Practical information for international life 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
龙是一名越南学生，他选择到日本留学，是因为日本提供了难得的东西：强大的教育体系，更实惠的费用，还有机会用英语学习，同时还能每天生活在日本的环境中。龙的故事特别适合那些想要
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
Meet Danmarl Butad, originally from the Philippines. Danmarl didn’t move to Japan alone as an adult he moved here with his parents and ended up doing middle school and high school in Japan. Today, he works in Japan as a software engineer, but his moving journey story starts much earlier: with family, school life, and
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
Meet Hien, a Vietnamese student who chose to study in Japan after starting Japanese at a language school back home. Hien didn’t begin with a complicated “master plan.” The first step was simple: learning Japanese in Vietnam, then using the school’s study abroad support to turn interest into a real move. In this interview, Hien
Meet Issa, originally from Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, raised in Arusha City, who came to Japan through a rare full scholarship route and later built a long academic path here—bachelor’s, master’s, and a PhD in Agricultural Science. Issa’s story is a powerful example of moving to Japan through education, and what happens after arrival: culture shock, language
Meet Issa Kachenje, originally from Tanzania, who came to Japan through a special international scholarship program and later built a full academic journey here. For Issa, choosing to study in Japan wasn’t only about rankings or research—it was also about personal growth. Japan represented a culture of humility and discipline, and Issa wanted to grow
Meet Issa Kachenje, originally from Tanzania, who first came to Japan as an international student and has since completed both a Master’s and PhD here. Today, Issa works in Japan as a research fellow and academic editor, while also teaching English part-time. This work interview is for anyone searching work in Japan or jobs in
Keith 来自中国，通过大学交流项目来到日本学习。他最初在东京的语言学校学习了一年，后来进入早稻田大学攻读研究生。在这次采访中，Keith 分享了为什么日本是留学的理想之地、哪些地方比预想的要难，以及 [...] 。
Meet Kieth, a Chinese professional who has lived in Japan for over 10 years and now works as an IT consultant at a consulting firm in Tokyo. From Japanese-style application forms to daily client meetings, this interview shows what jobs in Japan can look like in a high-skill field, and what helped Kieth build a
Keith 来自中国，2015-2016 年左右移居日本，如今已在这里生活了 10 多年。Keith 在中国主修日语，他认为提高日语水平的最佳途径是移居日本，通过语言积累实际生活经验。在这次采访中，Keith 分享了
Meet Long, a Vietnamese who has lived in Japan for around three years. After coming to Japan as a student and graduating here, he chose to stay and build a career in Tokyo’s fast-moving startup scene. In this interview, Long shares what it’s really like to work in Japan, how found jobs in Japan as
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
Meet Ang, originally from Canada, who has been living in Japan for about a year and a half. Ang works at a Tokyo startup as a developer, supporting services and content that help foreigners come to Japan. This work interview is for anyone searching work in Japan, jobs in Japan, how to find a job
这是来自中国的 Winnie，现在她已经在日本度过了第四个年头。在日本大学毕业后，Winnie 决定留在这里体验真正的工作生活，而不是直接回国。如今，Winnie 从事社交媒体和内容创作工作，将国际交流与创造性的实地工作相结合。.
Meet Will Bennett, originally from Sydney, Australia, who has been living in Japan since August 2024. Will works in Tokyo in digital marketing as a videographer and video editor, creating content and appearing on camera as talent. This work interview is for anyone searching work in Japan or jobs in Japan and wondering what it
Meet Vincent, originally from Malaysia, who came to Japan to study after getting curious about the culture through anime and, more importantly, through real friendships. For Vincent, studying in Japan wasn’t just a random “Japan looks cool” decision. It was shaped by meeting Japanese friends early on, learning Japanese before arriving, and choosing a path
Meet Tobias, originally from the United Kingdom, who has been living in Japan since February 2019. Tobias works in media as a writer and editor, and his story gives a clear look at what daily work life in Japan actually feels like—from deadlines and editing tone, to job hunting platforms, to the small cultural differences
Meet Lin, born in Singapore and raised by Malaysian parents. She later switched nationality to Singaporean at 21. Lin didn’t move to Japan through a long-term plan or a company transfer. The move started after leaving a corporate job in Singapore that didn’t feel interesting anymore, taking a solo trip to Japan, and realizing Japan
乔安妮是一位资深英语教师，在日本和菲律宾教授学前班和小学生已有 10 多年的经验。她曾在国际学校工作过，以编写学习材料和为学生提供细致的、与学生水平相匹配的教学而闻名。如今，乔安妮在东京的一所国际学校工作。.
Meet Ang, a student who came to Japan to study at a Japanese language school in Tokyo. For Ang, Japan wasn’t chosen randomly. It started with a long-time interest in Japanese culture and the desire to seriously learn a new language. What makes this story interesting is how practical it feels: choosing a school through
Meet Pascale, an American student who chose Japan not because it was the easiest path, but because an early exchange experience made Japan feel personal. What started as curiosity about languages and cultures turned into a decision to study in Japan, even without strong Japanese ability at the beginning. In this interview, Pascale shares what
Meet Winnie, originally from China, who studied art history at International Christian University (ICU) in Tokyo. The decision to study in Japan was influenced by family, a desire to experience more cultures, and a turning point during COVID that made studying overseas in the “original plan” feel less realistic. In this interview, Winnie shares why
Today, we will be speaking to Long “Ron” Hoang. A resident of the country for years, he loves living in Japan, despite the difficulties that it can sometimes present… especially when moving. We’ll be discussing some of the issues that he’s had, and surprises along the way — and why living in a share house
Allow us to introduce you to Tobias! He has been working as a writer and editor for over a decade, and is here today to take you through his process of moving to Japan. Like everyone’s journey, his was unique, but hopefully you will be able to glean some insights into not only that it’s
Meet Ang, from Canada, who studied at the University of Toronto and moved to Japan nearly two years ago. Ang came to Japan after years of traveling here during school breaks. Each trip made Japan feel more familiar, until the curiosity turned into a bigger question: what would it be like to actually live here,