You Know That You’ve Been Living in Japan Too Long When..

Japan is one of those countries that embrace the weird – which is why I love it! I’d go back there any day, it’s loads of fun.

I first went there a couple of years ago for a small taste and I’m keen to go back there again one day for more! I managed to rack up a tonne of funny travel photos on my Japan trip that I’ll always remember! In fact, if I only travel to Japan for the rest of my life, I’m sure I could keep this site running based on only the material I would gather from there.

It’s one of the more unique places out there, and it’s an island to itself so to speak – there’s no other place like Japan on the planet.

Japan has one of the world’s best and most efficient public transport systems, some great food, shopping until you drop, and some of the most hospitable people I’ve met. And there are a lot of expats who are Living in Japan, working for some of the the world’s biggest companies.

Sure, there are millions of people everywhere, but I find that the Japanese really respect your personal space and whilst Tokyo is the biggest cities in the world, it doesn’t get in your face like other big cities I’ve been to.

Many foreigners (or ‘gaijin’ in Japanese) spend a bit of time in Japan as part of their career development, and eventually, you start to take on some of the habits and customs of the locals – which make your friends and relatives think that you’ve changed a lot when you get home!

Anyway, here it is! My Living in Japan list to have a bit of a chuckle to!

You know that you’ve been living in Japan too long when..

You always hand over your business card with two hands whilst bowing

Themed restaurants are your favourite source of cuisine – seven nights a week sometimes. And you like bringing your friends over when they come to visit!

You get fidgety when trains are over one minute late. And really pissed off when they’re two minutes late!

The term ‘high prices everyday‘ makes sense

You start to speak Engrish as if it’s a totally new language

Suggestive signs actually make sense

You are totally desensitized to the weird stuff you can buy in novelty shops

Smoking signs like ‘No Smorking‘ and ‘Cigarette Smoke is Wider Than The Human Body‘ don’t make you laugh anymore.

You feel totally safe by leaving your bicycle unlocked outside because you know no-one is going to steal it.

Women only trains seem perfectly sensible when you are trying to board one as if you are playing rugby

You stop timing the exact second when the bullet train arrives and leaves!

You’ve given up trying to find clothes that fit you because they’re all too small

You start to take up the offer of Free Hugs in Harajuku

You only like girls that are dressed like the Harajuku Girls – that is, dressed in school uniforms..

Even though you hate them, you have finally appeared on a humiliating Japanese game show

Octopus Lollipops become your favourite snack

A room the size of a cubic metre feels rather large

You hook up with someone in a Love Hotel at least once per week

You know the spaghetti like Tokyo Metro like the back of your hand

You can distinguish between the Plastic Food Displays outside of restaurants and real food

You have actually slept in an internet cafe overnight

Capsule hotels feel quite spacious

You have identified every factory where all of your electronic goods have come from

You only drink beer with sake

Binge drinking is a normal part of business meetings

Having the entire population of Sydney go through one train station per day seems sedate

Fifty per cent of your diet consists of raw fish

You start to make bizarre wishes at the numerous Japanese temples in each city

You totally know that you will definitely reach your destination much faster via public transport than in your own car

Coming across politically incorrect statues outside of eating establishments doesn’t seem offensive anymore

Weird stuff is just normal now

You retrieve your entire daily nutritional intake from food obtained from vending machines. Usually at the train station

You stop stalking Geishas because they don’t seem bizarre or mysterious anymore

You end up in a Japanese Onsen dead drunk!

You are always up to date with the latest technology as soon as it comes out

Reading strange terms and conditions like not placing corpses inside train station lockers don’t make you look twice anymore

Regular visits to Shinto temples become commonplace even if you’re not religious

Paying $300 a kilogram for good steak seems like good value

Wide open spaces freak you out

You think of prices in Yen only, and not dollars or Euros anymore

You start to pronounce the letter ‘l’ as the letter ‘r’… and finally

You only drink beer that has come from a vending machine!

How about you? What about your cool Japanese experiences have you had because you have been there too long? Anyway, let the world know by leaving a comment below!

Origato!