Iwakuni MCAS » Language & Sightseeing
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Language & Sightseeing
Links for Learning Japanese:
Genki Japan – A very good basic site, with pronunciation of numbers 1-20 and some “cool phrases.”
Kanji Learn – Detailed flash cards online.
Unforgettable Languages – This site implements word association. A very interesting, and very effective, method.
Daily Japan – A quite useful site; includes information about pronunciation.
Kanji-A-Day – A desktop collection of some Kanji words.
Electronic Translators
Iwakuni’s Marine Corps Exchange carries a very good model for around $130. It allows you to input words in many languages (including English, Japanese, French, and Spanish, among others) and it will display the word or phrase in both languages and speak it for you with the press of a button. For Japanese, it displays not only the Hiragana/Kanji, but also the phonetic pronunciation in what is called Romanji (romanized versions of the Japanese characters) to help you learn how to pronounce them. This is a very handy tool to have during a long stay in any foreign country, and it’s quite fun to pass the time on a long train ride with a friendly local.
There are many other translators on the market, but this is the only one they sell in the Exchange so if you want something different, look into it before you come here. Of course, you can always purchase online, or have someone mail one to you later, but having one while making the journey here would be helpful if you are traveling commercially.
Software for you PDA
LingvoSoft – If you happen to already own a PDA or Pocket PC, you can download language dictionaries and translators for them. I currently use this software on my Dell Axim X30 Pocket PC. I purchased the ECTACO Bundle, which includes LingvoSoft’s dictionaries and a phrase book.
Computer Software:
Rosetta Stone – This is an excellent way to learn any new language, but it is quite pricey.
Pimsleur – I love Pimsleur’s approach to learning any new language. It revolves around learning through conversation, and he goes through very slowly, pronouncing each part of every word so you can learn how to properly say them and use them in everyday conversation. I highly recommend this, even though it’s pricey, if you are serious about learning Japanese.
Sightseeing
Sightseeing in Japan can be very rewarding, it can be frustrating too if you can’t find your destination or get lost. Hopefully, the sections below will help you figure out some of the concepts and enable you to have a much more enjoyable experience. Get out and explore Japan!
You can use diddlefinger.com to plan your outings. The service also offers a handy way to look up English addresses on Japanese maps, and provides names in English for many areas. Just load the page and zoom in on an area of interest. Take note of the check boxes along the top of the map to turn on mapping of trains and other points of interest. If you click the Panoramio button, it will load pictures from their site that other people have taken for the area of the map you are viewing.
Click the Satellite button for an overlay of satellite images!
4-Corners, 3-Corners, Double Bridges?
You may be wondering what people are talking about when they mention “4-Corners”, “3-Corners”, and “Double Bridge”, so I am going to explain the concepts.
Here is a map of 3- and 4-Corners in relation to the Main Gate.
4-Corners is the second intersection that you come to that has a traffic light when you leave the Main Gate. It is the intersection of Routes 188 and 189 (the road that goes to the Main Gate), hence, there are 4 corners.
If you are coming from the base, turning right at 4-Corners will take you downtown (Fuji Grand, Local JR Iwakuni Train Station, the big 100-Yen store, etc.).
Turning left at 4-Corners will take you through town, and across the bridge over the Nishiki River to You Me Town, Gyoza House, Nafco (if you turn by the sign that says Library), and eventually to Yanai.
If you turn left at 4-Corners and make an immediate Left once you cross the bridge over the river, you will end up at Monzen Gate.
If you turn left at 4-Corners and make an immediate Right once you cross the bridge over the river, you will be going toward the Double Bridges.
If you proceed straight through 4-Corners, the next intersection you will come to is 3-Corners. It is where Hwy 189 dead-ends into Hwy 113 (hence, 3 corners).
If you are coming from the Main Gate, turning right at 3-Corners will take you to Route 2 (turning left onto Route 2 at this point will take you to McDonald’s and one of Iwakuni’s two Tokai Craft stores).
Turning left at 3-Corners will take you on a road basically parallel to Rt. 188, and once you cross the bridge over the river, if you turn left, you will end up at Monzen Gate, and if you turn right, you will go toward Double Bridges.
The Double Bridges are two bridges right next to each other; one is much higher up than the other smaller one.
If you turn right and go across the first of the two bridges (it is smaller, and very narrow), then turn left immediately at the end of the bridge, this will take you to Kintai Bridge.
If you go straight off the bridge to the first intersection and turn left, this will take you to Dr. Soji’s (the small Hospital where you will deliver your baby if you opt to have a baby here in Iwakuni instead of traveling to Naval Base Yokosuka). This is a one-way street, so to get back from Dr. Soji’s, exit the parking lot and turn left, go to the first intersection and make another left, and then go to the next intersection and make yet another left, and this will put you back on the road that will take you back to the bridge.
If you proceed to the traffic light at the Double Bridges and turn Left, this will take you to Campagne Restaurant and further up the road and through 3 tunnels, Sanzoku (Chicken Shack).
Kintai Bridge & Castle -MAP
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Hiroshima City – Map
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Streetcars
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Hiroshima has an excellent and inexpensive mode of travel, the streetcar. The fare for inner city travel each way is 150 yen for adults/80 yen for children. You can go as short as from one stop to the next, or you can ride the entire length of the inner city line, and the price doesn’t change. There are two exceptions to the rule; travel on the Hakushima line is 100 yen per person, and travel beyond the innner city line (from Hiroden-nishi-hiroshima to Hiroden-miyjima-guchi) varies by distance traveled from 120 yen at the closest stops, to 190 yen for the entire distance.
Downloads (right-click, save as):
Streetcar Map (Front)*
Streetcar Map (Back)
Streetcar Instructions (29MB file)
*I have edited the ITT version of the Streetcar Map to include some points of interest and to clarify some of the information on the map. I thought others might benefit from my notes, so that’s why I’m providing my copy here. You can obtain the most recent copy of this map by visiting ITT.
Taking the Local Train:
These are my instructions for traveling on the local train system in Japan, otherwise known as JR or Japan Railway.
STEP 1
Examine the posted train schedule, which shows the train destinations, times, track numbers, and status of the type of train (whether it is a regular train that stops at all the stations between destinations, or an express train that will skip the smaller stops and only stop at the larger stations along the way to save time to popular destinations; the express trains are colored in orange on the schedule).
Destination: The destinations are listed across the board in both Japanese and English.
Time: Near the train schedule will be a clock showing the official time. If there is a discrepancy between your watch and this time, use the time posted.
Time (Hours): The numbers down the left side of the display represent hours of the day that the train is in operation. The one pictured shows hours from 4 to 23 (0400 to 2300, or 4am to 11pm; the local train for Iwakuni is closed between the time the last train leaves for Hiroshima at 11:32pm and the time the first train leaves the next morning at 4:53am for Hiroshima).
Time (Minutes): The bottom numbers across from each of the hours represents minutes past the hour that the trains arrive. For example, the first train each day that departs from the Iwakuni local train station on the Sanyo Line leaves at 4:53 and the destination is Hiroshima.
Track Number: The track number that the train departs from is displayed as a number inside a circle to the right of the destination name. For example, the train that departs at 4:53am for Hiroshima departs on track number 6, so when you buy your ticket, you will follow the signs to track 6 to board your train. PLease note, the track number is not always the same for the same destination at different times of the day. For example, the 6:47am train to Hiroshima departs on track 4.
Note: Hiro is NOT the same as Hiroshima! We often abbreviate the word Hiroshima as, “Hiro” when we talk about it to each other, but realize that they are not the same destination when it comes to buses and trains.
STEP 2
Approach the ticket machines.
The local Iwakuni train station has instructions posted in English beside the machines for your convenience, but these are only at the Iwakuni station, so make sure you understand what to do if you plan to purchase tickets elsewhere.
Examine the destination panel (located directly above the ticket machines) to determine how much yen to insert into the machine. If you look at the closeup of the destination panel and locate Hiroshima (on the left side just above the red line) on it, you can see that there are two numbers above the Japanese word for Hiroshima (which is immediately above the English word Hiroshima): the top, larger, black number is the price in yen per adult traveling, and the smaller number below it in red is the price in yen per child. Children under 5 are free. Examining the closeup image, you can see that the cost for riding the train from the local Iwakuni station to Hiroshima is 740 yen for adults and 370 yen for children (ages 6-12).
Get your yen ready. 1000 Yen notes and change are accepted at all machines, and special machines may be posted that accept larger bills such as the ones in the photo of the ticket machines which take 5000 and 10,000 yen. Do not plan to use 2000 yen notes in machines, because though they may have provided you with some when you exchanged dollar for yen, they are as uncommon as our $2 bill so most machines do not recognize them! For a trip to Hiroshima, you will need 740 yen for each adult, and you can insert a 1000 yen note (or higher if the machine allows it) and the machine will give you change.
Insert enough money to purchase your ticket. The lights will illuminate under buttons on the machine as you insert enough money to cover increasingly higher fares. (Note: You can see in this picture that the button for 740 yen has been illuminated because I inserted enough money to purchase a ticket to Hiroshima, as well as several others, because I inserted a 1000 yen bill).
STEP 3
Press the button on the left side of the panel that shows how many people you are buying tickets for with the corresponding age groups. The blue stick figures are adults, and the red are children. For example, if you are traveling alone, press just the button with one blue figure on it. If you are purchasing for two adults, press the button with two blue figures on it. If you are buying fare for an adult and a child, press the button with a blue stick figure and a red stick figure on it. Children 5 and under ride free, children 6-12 travel at the child fare, and people 13 and over travel at the adult fare.
STEP 4
Press the price button that corresponds with the price for your destination for a single ticke as stated on the destination board. For example, if you were traveling to Hiroshima, you would press the button with 740 illuminated. The price will be multiplied by the corresponding number of people for the button that you selected in Step 3. Be sure you inserted enough yen to cover the total amount.
STEP 5
Remove your ticket(s) from the slot, and don’t forget your change if you inserted more than the exact amount. If you are traveling round-trip, you will have two tickets, one for the trip to the destination and one for the return trip.
STEP 6
Walk through the gates, either handing your tickets to the attendant to have the correct one stamped, or inserting into the machine to be punched if no attendant is present. The tickets will be given back to you, keep them in case the conductor asks to see them, and you will need to give up your ticket as you exit the train station at your final destination.
STEP 7
Proceed through the gate and place your tickets somewhere handy but safe, so you don’t lose them. Remember, you’re going to need to surrender the ticket when you get to your destination!
STEP 8
Find the track number on the destination board as you walk through the ticket gate, and proceed to the track. There will be a display that switches between English and Japanese. Check the time against the platform display clock, and wait for your train to arrive. Be sure you board the train for your track, because if there are two tracks using the same platform (one on each side, for example) don’t get confused and hop on the wrong one! They are clearly labeled, just be sure to double-check.
As you travel, you will notice signs at every platform or train stop. The signs are labeled in English and Japanese, and depict which stop was the previous one, and which is coming up next, with arrows in those directions. The name of the current stop is larger and centered above the other two, so you will know which stop you are at, and whether yours is coming up next. If in doubt, find the current stop on the map inside the train car, and compare it with your destination (Iwakuni is located to the far left of the map, and the main Hiroshima station is located in the center; realize that this is a crop of the applicable area of the larger whole map, which didn’t quite fit in my camera’s view when I tried to take the picture).
When you arrive at your destination, hand the stamped (or punched) ticket to the attendant (or insert it into the machine if no attendant is present). You will not get your ticket back! Proceed out of the train station and enjoy your adventure! Remember, if you purchased round-trip tickets, keep up with your return ticket.
You can also see instructions for riding the train at www.learningjapanese.com
