Advice for moving to Japan, or any foreign country really.
Here are some tips I would give to anyone thinking about moving to Japan. This will mainly be oriented towards living in Tokyo, but I guess some of this advice could be useful for anyone moving to a foreign country, especially one where you don't speak the language that well. Hopefully this is helpful!
1) Learn Hiragana and Katakana! I cannot stress how important this is. Learning these two basic alphabets will make life just that bit easier when you arrive in Japan. If you can read these, then you can read many signs and menus on the street, in supermarkets, in restaurants and cafes and some of the signs at train stations. It will help you a lot!
2) Be prepared to stand out. In Tokyo, I find I don't stand out so much, especially when I'm in the tourist spots, but when I head anywhere more rural, I stick out like nothing else, especially being white and blonde. So be prepared! In some situations, it works in your favour, e.g when you're at the doctor and it's very clear that you're not Japanese so they make sure you get an information sheet in English, and you see a doctor that speaks decent English. In other situations it's difficult because you get stared at because you're obviously different to literally everyone else. So be prepared for a lack of diversity when it comes to the people around you!
3) Get used to carrying cash, and don't rely on your credit card! Most places in Japan will not accept credit cards, so always have cash on you. Coming from New Zealand where everyone uses their cards for everything, this was a bit of a hassle at first, and it makes splitting bills at restaurants etc a bit tricky, but you can keep track of where all your money goes a lot easier.
4) Research local medical centres when you first arrive so you know where you need to go. This was something I messed up. I should have looked for a doctor when I first arrived, but instead I waited until I needed one. Many medical centres here are specialised in certain problems eg eyes, ear, nose and throat, gynaecologists etc, so it would help to have a list of different medical centres for different problems, just to be prepared. Doing a little background research into how the medical system here works would've given me a heads up before coming, rather than trying to work it out when I was already exhausted and sick.
5) Use the website Hyperdia or the app Navitime for Japan travel. These tools are gold when it comes to getting on the right train! I really don't know how I would go without these. Absolute life savers!
6) Get a Suica or Pasmo in Tokyo, or Icoca in Osaka/Kyoto area. These are train and bus cards that you just top up with any amount of money and you don't have to worry about buying tickets each time you hop on the train. Super handy!
7) Keep doing any hobbies you had back at home. This one is super important! For me, finding a zumba class has given me something to look forward to each week and allows me to have fun and exercise for an hour with people from all over the world. I loved zumba back home, so doing it here has really helped keep my fitness on track and reminds me of my classes back in New Zealand. No matter what your hobbies are, chances are you can do them almost anywhere. If it's running, find somewhere nice in your area to go for a run. If you love photography or drawing, go out and take photos of or draw the landscapes around you. Continuing your hobbies from home will help you get into a routine and make you happy, so it's a real stress reliever and a great way to get out and about.
8) Say yes to everything you're invited to. Saying yes to any social events, especially when you first arrive, will help you meet new people and discover new places in your city.
9) If you're based in a big city, try to see some of the countryside every now and again. For me, getting out of the hustle and bustle of Tokyo is always nice. Coming from a town of about 8'000 people to a city of about 10'000'000 was a huge adjustment, and sometimes it's really nice to reset the mind and get some fresh air by escaping the city. Planning day trips is a good way to get out of the city and explore the more rural side of Japan, or any country really.
10) Brace yourself for the biggest learning experience ever! You will discover a whole new culture, language and way of life, as well as learning a whole lot about yourself and what you're capable of when you're on your own in a country where you can't alway communicate with the people around you. This is extremely cliche, but it really does help you to grow as a person.
So, I hope this has been somewhat interesting, insightful or useful for anyone moving to Japan, or just living abroad in general. It's coming up 6 months since I arrived in Japan, which is crazy, so the next post will be like a 6 month review of what I've done so far, and my plans for the next half of the year. :) It's getting hot here now, Monday was 33 degrees! I've been cranking the aircon in my apartment, and the trains have air con, which is a godsend. It hasn't been overly humid yet though, so I'm not sure how I'll cope with that coming from the driest area of New Zealand... stay tuned for an update on that.
Signing off for now!
From Japan, with love,
Hannah.
1) Learn Hiragana and Katakana! I cannot stress how important this is. Learning these two basic alphabets will make life just that bit easier when you arrive in Japan. If you can read these, then you can read many signs and menus on the street, in supermarkets, in restaurants and cafes and some of the signs at train stations. It will help you a lot!
2) Be prepared to stand out. In Tokyo, I find I don't stand out so much, especially when I'm in the tourist spots, but when I head anywhere more rural, I stick out like nothing else, especially being white and blonde. So be prepared! In some situations, it works in your favour, e.g when you're at the doctor and it's very clear that you're not Japanese so they make sure you get an information sheet in English, and you see a doctor that speaks decent English. In other situations it's difficult because you get stared at because you're obviously different to literally everyone else. So be prepared for a lack of diversity when it comes to the people around you!
3) Get used to carrying cash, and don't rely on your credit card! Most places in Japan will not accept credit cards, so always have cash on you. Coming from New Zealand where everyone uses their cards for everything, this was a bit of a hassle at first, and it makes splitting bills at restaurants etc a bit tricky, but you can keep track of where all your money goes a lot easier.
4) Research local medical centres when you first arrive so you know where you need to go. This was something I messed up. I should have looked for a doctor when I first arrived, but instead I waited until I needed one. Many medical centres here are specialised in certain problems eg eyes, ear, nose and throat, gynaecologists etc, so it would help to have a list of different medical centres for different problems, just to be prepared. Doing a little background research into how the medical system here works would've given me a heads up before coming, rather than trying to work it out when I was already exhausted and sick.
5) Use the website Hyperdia or the app Navitime for Japan travel. These tools are gold when it comes to getting on the right train! I really don't know how I would go without these. Absolute life savers!
6) Get a Suica or Pasmo in Tokyo, or Icoca in Osaka/Kyoto area. These are train and bus cards that you just top up with any amount of money and you don't have to worry about buying tickets each time you hop on the train. Super handy!
7) Keep doing any hobbies you had back at home. This one is super important! For me, finding a zumba class has given me something to look forward to each week and allows me to have fun and exercise for an hour with people from all over the world. I loved zumba back home, so doing it here has really helped keep my fitness on track and reminds me of my classes back in New Zealand. No matter what your hobbies are, chances are you can do them almost anywhere. If it's running, find somewhere nice in your area to go for a run. If you love photography or drawing, go out and take photos of or draw the landscapes around you. Continuing your hobbies from home will help you get into a routine and make you happy, so it's a real stress reliever and a great way to get out and about.
8) Say yes to everything you're invited to. Saying yes to any social events, especially when you first arrive, will help you meet new people and discover new places in your city.
9) If you're based in a big city, try to see some of the countryside every now and again. For me, getting out of the hustle and bustle of Tokyo is always nice. Coming from a town of about 8'000 people to a city of about 10'000'000 was a huge adjustment, and sometimes it's really nice to reset the mind and get some fresh air by escaping the city. Planning day trips is a good way to get out of the city and explore the more rural side of Japan, or any country really.
10) Brace yourself for the biggest learning experience ever! You will discover a whole new culture, language and way of life, as well as learning a whole lot about yourself and what you're capable of when you're on your own in a country where you can't alway communicate with the people around you. This is extremely cliche, but it really does help you to grow as a person.
So, I hope this has been somewhat interesting, insightful or useful for anyone moving to Japan, or just living abroad in general. It's coming up 6 months since I arrived in Japan, which is crazy, so the next post will be like a 6 month review of what I've done so far, and my plans for the next half of the year. :) It's getting hot here now, Monday was 33 degrees! I've been cranking the aircon in my apartment, and the trains have air con, which is a godsend. It hasn't been overly humid yet though, so I'm not sure how I'll cope with that coming from the driest area of New Zealand... stay tuned for an update on that.
Signing off for now!
From Japan, with love,
Hannah.
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