I’ve lived in Japan for 13 years, and one of the things I’ve heard over and over is that it’s hard to form connections with Japanese people—or that many only want to be friends to practice English. While that can happen, I’ve … Continue reading The Quiet Relationships That Come With Long-Term Life in Japan
If you’ve lived in Japan for a while, you’ve probably noticed something odd near the end of the month — long, winding lines at the ATM. The first time I saw it, I thought, “Is something wrong with the banks? Why … Continue reading Why Are There Always Long ATM Lines on Payday in Japan?
After nearly a decade working in Japan, I’ve learned a lot about the difference between full-time and contract employment—and one of my biggest career regrets comes from switching to a contract role. In this post, I share my personal story, break down the pros and cons of each type of employment in Japan, and what I wish I’d known sooner. If you’re working in Japan or thinking of making a job change, this one’s for you! Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company #12 – Full-time employee vs. Contract Employee
Back by popular demand — here are five more mistakes to avoid when working in a Japanese company. These are all things I’ve personally learned through experience, confusion, and the occasional gentle correction from coworkers. If you’re new to Japan’s work culture … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company: Part 8 – 5 More Mistakes to Avoid Working in a Japanese Company
Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a recurring theme in my company: attention to detail, and I’ll be honest… it’s not exactly my strong suit. Coming from a Western background, some of the things I see here feel overly … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company: Part 5 – Attention to Detail
My third month at work was my first time handling everything on my own, and while it was challenging, it was also really rewarding. I’ve realized that I feel the most accomplished when I’m given the independence to do my … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company – Part 3
After completing my second month at my job in Osaka, Japan, I’m back with more thoughts and observations about working in a Japanese company. I have to admit, I’m going through a bit of a “culture shock” phase right now, … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company – Part 2
I started working at a Japanese company on December 1st, 2014, and I’ve just wrapped up my first month. During my MBA in Kyoto and in university, I learned a lot about Japanese work culture, but nothing really prepared me … Continue reading Working in a Japanese Company – The Beginnings
Last night, I had the opportunity to see an taishu-engeki, which translates to “Light Theater” or often called “Theater for the Masses”. The one that I went to starred Taichi Saotome, who is only 20 years old. The play was divided into 2 parts: a Play and then a Kabuki like dance segment. It started about 6:30 pm and got out about 8:45pm. Apparently, Taishu- engeki is normally like this; divided into a play section and then a dance segment that has nothing to do with the previous segment. Though I couldn’t understand very well, what I got from the play part of … Continue reading Taishu-engeki – “Light Theater”
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