Unveiling the Real Japan: An American Expat's Inside Look | Hot takes, commentary, and unfiltered insights on life as a foreigner in Japan.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 405 | Founded | 6 years ago | Last Issue | 7 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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realgaijin.substack.comLatest Issues
Japan’s New Micro-Taxis: Can Pocket-Sized Cars Save Rural Transit?
You may not see this scene in Japan’s countryside for a while, but it’s not that far-fetched (original AI-generated image by author Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR
- Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) offici...
AMA Podcast (S-02, E-21) with Arie Meir, PhD, x-Google product leader and computer scientist on leaving the corporate world and career reinvention
What happens when someone leaves a successful career at one of the world’s most acclaimed tech companies to trade a major city for a quieter life in the countryside, leveraging their experience to develop the next stage of their career and...
Japan's 2025 Comprehensive Survey of Household Living Conditions: The Top 10 Most Surprising Findings
TL;DR
- On July 15, 2026, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor & Welfare (MHLW) released its 2025 Comprehensive Survey of Household Living Conditions, which details structural shifts in household composition, income distribution,...
AMA Podcast (S-02, E-20) with Terrie Lloyd, Founder, CEO at Akiya 2.0 Inc, J@pan Inc Holdings KK, MetroWorks KK, Japan Travel KK, and Toursoft Pte Ltd
Have you ever wondered what it takes to build, scale, and successfully exit multiple businesses in one of the world’s most unique and tightly knit corporate landscapes? In this special interactive episode, Real Gaijin1 was joined by a legen...
Tokyo Rents Hit Record Highs: What It Means for Foreign Residents
If you’re just starting out in Japan’s capital, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a reasonably priced studio apartment (original AI-generated image by author Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR
- Rents for studio apartments in Tokyo hit...
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Mark, a Chicago native, spent nearly three decades navigating the corporate world of Tokyo. But in a bold move, he ditched the suit and tie in his early fifties, seeking a simpler life in the heart of Japan's countryside on the island of Kyushu.
Australian-Kiwi serial entrepreneur based in Tokyo, Japan for 44 years
I'm a historian with a lifelong fascination for the smaller stories of world history. How did ordinary people experience the great (and small) events of history? In this feed, I focus on Japanese history from the bottom up.
Apple Design Awards Winner | Sr Product Designer @ Speechify | MBA | Software Engineer | 3× TEDx Speaker
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