January 2024 – An American Professor in Japan

Money matters

Those who have traveled internationally are likely aware that in most countries around the world you can use your bank cards (typically branded with Visa, MasterCard, or American Express) with relative ease, and that’s also true in Tokyo–at least, kind of. There are a few things that you should be aware of that will seem unusual, especially to Americans, but there are some easy ways to prepare yourself. Here’s what I discovered.

Stretching your dollars at Daiso

In the United States, so-called “dollar stores” are often derided for any of a number of reasons–they’re frequently poorly stocked and organized, usually in various states of disarray, often carry merchandise of subpar quality or of dubious origin, and, probably worst of all, are frequently criticized as predatory (or even perhaps dangerous) to rural or impoverished communities.¹

Footnotes

1
Conservatives like to call these criticisms “elitist,” arguing that dollar stores provide much-needed retail to people who need it, despite growing evidence that these monolithic companies’ buying power simply cannot be competed with at a micro/local level.

Notes on arrival

Even if you’re a seasoned traveler like me, arriving at Haneda International Airport (especially after a very long and very exhausting flight) can be a little overwhelming. Fortunately, if you remember that (1) most airports must be navigated “sequentially,” and that (2) Japan is, generally speaking, a very orderly country, you can prepare for disembarkation and departure from the airport with relatively little difficulty. Here’s how my experience went, along with some suggestions.

Get ready, get set…

As I write this post, I’m just a few days away from embarking on what is sure to be an adventure for me–while I have some idea of what to expect and I’m excited about it, I’m also nervous, overwhelmed, and more than a little bit anxious. Why? Because on January 5, I’ll leave for Tokyo, which will become my home-away-from-home for the first half of 2024, thanks to a new initiative from the Office of the Provost, which seeks to improve the collegiality and connections between main campus in Philadelphia and TU Japan by sending American faculty to teach in Tokyo for a semester or two.