What Really Happens When International Students Land in Japan

What is life as a student actually like in Japan? Quiet, enlightening, and (sometimes) hectic, say students

When GLOBIS MBA student Hannah Enriquez arrived in Tokyo from the Philippines, her first impression was how quiet the city felt. Back home, traffic and street noise were constant. In Japan—even in the middle of a bustling neighborhood—she noticed the hush that comes not from emptiness but from collective restraint.

Speaking about her experience on the GLOBIS Stories podcast, she said the difference struck her most in her shared house. In Manila, she would play music freely. In Tokyo, she learned that silence in a common room usually means it should stay that way. Nobody told her this directly—few people would—but she quickly understood the rule. It was her introduction to kūki wo yomu, “reading the air”, the unspoken awareness that keeps Japanese social life running smoothly.

For many international students, such moments mark the real beginning of life in Japan: subtle lessons in culture, rhythm, and restraint that shape how they live and study.

From anime to ramen bars

Every student arrives with a different story, but many begin with pop culture. For Hannah, childhood afternoons watching Naruto left her dreaming of sitting at a ramen counter in Japan. When she finally moved, she avoided the big chains and instead explored small ramen shops, discovering regional flavors and her favorite shio (salt-based) ramen.

Canadian student Ahmed Abdi also traced his curiosity to childhood—first through Dragon Ball Z and later through Japanese video games. That fascination became serious study. He mastered the language to the highest JLPT level, spent a month in Japan, and decided to build a life there. His goal was not only to work but to belong.

Beyond culture: A career pivot

For others, Japan represents a career turning point. After years in the US, Taiwanese alumna Christina Tell wanted to return to Asia to explore new markets and opportunities. Vivian Wang from China was drawn to Tokyo’s scale and international energy, describing it as an exciting place to live and work, while her classmate Junjie Wang saw Japan as a society where persistence and effort could genuinely shape one’s future.

What unites these students is a shared curiosity about how Japan works—not just as a culture, but as a system of efficiency and restraint. That same curiosity often leads them into Japan’s business schools, where they can observe the country’s distinctive management philosophies up close.

What draws business students to Japan

While some come for culture, others come for economics. Indian MBA student Absar Ul Haq wanted to understand how a small, resource-poor nation could become one of the world’s largest economies. What intrigued him was not only Japan’s success but the mindset behind it.

Many MBA students share that goal. Rather than studying global management in the abstract, they come to Japan to examine its distinctive approach to organization, decision-making, and long-term planning.

At GLOBIS, that learning environment is international—often with more than a dozen nationalities per class—and built on case studies that translate directly to practice. Students say the emphasis is less on textbook definitions and more on application: discussing business dilemmas today that they can test at work tomorrow.

Christina appreciated that pragmatic structure. During her final term, she interned at Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Company, which offered her a full-time position soon after graduation. Three years later, she remains with the firm, managing overseas warranties.

For many, Japan’s corporate philosophies—monozukuri (craftsmanship), kaizen (continuous improvement), and kaikaku (strategic reform)—serve as living case studies. The lessons extend beyond management to a broader sense of purpose: omotenashi (thoughtful hospitality), ikigai (reason for being), and kokorozashi (aligning personal ambition with social good). Together, they define how work, service, and meaning intertwine in Japanese life.

Learning through immersion

Not every journey begins in a classroom. For international students who arrive without Japanese language skills, the first step toward a career can mean entering Japan’s workforce at its most fundamental level. Whether the initial spark comes from anime, ambition, or adventure, all students soon discover that success in Japan requires immersion.

Korean alumnus Kim Jinsung arrived unable to speak Japanese and took a ground-staff position at Kansai Airport. The work was repetitive and demanding, but it gave him total exposure to the language and to Japan’s expectations of service—precision, courtesy, and empathy for customers. Two years later, fluent and confident, he pivoted into a sales role in the semiconductor and chemical industries. His story illustrates the practical path many newcomers take: using front-line service work as a bridge from survival to specialization.

Such experiences reinforce a broader lesson—Japan rewards effort and consistency. Mastery, in any field, often starts with humility.

The financial and logistical reality

Studying in Japan also means navigating practical realities—finances, paperwork, and adaptation. According to official data, international students spend around ¥105,000 a month on living expenses, including rent and food. Tokyo is pricier, but the weaker yen has recently eased costs for those bringing foreign currency.

This gap is often bridged by part-time work. Students on valid visas can work up to 28 hours weekly, earning around per hour. Most combine this with scholarships or family support. Tuition fees at public universities, typically ¥720,000–1,620,000 per year, remain well below Western equivalents, making Japan unexpectedly affordable for higher education.

Japan’s famed infrastructure makes the rhythm of daily life a rehearsed breeze. The trains are punctual; public safety ranks among the best in the world. Students routinely walk home alone late at night. Convenience stores serve affordable meals and essential services 24/7. Between meticulously clean public spaces, reliable internet, and orderly bureaucracy, much of Japan functions with a characteristic quiet precision.

Where it gets complicated

Still, even the best systems can overwhelm newcomers. Housing is one example. Affordable short-term rentals are limited, and traditional leases often demand guarantors, deposits, and agency fees. Basic paperwork—from residence registration to health insurance—requires multiple in-person visits and stamps.

Ahmed found that even with advanced Japanese skills, the bureaucracy could be daunting. Language proficiency made a major difference in reducing friction—whether renting an apartment, opening an account, or joining local events. Those without fluency face steeper challenges, especially in healthcare or job searches, where context matters as much as vocabulary.

Social integration takes time. Japanese peers are kind but cautious, and friendships deepen slowly. Formal clubs and study groups run on unspoken rules, where learning when to speak, when to listen, and when to exchange small gifts can make all the difference.

Students also adjust to smaller contradictions: a society that embraces contactless payments yet still demands personal seals; a modern workplace that values handwritten forms; an economy driven by innovation yet guided by consensus.

What compounds over time

Over time, these adjustments become second nature. Students who once hesitated to speak grow fluent in reading cultural nuance. They learn punctuality not as formality but as respect and see how consistency and humility can build credibility.

Japan rewards attentiveness. Those who master its subtleties— the discipline of listening before acting, and observing before deciding—carry these habits into their global careers. The same qualities that sustain Japan’s social harmony and business discipline become the soft skills that set its graduates apart.

Living and studying in Japan is rarely easy, but it is deeply formative. It teaches restraint, awareness, and patience—the art of reading the air that Hannah first encountered in her quiet Tokyo apartment. What begins as cultural difference becomes a lifelong advantage: the ability to sense what others need, even when no one says a word.