{"id":5967,"date":"2017-02-23T18:23:27","date_gmt":"2017-02-23T18:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/?p=5967"},"modified":"2017-04-08T07:34:32","modified_gmt":"2017-04-08T07:34:32","slug":"enjoy-life-japan-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/enjoy-life-japan-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Enjoy Life in Japan (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Japan is unique among Asian countries. Many expats, even those who have lived in Asia for years, struggle living in Japan. I’ve seen families leave after only a year. What makes Japan so difficult? Is it the culture? Some secret only known to the initiated? The answer, while it may seem obscure, is simple.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"japan\"<\/p>\n

Japan is not Asian.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don’t mean this literally, of course. Metaphorically, however, it is true. Japan is the America of Asia, and the key to enjoying life in Japan is to understand this. It’s not that Japanese speak English well. Most can’t. Nor is it that Japanese eat mostly Western food. They don’t. In fact, culturally, Japan is perhaps one of the most enigmatic countries in the world. You can spend a lifetime in this country and still not understand all of the intricacies of a simple business transaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what is it that makes Japan un-Asian?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s economically Western. Things aren’t cheap here, and it pisses people off. Yet no one bats an eye at the high price of living in Western Europe. Why? It’s a trade-off of salary for lifestyle. Yes, your salary might not go far in Vienna, Paris, or Stockholm. But generally international teachers move there for the culture, not the money. Asia, in contrast, remains one of the premier locations for expats wishing to live a lavish lifestyle. A typically international school salary puts you in the top 1% in countries like Thailand or Bangladesh. Top salaries in China soar over\u00a0top salaries in Japan. Working at a major international school in Tokyo or Osaka, you can expect to be firmly middle class, at best.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"japan\"<\/p>\n

The teachers I know who leave Japan after a few years are those who are used to having nannies, hired help, frequent vacations to beach resorts, and people catering to them as something special. This kind of lifestyle is unaffordable in Tokyo. Take traveling, for example. In Japan, hotels charge per person, not per room. And it’s not uncommon to be charged $200USD per person, per night. Nor is transportation cheap. Bullet train tickets from Kyoto to Tokyo run upwards of $150, one way. Just accommodation and transportation for a weekend trip could be well in excess of $1,000. You can live a good life in Japan on an international school salary, but not the same expat life you could in other Asian countries. Much like living in Copenhagen, this means going local. Don’t buy all American products at jacked up prices in Costco. By local, Japanese products. Eat, drink, and live like a local, and perhaps you can live an upper-middle class lifestyle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coming to Japan from developing Asian countries, expats lose considerable social and economic status. They find themselves unhappy, and return to the Asia they know and love. Cheap Asia. English Friendly Asia. Cater-to-foreigners Asia. So why stay? What does Japan have to offer, if not generous salaries and a super affluent lifestyle?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"japan\"<\/p>\n

The answer is, of course, culture. Part II coming soon…<\/span><\/p>\n

This article was submitted to us by an International School Community member guest author.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Japan is unique among Asian countries. Many expats, even those who have lived in Asia for years, struggle living in Japan. I’ve seen families leave after only a year. What makes Japan so difficult? Is it the culture? Some secret only known to the initiated? The answer, while it may seem obscure, is simple. Japan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2188],"tags":[323,2375,2376,1004,69,2377],"class_list":["post-5967","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lessons-from-your-country","tag-japan","tag-life-in-japan","tag-living-in-japan","tag-teaching-in-japan","tag-travel","tag-working-in-japan"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/sunset-129503_640.jpg?fit=640%2C441&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2flVT-1yf","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6074,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/enjoy-life-japan-part-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":5967,"position":0},"title":"How to Enjoy Life in Japan (Part 2)","author":"ISCommunity","date":"April 8, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"What does Japan have to offer expats that other Asian countries don't? It doesn't offer much bang for your buck. Even a position at a major, affluent international school in Tokyo can't offer a salary that compares to Singapore. Nor will your salary take you as far as it will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lessons From Your Country"","block_context":{"text":"Lessons From Your Country","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/lessons-from-your-country\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Screenshot-2017-04-08-09.19.04.png?fit=1200%2C903&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Screenshot-2017-04-08-09.19.04.png?fit=1200%2C903&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Screenshot-2017-04-08-09.19.04.png?fit=1200%2C903&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Screenshot-2017-04-08-09.19.04.png?fit=1200%2C903&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Screenshot-2017-04-08-09.19.04.png?fit=1200%2C903&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1989,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/traveling-around-japan-the-life-of-an-international-school-teacher-is-good\/","url_meta":{"origin":5967,"position":1},"title":"Traveling Around: Japan (The life of an international school teacher is good!)","author":"ISCommunity","date":"May 21, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Traveling Around: Japan \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Can you relate? \u2022 Traveling around on trains using the Japanese Rail Pass, and having unlimited access for the entire trip. \u2022 Enjoying the beauty of cherry blossoms, called \u2018sakura\u2019 in Japanese. \u2022 Paying good money for a few pieces of delicious fatty tuna sushi. Worth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Traveling Around"","block_context":{"text":"Traveling Around","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/traveling-around\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Screen Shot 2013-05-20 at 9.19.05 PM","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/Screen-Shot-2013-05-20-at-9.19.05-PM-270x300.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":488,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/overview-of-an-intl-school-4-makuhari-international-school\/","url_meta":{"origin":5967,"position":2},"title":"Overview of an int\u2019l school #4 \u2013 Makuhari International School","author":"ISCommunity","date":"March 2, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"How great that each international school is unique! In this overview of an international school, by Tokyo Families, we would like to highlight Makuhari International School. \"Being the newest addition to the international schools in the community, TF asked its principal Paul Rogers to explain what MIS offers to children.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Overview of an Int\u2019l School"","block_context":{"text":"Overview of an Int\u2019l School","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/overview-of-an-int%e2%80%99l-school\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/03\/img_9985.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7065,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/top-10-things-to-do-in-japan-in-7-days\/","url_meta":{"origin":5967,"position":3},"title":"Top 10 Things to Do in Japan in 7 days","author":"ISCommunity","date":"November 11, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Japan is, due to its remoteness and quirkiness, a dream destination for many Westerners. Common opinion is that, to fully experience wonders of the land of the rising Sun, one should plan for at least a ten-day long vacation. However, I still think that a week-long trip to Japan is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Traveling Around"","block_context":{"text":"Traveling Around","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/traveling-around\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/DSC_2824.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/DSC_2824.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/DSC_2824.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/DSC_2824.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/DSC_2824.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1530,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/blogs-of-international-school-teachers-a-leaf-around-the-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":5967,"position":4},"title":"Blogs of international school teachers: \u201cA Leaf Around the World\u201d","author":"ISCommunity","date":"December 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Are you inspired to start up a blog about your adventures living abroad? Our 26th blog that we would like to highlight is called\u00a0\u201cA Leaf Around The World\u201d\u00a0 Check out the wealth of information in the blog entries of this international school educator who currently works at\u00a0Yokohama International School in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blogs of International Teachers"","block_context":{"text":"Blogs of International Teachers","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/blogs-of-international-teachers\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Screen Shot 2012-12-05 at 9.31.08 PM","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/screen-shot-2012-12-05-at-9-31-08-pm.png?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/screen-shot-2012-12-05-at-9-31-08-pm.png?w=350&h=200&crop=1 1x, https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/12\/screen-shot-2012-12-05-at-9-31-08-pm.png?w=525&h=300&crop=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":357,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/great-resource-want-to-work-at-an-international-school-in-japan\/","url_meta":{"origin":5967,"position":5},"title":"Great resource: Want to work at an international school in Japan?","author":"ISCommunity","date":"July 18, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Directory Listings of International Schools for Japan Wow!\u00a0 There are many international schools in Japan.\u00a0 Actually, a high number of visits to International School Community each month are from Japan.\u00a0 So, it is no surprise that there are many expats in Japan wanting information about the international schools there. 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