Our family moved to Japan after 8 years of careful planning — but there are still things I wish we'd done before we left
A family shares their experience of moving from New Zealand to Japan, noting that while they planned the logistics well, they lacked preparation for the realities of daily life. The author suggests that prospective expats should spend more time exploring diverse residential neighborhoods and building social networks before committing to a permanent move.
Why it matters
Provides practical, human-centric advice for the growing demographic of international remote workers and expatriates planning long-term relocation.
From staying in residential neighborhoods to building a social network before landing, there are things I wish I had done differently before moving to Japan. Kerri King I moved my family from New Zealand to Japan in 2023, after almost a decade of careful planning. We perfected logistics on paper but spent too little time preparing for the reality of daily life. Before moving, I wish we'd tested out residential neighborhoods and built a social network . We spent eight years planning our move to Japan . On paper, we had it covered: visas, schools, finances, healthcare, and even a grasp of the local language. While we mapped out every logistical detail before leaving New Zealand, I now realize our preparation focused entirely on getting here smoothly, rather than the realities of actually living here.
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