April 2025 · Life in Japan · Personal Reflection

The Excitement Fades

It’s been a month since I arrived in Tokyo.

At first, I thought starting a new life in another country would feel exciting and liberating. But now that I’m actually living it, things are a lot more complicated than I imagined.

Everyday Life Feels Tiring

The most obvious challenge is how inconvenient daily life feels.

Back in China, if I wanted something to eat or needed to buy anything, I could just tap a few times on my phone and it would be delivered right to my door.

Here in Japan, even for the simplest things—grabbing a meal or picking up daily necessities—I have to go out, walk to the store, shop, wait in line, pay, and carry everything back. Each small errand takes hours, and the whole process feels slow and exhausting.

I Miss the Food, the Convenience, the Warmth

In China, I was spoiled with options—takeout, snacks, spicy dishes, hotpot, barbecue, noodles, stir-fries, and so much more.

In Japan, I end up eating the same few things every day. It’s monotonous, and I honestly miss the richness of food culture back home.

When your taste buds are lonely, your heart starts to feel lonely too.

Not the Culture Shock I Expected

Japanese society is polite and orderly, but also distant.

Even though I go to language school and meet people, there’s a sense of emotional space that I can’t quite cross. I thought I’d adjust well, but the reality is… this isn’t what I expected.

It feels colder and more isolating than I imagined.

I’m Stuck in Between

I gave up a stable job in China, left behind years of work and everything I had built up, to take a leap and move to Japan.

But returning now would be expensive and feel like a complete loss.

On the other hand, staying isn’t easy either—my savings are limited, finding a job here is tough, and adapting to life isn’t going as smoothly as I hoped.

I feel stuck.
Not quite moving forward, but unable to turn back.

I Don’t Know What Comes Next

I don’t know what the future holds. Maybe I’ll gradually adapt. Maybe one day I’ll decide to give up.

But for now, I just want to write this down—to mark this uncertain phase of life.

Whatever happens next, I hope that my future self can look back at this post and feel proud—
at least I gave it a real shot, and I lived it honestly.

Thanks for reading. If you’re going through something similar, feel free to reach out. We’re not alone.