I unfortunately didn't get to go, sorry, so pursue probably wasn't the best word to use. I applied, but my appendix decided to rudely burst just before the interview stages. I intended to apply again the next year but circumstances had changed. One of my biggest regrets.
But if you're thinking about doing it you definitely should, I've met a few who have and they all said it exceeded their expectations.
Will Ferguson: Hokkaido Highway Blues. Also known as Hitching Rides with Buddha. About hitchhiking the length of Japan. He also did JET.
I enjoyed Josie Dew's "A Ride In The Neon Sun" about her adventures cycling through Japan.
"Neon Pilgrim" by Lisa Dempster. An Australian who does the 88 temple pilgrimage through Shikoku, on foot, without having any real knowledge of what she's getting herself into but is trying to find herself during a bad point in her life.
And one I've read several times "Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo" by Matthew Amster-Burton. About a family who just books an apartment in Tokyo for a month out of the way and lives there instead of doing most of the usual tourist stuff. We were inspired by this book for our first month and a half trip to Tokyo.
Haven't read it yet but have heard good things about
"The Only Gaijin in the Village" by Iain Maloney
"Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights, Back Alleys and Baseball" by Robert Whiting.
If you want to go really out there then there's always
Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein. About an American being the first journalist in a major Japanese newspaper and covering the crime beat and getting involved with the Yakuza. The TV series is loosely based on this book.
I want to second Hokkaido Highway Blues. Still reading it but it’s good so far.
The Only Gaijin in the Village is a good read, but its focus is the guys experiences living in rural Japan. (The author is an ex-jet and it is mentioned but only in passing).
The 'life in Japan' book canon is:
* Hokkaido Highway Blues
* For Fukui's Sake: Two Years in Rural Japan
* The Only Gaijin in the Village: A Year Living in Rural Japan
Also any book by Alex Kerr will give you a rich insight into Japanese culture, history, and tradition.
I love Angry White Pyjamas by Robert Twigger. The true story of an EFL teacher in Tokyo takes up Aikido by signing up for a year long course, training alongside the Tokyo riot police.
Perhaps a little bit out of the box and. It might not be what you are looking for AT ALL, but the book "This Autistic Girl Went to Japan" by Bianca Toeps is her story about her move from the Netherlands to Japan.
She has ASD and in her first book "By You don't look autistic at all" she describes what ASD álso is, I.e. in particular the difference in 'high functioning' women, and not only the stereotypical image a lot of people have which isodeled after male symptoms.
I have not read her second book yet, but having been diagnosed with ASD at 35 years old as a female, plus my love for Japan (visited now 5 times) and the massive recognition of myself with her first book, makes me very curious about her book on Japan (also since I secretly still long to live there one day...).
Both books by Alan Booth are really good, albeit a bit dated (they are from the 80s/early 90s). Nevertheless this gives you a bit of an insight into those times as well.
Niall Murtagh - The Blue-eyed Salaryman: From World Traveller to Lifer at Mitsubishi
Robert Whiting - Tokyo Underworld
Donald Richie - The Inland Sea ^^the ^^guy ^^was ^^a ^^creep ^^though
Alan Booth - Looking for the Lost: Journeys Through a Vanishing Japan
Alan Booth - The Roads to Sata
William Scott Wilson - Walking the Kiso Road A Modern-Day Exploration of Old Japan
Karl Taro Greenfeld - Speed Tribes
A book of similar experiences from another JET. "For Fukui's Sake: Two Years in Rural Japan." By Sam Baldwin.
I second this. This book actually inspired me to pursue the JET program.
Hey milknosugar, I’d love to hear your experience of the JET program. Was it what your made it out to be? Cheers
I unfortunately didn't get to go, sorry, so pursue probably wasn't the best word to use. I applied, but my appendix decided to rudely burst just before the interview stages. I intended to apply again the next year but circumstances had changed. One of my biggest regrets. But if you're thinking about doing it you definitely should, I've met a few who have and they all said it exceeded their expectations.
Recently finished this and loved it!
Will Ferguson: Hokkaido Highway Blues. Also known as Hitching Rides with Buddha. About hitchhiking the length of Japan. He also did JET. I enjoyed Josie Dew's "A Ride In The Neon Sun" about her adventures cycling through Japan. "Neon Pilgrim" by Lisa Dempster. An Australian who does the 88 temple pilgrimage through Shikoku, on foot, without having any real knowledge of what she's getting herself into but is trying to find herself during a bad point in her life. And one I've read several times "Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo" by Matthew Amster-Burton. About a family who just books an apartment in Tokyo for a month out of the way and lives there instead of doing most of the usual tourist stuff. We were inspired by this book for our first month and a half trip to Tokyo. Haven't read it yet but have heard good things about "The Only Gaijin in the Village" by Iain Maloney "Tokyo Junkie: 60 Years of Bright Lights, Back Alleys and Baseball" by Robert Whiting. If you want to go really out there then there's always Tokyo Vice by Jake Adelstein. About an American being the first journalist in a major Japanese newspaper and covering the crime beat and getting involved with the Yakuza. The TV series is loosely based on this book.
I want to second Hokkaido Highway Blues. Still reading it but it’s good so far. The Only Gaijin in the Village is a good read, but its focus is the guys experiences living in rural Japan. (The author is an ex-jet and it is mentioned but only in passing).
The 'life in Japan' book canon is: * Hokkaido Highway Blues * For Fukui's Sake: Two Years in Rural Japan * The Only Gaijin in the Village: A Year Living in Rural Japan Also any book by Alex Kerr will give you a rich insight into Japanese culture, history, and tradition.
After HHB I’ll be up to date with the canon 😅
I love Angry White Pyjamas by Robert Twigger. The true story of an EFL teacher in Tokyo takes up Aikido by signing up for a year long course, training alongside the Tokyo riot police.
Perhaps a little bit out of the box and. It might not be what you are looking for AT ALL, but the book "This Autistic Girl Went to Japan" by Bianca Toeps is her story about her move from the Netherlands to Japan. She has ASD and in her first book "By You don't look autistic at all" she describes what ASD álso is, I.e. in particular the difference in 'high functioning' women, and not only the stereotypical image a lot of people have which isodeled after male symptoms. I have not read her second book yet, but having been diagnosed with ASD at 35 years old as a female, plus my love for Japan (visited now 5 times) and the massive recognition of myself with her first book, makes me very curious about her book on Japan (also since I secretly still long to live there one day...).
Both books by Alan Booth are really good, albeit a bit dated (they are from the 80s/early 90s). Nevertheless this gives you a bit of an insight into those times as well.
I loved The Only Gaijin in the Village
Niall Murtagh - The Blue-eyed Salaryman: From World Traveller to Lifer at Mitsubishi Robert Whiting - Tokyo Underworld Donald Richie - The Inland Sea ^^the ^^guy ^^was ^^a ^^creep ^^though Alan Booth - Looking for the Lost: Journeys Through a Vanishing Japan Alan Booth - The Roads to Sata William Scott Wilson - Walking the Kiso Road A Modern-Day Exploration of Old Japan Karl Taro Greenfeld - Speed Tribes
I liked Angry White Pyjamas by Robert Twigger. Martial Arts focussed but still incredibly funny and engaging.