First Day Back in the Tokyo Office After Lockdown
What it’s like to go back to work in Tokyo after the COVID-19 / Coronavirus pseudo-lockdown.
In Tokyo, we had a stay-at-home request issued by the government that lasted for the majority of April and May 2020.
When the emergency declaration was lifted, some companies were quick to bring everyone back (despite few adjustments to the work environment), while others, like my company, are moving towards trying to work out a balance.
I went back to the office for the first time in early June as we are trying to get team members to be in the office at least twice a week.
I made a vlog to show how that first day was.
Returning to office work makes you reconsider its value.
What I realized was that while office work and remote work each have positives and negatives, it depends on the person and tasks at hand.
As a non-native Japanese person who isn’t fluent at Japanese but works primarily with Japanese colleagues, being in the same physical space helps eliminate existing barriers when it comes to understanding meanings or contexts.
It’s also beneficial when working on a team project or if there’s a lot of collaborations happening to get things done.
On the negative side though, it really made me question the need of commuting every day.
Despite it only being about 40 minutes door-to-door for me, the stopping of what I’m doing, getting ready, then commuting twice per day is an interference in production. While I can work on my phone, it’s often not as easy as a laptop.
Tokyo trains also can become very congested, and with the virus still around, it’s a little nerve wracking to be body-to-body in a box with little ventilation.
Working in the office isn’t comfortable as well due to mask-wearing and no new seating arrangements or protective adjustments.
Because of this, I noticed that I drink far less water throughout the day.
How will companies adapt moving forward?
It will be interesting to see how companies continue to adapt. There is a need to due to changes in people’s psychologies and behavior.
People like Andrew Yang have said there’s been 10 years of progress in the last 10 weeks. How much that’s true with regards to Japan is unknown, though.
A survey revealed that in mid-April, a couple weeks after the emergency declaration was made by the Japan government, 64% of small to medium-sized businesses did not move to remote work. [J]
There’s also the issue of Japan as a whole being resistant to let go of traditional work practices - many of which require a physical presence. And of course, there is the workforce that is accustomed to it.
On the flip side, there are companies like Twitter and Shopify saying they will be making efforts to move to 100% remote work.
As of today, Shopify is a digital by default company. We will keep our offices closed until 2021 so that we can rework them for this new reality. And after that, most will permanently work remotely. Office centricity is over.
— Tobi Lutke 🌳🌲🛒🕹 (@tobi) May 21, 2020
While I think that may be a bit farfetched for most, the boldness of the move is admirable.
What companies can’t do is simply go back to exactly how things were. The world has and is changing since this global pandemic.
Let’s see what happens.
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Living in Japan as a Japanese-American
My experience living in Japan as a Japanese-American, both in the countryside and in the city.
There is no universal experience living in Japan as a foreigner.
A lot of the perspectives being shared out there come from those who are more obviously foreign, but what about the perspectives of Asian foreigners? And in particular, what about those who are Japanese by blood?
I fall into that category.
To give you some context on me, I’m a 4th generation Japanese-American, which means my great-grandparents immigrated to from Japan to the US.
I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, which has a lot of Asian influence and a lot of Japanese influence. After high school, I moved around on the US West coast before moving to Japan. I first lived in a small area of Fukuoka prefecture before moving to Tokyo, so I have the experience of both environments.
Japanese, but altered.
One of the things I realized while living in Japan was that what some things that I had known to be Japanese in the US, was sometimes old or not Japanese at all.
Names for example. Many of my Japanese-American friends have Japanese middle names. I found out that a lot of those names are very old, likely because those were the names common during the time that our ancestors immigrated.
Yakudoshi was another. Growing up in Hawaii, I was under the impression that they were special years and people would have Yakudoshi parties. In Japan, I found out that they’re a set of bad luck years and are not to be celebrated. Going to a temple or shrine to pray about it is more common.
American, but…
The degree to which people in Japan can understand and accept you varies from person to person, and more generally, rural and city environments play a factor. People in the cities are more likely to have had some experience with foreigners or traveling abroad.
The different between ethnicity and nationality isn’t one that’s easily understood. Japan, after all, is not all that diverse.
I’ve come across people who easily understood my background and others who could not comprehend it even if their life depended on it.
In general, there is always a “but”, or explanation that needs to happen after saying that I’m American. This can be that I have Japanese blood or that I’m from Hawaii. I don’t really get the simple “Oh ok”as a Caucasian person would after saying they’re American.
Invisible foreigner
I’ve never been stared at (unless I deserved it), never had people fascinated by my hair, never been immediately refused service. This tends to be different from the experience a lot of more obvious foreigners have.
On the other hand, I’ve never been given special treatment for photo ops, never had Japanese people running to talk to me so they can practice conversations, and never got put on camera during English summer camps with foreign teachers when I used to teach.
This ability to blend in better and almost be an invisible foreigner has its advantages and disadvantages.
I made a video talking about my experience living in Japan as a Japanese-American. If you’re interested, please take a look: Living in Japan as a Japanese-American
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Working in Japan Can Be Lonely
Due to language, cultural and mindset barriers, working at a Japanese company as a foreigner can be unintentionally lonely at times.
This time working remotely has let me reflect a little on why I sometimes feel lonely working in Japan.
Since moving to Tokyo in late 2014, I’ve been working in marketing at a Japanese agency. My immediate team has just under 20 people. Everyone is Japanese aside from myself and a couple of Taiwanese who are either based in Taipei or frequently in and out of the Tokyo office.
I’m generally fine working on my own.
When working in marketing, however, especially with regards to strategy and creative - things that I do - it’s best to be able to collectively brainstorm and have discussions where ideas are bounced off each other.
But I don’t really have that on an everyday basis. Nor am I able to fully take part in a lot of discussions or training events.
There are a couple main reasons why a separation exists.
1. My Japanese isn’t good enough.
Not only does my Japanese language capability provide an obstacle in my comprehension and ability to effectively communicate, my not being as culturally in tune as the Japanese people around me can sometimes put me on a different wavelength.
A recent example is when a colleague talked about an “online business card trading” service being amazing, especially during this time of remote work. I understand business card trading is a part of Japanese business culture so the service may be useful, but I consider it more to be a timid half-step forward. This is especially the case for me since while on a business trip to the CES convention in Las Vegas in 2015, I was about to give my business card to someone when he simply waved his phone over my neck pass and got my info. I remember clearly how I felt like an outdated fool. That was 5 years ago.
And of course there’s just a lack of commonality in the pop-culture we’re a part of for general conversations. Compare App Store, Apple Music or Netflix popularity rankings - Japan is often quite different from a lot of other countries. I wouldn’t expect it to be like my or another foreigner’s home countries obviously, but it does mean that there may be even less common ground to connect on.
2. Lack of “International”
In relation to non-Japanese residents living in Japan, this is a really general outline of society:
LEFT: You have typical Japanese people. The majority doesn’t speak English, have little or no international experience and aren’t used to working with non-Japanese.
RIGHT: You have the various foreign expats who may or may not speak some Japanese and are in Japan for a short-term.
MIDDLE: The internationals. They have experience both in Japan and out but some may not be truly native-level speakers anywhere, they likely speak a language that mixes English, Japanese and perhaps another language. Many of the capable ones will work in international companies.
I fall into the “international” category, probably leaning to the right because of my mediocre language skills. But because almost all of my colleagues and company itself falls firmly into the left side, it takes more effort for someone like me to try to include myself.
The truth is a lot of Japanese - and this is for any country, not just Japan - don’t have an interest in things foreign. My non-Japanese colleagues and I have been told in the past that there are some colleagues that we can’t work on international projects with because of a lack of interest and ability to comprehend things foreign. This wall and lack of workaround is an unfortunate reality that only impacts the foreigners.
I was reminded of this separation when the only email to unsubscribe from the English newsletter I sent out on behalf of our team was, in fact, our own team’s email address. That meant a colleague decided to unsubscribe from it.
To be honest, I thought that was fucked up considering it’s clearly sent from our own company. I know better than to unsubscribe from our Japanese or Chinese communications. Our non-Japanese communications are generally ignored, which can feel isolating, but to take action to stop it is another level.
But other than that, there’s no real maliciousness or purposeful segregation. It’s mostly whether or not someone wants to make an extra effort to connect. I was astounded when I took a look at how much time I spent on just trying to understand communications, time I could be spending on being productive in something else. That’s completely on me.
This feeling of separation and created walls, though, is to be expected unless a company is really striving to be diverse.
I think this is a challenge for any Japanese company attempting to be more international. How do you do that without straying from being “a Japanese company”? It’s a structural revision tied to core values that needs to be carefully planned out and purposefully followed. I don’t have an answer for that either, but I know it’s not just adding foreigners onto the payroll.
I’m lucky that, for the most part, I have some colleagues who I do connect with, others who are in that left side but do their best to do so, and that there’s no discrimination or anything.
Yes, it is often lonely and there is a separation that’s often felt. After all though, the choice of where to work, where to live and what to do is our choice and up to us.
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How Brands in Japan are Responding to COVID-19
What some brands and celebrities in Japan are doing in reaction to COVID-19/Coronavirus.
After the Japanese government declared a state of emergency and strongly requested businesses and people to cut person-to-person contact by 70% in early April, some people and businesses have responding to help produce things in need, align messaging, and help everyone stay home.
These are some businesses in Japan have done.
Iris Ohyama
当社は、政府からの要請に対応するため、6月稼働予定の宮城県角田工場のマスク生産能力を1億5千万枚／月に増強します。
— アイリスオーヤマ株式会社【公式】 (@irisohyama_info) April 22, 2020
中国におけるマスクの重要資材である不織布の価格高騰も考慮し、同工場内に資材製造設備も新たに導入することで内製化率を高め、供給体制を見直します。https://t.co/2bNtldRjtg
The home electronics company announced that they’d be producing 60k masks/month, and will increase production starting in June.
SHARP
なお本日より生産開始したマスクは、3月下旬には出荷できますが、まずは政府への納入を優先します。より切実にマスクを必要とされる場所へ提供を図るためです。その後、一般向けには自社のECサイトでのみ販売する予定です。 https://t.co/XV450iC9Sg pic.twitter.com/t8OUiM7h7l
— SHARP シャープ株式会社 (@SHARP_JP) March 24, 2020
Due to having facilities enabling production of masks in a sterile environment, the Japanese government asked Sharp to help out. Sharp is producing masks and selling them once a week online through a lottery system.
SHARPさん@SHARP_JP ロゴがおうちの中にいるし、距離も保ってる。
— aya_endo@広報PR (@aya_pee) April 8, 2020
これは、好きっ！てなるやつ。
まさに、「目の付けどころがシャープでしょ。」 pic.twitter.com/2GExhI8wEr
They’ve also changed their logo on social media, using the kanji for “home.” Sharp’s Twitter account is regarded as one of the best company accounts in Japan due to their wit and responsiveness, a big contrast to the social stiffness that plagues Japanese companies online.
SHUEISHA
本日いまから！
— ONE PIECEスタッフ【公式】 (@Eiichiro_Staff) March 9, 2020
長期春休み応援
ONE PIECE1巻〜60巻
無料開放スタート！
👇ジャンプ＋https://t.co/UzmF5EnTJJ
👇ゼブラックhttps://t.co/jGxmw8bQmt#OnePiece pic.twitter.com/y9RuaVgS7u
A major Japanese publisher, with names like Dragonball-Z, ONE PIECE and Naruto, made some back issues of their popular manga titles free, as well as some issues of their Shonen Jump magazine through their app. This came as Japan shut down schools in early March, suddenly giving kids a lot of free time at home.
APA HOTEL
アパホテル「軽症や無症状の人 全面的に受け入れ」新型コロナ #nhk_news https://t.co/RNrq7Xsw4I
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) April 3, 2020
To help with the overflow of people infected with COVID-19, business hotel chain APA Hotel opened its doors to those with mild symptoms.
SHISEIDO
現在生産中の手指消毒液（指定医薬部外品）。
— 資生堂 ShiseidoCo.,Ltd. (@SHISEIDO_corp) April 21, 2020
品質と安全性を何ものにも優先し、徹底した品質管理を行っています。#資生堂 #shiseidoforsociety
▼詳しくはこちらhttps://t.co/0V8s3fiBzB pic.twitter.com/Cpsa8xINKT
While it initially started only in France, Shiseido began producing hand sanitizer in its Japan factories as well, saying they will be able to manufacture 200k bottles/month for sale to medical professionals. They also will share their formula with other companies since theirs helps prevent hands from over-drying due to excessive use.
P&G Japan
P&G Japan to donate a million masks to hospitals https://t.co/vFVLxaMyU0
— The Japan Times (@japantimes) April 23, 2020
The Japan leg of P&G will donate 1M masks to medical institutions starting in mid-May. They also provided 100L of industrial-use ethanol to use as disinfectants.
VARIOUS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE BRANDS
［ITmedia NEWS］消毒用アルコールと同じ度数の「お酒」続々 新型コロナ対策で https://t.co/mctaefhsuL
— ITmedia (@itmedia) April 10, 2020
Alcohol makers such as Meiri, Kikusui and a few others shifted production to sell bottles of non-drinking alcohol. While it’s noted that they were made for the purpose of drinking, they meet the requirements for a high-concentration ethanol product (65-80% alcohol) that can be used for disinfection.
BRANDS HAVE GOTTEN CREATIVE IN THEIR MARKETING
The shift to staying home meant brands had to adapt their messaging to people’s realities. Here are a few that have.
POCARI SWEAT
今はみんなで会えないけれど、
— ポカリスエット【公式】 (@pocarisweat_jp) April 15, 2020
歌は歌える。
新ヒロインの汐谷友希さんと、
97名の中高生たちが、
自分の場所で、自分らしく、
ひとつの歌を合唱しました。
2020年春、「渇きを力に変えてゆく。」#ポカリNEO合唱#ポカリスエット pic.twitter.com/03XhZwUnv2
Sports drink brand Pocari Sweat’s commercials always gain a lot of buzz, choreographing a song and dance that includes huge amounts of jr high and high school students. They were quick to create a stay home version that included 97 students, launching it in the middle of April. They also opened up a challenge inviting new participants through application via TikTok.
PANTENE
Pantene modified their campaign to have a double play on words. Their campaign #HairWeGo was playing on “Here we go” and relating it to their hair market, but they changed it again to “Heya we go.” Heya (部屋) in Japanese means “room”, and the new campaign invited people to post photos of their home hairstyles while including a few celebrities as well.
SUNTORY
お酒や飲料を通じて、人と人のつながりをつくってきたサントリーだから。
— SUNTORY（サントリー） (@suntory) May 8, 2020
いま「話そう。」というメッセージをお届けします。
笑って、愚痴って、分かちあって
感情が外に出れば、心は少し軽くなる。
大丈夫。つながってる。#話そう
全１３回の「話そう。」はじまります。#サントリー
Beverage brand Suntory called on over 40 celebrities and personalities and created a 13-episode longform video series featuring them conversing. Stating that Suntory’s drinks are about people-to-people connections, their “Let’s talk” campaign encourages people to laugh, complain and share in order to help lift each other’s spirits.
CELEBRITIES HAVE TAKEN ACTION
A few celebrities were early to take action in helping people to stay home, something refreshing to see in a country where many of them refrain from stirring the pot.
NAOMI WATANABE
One of Japan’s biggest celebrities, Naomi Watanabe, invited people to livestreams on YouTube of her eating dinner with the intention of keeping those who are eating alone at home company.
She has also livestreamed on Instagram, done makeup tutorials as well as featured other celebrities. Her streams have had millions of viewers.
Gén HOSHINO
Musical artist Gén Hoshino created an original song and tied it to a #DancingOnTheInside challenge, encouraging others to do the same. It sparked a series of collaborations from top celebrities and regular people alike.
YOSHIHIDE KIRYU
Japanese Olympic sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu introduced several exercises people could do at home in order to train. They’re aimed at jr high and high school students as the school year and track and field practices have been impacted by COVID-19.
MASATOSHI HAMADA
／
— 出前館【公式】 (@demaecan) April 27, 2020
吉本所属タレントの皆様、ファンの皆様、
そしてSTAYHOMEしている皆様🏡
＼
こんなキャンペーンが始まります👇
タレントの皆様は食事動画等をつけて投稿してください🎦
その他の皆様にはタレントさんの投稿から500円クーポンをゲットしてください👍#浜田のおごり #出前館 #PR #吉本自宅劇場 pic.twitter.com/k3LU5m1Lmg
In a collaboration with Japanese delivery service Demaecan, comedian Masatoshi Hamada is offering to provide a discount to other comedians, actors, musicians and performers who have been affected by canceled gigs and job losses due to COVID-19.
Know of any other brands or celebrities in Japan doing great things? Let me know!
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Working From Home in Tokyo
A look at working from home in Tokyo, as the city is now in a quasi-lockdown and tries to reduce person-to-person contact by 70%.
Unfortunately, shortly after I talked about Tokyo being in a mystery situation regarding COVID-19/Coronavirus, cases spiked.
The situation in Tokyo (as of April 2020)
The country declared a state of emergency in early April. Apparently, the law forbids the government from enforcing a full lockdown, so Tokyo and several other prefectures are in more of a quasi-lockdown, with the government firmly requesting adjustments to business and working from home.
The goal is to cut person-to-person contact by 70%.
While many non-essential workplaces have abided, some haven’t.
Luckily, my company has had a work from home option since the beginning of March.
What I do
I work at a marketing agency, TAMKO, and most of the projects I’m on are with international clients so I’m never in physical meetings with them anyway.
Even on regular office days, it’s common for my teammates or myself to not always be in the office, so communicating through chat or video conferencing is already something we’re used to.
The daily routine
Slack is our main communication tool
The majority of our communication happens over Slack. To clock in, we type one of several messages and it’s recorded automatically. Most people use “おは” (oha) which is short for ohayogozaimasu, or “good morning.”
Almost all communication happens in Japanese.
I go about my day checking and replying to emails (we use Gmail), working on client projects as well as internal ones, and having an occasional meeting or virtual team lunch.
Uber Eats has become more popular
For lunch, I try to make something simple or eat leftovers, but sometimes there’s nothing or I’m lazy.
My usage of Uber Eats has gone up quite a lot.
I’m not alone, apparently.
The app has recently been in Japan’s top 5 of the App Store’s free app rankings, and has gotten additional exposure by people like celebrity Tsubasa Honda, who recommended the service in a YouTube video that got 1.8M views in a little over a day.
I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube while I eat lunch. I tend to watch videos where I can learn something from, videos from channels like CNBC, Vox, Gary Vaynerchuk, Business Insider, some vloggers and so on.
Amazon has also been pretty great.
Amazon delivered to a apartment delivery box
For the most part Amazon deliveries have been so far unaffected by the situation.
Amazon Prime deliveries in Tokyo are really fast, sometimes within 12 hours if you order the night before.
My apartment also has a delivery box system in case we aren’t home or able to get our deliveries when they come in. It’s been helpful as we order online a lot, especially during this time.
About twice a week, we have an all-hands team meeting. We were using Google Hangouts but have more recently switched to Zoom for these.
Team meeting on Zoom
If you’d like to see a day in motion, feel free to watch the video I made.
Otherwise, I hope everyone is doing as well as can be.
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Japanese Celebrities to YouTube Stars: Haruna Kawaguchi
Haruna Kawaguchi is the latest Japanese celebrity to become a YouTuber.
Bloggers, artists and others who’ve gained fame through social media have been moving into the mainstream for a while now, and over the past few years as social networks became our primary communication channels, it’s gone the other way as well.
Celebrities, athletes, business people and more have been increasing efforts in building a presence on social networks and YouTube.
Will Smith is a prime example.
In Japan, celebrities becoming social media stars is just beginning.
Enter Haruna Kawaguchi.
The actress/model already has the 33rd most popular Instagram account in Japan (as of April 1, 2020) with 2.5 million followers.
Rather than put out a highly curated feed, which can be expected at times in Japan especially due to overly controlling agencies, some of her posts are almost questionable (photographer’s bias!).
It’s clear that she’s providing the value of access.
She often provides relatively honest, inside looks at her life - where she talks about things from dealing with emotions to the pain of a pimple.
And now that access is being provided on YouTube.
In February 2020, Haruna Kawaguchi became Japan’s latest celebrity to become a YouTuber.
Posting around a video per week so far, she’s been vlogging about things like grocery shopping with her mom, spending time at her parents’ house on a small island off of Nagasaki, and trying to learn English.
This authentic, real life approach seems to be working.
In about 2 months, she’s put out 10 vlogs and has grown her channel to over 882k subscribers, adding as many as 15k subscribers each day in the past 30 days, according to TubeBuddy.
This YouTube audience places her well inside Japan’s top 300 biggest channels.
She’s also gotten a total of 23.5 million views. For reference, it would be typical that these views have earned her tens of thousands of US dollars each month from ads so far.
Her latest video got over 1 million views in the first 24 hours.
The more celebrities dip into vlogging, the more will follow.
For actors like Haruna Kawaguchi and Will Smith, YouTube in particular provides entertainment in a format (video) that people are already used to seeing them in and want to see them in.
The increased exposure through these vlogs provides fans increased access, and it allows them to be relevant them during the times they’re not on TV or in theaters.
This also helps strengthen existing connections, giving them more leverage in the future than they’d likely have just relying on traditional media.
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Life in Tokyo During the Coronavirus Pandemic
How it’s like living and working in Tokyo during the COVID-19 / Coronavirus pandemic.
Not much panic has been seen so far, supermarkets are fine but some items are out of stock
Big changes for me include optional remote work, but many companies are business as usual
There seems to be little social distancing, but Japanese cultural norms may help a little
Japan was one of the early countries to see COVID-19 / Coronavirus cases boom. The cruise ship Diamond Princess was quarantined just south of Tokyo in Yokohama Bay and others got it from a taxi driver in the city.
The government then canceled school, graduations and school entrance ceremonies. (The school year ends in March, starts in April)
So how is life now in one of the early Coronavirus hot spots?
THERE HASN’T BEEN MUCH PANIC, BUT THERE ARE SHORTAGES
From videos of Costco rushes to brawls over toilet paper, it seems that there’s considerably more panic occurring outside of Japan.
A sign at a drug store entrance saying masks are sold out
Masks have been sold out for weeks now, however, toilet paper and tissues are scarcely found, and soaps and hand sanitizers are low on stock. The rest of the items in the supermarkets are fully stocked as usual.
This lack of panic is something that Japan has been quite good at, albeit access to necessities are currently problem-free.
Could it be naivety and having too much faith in the good infrastructure? Maybe. But even after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, people lined up for supplies and rations despite questionable government response, a far cry from the reports of looting during the Hurricane Katrina aftermath due to a failed response.
Tokyo likely would be different, however.
There is debate on the actual number of infected, though, and Japan seems to be under-testing.
Theories as to why range from limited testing capacity to Japan being good at treating pneumonia, to autopsies not being typical, to a desire to maintain the perceived ability to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
I’m not knowledgeable on testing, so I can’t comment much on it, but people have said hospitals are denying those with fevers for reasons such as not having traveled abroad.
THE BIGGEST CHANGE FOR ME IS THE SHIFT TO Optional Remote Work
My company implemented optional remote work starting at the beginning of March and has been deciding its continuation on a weekly basis. The goal is returning at the end of the month.
Even though this option has been given, there seems to be several staff members in the Tokyo office each day. Part of the reason some are in the office or on the move is due to client requests.
Team meeting: 5 members were in the office, 11 remote on this day. On other days more seem to be remote.
While some companies in Tokyo have IMPLEMENTED remote work, others are struggling to adapt or haven’t at all.
With no demand by the government, companies are deciding courses of action on their own, and they seem to be quite varied. Of course, there are huge concerns about people not being able to afford their living expenses if they’re out of work for a while, but the following are also likely reasons many are slow to implement adjustments.
The first potential reason is outdated work culture and policies.
As some know, many Japanese companies tend to have outdated work cultures in place. This includes overvaluing the amount of time employees are physically in the office. Policies or tools that allow employees to work remotely probably aren’t set up.
A response denying an online meeting and requesting face-to-face during Coronavirus pandemic
A colleague of mine tried to switch a meeting to an online one, but the reply said that while their party considered it, they’d rather keep it face-to-face.
We work in marketing by the way, so in-person meetings are not exactly necessary.
This email was from a municipal government office despite the Prime Minister encouraging social distancing, so it’s hard to expect private companies to do any different.
Another possible reason for lack of remote adoption is low tech literacy.
Despite Japan having a high-tech image, tech-oriented businesses often suffer from slow domestic market adoption. Smartphones, for example, are only used by 74% of Japanese as of 2019, lower than most major countries. For reference, that number is 88% in the UK, 91% in Australia and 92% in South Korea. [J]
If that gives us a glimpse of the situation at some schools that were mandated to go online, imagine that at the corporate level.
Older employees in particular may not know how to work remotely and take part in an online meeting if they have to do it themselves. This is likely a challenge companies need to overcome.
The third possible reason is low concept of social responsibility.
I’ve noticed that outside of sales, profits and losses, and other easily measurable data points, things such as brand building, public relations, human resources and social responsibility have not become a big thing yet in Japan.
It doesn’t mean they have ill intent by any means, they’re just slower to mobilize and be proactive when it’ll mess with their normal procedures and balance sheets.
If the App Store is any indication of people moving to remote work, Japan doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.
Some companies have yet to make any announcement about the Coronavirus to their employees.
I’ve also heard of people showing up to the office despite having a fever due to the Japanese concept of gaman (perseverance) and their fear of judgment from others.
THERE’S LITTLE INCREASE IN SOCIAL DISTANCING
I’m just as guilty of it since I was out in busy Harajuku, Tokyo, for an errand recently. I will say though, looking around, you wouldn’t really guess there was a global pandemic going on.
People walking in Harajuku during the Coronavirus / COVID-19 pandemic
It did seem a tiny bit less crowded, but the most noticeable difference was a lot fewer foreign tourists.
Trains seemed pretty full as well, sometimes with groups going out as shops and restaurants by and large still remain open.
Cherry blossom season has just started, which is bad timing since it will likely draw larger than desired crowds.
A few cultural norms may help Japan a little in this situation.
While there’s debate on whether or not masks protect at all, it’s said they may help prevent infected people from spreading the virus. Luckily, mask-wearing is normal in Japan.
I noticed more people wearing masks in late February than I do now, though, but I feel that’s likely due to a supply shortage than anything else.
Another cultural aspect is that compared to many other cultures, Japanese don’t touch each other during greetings and interactions. They’re actually very hands-off - they bow rather than shake hands, and they don’t hug or kiss.
On trains, talking (loudly) is discouraged.
Overall, Japanese tend to be pretty clean. Anyone who has visited the country likely noticed this simply from walking the streets or using public facilities.
Looking forward, Tokyo has two outcomes
One can only guess what will happen, but either Tokyo is a ticking time bomb or it somehow escapes. Hopefully the latter.
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Typical Workday Lunch Costs in Tokyo
What my typical lunches on Tokyo workdays are like and how much they cost.
Workday lunch costs in Tokyo are pretty reasonable. This is coming from the perspective of an American who has lived in major US cities.
The average cost for weekday lunches in central Tokyo is about ¥822/day, or about $7.58 USD/day.
According to a survey, 89% of Tokyoites average under ¥1,000/day, or less than $9.09 USD/day.
33% keep it under ¥500/day, or less than $4.55 USD/day. [J]
It’s not because they’re eating bad food or barely eating anything either. There are just a lot of affordable options, including going to one of Japan’s top notch convenience stores.
I decided to test this out.
To be honest, I don’t have a strict lunch budget set, and I just go with how I feel that day. I kept track of a week of my unplanned workday lunches, eating as I usually would.
Here’s where I went and how much it cost.
Kitaka Shokudo
A casual ramen shop whose style falls in the “Chuka soba” category, or Chinese soba. The broth is mainly soy sauce based, and the bowl is topped with pork.
Cost: ¥750 (~$6.83 USD)
MAP
Note: The bowl pictured above is a higher grade than what I had this week and costs ¥950 (~$8.64 USD)
Sutadonya
This is a fast food “donburi” chain, which is basically meat on rice. More popular chains in the category include Yoshinoya or Sukiya, but Sutadonya is known to have bigger portions, be really flavorful and utilize a lot of garlic. Note: Eggs are a staple in the Japanese diet and eating raw eggs are safe in Japan.
Cost: ¥630 (~$5.74 USD)
http://sutadonya.com [J]
MAP
Ethiopia
Due to working in the Kanda area of Tokyo, there are a lot of good curry shops. It’s the curry capital of Tokyo, and Ethiopia is one of the famous ones. Their main location is this 2-story, hole-in-the-wall, and sometimes people will line up just to try it.
Cost: ¥920 (~$8.38 USD)
https://www.ethiopia-curry.com [J]
MAP
Xinglong (Koryu)
Taking out and eating at our desks are common in my office. I tend to do this a couple times a week, either choosing foods from a convenience store (aka “conbini”) or going to a nearby restaurant for takeout. This Chinese shop is run by Chinese, and sells pretty decent combination places.
Cost: ¥500 (~$4.55 USD)
MAP
Menya Kokoro
A small chain, Menya Kokoro is known for its Taiwan mazesoba. Oddly originating in Nagoya, Japan, Taiwan mazesoba is a soupless ramen using thick noodles in a strong sauce with flavors like dashi and garlic. It’s topped with condiments like chives, minced meat and raw egg.
Cost: ¥850 (~$7.74 USD)
https://www.menya-cocoro.com [J]
MAP
What was the total cost of lunches for the week?
In this particular week, which I would call is a typical week, I averaged ¥730/day, or about $6.63 USD/day.
My total spend for the week was ¥3,650, or about $33.16 USD.
It’s good to keep in mind, of course, that not every area is created equally. Like Shinjuku or Shibuya, I’m blessed to be working in an area with a lot of affordable food options. Some areas have fewer options or are more expensive on average.
What do you think, all things considered, it’s pretty reasonable right?
PS: I’m sorry if this lowered your food stipend for your Tokyo work trip.
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Why Japan Has Strange English Ads
Why big companies in Japan use strange English in their ads - My thoughts after working in a Japanese marketing agency
Japan is well known for its Engrish here and there, but why do even big companies in the country launch large scale campaigns using incorrect phrases?
I’ve been questioning this ever since moving to Japan. After all, I had initially moved to the country on one of the government’s expensive initiatives to improve the people’s English ability. While it would be absurd to expect perfection in a non-English speaking country, big tax payer money is being spent on this education.
Why is it then that in 2020, after years of rapidly increasing tourism and it being the year of the Tokyo Olympics, that major corporations still put out English that clearly hasn’t received a legitimate edit?
Japanese ads with questionable English
Before I theorize as to why questionable English is still being put out, here are some of the memorable ones I've seen in the last few years:
"Have a nice d!" - Docomo
Docomo is a major communications company, and is the largest mobile service provider in Japan.
Their promotion for their d-point point card system [J] was big, featured actress Ayami Nakajo, and was blasted across TV and the internet.
Their slogan and tune telling everyone to "Have a nice d" seemed playfully, well, dirty.
"Enjoy the girl!" - Musee Platinum
Musee Platinum [J] is an international hair removal salon with 185 locations in Japan.
Their 2016 campaign slogan was to "Enjoy the girl," a message that would be a better match for a hostess bar. And capitalizing it just looks like they really want customers to enjoy them.
After prematurely posting it everywhere in Tokyo’s busiest trains, the ads were pulled and replaced soon after with an odd "Enjoy, girls." (Is the hair removal process that enjoyable?)
In 2017, they began using a new slogan, "Girls power."
“Girls Power” according to Musee Platinum
This company’s campaign messaging seems to range from trivializing movements to being completely tone deaf.
"I'm fruity." - Yebisu Beer
Yebisu Beer, owned by Japan's oldest brewery, Sapporo, had begun to promote a new brew called Hanamiyabi [J].
Their promotion for it featured Japanese actress Kyoko Fukada who says the beer’s slogan, "I'm fruity."
Rather than saying that the beer is fruity, using the word to describe herself doesn’t really make sense, and it could potentially have negative or offensive connotations.
Why do Japanese companies use strange English in their promotions?
Here's my insight on this after working at a Japanese marketing agency.
1. English is often for styling
English slogans are often used in a way a graphic or emoji would be - it's mainly there for decoration or to create an image. The best comparison would be clothing with kanji wording or kanji tattoos in the West.
Judging from English copy requests from Japanese clients, many ask for something that sounds fancy but can be understood by the average Japanese person at the same time. Those criteria are usually in conflict with each other, so words will be replaced with generic ones like “happy” or “enjoy”.
Basically, the company is mainly thinking that their target is Japanese people and they have no real intention to communicate with the English they use. Because of that, allocating money and time to do so just isn’t a priority.
2. Katakana English confusion
A growing number of Japanese words are adopted from English and other foreign languages. A lot of times, those words are shortened into an entirely different word and disregard grammatical points such as tense.
For example, department store becomes “depart” and “get” is never changed to got. This adds a layer of confusion when switching from Japanese English to actual English, and if no one on the team is proficient in English, the outcome is whatever their best person can come up with.
Furthermore, loan words never really adapt to changes in definition or usage, and this occasionally leads to embarrassments like McDonalds Japan naming their dessert something that translates to “Adult creampie”.
McDonalds Japan’s “Adult Creampie” dessert in 2020
Japanese use “大人の” (Adult) to describe something rich or slightly bitter, and “cream pie” was never adapted to the times. This, of course has caused the international and English-capable Japanese community to question the naming.
3. Limited resources and separations in organizational structure
A lot of companies don't do much of their own marketing and advertising, especially when it’s digital. It’s almost mind-boggling sometimes how even the most basic work is outsourced.
Many of these companies don't have internal teams that communicate with each other on a regular basis, or don’t have teams to begin with. Because of this, it’s not uncommon for small scopes to be outsourced separately to different agencies. What results is too many walls and segmented parties, leading to too many inefficiencies to overcome.
4. Pride and stubbornness
Age is often a factor in promotion at traditional Japanese companies, and it’s not unusual for the decision-maker to be a 60-year old man who doesn’t actually understand what they’re overseeing. Just look at Japan’s minister of cybersecurity who doesn’t use computers.
Having them carelessly approve what they don’t fully comprehend while subordinates are unable to tell their superior they’re wrong is probably quite common.
Staff themselves may be in charge of the English, either unwillingly assigned or because they overestimate their capabilities. A large Japanese company recently had a staff member who wasn’t fully English-capable “correct” my English and submit it for final release. Needless to say, this led to a hectic, last minute effort to reverse the damage they did.
Will English in Japan improve?
The Japan government and businesses talk about improving, but it’s a slow process.
Here we are in 2020, the year of the Tokyo Olympics and a time when Japan is making enormous efforts to appeal to international tourists, and we still get things like “Hello, our stadium” and “Please push the under button” at the Olympic Stadium’s unveiling.
To be determined, I guess.
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What New Years in Japan is Like
Spending the full New Year’s holiday in Tokyo for an authentic Japanese New Year’s experience.
Drinks, countdown parties and fireworks are probably some of the thinks you think about when it comes to New Years. This isn’t really the case in Japan, though.
New Years in Japan can generally be summed up into three words: Eat, drink, pray.
I’ve experienced the turn of the year in Japan a few times since living in the country, and for 2020, I spent the entire New Year’s holidays in Tokyo. I was able to experience what New Years is actually like for a typical Japanese person.
New Years in Japan is a time where the family gets together, and it features a lot of cultural traditions.
It starts off with food being prepared and traditional decorations being put up. Supermarkets open a lot of shelf space for this as everyone prepares for their family gatherings. People make their way back to their hometowns, businesses shut down, and the most relaxing time of year in Japan begins.
New Year’s Eve
Toshikoshi soba
On New Year’s Eve, we had toshikoshi soba, a buckwheat noodle dish that’s to be eaten just before midnight.
It’s either dipped in sauce or eaten as a soup, which is how we ate it. Our broth was shoyu or soy sauce based and topped with slices of duck and yuzu citrus zest.
Midnight
When the clock strikes midnight, nothing much happens.
The vast majority of Japan has no fireworks show as fireworks are generally considered a summertime activity. There’s no champagne-popping, no toasts, high fives, no kissing.
During my first experience, I was completely shocked at just how calm it was.
New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day starts off just as quietly.
Neighborhoods are silent, even in Tokyo, until areas near a shrine or temple. Japanese make their way there for hatsumode, which is the first shrine or temple visit of the year.
Hatsumode
The lines to pray can be really long. We went on New Year’s Day, but the line went out of the shrine grounds and wrapped around the block so we gave up and ended up going to a smaller shrine a couple days later.
Pictured above is hatsumode at Kanda Myojin Shrine near Akihabara, Tokyo. People will do a short, ritual prayer for the new year.
Usually, people will throw in 5 or 50 yen coins - ones with holes in them - ring the bell, bow, clap twice, pray, then bow again.
Otoso
We later did otoso, the ceremonial drinking of nihonshu, better known as Japanese sake.
It’s poured into special ceremonial Japanese lacquerware, traditionally seeped with several herbs, and drank to help keep healthy over the course of the year.
Ozoni
We also made and ate ozoni, a traditional mochi soup that Japanese eat on New Year’s Day.
The broth differs by region, but Tokyo’s is soy sauce based and it’s that type that we had. When I lived in Fukuoka prefecture, it was miso based.
A lot of Japanese-Americans keep this tradition in the US, and I’ve had this for New Years growing up in Hawaii as well.
In Hawaii, we’d also make our own mochi, but I don’t know anyone in Japan that does this anymore. Manually pounding mochi is even more rare, and it’s usually only done as a performance these days.
The vegetables for the soup, such as carrots that are darker red and daikon radish, are cut in great detail. I haven’t seen this level of emphasis in presentation outside of Japan. Better yet, the soup tasted just as good as it looked.
Osechi Ryori
Osechi is thought of as the main New Years food in Japan. Resembling a big, fancy bento box, it’s served traditionally prepared days in advance and served cold to everyone in the family. Most of the foods in it have some sort of meaning to them.
It’s traditionally made at home, but the process is incredibly time-consuming as it’s a lot of different dishes to make. Many don’t have that kind of time these days or don’t know how to make it, so a lot of people buy their osechi dishes from places like department stores.
There’s actually more food in there than it appears, so it does last for a while, but osechi is expensive, generally costing between a few hundred to a thousand dollars.
Nengajo
We briefly went through some nengajo, or traditional New Year’s greeting cards.
Friends, families and business partners send them out each year, but it’s a tradition in decline (about -11% YoY) as less and less people are doing so these days.
Post New Year’s Day
The next day, we finally made it to hatsumode at a smaller, local shrine after giving up on January 1st.
Omikuji
At these shrines, you can buy omikuji, which are good luck fortunes.
While I used to get these, I haven’t in the past couple years or so. If you get a good fortune (daikichi is the best), you keep it. If it’s not, you can tie it up on a tree at the shrine so the bad luck doesn’t follow you home.
Takoage
We later went for a walk and strolled through a local park. There were a couple of people doing takoage, or flying a kite. This is another traditional New Year’s activity, but apparently barely anyone does it anymore.
New Years in Japan means family and relaxing.
Almost everything shuts down, letting everyone just sit around, enjoy each other’s company, and just be for once.
It might be frustrating or boring for people traveling during this time, but for residents, especially those in Tokyo, it’s nice to have life slow down for a little.
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Instagram in Japan in 2019
All about Instagram use in Japan in 2019. Information from the Instagram Day Tokyo 2019 event.
Instagram Day Tokyo 2019 was held in Shibuya in October
Instagram has 33 million MAU in Japan that uploads 7 million Stories every day as of March 2019
Mobile usage outdoes TV for Japanese in their 10s-30s
Instagram is one of the largest social networks in the world as of 2019, and arguably the most impactful on modern day pop culture. It has been rapidly growing in Japan as well.
I attended Instagram Day Tokyo 2019 on October 29, 2019 at the Hikarie Building in Shibuya, Tokyo.
The event was open to mainly press, agencies and various companies using the platform. Company speakers from their global, Japan and APAC offices came to talk about the platform’s latest.
Instagram’s VP of Product, Vishal Shah, discuses Instagram’s mission.
The presentation began with some general information about Instagram as a whole:
500 million accounts use Stories every day
Instagram is very focused on furthering online shopping capabilities from in-app checkouts to new product launch methods
AR ads currently being tested will allow potential customers to engage with brands in ways such as “try-on” products (ex: lipstick)
The most used Sticker in Stories in 2018 was the Question Sticker, highlighting a desire to communicate
Shortly after, the talk centered around the Japan market. Here are a few highlights:
Instagram is “loved in Japan”
INSTAGRAM IN JAPAN
Since March 2016, Instagram has been exploding in Japan and has more than tripled its monthly user base. The latest numbers show that there are more than 33 million monthly active users in the country (as of March 2019).
As of March 2019, Instagram has 33 million monthly active users in Japan
Users in Japan upload 7 million Stories each day.
This is related to the overall trend of media usage in Japan.
Media contact between mobile vs TV in Japan for males (L) and females (R) in their 10s-30s
People under 40 in Japan are highly active smartphone users, so media reach is said to be better on mobile than through TV.
For males, mobile outdoes TV 40% to 27%, and 45% to 33% for females.
Instagram users in Japan between the ages of 18-29 spend more than 100 million hours using it each month
People in Japan in their 40s and up have been jumping onto Instagram more recently but it’s still looked at as a “young” platform overall.
Rightfully so, it was said that users in Japan between the ages of 18 and 29 spend more than 100 million hours in the app each month.
That’s an increase of +201% since 2017. The right side of the slide compares Instagram usage to 4 other services, however those services weren’t named.
When 18-29 year old Instagram users in Japan use the app throughout the day
The same demographic uses Instagram throughout their day, and the slide above breaks down their usage during the weekday.
From left to right: Wake up, early morning, breakfast time, late morning, lunch time, afternoon, early evening, dinner, late night, bed time.
83% of users in Japan “took action in the moment”
While the definition of “action” wasn’t clearly defined, according to research, 83% of Instagram users in Japan have taken action right after seeing something on Instagram.
I assume that it can mean anything from “click on website link” all the way to “make a purchase”.
INSTAGRAM IS CONSIDERED A SOURCE OF DISCOVERY
Instagram is widely thought of as a place of discovery, information and inspiration.
It’s said that:
83% of users discover a new product or service on Instagram.
61% of users feel that Instagram keeps them up to date on current trends.
50% of users consider Instagram a source of inspiration.
Elaborating further, the trend of people starting to utilize Instagram as a search engine instead of Google has increased.
While this isn’t for every type of search, there is an increase in exploring Instagram’s tags (location tags, hashtags) rather than Googling.
This theme that Instagram is a “source of discovery” was highlighted in usage by young women in Japan. Compared to other unnamed services, young women in Japan use Instagram as an information source for:
Fashion: 44% (Instagram) to 8% (other service)
Food spot: 36% (Instagram) to 17% (other service)
Leisure spot: 31% (Instagram) to 19% (other service)
In addition to various guest speakers from different companies and agencies, Japanese influencer Yukos was brought out to talk about her experience growing on Instagram.
Influencer Yukos livestreaming as she’s introduced on stage
Former Japanese “idol” from the group HKT48, Yukos (@yukos0520) gave some insight about growing on Instagram.
The influencer/business owner has 456k followers on Instagram with a 3.8% engagement rate as of Nov 2019.
A few key points that she made was how she realized that there’s only so much “influence” one can have by taking nice pictures and cute selfies. Working to consider what her audience cared about, searched, and then being able to address them in a quick manner helped play an important role in her growth.
Here’s a glimpse of the event:
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What You Get in Tokyo for $950/Month
What is a typical studio apartment in central Tokyo actually like? My approx. $950/month apartment in Setagaya, Tokyo.
Tokyo tends to have an image of being expensive. What we consider as expensive or cheap is relative, but if you’re from any major city in the US or Canada, you’ll likely think that renting in Tokyo is a pretty good deal, at least regarding the monthly costs.
As you could guess by the title, my rent for my first studio apartment in Tokyo was about $950 a month.
The location
As with anywhere, the location has a lot to do with the price. The metropolitan area of Tokyo is made up of 23 wards, and each operates with some autonomy. Because of this, each has slightly different residential taxes and average rent prices.
For reference, the average rent for a 1K studio in central Tokyo (within the 23 wards) is said to be about $870 in 2019 [J]. It’s not uncommon to pay a rent within the $700 range for a good place, however.
Ward: Setagaya
My apartment was in the Setagaya ward which is west-southwest from the center of Tokyo. It has just under 1 million residents and is the second largest ward in Tokyo in terms of area. Its residential taxes and rent prices, while generally cheaper than others wards like Minato or Shibuya, is slightly above average.
The most well known area in Setagaya is probably Shimokitazawa, an area known for its subculture, thrift stores, small bars and live houses, and a spot where many performing artists get their starts.
My apartment was about 10 minutes from there.
Station: Shimotakaido
I chose an apartment in Shimotakaido [MAP] - a residential area within 15 minutes of Shinjuku and Shibuya.
Main walking street in Shimotakaido
Two train lines go to Shimotakaido - the Keio line and the Setagaya street car line. The Keio line goes from Shinjuku all the way out west to the Hachiōji area. The Setagaya line connects Shimotakaido with Sangenjaya.
This area was very convenient for me because the Keio line connects to the TOEI Shinjuku line. This meant that I only had one easy transfer crossing the platform at Sasazuka Station, and sometimes none at all, to get to work which was around 35 minutes door-to-door.
My apartment was only a 3 minute walk from the station. The majority of the walk was along the main road with a 24-hour supermarket, dry cleaning service, Lawson and 7-11 convenience stores, and a lot more along the way. Extremely convenient.
The apartment building
Apartment building in Shimotakaido
The apartment building was a 12-story concrete building built in 2004. In Japan, they refer to this as a “mansion” (odd, I know). At the time I rented it, it was about 10 years old.
To the west, it had a view of Mount Fuji, and to the east a view of the downtown Shinjuku skyline.
Key features
“Auto-lock” - A secure entry system into the building
Security camera system in the lobby and elevator
Video intercom to allow people into the building
Delivery boxes - A self-serve locker system for box deliveries in case you’re not home
Secure bicycle parking (extra fee)
Mechanical car parking (extra fee) - A parking system that elevates cars to save space
The building was next to an expressway, so the lower floors may have been a little on the noisy side. To the front of it was an office building of about equal height and another apartment building was on the opposite side of the expressway.
A woman would come and clean the apartment almost every morning so the common areas of the building were pretty well kept.
The apartment
Room - For reference, the bed is a double/full size
My apartment was classified in Japan as a 1K, which means 1 room and a kitchen. It’s basically a simple studio. 1Ks are very common in Japan as living with non-family roommates isn’t typical, traditionally speaking.
Apartment layout
Key features
24 sq. m (258 sq. ft.)
Stove with 2 gas burners
Bathroom with shower, tub
Washing machine hookup
1 concrete “designer” wall
Balcony with half view of Shinjuku
Sliding door with double-paned glass and invisible retracting screen
Higher than typical ceiling, concrete
Hallway and kitchen area
Bathroom (Not my actual apartment - layout was reversed)
Shower and tub (Not my actual apartment - layout was reversed)
Intercom, AC remote holder, kitchen and hallway connecting to the room (Not my actual apartment - layout was reversed)
Balcony
Fees and costs
The monthly rent totaled to 95,000 JPY or about $950 USD. This included the management and service fee of 7,000 JPY ($70). When looking at the monthly costs, it’s pretty reasonable considering the size and density of the city, and quality of the apartment itself.
The initial costs, however, were a bit high.
Initial costs
While exact costs may vary depending on the rental agency, it is typical that there will be a deposit and “key money” amongst a few other smaller fees. The key money is what was a bit different from any rental experience that I had.
Poorly explained to me as a non-refundable “thank you” fee to the property owner for letting me rent, it’s paid at the beginning of each contract term. This means that you’ll pay it again if you choose to stay at the location and renew for another 2 years. Personally, I think it’s a ridiculous fee but that’s the norm in Japan.
Another fee I was charged was a cleaning fee that they used when I moved out.
My initial moving-in expenses were something like this:
Deposit: $950 (1-month’s rent)
Key/thank you money: $950
1st month’s rent: $950
Cleaning fee: $385
Key fee: $185
Insurance: ~$120 (1/year)
Debt collector fee: ~$100 (1/term)
Total: $3,640 (approx.)
Utilities
The rent didn’t include any utilities.
My monthly utility bills on average were something like this:
Electricity: $30-65 (depending on season)
Gas: $25
Sewer & Water: $30 (once every 3 months)
Internet: $45
Total: $110-$145/month (approx.)
This may total to more than a lot of other cities around the world. However, to get to live in one of the best cities in the world, a huge one at that, in my own place with my own bathroom and washing machine and everything, to me, was worth it.
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How I Found My First Apartment in Tokyo
The process I went through to move to Tokyo and find an apartment to live in.
I moved to Tokyo in 2014, a huge mega city of more than 13 million in its central area.
This was the first time I would hunt for a place to live in Japan myself. I lived in a 2-bedroom apartment when I worked in Fukuoka prefecture but it wasn’t one I picked out for myself.
Finding an apartment in Tokyo was, of course, a bit different from my experiences finding ones in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
DIFFERENCES & DIFFICULTIES:
Residency/visa issues - Because non-Japanese don’t have typical paperwork like a koseki (family registry) and jūminhyō (official address registration), it’s difficult to run a background check. It’s unclear how you’re able to live in Japan, what your job situation is, how long you’ll be in the country, if they can collect if costs are unpaid, etc.
Communication hurdles - There are very tedious documents and requirements, and many agents in the process aren’t capable of any language besides Japanese.
Non-Japanese restrictions - Many buildings aren’t open to non-Japanese citizens due to reasons such as inability to communicate in emergencies, incompatible behaviors, previous bad experiences or simple stereotyping by the owner or tenants.
Agency-centric - Almost all rentals are managed and rented out by agencies rather than a landlord managing their properties themselves, so there’s automatically 4 parties involved in which you have to deal with: The rental agency, property owner, credit verification company and insurance company.
Luckily my company helped me with the move. I had a couple of weeks or so to find an apartment, a Japanese colleague came with me and my company vouched for me to help with any potential residency hurdles.
1. CONDUCT AN INITIAL SEARCH ONLINE
One of Japan’s largest residential developers, Sekisui House, was a client of ours and they just had started their rental platform, Sha Maison [J]. Like most apartment search sites, they give the option to search by factors like price, area, train line, train station, walking time from the station, size, etc.
Other search sites include SUUMO, LIFULL HOME’S [J], Good Rooms [J], Village House and Oak House, with the last two being the most foreigner-friendly.
Sha Maison website
At the time, I was relatively unfamiliar with areas in Tokyo besides the major hubs and tourist spots, so I didn’t have much of an idea about where to actually live.
The things I cared about in my search were:
West side of Tokyo (I was concerned about being too close to the ocean)
1K (Studio)
Had a balcony
1 transfer or less to/from work
Ideally within a 7 minute walk from the station
Less than 100,000円 (~$1,000 USD)/month
Just as a note, Japanese tend to be particular about things like auto-lock (building security system), bathtub, and having the toilet separate from the bathroom.
After finding a couple of apartments I was interested in, we put in a request.
2. WORK WITH THE RENTAL AGENCY
Sekisui House and Sha Maison are tied to one main agency: MAST [J]. We went to one of their locations to discuss what I found.
MAST website
Unfortunately my first choice, a studio in the Kagurazaka area, had just been taken. They went through a list of available rentals (they had a lot more than what was listed on the site) and I picked out 4 available units that best matched what I wanted.
The 4 choices were 1K studios in Asagaya, Higashi-Nakano, Shimotakaido and Gotanda. Over the course of 2 days, an agent met us and we went to take a look at them. I narrowed my choices down to the apartments in Shimotakaido and Gotanda before picking the prior.
Luckily I moved in September. During peak moving season (February-April because it’s when schools graduate, job relocations happen and work contracts start and end), you have to be lucky and extremely fast to get a decent place as it’s very competitive.
3. COMPLETE ALL THE PAPERWORK
Once you decide you want a place, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get it. The agency needs to check your credibility. As mentioned, they use another agency to do this.
HOW CREDIT IS CHECKED
In the US, credit is often checked by running your social security number. Japan implemented a similar “My Number” system a few years ago but as of right now in 2019, it’s basically meaningless as there’s no system on the backend that connects people’s information.
Credit is checked by methods such as confirming the company you work for, how long it’s been around, its capital and your position there. Definitely different.
JAPANESE DOCUMENTS AND FORMS
The paperwork is tedious and completely filled out by hand in Japanese. It’s often not prepared and printed out so that all you have to do is check the boxes, sign and date. It’s multiple copies where you have to write basically everything out by hand over and over again, and stamp them using a hanko (Japanese name stamp which is also required).
To be honest, if I didn’t have my Japanese colleague’s help, I probably wouldn’t have been able to do it on my own.
There’s a high chance that this process will take multiple trips and you’ll be running errands gathering all the necessary forms needed. That’s how it was for me.
4. MOVING IN
An agent met me in front of the building on my move-in date and handed me the keys, paperwork and contacts for questions or maintenance needs.
UTILITIES AND APPLIANCES
Unlike a lot of rentals in the US, apartment rentals in Japan come with nothing more than the room with light bulbs in the fixtures. Refrigerator, washing machine and any other appliances or furniture that you may need will have to be purchased on your own.
You will also have to contact utility companies to either connect to you apartment or put the account in your name. Electricity, water & sewer, gas and internet are the typical utilities.
The first few days were hard. My things hadn’t arrived yet so I was living out of a suitcase. I bought a cheap blanket and a towel, and slept on the hard floor with no curtains or anything.
I did better on my next move, but this was my first experiencing finding an apartment to move to Tokyo.
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10 Years Living in Japan - A Reflection
This is why I moved to Japan and why I’ve stayed for 10 years. The plan was 2 years.
I officially made 10 years living in Japan.
It’s hard to believe. I arrived in August of 2009, landing in Tokyo ready to start a new job with the JET Programme teaching English to junior high kids in Fukuoka prefecture.
To be honest though, I had no real interest in teaching.
WHY I MOVED TO JAPAN
After visiting Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima) on a high school graduation trip, I became intrigued, always wondering in the back of my mind what it’d be like to live in the country. It had that kind of impact, and I’d occasionally think about it throughout college and while I worked at a Silicon Valley startup.
I finally applied and luckily got into the JET Programme, pulled the trigger and decided to make the jump. I’ll experience life in Japan for 2 years, I said to myself.
Well, those 2 years flew by.
WHY I STAYED IN JAPAN
It was 2011, the US economy hadn’t fully recovered, the yen was stronger than the dollar, I liked my job, made some good friends and I was having a great time. It didn’t make sense to go back. Another year, I decided.
3rd year. 4th year. With the JET Programme, you can only work for 5 years so I decided I might as well finish it out. But I felt that I still wasn’t done.
I always wanted to live and work in Tokyo, it was the image of “working in Japan” that I had. Tall buildings, energetic crowds, catching the trains. So I found a job (here’s how I found a job in Tokyo) and made it happen.
Back to my former field of marketing working at an agency in Tokyo, 5 years quickly became 10.
Japan has become my second home, and the days of being a wide-eyed tourist are long gone. Despite that, like with living in any foreign country, living in Japan continues to have its fair share of challenges.
WHAT HAS KEPT ME LIVING IN JAPAN FOR 10 YEARS?
Simply put, it’s the overall quality of life.
Japan is not perfect and life in the country is full of frustrations and wtf moments, and I can really get into that when asked. But aside from some language and cultural hurdles, it’s a pretty easy place to live.
1) I feel safe.
I was shocked shortly after I moved to Japan when I saw little kids and elderly women walk down small, dark streets alone at night. I hesitated going down alleys myself, it’s something we avoid doing in the US.
Yes, there is crime but I’ve never felt threatened or actually been threatened like I did while living in places like San Francisco or Los Angeles.
2) Food is good. And AFFORDABLE.
Japan has an image of being expensive, and while it’s relative, it seems cheaper to go grocery shopping in Tokyo than anywhere I lived in the US. I do tend to eat more Asian foods, which helps, but prices like tofu for less than $1 and a bag of bean sprouts for $0.30 are hard to beat.
Eating out can be just a good of a deal. There are decent quality beef bowls for about $5. If you pay more than $9 for lunch, it’s considered expensive as many of my colleagues spend half that.
I’ve had dinners with 48-piece sashimi platters, a few other dishes, beer and Japanese sake for 4 people for $90.
And no tip.
3) APARTMENTS ARE REASONABLE AND OF GOOD quality.
My first studio in Tokyo was about $950/month. In a 10-year old building with an elevator and secure lobby, I had my own gas stove, my own washing machine (I had to buy it), bathroom, AC/heater, and a balcony, and it was only a 3-minute walk from the station within Tokyo proper. That is very hard to find in any major US city.
To top it off, the average studio in Tokyo is in the $700-range, and other cities in the country are even less.
4) THE DAY-TO-DAY IS Relatively smooth.
Most days are quite normal - go to work, go home. People tend to mind their own business and do little to disturb the peace or attract attention to themselves.
People are more or less presentable in public with relatively few aggressive drunks, druggies or crazies, even in a large city like Tokyo.
5) It’s clean.
Anyone who’s visited Japan can tell you that it’s almost abnormally clean and borderline sterile, even in the huge city of Tokyo.
People are mindful about their trash, and the trash system has been requiring everyone to separate their garbage for quite some time.
Even the little things like not having to worry about coming in contact with a bunch of old gum under a table makes a difference.
YEAR 11 AND ON…
I’ve never planned on living in Japan forever. Even though I’ve stayed 5 times longer than I had planned and some American friends think I’ll never return, I do plan to sooner than later.
I’ll look to work and live a life that connects the two countries.
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About Japanese Students Cleaning Their Schools
Japan is praised for having their students clean their schools. Here’s my experience seeing it firsthand.
Students in Japan clean their school’s halls and classrooms.
There were videos praising this being shared on Facebook a bit ago. You may have seen them, ones like this one by AJ+:
You may be thinking, “That’s great! Why can’t our students be more like Japanese students?!”
As someone who worked for 5 years in public junior high schools in Japan, I’m here to say that I ask the same question… however, there is a BUT.
THE cleaning CONCEPT
Having students clean their school each day for about 15 minutes is a great concept and it instills good values in the kids. It teaches them from a young age that public space is a shared space, and everyone is responsible for maintaining it.
This is one reason why Japan as a whole is so clean, which is one of the big positives of living in Japan.
These videos don’t show the full picture however, at least from my Japanese school experience.
A former student hosing down a bathroom during cleaning time.
CLEANING IS An unwanted DUTY
The problem is that Japanese kids are just that - kids.
This cleaning is a duty being forced on them, it’s not something they want to do nor does it provide them any direct benefit like helping them pass their entrance exams.
Outside of class time, socializing is the priority. So as expected, they half-ass their cleaning to get it over with so that they can have fun.
Former students having fun during cleaning time.
In nowhere is this filth more apparent than the boy’s bathroom. Go figure.
In the schools I worked at, the urinals are usually cleaned using a bucket or a hose connected to a sink. Ideally, cleaning it should be a light douse or soft spray after some scrubbing. The fact is though, that it’s quicker to stand back and throw a bucket of water or shoot the hose on high from afar which is what often ends up happening. This leads to everything in the urinal to now splash out and dry on the floor.
I’ve also seen sh*t smeared on bathroom walls - literal sh*t - that’s never cleaned up.
This makes those unused corners of the hallways that are caked with years of dust seem pretty good.
STUDENTS AS A FREE CLEANING SERVICE
The biggest issue though, is not that the students don’t clean well, it’s that they’re substitutes for janitors and professional cleaners. The public schools that I worked at never got a professional cleaning.
Having students do the daily tidying up is one thing, but to never have anyone come in to thoroughly clean the school is, to me, a sanitation risk. While I don’t know the exact reason why this is how it was, it seemed to be because of financial reasons. The city wasn’t exactly well off.
It’s fantastic that students are taught at a young age to care for the area that they use each day. It teaches them they have an individual responsibility for the society they’re in. It’s just that 14 year old cleaning labor can’t be all there is.
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Valentine's Day Differences in Japan That You Can See
Girls give guys chocolates and a few other easy-to-see differences in Japan on Valentine's Day.
For those who may not know, Japan’s Valentine’s Day is somewhat opposite of the men giving flowers and chocolates day that many of us are familiar with.
In Japan, women give chocolates to men, friends and colleagues. Stores will create sections for selling cutesy kits for homemade dessert-making, marketed to women.
Men return the favor a month later on what’s called “White Day.” Clever for companies to make two days of gift giving out of one.
Here are a few of visible differences of Valentine’s Day in Japan.
Baked goods and chocolates sections of stores are 98%+ women.
You’ll rarely find men looking for ingredients to make chocolate treats for anyone. If you do, there’s a decent chance they’re non-Japanese.
Flower shops don’t package sales for Valentine’s Day.
Go to a random flower shop’s website and they allow for online ordering. They let you search bouquets by occasions like birthday, celebrations, presents and more. There will likely be no section to search for Valentine’s Day flowers. While they’re trying to change the culture to have men buy flowers for their female companions, it’s still not really a thing.
It’s just a normal day at work.
There are no deliveries of flowers to the office, no oohs and ahhs by female coworkers over how amazing their colleague’s boyfriend or husband is. It’s a normal, uneventful day. At my office, it was business as usual with most still at their seats at 7PM.
For those who are in intercultural relationships, good luck deciding on which Valentine’s day traditions you’ll follow!
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Why Street Photography in Japan Can Be Difficult
A lot of times, photography in public and private spaces aren't so different.
In countries like the US, if you’re in a public space, there is no expectation of privacy and therefore people are free to take photos of basically anything around them. This is not the case in Japan, however, as the country generally favors the Right to Privacy over Freedom of Expression.
For a street photographer, capturing people in their natural element of existence can create powerful imagery and invoke a range of emotions. It can paint a picture and tell a story, give others a glimpse of life somewhere unknown to them. The way it’s shot, edited, captioned and shared reflects how the photographer interpreted that moment, and a collection of these can show how they see the world as a whole. In some cases, it can serve an educational purpose. It’s an art, similar to songwriting and painting.
In “shy” Japan, it’s a bit different.
Their take on it is that even if a person is in a public space without expectation of privacy, a photo taken of them should first get their approval and consent before sharing, even if it’s with neutral or positive intent. Obviously this can be rather difficult, especially in cities like Tokyo where people fly by in a split second.
This perspective does make sense on a personal level though, and it is good manners - after all we don’t like unflattering photos taken and shared of us. But giving preference to one’s rights in a situation can naturally inhibit another’s freedom. In this case, the photographer’s ability to communicate freely through their work becomes filtered, and therefore can be seen as an infringement on their right to express.
So in a public space, should a photographer be legally bound to go through the same steps to consent as if in a private space?
As it is today, even if no negative or malicious intent exists and the work is not for sale or for profit, people may take legal action on the photographer in Japan.
It is said that hampering creative genius harms society, but these hurdles on a photographer’s art exists in countries like Japan.
What do you think? Feel free to comment below.
(For reference: The Photographer’s Right in the US)
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Japanese and Social Media — A Little Different
Japanese have adapted to using international social networks, yet, their preferences and usage differs a little.
When I moved to Japan in 2009, everyone in the country was on mixi, the Japan-only social network. In the following years, Japan finally stepped out and began using international networks for the first time.
Still, their preferences and behaviors are a little different. Here are my observations:
1. LINE
Japanese prefer LINE as their go-to social app, and it has the most users out of any in the country. They may prefer it because it’s Japanese, for one, and they started a “cute sticker” culture that matches Japanese “kawaii” culture quite well.
It allows for private communication with people they know, without requiring info like their phone number to be given out, lessening risk which works well for their risk-averse culture.
More popular messenger apps like WhatsApp is almost non-existent in the country, as the typical person has no need for it.
2. Twitter
Twitter is used like a big chatroom more often than a global listening and a direct engagement tool.
Many keep their accounts private and use icons that are not their normal selves (ex: anime characters, highly modified photos, a celebrity’s photo, etc.). Many ignore engagement from people outside of their circle completely. After tweeting at someone, I’ve seen people tweet out “A stranger tweeted me…” or reply and ask “Who are you??” (Not a ‘Who do you think you are?’ type of way but literally a ‘Do I know you? Why are you contacting me?’ way).
3. Facebook
While not as big with the teenage and early-20’s demographic, Facebook is big. It loses out on potential users early on, however, as I’ve noticed many not being able to figure out how to use it. There must be some UI issue that has trouble hurdling the culture.
One big difference in how Japanese use Facebook versus say, the US, is that it is also kind of their LinkedIn. Many will use it for business connections and will frequently post job-related topics.
4. Instagram
Instagram is gaining in popularity but is still far less popular than Twitter, even for the young. Similarly to Twitter, many will keep their accounts private and a significant amount of them will choose to not post their faces and keep their identities ambiguous.
Since Instagram Stories got released, I haven’t noticed any significant difference in usage between Japanese and other nationalities. It’s worth noting that Snapchat has yet to crack the Japan market, and while SNOW (the Snapchat copy) is popular amongst the young, it’s not used as a social app but rather just a face lens app.
My observations are also reflected in the monthly active user count for these networks:
Japanese MAU in Japan as of 12/2016, by IMJ Backyard
And for reference, you can see that Japan’s preference of social apps are quite different from most other countries:
Generation-Z social app preferences, by LSA
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Things About to Start Trending Amongst Japanese Teenage Girls in 2017
Apps, people and businesses that may begin trending in Japan in 2017 amongst teenage girls.
According to survey results posted on Japanese site Oricon Style, these are what look to be hot topics in 2017 amongst the Japanese junior high and high school female demographic. The survey was done by teenage girls from Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.
Apps
1. SHOWROOM - Livestreaming app
2. minimo (by mixi) - App featuring a new way to search salons and make reservations
3. Cchannel - A curated lifestyle app featuring info on things from fashion and makeup to food and travel
People
1. Taishi Nakagawa (中川大志) - Actor
2. Karen Otomo (大友花恋) - Fashion model
3. Yuko Sugamoto (菅本裕子)
4. Marie Iitoyo (飯豊 まりえ) - Fashion model
5. Nora Hirano (平野ノラ) - Comedian
Things
1. Mister Donut - Donut chain
2. Loose socks
3. Starbucks
4. Teavana (Starbucks)
5. "Fantastic Beasts" - Movie
SOURCE: JKJCたちの本音とは？ 椎木里佳が予測する「2017年、これがバズる」
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Finding a Job in Japan
The way I found a job in Japan is an often unknown and underused tool. I explain it here.
Updated April 2021So you want to work in Japan but aren’t sure how. As someone who is on their second job in the country, I’ll tell you what I did as it may provide some help to a few of you.
First of all, my work background.
WORK BACKGROUND
For some context, I began my work life in Japan by teaching English through the JET Programme. It is one of the most common jobs for a foreigner to hold in Japan regardless of if they actually care about English education. JET is known to be the most accommodating, but Interac, Gaba, etc. are alternatives people can look into.
Prior to that, I was doing social media marketing at a startup in Silicon Valley before I just couldn’t ignore my desire to experience life in Japan anymore.
JOB SEARCHING IN JAPAN
Teaching English can be a trap if you’re not serious about that career path, and I wasn’t. Keeping in tune with the online social and startup worlds was what helped me find my second and current job.
But I had a couple of big challenges:
I wasn’t fluent and didn’t speak business level Japanese
My only work experience in the country was teaching English
I tried reaching out and tweeting to Japanese startup founders to no avail — they weren’t ready to expand internationally (where I would fit in).
Networking with anyone at internationally-ready companies were limited since JET has the vast majority of its workers living in the countryside.
Paying attention to trends in Japan - the growing number of outbound-looking companies, the push for foreign tourists, the increase in usage of international social apps and services by Japanese - led me to come across the service that helped me.
The tool that I became aware of that helped me get my second job was Wantedly.
About Wantedly
Wantedly can be called Japan’s LinkedIn, with about 3 million users and 40,000 registered companies as of April 2021. [J]
It’s a service that looks to connect people and companies from a more vision and empathy alignment approach, rather than one that’s focused on things like salary.
There’s more English now than when I began using it in 2014 which will be helpful. It also has broken its service into 2 areas:
Wantedly People - The profile and people networking side, also the ability to scan business cards (5M users)
Wantedly Connect - The connection of people and companies (3M users)
Wantedly is used mostly by those in the IT and digital space. Here’s the approximate breakdown of its users, according to Direct Sourcing Lab [J]:
Engineers - 25%
Sales - 18%
Marketing - 16%
Directors - 14%
Designers - 13%
Corporate - 10%
Writers - 3%
To compare, most on LinkedIn are in business development.
My experience on Wantedly
I created a profile, wrote my experiences in Japanese and simple English to quickly show I’m somewhat capable in both languages. From there, I began “showing interest” (there’s a button) in interesting companies that either were hiring or allowing office visits.
I had a few meetings, all of which ended up being with companies not ready to do international work, until I met with one where the CEO was ready to start moving in that direction due to realizing that Japan was behind in the online space.
There are job listings on GaijinPot or JapanToday Jobs as well. If you’re looking for an internet-related job, possibly at a startup, check out Justa too.
Here’s my video where I talk about my experience:
Here are some common challenges American expats may face when moving back to the U.S., based on my personal experience.