From Stress to Sushi: Thriving in Japan’s Work Culture as a Foreigner

A gloomy autumn evening in Tokyo. The clock strikes 6:30pm—the designated end of the day time for our team. My European colleague has just finished his tasks for the day. He packs his bag, smiles and politely says: “Thanks for today—otsukare-sama desu!”

My Japanese manager turns to me, wide-eyed, and says, “Europeans don’t seem to like working overtime.”

Japan is infamous for its long hours and harsh work environment. After a decade of work in Japan as an “overtime-hating European,” I’ve gathered my takes on the Japanese working environment and how to kick-start your adaptation. This is based on my experience, combined with psychological hacks from my clinical training and education.

When I first arrived in Japan for work in 2014, I was met with a “gaijin novelty” factor—plus a lot of stereotypes on my side about how Japan was supposed to be. Long hours and strict hierarchy were a fact at some workplaces, but not at others. I worked for both Japanese and foreign companies and encountered very different experiences. A Japanese friend from Waseda University once described the traditional salaryman norm: “one life, one job.”

Overtime and stricter work environments are more common in Japan than in many other parts of the world. They even have a word for the extreme end of this: karoshi—death from overwork. I sometimes struggled to balance my work with my “geeky and sporty” personal life.

There’s no shortcut and no fixing the system. But we can change our relationship to our feelings and experiences at work. Below are a few real-world scenarios I experienced working in Japan, along with psychological hacks to “defuse” them.

How to Regain Control When You Feel Overwhelmed by a Demanding Client?

Feeling out of control can tank your motivation. I learned this one Friday night around 20:00 when a demanding client emailed me: “it needs to be done by today!” My choice was non-existent. It especially hurt because I had a delicious yakiniku nomikai to look forward to.

Here’s a simple but powerful process that guided me in that moment:

• Acknowledge the frustration: The first step was recognizing my motivation has dropped. Text a friend or vent with an AI for immediate relief.
• Notice the physical tension: We often feel stress or frustration somewhere in our body. I took deep breaths and noticed where that sensation was. This prevented me from being swallowed by my emotions.
• Remind yourself of your values: I came to Japan for a reason; I am staying for one. I allowed my personal values to guide my next action.
• Reframe the situation: Once I have calmed down, I mentally re-asserted my control. In this case, I told myself, “I chose to work extra today and complete this task. I chose this path as a professional here in Japan.” 

When we tell ourselves we chose something, our brain buys it. A sense of autonomy is a proven driver of human motivation. 

If you find yourself repeatedly missing out on social events due to a demanding client, consider communicating how you feel to your superior.

How Can I Stay Motivated When My Performance is Down?

In Japan, I was working in marketing & sales, where my career performance was often quantified in numbers. There were bad quarters where my motivation took a hit. Here’s how I stayed motivated:

• Ask for positive feedback: I regularly asked my superior what they thought I was doing great beyond the numbers.
• Document the wins: I wrote down this positive feedback and kept it somewhere I would be regularly reminded about it.
• Find areas of competence: A sense of competence is another key factor in boosting motivation. If your numbers are not where you want them to be, find other areas where you are doing great. Let this guide your motivation in the moment and keep going.

How to Overcome Loneliness and Build Connections in Japan?

It can be lonely in the world’s largest city. From time to time, this was a reality for me in Tokyo. It was hard to find local friends and make genuine connections because people were either not culturally available for deeper friendship or too busy minding their own business.

Nominication—drinking after work—helped bridge this gap. Even if I don’t regularly drink alcohol, I quickly noticed that I felt less lonely if I:

• Joined these events regularly.
• Asked for and initiated them.
• Didn’t feel like going when invited—but went anyway.

These social interactions are available at most workplaces in Japan. They can work like magic on the basic human yearning to belong, which is crucial for motivation and well-being. Try to open up and notice other people who might be in your position. Say hi, and start the journey to join other foreigners and communities who can work as a social base for your needs.

Psychological Hacks for Managers

If you’re a manager aiming to boost your team’s motivation, you can reverse the techniques above by focusing on three key psychological needs that are the core of Self-Determination Theory (SDT):

• Autonomy: Give your employees control over their work.
• Competence: Provide them with a sense of mastery.
• Relatedness: Foster a sense of connection and belonging.

Final Thought

Learning to deal with discomfort—instead of fixing or avoiding it—and choosing what matters to you is a powerful process. Also, remember that you are not alone and that there are physical and online communities here to help you. Let this guide and help navigate your expat journey. Behind the stress and discomfort often lies an endless world of yakitori, yukata festivals, world-class sushi and adventures straight out of a Murakami novel.