From the famous Shibuya to the Kichijoji neighborhood, Tokyo seems an ideal place to live in Japan. It has one of the best public transportation systems in the country, if not in the world. In addition, although the living cost in Tokyo might be one of the highest across the globe, they pay you decently if you get a chance to work there.
In this post, I want to share some ways to enrich your life around Tokyo… Plus, I also want to elaborate on how to maintain your quality of living in the capital city even though it's one of the busiest capital in the world.
So, how can we enrich our experience of living in Tokyo?
1. Maximize your way to explore the city by train.
Trains and subways are the most popular public transportation to use in Tokyo for a lot of reasons. Not only because using trains in Japan is affordable compared to other public transportation options, they're also quite convenient despite the relatively low price. In addition to that, you can easily explore the city by train or subway around the city.
After all, Tokyo is a big city. And while it's probably easy to decide which major spots you want to visit as a tourist, exploring the lesser-known area in Tokyo can be exciting if you get a chance to live there for a while.
Hop on a train or subway in the nearest station, and stop by the station that you've never been to before, and explore the neighborhood.
That way, you get a chance to experience Tokyo beyond the famous touristic area. Even better, because there are plenty of ways to immerse the local life in Tokyo on the budget!
2. Join the guided tour to experience college life around a university campus.
It's not a secret that Japan has one of the best education systems in the world. In addition to that, Japan is considered one of the best-educated populations globally, making Tokyo a great choice if you're planning to continue your study.
If that's the case, spare some time to experience college life on campuses around the capital city. One of them is the University of Tokyo that offers some guided tours around their campus.
Not only can you check the college life and everything related to the educational system there, but you can also enjoy the historical spots as the area was once the Main Residence of the Maeda Clan of the Kaga Domain during the Edo period.
If you want to jump into some campus activities in the university in Tokyo, it's also worth checking out some of their short programs to see if there's anything suitable to your interest and expertise.
Source: Unsplash.
3. Apply for some internship opportunities to experience the working culture in Japan.
It might take a lot of effort and adjustments when you're interested in working overseas. One way to avoid culture shock is by doing an internship to see if you can fit in the working culture.
There are many opportunities for internships in Tokyo that you can consider to see how the working culture would be like and whether it's suitable for you in the long term.
Just like everywhere else in the world, you might discover some surprising differences when you experience the work culture in Japan firsthand. But is it suitable for you to maintain a work-and-life balance in the future? You'll be the one who knows the answer.
4. Treat yourself with some delicious go-to snacks at the nearby convenience store.
Knowns as konbini, there are more than 50,000 convenience stores across Japan. Some of them even expand their business overseas, and that's why you can find stores like Seven Eleven or Family Mart somewhere outside Japan.
While the living cost in Tokyo can be relatively expensive compared to other capital cities in Asia, the existence of convenience stores can make it more bearable as it offers not only affordable go-to snacks (and even meals!), but also various choices to pick for your tastebuds!
Whether you want to get some light snacks like onigiri or yakitori, or you want to get some bento set… Rest assured, you can get one at the konbini nearby!
If you have friends or loved ones who live outside Japan but want a taste of that konbini life, you can send them Japanese snacks in a box! This way, they can enjoy different tasty snacks and get a glimpse of Japanese culture.
Source: Unsplash.
5. Don't miss the local farmer's market in Tokyo!
Tokyo is a haven for fresh fruits, veggies, and other farm products. Consider yourself lucky if you get a chance to live in Tokyo, because you'll get a wide range of options for fresh products that are often way cheaper than supermarkets!
There are some farmer's markets that you can consider visiting to immerse the local life, from one at the United Nations University (UNU) to one at Yoyogi Pak, usually held once a month.
So, you'll never run out of ways to enrich your experience of living in Tokyo… Which way do you like best? Share in the comment below, and cheerio! 😉
