10 Things I Am Looking Forward to About Living in Japan (And 10 Things I Am Not)

Last year during quarantine, I got a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate. The reason I was so interested in teaching English to non-native speakers--apart from the obvious facts that linguistics is fun to me, and I like to help other people--was to travel and explore new cultures.

Well, after a long interview process, I was offered a job in the Kanto region of Japan starting next year! I've been abroad before, when I studied for one semester in the UK. But Japan is...SO different from the rest of the world. I'm excited, of course. But I also can't help but get nervous. I even got cold feet at one point and had second thoughts when a bunch of people who had bad experiences living there told me "Don't go."

But, after mulling it over, I am a person who believes experiences are the most important thing in life--for better or worse. So with that in mind, I just wanted to write down a list of the things I am not looking forward to, and things that I am. It's a form of catharsis for me. (So if this article seems very scatter-brained, that is why.)

First, a disclaimer, I have never been to Japan, so all of these things I mention are based simply off of what I have been told by Japanese people I know, articles I've read, or people I know who have been to Japan. A lot of this evidence is based on secondhand accounts. That said, please take what I say with a grain of salt. I still always try my best to remain as factual as possible when talking about topics I don't have firsthand experience with. But I just wanted to put up the disclaimer so nobody thinks I am falsely just making assumptions based off of things I've seen in anime or whatever.

Also, so this doesn't turn into a downer list, I'm going to start with the things I am not looking forward to before talking about the things that I am.

Not looking forward to:

1. Ramen

Yeah this a small, and admittedly, dumb one. But, I am in the small percentile of people that does not like ramen or find it at all appetizing. This is nothing against Japanese cooking in general, as they do have a lot of other dishes that look good, that I am eager to try (more on that later!) But I will be one of the few expats not eating ramen for every meal, even if it is the most economically friendly option. There are, fortunately, plenty of other foods to choose from that are within budget, so hopefully this will not be a huge issue.

2. Becoming competent at the language

I have studied Japanese and have started to become decent at it...but I am still a long way from being fluent. And Japanese is a very difficult language for a native English speaker. It really doesn't follow any of the same rules and formulas as English. For example, the use of second-person pronouns is very uncommon in the language, and if you use the wrong one (there are multiple!) you could accidentally come off as rude. Japanese grammar is completely reverse to that of English, so you end up doing a lot of brain yoga just trying to think of how to make what you're trying to say make sense. And kanji! Oh my goodness, kanji. A Japanese friend of mine told me kanji can be difficult even for native Japanese speakers!

While I was assured I would not be required to learn or speak Japanese at my job, I do still want to learn the language for convenience--and also to avoid coming off looking like a snobby American. Also, as stated previously, linguistics is an interest of mine. I do find practicing Japanese interesting. It's just using it in a real-life situation that makes me nervous.

3. The headache of settling into a new place

This can be said for moving anywhere, I suppose. But ESPECIALLY abroad. I've lived abroad before while studying, and getting settled in was the worst part of the journey (aside from TSA and airplane chaos but, I think that's a given) I'm not looking forward to repeating that in Japan, but hopefully with the right support system, and some willpower, I can get through it.

4. Leaving behind my pets

I know they will be taken care of with my family. But I'm going to miss kitty cuddles and bunny kisses A LOT.

Fortunately, I won't be alone in this feeling. This is an issue a lot of Japanese experience when they move into apartments (many of which do not allow pets) and miss their fuzzy friends from their old home. That's why animal cafes are SO common in Japan. When people are stressed out and don't have a pet to play with at home, they can take a load off in one of Japan's many animal cafes. So I still have ways of getting my fix of cute, purring cats, and mischievous rabbits. It won't be exactly the same as having my Rocket cat and Ziggy bunny, but it will suffice.

5. Having to bite my tongue and accept unfairness in the work place

When I feel a boss is being unfair, I'm the type that almost always lets them know. In western culture, that is considered the mature thing to do--talk it out and come to a mutual understanding. However, in eastern culture, especially Japan, this can be seen as aggressive and disruptive to workplace harmony. The act of leaving behind what I've grown accustomed to in working environments is definitely going to be a struggle that will take a conscious effort to unlearn.

6. Conformity being expected

Western society praises individuality. Japan praises sameness. Just one of many reasons the two cultures are so different. Yes, there are people in Japan who don't (and won't) subscribe to their cultural norms of "fitting in." But it is still, by and large, a conservative society that prioritizes the collective over the individual.

This kind of makes me nervous. While I am not exactly an outlandish dresser, I do like colorful palettes in my clothing and makeup. That, paired with the fact that I am not Japanese, will definitely turn heads in a way I am not used to. For the first time in my life, I will be in a country where I am the racial minority. Modern Japan is a lot more open and accepting, for the most part. But being stared at for being non-Asian will definitely be new!

7. Mental health being a "hush hush" issue

In western culture, people are pretty open about their struggles with mental health issues. In fact, people are often praised and offered quite a lot of support when they come forward talking about their experiences. In Japan? Not quite as much. While medications for mental illness are available to use, using "I'm having a bad mental health day" as an excuse for not being able to put in 100% on all of your tasks--is not going to land you as much sympathy as it might in western workplaces.

Though if we're being honest, most American workplaces don't care at all about your mental--or even physical--health, so this is more a case of pot (America) calling the kettle (Japan) black.

8. Driving in Japan

This one is kind of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it will be nice to have my own method of transport and to make long-distance trips a bit quicker, and not having to rely on public transport for every little thing. I was not a fan of walking nearly everywhere when I was exploring in England, or having normally short trips be elongated due to frequent stops on trains and buses. So having my own set of wheels will be good.

On the other hand though, Japan's traffic laws are--Quite strict. In America, you can usually get away with driving a little bit over the speed limit--as long as you are not exceeding past ten miles over. In Japan, they're not quite as forgiving.

9. Laws are a lot more strict

If you're on the "chaotic" edge of the D&D alignment chart, Japan is not the place for you--as they are extremely lawful. Even very small, minor rules and laws are 100% enforced, and could get you into trouble if broken. For example, let's say, you're walking to work. The traffic signal reads "STOP"--but there is no oncoming traffic.

Well, in America, most--if not, all--of us will cross anyway. Technically illegal? Yes. But even the hardest of cops won't bother citing you for doing it because it's not hurting anyone. In Japan, however, DO NOT cross if the traffic signal says not to. You may not get jail time, but you will be dishonored in your community (which, let's be honest, isn't that at least as bad?)

10. Being immersed in a culture totally different from my own

While this is something I look forward to--it's also something that gives me anxiety. Culture shock is very real, and the culture shock I felt when studying in England will absolutely pale in comparison to whatever culture shock I feel while living in Japan. Because Japan is so different from the rest of the world, EVERYONE--without exception--who spends a significant amount of time there, experiences culture shock. I did write an article on how to battle homesickness while abroad, however. Culture shock and homesickness are practically synonyms, I've found. So I will just have to take my own advice to get through it.

Okay, well that was depressing. Let's switch the gears up to something more exciting!

Looking forward to:

1. The overwhelming politeness and respectfulness ingrained in the culture

Every Japanese person I have met or seen outside of movies and TV, is super polite to everyone. It's just how their culture is. They are all about harmony. My friend who lived in Japan described the cultural "love language" being "acts of service." She even told me about a time she dropped her purse in (very busy) Shinjuku and several strangers stopped what they were doing to help her pick everything up. You won't see that in most major cities!

Because of this culture of respect, Japan is also ridiculously safe. Many women have reported that it is a great destination for solo travel, and that they've never felt unsafe while walking around--even late at night!

2. Visiting Harajuku and Akihabara

Wait, isn't this technically two things? Oh well. These are two neighborhoods in Tokyo that I've been dying to see for a long time. They both have a lot of fun scenery, shopping, and other fun things to do! It may not be good for my wallet, but experiences are worth a lot more in the long run.

3. The cleanliness

Despite being taught from a young age that littering is bad for the environment, westerners definitely have a bad habit of leaving things messier than when they found it. This is something that's always annoyed me, so I'm glad in Japan this won't be as much of an issue. For the most part, it sounds like people are smart about not throwing their garbage everywhere, picking up after their pets, and making sure things are sanitized. And for someone who is easily grossed out and a little germaphobic--I think that's awesome!

My favorite part? The fact that the Japanese wear masks when they are not feeling well. Always have. Even long before COVID--something I thought westerners should have been practicing a loooong time ago. (Sorry Marjorie, but I don't want to catch your common cold, either.) It just seems like the considerate thing to do.

4. The beautiful scenery

Whether it's the neon glow of Shibuya, or the charming quiet of the countryside--I am stoked to take in every bit of it! I'm somewhat of an amateur photographer, I love documenting all the neat things I see when I go to interesting places. And in Japan, there will certainly be no shortage of cool snapshots to take no matter where I am. Urban, rural, suburban--I promise you, I will find things to photograph!

5. The food!!

I am so excited to try the food! Especially the street food which is super unique to Japan, that I may not have the opportunity to have anywhere else. Most of it is also super light and healthy compared to US cuisine. I have a very sensitive digestive system, so I'm sure it will make a big difference in how I feel, physically, as well. Sure, I'll miss my American brewery burgers and Taco Bell--but hey, I'll probably be healthier. You can never be too healthy, right?

6. Getting to use Japanese language in real life situations

Another great thing about the Japanese people is that they realize that Japanese is typically only spoken in their country, and will rarely yell at you to speak their language--especially in city areas where a lot of foreigners congregate. So that takes a lot of pressure off of me, first of all. Despite some nerves and reservations I have, I do look forward to finally being able to put what I've studied about the language into action. Yes, this may result in some awkward encounters as I fumble over words I am not used to using every day--but as I said--experience is everything!

While I lamented over the difficult parts of the Japanese language earlier, there are also some things that make it a breeze to learn: Unlike English, there are no words that are "exceptions" to standard pronunciation. So if you know how certain characters are pronounced, you can pretty easily tell how a word is pronounced at first glance. Secondly, a lot of English words can also be found in the Japanese language (Example: "Camera" in Japanese is "カメラ" (pronounced "kamera), "game" in Japanese is "ゲーム" (pronounced "gamu"). But my favorite part? Unlike German (which I DO speak, also!) there are no GENDERED NOUNS! I can just point to a bed and say "ベッド"--I don't need to do gymnastics figuring out if it's male or female.

Because I am studying a new language so hard, I also believe that it will make me a more patient and empathetic teacher towards people trying to learn English. So even if I suck at it, and I suck at conversing with people in it--It still provides useful to my job in that regard.

7. The kawaii overload

Yeah, I know not everything in Japan is "kawaii this" and "kawaii that" and it's maybe a little "cringe" to assume it is. Buuuut, I'm just saying, you won't see a whole lot of western shops dedicated entirely to all things kawaii. Tokyo has an entire neighborhood dedicated to the kawaii vibe, full shops that are wall to wall kawaii items, Sanrio Puroland; a theme park dedicated to Hello Kitty and friends, and many other adorable things that are harder to come by in the states.

8. Convenience and accessibility

Everything about Japan seems to be so accessible that it's almost scary. Whether it's convenience stores around every block, top notch public transport, amazing public toilets, vending machines for just about everything--Japan has got you covered. Their 7-11s and Hundred Yen stores (their equivalent of the dollar store) also have some surprisingly high quality items for very affordable prices. Which will be good on a teacher's salary, for sure!

9. Public transportation

Japan's public transport system is world famous, and for good reason! They value punctuality and ease of access. Delays are so rare that when they do happen, they make headlines! Trains and buses run fairly regularly, so looking at a schedule is hardly necessary most of the time. And unlike US public transport where you find weird pervs and nosey, over-talkative strangers--train rides in Japan are meant to be quiet and calm--almost to an eerie degree.

10. Being immersed in a culture totally different from my own

To keep from getting too wordy and overly personal, I think it's important to have experiences like this. I believe being immersed in a different culture is good for helping us stay open-minded and accepting of how other people live. It's scary, of course. But it's such a good learning experience. You learn about other people, culture, language. And you learn a lot about yourself! Which is arguably, the most important.

There will be good days and bad days, and I am fully prepared for that. But...that's just life. If I stay where I am, it will still be like that. I don't think anyone should let the possibility of still having to face every day anxieties stop them from having a life-changing, eye-opening experience.

In short: I love new experiences! The good ones make for good memories, and the bad ones make for good stories. So I'm ready to go!!