Adjusting to the Realization that You are Moving to Japan

Once the reality that a contract has been signed sinks in, that means it’s time to prepare to move to Japan. How prepared you are becomes more than just hypothetical. The most popular questions is what to pack. There is no one right answer for this because what to pack should be based on several factors, such as duration of stay, cost of storage and shipping, and temperament. Everyone’s temperament is different. There are ways to figure out what matters most and pack that. The simplest way is to start storing as much as you can digitally. This goes for photos, movies, music, and books. Favorite television shows can be viewed in Japan online with the help of virtual private networks. By changing your country location on your computer, you can watch TV shows and movies online from around the world.

Pack the most important things for morning and evening routines. Nothing can replace leaving the house feeling well put together and returning to something familiar at bedtime. For the rest of it, seek out help via YouTube – arguably the best tool for finding help from people who have experienced it. Listen to people’s biggest regrets and learn from others’ mistakes. YouTube will also provide the opportunity to actually look into people’s houses and apartments. There is no substitute for seeing it in living color. The better prepared and the more thorough the research, the less likely utter disappointment becomes.

YouTube will help prepare for the Japan that is, rather than the Japan that should be. A great number of expats move to Japan having never seen the country, and in this digital age there is no reason this should be the case. Wanting to experience the local culture for oneself is easily achieved by simply avoiding information on whatever is most titillating as a surprise. Do not underestimate how much of a surprise Japan is going to be. Be sure to check videos of specific cities, as regional differences are large in Japan. Every city has something special to offer. Every city has its own unique rhythm. The easiest way to hit the ground running is to be well prepared.

Posted on Sunday: 07 June, 2015