Tokyo as seen through the lens of foreigners. Snapshots of individuals who make up the gaijin community. Immigrant workers, trainees, expats, international students, visitors, Japanophiles and others.
Watch our interviews in a new video series.
Continue reading “Visual Stories”
The story behind Tokyo Interlopers. Continue reading “Watch the Interview”
Inspired by what you’ve read? Share your story or help us find more voices by spreading the word.
You can also help us produce quality content by sponsoring us on Patreon.com
Thank you! We appreciate your generosity!
“Every country has its flaws and Japan is no exception. But sometimes small things add up. I’m half Japanese, half American and I’ve lived in Japan since I was 6 years old. Some people tell me I’m not Japanese enough and it bothers me, although I’ve learned not to let it get the better ofContinue reading Learning to be More Accepting
“A few years back I fainted from overwork at my job here in Japan. So I told myself I can’t keep putting other people and work first. I need to give myself priority, too, and push back whenever possible. Right now I have a really good job that I love. I’m back on my feet.Continue reading Samurai Spirit
“I’m from Israel and I came to Japan with my Japanese girlfriend, but then we broke up a year after we moved here. We were together for 13 years. We’re still friends though and I’ve moved onto a new relationship. Right now I’m doing my postdoctoral research in neuroscience. I study motor skills and myContinue reading Postdoc
“I was born with a disability called inherited clubfoot. It’s a chromosomal abnormality in which a person’s feet are bent from birth. Imagine your feet pointing towards each other, rather than facing front. But I have never let it become a hindrance in my life. Growing up, kids used to make fun of me, IContinue reading Making the Most Out of Life
“There is no distinct native culture for people who were born and have been brought up in an international environment. As an Indian who grew up in Dubai, I find it very hard to identify a place where I are from and where I wanna be. I think this is true for anyone who hasContinue reading Where Do I Belong?
“I grew up in Miyazaki. As a hafu (Half American, Half Japanese) growing up in rural Japan, I didn’t quite fit in. Despite having a strong economic base, people in Miyazaki tend to be more relaxed, and family bonds seem stronger than that in Tokyo; life is good! Though I liked it there, I knewContinue reading Finding My Place
“I identify myself as a global citizen. My identity is not bound by nationality just because my passport was issued in Indonesia and I’m a second-generation Chinese Indonesian. I have a friend with whom I share values with that go beyond perceived differences. She’s Russian-American. However, it’s hard to find people who are also cosmopolitan,Continue reading Global Citizen
“I’m a bit of a control freak. But for someone who needs to plan everything, I just went with the flow when I came to Japan. I was considering two options after finishing university back home in Spain: unpaid internships that may lead to an actual position or go abroad and learn languages. I remember thinkingContinue reading Stick to Your Guns
“My parents wanted me to be a public lawyer back home in India to help people who can’t afford legal counsel. But I was kind of selfish and even fickle minded. I took the biggest risk of my life by dropping out of law school and leaving the family business just to be back inContinue reading Foster Family
I hated being mixed race until a couple years ago. It was the bane of my existence. I thought everything about myself was chutohanpa, which means ‘incomplete’ in English. Based on experience, in the U.S., maybe 9 out of 10 people see me as full Asian and usually aren’t able to tell that I haveContinue reading Accepting My Incompleteness
“I came to Japan from Russia when I married my Japanese husband 17 years ago. I was just 21 then. Now we have two kids, but we’re divorced. Back then, I had no chance to be employed in a good company because I lived very far from the city. The only work available was beingContinue reading Adversity to Victory
“The job-hunting process in Japan is so outdated. It’s especially hard for foreigners. There’s only a small window of time to do it, which usually starts in the second semester of your junior year. You have to follow a schedule, otherwise you fall off the radar of prospective employers. In my case, I was inContinue reading Sclerotic and Antiquated
“Whenever people ask me if my life in Japan is tough, I tell them it is when you don’t have money. But compared to when I was growing up in Nepal, life here is cushy. We didn’t have water, electricity or gas on the mountain where we lived, and I used to walk for twoContinue reading Twist of Fate
“Being Japanese and Malaysian Indian is what makes me who I am. Before, I used to think I’m just Japanese and it just so happens that I am half Malaysian. For a long time, I knew nothing about Malaysian Indian culture. Now, being Malaysian Indian is a stronger part of my identity, even though IContinue reading The Odd One Out
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “It’s perfectly okay to be single. As women, we are supposed to marry, maybe have a kid and manage the office as well as the house. But that comes later on, why do you want to waste these precious years cribbing over someone or something which you didn’t have much control over anyway. JustContinue reading Single Ladies
“I had difficulties finding a job in the beginning and I knew it would be tough for me to fit in a Japanese working environment. One problem being my nose piercing. At my first job, my superiors didn’t appreciate me working in customer service with a nose piercing. So I had to go through ridiculousContinue reading Foodie Tours
“My dad always used to say, ‘Be competent in whatever you do, don’t worry about the result, be it marks, money or whatever’. I sincerely believe that curiosity is maybe the best thing which can happen to a person. I used to be a very inquisitive kid from 5 to 15. I regret losing thatContinue reading Inquisitive Disposition
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “When I moved to Tokyo two years ago, it took some adjusting. It was the first time to move far away from family and close friends, and I also got out of a relationship. I kept telling myself that I’m fine, but really, I just avoided having time alone. I told myself that theContinue reading Spare Capacity
“My first time abroad, I got robbed. I was doing an internship in France when I decided to go to Pamplona to see Spain’s bull run. Coming from India, I’m always careful with my wallet, but just not that day. I instantly regretted it after a thief used a blade to slash open my pocketContinue reading Pay it Forward
