Meet Hien, originally from Vietnam, who moved to Japan to study at a Japanese language school. The decision came from two places: wanting to learn Japanese seriously, and a long-time love of anime that made the language feel more personal. Hien’s move was smoother than many newcomers because a language school agency in Vietnam supported the paperwork and early steps but daily life in Japan still came with a learning curve, especially around “rules” like garbage sorting.
If you’re trying to figure out your way of moving to Japan, Hien’s story shows what the process can look like when you move through a language-school pathway and what you’ll still need to adapt to after you arrive.
1. Could you tell me a little about your background? Where are you from, what did you study, and so on?
“I’m Vietnamese, and I came to Japan to study at a Japanese language school. Right now, studying Japanese is basically the center of my life here. Before coming, I was already interested in Japan and the language, so moving to Japan felt like the best way to improve faster and experience Japanese daily life directly.”
2. What was it that drew you to Japan?
“The main reason was studying Japanese. I wanted to learn Japanese in Japan, in a real environment, not only from textbooks. And honestly, anime was also a big reason. I love watching anime, and it made me curious about the language, the expressions, and the culture behind it. So for me, Japan wasn’t just a place to study it was a place I already felt connected to through what I watched and enjoyed.”
3. What was the moving process like for you?
“The moving process was mostly supported by my language school in Vietnam. They helped me with the paperwork and also the housing part, so I didn’t have to figure everything out alone. I basically followed their instructions step by step.”
“Because of that support, the move didn’t feel as scary as it could have been. Of course, moving to another country is still a big change, but having a school guide you through the documents and process makes it much easier, especially for first-time movers.”
4. Did you encounter any difficulties when moving into an apartment in Tokyo? What were they? How did you overcome them?
“The biggest difficulty for me wasn’t the apartment itself, but the rules of living in Japan especially garbage rules. There are so many categories, and you need to separate and sort everything correctly. Also, you can only throw certain trash on certain days, so it’s not like you can just throw everything anytime.”
“At first, it was really confusing and stressful because I was worried about doing it wrong. But now I’m used to it. I made it easier by setting up three different trash bins at home for different types of garbage. I also printed the trash schedule and sorting rules and stuck it on the wall, so I can check it quickly. After doing that, it became much easier to remember which day to throw what.”
5. What were some nice surprises you encountered when moving?
“One nice surprise was how quiet and clean the neighborhood is. In Vietnam, daily life feels more noisy and busy, so coming to Japan felt totally different. The streets are peaceful, and the area feels very organized and calm.”
“It made daily life feel more comfortable, especially when you’re adjusting to a new country. Even simple things like walking outside feels nicer because everything is clean, quiet, and well kept.”
6. What advice would you give to people in a similar situation to yours?
“My advice is to go with your choice and don’t be too scared. In the beginning, it will feel difficult, because everything is new—new language, new rules, new routines. But once you get used to it, everything becomes okay.”
“So just be confident and be more courageous to come to a new country. You don’t need to be perfect before you arrive. You will learn step by step after you come, and that’s part of the experience.”
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Final thoughts
Hien’s story shows that how to move to Japan can be much smoother when you have support from a language school agency handling the paperwork and early setup. But living in Japan still requires adjustment—especially to daily-life systems like garbage rules. The good part is that once you build routines, Japan starts to feel calm, safe, and surprisingly comfortable.
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