![Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Photo Source: James Saunders-Wyndham Living In Japan Vs Visiting Japan: The Key Differences](/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.sanity.io%2Fimages%2Fx0c10dda%2Fproduction%2Fcc2445c5e5c4db47ec18aa12ace25cfedb582868-2480x1551.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
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Although more people than ever are interested in Japanese culture, living in Japan is a vastly different experience from visiting Japan. Many people who visit Japan claim to fall in love with Japanese cultural, such as the traditional temples and shrines, food, pop culture, manga and anime, and the peaceful lifestyle.
Wondering if living in Japan is right for you? After visiting Japan, some people develop a desire to live in Japan. However, the truth is that there is a large difference between enjoying Japan's tourist spots and actually living in Japan as a foreigner.
Although I am not trying to discourage you from moving to Japan, you should understand how your experiences will evolve if you decide to live in Japan. This guide seeks to highlight these differences and provide a view of both — the thrill of being a tourist vs the day-to-day realities of living in Japan.
If you would like to share your ideas or opinions about the topic related to this article, please be sure to leave a comment below, in the comment section.
Since the end of COVID, tourism in Japan has continued to grow. In fact, the number os tourists in Japan has grown so fast that the Japanese federal and local governments have expressed concern over issues related overtourism. However, due to the falling value of the Japanese yen, overseas travelers continue to be attracted to Japan as an affordable tourist destination.
First impressions of Japan often include how clean and organized everything seems. On the surface, Japanese people are socially cooperative and genuinely friendly to those around them.
As a tourist in Japan, you may experience the following:
Tourism in Japan can amaze people because it seems that Japan offers a wide range of different experiences. Japan's ability to merge the past with the present is an important selling point as a popular tourist destination (this point can become challenging when living in Japan).
For those who are drawn to historical sites, the ancient temples of Kyoto or the ancient city of Nara provide a glimpse into Japan's rich cultural heritage. On the other hand, if you are someone who enjoys the hustle and bustle of city life, you may be visiting Japan to take a stroll around the trendy streets of Harajuku in Tokyo or spending the day at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
As a tourist in Japan, you will most likely be eating out every day. Japan has exceptional quality of the local cuisine, which is available at surprisingly reasonable prices! If seafood isn't to your liking, you can always opt for a meal at a yakitori bar, where you can enjoy charcoal-grilled chicken. And for those who prefer plant-based diets, there's no need to worry - vegan ramen is readily available. Japan truly has something for everyone.
As a tourist, there a lot of options available to help you deal with the Japanese language. Tourist information booths set up to deal with English speakers and explain how to get around and the best spots to visit. The hotel staff is ready to explain where to go if you want to get something. Generally, as a tourist, Japanese locals will try to communicate with you in English to help you.
For many people, Japan is a wonderful place to live (myself included). However, living in Japan is not for everyone. People who are living in Japan are often face daily challenges due to complex socio-cultural differences. It's important to be realistic about your expectations before deciding to move to Japan.
Some things that foreign residents living in Japan struggle with:
While the idea of living in Japan might seem exciting, for some the reality can be starkly different. Despite the growing number of foreigners visiting the country, a relatively small number of people actually decide to settle down in Japan.
Japan can be resistant to cultural change. This is partly due to Japan's aging population. When living in Japan, you will notice the large elderly population.
From 2007 to 2024, the population fell by about 6 million people. Due to a continued drop in national birth rates, the population numbers are falling. Therefore, now is a better time than ever to think about moving to Japan. It is the reason why the Japan has begun to open up to higher numbers of foreign immigration.
It might be east to get into Japan as a tourist, but living in Japan means that acquiring the appropriate visa. There are several types of Japanese visa, including student, working holiday, work, spouse, and permanent resident visa. Your chosen visa will depend on your purpose of stay and other personal circumstances.
In the past securing a long-term visa for Japan was difficult. However, as the country faces labor shortages, due to Japan’s declining population, visa conditions have become more flexible. The government is hoping to attract more skilled long-term foreign residents.
For more information on Japan visa requirements, check out our article on Japanese visas types.
As a tourist in Japan, may have been staying in hotels, but now that you are living in Japan, you will need to deal with the Japanese rental market. You might be in for a culture shock...
Here I cover some key considerations when renting in Japan. However, for a more detailed breakdown of the rental process in Japan, including key money, renewal fees, brokerage fees, and more, please refer to our dedicated article: Renting in Japan as a Foreigner.
If you are looking to rent an apartment in Japan, I recommend you check out Sakura House and Leopalace21. These places specialize in foreign residents. They are more expensive than the average price for apartments their size but offer convenience.
As a foreign resident, you are able to legally purchase Japanese houses and land and there are a number of options to consider. There are many complex aspects to consider while planning to make this big step.
Here we briefly touch on the subject of buying a Japanese house. However, if you are interested, please check out our full guide on buying a Japanese home for foreign residents.
First option is to buy an older traditional Japanese house with tatami mats and washitsu (Japanese rooms), but this option is often viewed as more expensive than buying a new home because you will most likely need to renovate as most Japanese homes are made with using wooden structures.
Another option is to buy land and build a new house. After you buy the land, you will need to approach either an architect to plan the house design and organize the contractors. Or another option is to purchase a model home from a housing company that can offer a selection of pre-designed housing plans.
Additionally, you can look for a bargain online with an akiya bank. Akiya are abandoned Japanese house that are usually sold at a very low price due to abandonment. Although Japanese akiya can seem like interesting and unique opportunities, most akiya houses are located in very isolated parts of Japan and often require renovations. If you want to learn more about akiya, refer to our article: Akiya: Japan's Abandoned Houses for Sale.
When you are a tourist in Japan, you tend to meet people who are there to help you and these people will often translate things for you and explain what they are. However, once you start living in Japan, you will find that Japanese language can make your daily life more difficult.
Living in Japan means that you will need to learn Japanese. You might be thinking "Why do I need to learn Japanese? I'm sure that I can get around with just English." Trust me, when living in Japan understanding Japanese language will make your life much easier. Understanding Japanese will help with the following:
Even if you only learn the most basic Japanese, it will help you in your daily life. It will be hard if you don't know any Japanese. Many foreign residents in Japan who manage to reach even an elementary level of Japanese language skills are able to manage from day-to-day.
If you really are interested in learning Japanese, I recommend studying in Japan at a language school. There are many language schools in Japan that offer intensive courses for foreigners. These schools provide a structured learning environment and the opportunity to practice Japanese with native speakers.
While living in Japan, making friends and building a social circle can be very difficult when you first come to Japan (especially if you don't speak Japanese). It's common for foreigners to feel isolated, particularly in the initial stages of their stay.
The truth is that making Japanese friends is made more difficult by complex cultural differences. I’ve listed a few reasons why making friends with Japanese people can be difficult.
If you are interested in finding out more about the differences in Japanese cultural perceptions, please check out our article on the Japanese concept of self.
Maintaining a work-life balance while living in Japan can be a challenging endeavor, largely attributed to the demanding work culture of life in Japan.
Your experience with this balance heavily depends on the type of job you've applied for, effectively making it one of the reasons not to move to Japan if you can't handle high-pressure environments.
Secondary teachers in Japan may need to stay late for club activities or spend a lot of time preparing lessons. English teachers might enjoy long paid breaks between semesters.
Corporate workers in Japan face a lot of pressure to prove themselves and often work long hours. This intense work culture can lead to 'karoshi' (過労死 - karoushi) (death from overwork). Taking holidays outside national periods like Golden Week and Obon is often discouraged.
So, whether you decide to live in Japan or move to Japan to teach English, it's important to familiarize yourself with these realities of living and working in Japan.
As a tourist, cost of living in Japan can seen very reasonable. However, after become a resident of Japan and earning Japanese yen, you begin to realize the hidden costs of life in Japan. On top of income tax, health insurance, and pension tax, you must also pay city taxes.
Due to the lower cost of living, salaries in Japan are also lower than in other places. You should also take note that Japanese salaries have barely changed since 1991. Even worse, many companies will pay you less for the first two or three years, and then slowly raise your salary each year.
This can make a difference in where you choose to live and how often you can go out. If you're interested in learning more about the cost of living in Japan, check out our detailed article.
Living in Japan as a foreigner, rests on your own personal circumstances and goals. First, visit Japan a few times and see what you think. If you find the allure of Japan's culture, language, lifestyle, and the promise of finding love in Japan intriguing, and are open-minded enough about learning how to live in Japan - embracing its traditions and lifestyle - your life experiences would certainly be elevated and enriched by choosing to reside here.
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With over 30 years of experience in Japanese culture and lifestyle, I am a permanent resident of Japan. As a web developer, I built Romancing Japan from scratch. Although originally from Australia, I have dedicated a significant part of my professional career to teaching at Japanese universities. My extensive travels across Japan have given me intimate knowledge of life in this country, and I am excited to share these insights with you.