[quote]Chushin wrote:
[quote]Cortes wrote:
[quote]Brett620 wrote:
So what is the allure of Japan? What keeps guys there wanting to stay after 5 years (besides the women)? [/quote]
[/quote]
Beautiful as always, Shawn.
Even that kid who shot me with the squirt-gun. ;-)[/quote]
He loves you. He doesn’t shoot just anybody with a squirt gun.
[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Is it hard to find hardcore gyms there?[/quote]
Harder than it is in the US, but there are some very good gyms here. There are actually three decent gyms in my small country town. One great for fighting, one for powerlifting (well, basically) and one for bodybuilding.
But there are a LOT of hamster wheel heavens, too.
[quote]Fletch1986 wrote:
Is it hard to find hardcore gyms there?[/quote]
Not hard at all.
In fact, one of the shugyou (errands) that my Sensei (who is now Chushin’s Sensei) sent me on was to check out every gym in the Chiba area, wangle a trial workout, and come back with a full report. Don’t know what part of Japan you are considering, but I’ve been to most of the hardcore powerlifting and bodybuilding gyms in Chiba, Funabashi and Ichikawa. I also spent a day at one of the only Nautilus-only gyms in Japan, and when you are being put through the paces by a man who trained with Arthur Jones, you gain a unique appreciation for this equipment.
[quote]Chushin wrote:
[quote]Varqanir wrote:
The fact that Korea, which has pretty much everything Japan does, with meatier cuisine and (I’m gonna get in trouble for this) even prettier girls, is just an hour or two away.
[/quote]
Oh, I agree.
But not nearly as nice, IMO.[/quote]
The country or the girls?
Damn you guys. Now I’m gettin’ all homesick again.
[quote]Cortes wrote:
[quote]Brett620 wrote:
So what is the allure of Japan? What keeps guys there wanting to stay after 5 years (besides the women)? [/quote]
[/quote]
How is a grown man supposed to sit on that couch?
You noticed the couch? You’re in danger of losing your man card, sensei.
[quote]Chushin wrote:
[quote]Brett620 wrote:
So what is the allure of Japan? What keeps guys there wanting to stay after 5 years (besides the women)? [/quote]
A more serious answer for you.
For the overwhelming majority of my 22 years here, it has been the language. It’s not quite so much anymore, but I was truly enthralled, enamored, bewitched – and whatever other words you want to use – by the Japanese language. Learning to master* all the nuances and subtleties possible in spoken Japanese; achieving literacy in, and the ability to handwrite the kanji, being able to debate Japanese people on current and historical events…these things just made me…happy and gratified, for lack of better words.
Other factors:
The beautiful and so-very-feminine women
The traditional arts and culture
The nature of the philosophy and religions
The martial arts
A great job that pays me tons for a moderate amount of work and allows all sort of freedoms
[/quote]
Amazing how closely our answers overlap. It’s funny to recall that our first interactions on this site were somewhat adversarial, Chushin. We could practically be brothers. Except that you’re tall. And old. 
I did see your emperor story. Outstanding. The closest I ever came to that was when I was introduced to the US ambassador to Japan, Michael Armacost, at Waseda University back in 1989.
But your story definitely wins.
Hazukashii.
[quote]Chushin wrote:
Nah, kyoudai deshi, darou?
Hazukashii koto nai yo.[/quote]
So da na. Demo kimi no koto wo “sempai” to yobanakutemo ii darou… 
I can’t wait to visit Japan! Might do an English teaching program over there after college as well! Envious of the yall that live there, Hard place to get a work visa that’s for sure…
Cortes you have a gorgeous family, lol this thread cracks me up shame I am so late to it haha
Lovely, Cortes. All of you! I enjoyed seeing.