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Hello everyone!! Today I am back telling you things that I wish I knew about before moving to Japan, and things in general about life here that I didn’t realize or wish I knew more about before moving here…because at the end of the day, the best way to really get ready for or even consider moving to Japan is to learn a lot beforehand to mitigate that culture shock a bit 🤧
Do you have any other tips you wish you knew about before moving? Or are there any that stood out to you that you didn’t know before? Let me know in the comments down below! ❤️
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21 Things To Know Before Moving to Japan | What I Wish I Knew and the REALITY… 🤧
23 Comments
Did any of these surprise you? Let me know in the comments!! 😇
Also, I'm trying out an editor because honestly it's nice to sometimes have a week off from having the video editing looming over my head after work every day (I like it, but I also like having free time 🤧) so let me know your thoughts/feedback!! My first time working with this editor so there's bound to be stuff that doesn't work 😆 (Also, I'm definitely still going to always be editing my vlogs!!! Just these kind of videos it's nice to have help with sometimes hehe)
As a Canadian that lived in Tokyo for 8 years. I can agree with everything you said here. Japan is a decent place to live if you can find like-minded friends or a community that you vibe with. All the city ward or document related stuff was a pain to do 😂
Monthly pay is willlllllld
Thank you Allison for the video. Living in a different country isn’t for everyone. My son has lived in Japan for almost 4 yrs. He’s visited the country twice before moving there. Once was a 2 month. My sister and I laugh how my son blended well into the culture. Those are his people. Basically, landing on his mother ship. For others that don’t feel that way, it may not be your place to live permanently. He’s teaching English. Many friends come and go. Comments on depression. Don’t try to live there if you are people needy. Although polite, Japanese aren’t that open. You need to be able to eat out alone, hike alone, shop alone, and go on tours alone. I hope everyone gets to visit there.
I see people mention PTO a lot but it isn't really that much of difference from the US haha unless you work at a really good company
I really appreciate this video. I don't think people realize how it will really be. I was there for almost a month this time solo traveling, trying to get a sense of being there alone, and realized that. However, I still want to move there (because I have a community locally already) but I have my expectations in check.
#14 does that mean i get the opportunity to go by an alias in japan?🤔 or should i just put my real name in katakana? also, how are last names used for foreigners in japan? reaaally dreading that cuz my last name is kinda long 😩
Hands down! An YouTuber that shows the real life living in Japan. No sugar coating. Great video
I genuinely find it hard to decide if I should move to Japan or not. I think if I were to it would be for a year max – just because I'm such a social person I think the language barrier might make me struggle a bit there :,)
It also makes me worry that my Japanese language learning isn't worth it 😭
how can to appear as a white foreign men in japanese bondage enema vomiting porns?
Is that a can of soup on the dresser
so true!!! so true, it's so lonely there 😢
Absolutely👏🏼 on👏🏼 point👏🏼11:24 Definitely a reality check on visiting vs. living 🥲
💯fellow American woman who lived in Japan here. Excellent advice, Allison!
I love your thoughts on this topic as someone who goes to japan for travels i agree on all the points you mentioned
I was just in Japan for three weeks. The fashion… everyone looked nice. And yes! I definitely didn’t wear a few of the lower cut shirts I brought.
I’m currently going through a closet edit to figure out clothes that fit me and my body style better. I’m hoping to move to Japan next year, and I’m trying to figure out the best clothes to buy now that will work in Japan too.
Since I’m like an extra large in Japan, I was thinking it is probably better if I get my clothes in America, just look for clothes that also could work in Japan.
Can I ask you some wardrobe questions? Like how many clothes items do you have? What are some of your interseasonal clothing items (works for sping and summer for example)? Is there anything you stock up on fashion wise from America? Do you try to stay in trend?
God, these are all SO TRUE! Living in Japan can be really tough at times, especially without any Japanese skills. I think we all wish we would have known more Japanese before coming here 😂
I'm looking into finding my own place very soon (yes, I have a job). I found a real estate company where the agent speaks English and the places he showed me are much cheaper than what I currently have to pay my company. I asked him, but what if a landlord refuses to rent to a foreigner? And he just waved his hand and said, No, if the landlord felt that way, I wouldn't show you the apartment in the first place. These days I am not that picky about where I live because I have a house in the US–my Japanese place doesn't have to be that great, and the town where I work is not that expensive. Like you said, my focus is on work.
Let me share a bit about my recent solo trip to Nagano without a car. If you don't have a car or aren't on a package tour of some kind, don't do it. Those buses in the mountains stop running really early–like at around 3:30-5 pm? So if one bus is delayed, you'll miss your connecting bus and be stranded in the pitch dark on the side of a mountain–like I was–and it was only 5 pm!! A taxi miraculously appeared, dropping off 4 people, so thank god for that taxi driver. But it was 40+ minute $60 taxi ride, just sayin'. I was able to tell him my destination in Japanese–he didn't speak English of course. I'd recommend going somewhere where you can take a train, get off and walk around, and get on the train again.
I thought of a funny one: get used to being stared out. I used to compare myself to a gigantic rabbit–some people stared at me in fear, others gazed with wonder and awe, but the stares were real. I live in Yokohama now, so I don't get stared at as much as I used to, but you still feel that vibe coming off of people like, "Uh-oh, there's a gaijin."
Thank you for the tips!! 🤍🥹
Great video! im planing on attending a year long course at a language and culture school next year and i cant wait
I have to admit, I am very grateful for you being very real about what to expect from Japan. A lot of times we get super fluffy stuff about being in Japan, so I appreciate you doing your best to be real about what to expect in Japan haha.