How is the surf in japan? im looking for nice consistent mellow beach breaks as im fairly rubbish and dont really fancy impaling myself on any reefs!!

I guess hawaii or bali are the obvious choices but they are unfortunately not in japan.

Any advice snow people?

Peas

some great beaches around Kanto. Shikoku and Kyushu are the best consistant surf ive seen in Japan (used to live in Hawaii for 7 years). We would get some good surf on the Nihonkai when the typhoons come too. Have been in 5 foot surf up in Tohoku. Had 4+ foot waves in Katsuura, Chiba. Theres plenty of good surf here, no worries. Personally, I like Shik and Kyu the best.

Are you coming to live in Japan? Snow and surf. You can do both but you're gonna half to compromise and probably drive a long way for one or the other.

I would love to come and live in japan but my commitments lie with my oil job and my flat at the moment. I would need to completely change my life to manage it. I do have a design degree, so perhaps if i built up a portfolio then i could apply for crazy japanese design jobs. or just drill for oil there even though they have no oil.

Fly in fly out Al.

There is a motza of work based out of Jakarta. Lot of people I know do fly in fly out based in Oz. Not much difference to be based in Japan and fly in fly out of Jakarta.

A month on month off arrangment would see you having a whole LOT of weeks to play in snow heaven...and if you struck up a deal with a rigger doing the opposite month about than you apartment wise you can split the rent, but pretty much live alone.

hehe, you know the oil game eh!!

well my company at the moment doesnt offer me equal time offshore and onshore, i generally do 2 weeks on the rig, 1 week off then 1 week in the office. So the whole working away thing, with my company at the moment isnt likely to happen.

How is japan for foriegners buying property etc? lots of hidden taxes and that or is it alright?

I think it will have to be a long term plan rather than this year unfortunatly!!

oh and there are guys on my rig here who travel from Aus for 3 on 3 off stints, and also thailand! mentalists!!

Ohh MY GOD!
3 on and 3 off and travelling from Oz to the UK - blimey they are keen!

Although the travel would be considered a work expense, and if you had extended family in the UK (as I do) you could have your little visit on the way back to work - save the expense of a holiday!

We have a lot of people in the oil industry based in Perth, many who have come for a year or so from the UK or USA (and then stay). Lots of the parents at our kids school are in the oil industry. So yeah I hear a bit about the different arrangments in place. Never LIVED it though. Can be tough when you are raising a family and hubby is away from home for so long, and then you are tripping over him for a month! LOL Feast or famine!

From what I have seen, comparing prices to what I know here in Oz (with the exception of Niseko and central Tokyo) prices are not that bad, and if you are able to borrow the cash to buy from a Japanese bank the interest rates are SWEET.

Anything is achievable Al. If it is your dream - then live it mate - life is too short to accept 2nd best.

aberdeen is approximatly 45th best.