WELCOME TO NAGANO! We will be posting useful tips to help guide you along your journey to Nagano! Be sure to also check the Official Nagano Youtube Channel and we also recommend looking over the Sendai prefectural website as it contains a lot of helpful information.

Gifts from home (Omiyage)

The tradition of omiyage in Japan literally baffles most westerners. After consulting with the Japanese staff here in the Board of Education about what is expected in Sendai, the consensus was that the best gift you could ever bring is a smiling face and enthusiasm towards your work and life in Japan.

Our collective experiences have proven that the gift itself really doesn't matter. Those who received a box of chocolates from home countries were just as excited and grateful as the ones who received personalized items and souvenirs, if not more so. So don't worry about omiyage. If you really want to bring something, it should be small. Postcards from your home country or food items are always a big hit.

Note: Gift wrap is something you can buy here after you arrive. It would be appropriate to give the gift on the day you are introduced to the entire staff. Handing out omiyage is not necessary the first day you arrive

Don't worry about bringing textbooks or teaching guides (for example, how to teach phonics, how to teach grammar, etc.) At the Board of Education, we have an extensive library of books on teaching and activity ideas. Plus there is the large database of activities on the Nagano Lesson Repo site, created by ALTs.

What you should bring is realia (actual objects for using in class), such as photos, maps, postcards, etc. You can use all these materials in your self-introduction lessons and in many regular classes. Try to think of a few small things you could potentially use in classes , a fast-food menu, map of your town, train schedule for your area, tourist pamphlets, coins, stamps, etc. Post cards are also helpful. If possible get these materials laminated, as youfll be passing them around a lot of students (not all schools have laminating machines)

If you can find cheap stickers, they make very popular prizes (surprisingly even for 15 year old students). Other ideas are 1 cent stamps or coins. Rubber stamps for marking are good too, but there are many available locally.

Most importantly, bring lots and lots of pictures. Anything will help, pictures of your family, house, school, neighborhood, local market, pet or ex-boyfriend/girlfriend. If you donft have space in your baggage, bring a CD of pictures instead and get them printed out after you arrive.

We cannot emphasize enough the need for you to bring enough cash to carry you through until your first paycheck on August 21st. Many years of the JET Programme have taught us that about 200 000 yen will tide you over, and be enough to cover all the expenses which come up in your first month.

Clothing for work and for your free time should indeed be different. Because you are sort of a citizen-level ambassador, at first at least it's a good idea to wear semi-professional clothing to work, skirts or slacks with nylons, and blouses for women, and casual-to-dress slacks, shirts and ties for men. Take your clothing cue from a respected senior staff member, if you find that the atmosphere at your school is more relaxed.

Occasionally you will be asked to wear a dark coloured suit for meetings, ceremonies, graduations and funerals. You needn't go out a buy an Armani or clothing appropriate for executives of a Fortune 500 company. However, please prepare to bring clothing that is at least above that which you wore to lectures in university. Please note that things such as tank-tops/vests and revealing clothing are not appropriate at school. You can save those things for the night life.

Summer in Japan is hot and humid, bring cool comfortable clothing, nice tees and shirts. Winter in Nagano gets very cold. In the northern parts of Nagano expect to see a lot of snow throughout the winter. However, in the southern parts there is less snow, but still just as cold. Expect temperatures at around freezing for most of the winter.

Women
Clothes that fit western women in width and length are often hard to find in Japan. Sports wear shops are plentiful, but again, length and waist sizes may be a problem.

Bras are usually padded and difficult to find, even for average bust sized women. Nylons come in limited colours in the larger sizes, and then only up to a North American 14 or so. Be sure to bring these types of items with you, or plan on stocking up during trips back home.

Men
Clothes to fit average western men are difficult to find. If you are tall or have long limbs, bring everything you think you are going to need.


Shoes for Men and Women
You may have heard already that Japanese take off their shoes when they enter the home. Well, not only is this true for homes, it's also true for the workplace, public gyms and even some hospitals. A change of shoes for wearing inside school is a must. Rubber soled slippers, sandals, i.e. (Birkenstocks type) or sport shoes are typically worn. Indoor shoes for sport will come in handy for times when you're asked to play with the students in the gym or if you're planning on joining a sports gym. Whatever you pack, think comfortable and multi-purposeful and you will be fine.

Shoe size in Japan is measured in centimeters and sizes up to 28 cm for men (aprox. size 10 CN/US, Size 9 UK) and 25 cm for women (Size 8 CN,/US, Size 6.5 UK) are available, however it is recommended that you bring your own. You might be able to buy shoes that are larger than 28 cm, but selection will be limited and they are usually more expensive. Also, keep this in mind if you plan on going snowboarding or skiing.

This manual is written for the Nagano City JHS ALTs, but contains relevant information for all ALTs in Nagano. Please have a look.