What it's like living in Japan since 1986

Comments · 1.5K

• TA

  @takashiifromjapan · 8 months ago · pinned

  Let’s start learning Japanese 🇯🇵<br>→<a href="https://takashii.shop/">https://takashii.shop/</a>

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• JO

  @joesdeichannel · 2 years ago

  Thank you for interviewing my dad Takashi. Your content is sublime and it’s helping to shine a light on many aspects that comprise Japan. Keep up the great work.

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• BI

  @BimmermanF800GT · 2 years ago

  Chris is a great guy. I have known him almost that whole time. I also came in 1986 after living in Tokyo area from 1983 to 84. Hard to believe we have been here that long but still love everyday.

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• SU

  @suginami0 · 2 years ago (edited)

  American here. I lived in Japan for many years in the late 80’s as well, but in Saitama Prefecture. &nbsp;My experience was very similar to his. Very, very few foreigners, with the exception of the center of Tokyo. &nbsp;Children walking to and fro from school would see me and call out “gaijin da!” &nbsp;Every day. I never got used to it. I stood out everywhere I went. I was young, tall, blonde hair and blue eyes. I got attention whenever I went out. I joke now that I know how Brad Pitt feels. I majored in Linguistics at university with a minor in Japanese and I think because of this got fluent pretty quickly. I was a rare commodity back then. It seemed very few foreigners spoke Japanese fluently back then. I also did translating and interpreter work. worked for a Japanese company and made a lot of money. 6 figures which is crazy money for a guy in his mid-twenties. I married a Japanese woman and moved back to the U..S. Two kids and still married 32 years later. I wonder if my life would’ve been like his if I had stayed.

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• ME

  @melissanakakita951 · 2 years ago

  I&apos;m Australian, I came over to Japan to teach English on a working holiday visa in 2003. My plan was to stay 18mths and then go back to Australia. Well, that didn&apos;t happen. 20yrs later I am still here, in Shikoku, now with a Japanese husband (we married in 2004) and 4 sons, aged 16, 8, 4 and 1 hahaha!!!! &nbsp;<br>Hopefully we&apos;ll be taking a long awaited family trip back to Australia in a few years!!!!

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• EL

  @ellaofficiel · 2 years ago (edited)

  A lot of respect to these foreign uncles and aunts who worked in Japan from the 80s/90s. It really was such a different time, having to learn the language and culture with no google or anything.

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• RA

  @rainsan · 2 years ago

  I hope he&apos;s able to enjoy his retirement. He&apos;s worked so hard to support his family.

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• WE

  @wenaperxa · 2 years ago (edited)

  I think this one may be your best interview so far. You&apos;re getting good at this. Keep on doing such a good job, Takashii!!<br>People, feel free to link your favourite ones in your answers, please. I wouldn&apos;t like to miss any :)

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• RO

  @robertjackson2700 · 2 years ago

  When he started saying &quot;Marriage is hard. Get ready!&quot; 🤣 I couldn&apos;t stop laughing

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• DY

  @dydx_ · 2 years ago

  He sounds like someone who truly lives the way he wants to. What a great person!

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• AX

  @AxeManJapan · 2 years ago

  8 years in Japan, 2 half kids who are bicultural and bilingual, this is phenomenal. So invaluable to me. Thank you! And he&apos;s right, recently started learning Kanji seriously, and it&apos;s a life changer.

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• MA

  @masamiiida7142 · 2 years ago

  Great interview!<br>I am completely opposite from him, born and raised in Japan and living here in Australia since 1987. I studied at university in the US and 4 years later I graduated. I went back to Japan, but didn&apos;t feel comfortable at all there . I just wanted to get out of Japan and chose Australia as I had a friend whom I met in US was there. Like him I came here with a working holiday visa. I was going to do the same in New Zealand after a year in Australia. Working holiday visa was valid for one year back then. 36 years later, I still haven&apos;t been to New Zealand yet. I knew virtually nothing about Australia back then, but could speak English. I am an Australian citizen now.

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