Making It Big in Japan

Stories, Lessons and Advice from Expats Living the Dream

De: Misha Yurchenko

Narrado por: Spencer Dillehay

Making It Big in Japan is your ultimate guide to living, working, and playing in Japan. The information you get about Japan from reading articles online in English only scratches the surface. Like an outdated textbook, the advice seems to be stuck in the 1980s without reflecting the real pace of change in Japan. There is a need for more clarity and explanations of information that is often only available in Japanese.

To fill this gap, I have interviewed the people who influenced me, served as role models, or offered valuable perspectives along my seven-year journey in Japan to share their knowledge to all those interested in living and working in Japan. I hope this audiobook will answer all the questions I had before landing in the country.

We’ll cover finding work beyond English teaching, setting up a business, learning the language, navigating complicated and frustrating visa processes, understanding the hierarchical culture of Japanese workplaces, mastering the do’s and don'ts of dating in Japan, scaling career progression, and much more.

In the audiobook, you’ll get answers to questions like:

• How do I get a visa?
• How do I get a job in Japan?
• What is the best way to learn Japanese?
• What non-English teaching jobs can I get?
• How do I transition out of English teaching to something else?
• What kind of career can I have as a foreigner in Japan?
• What are the best, foreigner-friendly companies to work for in Japan?
• How do I start my own business and is Japan entrepreneur-friendly?
• How can I be a freelancer or consultant?
• As a foreign woman, what do I have to watch out for?
• What is it like being the only Black employee in a Japanese company?
• What are the best networking techniques in Japan?
• Can I actually have a decent work-life balance?
• Do I seriously need to get a hanko?
• What’s the secret to making Japanese friends?
• How do I still have fun in Tokyo on a shoestring budget?
• Where are the best bars and clubs?
• What are the best tips for dating in Japan, especially when you don’t speak Japanese?
• What’s the best way to travel and discover Japan?
• What are the biggest secrets about doing business in Japan?
• What should I do if I get fired in Japan?
• Is full-time employment my best bet? What other contract types can I consider?
• What about raising kids in Japan?
• What happens if I get stopped by the police?
• How do I invest in Japanese real estate?
• How can I position myself to obtain a long-term visa and settle down?

And much more!

These burning questions, which are answered through over 30 in-depth interviews, shed a new light on what it's like to live and work in Japan. Many of the interviewees came here to teach English, while others took completely different routes—setting up their own companies, sales, marketing, translating, programming, manufacturing, service jobs, YouTubing, freelancing, or studying. Included are details about the series of events that led them here and the practical steps they took on their paths to success.

©2020 Misha Yurchenko (P)2022 Misha Yurchenko