My First Day In Tokyo

For context, I went on a Working Holiday trip to Japan in March 2025 at 19 years old.

What originally was a 6-month trip about integrating into Japanese society became a two-month trip solo travelling.

In retrospect, I could have done better to prep my Japanese language abilities before making the move. But, I am glad that I made the decision to travel solo while in my youth.

But, I do intend to make an official post about my whole experience and the lessons I learnt from it.

For now, the following is a written reflection from an overthinking 19-year old at the common lobby of a Japanese Youth Hostel.

Enjoy.

12-03-2025

I'm currently writing in a hostel. And I feel as though I cannot communicate my true feelings as I feel as though I am being watched. No matter I suppose.

On my official first day in Japan, I went to Shinjuku to get more long sleeve clothes for their Spring.

For a good part of the day, from 8.30am - 2pm I kept walking. An idea by a few philosophers: Seneca, Aristotle and Hippocrates.

Something about walking that helps with man's golden mean. The thing I was grappling with was not having a job, or at least a stream of income for this trip.

For more context, I didn't have an access to internet until getting back to the hostel at around 12pm. I was smart enough to know to screenshot my station that I needed to go, and the line I had return on.

My mother had us call regarding putting our desires and needs into God's hands. One way of doing this is by being present and not overthinking. The curse of the deep thinker, huh?

I kept trying to find a place where I wanted to do my editing work that WASN'T the hostel. Why? I had this preconceived idea that I must stay at my home base, that I should be outside all the time. I did bring my laptop bag with me.

I'm realising with the trip is that I'm in Japan to change the scenery of my work. It's in fact fine to want to stay at home base and do work.

Throughout my whole walk, something kept agitating me.

What's the plan of getting a job? Especially when my Japanese abilities are not native?

LinkedIn reach-outs to companies that are open to hiring people with English abilities.

I know what is necessary to get what I want. It's probably the fact that I want to do it in a foreign land is to not give myself any way out of it. Either you sink or swim.

Although I've been told to just enjoy and take in the scenery, I can't if business has not been taken care of.

Changing my environment even now, I more comfortable writing this without music playing in my ear buds and just being present with the writing.

I have content scheduled until the 13th of April. You just can't stop.

Then I'm getting second thoughts slowly creeping the back of my mind. Well, it has taken moving to another continent to get out of my comfort zone. Then in the airport back in Cairns I was listening to Andrew Schulz saying how the greatest comics and standup comedians come from New York City.

He makes the point that you go to that city not to live and raise a family. You're there to try and make it and become the best. I can sort of see the parallels of that statement to living in Japan/Tokyo.

The other feeling is having to share rooms with people. Now, I've caught myself in thought. Will it be better if I have a one person apartment? It's more dependent on the job.

Will I grow more here, or in Australia?

Back at home is easy. Here I feel as though I have to grow as a person which is not comfortable at all. You're sitting with this feeling of not wanting to fail, however failure is the prerequisite for success. It probably doesn't help you live in a society that sort of frowns upon failure to a degree.

Then I think that getting a job isn't going to fall into my lap per se.

Do I find Japan as this place that is the holy grail for any foreigner?

No. I hat feeling like a tourist. Then I think my Japanese abilities can always be better. Better compared to what, nativity?

Then I think, is it worth to go to a language school? Well, will it help with the original problem of not having a job?

I'm remembering why when we look at the bottom of the barrel that is reaching out to people/applying for jobs is...

We do not want our efforts to be wasted. And I keep forgetting this, when we do the work, we are not working for an outcome, we are working so we become better because of it.

The work works on you, more than you work on it.

All labour has fruits.

Why do we not want our efforts to be wasted? Like, think about it, what else would the efforts be put towards? What else should I be doing? If applying for the job brings me one step forward, then so be it.

Did I do it too early?

I was reading 80,000 hours, a non for profit organisation helping careerists with choosing a career. They mentioned in the beginning of your career, you're more about building career capital.

Or being in Japan the final kick in the arse that I needed to get started with video freelancing.

Then I'm being told by my parents to take it all in. To not have expectations that should bring to this experience.

That's where I think I went wrong. Having expectations from experience. That is how you ruin experience.

But is there anything wrong in having a goal?

No. How about the goal be,

"Make the most out of the six months through experience rather than career capital."