About Us
Hi. We’re a Japanese-American family living in Japan, trying to build the best life we can in the gap between two countries’ systems.
There are no experts here. No polished financial planner, no immigration lawyer, no bilingual tax accountant. Just the two of us, a mountain of government paperwork, and a shared Google Translate tab.
The wife (me)
I’m Japanese, in my forties. After a long string of money mistakes, I somehow ended up enjoying reading tax returns (I know this is strange). I’m studying bookkeeping and tax — which is probably the only reason this household hasn’t lost a fortune yet.
The husband
He’s American. His permanent residency application is in, and we’re waiting — made more exciting by the fact that the rules changed partway through, so we genuinely don’t know how it’ll go. He’s still wrestling with Japan’s hanko (seal) culture, and he loves conveyor-belt sushi and convenience-store fried chicken with his whole heart.
Together, we run NISA and iDeCo while navigating FBAR filings, PFIC rules, and the permanent residency process.
Our two boys
Two bilingual boys, ages 5 and 3. They switch between English and Japanese mid-sentence, completely unaware that their setup is unusual.
In spring 2026, we moved from Osaka to a small rural town. The relocation subsidy we’d researched for months? We didn’t get a single yen. The wife was over the age limit, and we’d moved from the wrong city (Osaka). (The full ¥0 story is on the blog.)
Why this blog exists
Money information for international couples in Japan was either terrifyingly technical or quietly wrong. The version we actually needed — two ordinary people honestly talking about what happened, what it cost, and what they’d do next — didn’t exist anywhere.
So we decided to write it ourselves. One government form at a time.
Everything here is our personal experience, not financial or tax advice. Always consult a professional about your own situation.
If you’re lost in translation — and in the Japanese tax system — this is probably a comfortable place to be.
Where this all started: We Lost ¥400,000 Cancelling Our Wedding in March 2020 →