Japan Life Guide    by Sio Want to know how much it costs to live in Japan? I live in Osaka — here are my monthly expenses. Stay till the end to see how much I spend in total each month. Rent ¥43,000 20 m² studio near Daikokucho Station — within walking distance to Namba and Tsutenkaku, with super convenient transport access. Water ¥2,500 Electricity ¥2,500-5,500 depending on season Gas ¥1,500-2,500 depending on season WiFi ¥5,000 Mobile ¥2,164 Monthly 20G plan Transport  ≈ ¥

Into The Japanese Mind   by Sio On New Year’s Eve I reached my door and the key was gone. I’m screwed. With holidays, no locksmith for a week. I panicked, ran to the store I’d just visited, and before I spoke the staff handed me the key. I almost cried. Another time after hot springs and dinner, I found my wallet missing. Heart racing, I rushed back. Staff pointed to lost & found, wallet intact. A friend’s case was wilder: he lost his passport in a club. The manager said, “Re

Life Reset Journal  by Sio I really want to make some Japanese friends, but I was too shy for bars, and people at meetups were too young. So I went on HelloTalk, firing off a hundred friend requests like shooting in a video game. The first reply came fast, she even asked me out the next day. I said yes instantly, then the chat froze like a crashed screen. It was already Game Over, disappointed, yet I kept refreshing the page. Then came a young mom who picked a café and a da

Japan Life Guide    by Sio I’ve already been to clinics a few times in Japan — unlucky to know well how it works, but lucky to have health insurance. It really saves money. Before visit You need a Health Insurance Card. Show it at the clinic and pay only 30%. You can also link your My Number card to use as insurance. Process 1️⃣ Choose a department (internal, ENT, ortho, etc.) 2️⃣ Book – usually by phone or online. 3️⃣ Check in – hand in card, fill the form. 4️⃣ Consultati

Another Life at 40s    by Sio In my 20s, I never managed money. I spent what I had, then started over. No savings, no insurance, no worries. In my 30s, I still lived in the moment. I planned to stay 6 mths in Brazil but ended up drifting the world for 3 yrs, believing money would always return. Then illness hit me on the road. Half my body froze, I couldn’t work or speak the language, suddenly I had no value.   I once thought freedom was a choice, until I learned it’s only

Life Reset Journal  by Sio Every Japanese procedure feels like defusing a bomb. A mistake on my residence card can block the bank, delay autopay, and cut utilities. Each step is a fuse, one slip, and everything blows up. Gas autopay dragged on: site rejected my name, I waited for codes, my card was refused. At last one paper form came. I stared at the boxes, sweating—one chance, no mistakes. My bank’s daily limit was 50,000 yen—absurd. The app failed, the site demanded approv

Japan Life Guide    by Sio Finding a job in Japan isn’t easy. If you plan to work here but don’t know where to start, this quick guide is for you.    1️⃣ Japanese Level No or little Japanese：IT, English teaching, ski resorts, foreign firms N3 ：Mostly labor jobs, part-time N2 ：Accepted by dispatch agencies, possible office or CS roles N1 ：Standard requirements for full-time in Japanese firms & pro fields 2️⃣ Visa Overseas job seekers without a visa: industries most likely to

Another Life at 40s    by Sio In my 20s, I left a good life in UK to chase creativity back home. Time felt endless, missing out never mattered.     In my 30s, I left comfort again, wandering the world. Time felt short, yet I believed I could catch up. In my 40s, I came to Japan with no plan, only to see half my life was gone. Recent years raced like 16x fast-forward, a year feels like a month, a month like a week. Days busy yet hollow, too fast to even dream what’s left. 3 pa

Into The Japanese Mind   by Sio In Japan, dates are usually scheduled several days in advance. With Japanese people, even a month is not unusual.   Outside Japan, this kind of planning feels rare. In many places, men mention meeting but never set a time, often cancelling late, or simply ghosting.   In Portugal, I dated a man who was always 20–30 mins late. I’d finish my first coffee before he strolled in with Olá. But Southern Europe wasn’t the most extreme. When I lived in

Life Reset Journal  by Sio I’ve lived all over, always managing life solo. Opening a bank acc in Japan? Should be easy. Newbies can only open a JP Post acc at the closest branch, I went to one 900m from home. But once I showed my docs: “You need to go to the designated branch.” I pointed at the map, showing both were the same distance. He looked at me like I was an alien and sent me back to Earth. Mission 1 failed. Logic doesn’t matter here, rules are the only language. Next

Japan Life Guide    by Sio Although I work at a real estate firm, my first home search was just like any foreigner’s - I was rejected by landlords. Renting in Japan isn’t as simple as money solves all. Why landlords worried of foreigners: 1️⃣ Limited Japanese, poor communication 2️⃣ Cultural gap, may disturb neighbors 3️⃣ Thin credit history, late/missed rent risk 4️⃣ Sudden departure, early termination 5️⃣ No Japanese guarantor, just too much hassle The most practical route

Another Life at 40s    by Sio Ten years ago, I became a travel writer after roaming the world. At 35, desperate and broke, it felt like my last shot. I poured everything into social media until algorithms sucked the life out of it, and I it quit all. Luckily, I met a partner who led me into international real estate. At 38, with limited time, it was my true last shot. I worked hard and built success - Until pandemic left my partner stuck in Japan and me in Macau’s three-year

Into The Japanese Mind   by Sio I once asked a metro staff for help. He nodded politely and fired off a long string of fast Japanese. I said, “English OK? Google OK?” He stared at me, then repeated it even faster. I was furious. Was that a joke? He knew I didn’t get a word! Why keep going?   These robotic responses shows up everywhere — at banks, gyms, post offices. No matter how confused I look, the lines just keep firing. Then I met a teacher I could finally understand. She

Life Reset Journal  by Sio When I first moved to Japan, nothing terrified me more than phone calls. The rapid fire Japanese on the other side felt like a monster charging at me. One time, the lash salon called. I panicked and passed the phone to my friend after saying hi. What should’ve been a quick confirmation dragged on and on to over 10 mins. He said was used to this, but I felt sorry for wasting his time. I didn’t want to trouble anyone, yet I still memorized a line in J

Japan Life Guide    by Sio I have no plans for exams, I just want train my listening and speaking skills. After a few months of self-study, I’m on N4 and can handle basic talks. Here are the ways I’ve tried, see what suits you 1️⃣ Free Local Classes Each ward offers free classes weekly,  taught by retired volunteers. I attend classes in Abeno, Nishi, and Kita. Content varies—grammar, chatting, or writing. 🔎 Call to book. If full, join the waiting list. 2️⃣ Language Exchanges

Another Life at 40s    by Sio In youth, friendships came easily. Just a Hello could spark a bond. But the older we get, the harder it becomes. When I moved to Japan, I had no friends outside work. I threw myself into event after event like a second job. The more I tried, the more out of place I felt. Small talk in a second language buried in noise left me exhausted. But watching others click and making plans, I wondered: Am I too cold? Too old? Why does no one ask me out? I f

Into The Japanese Mind   by Sio In Osaka’s meetups, I often see familiar faces, but few become friends. One day, a Japanese girl ran over like an old friend: “So happy to see you! Let’s go karaoke after!” Her sudden warmth surprised me, cos we barely talked before. After the event, I approached her. She glanced briefly, as if we’d never met, then turned back, laughing with her friends. I was stunned. How could she change so fast? Did she mistake me? Were both warmth and cold

Life Reset Journal   by Sio That day I thought a few cough drops could fix my sore throat. But it got worse day by day, until I was shivering in bed like a virus was throwing a party inside me. Seeing a doctor never crossed my mind. Making an appointment in Japanese terrified me. How do I start? What’d they say? Many clinics don’t accept foreigners without Japanese. For me, this was mission impossible. By day 5, I couldn’t hold on. I forced myself to call with my less than N5

Japan Life Guide    by Sio If you’re planning to move to Japan, see which visa below might fit you: 1）Student Visa University, vocational school, language school. Usually 1–4 yrs. After graduation, you must switch to any visa below to qualify for PR or naturalization. 2）Work Visa* For white-collar jobs, teachers, researchers, healthcare. Usually requires degree or experiences. 3）Business Manager Visa* For running a business in Japan. Requires investment and stable revenue. *U

Another Life at 40s    by Sio In my 30s, I backpacked across continents with no plan. I ventured into the Amazon, crossed remote borders, got lost and sick — life felt like a romantic movie.  A decade flew by. I no longer roam, my body won’t let me. Long flights hurt, jet lag lingers. Checkups feel like lottery. Midlife has arrived, but I’m not ready. 10 hrs of walking at Expo left my knees failing. Doctor said it might be early aging. I panicked: “I’m only in my 40s! Is my a