Our family moved to Japan after 8 years of careful planning — but there are still things I wish we'd done before we left

From staying in residential neighborhoods to building a social network before landing, there are things I wish I had done differently before moving to Japan.

Kerri King

We spent eight years planning our move to Japan.On paper, we had it covered: visas, schools, finances, healthcare, and even a grasp of the local language. While we mapped out every logistical detail before leaving New Zealand, I now realize our preparation focused entirely on getting here smoothly, rather than the realities of actually living here.Looking back, there are still things I wish we'd done before boarding our one-way flight to Japan in 2023.We should've explored more of Japan

I hadn't considered moving to Kobe when I first visited.

Kerri King