Table of Contents — Click any section to jump ahead. Why I came in the first place. What is it like to live in Japan? Is it a good idea to live in Japan? Is Japan expensive? What are Japanese taxes like? Is living in Japan hard? Can I live in Japan without Japanese? Is it hard finding housing in Japan? What is Japanese work culture like for foreigners? What are the pros and cons of living in Japan? Final Thoughts Why I came in the first place. I was born and raised in Southern California to Syrian immigrant parents. As someone who grew up Arab and Muslim in post-9/11 America, I know what it feels like to live in a constant state of apology for what people who shared my identity did to the U.S. It was never-ending suspicion, and a desperate attempt to prove I was as American as everyone else. After graduating college, I found myself stuck with the question of what to do next. I’d landed a job in tech support for a security camera manufactu...