Things I like and dislike about living in Japan

I've been putting this off for a while because honestly, I feel like a lot of people will start a witch hunt if anyone ever says anything bad about Japan. But, I'm firm believer that you can find the good and the bad in anything depending on how you look at it.

I'm finding it really hard to type today as I've managed to burn my finger. So every key punch sends a shot of pain right up my arm. (><")

Here are seven things I like and dislike about Japan. So let's start with;

Things I like about living in Japan

1)Nature
It's hard to disagree that Japan has some beautiful natural landscapes all across the country, and they really try their best to preserve what nature has put there. I don't know what it is but the air just seems a lot more clearer here. Especially, if you ever go to the countryside it almost seems that modern day pollution has not touched Japanese skies.

2)The Art Culture
 There are so many incredibly talented artists dotted all around Tokyo where you can see a lot of the latest works in galleries in and around Shibuya, Harajuku, Ebisu and Roppongi to name a few. There are also so many events and are festivals sprinkled all through out the year that you could get involved in. Each with their own unique artistic voice and theme, it's hard not be inspired!


3) Renting Gallery Space is Affordable
If you ever thought of showing your artwork in Japan then the next few sentences might be helpful for you. Even in Tokyo, you can find affordable options to showcase your latest collection. Whether it be in a typical art gallery or coffee shop, there are so many options to choose from. There are also several art fairs dotted through out the year which you can participate in too. I feel like this topic alone deserves a whole article in itself, so definitely check back later to find out more.


4) the Fan Culture
I think Japan has such a strong fan culture. There will always be people who are looking for things to collect, more merchandise to buy, and are eager to form groups with other like-minded fans. For artists, this would be the perfect place to build a following of dedicated fans if your art fits the market.

5) the Japanese Language
Japanese to me, is a very cute language. A lot of the language uses the upper part of the mouth making it sound slightly higher pitched than English. Japanese is a just a little bit easier than you might think as the grammar rules are very consistent and once you are in Japan there are just endless resources to find exciting study materials to help you learn faster.

6) It's safe
Let's be honest ,Japan is a relatively safe country. The things that you would normally have to worry about as a daily risk are not so in Japan. Small things like leaving your bag on a chair to save a seat in a cafe with your phone and wallet in it, is at least one thing that you can trust that it won't go missing. Once I had left my Iphone on top of the coffee machine at a local 7-11, and I was able to get it back even after an 8 hour work shift. If it were anywhere else, it would have been gone in a matter of minutes.

7)Watercolour paints is a popular.
To be honest, I only got into watercolour paints since moving to Japan. It's a very hard medium to control and I've always shied away from using it in the past. But if you ever get the chance to visit Japan, you'll notice in a lot of the media, publications and commercial advertisements that they have this sort of hand crafted scrap-book like feel to it. People here still enjoy the look that watercolour paints give, and I guess you can tell just by how large the aisles are in art shops just for watercolour paint products.

Now let's move onto the things I don't like about Japan...

Again as I'd mentioned above, there are good and bad reasons to live in any place in the world so, when you're reading this I hope it gives you some idea of what to look out for when you come to Japan. A lot of these points are based on my opinions and lifestyle and may not necessarily be a problem for you when you come to Japan.

1) National Museums
The whole museum-going experience in Japan has been discouraging to say the least.
A lot of the museums (especially the major national galleries) are quite old and outdated. They aren't innovating new ways to experience the galleries and the whole atmosphere feels a bit sterile. They charge quite high entrance fees and if you want to visit a particular exhibition there are entrance fees on top of the main gallery fee.  Some galleries close on weekends and the worst thing for artists is.. you can't sketch, draw or take pictures of anything while you are inside.
Not taking photos in a gallery I can get behind, but not being able to sketch anything?
Another gripe is, if you stand and look at an art piece for too long there will me a gallery clerk ushering you along to the next room and hovering around you like a hawk.
Maybe I've just been spoiled for choice by the incredible galleries in London with many of the main ones being free. As a result, I prefer attending smaller exhibitions that are run by the artists' themselves or artist collectives who would very much appreciate people viewing their artwork.

Anyway, you could tell I had a lot to say about that and now I've said my peace. So, moving on!

2) The Japanese language
As much as I love learning the language there are some aspects that I find frustrating. It's not so much the Kanji that I find difficult (I actually find writing Kanji quite therapeutic). Japanese is unique in the way that it has specific grammatical patterns and word choice depending if something is older or younger or whether they are more superior to you in the work place or at school. With this in mind there are many words for the same thing that are alternated depending on the context you are in. On some days, it's almost enough for my brain to commit suicide to say the least.

3) Low Pay.
This topic is really controversial and I know it's something that not everyone wants to hear (or read) but if you've read this far down the list than you might as well read on.
Of course, this topic depends for what career path you chose so I'm only speaking generally and there is always the exception. In a nutshell, if you want to make money, don't come to Japan.

The way that most companies are structured in Japan and how you progress in your career looks very different to how you would in most western countries. In England at least, typically climbing the career ladder would be mainly based on your skills and experience. This makes it quite normal to see people have several companies on their resume and sometimes a career change. Where as in Japan most people join a major corporation right out of college and are expected to stay at that same company for the majority of there working. Promotions occur rarely, and when it does it's mainly based on your age and how many years you've committed to working at that one company.
So in essence, without the competition there's not incentive to paying higher salaries and working relationships depend more on loyalty and trust.

I have more theories up my sleeve but, I won't write them all here as to save myself from boring you to tears.

So in a nutshell, come to Japan if you just want to experience living in Japan but if you want to make money and advance your career here, Japan may or may not be the right place for you.


4) High Tax
On average the tax in Tokyo eats up 30% into your earnings each month. Especially, if you live in a city like Tokyo the rent will eat you up too. Unless you are really good with managing your money!

5) Technology is dated
If you've ever walked down a Tokyo city streets you might sense of bit 2001 nostalgia. If there's one thing to mention though, it's the websites. Try and think back to Windows '97? Yes, that's most of the internet in Japan and it's awful. Many business owners here still use fax machines.

6) Art materials are expensive.
Along with art materials and stationary supplies being so useful, fun and high quality it's hard to find cheaper options. It's a good thing to buy and use high quality items but, it gives me a little pressure to make a masterpiece every time. It makes it harder to try a lot of new materials and mediums frequently so I tend to stick to one brand or one type of medium for the longest time until I can save up for the next item. So before your next Japanese stationary haul make sure to save those pennies!

7) The food.
This is a personal preference but, I just prefer more Chinese and Western dishes. I think it just boils down to what kind of flavours you like and what you grew up eating. I've definitely gotten used to eating Japanese food while living here, but I've never been one to get overly excited over a plate of sushi or a bowl of ramen noodles. But each to their own.

I hope that was somewhat interesting for you and feel free to leave a comment below. Do you agree or disagree with some of the things I've mentioned? Let me know!

Take care X