10 Things Nobody Tells You About Living in Japan 👀🇯🇵
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 พ.ค. 2024
- I realized that I've been living in Japan for over four years now, and thought I would share some of the things that I didn't quite realize about Japan (at least the full extent of) before moving here 😅 I worked hard to think of semi-original things to say for this video!!!! I definitely could say MANY MORE THINGS but let's stick to 10 for now!
Sorry if it's a bit negative...I really do love Japan and living here for the most part or I would've moved home by now 🥺 I just think I always share soo many positive things and the positive things are absolutely everywhere online, I wanted to share some lesser known negative sides, or advice I think people (and even my past self lol) might need to hear 👀
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What Nobody Tells You About Living in Japan
DON'T CANCEL ME I LOVE JAPAN I PROMISE
(also 11 would be about sexism and gender roles etc and 12 discrimination but let's not get into that right now LMAO)
Once again, you're one of the ONLY Japan TH-camrs that has the guts to mention sexism and discrimination. Thanks so much!
Yep, all places have issues...like wokism in the USA. If it gets too 'hard', you are privileged enough to move somewhere that has no discrimination, maybe a Democrat state?
Yeah I was gonna say Japan is xenophobic and "other"phobic as fuck. The culture actively hates foreigners and especially "different" foreigners. My tattoos would get me branded as a Yakuza. Everyone knows that. What people don't usually know is Japan HAAATES the disabled. If it were up to them, their own would be unmentionables in the gutter and foreign ones like me wouldn't be allowed in the country. We bitch here in America but it's so, so, so much worse in other countries.
great, honest, please continue with #11, #12, #14, ...
I think you should DEFINITELY get into that!! These videos of things people don't usually talk about are priceless imo!
The lack of insulation is even weirder than it sounds because it is mandated by law. No kidding! Depending on the region you live in, you are allowed to only have up to X insulation and no more, which means winter in Kyushu, in the south, will feel a lot colder (inside) than Hokkaido in the north because in Hokkaido you are allowed to have proper insulation. The national builders' or architects' organization is pushing now to change this law.
If you are a foreigner (or look like one): people will sometimes not sit/stand close to you at bus-stops or on the bus/train/subway. Some people will stare at you (yes, adults also, not only children and old people). Houses/apartments are extremely COLD in the winter, I prefer to be outside. Food portions are very small, both at grocery stores and restaurants (so the cost of food can get rather high). I am often hungry in Japan because of this. Japanese people can be really rude and insensitive to others. For example, mentioning your weight (high or low, or if its changed) is often a topic that comes up. So are you sensitive about your weight, try to don't feel bothered.
@@verreal forget about the little girl being afraid, Bigfoot and dog men exist in southeastern Wisconsin, lock your doors and windows at night or get abducted!!!
WHAT A BULLSHIT, I live in Japan since 12 years, and when I sit in bus or metro near by someone no one sits away from me. Food portions are big compared to western supermarkets, house is cold but you can buy a kotatsu, dude your comments is so NONSENSE you probably never lived in Japan without to try the culture and people. GET BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM☑️
@@yuzuki7531 Haha, love your answer 😁 Well, I told my experience. And yes, food portions are small, houses are cold, people are afraid of foreigners. But, Japan is still lovely in many ways. Its about seeing things from different perspectives. Not only the positives, to strike a balance. So Japan is great in many ways, but not perfect. And the experience differs from person to person.
@@yuzuki7531 but have you ever had an japanese bigfoot or dogmen sit next to you while riding the metro!!??
I am a relatively thin foreigner in Japan. People will sit next to me on the train and I have never gelt avoided. I think people just want to sit next to the smallest person and I do this too.
Also I've never been commented on about weight change, but I have seen Japanese people tell eachother "you have lost weight"
Definitely agree with the English not being common…having said that I’ve never found it a problem in the 4 times I’ve travelled there (the extent of my Japanese is hello, thank you, excuse me, cheers, so good and cute 😂)…and agreed also that the people are super helpful even if they cant speak English…i got lost in Osaka with my sis the first time we travelled there, and a kind granny was trying to help us find out hotel even though she couldn’t understand us and we couldn’t understand her 😊
yes it’s really an easy country to travel in i think even without japanese!! and it’s gotten even better post olympics…now if only they could open up the country lol 🥹
I’m impatiently waiting for the country to open up…i was supposed to go in 2020 but you know what happened…can’t wait to go back there soon!
Yes, use some basic greetings of local language is precious.
OMG, same! lol. Waaay back when I visited Japan (wow, a long time ago now), I found people in Osaka to be the friendliest. My and my sis just got off the train from Kyoto and were obviously looking a little lost trying to find the right exit to get to our hotel, and I think about 3 different people tried to help us, though like you the language barrier made things a bit difficult. The friendliness of the Osakan people was a standout. Good memories. 🙂
Bureaucracy is so real. Not just in the strictly government sense, but even in a social context. I also lived there for like 4 years and in like the “Tokyo bubble” there was often so much social convention/process to even become surface level friends with people.
Literally everywhere else I’ve ever lived or travelled, friendship is often on the other side of a drink or meal. In Japan it was like… “chase me for awhile and we will see where we land.” Some of that might have been people who just didn’t want to be friends-and that’s fine, honestly-but some of that was people actively inviting me to stuff and then stopping short of really showing any vulnerability or humanity that is kind of… necessary to authentic friendships. I don’t think it was my Japanese, either; I was never the greatest, but I tended to float around low N2 level. Enough to do business and read academic stuff in broad strokes.
It’s a country where everything felt like it took infinitely more time by design. Except maybe travel. For me, who values my free time highly, this was always a tough sell. I just didn’t want to spend 90% of my time at the city hall, chasing flakey friendships, navigating office red tape, etc.
It wasn’t the reason I came back, but I did realize how much freer I felt after I did.
This is extremely relatable to me after living in Japan for 3 years. I may have friends I can go out with, and we'll talk about work school whatever and enjoy ourselves, but nothing ever gets personal. It's like I'm perpetually in the acquaintance stage with all of my friends, even the ones I've known for years. I'm still figuring out whether it's a big enough of a factor for me to stay or go.
I dont think friendship thing looks so unusual. I am Russian, introvert and I need some good time to get to know people. So, the chasing thing looks rather normal to me. And I live in Japan too.
@@annaignatochkina3438 of course I think it's good to take time to get to know people, at least for you and me we can agree on that. But I don't feel the same closeness with my friends in Japan that I had with friends in the past from other countries. I still enjoy my time with them, but I assumed after many years of being friends with Japanese people they would open up and be a bit more vulnerable, but for me that isn't the case unfortunately. It does take time to get to know someone yes, but after years and years of hanging out and talking, I miss having friends where we have a deeper connection than just surface level. Everyone's experience is different though, this is just mine
I made Japanese friend circles by joining clubs and activities like sports and at work. Some of my Japanese friends are really close, we've been on trips together and I've been to some weddings, we've spent our birthdays together, etc. Majority of them don't speak English. I have made so many more friends in Japan than I ever made in my home country. That's just my experience though I guess. My Japanese is decent (got N1 after 1 year here, after doing up to N2 in my home country) and it's my 10th year.
Of course there are some people who don't seem interested in being friends at all, but there are also lots of really cool people, I suppose it is the same anywhere. Some people I recognised their faces but never talked to them for a few years before we got to know each other but I'm also quite a shy person
@@justicedinosaur7302 maybe it also depends on how long you’ve lived in Japan too. Also 10 years wow! I’ve only been here for 3 years so far so maybe things would get easier the longer I stay. My Japanese is definitely not N1 yet but I’m trying to get there. I’m glad that you were able to find close friends here, it sounds wonderful
If you travel to a non-English-speaking country, I think it's ignorant to expect the people there to speak English. It's a bonus if they do, but it is your responsibility to learn a few phrases to get by. That's the adventure of travel - enjoying learning the language, food, culture and people there, no? I love Japan, and would love to live there if my circumstances were different. And I know that as a tourist is just looks like a fantastic place, and I like the order too. But living there is another thing altogether.
Always great to see your videos Allison! I can live vicariously through you :)
th-cam.com/video/ju4UBZlTBQo/w-d-xo.html
were you raised in a non english speaking country
@@ZZ-nb6qs No, I live in a multi-cultural English-speaking country.
どれだけ外国人が増えても、日本が英語の通じる国になりそうもないのですが、期待する人は一定数いるようで。日本が英語圏出身者にとって魅力的なのは異文化があるからなのに、それすら多様性圧力で消そうとして、他の国と変わらない移民国家になったら、行く必要もなくなるのに。
True, but English is the world lingua franca and widely spoken in many countries, including many in Asia.
I think it's a good idea to set realistic expectations, so people know it's not like Singapore or Malaysia (for example). Having said that, I don't speak any Japanese (excluding basic stuff) and I survived just fine when I was there. Most things are written in English, and the rest you just use some key words and hand gestures. We also used things like Google translate. Most Japanese know basic English words, even if they can't speak it.
Had the opposite experience with weight gain. I'm a rather large male (did weight lifting but was always chubby in aus) Living in a city in Saitama I get around 10,000 steps minimum a day in walking. The easier access to (relative to Australia) healthyish ready made food thats cheap also has helped. Found I can eat damn near what ever I want and still be in a calorie deficit.
Great video! Thanks for the honest take on your experience in Japan.
Just want to mention about the weight gain thing.
In Japan many people really are thin and it is possible to lose weight here if you do what most of the locals do (at least where I live in Japan with my Japanese wife). Here I lost a couple kilos and still eat lots of sweets and drink coffee and alcohol more than in Australia.
The issue I think for foreigners with weight gain, and probably some locals, is that they are eating food with sugars/preservatives/etc. without realising it. The locals know that the bento boxes and such you buy in the seven eleven are not healthy and say they eat them all the time, but probably eat very rarely in practise. I believe what happens is that the extra sugar/preservatives in these staple meals causes people to feel like eating more and thus gain weight.
If you buy from the local shopping centre/grocery store, the quality of fresh foods is higher than in many western countries, due I think to less preservatives and different quality checks. Japanese eggs for example are much fresher than in Australia due to regulations causing delay in the process in Australia. The milk is different here, but I think has less preservatives. Definitely across the board there is less preservatives, including sugar.
This means that the food should be sold in smaller packages/volumes because it will spoil faster. You want to go shopping pretty much daily or every couple days as part of your routine and eat food that would otherwise spoil/tase worse if you left it. This I believe is the key to weight loss in Japan for so many locals, and you can still enjoy cheap alcohol and local sweets (which have far less sugar than western ones) without so much effect on your weight.
The point you mention about people saying "oh yes I have that all the time!" and they actually only have it maybe once a month is very true.
What a great video! I am glad we watched it! My wife and I are moving to Tokyo in October and all of that is good to know!! Thank you!
love your vibe and cant stop binging your vids. Thanks for everything you do!!
Now that's a good video! Really interesting to watch. Keep it up!
This was a really interesting video, thanks allison!
This is spot on to my experiences too. Thanks for putting it into condensed cool way. Had a very hard time explaining a lot to family. Have more for your list but will leave that for another day. Thanks!
I really enjoyed watching this! As a seasoned traveller even though I dont live there I get it! plus I like how easy you make youtube look! I find sometimes my videos are over the top
Love how you explain why. Thank you.
Thank you for this honest perspective! The reality of the apartments is the most important to me as someone who is thinking about moving to Japan. Nervous about the lack of privacy after living in a house.
You are unbelievably well spoken. Just subscribed and I'm really enjoying this aspect of your videos!
Thank you Alison for being real.💞
Hey Allison! I found your channel at random and I'm just going through a recruitment process with one of the major Eikawas so hopefully will be moving to Japan by spring.
Your videos are so lovely and relaxing. I often watch them to wind down after a long day while just colouring or practicing hiragana. As an introvert, it's so inspiring to see you talk so openly about enjoying your own time and your own company.
Anyway, that's all I wanted to say! I hope you'll continue to have a great week!
Hi Allison, new subscriber here from Brisbane, Australia. I love Japan, it was going to our very first international holiday, we had everything booked completely 2 weeks before the ‘you know what’ event occurred. So in our next stages of beginning to replan, we have been enjoying your videos very much. I appreciate your information and your passion. Thankyou so much! Take care and i can’t wait to watch more ❤ ✌🏻🌸
Thank you for posting this helpful video
Really informative! Thanks !
I really love your content and presentation. Well done Allison 😊👍
Honest video..loved it 😊
Fascinating. I love hearing people just speak freely like this. Thanks for sharing the lesser discussed aspects of living in Japan as a foreigner. I'm dismayed by the sheer volume of intelligent, conscientious folks who feel obliged to provide caveats and pleading disclaimers at the start of their candid videos so that they don't get harassed and judged harshly by ignorant, immature strangers. I wish people would be able to just say their piece without needing to create defensive shields to hopefully get the aforementioned strangers to wind it in and back off, y'know? I'm here for it, whether I agree with people or not. It is never the point. The point is enjoying uninhibited yet tactful strangers allowing their full personality to bloom and get into their own 'flow'. Terrific, much valued.
Thanks Allison you are most informative!
I am a new subscriber and I really enjoy your content and your personality! My youngest son has been stationed in Okinawa on and off during his military career and he feel in love with the country! Next time he goes there I will visit him and we will take a trip within Japan. He is also very tall and big 6’4 he told me people come up to him all the time 💕
thank you for the video. I really appreciate the info. Cheers!
Hi Allison! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and tips. I´m moving to Japan and it´s good to hear advice from people who live in Japan.
Nice video
Yo saijime KEWL...when are u moving there ? I'd love to move there but health situation right now...cancer...prevents me from doing so at the moment...plus $$ issues but maybe once these issues are resolved I'll be able to..
Never say never...right ?? Good luck...👍
❤❤Your channel is literally my comfort place. 🤗❤
Liked the video as it touches upon topics not always talked about by the famous foreigner jtubers. Especially #9. I've lived here for 3 years and that one is the most important. No matter how good your Japanese, foreigners will never be in the "in" group. Learn the language as a survival tool, nothing more. Create your own community in Japan rather than desperately trying to win the hearts and minds of every single Japanese you meet. It's easier to live in Japan this way. I'm also an American writing this too.
Very insightful advice, thanks for sharing.
Good video. Thanks for sharing 👍 🥰
Hello Allison i love love your videos about Japan! Hoping to visit one day ❤
Watched the whole video. Very clear and precise. No cancelation lol. Great video.
TOTALLY AGREE with all of what you've mentioned!
Thanks for sharing honest opinion and things to consider/aware about living in japan. ❤many video of others show only the positive/ perfect things in japan. Its great you tell the other side reality side.
l love several things about japan, food , culture, their paying attention to small things,and love traveling japan but i think its hard to actually live in Japan as a foreigner.
Allison awesome advice ! Thank you !! You hit every “ issue” not a problem because everyone can overcome it and you nailed it . I’ve been to Japan 3 times for months at a time for work and considering moving there . All the topics you discussed were spot on and fair . I ran across your video to get a refresher . If anyone is offended just to add ,Japan will not adjust to you , they will try and help you, but it’s everyone’s responsibility to learn the culture and language especially if you are considering moving there . Thanks again Allison you are awesome !!!
I'm moving to Japan in the next couple of weeks, this video caught my attention. I appreciate the unpopular topic but existing things, I will remember this very informative. Thank you, Allison.
Very useful advise, thank you
Great video. i love japan, the language and culture, but have never been so was so interesting. thank you
The mould is astonishing. I have lived in Europe and the UK and I have never seen so much mould. It never stops and it is everywhere. It is crazy. I’m always cleaning and wiping like all day long. You can never just leave it.
Bureaucracy is nuts. Everything is so complicated. The Japanese spend 100 pages of explaining 1 sentence. It’s cultural norm.
My mom visited from Europe and we went to check in a hotel and this guy kept explaining for such a long time. My mom was like what on earth is this guy on about? I said it is omotenashi and every single detail needs to be explained.
Gained 15kg in Japan. Easy. Food is ridiculously delicious and lots of high calorie stuff here.
I love Japan tho. I can’t leave it is too good.
hi Allison, as a fellow Floridian who also lived in Japan 4+ years, I think the reason it molds faster and seems dirtier is because without the AC on all day, mold can grow more easily. Just a theory. lol Also, the hanko thing. jesus. I brought my passport, my Japanese ID card, and my bank book to my bank and they couldn’t help me access my account because i lost my stamp. I just looked at them like 😑
and went to open a new account at a different bank.
That being said… I can’t wait to move back to Japan after I finish my Master’s and plan to apply for permanent residency once i’m eligible. Maybe i’ll see you there. 😊
Ahhh you’re a wannabe too eh
I lived there 1 year and all of these are 100% accurate!
Love your video. Cool. Down to earth. Not the - insane - type of insider kind of thing, yet full of respect... with a distant view point. Exactly !
Japan is a spectacular country and I encourage everyone to go travel there! I used to visit every year before the pandemic.
However I would never dream of living there permanently, I would definitely suffer from depression due to high-context social rules.
Brilliant content. It made me think about these 10 things you've mentioned about Japan, or my experience with them during my rather short work related stay there.
1. No insulation - you're absolutely right; the street noise was really the issue in my apartment, something that I rarely noticed in other countries. Oh yes, the heat, too.
2. Cleaning - didn't notice anything special about it, except that the balcony was a no-go zone because of thick layer of dust... :)
3. Bureaucracy - luckily, I had all the help I needed for that, but I had a good look at how miserable I would have been if I was on my own...
4. Fluency - おはようございます was my top achievement in this field. :)
5. English is not common - true, but then I had a chance conversation with a JR employee at some very minor train station, who spoke perfect English... :) I guess an exception to the rule.
6. Weight gain - yes, definitely. Their food is so tasty and so inviting...
7. Comparison of US and non-US sizes - for me it worked the other way: after buying an XL shirt in Japan, I went and bought an XL shirt in the US, and ended up with a tent... :)
8. Crime - it's definitely not the same feeling for men and for women.
9. Immersion - never tried, and not proud for it.
10. Japan is a normal country - on my first arrival in Japan, I've heard local people laughing, and I thought something like "Look, they laugh just like any other people" - and that was that. :)
out of curiosity, how did you get help with the bureaucracy side of things?
@@catboyedgeworth2469 I had all the support I needed from my company, what documents to prepare and where to go; I had my colleagues or a secretary at the ready to help me whenever I needed it.
@@nyupnik ah i see, cheers
A university professor who has lived in Japan for 40 years once told me😀, "Foreigners who have only lived in Japan for five or six years tend to explain about Japan and the Japanese people as if they know everything. To understand the true nature of Japan and the Japanese people, you have to live in Japan for at least 10 years. Well, after about 15 years or so, you will finally begin to see the essence of Japan and the Japanese people. The culture and spirituality of the people of this country, which is the oldest in existence, is not easily understood by Westerners."🧙♂
Great video! I love the images you chose at the end to represent good and bad 😂😂 lowkey how I see it omg; I never knew how much of a difference it would be to not have insulation 😲 especially the sound proof aspect! I wonder if the mold and other increased cleaning stems from lack of airflow in the apartment 🤔
I heard about the increased cleaning there on reddit too- idu how?! Some ppl say maybe from pollution but idkk
Definitely won’t cancel you for this bc I think most of us love your honesty and relatability 😌😊
Hey Allison, one EASY WAY to fix your airflow, mould, over heating issues, get a few air circulators or strong standing fans with oscillation. Like those that u see in tokyu hands or DonQ. Makes a huge difference. Not sure if ur apartment has the dryer in the bathroom function, but it helps too
I recently went to Japan for two months to visit my wife’s family. I really appreciate European build quality now. Thank God for well insulated brick houses with central heating.
I think the documents and paperwork are interesting to think about. Nearly everything is or can be done online here in the US. To say that Japan is the land of contradiction is pretty accurate I think. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
You should definitely buy a dehumidifier depending on the square footage of your apartment, there's some really good ones out there, and you can take it with you wherever you go, once you remove the humidity you remove the mold, you sett it to bellow 45% humidity turn it on auto and you're good.
Thank you!
I always enjoy hearing transparent views when it comes to living in a different country. I won't lie though when I say I'd still choose moving to a different country than living here in the US lmao. Hopefully someday Japan will decide to open up and give us folks an opportunity soon.
Only 4 years? I’ve been here 11 years but you remind me so much of me at about 4 years in.
The food thing as an ALT is so so true and not really talked about. The milk is what 300 calories alone? As someone who is picky and not really open to trying new things is was a way to try new things. Though hated the reactions I’d get for not eating something. Japanese are trained to eat it all if they like it or not.
Edit! Another thing not really talked about is friendships. Making friends from around the world is great but high high chance of them getting tired of Japan and going back to their country. It sucks saying goodbye to so many over the years.
Yeah I have the same problem with friends.
You always have in mind they will go back to their county a few years later and you will miss them u.u
I noticed everyone eats their food! I don't understand how, its SO MUCH RICE. And they never seem to drink anything. Probably because when you do, the rice absorbs if and you feel like you're going to explode and die. I've just stopped eating it all. It's too much, especially the set lunches. I'd rather save room for all the pretty desserts anyway.
We had to buy dehumidifiers. Our little 500sqft home was crazy with humidity.
Hello Allison,I agree with this dynamic and concrete way to see Japan except on a very important point that you can settle immediately with breakfast which makes you fat because there are too many calories so divide your breakfast and eat half !take care of yourself even if japan is a safe country
In Germany, people "air out" their houses several times a day. this prevents mold from growing.
when I was a kid I had a summer grammar tutor that lived in Japan all through the early to mid 80s and she said it was a pretty serious culture shock and she never quite got used to living in Japan even though she studies Japanese and Japanese culture even before moving to Japan back then. Like many Americans who travel there she was an English teacher and even eventually married a Japanese man but despite all that, she really never fit in well and after 5 years, she divorced her husband and moved back the US and I think I remember talking with her about maybe 15 years ago and she said he had never been back to Japan and had no real interest in going back as 5 years was enough. So as great as Japan is, it's not for everyone.
this person sounds like they wouldnt fit anywhere anyway and should stay home!
Mahalo for your video! I heard about the amount of government paperwork which gives me anxiety just thinking about it. 2nd installation; mind blowing! But good to know and not stopping me from moving there. Mahalo again.
Uniqlo sizes are international. I was able to buy the exact same size there in 2019 and it was cheaper too. (Partly due to the tourist discount)
I thought the one about insulation was super interesting! I’d never heard that before, and I live in an apartment in America where I get annoyed if I hear even a bump on the other side of the wall 😅 Japan apartments would take a lot of getting used to
omg i relate to the clothes thing so much... I can literally only shop at H&M and sometimes Shimamura. I'm usually an L in the US and in Japan I'm like an XL to 4XL in bottoms ;-;
I have the opposite problem, especially with shoes, skirts, and pants. Everything is too long/big in my home country even the "free size" in Japan can be a gamble if it will be too big for me lol.
I've always wondered with every apartment tour if I will ever see a window in the toilet rooms or bathrooms. I have seen windows in house tours (in Japan). It would definitely help with the mould issue.
Thank u for your amazing presentation its really unique content .thanks for your excellent shairing.A big thumbs up.
On housing in Japanese cities, most cheap places will be "apatos," smaller (2-3 story) wood construction buildings - these are as mentioned - no insulation, (sometime literally paper) thin walls, typically old and musty (there's almost certainly a mold problem in the walls if its recurring, a dehumidifier would help). Of course, the flip side is they're easier to rent and cheaper. However, when you move to "mansions" - these are all the high rise buildings (3F+), made of steel and concrete. Usually these have better than US condo-spec sound insulation, and better (but still pretty variable/substandard) thermal insulation - you'll usually find the basics like double-paned glass, although thermal bridging for balcony doors is still a thing and a lot of times, your doorway will still also open outdoors instead of an indoor hallway and they can still be surprisingly drafty (Japan also has air ventilation mandated by law but a lot of units don't have an HRV/ERV, there's just a straight out duct to the outdoors). Anyway, for who can afford it, going for a mansion is obviously a way better choice, and besides the ubiquitous per-room split AC/heaters, I've found floor heating to be decently common (it's the best). Note, as a matter of earthquake safety, you should also strongly prefer to find a place built after 2000 when tougher rules and building inspections were required. All real estate agencies/sites include the construction age and framing type so it's easy to filter out what you don't want. The bigger issue for most people renting is that you typically need 3-6mo of rent to get to a new place, and then there's the issue of a guarantor...
I got tired of being shoulder-checked in subway walkways. I'm female, and when my husband walked with me the seas parted like he was Moses.
Right off the bat, YESSSSS why is there always something to be cleaned?! Always! 😅
Being from Milwaukee Wisconsin in the United States, I'm having traveled to Europe many times but never Asia, I would say that the Japan that you describe sounds like a very nice place. I think the problem that I would have would be the language barrier as I do not speak any language besides English and I am not proud of that. It was also heartening to hear that the food is good. I was wondering about that. Thank you for the excellent information.
Japanese immersion starts to work really well once you study your way to the high-beginner / low-intermediate level. Although this is my opinion, I think it's valid because I can pick off new words in context very quickly at this level. Also, at this level, you can read intermediate texts without ruining your pronunciation (which I heard, and also works for me).
Get some fans if you’re able to.
Mold/mildew won’t go away if the room is always warm and the air is full of moisture. (ideal environment for breeding germs and mold).
Sop up any water after bathing and keep a fan blowing into the bathroom to dry and circulate the air.
Thanks. I am interested in Japanese Tea Gardens.
I love your realism in your videos, I watch other foreigners who live in Japan and none of them protrayed how hot 🥵 or any kind of struggles like school and tests/work, it's almost like they already succeeded or have companies to back up their happy go-lucky lifestyles.. Besides that I just want to say when I was in HS I always wanted to go to Japan, I was in Anime Club at my school and watched it all the time (FYI my favorite anime was Chobits and Vampire Hunter D), I even cosplayed and was into Kawaii/Lolita fashion, went to local comic and anime conventions. I looked into the JET program after graduation and some years afterwards but realized after my choices and life circumstances I should of been more dedicated towards college working harder to get that BA but never did, then slowly I was never in the right position in life to go visit (never will eitherl). Although I'm much older now and got rid of all my collectios from Pokemon trading cards to ultra rare official Chobits cosplay ears and hair bobbins, I really appreciate recently coming across your channel as your personality is similar to mine and I'd be just as obsessed with going to the shops as you are and I really like seeing your daily comeupings too. Thank you for allowing me to see a smig of your life in Japan. 💕👹💮👺🍜🧧🎏🎍
th-cam.com/video/ju4UBZlTBQo/w-d-xo.html
Great video
when you moved to japan, did you have relatives there to help you? or was it friends? how’d you manage to find friends?
Amusingly, I've been here about 8.5 years and have never set foot in my ward office, nor purchased an inkan. Thankfully, my city hall runs an after hours office where you can get basic paperwork done.
Mold and mildew are a function of humidity inside the home, and they are living organisms (not dirt). Although places like Florida are hot and humid, homes there typically have A/C running all the time, which removes a lot of water from the indoor air. Even when people are gone at work all day in Florida, they may raise their thermostat a few degrees, but are not going to shut off the A/C. The water removed from the air by an central A/C evaporator unit is drained to the outside of the house (typically the condenser is outside but the evaporator is inside the home somewhere, or in an attack or basement), and sometimes when the water drain lines clog up, the A/C stops working or results in a water leak inside the house where the A/C evaporator unit is located. Window A/C units have the condenser and evaporator hanging out the window in one unit where the water drains outside the house. A centralized A/C system in a typical 2500 sq ft home in Florida will remove about 5 gallons of water from the air per day. To keep mold and mildew in check, it is best to keep the relative humidly below 55% (preferably 50% or below).
I read that homes are cheaply built in Japan (including cheap windows and walls) because the government wanted to have them rebuilt about every 30 years, spurring the building industry and helping grow the economy.
Nobody told me this - but I would recommend you choose a ‘mansion apartment’ with rebar construction for more soundproofing. This is different from Apaato (which lacks insulation for temperature and sound). If you don’t need a ton of space, and don’t mind a short walk home, this will be between 500-900 bucks within 3-5 stations of Yamanote line. I’d pay that not to hear my neighbors have sex that involves lots of squeaking. I practice guitar in my rebar concrete place and have never got a complaint.
Consider the age of the building as well, as newer ones generally have thicker concrete (and more safety features in the building design). No need to suffer! Many Japanese apartments are unoccupied right now!
I have had similar experiences to your own, but the one thing I think you may have missed is that for long-term residents (I have been living her for 40+ years), living in Japan is a love-hate relationship for many. For example, I lived in Japan for two years before finishing college and moving back to live here permanently, and I knew about the insulation thing. What you failed to mention is they compensate for that with airconditioners in pretty much every room where you will spend most of your time.
I totally agree with you on the language issue. Way too many come with the intention to live off their native English skills. I came with an MBA in-hand and planned on using real skills in my job. When I first came to Japan, I did so after a two-month crash course on Japanese and after arriving we were given Japanese textbooks to study, which I did. I could carry on a generally fluent conversation in Japanese by the time I was here 6 months, and by the time I returned to the U.S. to finish my college education, I was relatively fluent and could read and write Hiragana, Katakana, and probably 200 Kanji. When I went back to school, I tested out of every Japanese class the university offered.
I won't bore you with additional details, but patience and understanding are clear assets. My Japanese wife has been a great sounding board over the years.
This is like, tangentially related lmao, I had a question about food: I heard that generally speaking, Japan doesn't have too many meat alternative options? I am on a strict diet for my health, which means I'm mostly plant-based (and only lean meats like fish and chicken) and I'm also low carb and low sugar. I haven't really been to a Japanese grocery store in my past visits so I was wondering what it'd be like shopping for someone on a strict diet like myself. And especially what it's like eating out with a diet like this. I heard there aren't a lot of like veggie burgers or similar things at restaurants.
If you don't know, it's okay! I know I'll have to figure it out when I get there haha (I just recently got shortlisted with JET so I'm moving in a couple months)
Anyway, I love your videos! Just wanted to say you got me thinking about applying for PhD programs in Japan lol (but i literally just got my master's so I wanna take at least a year off 🤣)
Yes to everything.
Keeping the bathroom clean IS challenging. I think it's the "everything can get wet" aspect. Because the room doesn't get a chance to fully dry mold and mildew are an issue. That and hard water making spots and the walls if you don't keep at the cleaning ALL THE TIME. So much more work than a North American bathroom.
I live in Kagoshima. Add volcanic ash to the mix. Any open window invites ash in but you need to open windows.
Bureaucracy is crazy as well. Loads of paperwork. My bank didn't have me put my middle name when I opened an account in the 90s. The paperwork may not have had room then. I don't remember. It started a trend so now I've mixed paperwork and never know which name to write... and banks won't tell which. They can only say it's wrong. So...if you have a middle name always put it on forms. AND... the same bank that started the whole name mess made me add my middle name last week under anti money laundering rules. So now with the same bank I'm going to have two different versions of my name. One for past automatic payments and one for new ones I set up.
I'm from Florida too. I'm hoping to get into the JET PROGRAM as an ALT this fall!
Good luck! 🙂👍
Did you make it?
@@TheseEyesSeeDarknessClearly7 nah fam. Idk how my references may have answered; but also I was too afraid to say the wrong things in my essay. I'm planning on going in March for a vacation but someone said something smart to me: "maybe you would feel it uncomfortable teaching elementary school kids if your goal is to teach high school college aged students."
@@stormtrooperholds same. I didn’t make it either so I applied with Interac and am set to leave in March 2024. I’m just using it as a way into Japan with plans to transition into another career.
@@TheseEyesSeeDarknessClearly7 NICE! CONGRATULATIONS! What do you want to do? How is your Japanese
I heard about most of the stuff, but mold and a need to clean so often feels tiring! I also wanted to plan my trip to Japan with friends and proposed that I'll make them a small travel dictionary with important words, just in case. But they did not seem to understand, that japanese people don't know english all so well, and google translate is weird (it helps, but you know how it works) XD
Hi Allison, for insulation what about hotels? Are hotels cold during the January-March time and winter season?
❤❤❤❤❤❤As a Type 2 Diabetic…I had to give up sticky rice in many meals…I do miss it but not too much…❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Thank you for this video as I am doing my research about Japan both good and bad…❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Japan is on my bucket list. My few hang ups
1. Food. I have a texture issue so if I think something looks soft or mushy I can eat that. But would it be rude to refuse to eat something that you can’t.
2. Everything looks sterile or overly neat while it’s serene but it stresses me out thinking everything has to be super neat and tidy
3. People seem cold like wary of contact or speaking. It’s overly polite with giggles and hand in front of your mouth when laughing???
I think Idd visit Japan it tick it off my bucket list but if I don’t get to it I won’t be too sad.
After 6 years of living in Tokyo, I am much more aware of space. Spacial awareness (i.e. looking behind so that I'm not taken out by a cycling Mom traveling at 50kph down the sidewalk -- aka a Setagaya Cruise Missile). But also awareness of how much space I am taking, and if I am obstructing anyone. Oh yes, and shirt sizes for men -- WAY too short in the torso.
Everything you mentioned I also found the same thing and would have loved to have known about the weight gain and clothes sizes.
Love your videos. We are seriously thinking about moving to Japan. But we have a 7 year old daughter so we are concerned about how much it might change her life and her future.
How about the constant noise of Semi (Cicadas) in summer? - Along with the heat it sort of adds to the torture for me when I try to sleep in the summer. Totally with you about thin walls and loud neighbours. It also took me a little while to get used to working on Christmas day (Although I really enjoy Hatsumode now, so gradually forgetting Christmas).
I've never heard Cicadas sing at night, do the Japanese ones do?
@@mbern4530 - Yes they do - loudly and incessantly. It never ceases to amaze me how you can be in the middle of a completely urban area and the loudest thing you can hear is the insects!
@@alandent2746 That's crazy, there are lots of Cicadas where I live in the Summer, but they go quiet at night. The loudest insect at night here are crickets.
I lost weight in Japan. In the first month I lost about 5kgs because of stress, also kept it off because of more activity (cycling everywhere, walking to stations)
Back when I was an ALT I was teaching high school though so no Kyushoku
my flat is in Chiba Prefecture,... it's locked up now. I'm happy to work outside the country. I don't love or hate Japan,... it's just another country to me. I have to move back there permanently eventually but really trying to push out that date.
So I’m from Germany and therefore I must say I’m definitely mentally prepared for the Bureaucracy 😂 When I first came to Japan, I had a lot of help, which I’m very thankful for, but this time I have to do most of it myself.
I honestly made such a different experience in weight gain. Actually lost 8 kg in Japan when I was there. But I’m worried about buying clothes there now. During my studies at university, I gained a lot of weight (pandemic + declining mental health is just not a good combination - especially if you don’t belong to the ppl who stop eating when there’s stress) and will definitely have problems fitting in the OS clothes. Gonna stick to UNIQLO/western brands if I need something I guess and start my weight losing journey :D
And regarding immersion: I’ve personally accepted really fast, that I’m never going to immerse 100%. This made me so much more appreciative of every real Japanese friend (or non-Japanese friend) I gained :) In my personal experience I also met people who were not able to reflect on both, their home culture and Japanese culture which led into many misunderstandings and unsatisfaction on both sides. I think it’s always important to reflect on both. Cultural adaption is a progress and honestly I think it would be soooooo helpful if people (who want to live in a different country) would at least look at Hofstedes cultural dimensions before entering another country (I know the numbers are not always perfectly correct, but it’s still a good way to get a first impression of the cultural differences).
Also agree with everything else you said and definitely experienced everything you mentioned in my own way :)
Agree on your experience of weight loss. Most of the time I lost weight, but the time I lived near a bistro with huge servings of lemon tarts to die for, I gained 8 pounds.
@@lynda.grace.14 Oh no, I hope that there won't be any good bakeries/cafes/bistros anywhere near me, haha :D
@@Liayde Well, being a Canadian of Germanic heritage myself, I found the bakeries--most especially bread--underwhelming. My palate also tired of the dashi, shoyu and fish flakes together too much sugar in most Japanese cuisine.
As someone who prefers savory to sweet, and not interested in cooking in a small apartment with a kitchen akin to one in a camper van with no storage space, I ate out more often than I ate in. The wiser choice. Without good, dense bread even a simple charcuterie board with a bottle of wine at home is disappointing.
But Tokyo's CITRON, a Parisian-styled salad bar specializes in salads, quiches and tarts using recipes from the owner's mother who sets the monthly menu. I'd have been fine if I had I not over-indulged in those delectable tarts. The day I had to leave, knowing it would be a very long time before I returned, I ordered two slices on a single plate. 🙄 No regrets. When you get there, they're on Gaien-nishi dori across from FrancFranc on Aoyama dori if you wish to check them out. Ginza line at Gaienmae Station.
Of course she didn't lose weight, she had a car and drove everywhere just like in America. Need to walk a lot if you want to lose weight.
I went to Japan with no knowledge of Japanese. Between a few days of trying really hard, and Google translate, you can easily get by.
I really didn't expect to like it tbh, but as an uptight person who is neurotically concerned with not being in the way, I loved it.
That's so strange !! I am originally from Tokyo & my houses there were very insulated & new !! Lol Here ,in L.A.,buildings ( houses/ duplexes)are so~old & insulation doesn't exist !! Bugs come in from all the cracks !! Lol. Molds ,I agree !! Because of the humidity there ,but here the same !! 20 years ago ,it was different ! The weather here was super dry !! Nowadays humid more & windy !! For molds ,you can use hydrogenperoxide to remove them ,sometimes rubbing alcohol works well ! Baking soda does work ,too !! Good luck !! 💜🥁🐉🎤🎶🇯🇵🇺🇲💞
Good video-I liked that part abt the fact that if u plan to live there u need to be the type that likes rules ..my daughter would love living there-follows rules to the T…too bad they don’t put insulation in those walls-I was surprised..thnx for the video!
I've lived in Japan and now in Spain and bureaucracy in Spain may have been worse! And everything shut at 1pm and not every day argh! BUT one good thing about COVID, it forced things to be simpler and online.
You mentioned that crime happens in Japan too, a point I've seen mentioned by other youtubers as well, but no one ever says what to do about it and I feel like that's the most frightening thing about moving to a foreign country. What should people do if they get groped, stalked, assaulted, etc.? What if they don't have solid enough Japanese to call the police? What are some things you do to stay safe? It'd be great if you could comment or give advice on these things 😊♥
Pretty much just speak up, basically any language will do. Groping and the like are indeed quite common in Japan and I think the main reason is that many Japanese women are afraid to speak out, because a) they find it embarrassing for themselves (true in other countries as well, but it seems to carry more weight in Japan) and b) even when they do speak out there is often little (that can be) done about the perpetrator. However most gropers will first sort of test the waters, not going directly for the goods, but first just brushing up against you and only when you don't react too much they go further. If you move away (when you can), look them sternly in the eye when they're doing it, or say basically anything to them they will quickly withdraw themselves. Also, many trains and subways (where most of this is happening) have women only cars, at least the busier ones and at rush hour. These cars are only allowed to be used by women and couples, but not men by themselves. Oh, and also, just avoid rush hour, most of the groping only happens at busy times, though on some lines that can be almost the entire day.
Yes, there is definitely crime in Japan, but I would say, on the whole don't worry about it or at the very least, don't let it stop you from coming to Japan. It is a real problem and should be much better addressed in Japanese society, but I don't feel it is something you should be afraid of.
In some ways these kinds of crimes are similar to being bullied, when you really think about it. So how would you stand up to a bully? Look them in the eye, and I've heard just speaking English to them is intimidating enough (lol). On the train I often held my bag behind my back and just glanced over my shoulder from time to time. These perps act assuming that the victim is going to suffer in silence, so if you don't, they'll leave you alone.
Hi, Allison. After 30 years, SOME of it gets better. Enjoy the adventure. ;)