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News:
Life does not get better. You get better.
Recent Posts
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: Pray for Ben Garrison
« Last post by team filler on July 12, 2025, 11:27:30 PM »3
The Superdeep Borehole / Re: The Japan Thread
« Last post by Polident Hive on July 12, 2025, 01:49:15 AM »That touches on how many restaurants and cafes are run by one guy and their families. There have been a number I know of where the owner closed up or passed. Maybe it’s the financial situation, tourism, or the family wants out. Always pretty sad.
One small cafe I went to initially had an old married couple running it. After some months, the older lady wasn’t there anymore. Couple weeks after, the place closed down. Looked it up and learned the wife passed. The husband didn’t want to continue alone.
Anyway, I don’t use TikTok but in general, I avoid places with a ton of google maps reviews.
One small cafe I went to initially had an old married couple running it. After some months, the older lady wasn’t there anymore. Couple weeks after, the place closed down. Looked it up and learned the wife passed. The husband didn’t want to continue alone.
Anyway, I don’t use TikTok but in general, I avoid places with a ton of google maps reviews.
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: The Japan Thread
« Last post by Coax on July 11, 2025, 09:46:18 AM »Overtourism in Japan, and How it Hurts Small Businesses.
Quote
Japan now gets more visitors in a month than it got in a year twenty years ago.
I’ve come to see overtourism as a kind of natural disaster. How can you get angry at the earth for having an earthquake? The mechanisms of capitalism and the American-born ethos of infinite-growth social media (which TikTok simply aped / built atop) have come together to form this demented stew — this blight on cities like Kyoto, Venice, and more — by operating at a scale and level of abstraction beyond human comprehension.
....
Paradoxically, despite the numbers of inbound tourists, there’s never been a better time to explore the B-side of Japan. Cities like Yamaguchi and Toyama are eager for visitors and don’t suffer from overtourism. They require a little more work than Kyoto, but the benefits are profound. [...] They are walkable and become archetypical for what’s possible outside the mega centers of Japan. They inspire me, and I bet they’d inspire you, too. If you do happen to find a great place, a perfect little hole in the wall, just please do us all a favor: don’t post about it on TikTok.
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: The Japan Thread
« Last post by Polident Hive on July 10, 2025, 10:08:09 PM »That’s certainly the experience.
Also, for the first time either as a tourist or resident here, I’ve had a (presumably homeless) man run up and beg for money. Was actually surprised. At least as a guy, you’re not getting bothered just walking through a station. Well, except at Ueno station. But those guys aren’t after money.
Also, for the first time either as a tourist or resident here, I’ve had a (presumably homeless) man run up and beg for money. Was actually surprised. At least as a guy, you’re not getting bothered just walking through a station. Well, except at Ueno station. But those guys aren’t after money.
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: The Japan Thread
« Last post by chronovore on July 09, 2025, 08:46:19 PM »There are places trying to figure out how to charge tourists more money than residents.
Honestly, I hate tipping, but this is probably the easiest way to exact that charge from them.
I get so many people lately looking at my stupid white face when I step up, looking half-panicked that they’re gonna have to speak some English, or argue about a menu substitution, or field questions about a food allergy/preference. When I break out Japanese language, the relief is visible.
Honestly, I hate tipping, but this is probably the easiest way to exact that charge from them.
I get so many people lately looking at my stupid white face when I step up, looking half-panicked that they’re gonna have to speak some English, or argue about a menu substitution, or field questions about a food allergy/preference. When I break out Japanese language, the relief is visible.
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: RedLetterMedia Thread
« Last post by Kurisu on July 07, 2025, 08:08:49 AM »Whenever they do an overview like that I scurry to watch everything they mention before actually watching their video.
Friendship was actually completely under my radar, and I'm happy to have seen it now, it's... different.
Friendship was actually completely under my radar, and I'm happy to have seen it now, it's... different.
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: The Japan Thread
« Last post by Polident Hive on July 06, 2025, 01:15:51 AM »I heard stories but this was the first time I saw it.
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The Superdeep Borehole / Re: The Japan Thread
« Last post by bork on July 05, 2025, 03:11:43 PM »A restaurant just spun around a tablet and asked if I wanted to tip 15/20/25%. Pain.
wut
When did this start happening??
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Video Game Bored / Re: Random Gaming Talk Thread
« Last post by bork on July 05, 2025, 10:29:52 AM »I'm good with my retro emulation handhelds. Especially dat Retroid Classic
