We thought Japan would be forever. We were wrong.

After moving from Canada 🇨🇦 to Japan 🇯🇵, our family genuinely believed it could become our forever home.... But after actually living in Japan, we made the difficult decision to leave ✈️ In this video, I share the five biggest reasons Japan wasn't the right long-term fit for our family. This isn't a criticism of Japan - far from it! Japan is one of the most incredible countries we've ever experienced. But living somewhere is very different from visiting, and this video is an honest reflection on what we learned while trying to build a life here. Whether you're considering moving to Japan, already living in Japan as an expat, or you're simply curious about what daily life is really like beyond the travel videos, I hope our experience gives you another perspective. In this video I discuss... The reality of the Japanese language barrier Why Japan's structured systems became challenging for us Building friendships and community in Japan Raising young children and family life in Japan The challenges of limited living space I'd love to hear from you... Have you ever lived in Japan? Are you thinking about moving to Japan? What has your experience been like? Leave a comment below - I read every one 😀 ////Video Chapters//// 0:00 - Setting the Scene 1:20 - Disclaimer 1:40 - Why did we move to Japan? 2:50 - Business Manager Visa Changes 4:03 - Lost in Translation (REASON 1) 6:00 - Rigid Culture (REASON 2) 7:57 - Hidden Walls (REASON 3) 10:32 - Too Small (REASON 4) 12:50 - Life Didn't Fit (REASON 5) 14:14 - Outro