Living in Japan After 20 Years
Nice to meet you, I'm Dolmama, a housewife in my 50s.
Due to my husband's work, we have started living in Japan for the first time in 20 years.
"Once the kids are grown, I want to live a relaxed life in Japan someday."
I had always wished for that, so I was happy when our return was decided.
But where should I start?
And the biggest problem was,How do I bring our two cats?
First, the visa issue for my husband
Foreigners need a visa to live in Japan long-term.
We flew to Japan first and applied for a "Certificate of Eligibility" at the local immigration office.
We have been married for 25 years. Even so, we had to prove to the country that "we are truly a married couple."
How we met, details about our wedding, which countries we traveled to and when...
I wrote down dates while checking the stamps in our old passports one by one, and submitted them along with photos of our wedding and our children. It felt a bit strange. The task of condensing 25 years of family history into a few sheets of paper.
It became a time to reflect on life in an unexpected way, thinking, "We've been through a lot."
The Certificate of Eligibility was granted without issue, and next was house hunting.
The hurdle of finding a place that allows two cats
However, I hit a major wall here.
It was very difficult to find a property that allows two cats.
I didn't realize the pet situation in Japan was this difficult.
(I'll write about the real estate agent experience separately.)
We managed to find one understanding owner and signed the contract.
We bought just some futons and secured our temporary base.
Returning overseas for final preparations
I returned to Australia once to pack and prepare the cats for their move to Japan.
My husband applied for his visa at the Japanese Embassy in South Korea.
He received it in about 5 days and went ahead to Japan to start working.
21 years of living abroad. Furniture, appliances, clothes... there was just so much stuff!
Sorting through "things to take to Japan" and "things for our child staying in Australia."
I used to be good at moving, but I just couldn't get motivated.
That's no surprise, as I was going out every day.
But the time spent with family and friends was "precious time" that nothing could replace.
We walked in the great outdoors, had lunches and dinners, and played to our hearts' content with no regrets until the very end.
Moving the cats
First, we chose a pet-specialized moving company.
Then, we finished the health checks and vaccinations at the vet, and gathered and submitted the documents.
We also booked the flights.
A week before departure, a large crate arrived.
I was told to "get them used to it," but the cats were scared and wouldn't go in at all by the day we left for Japan.
Australia is strict about entry, but leaving was relatively smooth.
We flew to Japan on Qantas, which has a dedicated cargo hold for animals.
My husband arranged a pet taxi in Japan to pick them up, and the cats entered the country safely.
However, they must have been very scared, as they hid in the corner of the house for 3 to 4 days after arriving and wouldn't come out.
I'm sorry for putting you through such a scary experience.
A week later, I landed in Japan with three suitcases.
