Miles from Home

Stepping into corporate life in Japan for the first time has been a quiet culture shock in the best way. After building my career in the United States, I’m now experiencing what it truly means to work inside a Japanese company, from daily meetings and office etiquette to the unspoken rules that shape workplace relationships. As I adjust to life as a “Japanese corporate girl,” I want to document the realities of working in Japan, the cultural differences between U.S. and Japanese offices, and the small moments that makes this experience uniquely meaningful.

Last time you heard from me was November, when I shared my adventure out in Himeji City and its breathtakingly beautiful castle. Since then, I’ve been settling into my role as a full-time Japanese corporate girl, learning the subtle choreography of office life in here in Japan.

To be honest, although I’ve been back and forth between Japan and the United States all my life, this is my first time truly working in Japan. The only other job I ever held here before was a convenience store position back when I was I high school. All of my professional and corporate experience has been shaped in the United States.

My working life began as an adjunct instructor of Japanese at a community college. After COVID, I entered something closer to corporate life when I joined the American branch of the Japanese company I now work for. There, I was a translator as well as an accountant, despite having absolutely no accounting experience at the time. I somehow learned on the job, as many of us do.

Now, I’ve transitioned into human resources here in Japan, and it feels like stepping into an entirely new world. There is so much to learn. Not only in terms of technical side of HR, but also in understanding Japanese labor laws, which I never really had to think about before because I had never really worked here. On top of that, I’m constantly navigating cultural expectations, communication styles, and workplace dynamics that are quite different from what I grew accustomed to in the United States.

It’s an interesting contrast because of m pervious role was within the same company, jut in the U.S. branch. You might assume that the corporate culture would feel similar, and there are certainly some shared values and familiar structures. But in reality, the day-to-day atmosphere feels quite different.

In the States, the office environment felt much closer to what one might expect from American corporate life. Conversations were casual and direct. Hierarchy existed, of course, but it felt more relaxed. Communication often prioritized efficiency and clarity over formality.

Here in Japan, however, there is a greater emphasis on harmony, structure, and awareness of one’s role within the group. Meetings carry a different rhythm. They often feel less about quickly arriving at a conclusion and more about ensuring that everyone is aligned and comfortable with the direction. Emails are more nuanced. Even the way colleagues check in with one other reflects a more careful and considerate tone.

I often find myself hesitating before speaking in group settings, still trying to understand how to voice opinions without unintentionally disrupting the balance of the room. At times, I break cultural norms without realizing it, especially when speaking with executives or senior leadership. My coworkers occasionally get nervous watching me speak a bit too directly. One of them once joked, “I don’t know how you get away with talking to executives like that.”

Perhaps my half-American, not-fully-Japanese pass shows up in time to save me.

At the same time, there is something comforting about working for the same company across who countries. Beneath the cultural differences, there is a shared foundation. The values, the goals, and some familiar faces create a quintet sense of continuity. It feels less like starting over and roe like continuing the same story in a new setting.

That continuity helps a lot, especially as I am still new to the Kansai region and slowly building a life outside of work. For now, my days revolve heavily around the office, learning not only my role in HR but also how to exist in this particular corporate ecosystem.

As I continue adjusting to my life as a corporate girl in Japan, I’m realizing how much of this experience exists in the small details. The morning meetings with the team. The careful exchanges of business cards. The unspoken understanding that develops between colleagues over time. Each day brings a new discovery, and occasionally, a small moment of confusion and frustration that eventually turns into a cultural lesson for both sides of the conversation.

In the coming months, I hope so share more about this journey. Not as an expert of corporate Japan, but as someone learning in real time. I’d also love to share more of the places I’ve been exploring along the way. Having a space to document these experiences makes this life feel a little more grounded and a lot more meaningful.

For now, I am taking it one day at a time, learning, observing, and finding my peace in this new chapter of life miles from home.