I’m moving to Japan at the beginning of March and I feel like I’m completely unprepared. I don’t even know what I don’t know. Is there anything I should know before going that I might not have heard or might not have taken seriously? Any advice for settling in and for making my initial situation a little easier?
For context: I’m in the process of sorting out my visa and it should be ready soon. I have a teaching position lined up with a company I trust but the company isn’t clear about the housing or my placement yet. I’Il be in Nagano but otherwise I don’t have exact details. My Japanese is very poor, practically zero.
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**What recommendations do you have things you wish you knew for someone moving to Japan?**
I’m moving to Japan at the beginning of March and I feel like I’m completely unprepared. I don’t even know what I don’t know. Is there anything I should know before going that I might not have heard or might not have taken seriously? Any advice for settling in and for making my initial situation a little easier?
For context: I’m in the process of sorting out my visa and it should be ready soon. I have a teaching position lined up with a company I trust but the company isn’t clear about the housing or my placement yet. I’Il be in Nagano but otherwise I don’t have exact details. My Japanese is very poor, practically zero.
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Pick the simplest katakana you can for your name (nothing “new” like ヴィ or the like) and stick with it. Once whatever katakana you have ends up on a bank account, that needs to be matching everywhere.
I wish I could’ve removed my middle name before coming here (if you’re already in the visa process this is probably already too late) because it causes nothing but heartburn (still manage though).
Japanese, followed by more Japanese.
Read everything you’ll owe in taxes/pension and make sure they’re deducted on your paystub since “I didn’t know” isn’t an excuse.
Having a good head on your shoulders and going with the flow instead of obsessing over every minute detail and human interaction in your life as an example of home vs Japan or how they treat gaijins vs natives. Otherwise you’ll be making garbage japanlife posts in no time.
carry many deodorant, anti-transpirants and medium/big sized condoms. They are hard to find.
Go to duolingo.com and start learning Japanese. When I first started living in Japan I knew absolutely no Japanese, so communicating and getting around were frequently very frustrating.
Adjusting to the culture was also very difficult. It took me about five years to fully adapt to Japanese culture. One of the biggest mistakes foreigners make when they’re living in Japan is to resent Japanese people for behaving like Japanese people. Constantly comparing the Japanese language with your native language or Japanese culture with your native culture just makes it that much harder to adjust.
You have to keep reminding yourself that you aren’t in Kansas anymore until you’ve adjusted enough to be able to go with the flow here. Once you can communicate effectively in Japanese and follow the social norms life in Japan becomes much easier.
Depends where you’re coming from…
Learn Japanese.
Don’t use your middle name unless there’s no choice.
Don’t lash out at Japan when the honeymoon period is over, and you realise it’s pretty much the same as anywhere else in the world. Except everyone you know is now an unreachable distance away and you are essentially illiterate, unfriendable and unemployable.
Which takes us back to the first one.
Bring an extra bottle of your favorite toiletry products and over the counter meds with you. You will discover new ones you like, but it takes time.
Bring a few of your favorite personal things from home. Pictures, stuffed animals, favorite pillow. Just having a touch of home is nice.
Tinder, bumble, whatever app you wanna use, are great ways to get yourself to socialize! Try to meet and befriend as many people as you can and don’t overthink things. Once you have a circle of people to hangout with, you’re gonna be way more at ease and you’ll start to feel at home! Say yes to as many opportunities that are offered to you and have fun!
Oh, and learn Japanese! I suggest the app “human Japanese” and maybe do some pimsleur courses after that to learn some useful vocab. Anki is a pain to use, but mining words can be useful.
P.s. the lady at the city office does not speak English. Bring a friend to help you with paperwork or use google translate.
Never trust a sign that says “English available”. It is most likely a lie.
Get your bank account asap. It can take a while for the application to be accepted.