The Osakan Onset

HFM Goes Global resumes predawn on Maui for a marathon day of travel to Japan.

When I think about my trip to Japan, I hope that the fatigue inducing day that brought me across the Pacific fades from memory. Three flights booked apart on one day, delays, and extra baggage fees; all together they were too much for this weary wanderer’s head. My dawn flight was uneventful from Maui to Honolulu, but required me waking up way too early for my main travel that was subsequently delayed. Flying from Honolulu to Japan was chill and undersold, allowing me a moment’s microsleep and some extra stretching room. The budget flight, ZipAir, really cut amenities to zero there, without even water as a freebie. Fortunately, I only needed my personal bottle and was quite full from an Impossible Whopper in the Honolulu food court.

Trying to get my bearings for the first time in Japan wasn’t too bad, all things considered. Trudging through covid checks, finding my terminal for a domestic flight, and security a third time all worked out. I swapped my plans from beginning in Tokyo to Osaka for this trip, thus this extra bit of struggle. Anyway, I got in my place at about 11 PM Japan time, which was analogous to when I awoke Hawaii five hours ahead, marking roughly 24 hours of travel. Then the cherry on the icing was signing on at 3 AM to start working on Asia time. A mistake it was not to take that night off as PTO to adjust, assuredly.

While I’m on the topic of work, I’ve switched my hours to be available from 11PM-3AM for East Coast interfacing, hoping to channel the night owl vibe I sometimes do as a gamer or functional insomniac. A month later, that’s where they remain. I’m so grateful for my job allowing me to be abroad, and to give me the other half of the workday to address on my time. It’s truly a modern marvel. Yet, I can’t deny working overnight has been punishing on my psyche and sleep, though it’s definitely improved since the first week and might be stabilizing to a healthy daily amount. If I wasn’t so stubborn on remaining in Asia for now, I’d probably keep the difference to +/- 8 hours. It’ll just be a constant I set my rhythm and plan life around whilst I’m out here.

How about what I got up to on those early days? Foremostly, I savored the early Spring weather, it’s been a wee bit chillier than Arizona or Hawaii, with days not often breaching the 70’s and cool nights. It came with the enchantment of the cherry blossoms (sakura) upon the trees, and a mood of revelry amidst the locals was a simple pleasure to behold. I got to participate in “hanami”, the art of picnicking under the sakura. After a week or so, they’d flutter away with simple green leaves in their place, but I’ll never forget those fluffy pink trees that marked the proper beginning of this international wandering.

I picked Osaka first to rendezvous with an old friend, Chuck. We were Japanese language classmates in college, but, alas, also fierce rivals over silly personal things for years. We patched up our differences thanks to the most zen of intermediaries, our karaoke main man and dear boy, Ryan, and I even attended Chuck’s wedding  a decade ago! Since not long after, they’ve been abroad, originally in Korea teaching ESL but now doing more advanced jobs in Japan. We’ve stayed in touch on Discord group chats, especially during the Among Us heydays of the pandemic. Well, their return to the USA is imminent. I never made it out to say hi until now, mostly due to money or adventuring but ‘almost too late’ wound up being the perfect time for a month’s hangouts.

My favorite aspect of Chuck’s guidance was probably a total dive in to functional Osakan culture from how a foreign resident does it, with an underworld focus, as he’s always been a bit roguish. Things like finding the adults only section of seemingly anodyne stores, histories & cultural lessons at key spots (“this famous samurai was executed right here”), and just laying out the reality of what life is like trying to make it in a culturally quirky country that is historically unwelcoming to outsiders who wish to integrate. It’s easy to take for granted here in America, even with our racism problems. As I continue this trip, it’s going to be rare to have this level of insight from people, so I’m eternally grateful for this first month in Osaka.

Besides lots of time with Chuck, his mates and sister, I also had an interesting chance friendship with Benjamin, a fellow vegan nomad from France I met outside a hip onomiyaki joint (omelette-esque) that had an hours long wait outside it. We did several sightseeing trips together and a few choice vegan meals. Spontaneously meeting people has been working out OK, thus far, I’d say, as well as paths crossing with far flung friends. Shortly after I left for Sapporo, he returned to Paris for a layover before visiting his girlfriend in Argentina. That’s a tri-continent gauntlet, for sure.

Veganism in Japan has been an epic struggle, that’s for certain, especially with my poor language skills. It feels like 90% of restaurants are likely to have nothing for me, and after a few abortive attempts at izakayas, l was feeling glum. Fortunately, with the app Happy Cow, there is crowdsourcing for locations that are vegan friendly, meaning they at least offer us a single thing to eat. For the dedicated gourmand, seeking out the vegan specialties has been a fun side quest to plan a day around, and I’ve been really amazed with some meals presented to me.

Impulsive eats out did seem impossible, but then I learned about the chain curry joints and conveyor belt (kaiten) sushi spots that will offer me a safe space. And, for everyday snacking, the convenience store (conbini) staples like rice balls (onigiri), fermented beans (natto), or tofu skin(inari) have given me a satisfactory floor for daily eats. And one can easily find them in or near any train station. These options are wayyy healthier than the trash Americans are stuck eating from our equivalents.

I also try to book lodging with kitchens and cook often. Veg. noodle stir fries and soft tofu salads make a solid foundation, and produce is very affordable. Shiitake mushrooms, for instance, are not the pricy delicacy they are abroad. It still is a bummer finding fish stock or dairy in everything, but photo-based translation apps and ingredients on packaging have made that easy when shopping, and I’ve noticed that a lot of the restaurants that offer us vegans a token option are getting high traffic. I hope Japan catches up soon with the plant based revolution, I’ve seen some exciting takes with the cuisine that give me a hope and a hunger!

Mentioning affordability, Japan is usually shunned a bit by the digital nomad community as a high cost of living country. Well, obviously I’m drawing a salary and we have an inordinately weak yen at the moment, so I’ve found those views overwrought. Realistically, rents for simple studios like I had in Osaka run parallel to small cities in the US, cheap food can be had on a scale of junk to healthy and the transit system is exemplary, albeit expensive; no need for a car at least. Osaka had tons of cyclists clogging the sidewalks, too. I think the value is pretty good in Japan for what you get, and there are always cheaper accommodations like capsule hotels or guesthouses. Perhaps later I’ll concur, if similar things really can be had for so much cheaper elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Regardless, Japan will likely remain a unique draw due to its pervasive cultural export and worth any added costs to experience it, as well as the tranquility that comes with being in functional and safe cities.

That public transit though! I was starved for a good metro system after the last six months in Arizona, and especially after January’s trip in Los Angeles. As aforementioned, the countryside is well connected, and of course, the urban metro is exceptional as well, but after hearing all the superlatives about it in my life and seeing it firsthand, I was still impressed. Things that stood out: gates on the platform to prevent accidents, station exits being labeled for easy egress in mazelike environs of big stations, and directions and pathways on the floor leading to precise cars or transfers. Plus all the sounds and chimes for different stops or alerts! And my transit card, which fit on Apple Wallet, works on vending machines or at a conbini! What a wonderful asset it is to to live with such functional transit, and a great comparison for daily riding after living NYC’s subway or being auto dependent (most everywhere else in America).

I’m asked on occasion if it’s lonely doing things like this. And the answer is absolutely, but it’s a worthy trade off to see the world and something I can manage. People are lonely everywhere anyway, and I’ve managed that particular malaise even when surrounded by people I know and care for. I will cede that it is a drag on my wits with so few random people to talk with, and I miss my hobbies and friends back home. I always walk with optimism that I won’t be alone too long, and had some good luck here with short term connections.

Plus, I started here to hang out with Chuck, so this was the easy part. We’ll see how things look down the line in countries and cities where I know no one. Stay tuned for part two of Japan, for my second month in the country and adventures in Sapporo and Tokyo to contrast the Osakan onset.