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Life Abroad
Top 5 Downsides of Living in Tokyo as a Foreign White Guy
Things to consider before you pack your bags and move to Japan
So far, I’ve lived for at least a year in half a dozen cities and traveled to many more. There is no place I love quite as much as Tokyo. I couldn’t see myself living anywhere else.
That being said, the Tokyo lifestyle isn’t for everyone. There are some pretty big cons that those thinking of moving here should keep in mind.
While you can experience many of the upsides for yourself by coming over as a tourist, Tokyo’s downsides get you over time. I’m in my sixth year of living here and I’m sure there are many issues I have yet to experience, so let me preface this piece by saying for context that I’m a white male of European origin, currently unmarried, no children, holding a Master’s degree from a good university and working on a middle-class income. I speak fluent Japanese but am by no means a native speaker.
As in pretty much every city in the world, your living experience will depend heavily on your ethnicity, income level and linguistic abilities.
