February 1st, 2008Dealing With Stress
With only three months to go before Reiko and I formally tie the knot, we’re both showing signs of extreme stress, being overwhelmed with the details and the do’s and don’ts at our reception hall.
Considering how the last few weeks have been, I’d love to pick a Sunday and take Reiko out for a day away from it all. We’re currently on a very tight budget, but we shouldn’t need to spend any substantial amount of money to have a good time together.
That said, what can a couple do on a Winter Sunday in Japan that doesn’t require a lot of money?
So There’s the Rub
Everything seems to have a cost involved lately. Even something as simple as a picnic in teh park can set us back upwards of 2500 Yen. Gas, sandwiches, snacks and anything else we might consider bring … even if we already have all this stuff at home, it’s hardly a ‘free day out’.
I considered doing something as simple as downloading and watching a movie, as that has 0 initial cost (usually) but, aside from being illegal in most countries, it doesn’t really get us away from it all. No. Reiko and I should be out of the house and enjoying our time together rather than be reminded of all the things we still need to do and pay for.
So What Is There To Do?
It’s times like this I wish there was an arcade nearby with classic games like Dance, Dance Revolution, Street Fighter and the standard competitive street racing game. Sure, arcades aren’t free by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s one of the best ways to burn through 2500 Yen if we absolutely must spend money.
Well … it is in my opinion, anyway.
Unfortunately, arcades in Japan don’t carry such old games as DDR or Street Fighter. Sure, there are other games we could play, and I’m certain we’d still have lots of fun, but we’d still have the problem of spending money frivolously.
I wonder if there are any museums or art galleries around here that Reiko would like to visit.
Either way, I’m at a loss. What the heck can a man do with his wife that doesn’t require much money and can easily be enjoyed by both people? 
ahhh my young student… i know the ways of saving money in japan… so here goes…
rent a dvd! it’s cheap! you can get a chick flick or maybe a good drama.. japanese dvds are cheap to rent… sometimes like 50 yen if you go on the special days!
go for a long walk around the neighborhood. go to the convini and buy some ice cream and then feed each other!
go to a shopping mall and walk around there and watch the people.
go to a public gym and work out together.. public gyms are cheap in japan
and my all time favorite.. go to a local onsen maybe you can find a mixed one so that you can both be together.. onsens are the most relaxing places in Japan, and the only places that don’t have clocks on the walls… well at least not around the pools.. if you avoid the luxurious ones it should be relatively inexpensive.. maybe just a few hundred yen…
go karaoke in the daytime… i once went to a karaoke place in the daytime in japan and it was 200 yen and included a soft drink! awesome!
ride your bicycles
what do you think of those ideas?
“What the heck can a man do with his wife that doesn’t require much money and can easily be enjoyed by both people?”
Well, there is one answer that comes to mind but I’m not going to mention that…I feel your pain though, it seems like anytime I want to go out and find something fun to do it’s gonna cost me more money than I can afford at the moment (especially if I plan to invite a girl along)…going for walks and watching movies that you already own are decent ideas, but the movies don’t get you out of the house.
I have the perfect solution! The Kakamigahara City website lists all the parks, museums, events… pretty much everything you can do in the city, but if you really don’t want to spend any money, why not try one of the many walking courses? There’s even a hiking course if you’re feeling more adventurous. Your local city “service center” (Sohara or Unuma) also has maps and flyers for all the things you can see and do, and you might just be surprised!
Thanks for the ideas, guys. I’ll see if Reiko would like to do anything on one our rare days off together. While I doubt we can take a whole day to do nothing, I’m sure we can spend some time together and forget our schedules and priorities for a little while. I’ll definately check out that walking course site, though. With the weather starting to get a little warmer (8 degrees is warm enough), it might be time to get out and stretch those legs a bit