The JET Programme, Japan

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The JET Programme, Japan - JET Blogs

Tokyo - Great hotels at reasonable prices

There are literally 1000's of JET Blogs available. We provide a small sample of those available plus links to other JET blog list pages, including some vlogs (video blogs), photo journals and podcasts as well. Please note that some of these come and go quickly and it's hard to keep them up to date. Please advise us if you find a 'dead' blog.

Want to add your blog? Contact us with the details.

JET blogger Hall of Fame (all now ex-JETs)

Avoiding Life - Fantastic Site. Captures JET through a video blog from Aomori Ken with lots of pictures and links to other Aomori bloggers.

Yongfook.com - Former Kyushu JET now living large in Tokyo.

ESID.com - 'Everybody's Situation is Different'. This is an alternative and amusing look at the quirks of life in Japan and on the JET Program through a series of cartoon strips.

Blog Browsers

Niigata JET Blog Browser (v1.1): A series of blogs in Niigata-ken

New listings

Surviving in Japan: a Japan survival guide. Here you'll find unique resources and how-to's whether you're moving to Japan or an experienced resident.

Want your JET blog or JET journal here? Send us your blog details.

Sample Blogs (current as of July 2010)

Sushiless - The blog of a 22-year-old Brit living in the countryside of Gunma, Japan.

Contemplative Cocoa - by Mel Bush in Shizuoka

Self contained and ski accommodation in Hakuba, Japan

The Archive - former JET blogs

Englishman in Nyu-gun - The life of a senior high school JET in a little town called Asahi, Fukui ken.

Happy in Hokkaido - by Michael Snyder in Hokkaido

The Life and Times of Michael McKinlay - by Michael McKinlay in Toyama

Jason's Launching Over Japan - by Jason Hill in Iwate

SeanP Blog - by Sean Barry in Gunma

Suboken backwards is... - by Isra Wongsarnpigoon in Chiba

Fukui An A That - by Colin Johnston in Fukui

Mardi John - by John Gainor in Hokkaido

GT in Japan - by Geoffrey Tsoi in Tokyo

Joshua Zimmerman's Journal - This journal covers quite a bit of time before he went onto the JET program and over the next five years (departing in April 2010).

YesICanUseChopsticks.Com - This journal holds a wide variety of information about a JET who was stationed in Fukushima. He arrived in 2002 and at the end of his 3 year term on JET decided to teach in Japan professionally. The journal entries are long and frequent and give some insight about living and teaching in Japan.

Sensei and Sensibility - Insightful dairy of a JET in Ikuno, Hyogo prefecture

Spicy Gyoza - Fun and alternative dairy of a JET in Fukushima

Cavegirl's Big Adventure - The story of The Cavegirl (JET) and her (non-JET) Caveman living in Japan. Load of photos, Students' Words of Wisdom and much more!

WHAT-WHAT! - Life and times of a Hyogo JET in words and pictures.

Mboogiedown: Japan - Gaijin Girl discovers Japanland! The adventures of an American JET (in words and pictures) stranded between nowhere and somewhere, Gifu, Japan

45 Degrees North - Odd thoughts on Hokkaido rural life from a socially disturbed American JET.

ShimaneStars - A blog on the life and tales of a new ALT in the mountains and inaka of Shimane prefecture, Japan

Traveler.la - A good intro to the JET program and the application process

Scott and Vicky in Japan - Two engaged JETs share their adventure

Erin in the Land of Wa - A Japanese/Irish Canadian girl pays a visit to the motherland.

Josh in Japan - Josh's JET adventure in rural Kumamoto-Ken. Includes some great photos

JET Vlogs and JET apartment videos

Travel4Whit's JET Diaries: A great set of video diaries that can really give you a feel for Japan and the JET program. It can really show you what 'culture shock' means and how to overcome it. Over 64 videos some of them closing in on the 10min mark or even longer. You will need to go to the 'oldest' videos and watch them in reverse chronological order.

Tokyo Cooney's Life in Tokyo: This is a video blog covering over two years of Cooney's life in Tokyo. He came to Japan as an English teacher and is now a writer/actor/comedian. While not about the JET program it does have another perspective on living and working in Japan. Over 84 videos with a median length of about 10 minutes Cooney's videos have even made appearances on the Travel channel.

Blue Blanky Productions: A collection of videos from a JET in Japan. I especially recommend the 'A Day in the Life in Japan' and 'Fun Things to do in Japan' play lists. As well as his 'Why I like living in Japan' video. He is also quite into the Oita music scene.

Myargonaut's Apartment Tour: This is a tour of Myargonaut's apartment in Shimane. You can find many of his useful JET blogs below.

Myargonaut's JET Vlogs: A series of vlogs done by a 4th year JET named Jason who goes over many of the basics of the JET program. The videos are geared towards providing new JETs insight into the experience and to help them prepare for their years teaching in Japan. Topics cover everything from contraception to sweat towels.

JoshuaZ's Apartment Tours 1.0 and 2.0: JET Apartments shown by JoshuaZ, 1.0 has three JET apartments shown and 2.0 has a more in depth look at JoshuaZ's own apartment after its been a bit more furnished.

Gifu JET Apartment: A very quick tour of an apartment, the user hosting this has many other video clips of Japan. I did not list them in the Journals section because they were very short. But if you are interested they could provide some insight into Japan such as getting hot corn soup in a soda can from vending machines.

Akita JET Apartment: An Akita JETs apartment video to her successor.

Miyazaki JET Apartment: A tour of a JETs apartment. Annoying zooming at times but you may find it informative.

JET vlogs - by a 4th year ALT in Shimane-ken

JET Podcasts

English Teaching in Japan: Over the past few years this podcast has had a wealth of information about living and teaching in Japan. They tend to talk about certain subjects rather than doing a recording of any one person's experience.

JET 2007 Podcast - by JET Podcast in Fukui

JET Photo blogs

Samurai's Two Years in Japan: A JETs photo album covering his two years in Japan. Many beautiful pictures that can give you an idea what Japan looks like.

Surviving in Japan: Some good photos

Want your blog or journal here? Send us your blog details.

TAGS: JET Blogs, Vlogs, Photo Journals, Podcasts, Blog Browsers, Famous JET Blogs, JET Apartments

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