Gym Scene in Japan

[PhilsterT]

I'm really hoping someone here can help me out. I will be moving to Japan for 3 months to attend a Japanese high school. (Just an FYI: I'm not going through any orgination or such. My step dad is taking a sabatical to Kyoto U and they found a high school which would accept me as a student. I have 4 years of Japanese study under my belt and hope to be fluent before I return to the states.) I'm really worried that 3 months away from the gym will screw me over, considering that it has only been less than 6 months of lifting seriously (it will be closer to 8 before I go). My stepdad (who also attends the gym, but for different reasons) said we will look for a gym in Kyoto to sign up for, but we don't know what gyms to look. Like, Gold's Gym? Or, what's the equivilant? Also, I am only 16, so are there any laws about age in Japan? I'm at a poppy gym now (better than nothing) that lets 12-years old and up in.

[mattanshrager]

come on bro, im moving to israel and im positive there'll be a gym there. there's gyms everywhere. maybe not fancy shmancy machines and 200 treadmills but you'll find free weights anywhere, i'm sure. if for some reason you dont find one, you could always invest in free weights once you get over there and just use them for three months, sell em off to a sports store when you come back to seattle.

[Sensei]

The gym scene in Japan, overall, is pretty bad. That's comparing it to the U.S. though. Most health clubs/fitness gyms will have nothing or next to nothing when it comes to free weights and sometimes they will have "exercise barbells" and "standard" plates (thin diameter bars & plates w. small holes).

Cost of most gyms is pretty damn expensive (just like everything else). I hope your father is understanding and willing to shell out some $$ for the gym. Just tell him it will help you get over culture shock and help you make new friends.

I used to live near Kyoto, so I know the area pretty well. It's almost 100% for sure that you will have to take a train to get to a gym - it probably won't be too expensive if you're a high-school student and get some kind of commuter pass. Definately make sure to look into that.

I'm pretty sure that Kyoto, Sanjyou had a Gold's Gym, but that was 8+ years ago.

Worst case scenario, you'll have to commute to Osaka to train - there are some good gyms there. Best case scenario, your high school will have some decent free weights and let you use them.

I can't give you specific gym information, but I can probably check Yahoo!Japan later and see what I can find out. Does your father read Japanese? How well can you read Japanese?

[PhilsterT]

Okay, thanks a lot for the quick replies.

* * *

My stepdad can not read Japanese at all, nontheless speak it too well. When we are in Japan I will be showing him around. I can get myselfa round pretty easily with my Japanese (spealing skill). My reading is alright, but my kanji reading isn't hot.

I'm going to Ohki High School (if this helps).

Since I am a high school student I will have some kind of train/bus pass for sure. I wouldn't mind commuting to Osaka (if my stepdad lets me); I don't mind the 30 minute ride. If it helps: I'm not exaclty sure where we live, but supposedly it's pretty close to Kyodai (Kyoto U).

Also, are there any ballpark estimates for gyms in Japan?

Oh yeah, now that I think about it, my step dad would be going there too so it would have to be relatively close. (I wouldn't mind going farther away, but my stepdad is a professor and will have an extremly busy schedule when we're there.)

* * *

Also, my step dad said he doesn't want to invest into DBs, but if worst comes to worst, maybe I'll buy them.

[mrelwooddowd]

in the US, you can get adjustable dumbells, and all the plates you need for under 80 bucks

[WBBIRL]

Well, worst to worst youll have to make due with what you have. Im sure there will be somewhere withing your grasp that can atleast set you up with some barbells and plates, mind you it may be very megar to what we have but it will be something none the less. Or while your here you could buy and oly bar and 300lbs of weight relatively cheap. I was looking around and could get that for 100 dollars, not a bad deal IMO. Its enough to make due if you cant find a gym, id research it before I get over there though.

[Sensei]

Well, a quick search didn't turn up much. I'll try to dig more later.

The good news is that Kyoto daigaku (Kyoto University) has a lifting club. Their webpage is here: http://www.medianetjapan.com/2/20/sport/barbellclub/

I realize you're not a college student, but they might let you lift with them if your dad (or his colleagues) can pull some strings.

Bringing weights to Kyoto is not going to be an option for you. I know the other respondents mean well, but the weight limit on check-in/carry-on luggage is not much and sending any substantial amount of weights to Japan will be pretty freaking expensive (even if you send it by sea). Buying weights in Japan will also be A LOT more expensive than what Americans are used to (plan on spending at least a couple hundred $$ for an adjustable DB) - trust me on that. It might end up being cheaper than a gym membership though. There's no such thing as garage sales either.

Definately look into options that are school related - I think they are your best bet and if they pan out they will most likely be the cheapest and most convenient as well.

Try to talk to someone at the school you will attend about the school and the weight room facilities before you go. Just make sure to actually talk about classes, etc. so they don't think the only thing you're interested in is whether they have a weight room or not.

[WBBIRL]

I see, I guess hes right... Ive never been to japan but just though of somethings that I would have tried with my very limited knowledge of japan.

[PhilsterT]

Hmmm...for some reason I doubt that I would be able to lift on kyoto U, but maybe...

Yeah, I also think I would have to pass on $200 for DBs because that would be like most of my spending money, hahaha.

Yeah, I might look and see if my school has a weightlifting gym, but I doubt that too. I Don't think too many high schools have weightlifting areas.

[mrelwooddowd]

Just look for muscular guys, and practice your Japanese by quizzing them about where to workout..

[PhilsterT]

Haha, it's not very often that you see big men or women in Japan.

[Beavereater]

The gym scene in Japan, overall, is pretty bad. That's comparing it to the U.S. though. Most health clubs/fitness gyms will have nothing or next to nothing when it comes to free weights and sometimes they will have "exercise barbells" and "standard" plates (thin diameter bars & plates w. small holes).

Cost of most gyms is pretty damn expensive (just like everything else). I hope your father is understanding and willing to shell out some $$ for the gym. Just tell him it will help you get over culture shock and help you make new friends.

I used to live near Kyoto, so I know the area pretty well. It's almost 100% for sure that you will have to take a train to get to a gym - it probably won't be too expensive if you're a high-school student and get some kind of commuter pass. Definately make sure to look into that.

I'm pretty sure that Kyoto, Sanjyou had a Gold's Gym, but that was 8+ years ago.

Worst case scenario, you'll have to commute to Osaka to train - there are some good gyms there. Best case scenario, your high school will have some decent free weights and let you use them.


As for adjustable DB...I got a 30kg set for 20 bucks...didn't think it was that bad a deal. You just have to know where to shop. And Sensei is right, no such thing as garage sales here. If you see a TV in the garabage and it looks fine, it's probably cuz it is. People just don't recycle, they get whats new and through away what's old...that's how I got my whole entertainment set :evillaugh
I can't give you specific gym information, but I can probably check Yahoo!Japan later and see what I can find out. Does your father read Japanese? How well can you read Japanese?

Things are better now. I live in Japan, in Osaka and there are plenty of gyms popping up all over the place around here and the whole Kansai area (Osaka, Hyogo, Kobe). As far as big people in Japan...there are some pretty big guys, and gals in the gym. Mostly bouncer type guys...still huge though, although small in height in some cases.

[Sensei]

Yes, there are plenty in Osaka I know of. I think that will be his last choice though.

I found another gym in Kyoto. The name of the gym is "Power Man Gym". I don't know if they have a website, but their phone number is 075-645-8897 (if you call from the U.S., you'd drop that first zero).

Philster, if you aren't willing to spend $200, you better hope that your school has some weights otherwise you aren't going to be lifting much at all in Japan....

[PhilsterT]

We only need the gym for 2 months. And, we're thinking (my step dad and I) would sign up for one of those 9-11 time frames so it will be closer to $120. We will just have to look around when we get there I guess. Thanks for the help.

[BG5150]

If you can read Japanese, are there any Yellow Pages type of sites for cities in Japan on the internet?

[BG5150]

Seek and ye shall find:

http://sfuk.tripod.com/sfukguide/japan_bible5.html

Google is a wonderful thing. I used "gym" and "kyoto"

[Sensei]

Those are all martial arts gyms. Some of them may let you just work out with weights, but they might not. Most karate, boxing and mixed-martial arts gyms will have free weights, but they will be big on floor space for fighting and small on space for lifting.

[Sebi]

The public gyms in Japan are pretty unexpensive and mostly well equipped. They cost around 2000 yen a month compared to private ones where you have to pay somewhere between 7000 and 12000 plus the one-time sign-up fee (about the same amount) but for that money you gain access to a pool, sauna and japanese-style bath. Some even offer aerobic classes. Strangly enough Konami (the video game developer) now has a quite big gym franchise.

Public gyms are usually in sports centers ( スポーツセンター ) .

Be careful, "health club" ( ヘルスクラブ ) in Japan describes a night club. Gyms are called "training gym" ( トレーニングジム ) .

[Unholy]

what? How is a nightclub anything remotely close to a health club lol.

[PhilsterT]

Haha, thanks for the heads up. It's also helpful knowing the katakana for the two also. (Who knows, maybe I'll need some "health club" action too.)

[Sensei]

The public gyms in Japan are pretty unexpensive and mostly well equipped. They cost around 2000 yen a month compared to private ones where you have to pay somewhere between 7000 and 12000 plus the one-time sign-up fee (about the same amount) but for that money you gain access to a pool, sauna and japanese-style bath. Some even offer aerobic classes. Strangly enough Konami (the video game developer) now has a quite big gym franchise.

Public gyms are usually in sports centers ( ???????? ) .

Be careful, "health club" ( ?????? ) in Japan describes a night club. Gyms are called "training gym" ( ???????? ) .

I don't know... I used to work in a sports center and most of the ones I've been to have either had no weights whatsoever or a pretty meager set of 'standard' weights and a lot of really bad machines... A "gym" is probably what you want, but like I said a lot of gyms are MMA or boxing related. I can probably come up w. a pretty complete list of vocab. you might need if you're interested.

[PhilsterT]

Oh yeah, vocabulary would be excellant. I'm spending most of my time studying Japanese nowdays so if you could pull together some important words that would be really helpful. Stuff like this is not in my textbook.