Seven years ago, my first visit to Japan - a trip to 大阪, 京都, and 北海道 - planted the seed of wanting to live in Japan one day. It was an unforgettable experience that changed the way I see the world. The meticulous attention to detail, the dedication to craftsmanship, and the seamless blend of tradition and modernity continue to inspire me.
Here are some photos I took back in 2018 on that trip:
The language also intrigued me. Japanese has a unique rhythm and musicality that I find fascinating. As an anime enthusiast, I’ve been passively learning Japanese through watching countless shows, but I’ve never had the opportunity to study it formally to have it useful enough.
Living in Japan has been one of my life goals, but life took some unexpected turns along the way. My work in programming suddenly gained recognition at the last year of my university, igniting my passion and leading me into the exciting world of Open Source, which has been filled with incredible opportunities and experiences.
After graduating from university, I was incredibly fortunate to join NUXTLABS, where I got to collaborate with amazing people and work in Open Source. This opportunity led me to move to Paris two years ago. Paris is a magnificent city, and life in Europe opened my eyes to so many new experiences - attending conferences and meetups, and meeting wonderful friends along the way. Although Europe wasn’t part of my initial plan, I’m deeply grateful for the chance to live there, as it has completely transformed my life.
The Move
It would never be enough for me to explore and discover the profound history and culture of Europe. However, down to the heart, there is also a part of me that wanted to experience more different lifestyles and see more of the world while I am still young. Thanksfully, the flexibility of my work allows me to work remotely and be in different timezones. In addition, the conferences held all over the world also made it easier for me to travel and go back to catch up with friends.
After careful consideration, I decided to take the leap and give Japan a try - checking off another item on my life’s bucket list.
So here I am.
Right on the second day I arrived, 東京 gave me an amazing welcoming surprise - a rare heavy snowfall in March!
Shortly after, the sakura season began. One of the things I love most about Tokyo is how cherry blossoms can be found almost everywhere, painting the spring with so much of romantic vibes.
It’s now my third week here, and the time has been incredibly fulfilling. Beyond setting up my apartment and getting settled, I got to see many old friends and meet quite some new ones. I attended the v-tokyo and PHP x Tokyo meetups in person, and enjoyed several 飲み会 with many nice and welcoming friends. While I’ve visited Japan for travel several times before, living here is a completely different experience with its own unique challenges.
About the language, while I am still struggling on it, the people here are so friendly and patient, surprisingly, I managed to get over many communication barriers (and knowing 漢字 from my Chinese background definitely helps a lot). I am taking a language school starting from this week, it’s interesting to back as a part-time student after so many years.
It was indeed quite overwhelming at the beginning to deal with so many things at the same time. I’m grateful for the tremendous help from many friends who made it possible for me to settle in quickly and establish a routine in this new environment.
Thanks
I am incredibly grateful to ATINUX and NUXTLABS for their unwavering support during my move, making this transition possible. Thanks to KAZUPON UBUGEEEI NOZOMUIKUTA 448JP and the entire VUEJS-JP community for their warm welcome (I might keep bothering for a while). Big thanks to PRIVATENUMBER for assisting with the logistics, SXZZ for traveling all the way from Hangzhou to help me settle in, and れいさん for helping me found this perfect apartment and managing the entire process.
Lastly, a special thanks to HANNOERU, who supported me in almost every aspect of preparing for and during this move. Without the help from him, I might still be wandering the streets right now 🤣.
Please Reach Out
I’ll usually be in between 新宿 and 秋葉原 during weekdays. If you live in Tokyo or come by to visit, please don’t hesitate to reach out! I’d love to meet and chat! I’m eager to learn more about Japan and the people here (or if you’re visiting, I’d be happy to show you around!).
You can message me on SNS, or send me an email at ohayo@antfu.me, looking forward to that! 🌸
Thanks for reading!