Why Moving to Japan is NOT for You

[@DenshaOtoko2]

The gaijin experience in Japan is the Asian experience in the US.

[@JPinShenzhen]

5 years is a LONG time. Japan rocks. The people you are talking about, the ones that will hate and complain, are the kind of people who can’t live anywhere without complaining.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Yeah, basically! I'm here on my 9th year now, and although the initial magic is gone, I'm still happy to live here!

[@roro2k]

I've been traveling to Japan for 25+ years and it's my favorite travel destination...but I personally, wouldn't want to move/live there. I go at least twice a year to see my friends, shop and eat. Knowing I can go pretty much anytime I want is good enough for me.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Visiting is always a fantastic experience!

[@missplainjane3905]

People are surviving everywhere

[@jonathansakura]

This is exact same thing happened to me when i went from living in Seoul to Jeju Island. Jeju island 🏝 turned into hell when i started working on an island 😅😅

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂

[@jonathansakura]

And now I'll be doing this a second time moving to tokyo this year 😅​@@JustAnotherJapanChannel

[@lars6104]

Living somewhere with public transportation sounds awesome

[@Carpincho_1147]

Great video! Unlimited GaiJijn status seems pretty useful...😅

[@Dutch1954]

Good truthful video for foreigners considering moving to Japan, even for retirement which my wife and I are. So, at my age what do I know about Japan? Married 43 years to a Kansai girl with family in Japan and for us, the honeymoon was a long, long time ago.☺

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

🇯🇵🇯🇵

[@Dutch1954]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel 👍

[@nielsviveen]

If you can manage to travel to Nagoya, I'd love to treat you to an awesome whisky bar adventure this August.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

🥃🍻

[@nielsviveen]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel If your wife lets you go, Let me know. Anywhere between July 30 (evening) and August 5. Drinks are on me :)

[@Greenforrest7342]

人によるとしか言えない。一部の外国人は、日本での暮らしに満足しているようだし、中には日本での生活が合わなくて母国へ帰る人もそりゃいるでしょう。

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

その通りだね。でも英語の先生はすごいすぐに諦めてしまいますよね。

[@hardchooligan]

Lived in Japan for a year while I was in the military. Amazing place to visit and highly recommend it for people to go to. That said I would never live there full time. The differences in laws and culture would make it unpleasant. There also is an EXTREME level of discrimination against non Japanese outside tourist areas(there are bars that are Japanese only for example).

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

As with any place, there are pros and cons! I've been turned away from a few izakaya in Osaka for not being Japanese 😂

[@missplainjane3905]

Which area

[@kurprinz]

I agree with numerous points, I am now in Japan for over 20 years and for me, the reason to stay was the safety, at specially now when Europe (Germany) is in a self-destruction mode. Illegal mass immigration, crime rates through the roof. House quality I miss the most from home, living in a Japanese house is like camping.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Yeah I only visit Europe/home during Christmas. Very happy to be living in Japan, even though I agree about the houses lol

[@Hay8137g]

Safety? You a dude scared 🤣

[@fourstringbuck]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel Interesting. So yeah, apparently the apartments suck, but I was wondering about the houses. Not so great? And with the apartments, what about the high -end stuff? also no soundproofing etc? Another excellent video btw!

[@Cargo_Bay]

Um...if you've been in Japan for 20 years, how are you actually able to speak on the quality of life in Germany on a day to day basis? While it's not perfect for plenty of reasons, i can tell you've been fear mongered by social media.

[@Cargo_Bay]

@@Hay8137g I'm not gonna lie and say places like the US or Europe dont have high crime rates, but social media has been the thing to fear monger people into thinking places like america or germany are third world countries or something. I'd take my chances in these places over actual awful places any day.

[@callmezoran]

Well, I guess I’ll just have to stick to practicing my ninja skills in my backyard.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂

[@danteinferno175]

Five-year "honeymoon"!? Sounds more like a happy marriage.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Well put! Exactly how it is!

[@07Remy]

You CANT stop me I moving japan!! (In all seriousness love ur content)

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Haha! Don't wanna stop anyone from moving, just sharing some realities here that might make people regret their decision! Thank you!!

[@mariothibau1070]

I moved before seeing this video 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@cristianhcm1914]

Can't stop me either! Hello from Phoenix Arizona Btw, I really enjoyed the video!

[@MetalSnakeUtah]

Jokes on you, I'm alone here in America, so what would be the difference?

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂

[@MetalSnakeUtah]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel In all honesty, I'm disabled and live on the third floor.

[@AshleyOwle]

Unchecked illegal immigration where I live is currently making me feel like a foreigner in my own town. I’m seriously considering the move. 😅

[@avastone5539]

Something like this also makes me feel the same, Japan in many ways is so developed and proud of itself it makes me as a foreigner proud lol, there's so much civic pride etc, but the social and work issues seem so daunting.

[@AverageBot]

Always great having a more realistic and down to earth take about the whole living in Japan idea.

[@張玉珍-o6d]

Do you speak and learn Japan

[@AverageBot]

@@張玉珍-o6d Currently learning japanese and planning to visit a language school for 2 years.

[@AverageBot]

@@張玉珍-o6d currently learning japanese and planning on going to a language school for 2 years.

[@張玉珍-o6d]

@@AverageBot arecyiu entering a Japanese to get a job in there? A local company in Japan?

[@AverageBot]

@@張玉珍-o6d not sure yet, but the first step for me is: to learn the language better, more about the overall culture and manners.

[@xavierstaals7653]

Idk man japan still sound amazing. And im not planning to live in the big city.

[@123456789tube100]

Biggest thing you dont talk about is the lack of japanese language that most people will not know.....if you dont know japanese then how the hell can you move there.....

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

That's also a big thing. Many people come here to teach English, are forced to speak only English at work and hang with English speaking coworkers. Some of them can't even order food by themselves lol

[@123456789tube100]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel yeah this is what I mean, very few people talk about this aspect but how the fuck can you make friends in a country when almost everyone does not speak english lol.

[@123456789tube100]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel I mean i know google translate works well and you can take photos but jeeeeez that gets tiring. dont even get me started about china as the gps system in china only works in chinese

[@Sandtiger3]

Also watching in a closed taco bell eating a two tacos

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Best way to do it!

[@bc_views]

Dumb Question .... how good was your Japanese before moving there? Did your language skills block you from ultimately doing what you wished to do? Ive been trying to get to Japan by way of the Government (US) and it has been almost 10 yrs, still I am always applying but realizing I may just have to bite the bullet and trying something different. I would appreciate your opinion, Thanks!

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

I had 0 skills in Japanese when I moved here. My skills did not stop me from moving, as I had already lived in Thailand for 3 years and I went there without any knowing any Thai. The language barrier can be a bit much to some, but I had already been battle tested in rural Thailand where people don't know any English lol

[@elkeyes]

I think the closest I would get to moving would be doing the "digital nomad visa" program for a bit and working from home. But having two small kids makes dropping everything to move across the world a little harder too :p For now I just watch a bunch of videos and plan a trip every few years :)

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Oh absolutely it's a lot harder with kids! Better to do a longer trip every few years indeed! The new digital nomad visa is a great way to experience living here though!

[@KichewGaming]

First time finding your channel, my fiancé and I are planning a 3 week trip to Naha. Currently studying Japanese as well. Even if we decide not to move there, I'll likely still learn Japanese regardless. Anime is goated, and once I am somewhat conversational I can hop into VR and speak with natives to practice as well. Frankly, if not Japan, somewhere else most likely, not liking how things are in the USA. The yen is super weak right now which definitely makes the trip more appealing. I enjoy most of those aspects you mentioned, would love to go in public and not be bombarded non-stop by everyone making their business everyone else's. Plus from what I've seen I love the concept of tatemae. It seems very essential to maintaining the peace, and I am all for that. I basically already do tatemae over here, it makes things run smoother when dealing with those you don't know. Plus needless to say the safety over there is very desirable, and I do like the lack of gun violence/mass shootings incidents compared to here.

[@Sandtiger3]

First!

[@southcoastinventors6583]

Kind of surprised that they don't sell soundproofing kits for your bedroom or at the very lest a foam shroud around your bed similar to a mosquito net but thicker. To be fair there are plenty of people in the US that act like a anime character so it understandable if they think there is a Japanese counter part. Should add one more don't move if you don't like to do paperwork.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Soundproofing would be nice, but the rental rules here for what you can install are insane! Absolutely, there will be an ungodly amount of paperwork, and if you mess up one thing on paper number 14, you gotta start from scratch! 😂

[@leroyybrown]

Appreciate your refreshing honesty. It’s actually quite challenging making friends in our home countries if we move to another city. Most countries are very diverse these days. Outside of Europe most places were former colonies. But in Japan they are a homogeneous block and this can be daunting at times. Even in Tokyo (away from Shibuya etc) there are long periods where you are the only foreigner. Most of the time riding the Yamanote line I didn’t see another foreigner. And as for fitting in- in a nanosecond they know you’re not Japanese. The flip side is if you want to feel remote or even live in a bubble then Japan could work. Personally it takes me about 2 weeks no matter where I go and the novelty starts to wear off. I wouldn’t last 6 months.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Thank you! And well said!

[@Mobik_]

But our Mama told us we are social D:

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Mama always told me I'm the mostest special boy!

[@Miguel2000-x6p]

Hi I have a friend from school who lives in japan my dream is to live in japan for years I've been waiting for that dream to be come to true, I ended up choosing canada. Canada is one of my favorite countries to live, I was obsessed with canada I fallen in love with canada like 8 years ago. I did alot of research on toronto and vancouver and montreal ofc I wanted to obtain a dual citizenship in canada, I know what city I want to be. I started to dream about what will be my life living in canada looks like, But then. Reality kicks me in, canada is the same anymore as I've been dreaming about for 8 years, I decided not to move to canada anymore and idont want to have the Canadian dual citizenship, now I want to move to japan, I know japan is not a animeland, it's a normal country. I know some people who doesn't want me there and some people are trying to hide the truth of living in japan. But hopefully i will have that dream if I change my mind about moving to japan then there's sweden.

[@World_of_VI]

Absolute true words were spoken

[@OitaOscar]

The living environment of Japan is awesome. The working environment of Japan is toxic. Get an online job where you can work from home and get paid in US dollars. Then Japan will be great.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Exactly what I'm doing, and I consider myself very lucky to be able to work from home getting paid in $ and €!

[@Keepone974]

14 years in Japan here. Apart from the winter I find too cold (maybe I'll move to Okinawa one day lol), it's such a convenient and safe country that it's just pretty nice to be here overall. Gave up the salaryman life though for my sanity 😆

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Absolutely! The salaryman life will break anyone! I love it here too, just sharing some reality checks for people who wish to move!

[@kristina855]

Your content is spot on. (I have been in Japan since 1988) Keep up the good work!

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Thank you so much!!

[@RSidd]

What I found from my recent solo trip to Japan as a dark-skinned Indian man is how immediately I stood out from the crowd wherever I went. There were so many stares inside metros and most public places. It kinda made me uncomfortable at times, but I think they were more curious than anything else and wondered what a person like me would be doing there. Although they make it abundantly clear that I am an outsider and will always be treated differently, there seemed to be no malice or hatred behind it. It's just built into their culture to maintain the homogeneity among their own people, but still be courteous and polite to other human beings. Wherever I needed some help, I always recieved top-class service with warm smiles and respect. When I got lost and asked for directions, even young University students wouldn't hesitate for a second to flip out their phones to check time schedules and location of buses/trains to help me out. And of course there's always the common incident of people doing a detour and heading in the opposite direction just to guide me to my destination. These are truly an inspirational bunch of people!

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Same thing happens to me as a white dude in the countryside. People in all homogenous countries (or countries with diversity but in the rural areas) will stare at things they rarely or never have seen. It is what it is, usually it's because of curiosity and no ill will!

[@RSidd]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel Yes, exactly! Was a huge learning experience.

[@halimech1]

hey dude, i was curious if you could make another video covering what it's like to move to the japanese countryside, how much it costs, tax situation or unexpected things people might not consider when moving there. personally I'm really interested in off grid living and homesteading and I know that there is a whole culture around traditional crafts and ways of living in the countryside in japan. I'd love to hear your opinion and maybe even a video about that whole topic. great content so far, looking forward to the next one :)

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

That could make for an interesting video! Thanks for the suggestion 🍻

[@takeshimatsumoto394]

love your honest take

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

ありがとう!

[@sherrykda3511]

I`m impressed, actually valid arguments with substance and not just crying around. I remember everyone warning me about moving and that it'll be horrible, but for me the only reals worry is that the homesickness will overcome me one day. Everything else always either seemed ok or a bit bad, but tbh at my home it wanst much better anyways

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

When homesickness hits, it's good to plan a couple weeks holiday and just visit home!

[@spindashcash206]

Still moving here LOL but nice video

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

I don't regret moving and staying here at all 😂

[@spindashcash206]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel just as long as you don't turn into a weeb lol 😆

[@mathiaswagner8788]

3:20 I am dont lie too me ! ;)

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂

[@andrewfrolley1508]

G'day! Ok, I'm convinced...I'm not selling up and moving over there. I have, however, booked a couple of weeks for another visit later in the year. Having done a number of the main tourist things previously, and with your words ringing in my ears about over-tourism and site bans, is there any chance you might consider doing a future vlog on the lesser sites - particular favourite bits of your region that tourists without cars could access? Thanks again for your videos and sage advice.... Sensei !!

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

G'day! Hope you'll have a great visit! I intend on doing many 'off the beaten path' videos in my prefecture as well as many other underrated prefectures and places in the future (currently in the process of planning the summer trips)! I'll be sure to include info about how to get where I'm going by bus or train for the no-driving folks!!

[@andrewfrolley1508]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel Thanks! Can you hurry up.....my plane leaves soon! 😂 BTW - what are your thoughts on non-Japanese speaking tourists renting cars and driving around Japan themselves? I know foreign tourists are often so bloody dangerous on our roads that it's frightening - not to mention life-threatening.

[@miapowphotography5206]

Awesome

[@mariothibau1070]

Top late I already moved to Japan

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Same 😂

[@ssehe2007]

My apartment walls in Japan are soundproof.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Then you are extremely lucky!

[@isaza5716]

Differentiate vacation with living... I want to live in Japan because its so much more peaceful than the west...

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

It's peaceful until the neighborhood oyaji starts throwing slurs atcha

[@isaza5716]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel We have noisy neighbors too and we dont live in japan. ^^ I'm on study abroad at the moment and didnt hear anything besides at the beginning my neighbor above seemed to throw around a broom (?) in the middle of the night. But over all its not so noisy as in Germany, because germans are so fu***** ignorant >

[@isaza5716]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel My coment was deleted?!?! WTF....

[@groovymushroomstew]

Yo jeg lurte på om jeg skulle flytte til Japan, men blir I Norge. Er ikke helt sikker på work balance. Høres fett ut å bo der, men kanskje en ferie tur bare 😅

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Er ikke så ille som folk skal ha det til her, bare pass på å ikke bli hyrt inn i et såkalt 'Black Company' der du blir pusha til mye overtid! Går an å ta ett år og se hva som skjer da? Greit å ha på cven i Norge anyways 😎

[@groovymushroomstew]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel nice 👍 Takk for svar, uansett før jeg kan velge så må jeg lære meg Japansk. Jeg gir det en 3 måneders tid også ser jeg an da. Nå kan jeg midi to gohan ku da sai 😅 Lykke til videre i Japan Kampai 🥃

[@groovymushroomstew]

Mizu

[@bubbythebrow153]

Move wherever the hell you want. Just be prepared for stuff to be different and potentially difficult.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

True fact

[@Madao0303]

Konichiwa America jin desu every time you go to place

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂

[@Quagony]

ok so I commented on your other video by relating as a norwegian that didn't go to høgskole or university, but now you gotta relate even more 😂 since I'm planning to leave Norway now at the age of 22

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂

[@HankOrionYT]

Hi, what job do you do in Japan?

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Got my own web dev+content writing business!

[@HankOrionYT]

@@JustAnotherJapanChannel nice

[@HarryBaalzach]

An interesting perspective on real versus holiday, but as a retired guy under 50 who won’t have to face work culture, I still dream of making the move. Sadly my wife hates the place, so I’m stuck in uk til she has her unfortunate accident 😢

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

😂😂😂

[@leverans]

I don't see the appeal, Europa communis patria.

[@mimistak]

Comparing a trash country ( Italy) with an amazing ( Japan) 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Don't ruin my nostalgia infused memories of Italy 😂😂

[@Daoistify]

Having married a Japanese woman in 2009 and visit there every year except for the Pandemic. The most I have stayed there was three months. I go mostly for my wife and her family. Frankly after a few visits I dread going back. Once the newness has worn off the reality of Japan strikes you in the back of the head. The rigidity of the culture is stifling to an outsider. It reminds me of being in a group of people and never being seen or acknowledged or accepted. It’s a dreary, lonely, depressing culture.

[@isaza5716]

I'm reading this so often and I'm feeling exactly that in my home country (Germany) and NOT in Japan.... And no I'm not a born japanese or anything like that. I'm maybe japanese in my heart and that's the difference.

[@Mwoods2272]

Japan really sucks, everything is bad but I love living here. Dipwad

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Comprehension skills above average, I see that you fully understood the video. If you have that many extra chromosomes, mind sharing with the rest of class?

[@Cargo_Bay]

did you even watch the video? If you did, i think you might be simple.

[@Joe-nj3bb]

0:56 Baldy here too! 🫡 It's great during summer when it's hot and the other day I was outside in the pouring rain and didn't have to worry about my hair. I totally agree with the part about it feeling like a honeymoon and the noisy apartments. I got lucky for a whole year when I had no neighbors on either side of me on the second floor of a Leopalace.

[@JustAnotherJapanChannel]

Absolutely, just gotta remember to spf 50 the dome if you're not wearing a hat! It's great to be bald! Yeah you lucked out with the no neighbors for sure! I had 8 Vietnamese factory workers crammed inside a 2-man apartment to my left, and a Japanese couple on the right who would go at each other loudly at all hours of the night for 2 years 😂