Affordable Pastimes and Hobbies?

[kawasemi]

Just curious if any of you folks have hit upon any interesting or unusual hobbies/pastimes here in Japan. The current pandemic has surely thrown a wrench into things, but what are you all doing with your free time now? And/or how do you plan to spend it when you retire? How do you stay physically active?

[Haystack]

Cycling. A good bike (not a mamachari) is key.

Trek disc line starts at 6万, and have a full size range for us foreigners. (Difficult to find an bike if you're tall).

[RetireJapan]

Walking and cycling.
Reading.
Writing.

Jiu-jitsu... just kidding, jiu-jitsu is hella expensive if you include all the instructional videos, bling clothing, and medical treatment

[captainspoke]

As mentioned, cycling. Tho where we are it's seasonal--snowy and wet in the winter, and summer, at least how I do it, you have to be up for a dawn ride to beat the heat.

Walking is fine, and you can alternate pushing and a really brisk pace with casual.

Bodyweight (BW) exercises. I do pushups, but from my knees (which one of my sisters calls "girl's pushups", and a friend call "sissy" pushups... Ah, well. I started several years ago with https://hundredpushups.com but transitioned from their goal to just doing my sets every other day. My regret is not having started something else (sit-ups) at the same time. Also, there are BW workouts+ at: https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/index

**

I'm puzzled that nobody (wink, wink) has mentioned a rowing machine... (sorry!)

[RetireJapan]

Bodyweight (BW) exercises. I do pushups, but from my knees (which one of my sisters calls "girl's pushups", and a friend call "sissy" pushups... Ah, well. I started several years ago with https://hundredpushups.com but transitioned from their goal to just doing my sets every other day. My regret is not having started something else (sit-ups) at the same time. Also, there are BW workouts+ at: https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/index

I started alternating pushups and squats (one day for each) a month or so ago. Do five sets with 4m in between. Add one rep to each set each time. Aim for 50 reps eventually (currently 22). Really liking it so far.

[Haystack]

As mentioned, cycling. Tho where we are it's seasonal--snowy and wet in the winter, and summer, at least how I do it, you have to be up for a dawn ride to beat the heat.

Walking is fine, and you can alternate pushing and a really brisk pace with casual.

Bodyweight (BW) exercises. I do pushups, but from my knees (which one of my sisters calls "girl's pushups", and a friend call "sissy" pushups... Ah, well. I started several years ago with https://hundredpushups.com but transitioned from their goal to just doing my sets every other day. My regret is not having started something else (sit-ups) at the same time. Also, there are BW workouts+ at: https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/index

**

I'm puzzled that nobody (wink, wink) has mentioned a rowing machine... (sorry!)

I purchased a squat rack some years back that paid for itself. Front squats, bench press, deadlifts. It helps keep my stress levels down.

Very dependent on living conditions. A first floor, corner, 3-LDK in my case.

[kawasemi]

I'm puzzled that nobody (wink, wink) has mentioned a rowing machine... (sorry!)

I've been thinking about a rowing machine, actually.

Does anyone do any team sports or anything in their local communities?

[goran]

I play 7-a-side football/soccer in a local riverside park on the weekends. (Yodogawa park for Osaka residents, do drop in if you want to join or send me a pm!)

Last year summer, I and my wife went for a night stay near the harbor in Osaka. There is a dinghy yacht school right besides the place where we stayed. We didn't know about this when we were planning the trip.
We bumped into an instructor. Made an impromptu decision to take a 3 day lesson and are now licensed to rent dinghy yachts anywhere in Japan. It costs about JPY 2000 per person for 3 hours of rental, add yearly insurance of about JPY 3000, and some other annual miscellaneous charges of around JPY 2000 (club membership) and its not too pricey to spend an afternoon with some Japanese pensioners. The lessons with the license was slightly heavy on the wallet, though, at around JPY 35000 per person.
But we were tired of staying home for more than a year due to COVID, and sailing is thrilling. When the boat capsizes, you have to turn it right side up by yourself!!

[adamu]

I recommend editing financial wiki articles

Currently still working out the rest...

[Haystack]

How do you stay physically active?

I recommend editing financial wiki articles

Currently still working out the rest...

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