I just got to Japan last week for a 6-month internship in Tsukuba, and it's honestly kind of a lonely area... I noticed a couple other people on the board are in Ibaraki according to your profiles. Anyone feel like meeting up and maybe showing me what there is to do around here? It's also my first time in Japan, and while people at work are really nice so far, getting set up has been a struggle.

I'm in Tsukuba, too. There's a great place on Higashi Odori, Spitfire (formerly Corkheads). If you swing by there on Friday or Sat night you'll meet a bunch of great people. I would volunteer to help to show you around, but right now I'm really swamped with work. Also, take a look at these sites, they might help you to get better acclimated:

http://blog.alientimes.org/

http://eve.bk.tsukuba.ac.jp/

I hope this helps.

I'm in ibaraki too. Maybe sometime we should have a little ibaraki get-together.

And when did corkheads change it's name? Does it have different owners? or did they just change the name?

I'd be in for a meet up.

Thanks for the links and the recommendation, I'll definitely check the place out. My weak Japanese internet skills place it in Ninomiya; is that the place?

It would be great to have a little Ibaraki meet-up. I'm not sure I'm the best person to suggest a venue, but possibilities that I can think of so far include: Spitfire; Mt. Tsukuba (I'm told it's a pretty easy but fun hike?); kaiten-zushi (I know a place, and I'm excited that I can say that I know a place...).

Corkeads closed two months ago, I think, and reopened under new management as Spitfire.