August 2025 (VOL.213)
AL-X (Alex)
- Home country/city: Half-French, half-Moroccan
- Occupation: Pole dancer/translator/make-up artist
- Duration of living in Japan: 11 years
- Why do you live in Japan?: Japan gave me opportunities that France would have never give me.
Why have you decided to live in Japan?
I studied Japanese language at university and after graduating, I decided to relocate to Japan with a Working Holiday Visa. From there, I gained several work experiences in corporate before starting my own business as a freelancer.
What do you do in Japan?
Can you talk about your job in Japan?
It’s complicated because I have several jobs. My daytime job is translating games. I have worked on several Japanese games such as Ace Attorney 6, Needy Streamer Overload or Ib.
My night job is pole dancing. I fell in love with pole dance 6 years ago and upon advice of my two wonderful teachers, I decided last year to go on the pro road with competitions. I won 3rd place in my first international competition in Taiwan this year. I also perform shows monthly in several bars/events.
I learned make-up artistry during COVID; now, I occasionally work as a make-up artist, primarily for films.
How do you think about working in Japan?
If we are talking about corporate, Japan makes no difference as any other country. For me, working in a corporation is like being stuck in the matrix, slavering yourself to enrich your hierarchy, and not be able to live on your own terms. That’s why I’ve become freelance and surprisingly, Japan has offered me a range of opportunities whether it comes to translation, dance or make-up.
What is the distinctive difference between pole dance in France and pole dance in Japan?
There are three kinds of pole: pole art/pole sport (acrobatic)/“exotic” pole. I don’t have much experience of pole dance in France, but from what I’ve seen, it seems more focused on pole art more than “exotic” pole, which is not a bad thing, unless it is to promote a “clean version” from the “exotic” style.
What do you appreciate most about Japanese culture?
I won’t lie. What I like the most is the Japanese subculture and Japanese underground culture. And when I say “underground culture”, I am not talking about yakuza, but about people who decided to live “differently” from the main crowd. From dancers to DJs, musicians, painters, designers, tattoo artists, drifters etc. I am talking about all those people who live an alternative life.
What do you find different about living in Japan over the term compared when you first arrived or come as a tourist?
I was like any other tourist saying “Oh I want to see temples, I want to see cherry blossoms, I want to eat Japanese food…”
Now that I actually live with Japanese people, I am starting to think about some topics, and I am wondering what can I do as a resident to support the Japanese who make positive changes in their society.
What parts of Japanese culture do you recommend that foreign people try to experience?
I recommend an “alternative” experience : a pole dance/burlesque/dragqueen show, a concert, a drift race.
For people more into traditional culture, I recommend a taiko lesson. I played taiko for 5 years and it was an amazing experience! I even played in a big matsuri in Nagaoka.
Were you hesitant to relocate to Japan?
Not at all. That was my dream as a student, and I was willing to do anything to make it happen.
I am very aware that my life seems to go every which way, but my philosophy is to live without any regrets because, you know, life is not a video game, we cannot respawn at the last checkpoint.
What is your dream?
My dream is to grow as a professional pole dancer, find my own style, and someday teaching the discipline and/or give workshops.
I am not sure I can build my own studio as I have absolutely zero entrepreneurial spirit, but I would be interested into helping develop a studio.
My other dream is to open a shelter for dogs (and shutting down pet shops).
Writer: Minobu Kondo
Photojournalist in Tokyo, writing for Japanese and American magazines. Publishing an essay “101 of green stories” with the other Japanese artists such as Kosetsu Minami. Languages: Japanese, English and French.
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