It’s been around six months since I moved to Tokyo and started a full-time job. For those who don’t know me, I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a Bachelors degree in Marketing. I thought about pursing a career in Marketing but in all honesty I have no clue what the f*ck I want to do. So for now, I’m living in Tokyo, eating lots of Japanese Food, reconnecting with old friends and family, and attempting to live like a local to the best of my abilities. I have joined a travel app as a “travel concierge” to help foreigners travel in Japan seamlessly.
Life here is different than what I expected - at times its really fun and exciting. Japan has so many hidden areas and special seasons which make it beautiful to explore. But at other times, life is pretty boring and lonely. I’m in a long distance relationship which is one of the hardest things I’ve done. I have a few friends who I hang with but the rest of my days are filled binge watching shows with seven+ seasons on Netflix. Living in Japan definitely has its ups and downs and I’m learning everyday as I go along. Thinking back, college has been some of the best years of my life and I regret ever saying that I wanted to leave. Enjoy the time you have with some of your best friends and always make the most out of it! Who knew that being a real adult isn’t as fun as it seems to be.
Since coming to Japan, I moved in to a tiny Tokyo apartment and struggled with contracts, phone plans, furnishing my home and everything else. While I can speak some Japanese, the whole process was pretty stressful. I reverted to reading lots of articles from “gaijinpot” and “japan travel”. And google translate is probably the number one used app on my phone at the moment.
I planned to move to Japan to get more in touch with my culture and become more fluent + confident in speaking Japanese. After six months, I’m sad to say that I have hardly studied and my Japanese level is somewhat the same. Learning kanji sparks no interest and I’ve given up on it but occasionally open the kanji apps I’ve downloaded on my phone. I mostly speak English at work and end up watching American shows on Netflix. Nevertheless, it’s been an interesting experience and has challenged me to use the small bit of language skills I possess. I’ve got to spend time with my grandparents and family who I normally don’t see and get to travel to different parts of Japan and Asia! Stay tuned for updates on my life and travel adventures within the country and abroad!
For those of you planning to move to Japan, here are some words of wisdom from yours truly:
Shop at Nitori for all your housing needs. Its literally the IKEA of Japan and its magical. Don’t forget to get small things at Daiso!
Find an english real estate agent to help find your apartment. But beware that the contract will be in Japanese!
Find time to talk to friends and family often.
Download Google Translate - it’s a lifesaver.
If you’re commuting to work everyday, get a “teikiken” or commuter pass for the train. If covers the route from your house to work and gives you unlimited usage for the whole route.
Phone & wifi plans from major companies often require a two-year contract. Look into budget companies or foreign companies to avoid the long terms.
Get used to separating your trash…a detailed guide should be provided when you move in.
Travel within Japan is pretty expensive. Look into overnight bus routes or discount passes to save money.
Take lots of pics and don’t forget to eat lots of great food!