4 ms·

To fellow American HN people. Right now USD/JPY is around 145, and it was about 100 in 2020, which means almost 30% discount for everything! (Please note that

by warabe 4y ago

To fellow American HN people. Right now USD/JPY is around 145, and it was about 100 in 2020, which means almost 30% discount for everything! (Please note that CPI of Japan is not so high) Come to Japan, and enjoy!

TrainedMonkey 4y ago
USD/JPY purchasing power ratio change between 2020 and 2022 is even better than 30% because Japanese inflation is so low: https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/inflation-cpi https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/inflation-cpi
karaokeyoga 4y ago
… and it was below 77 in 2012, ten short years ago.
suggestion 4y ago
Any advice or resources for someone seriously considering this?
- yieldcrv 4y ago
  Just use your own bank card from a major US bank at ATMs, they dispense cash extremely close to spot rate, compared to converting at a currency exchange place. In Tokyo, hit up harajuku and omotesando for awesome fashion. I'm really curious how well those boutiques have survived (around the world hasn't been pretty over the last year). but aside from that, Tokyo is a day trip for me, the real cosmopolitan action is in Osaka.
- drderidder 4y ago
  SevenEleven ATMs generally take foreign interac debit cards if you need cash (yen). Most places accept credit cards. When given the option on the debit card machine to pay in yen or convert to USD / CAD etc always choose yen, to avoid high conversion rates charged by the processor. Allow your credit card company to convert to your home currency at a much better rate. Get a Japan Rail pass. Pack lightly and hit a Uniqlo on arrival. Call hotels to book rather than using western-based online booking platforms whose prices are a lot higher, or use Jalan.net. Remember you’re a guest in a foreign country, stay humble and be polite, it’ll get you further. Seriously, get a Japan rail pass. Get an esim for your phone upon arrival using an app like Ubigi or similar (1 month with 10gb for ~$20). Be prepared for reverse culture shock when you return home.
  - suggestion 4y ago
    This is all great and relevant advice! I have actually considering moving there, any tips with respect to that? For example could I, as a US citizen, work remotely for a US company while living in Japan indefinitely (not necessarily permanently, but at least as an option)?
    - elcamino44 4y ago
      Visas will be your challenge. Unless you’re married to a Japanese person, it will be hard for you to get a work visa without being employed by a Japanese company. Any way to try to get around that is gonna be a lot of work (and a bit of money too). However, if you wanted to take a 1 year sabbatical, you could get a job as an engineer with a Japanese company, work for a year, apply for fast track permanent residency at the end of that year (you’ll need to meet some education/income requirements), then go back to your old job remotely. There are software jobs that hire people who don’t speak Japanese.
    - drderidder 4y ago
      Basically no. But if your company has a Japanese branch and is willing to transfer you there, then maybe. But be aware that visiting Japan as a tourist vs living and working there are very different experiences, and plenty of expats burn out within a year. Visit first, maybe do the digital nomad thing for a bit.
      - suggestion 4y ago
        Thanks for the advice, visiting first would be my approach, but just trying to gather info as much as I can.
    - midoridensha 4y ago
      >For example could I, as a US citizen, work remotely for a US company while living in Japan indefinitely (not necessarily permanently, but at least as an option)? NO. You must have a work visa to live here, and you won't get that unless a Japanese company sponsors your visa. A US company can't do that for obvious reasons, unless it's a company with a Japanese branch office. The only way to do what you ask is to get permanent residence first, but that means living here for a while on a work visa or spouse visa. Also, on top of this, the US company may have issues with you living outside the US while working for them, but that'll be the case for any other country. This was discussed within the last week or so here on HN.
- cjsplat 4y ago
  The airlines frequently have extreme discounts on tourist flights - similar to rail passes you need to buy these before you arrive in Japan. As everyone has mentioned, the trains in Japan are wonderful, but if you get a tourist rail pass you might consider taking a long flight for your first leg (eg. Haneda to Hokkaido or Kyushu), then firing up the rail pass when you finish there and meander your way back on the train. As a footnote, the rail pass is also good for a large number of bus lines, ferries, etc, so don't assume that you will have to stay in city centers.
outworlder 4y ago
That's amazing. It was around 100 in 2000.
yieldcrv 4y ago
This is very useful to say! I travel a lot, other people often act like "its an efficient market" with the prices of things (groceries, consumer electronics, rent) when currencies are changing fast, but from my experience there is usually a 6-12 month delay in prices of a region changing.
bamboozled 4y ago
It's good, but it kind of sucks for locals who are competing for things like property etc already. I guess such is life? Japan, all hail your new USD bearing overlords.
- warabe 4y ago
  yes, unfortunately. From USD perspective, Japanese salary got 30% cut, which is ridiculous. it gets even worse if you take surging US CPI into consideration! Nowadays, I cannot imagine having a trip to the U.S.

by warabe 4y ago

TrainedMonkey 4y ago

USD/JPY purchasing power ratio change between 2020 and 2022 is even better than 30% because Japanese inflation is so low: https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/inflation-cpi https://tradingeconomics.com/japan/inflation-cpi

karaokeyoga 4y ago

… and it was below 77 in 2012, ten short years ago.

suggestion 4y ago

Any advice or resources for someone seriously considering this?

yieldcrv 4y ago
Just use your own bank card from a major US bank at ATMs, they dispense cash extremely close to spot rate, compared to converting at a currency exchange place. In Tokyo, hit up harajuku and omotesando for awesome fashion. I'm really curious how well those boutiques have survived (around the world hasn't been pretty over the last year). but aside from that, Tokyo is a day trip for me, the real cosmopolitan action is in Osaka.
drderidder 4y ago
SevenEleven ATMs generally take foreign interac debit cards if you need cash (yen). Most places accept credit cards. When given the option on the debit card machine to pay in yen or convert to USD / CAD etc always choose yen, to avoid high conversion rates charged by the processor. Allow your credit card company to convert to your home currency at a much better rate. Get a Japan Rail pass. Pack lightly and hit a Uniqlo on arrival. Call hotels to book rather than using western-based online booking platforms whose prices are a lot higher, or use Jalan.net. Remember you’re a guest in a foreign country, stay humble and be polite, it’ll get you further. Seriously, get a Japan rail pass. Get an esim for your phone upon arrival using an app like Ubigi or similar (1 month with 10gb for ~$20). Be prepared for reverse culture shock when you return home.
- suggestion 4y ago
  This is all great and relevant advice! I have actually considering moving there, any tips with respect to that? For example could I, as a US citizen, work remotely for a US company while living in Japan indefinitely (not necessarily permanently, but at least as an option)?
  - elcamino44 4y ago
    Visas will be your challenge. Unless you’re married to a Japanese person, it will be hard for you to get a work visa without being employed by a Japanese company. Any way to try to get around that is gonna be a lot of work (and a bit of money too). However, if you wanted to take a 1 year sabbatical, you could get a job as an engineer with a Japanese company, work for a year, apply for fast track permanent residency at the end of that year (you’ll need to meet some education/income requirements), then go back to your old job remotely. There are software jobs that hire people who don’t speak Japanese.
  - drderidder 4y ago
    Basically no. But if your company has a Japanese branch and is willing to transfer you there, then maybe. But be aware that visiting Japan as a tourist vs living and working there are very different experiences, and plenty of expats burn out within a year. Visit first, maybe do the digital nomad thing for a bit.
    - suggestion 4y ago
      Thanks for the advice, visiting first would be my approach, but just trying to gather info as much as I can.
  - midoridensha 4y ago
    >For example could I, as a US citizen, work remotely for a US company while living in Japan indefinitely (not necessarily permanently, but at least as an option)? NO. You must have a work visa to live here, and you won't get that unless a Japanese company sponsors your visa. A US company can't do that for obvious reasons, unless it's a company with a Japanese branch office. The only way to do what you ask is to get permanent residence first, but that means living here for a while on a work visa or spouse visa. Also, on top of this, the US company may have issues with you living outside the US while working for them, but that'll be the case for any other country. This was discussed within the last week or so here on HN.
cjsplat 4y ago
The airlines frequently have extreme discounts on tourist flights - similar to rail passes you need to buy these before you arrive in Japan. As everyone has mentioned, the trains in Japan are wonderful, but if you get a tourist rail pass you might consider taking a long flight for your first leg (eg. Haneda to Hokkaido or Kyushu), then firing up the rail pass when you finish there and meander your way back on the train. As a footnote, the rail pass is also good for a large number of bus lines, ferries, etc, so don't assume that you will have to stay in city centers.

outworlder 4y ago

That's amazing. It was around 100 in 2000.

yieldcrv 4y ago

This is very useful to say! I travel a lot, other people often act like "its an efficient market" with the prices of things (groceries, consumer electronics, rent) when currencies are changing fast, but from my experience there is usually a 6-12 month delay in prices of a region changing.

bamboozled 4y ago

It's good, but it kind of sucks for locals who are competing for things like property etc already. I guess such is life? Japan, all hail your new USD bearing overlords.

warabe 4y ago
yes, unfortunately. From USD perspective, Japanese salary got 30% cut, which is ridiculous. it gets even worse if you take surging US CPI into consideration! Nowadays, I cannot imagine having a trip to the U.S.