Meet Vanessa, originally from India, with a life shaped by moving between countries and cultures. Before moving to Japan, Vanessa lived in Rwanda and later the UK, where six years in London included completing a BA in Fashion Design. In 2024, Vanessa relocated to Japan through a Japanese language school student visa, and started building a new routine in Tokyo from scratch.
This moving interview is for anyone searching moving to Japan, how to move to Japan, or wondering how much does it cost to move to Japan. Vanessa shares what the visa process was really like, why apartment hunting felt harder than expected, and what surprised her most after arriving.
Moving to Japan, A Real Story From Visa Paperwork to Renting in Tokyo
1. Can you share your background?
“I’m originally from India, but I grew up moving between different countries and cultures. I lived in Rwanda before moving to the UK, where I spent six years and studied fashion design. I completed my BA in Fashion Design in London, which helped shape my creative background and interest in design, art, and culture.”
2. What made Japan feel like the right next step?
“I had always been curious about Japan and wanted to experience its culture and traditions firsthand, as it felt like a place where I could continue learning, growing, and seeing the world from a different perspective. Later on, I met my husband, who is Japanese, and moving to Japan together felt like a natural next step for us.”
3. What did the moving process look like, step by step?
“I came to Japan in 2024, and the moving process itself wasn’t very difficult, but it was a long one. At the time, I was applying for a student visa through a Japanese language school, and the school had strict requirements that I needed to meet before being accepted.”
“After enrolling, I had to wait for my Certificate of Eligibility (COE), which the school helped me prepare, and then apply for the student visa. There was a lot of paperwork and waiting involved, but in the end, it was all worth it.”
“For the first few weeks after arriving in Japan, I stayed at my mother-in-law’s house. I commuted by train every morning to my language school in Shibuya, which meant experiencing my very first rush hour trains. It was tiring, but it also became one of my first real experiences of daily life in Japan.”
4. Was it difficult to rent an apartment in Tokyo as a foreigner?
“Finding an apartment was one of the more challenging parts for my husband and me. Most of the searching was done by my husband during the day, and I would usually join him after finishing school to view the apartments and meet the real estate agents.”
“During these meetings, agents often asked about my background, where I was from and what I did, and they usually needed to confirm with the landlord whether they were comfortable renting to a foreigner. In many cases, we were unfortunately rejected.”
“However, we were lucky to eventually find an older apartment that had its own charm and character. The landlords were very welcoming and friendly, which made a big difference and helped us feel at ease about starting our life there.”
5. What surprised you in a good way after moving to Japan?
“One of the nicest surprises was the rent and overall cost of living. Compared to what I was used to before, it felt much more reasonable, especially considering how convenient and well connected daily life in Tokyo is.”
6. What advice would you give to someone thinking about moving to Japan?
“I would encourage anyone thinking about moving to Japan to trust the process and not be afraid of the challenges. There may be moments that feel difficult or unfamiliar at first, but with time, patience, and an open heart, things really do get better.”
“Making small efforts with the language and embracing the culture can turn those early struggles into meaningful experiences.”
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Final thoughts
Vanessa’s move shows that moving to Japan isn’t always “hard,” but it can be slow. The paperwork, the waiting, and the apartment rejections can test your patience, especially at the beginning.
But once the basics are in place, daily life starts to feel lighter. Between a stable routine, more affordable living than expected, and small wins like getting through rush hour or finding a welcoming landlord, the move turns into something real and rewarding.
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