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Six tips for living in Japan

By Tom Aaron

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Published: 10Sep2009
Word count: 665
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Japan is an awesome country to live in. Here we would like to present our top six tips for living in Japan so you can get the most out of your expatriate experience:

1. Learn the language

Prioritize learning Japanese. You never know how long you will stay. Even if you stay only a short time, learning a little Japanese will help you to get around better. Some people come to Japan, thinking they will stay for a short time, never learning the language. Some of them end up staying for years. Start learning the language from day one. On the basic level, you will be able to order food in restaurants, ask directions, and do many other things that will make your life easier. On the more complex level, you will be able to talk with people, make friends, and do many things that will enrich your life.

2. Eat the food

So you come from an area where people don't eat sushi or sashimi? Try it. So, you don't like it? Try it again. Work on developing a taste for both. Living in Japan and avoiding many Japanese foods can make life difficult. Many of these foods are an acquired taste. Work on acquiring the taste.

3. See the country

Many people visit Japan simply for sightseeing, travel, and see much. Other people come for years, but are busy with work or other parts of their lives and travel little. From the beaches of Okinawa to the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara to the Sapporo Snow and Ice Festival, Japan offers much to see. Take advantage of everything while you are here.

4. Join a group

Japan is a group oriented society. Find a group that does something you are interested in whether it is cooking, surfing, hiking, mountain climbing, skiing, ice skating, archery, calligraphy, origami, go, or shogi. If you are not interested in any of those activities, sports, or games, find something else. Joining a group is a great way to meet people, make friends, and have opportunities to use the Japanese language. Once you join a group, you will be welcome to do everything the group does. People in the group will also invite you to do other things, outside the group. Joining a group is especially important for people who work in an English-speaking environment.

5. Find a coffee shop

Coffee shops can be excellent venues to meet people, make friends, and practice your Japanese. If you live in an area where there are few Westerners, a few visits to the coffee shop may be necessary for people there to get used to you. Places with counters are best. If you sit at the counter, you can talk with the people working there and other patrons who sit at the counter. You never know where any of these meetings may lead: to new friends, a new job, or new knowledge. Just go to the coffee shop, hang out, and see what happens. The amount of Japanese you speak will probably also influence the speed at which things happen. If your Japanese is still not that good, bring a Japanese book or two and study.

6. Remember this will probably never be your country

Japan is a lovely place, but remember that this will probably never be your country, not unless your ancestors were Japanese. This may change in the future if immigration significantly increases. Now, however, most Japanese view people as Japanese and foreigners. Foreigner, to most Japanese, is a positive word, not a negative one. You will hear young people say that foreigners are cool; many young women say they want to marry foreigners. Still, this will never be your country. No matter how long you stay, or how good your Japanese is, people will continue to ask if you can use chopsticks, if you can speak Japanese, or how long you have been in Japan. Remember that in some ways, Japan will never be your country, even if you take Japanese citizenship.

Aaron Language Services on the web at http://www.aaronlanguage.com provides translation, proofreading, and online English coaching to a primarily Japanese client base.

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