Expat Advice: Culture Shock in Tokyo, Japan

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Tokyo

Did you receive any cross-cultural training for your move abroad? If yes, was it before or after the move?

No, I did not. Most of my cultural training was from Google and internet forums. I found Reddit it be useful.

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If they speak another language in your new country, do you speak the language? If yes, did you learn the language before you moved or while abroad? If no, are you planning to learn the language?

I do not speak Japanese, and that made my stay in Japan more difficult, but not impossible. I still made plenty of friends who spoke English, and I also made friends who could help me with Japanese translation if I needed. If you learn Japanese, it will make your life a lot easier, but you are able to get by with just knowing only English.

Were you worried or concerned about culture shock before you moved abroad?

Personally, I was not worried as I have traveled to Asia many, many times in my life, so I was aware at how different life can be from America. However, if you have never been to Asia or Japan before, I would definitely recommend to prepare yourself.

How significant was the culture shock you experienced when you moved abroad?

I found the culture shock to be mild since I lived in Tokyo, and with Tokyo being a large city, it can be pretty westernized at times.

Expats often talk about going through the "stages of culture shock." Examples include the honeymoon phase, the irritation-to-anger stage, the rejection of the culture stage, and the cultural adjustment phase. Do you feel like you went through these or any other stages as you settled into the new culture?

I do think I went through stages with living in Japan. At first, I loved it and all the weird quirks and efficiencies it had. Then, over time I became annoyed with the extreme rule following and the unnecessary risk aversion. Over time, I missed family and that factored into my perception of Tokyo.

What, if any, were some of the changes you noticed in yourself that might have been caused by culture shock? These might include things such as anger, depression, anxiety, increased eating or drinking, frustration, homesickness, etc.

At times, I felt lost and felt like I could be doing so much more in America. Without Japanese, my job options were limited and I wanted to move onto a career that would leave me more fulfilled, but I would need Japanese for that.

What are some things you appreciate most about the new culture?

I appreciate the transportation system that is in place. It is convenient, clean, and on-time. I liked how close I lived to a grocery store and the station.

What are the most challenging aspects of the new culture?

You have to read body language very carefully in Japan. No one ever explicitly tells you "no," so you have to pick up on their rejection via body language. I did not think this would be difficult for me, but I now think this would be difficult for any American moving to Japan. You have to be aware of it at all times.

Did you "commit" any embarrassing or humorous cultural blunders? If you did and you'd like to share them, please do tell!

In Japan, it is safe to eat raw eggs and I was aware of this, but I did not know what the common ways were to consume the raw eggs. So, when I was sat at a restaurant and given a raw egg, I did not know how to eat it. So, I just cracked it open and drank it. Later, I saw a man across the restaurant crack his egg into his rice and mix it. I felt silly for drinking a raw egg like Rocky.

Do you have any advice or thoughts about culture shock you would like to share?

Be flexible and open minded. You are moving to a different country and they will have different solutions to life than you would expect, and that is the fun part.