Pros & Cons of Moving to Japan (from the American perspective)
Written by Julia Selma Joseph and Cyber Bunny
Thinking of moving to Japan?
After living in Japan for one year, I’ve came across a few culture shocks.
Don’t get me wrong, I am very grateful and privileged to be living in a country that many enjoy visiting. However, living and visiting are two different stories. No country is perfect. Japan is one of those countries that are commonly fantasized about from the outside in.
Let's dive into the good and the ugly of moving to Japan from the American perspective
PROS:
Collective effort on consumer waste
Japanese culture is very conscious about consumer waste. I'm talking about within the household and how it's culturally common to say "Mottainai/もったいない” which means “What a waste” in Japanese.
I'm not referring to plastic waste (that's another topic for another time…)
Food
With portions being “smaller” compared to the American “super-sized” meals, forcing people to have leftovers.
It is an unwritten rule to never waste food. It is respect to the person who prepared it.
Not finishing your food causes an inconvenience to the person who have to clean up after you. If you are the one who bought the food and will handle from start to finish, then it’s your house rules!
Material things
In Japan, it is common to separate trash and It is normalized to recycle. Some rental properties require their renters to recycle in their community trash area.
They even wash their trash so it’s easily recyclable! To Americans, trash is trash!
If you need to throw out furniture, electronics or big bulky items, it costs money for someone to pick it up; therefore, you are more likely to purchase less things or at least donate to second-hand stores if it’s still in good condition. In Hawaii, we just throw the bed mattress on the sidewalk and pray that the garbage truck picks it up someday,
Energy
In the U.S., utility bills are charged at a fixed price per month, however, Japan charges only the amount you use.
“Bunny BF is very picky if I don’t turn off the lights immediately after use.” (Cyber Bunny).
So your Summer and Winter bills will significantly be higher than during Spring and Fall.
This is a fair system in my opinion. But those who tend to use more, may not be favorable…
Walkable cities
I really enjoy my walks between commute, everything you need is in walking distance.
You don’t need a car even if you live in the city in Tokyo. On the contrary, if you live in L.A., you still need a car = horrible traffic!
Tokyo is very compact and you can get anywhere within an hour. However, the sidewalks are narrow and you’re constantly looking behind you to see if a bicycle is going to race past you. (i.e. Mama chari ママチャリ aka. Mom’s on bicycles with their 2 kids).
The food is not killing me
The U.S. is a country of processed foods and big value meals. “I noticed I have less digestive issues and lost a bunch of weight” (Cyber Bunny)
More access to quality fresh foods with great reasonable portions.
Safety is key
Violence is controlled in Japan. You’ll see mostly petty crimes like stealing panties, vandalizing, littering, stealing bicycle tires
Most times, it’s safe to walk back home late as a woman. But you never know when danger strikes, so please do not wear earphones on the walk back home.
CONS:
Working for the Yen
Earning yen is not that great when you’re a resident in Japan, but great if you’re receiving dollars for a living and spending it.
Make sure you apply for a travel card with no foreign transaction fees!
Official document processing is stuck in the Stone Age
Try getting your driver’s license, renting an apartment, applying for your Visa, buying a car… and you’ll feel the pain.
Processing documents is very slow. Bring all documents under the sun. Sometimes it has to be done in person or stamped with the official hanko stamp. They don’t make it easy, so just bring the whole folder!
Narrow streets are concerning
Most sidewalks are just enough for two people to walk side by side.
If you’re bicycling, sometimes you’re better off on the street but it’s really scary when you only have little space to ride. It’s also scary for the drivers! However, once you get out of 23 wards in Tokyo, the streets and sidewalks start to widen and there’s a designated bike lane on the sidewalk.
It takes a village to do one simple thing…..literally!
Ever wonder why there are long lines at food places in Japan? Possible reasons:
Reason #1 Sometimes, there is one or two people doing everything.
Reason #2 Sometimes, there are 5 staff behind the counter serving one customer, and they all don’t work efficiently or are not properly trained to be more efficient.
Reason #3 Japan is known for it’s best customer service, so it’s going to take some time to serve each customer and their products which need to be handed in perfect condition. (Note: This is not a bad thing, but worth mentioning!)
The list goes on…
Whether it's for safety, cheaper living due to the low yen rate, or a yearning for new experiences, Americans are considering Japan as their new home.
What do you think? Do the pros outweigh the cons for you? Are there a few things you can tolerate or not? Are you better off in the U.S.?
Julia Selma Joseph is a graduate student from Philadelphia who is currently attending Temple University. Julia has been living in Japan for two years. Her dream is to be an executive director of a theatre. She loves the magic behind the curtains.
