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 | 382 | Founded | 5 years ago | Last Issue | 6 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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realgaijin.substack.comLatest Issues
The Corporate Paddy: Japan’s Industrial Giants are Seizing the Rice Bowl
TL;DR
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Major non-agricultural corporations like Watami and Iris Ohyama are transitioning from selling rice to owning the entire production cycle, from planting to harvesting.
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This shift transforms Japanese agriculture from a p...
Launch of the Real Gaijin QOL Index
TL;DR
- Real Gaijin has launched the Real Gaijin QOL (Quality of Life) Index1, which is an attempt to distill the entire experience of living in Japan as a foreigner down to a single number. As of 2026, the normalized composite rati...
The Death of the "Perfect" Selfie: Why Japan’s Workforce Is Accidentally Leaking State Secrets
TL;DR
- Japan’s Gen Z is embracing “unedited” social platforms like BeReal, a photo-sharing app focused on spontaneity. These platforms are powered by accessories like the Insta360 Snap Selfie Screen (Insta360 Snap 自撮りモニター) that mak...
Time Slip to Takegawara Onsen: The Ultimate Beppu Hot Spring Experience
Main entrance to the Takegawara Onsen, the oldest hot spring in Beppu (image sourced from Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR:
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Take a trip back in time, and get clean while you’re at it.
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Experience history while being “buried alive” in hot...
The Entrepreneurial Iron Curtain: Why Japan’s New Visa Laws Are Crushing Innovation from Abroad
Would-be start-up founders from overseas are now less likely to risk setting up a business in Japan (original AI-generated image by author Mark Kennedy)
TL;DR
- From October 2025 to the end of the first quarter of this year1, there...
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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.
Founder of ReDelta, an M&A advisory firm bridging Japan and overseas. I write about what's really happening inside Japan's economy, business culture, and startup ecosystem — for global readers who want more than headlines.
Founder of Ambiki, former CTO of Sidekick Therapy Partners, and author of The Problem-First Method. My work has spanned banking, teaching in Japan, translation tech, and healthcare software, all focused on solving messy workflow problems.
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