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 Japan came with the same core challenges many international students face: language, daily life adjustment, and learning how Japanese culture works in real situations.
1. What made you want to study in Japan, rather than your home country?
“My family took me here in Japan, so that’s the main reason I ended up studying here. It wasn’t like I made a big plan alone at first. Japan became part of my life because my family was already connected to Japan, and coming here opened the opportunity for me to study abroad.”
2. How did you go about finding a place to study in Japan?
“I stayed with my dad, and that helped a lot. When you move to Japan, one of the biggest stresses is housing finding a dorm, dealing with contracts, and figuring out all the rules. Because I could live with my dad, I didn’t have to worry about that immediately.”
“It made the beginning easier because I could focus on adjusting to Japan first, instead of trying to solve everything at once. Having a stable place to live gave me more peace of mind, especially in the first months.”
3. How did you feel, once you had found a place to study?
“I felt relieved. Honestly, once I knew where I would stay and that I had support, I felt like I could breathe. Moving to another country can feel overwhelming, so having that basic stability made me feel calmer and more ready to focus on studying and daily life.”
4. What were difficulties you encountered? How did you overcome them?
“The biggest difficulty was the language. Even if you know some Japanese, real-life Japanese in Japan feels different, and at the beginning it can be hard to understand people or express yourself clearly.”
“I overcame it with time and study. I kept learning little by little, and I also improved naturally because I was surrounded by Japanese every day. Over time, you start to catch more words, understand more expressions, and feel less nervous when you speak.”
5. What were the best things about studying in Japan?
“One of the best things for me was learning how to be polite in a real way. In Japan, politeness isn’t just something you learn from a book it’s everywhere in daily life.”
“I started noticing how people speak to each other, how they behave in public, and how respectful communication is normal. Being in that environment made me more aware of my own behavior too, and I think that’s something valuable you can’t really get the same way if you only study at home.”
6. How did studying in Japan prepare you for your current life?
“I think studying in Japan prepared me mainly through that mindset of being polite and respectful. It sounds simple, but it actually affects everything how you talk to people, how you respond to problems, and how you carry yourself.”
“I feel like living and studying here made me more mature in that way. Even small habits, like being more careful with words or thinking about others, became part of my daily routine, and I think that helps in any work or life situation.”
7. What are some recommendations you would give to someone who wants to study in Japan? What do you think they should know?
“My advice is to study Japanese before coming to Japan. Even basic Japanese helps a lot. School life might include English sometimes, but daily life is still Japanese.”
“If you can understand simple conversations, signs, and basic instructions, your first months will be much easier. And it also helps you make friends and feel less stressed, because you don’t always need to depend on other people.”
8. What are some final thoughts you might have regarding the experience of studying in Japan?
“I think it was a great experience. Even though there were difficult parts especially language I’m glad I studied in Japan.”
“It helped me grow, not only academically, but also as a person. And once you get used to life here, you realize you’re learning something every day, even outside the classroom.”
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Final thoughts
Danmarl’s story shows that there are different ways to study abroad in Japan. Family support can make the beginning smoother, but the core experience still depends on personal effort especially learning Japanese and adapting to culture. The biggest takeaway is simple: if you give it time and keep studying, Japan starts to feel more natural, and you grow in ways you don’t expect.
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