Honest turning points from the international community in Japan.
Meet Chris Zhang, who chose to study in Japan for one clear reason: the culture. Chris didn’t come because family was already here. The decision came from curiosity about Japan’s way of life and the desire to experience it directly, not just through travel or media. In this interview, Chris shares what it felt like
Meet Lauren H, originally from Southern California and previously working as a graphic designer. After spending a short period living in Japan years ago and falling in love with the lifestyle, Lauren returned to Japan last year after finding a great organization to work for. Lauren’s story shows one of the smoothest paths: get a
Meet Hien, originally from Vietnam, who has lived in Japan for about one year. While studying, Hien started working part-time in Japan at a coffee shop as a barista. It’s a very real “starter job” path for students and new arrivals looking up work in Japan or jobs in Japan because it’s accessible, it fits
Meet Danmarl Butad, originally from the Philippines, who began his journey to study in Japan through family. Instead of coming through a long scholarship process or a study-abroad agency, Danmarl’s path started with a family move and that support made the landing in Japan feel much more stable. Still, even with that advantage, studying in
Meet Long, a Vietnamese student who chose to study in Japan because it offered something that felt rare: a strong education system at a more affordable cost, plus the chance to study in English while still living in a Japanese environment every day. Long’s story is especially relatable for people who want to know how
Meet Danmarl, originally from the Philippines, who has lived in Japan for six years. Danmarl did middle school and high school in Japan, which made daily life here feel more familiar compared to someone arriving for the first time as an adult. Today, Danmarl works in Japan as a software engineer—one of the most common
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Editorial picks
A driver spent a week cruising Hokkaido and called it the most relaxing road trip of his life. Another took a mountain route from Kusatsu to Kanazawa and described it as “like being dialled into an F1 race car.” Both were experienced drivers. Both were in Japan. Both are right. Honestly, driving in Japan is
People who went to Japan five years ago will tell you cash is king. People who went last month will tell you they barely touched a note. Both are telling the truth, they just had different trips. The honest answer for 2026 is this: Japan has changed significantly. Most major establishments in cities now accept
Sheila Cliffe is a longtime kimono researcher and the author of Kimono Style. In her new book, The Kimono Closet, she looks beyond kimono as fashion or art objects and instead explores their deeper place in family life, memory, and identity. She spoke with JoynTokyo to give us an exclusive look at the new book,
Driving in Japan may not be the first thing you think of when considering moving here. Even if you already live in Japan, you may not think about driving much if you live in a big city with convenient access to trains and buses. But, it’s a useful skill to have, and almost certainly essential
Japan exports two things that the rest of the world cannot seem to get enough of: technology and philosophy. The technology is obvious. The philosophy is subtler, but arguably more influential. Words like ikigai, wabi-sabi, and kaizen have migrated into business books, wellness retreats, design studios, and everyday conversation far beyond Japan’s borders. They appear
Greenery Day (みどりの日, Midori no Hi) falls on Monday, May 4, 2026 — right in the middle of Golden Week, Japan’s longest holiday stretch. Combined with the surrounding holidays and weekend, most workers get a solid block of consecutive days off. If you’re living in Japan or planning to be here during Golden Week, here’s
