I have been presented with the opportunity to move to Tokyo for 2 years.
My family consists of my wife (33), my daughter (11mo) and I (36). We currently own a home in Los Angeles, but both of our families live in the Midwest. We have been discussing “life” a lot lately and what we want for our family and have considered the option of moving closer for familial support as we also think about adding another baby to the mix.
Now enter this new work opportunity. It’s for my current employer, so no concerns in having an employed route back after this fixed term. That said, I don’t know what family life for a non Japanese (American/Canadian) family looks like in Japan. My daughter wouldn’t be school age, bit are there foreigner-friendly activities she could participate in? Similar question for my wife, who has never been to Japan – are there decent support resources or communities she could participate in? What would having another child in Japan be like for a foreigner?
I also have a large dog – my first baby, if you will – an 85lb long haired German Shepherd. How would she fare? Assuming she can even enter the country, as it may become a non starter if not.
If anyone else has had a similar experience I’d be keen to connect or hear about your experience in the comments. I’m also happy to add any important missing detail that would help with context. Thanks for reading!
by z3sh1n