Why Japan?
Japan is the best value destination for digital nomads. Full stop.
Explore Key Stats
Check out this map to see some high-level information about living in Japan. More details are available below.
Transportation
Cheap trains in the city so there’s no need for a car.
Dining Out
No tipping! Ramen is usually under $10.
Rent
$1.5K/mo for nice 1BR in Tokyo
Healthcare
Public insurance, lower service costs, high quality care
Having Kids
Free birth, free preschool, free healthcare 0-15
Real Estate
Real estate is so affordable, it’s sometimes free!
World Class Quality of Life that Costs Less
Swipe to explore all the categories.
Cost of Living
Healthcare
Having Kids
Food
Access
Public Safety
Relocation Destination Options
Business Opportunities
Tourism & Culture
Cost of Living
- Real Estate: less than $100K for an empty house (akiya)
- Mortgage rates: still comparatively low (around 3%)
- Rent: $1.5K/mo for a nice 1BR near central Tokyo
- Dining: No tip! Lunch is usually less than $10
- Exchange rate: currently great for foreign currency holders!
- Transportation: no need for a car in the city
Healthcare
- Public insurance: premiums tied to local income, 30% coinsurance
- Healthcare costs: standard trip to the doctor with antibiotics is about $50 w/o insurance
- Preventative medicine: unique world class screening for prevention of major illnesses
- Exercise culture: public parks, workout groups, less driving
- Healthy food: Japanese food is healthier and has smaller portions than Western food
Having Kids
- Invitro: covered by Japanese public health insurance
- Childbirth: subsidized and in most cases ends up with zero cost to the family
- Pediatric healthcare: free until age 15
- Preschool: free public options
- Primary school: free highly rated public schools, expensive high quality private international schools
Food
- Japanese food: cuisine honed over thousands of years - not just sushi
- International food: Tokyo has more michelin stars than any other city in the world
- Street food: Ramen, pot stickers, okonomiyaki, takoyaki
Access
- International: Tokyo has two of the best airports in the world HND and NRT
- Regional: Japan is a major hub in Asia with quick access to China, Taiwan, S. Korea and more
- Domestic: unparalleled fast rail access to nearly everywhere in the country, web of low cost domestic flights
Public Safety
- Crime: very low throughout the country
- Gun violence: almost non-existent (save for very determined home-made gun makers…)
- Politics: stable and boring
- Religion: minimal radical religious movements
- War: no active military, minor saber rattling with neighbors
- Natural disasters: prone to earthquakes and typhoons but top-notch emergency response systems
- Queuing: People respect the queue
- Traffic: Less driving = less chance for accidents
Relocation Destination Options
- Megacities: Kanto (Tokyo), Kansai (Osaka) - huge cities, districts, and suburbs with everything you’d ever need
- Regional Hubs: Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sapporo, etc. - Cheaper, slower pace, but still very connected. Get your everyday city needs met and have quick access to rural areas or the mega cities.
- Small interesting cities: Kagoshima, Kanazawa, Nagasaki, Matsue, etc. - Explore a more remote part of Japan while having most of the comforts of a city.
- Inaka (rural Japan): too many to list - If you work remotely, why not? People are friendly, the air is clear, nature is beautiful, and the houses extremely cheap (sometimes free if you promise to live in it and fix it up)
- Diverse climate options: tropical beaches, snowy wonderlands, temperate cities, mountainous highlands
Business Opportunities
- Globally recognized companies: Toyota, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Nintendo, Hitachi, Canon, and more
- Push for internationalization: Tokyo 2020 Olympics kick started renewed drive for international innovation and investment
- IT: AI, IoT, edge computing, cloud etc are all being invested in and explored
- E-commerce: robust ecosystem including Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo!
- Tourism: There’s so much to explore in Japan. Pick your niche and monetize your passion
- Real estate: domestic prices are very low, commercial is constantly active
- Gaming/manga/anime: undisputed global hub
- Food: Japanese are always searching for the next unique taste whether in the supermarket or restaurant. Shake Shack had a line hours long when it first opened
Tourism & Culture
- Japanese traditional culture: Whether just exploring or getting immersed, there is a LOT to discover! Whether it is tea ceremony, Buddhist temples, geisha, calligraphy, kimono, or another rich tradition, you’ll have more opportunity to grasp the beauty if you give it more time.
- Traditional tourism: Kyoto, Kanazawa, Matsue, Nikko and more. Thousands of years of history at your fingertips. These locations are better explored over years than just a few days.
- Natural wonders: despite being known for Tokyo and Osaka, Japan is mostly mountainous and has pristine natural beauty.
- Urban pop culture: cat cafes, maid cafes, robot cafes, live fishing cafes, manga cafes, game centers, cosplay, acid jazz, baby metal, the list goes on. There are a lot of unique (or weird) things to explore in the city
- Sports: skiing, fishing, marathoning, surfing, golf, archery, soccer, karate, kendo, and more. Japan has almost every kind of sport you could possibly think of and more. There are groups of people who are REALLY into each one.
- Regional sightseeing: Japan is so much more than Tokyo and Kyoto. Hop on the train and spend a weekend in a place you’ve never heard of. Chances are you’ll have a great time!
Want to Learn More?
View the Action Plan to see next steps and get started right today!