Wow, it’s been 10 years already since I moved to Japan! With the new page layout comes an update here as well, and looking at my life right now, I’d say I’m doing quite well:

My life has calmed down without turning into (too much) routine; I’m still curious and like to try new things and explore Kyoto, just as I did when I came here 10 years ago.
I have made few but great friends, and I’m lucky to have such wonderful people in my life.
In 2021, I was able to buy a house; it’s small, a bit older than me, and in the outskirts of Kyoto, but I’m very happy here and wouldn’t change a thing (renovations notwithstanding).
With the house came a cat, and my dear Pumpkin makes me laugh every day.
My company is still up and running (even though surviving the pandemic wasn’t easy at all).
Yes, overall, I’m very happy and I don’t regret a thing.

I currently post biweekly about my life and all things Japanese, that hasn’t changed.

Comments to my posts are still welcome – as this is my blog, however, I do reserve the right to delete those that are rude or spammy. The contact form below is if you’d like to talk to me privately.

Previous “About Me” (2018)

After 5 years in Japan, I guess it’s time for an update! So,

What happened in the last 5 years?

Well, I moved to Kyoto in May 2013, after giving up my old life in academia. The first year I spent in Japan, I was here on a tourist visa, essentially running through the city with a big grin on my face, “yeah, I finally did it!”. In the second year, I studied soroban, the old Japanese abacus, and I was still running around with a big grin on my face. However, things were not quite as positive on the job front (no Japanese language – no job), so I decided to open my own company in 2016.

Things are mostly good, and despite a few setbacks that I had, I don’t regret a thing! I feel very happy and calm and confident here in Kyoto, it’s like coming home. Life’s good!

Currently, my posting schedule is 3 times a week. Tuesdays and Thursdays I write about my own experiences in Japan, things I find odd, curious, annoying… Sundays I usually write about “all things Japanese”, those posts should be of a more general interest.

I hope you’ll enjoy your time on here!

Previous “About Me” (2013)

Name: Iris

Born: 1975 in Austria

Likes: everything Japanese 😉

Does: Academia – computer science – but ended up disenchanted. “Why and for whom am I doing this?” is a dangerous question…
Is ready to go out there and try something else.

Wants to move to Japan because: Not entirely sure. There’s a fascination emanating from the country that is difficult to understand, lest explain. Can be best described by the feeling of “falling in love”, maybe.

Ultimate goal: Looking back at the experience and being able to say “At least I tried”.
And becoming rich and famous on the way, of course. 😉