Should I Leave Singapore and Move Back to Japan?
I’m back in Japan, looking at places where my family could maybe have a second base one day. Singapore has given me so much – career, safety, stability, and a life I’m grateful for. But after becoming a father, I’ve started asking a different question: What kind of life do I want to build for my family?
In this video, I visit mountain towns near Kobe and rural areas in Wakayama to explore whether Japan could become part of our future – not as an escape from Singapore, but as a place for nature, family, and a slower way of living.
Should we stay in Singapore, move to Japan, or find a way to live between both? Let me know what you would choose.
Thanks to RENEST for showing me around! https://maps.app.goo.gl/H6rioEqTYRcGn1376
Chapters
00:00 why japan?
01:32 mt rokko town
05:20 why this singaporean moved to japan
12:41 wakayama
17:18 final thoughts
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25 Comments
2:54 "BahhとMehh"
HAHAHAH I LOVE THE SHEEP NAMES
fine as a yearly escape but big cities mean more opportunities for the child
Man. Sometimes I also feel like I want to hide in a rural town somewhere for a few months…
Don't forget to donate a FOC henro hut in Shikoku. In case, I will walk again need a shelter to rough it out. You should do Summer Camp outing for all of your YT Fans. We go there BBQ, talk cock and have Autumn's Ebisu. 😁
日本は住むには良い国ですが、シンガポールに残ることもぜひ検討してください。
文化、人々、そして食べ物のことも考えてみてください。😊
没有一个地方是最好的或最坏的，以你现在的年龄，你要考虑的是家人适合住哪里和哪里可以给你有稳定的收入。。。。。。。。。祝你好运！
2:25 I know right away fisher is not his real name cos I also always use fisher online. lol. Btw I am glad his kids can speak both Japanese and English (not Japanese accented English). I think its great for kids to have such an experience of "kampong life" with farm animals, big living space, nature, 4 seasons etc which Singapore sadly do not have.
Ghib, if you are seriously contemplating this, in my opinion, can consider bringing your family back to Japan when your child is 3-4 years old so that she can have a proper childhood before the stress of schooling and come back to Singapore at age 7 for Primary school.
As a Singaporean, I think it's best for your kid(s) to grow in Japan. Better to immerse them in nature and have them live their childhood spending time with friends and doing sports (especially Japanese martial arts) than being stuck in a city-state and constantly surrounded by devices and other children addicted to them
I was a former budo instructor, I had this one Japanese white belt kid who impressed me so much by showing better focus compared to my >70 other Singaporean students (inclu senior belts) and even among my own peers. On tours to Japan, I also visited local dojos and am really impressed by their attitude on the mats. Personally, I'd move to a suburban area in Japan in future too
Also, food is fresher and cleaner in Japan. Little to no synthetic ingredients, good for kids' health
Man got tired of Singapore malls😆
ghib ojisan is gonna open hawker stall in the countryside 🙂
I will choose japan😊
As a Japanese who live abroad
I recommend moving back to Japan
It’s currently becoming better and better
Our nation has so many things that’s upcoming like new areas etc
I do love aboard but Japan is my mainland and my heart ❤️
Born here and grew up but went abroad and then came back
It looks secluded but someone is maintaining it seems
Of cos japan. Singapore is overrun by china establishments already. 😅
oh man, totally can feel u… just return from a trip to Furano and i love the space between houses, and ruralness that once u opened your door you can see the mountains, trees and rivers, the quiet road, the temperature… then again, i feel like it can only be a retirement place.. or an annual getaway destination unless you had the financial freedom to sustain everything that u need to support
Focus on what you & your wife see as best for both of you & your daughter.
Remember the reasons that made you choose Singapore over Japan & if those reasons still matter like how the different seasons affect your health.
Nothing, no place, no country, nobody, not a single thing in this entire universe IS or CAN BE perfect because only God The Almighty Is Perfect.
There are pros & cons in everything. It's just a matter of whether the pros outweigh the cons when deliberating on making a decision.
Something to consider is the natural disasters that can happen in Japan but not in Singapore like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, typhoons, etc.
I met a Grab driver while coming back from holidays. He has a house in Nagaoka in Niigata and would constantly take 3-6 months out staying there and then coming back when it starts snowing heavily. The good thing about having a house in another country is totally the choice of having an escape. Changing environment is a great boost to mental health.
You’re thinking of a holiday home in Japan when the weather gets hot, hop to Japan in winter with family to chill 😊
If you’ve been married so many years and your wife doesn’t speak Japanese fluently yet, then she is not going to assimilate well into Japan. It’s not her fault, it’s just not her personal interest. So you have to consider what’s comfortable for her. A vacation home is a great idea if you want to raise multi-cultural kids.
Also nobody wants to mention the D-word but both of you should have a talk about what happens if you move to Japan, because traditionally Japanese courts favour giving sole custody to the Japanese parent. Mrs Ghib should be aware of this. That said, I heard joint custody has been recently introduced so efforts are being made to be fair to both parents. If Ghib isn’t scared of this sensitive topic, he can cover it!
A MAJOR concern is your wife doesn't speak Japanese.
If she's not open to learning Japanese, then consider the challenges she has to face living in Japan when she can't communicate with the locals in Japanese.
Just in time, the influences want to move back to Japan after 5 years in SG.
GHIB OJISAN – Good evening from HONG KONG 🇭🇰 SAR. If / when you finally decide to move back to Japan 🇯🇵, you will be so ‘homesick’ about Singapore 🇸🇬 and miss all the Malaysian 🇲🇾 and Indonesian 🇮🇩 food as well as culture.
I think it's natural to crave nature when you're surrounded by man-made buildings, and the opposite is true as well. Every place has its own pros and cons because no country is perfect. Whether it's Japan or somewhere else, what matters most is finding a place whose strengths align with your values and lifestyle. There will always be things you'll love and things you'll have to compromise on, no matter where you choose to live.
Hi Ghib,, if you buy a house in the country side it will be great becoz you and family can go back for a holiday and live at the country side to compare,, for me only holiday is ok not to live ,, already used to city life you see,, thank you for showing us the beautiful side of japan,, 👍🙇🍺😎,, the boys are so cute,,, will grow up to be a handsome good man,, 👍😅