I LIVE IN JAPAN / Billy Matsunaga / Kimono Teacher and Stylist

What do you do in Japan?

What do you think about working or studying in Japan?

I’ve never worked in Germany, so I don’t really know the differences to be able to build an opinion about working in Japan.  However, I think you have to naturally fit in.  Of course, there will be always aspects of culture or common opinions in Japan you don’t agree with.  If those are getting too much and it feels restrictive, living and working here can be a real struggle.  In the end, the pros have to overweigh the cons.  But I think that this idea is not limited to Japan and speaks for living in any country on this planet – including our home countries.

What is the distinctive difference between your country’s lifestyle and Japan’s lifestyle?

I feel that in Germany we have a more laid-back and relaxed lifestyle.  Just thinking about how on Sundays all stores and shopping malls are closed, which means the city centers are almost empty.  In Japan, it’s always busy.  Not only in the cities where most stores are open throughout the week, but even when you live in the Japanese countryside – like I do – the neighbors are always busy and always doing something.  I’ve adapted this into my lifestyle too, and I enjoy it very much.  When I visit my family and Germany, I find the calm Sundays very weird.

What do you appreciate most about Japanese culture?

Obviously, kimonos.  I like Japanese daily fashion in general.  It’s interesting to watch how the people on the streets dress according to the season.  You see different colors and different textures of textiles as soon as the seasons are about to change.  I deeply believe that this is a fragment of when Japanese people used to wear kimonos every day.  Kimono has this deep understanding of colors and textiles for the seasons and dressing accordingly.  I love that this way of styling seemingly has survived in the Japanese mind.  After living here for a while, you catch yourself pulling out an autumn-colored wool knit in September, even though it’s still hot outside.  But it’s supposed to be autumn, so you want to give yourself that autumn feeling like all the people around you (laughs)!

Which places in Japan do you recommend that foreigners see?

The island Kyushu (九州) is one of the best places in Japan.  You could spend 2 weeks there and still haven’t seen everything.  It’s believed that Kyushu was home to the earliest population on the Japanese archipelago, but it also played a big role in the Edo period (1603-1868) and the modernization of Japan during the Meiji Restoration (1868-1889).  So, this island has a lot to show and teach about Japanese history and culture.  But I very much recommend visiting any other parts of Japan too, so you can see the difference in culture, food, language and fashion in every area and island of Japan.