[Sangetsu]

I have no real complaints, other than the high prices for food and the lack of good pizza.

I now live in Tokyo after a couple of years living in the countryside, it is a big change, but though I miss the quiet of the country, the convenience of the city is nice.

Before moving to Japan I lived in Miami, and the difference between large cities in the US and Japan is huge. In Miami I never left home without carrying a gun (I worked for several years as a police officer), I never had to draw it, let alone fire it, but personal safety is a real issue in some US cities. Here in Japan I have never felt the need or desire to be armed.

Getting around is much different. Public transportation in America is a joke in 99% of the country, but owning a car is convenient and rather inexpensive. Here in Japan it's quite the opposite. Housewives in Japan commute to the store and such by bicycle, often carrying a kid (or two), and at most grocery stores you'll find far more bicycles parked in front of them than cars parked in the parking lot. The lack of cars is both good and bad. Without a car you need to stop by the store several times a week, whereas those with cars (such as people in America) only need to shop once a week or so.

People in Japan are polite, but they are not especially friendly. It's not as easy to have a conversation with a complete stranger in Japan as it is in America. People of Japan have peculiar networks of friends who are generally coworkers or former classmates; they have few friends outside these circles.

Americans and Europeans who come to live in Japan usually find it do be different than what they imagined. There is a honeymoon phase during which Japan seems like a wonderful place because everything is new and different. But pretty soon the phase wears away and many (maybe even most) people begin to find it tiresome. Some even grow to hate Japan after a few years of living here.

Between America and Japan, I believe America is a better place to live. America is more dynamic, with far more opportunities, there is an energy in America which doesn't seem to exist in Japan.

But, I still like living in Japan. I have built a life here of sorts, and I have found opportunities to get ahead. Entrepreneurship in Japan is not popular, and the current generation of Japanese seem interested only in a "safe" career with a large company. People in Japan are afraid to take even small risks, which leaves more opportunity for those who will. For foreigners like myself who cannot fit into the common workplace, self-employment is more or less necessary to find success, and there are many such opportunities here. You just need to bring some money, some motivation, and a little intelligence and you'll do okay.