My husband got a job offer at a new (just starting up come December) hire car service in Hokkaido. If things go well at the company, he’s looking to make around 9 million yen per year (including sales incentives etc. Up from around 6 million currently). The job has lots of room for growth and he’s looking at being number two in the company within the next 5 years. It’s backed by a few big name companies in the industry and so isn’t likely to go under, though of course you never know.
But this requires us to move to Hokkaido. I work from home so my job is no issue, just that I’d have to go 時短 in order to take care of our two kids, 3.5 and 2. This would obviously cut my salary but it can’t be helped since he would be working unpredictable hours until the company really started going.
We own a house and love where we live currently, close to friends and the city is fairly close. Our house is in a relatively desirable “second home” area so it will likely sell given time. It should earn us enough to at least break even on what we payed for it plus renovations that we’ve done.
My husband is planning on quitting his current job anyway, and because of where we live, there aren’t a lot of positions in his field. He’d have to commute to Kawasaki or Tokyo, about 2 hours one way, and he’s not willing to do that. So it’s basically move and get a salary increase or stay and decrease. We’d still be alright financially, but we’d probably be making about 1-1.5 million yen less per year.
But again, Hokkaido! His job would be in Chitose so not super inaka, but still very cold and lots of snow. I really don’t want to move, but also I feel like we’d be missing out if we passed up on this offer.
What would you do? Stay or go? Take the chance to possibly have a really good salary in a few years or stay and be stable?
30 comments
I think close to 10M in Hokkaido would be very decent. And what a great lifestyle! (if you enjoy that kind of thing).
Remember you only live once, people tend not to regret taking these kind of options
10M in Hokkaido is crazy up.
Friend was manager of big multi National in Sapporo , living in top of loft (Maruyama). His salary was no way close to 10M.
I love Hokkaido, lived for 2 years but salary was kinda low (now Osaka 8M year)
go, avoid the next tokyo earthquake
I don’t know where you live currently, so also consider that winter’s just around the corner and it’s going to snow a decent amount in Hokkaido.
I mean I’d move, but I would definitely hate those days the snow is higher than the car.
I’d 100% go for it. That’s a big salary and career upgrade, and Hokkaido really isn’t that cold. It’s above zero like, 8 months of the year. I mean it’ll seem cold if you’ve never lived anywhere that really snows but it’s not Siberia lol. It’s basically a little colder than Toronto.
edit: also getting your big moves out of the way before your kids start school is super important. You will feel like complete shit pulling your kids out of school to move when they’re older.
As a Canadian, I can never say no to cold and snowy places. 😎🙆
Can’t speak for all your other factors but I loved living in Hokkaido so much and wish I could go back!
If it doesn’t work out, you could just move back right? There is no significant opportunity cost (to your career or his). I’d go and with an open mind. Although I’d probably rent out current home even at a slight loss just so if it really doesn’t work out moving costs / effort are low. Also kids are at a moldable age, move wouldn’t be to hard on them.
Just be clear with hubby what you see as concerns so the location you look for together can solve as many of them as possible. Also just make sure you’re on same page, aka give it a real go for at least x amount of time (try to meet people, join things, don’t hide from winter, etc). Agree on a decision point on when you will review and what criteria meets pulling the parachute.
Go for it. Can always come back if it doesn’t work out
Whatever you decide, just make sure you are okay with tough winters. I live in northern Japan and in winter I just survive. I absolutely hate cold and snow, and driving in winter for me is nigh impossible without endangering myself, and there is so little to do where I live. So take that into account (and hopefully you’re not as winter-averse as I am).
Just think of the lovely summers!
Can you rent out your home? Cost of living in Sapporo or Chitose could be a very pleasant surprise, and there are cheap flights to Tokyo.
Pack your bags and enjoy the snow!!
I would go to Hokkaido just based on that Tokyo is getting crazy hot every year. My spouse and I are thinking of retiring to Kushiro.
do it like the japanese. tanshinfunin. you guys stay where you are. he works in hokkaido and go home a few times every year. chitose is near the airport anyway so if you can get cheap tickets you can regularly visit or vice versa.
Hokkaido homes are better insulated than the rest of the country and summers are much more pleasant.
You also have a lot of good skiing and beautiful nature so personally im kinda jealous but it really depends if you can make it match. Moving away from friends would definitely be the biggest dealbreaker
My husband and I went to Sapporo for a holiday in April and seriously considered moving. And like others have said, close to 10M in Hokkaido is amazing. I’d find a place closer to Sapporo and get your husband to do a +-45min commute because living away from the city in winter is not fun. Although, Iv never been to Chitose city and it could be as convenient as Sapporo?
Regarding 時短, you can probably find a nursery with open spots if you are proactive, there tends to be more nurseries with available sports in Hokkaido than say Tokyo.
The two big factors that you have to overcome are:
* Heavy snowfall and up to -13 C weather for 2-3 months
* Regular snow shoveling
* driving on icy roads
* guaranteed requirement of 2 cars
* Increased winter heating costs
* Dedicated winter clothing
* Loss of existing friendship group
If you don’t think you can put up with or handle either, I wouldn’t go, you will resent the situation and cause significant stress on the relationship.Otherwise Hokkaido is the same as anywhere else.
Here is a link regarding temperature and snowfall, though it is missing more recent measurements with have dramatically shifted the last couple of years: [https://www.chitose-izumisawa.jp/climate.html](https://www.chitose-izumisawa.jp/climate.html)
Here is a PDF about snow removal in Chitose, the important part is page 2, where it shows that snowfall in Reiwa 3 was 5.8m over the whole winter (2+ m difference compared to previous years) and the deepest snowfall (if I am translating this right) on the ground at any one time was 1.2m tall: [https://www.city.chitose.lg.jp/fs/4/7/5/1/9/8/_/__4________.pdf](https://www.city.chitose.lg.jp/fs/4/7/5/1/9/8/_/__4________.pdf)
Snow is just a mindset. I grew up with it, my country has a saying “there’s no bad weather, only bad clothes”
Sounds like your mindset doesn’t like snow though. Snow is just life, it can be very fun and it can suck. Just live your life why does it matter if it’s – 10c? Unless you’re married to surfing or gardening. Different seasons have their charms.
I’m interested Osaka hand honestly this “just above zero winters” aren’t the worst, but if every plant around me is dead than atleast it looks nicer if it would be covered in snow.
Chitose will be very prosperous in the future if Lapidus is successful. That is, if it succeeds.
Hokkaido it is great! And it is not like you would be in a super isolated village somewhere in the north or east of the island.
Chitose is a decently sized city for Hokkaido and some 45 minutes from Sapporo.
So whether you chose to live in Sapporo, Chitose or anywhere in between, your husband would be quite close to work, certainly not 2 hours.
The money is already not bad in the Kanto area but it is great in Hokkaido!
Winter will probably take some getting used to, but on the upside your kids may get real skiing classes in school!
And summers are much more bearable than in Kanto, and not a lot of typhoons come up there either.
If the job looks good and the company is backed as you say then by all means, make the move. Your kids are small making it a relatively easy time to make such a move, and the potential career advancement could really set you up well going forward. Spend a few years exploring Hokkaido and then consider your next option.
When my husband got a new job in Sapporo I was also not thrilled about it (despite being Canadian I have very little experience with snow). We ended up living there for 6+ years, I gave birth to my second child there, our kids went to kindergarten and elementary and all in all it was a great place to experience living. The summers are also more manageable than Kanto summers, so that’s a bonus. I think you’d regret not giving it a shot.
Is there a possibility of your husband going up there alone for, say, a month and feeling out the job and the area, before you and the children move up to join him?
I would make the move.
I wouldn’t move to Hokkaido for a 10M salary. Winters are already too cold for me where I am.
Live the life you want to live, and look out for any new opportunities.
Rent your current home as an Airbnb or something. How familiar are you with living in snow? It’s not a 3 month thing in Hokkaido I hear, it’s like 10 months out of the year. If you have no experience I hope you have a great support system there to help you. Otherwise if it was me, I would consider going by myself and leaving my wife and child at home. With the pay increase I would rent a place and find a house helper for my wife until I get settled and learn enough about snow to bring them over or the job starts to find it’s footing.
I miss snow… I would go to ~~inaka~~ Hokkaido for a 9M
I’m cautious about the phrasing of the salary. Is his salary dependent on whether he makes sales? In this case, they may have quoted the best case scenario and the actual income may be lower… maybe he should find more details like what’s the base salary or something.
Make sure the 9M is written in the offer letter and is not just a promise. It’s a bit difficult to believe getting this amount in Hokkaido.
10 million in Hokkaido. You be living like royalty…. Or at least really ducking good.
Go for it. If it sucks ass you can always go back to wherever you live.