has been gorgeous all week - about 26 and sunny every day - but one thing I've noticed is that, in striking contrast with Australian universities (and Australian *anywhere*, really), nobody was sitting outside. There is outdoor seating available, it's just that I'm always the only one enjoying it. I brought this up with my students and they agreed they didn't sit outside. Why? 'The UV,' they said.
Coming from the Land of Skin Cancer, Australia, I appreciate that this is very sensible, and much better than the opposite extreme of lying in full sun for hours to get a tan. However, I feel like we should enjoy nice weather when it comes up. That's why it's a pet peeve of mine - it feels like overcautiousness to me - especially when you feel you can't walk outside with your skin exposed to the sun for even one minute. Or swim in a pool on a 35 degree day (why not put on sunscreen? And lie in the shade after you've finished swimming?) My culture has instilled in me a sense that when the weather is nice, you should be out there enjoying it.
The other day it was cloudy, with no sunshine, but it certainly wasn't raining. We went down to a river in the countryside. A lady was clambering over the rocks while holding an umbrella aloft. To protect her from the non-existent sun. For some reason, I found this sight depressing.
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Impressions of Nagoya
I've been in Nagoya for a little while now, so what's it like?
Okay, Nagoya is in central Japan, between Yokohama and Kyoto (but closer to Kyoto). It's the fourth-largest city in Japan; at around 2.2 million people, it's smack between the populations of Yokohama (3.6 million) and Kawasaki (1.3 million).
Since Nagoya is a reasonably large city, I expected it to be bustling and lively. I knew it wasn't a major tourist draw, so I wasn't expecting many sights to see, but I thought the vibe would be similar to other Japanese cities I've visited, which includes masses of cool little streets full of shops, restaurants, businesses, bars and people.
Instead, I found the city to be pretty boring. Last weekend I was walking around Nagoya station thinking 'this is the main station?! Where are all the shops? Where are the restaurants? Where are the people?!' I walked around the station in every direction; all I found were a smattering of shops and one (admittedly large) department store. There may well be more but they weren't very visible.
Instead, I found the city to be pretty boring. Last weekend I was walking around Nagoya station thinking 'this is the main station?! Where are all the shops? Where are the restaurants? Where are the people?!' I walked around the station in every direction; all I found were a smattering of shops and one (admittedly large) department store. There may well be more but they weren't very visible.
This is, like, one street back from Nagoya station. Look at it!!
Any time I ask someone 'where should I go in Nagoya?' or 'where are all the shops?', people say, 'Sakae'. If I listen to friends and students, it seems Sakae is the only place people go to hang out. And Sakae is somewhat livelier, with more places to hang out.
Another thing that struck me - I suppose because food is such a priority for me ^^; - is that 90% of all Nagoya restaurants seem to be noodles-in-broth restaurants (ramen, soba, udon), or katsu or curry rice. I mean, I like these things, but not all the time.
My impression also is that Nagoya is a more car-oriented city than Yokohama, Kawasaki or Tokyo. In those three cities, restaurants, shops and businesses tend to cluster around train stations, which become hubs of energy. Even quite small and insignificant stations would have several shops and restaurants immediately around it. In Nagoya, while this is still the case, it's to a lesser extent. Things seems to be a lot more spread out, where you have to consciously make a trip to a specific store to get what you want, or research what kind of place you want to visit before you can go there. I find it a bit frustrating, because I was used to going somewhere and being able to just wander around and find lots of cool stuff serendipitously.
But I must admit, in this regard, Nagoya is more like my own hometown in Australia.
Nagoya is known as an industrial city, and there are a lot of factories. I drove from one side of the city to the other, and the city itself looked like a lot of electrical wiring and construction work, though I suppose that's the same in other Japanese cities.
On the plus side, despite the industrialisation and power lines, it does somehow feel more spacious. My own neighborhood in Nagoya feels like it has some greenery, gardens and proper houses, not just apartment blocks and concrete. When it rains it smells fresh. And that is a boon.
Oh, another interesting (albeit random) thing is that supermarkets here don't give you plastic bags, but you are expected to bring your own bags from home. I've talked before about how much excessive packaging most Japanese food stores give you, so this really surprised me. Good for the environment. ^_^
But I must admit, in this regard, Nagoya is more like my own hometown in Australia.
Nagoya is known as an industrial city, and there are a lot of factories. I drove from one side of the city to the other, and the city itself looked like a lot of electrical wiring and construction work, though I suppose that's the same in other Japanese cities.
On the plus side, despite the industrialisation and power lines, it does somehow feel more spacious. My own neighborhood in Nagoya feels like it has some greenery, gardens and proper houses, not just apartment blocks and concrete. When it rains it smells fresh. And that is a boon.
Oh, another interesting (albeit random) thing is that supermarkets here don't give you plastic bags, but you are expected to bring your own bags from home. I've talked before about how much excessive packaging most Japanese food stores give you, so this really surprised me. Good for the environment. ^_^
Anyway, these may or may not be accurate impressions; I've not been here long, after all. I wouldn't really recommend Nagoya to visit, but already I like it better than when I first arrived, as I've gotten to know people and had some good times with them. I suppose in the end, your feelings toward a place are a collection of memories; good times can transform even an uninspiring place into a fond recollection.
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Peace Boat (continued)
Before I continue with my glowing report from the previous post, I should probably mention a few potential challenges.
One downside was that sometimes there were events that sounded fun but which I didn't have the Japanese skills to really appreciate. The ship does have a group of great, super hard-working volunteer interpreters. However, they could not cover the vast number of events on the ship, so there were some events I felt I couldn't fully appreciate. Also, it is nice to sometimes get things 'first hand' rather than through an interpreter.
A second problem is seasickness. This really wasn't such a big issue as I feared. I have been quite badly seasick on small boats, so I had a mental image of spending the entire journey prostrate on the floor. However, it wasn't like that; although a lot of people got seasick once or twice on the voyage, it wasn't for very long, and the seasickness pills were effective. Small boats are worse! After seeing so many movies like 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Forrest Gump' and others with dramatic, swelling waves and boats pitching madly, it was a relief to find that mostly, ships travel nice and smoothly!
A third potential problem is that journeys are quite long - at least 80 days, and often over 100 - so it can be a long time to be in the same environment, with the same people. Generally, there was so much going on, especially working as a teacher, that I didn't find it claustrophobic. Perhaps towards the very end, the last long stretch at sea, I started to look forward to getting back to dry land.
There was 'so much going on'? Let me explain more.
You should be aware that this is not a luxury cruise. As a result, the facilities are not super deluxe; also, they don't have a lot of professional performers, no casinos, etc. However, what they do have is, in my opinion, great, and makes for a real sense of community. It's a system whereby every passenger on the ship is a potential event organiser. Anyone on the ship can book a public space and hold their own events. This is *massive*; I mean some days there are over 60 individual events. There's a daily 'newspaper' with all the events for the day.
Events could include anything from hula dancing classes, photo workshops, playing the harmonica, watching a documentary about the environment, learning Spanish, meeting up for drinks with other people your age or from your hometown, making posters for peace, playing board games, a reggae night...
Events could include anything from hula dancing classes, photo workshops, playing the harmonica, watching a documentary about the environment, learning Spanish, meeting up for drinks with other people your age or from your hometown, making posters for peace, playing board games, a reggae night...
There are also many, many random, weird and fun events. If you ride the ship, you'll also have the chance to take on leadership roles and help organise things if you want to do that.
In addition to these events run by passengers, there are also bigger events organised by Peace Boat itself. These include lectures and events by guest educators onboard the ship, as well as larger parties and themed nights, festivals and much more.
Of course, as a passenger you can kind of control your own pace; some people get involved in loads of events and volunteering opportunities; others do very little and just lounge around reading. As a volunteer teacher or interpreter you will naturally get involved in a variety of random things just as part of your job.
Here are a few of my personal highlights from the trip.
Highlights
Monday, 20 September 2010
Peace Boat
Peace Boat is an NGO that does various peace activities, mostly using a ship that sails around the world. The ship's global voyages start and end in Yokohama, and visit various ports in several continents. On board and in ports they do activities to encourage passengers to learn more about global issues, meet local people, volunteer and assist development projects. That said, there are also plenty of people who just take the journey for the pleasure of a trip around the world.
I was lucky enough to go on Peace Boat myself and travelled around the world for more than three months. I have to say, it was a truly great experience. It's possible to ride Peace Boat for free as a volunteer English teacher or interpreter. I think this opportunity is not well-known.
One thing to consider if you'd like to go on as a teacher or interpreter is that it *is* a job; you will often be busy; it's not just a free holiday. People with an interest in global issues or volunteering experience will be well regarded, and it's good to be a proactive person, willing to participate and volunteer for various tasks. One nice thing about being a volunteer is that from the word go, you are in a team with other nice, like-minded people, and you'll (hopefully) form a close friendship and have some built-in travel buddies. ^_^
If you go as a regular passenger, I'd say the more Japanese you already have, the easier you would find it to be part of ship life. The environment is fairly Japanese, and most of the passengers are Japanese. However, many lectures and main events are interpreted into English, and there are always lots of Japanese people on board who are studying English at various stages and would be pleased to make friends with you.
I think this would be a great environment to study Japanese. You can take a Japanese course on this ship (as well as English or Spanish). I believe they're currently trying to encourage more international participants, and I think it would be great to see more internationalisation of the ship.
It's also possible to ride Peace Boat for part of the voyage.
More thoughts in my next post.
If you're interested in learning more, check out Peace Boat's English site.
I was lucky enough to go on Peace Boat myself and travelled around the world for more than three months. I have to say, it was a truly great experience. It's possible to ride Peace Boat for free as a volunteer English teacher or interpreter. I think this opportunity is not well-known.
One thing to consider if you'd like to go on as a teacher or interpreter is that it *is* a job; you will often be busy; it's not just a free holiday. People with an interest in global issues or volunteering experience will be well regarded, and it's good to be a proactive person, willing to participate and volunteer for various tasks. One nice thing about being a volunteer is that from the word go, you are in a team with other nice, like-minded people, and you'll (hopefully) form a close friendship and have some built-in travel buddies. ^_^
If you go as a regular passenger, I'd say the more Japanese you already have, the easier you would find it to be part of ship life. The environment is fairly Japanese, and most of the passengers are Japanese. However, many lectures and main events are interpreted into English, and there are always lots of Japanese people on board who are studying English at various stages and would be pleased to make friends with you.
I think this would be a great environment to study Japanese. You can take a Japanese course on this ship (as well as English or Spanish). I believe they're currently trying to encourage more international participants, and I think it would be great to see more internationalisation of the ship.
It's also possible to ride Peace Boat for part of the voyage.
More thoughts in my next post.
If you're interested in learning more, check out Peace Boat's English site.
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