Konnichiwa! (it was inevitable I would use that at some point) and welcome to the forth edition of Nihon Go!. The previous three editions have focused upon certain gaming-related places and experiences from my trip East but this week I shall be talking about wider issues and shall be answering some questions that have been asked.

Funebre asked how vital knowing the Japanese language is if visiting Japan. This was discussed in the comments but just to add some of my own insights and to round up the discussion for those who did not read the comments from last week.

Without a doubt, and unsurprisingly, the big cities will be the easiest to get around in if you speak little or no Japanese. Tokyo was full of Romanised signs and random bits of English dotted around so navigating the public transport system was fairly easy. Menus are often accompanied by pictures, and some restaurants also offer English menus ("eigo no menyu wa arimasu ka" means "Is there an English menu?") although you may have to ask for them as it may not be something they advertise. If you are vegetarian or have any other special dietary needs then it may be best to carry around a piece of paper around with the names and Kanji of what you can't eat and try and communicate that you can't eat those ("iie" means no so saying that and pointing or crossing your arms in a 'X' manner). However the staff, particularly in big tourist cities, often try their best to assist you or find someone that can speak English. In regards to ordering food the expression "kore wa onegaishimasu" tended to work well for myself. It roughly means "this one please" so simply use it when pointing to a menu.

You will find that most people will really try and help you if you need it. If they can't speak English ("eigo wa wakarimasu ka?" means "do you understand English?") they will normally try and find a colleague who does, or do their best to ensure you can communicate. Similarly if you need help from someone on the street they will usually try and help (providing you're not clearly disrupting them, don't try and stop some salarymen at 8am). When I got lost in Hiroshima trying to find my hostel I approached what must have been a young-looking grandmother and her daughter and young granddaughter and politely said "sumimasen" ("excuse me") and then pointed to where I wanted to go and said "onegaishimasu". They were very lively and dedicated to helping me, even roping in a friend who happened to drive by and it eventually turned into a whole family affair as they tried to ensure they pointed me in the right direction.

Who likes short shorts?
More images available in the gallery

You can get by in Japan without knowing any Japanese, but its not the real experience. The more you know (both speaking and reading/writing) the 'deeper' your experience of Japan will be. However I think it is important to learn the basics (just stuff like "please", "thank you", "excuse me" etc) because it acts as a sign of respect. Japanese people will often try and accommodate you and I think its common courtesy to do the same, particularly as you are in their country. There were numerous times when I would purchase something and the cashier would say "thank you" to me and I would reply with "arigato gozaimasu" ("thank you very much") and then they would repeat that. It just shows a mutual effort to try and accommodate each other which I think is important.

This was in fact the only question that was raised last week, although as can be seen a very important one, but once again if people have any more questions, no matter how weird or wonderful, feel free to ask them. I shall now briefly discuss the question raised on the minibox (which was requested some weeks ago before this particular issue was really set in stone, and the graphics team member is currently away); is Japan worth the buzz?

I often hear people speak about Japan as some form of utopia, and perhaps I shouldn't be surprised considering this is a gaming site. However I think there is a danger that some people look at the country blindly as a place of perfection. I'm not saying Japan is a troubled country we should all avoid, far from it I enjoyed my time there, but it is defiantly a place where you can easily feel out of place. Nobody will say anything as it is a very polite and respectful culture but its inevitable you shall feel out of place after a while. One aspect I wasn't so fond of was the smoking. Perhaps its just because we've been smoke free in restaurants and pubs for over a year or two now (I forget exactly when the ban came into play) but on my first night there I went into a restaurant and soon found myself amongst smokers which was quite a culture shock. Furthermore, on trains there were smoking carriages (although when booking tickets you are asked if you want to be in a smoking carriage). Perhaps this wouldn't be such an issue for a smoker, but for a non-smoker it was quite jarring. Overall I think its just a personal pet peeve and I doubt I'll ever change Japan fanboys and girls opinions, but like any country it has its ups and downs. For instance, I did feel safe there even wondering through the streets of Tokyo by myself, but while I was there it was the one year anniversary of the Akihabara stabbing.

Arigato gozaimasu for reading and as I mentioned earlier I am open to any questions. Next week will be the last week, unless there is popular demand, and I shall be giving you hints and tips if you are planning a trip to Japan. Apologies for the smaller images this week but iPhoto automatically shrinks them and I'm too lazy to find my hard drive. I promise to upload better ones next week.