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Returning to Japan after 15 years (middle class objects and Showa nostalgia)

J.J. McCullough | September 16, 2026



I finally did it!, I went back to Japan after 15 years. Here are some things I saw and did and bought in the greater Saitama/Tokyo region.

My first Japan video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IidpOumUhU

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Written by J.J. McCullough

Comments

This post currently has 43 comments.

  1. @MettMagier

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    Hey J.J., I am from Germany and from interviews I learned that a lot of Japanese people see us as their closest cultural equivalent. Which I always thought was pretty weird and maybe a bit too heavy on conventional wisdom and stereotypes. But in this video I learned that there is way more to this comparison than meets the eye at first. Germany is outside of the big cities also a society that’s pretty heavily monoethnic and the middle class seems to follow the same trends as japanese middle class does today to a frightening extend. Especially the Showa (Also a very heavily sentimentalized period in Germany) coffee shops, the style was pretty much a carbon copy of old german cafés where I come from and a lot of retirement homes are purposely built and decorated in that almost exact style. Sameness is also something that’s very heavily embraced in Germany, change is often seen as something that infringes on culture and is heavily rejected by a lot of people sometimes to a comical extend.
    Thank you J.J. for this video, this was a very eye opening experience and a good insight.

  3. @siimpekka8241

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    As a Japanese person, I truly detest this ugly, STUPID man, and every time I encounter his stereotypical views of Japan, I feel sick to my stomach. This brings me back to the history of my great-uncle's cousin, who was killed before age 30 due to injuries sustained during a white-Chinese anti-Japanese riot in pre-war Canada.
    Many Canadians are shockingly ignorant of their own history, and they casually look down on Japanese people without reason, as if they believe Japanese people are miserable robots with no emotions or history. But what is actually the case? Canada is a country where the original inhabitants were massacred and displaced, yet they show no remorse about it. Moreover, they have neither culture nor history. Unlike Japan, they didn't create or protect their own nation – because they were the invaders and mass murderers. That's why JJ's ancestors slaughtered my relatives simply because they were Japanese immigrants who worked harder than most Canadians and were skilled fishermen even with crude boats.

  4. @Babsilicious1203

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I love Japan…. as a place to visit. Work? Maybe not… speaking of Saitama there is Kawagoe which I think is worth a visit but yeah nothing much going on for Saitama besides going through it to visit other prefectures.

  6. @mynamesplatinum

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I have 2 statements/questions I want to address.
    Japan was in the Heisei era 15 years ago. The Heisei era spanned from 1989, all the way to 2019! If you want to talk about nostalgia, talk about Heisei nostalgia, you lived it so you’d know it best!

    I also skimmed your video (definitely gonna watch it later tonight) and saw that you’re currently in Saitama… I believe the video and the trip to Japan as a whole would be more fun if you visited Tokyo, or Osaka (with the expo going on right now)

    These are my thoughts BEFORE watching the video. I just wanted to voice out my initial skepticisms.

    I’m aware that commentary of any era can be made, regardless of what we experienced (we just have to learn about it), and I’m sure that Saitama —a mostly suburban prefecture— would encapsulate “middle class experience” quite well.

    Addressing my first question: I know that you like to compare contemporary American history into the greater and lesser 30s. You should definitely do that with Japan! The Heisei era is a thing of the past (technically), spanning 30 years (which is close to 8 presidential terms), and a LOT of people feel nostalgia about the era, from teenagers like myself— to my parents, who mind you, are in their mid 40s right now.

    Heisei saw the integration of the internet, which became the catalyst for emojis, 音mad videos(Japanese YouTube poops) and ニコニコ動画. The most defining franchises, from Pokemon to Naruto to One Piece (not Dragon Ball or JJBA) started in the late 90s. Many of the popular Japanese musical artists had their debut during the Heisei period, for sure. (Eg. Sambomaster, Sakanaction, Shishamo, Shinsei Kamattechan, Sheena Ringo (for some reason there’s a lot of artists that start with a ‘S’ lol)) This is nostalgia spanning froms gen Zs (my generation) to gen Xs (my parents generation), seems pretty significant to me! Japan’s modern cultural portrayal is also mostly Heisei influenced, both locals and foreigners would be able to resonate.

    My second question is, why Saitama? You can experience more of Japan by taking a walk in 皇居 (Koukyo), 御苑 (Gyoen), 外苑 (Gaien), 台東区 (Taito-ward) and 港区 (Minato-ward).

    The Taito ward has an incredibly long history, spanning all the way from the Edo period. There’s also a lot of pop/cultural references to Asakusa. More recently, the Tokyo Skytree has become another addition to Taito-ward’s commercialization. It’s more nostalgia and more stuff in general.

    The Minato ward (literally meaning the harbor) also has culturally significant places like Roppongi and Azabu-Juuban. It’s a comparatively posh and culturally relevant place. (One of the few Tony Romas exists in Roppongi) Azabu-Juuban has one of the CRAZIEST 夏祭り (summer festivals) ever. Minato ward also has the Roppongi and Azabudai hills. I’m aware that these malls are for middle-upper class individuals, but still interesting nonetheless.

    You can even talk about Odaiba! Odaiba is well known for its Gundam statue, and their shopping mall (Lalaport, never went, might sometime this year) THIS is the place Japanese people actually go to for having fun. There’s also the Budokan, which hosts one the of the biggest musical live events in the country. Tokyo’s just more interesting alright?

    If there’s desire to talk about the middle class, Tokyo in of itself has a lot of suburban zones, like Setagaya, Nakano, Kita, and everything west of the 23 wards. Kokubunji, Kichijoji, Shimokitazawa and Musashi Kosugi are pretty culturally defining for the average Japanese person, you can literally ask locals, there’s a lot more culture to work with in west Tokyo.

  10. @shijin_of_ninedragons

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    IT really sounds more and more like you were kind of uptight and childish and not understanding what japan was like before you came and wholeheartedly jumped into a fulltime job more than the country has changed a lot.

    i've lived here for 25 years and it really hasn't changed much (and i live in the big big city) socially. a few things have come and go but people act the same as they always did basically, outside of a few small details.

    you've grown up some, japan hasn't.

  15. @judgesaturn507

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    This reminded me of something that JJ said in another video, on the lines of 'culture is what we do when nobody's looking'. Symbols shouldn't just be what a country wants to present to the outside world.

  16. @KanazawaKings

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    Wow, talk about totally opposite outcomes. Just like JJ, I went to Japan as an ESL teacher in 2008, now it's 2024 and I'm still here and learned to love my place. Here's a hint: Don't do ESL. I'm now a PM for a large foreign company.

  18. @Bruhaha9

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    The changes in Tokyo are definitely a mixed blessing. There are more enjoyable things, perhaps, but a lot of it is the same as you’d see in any major city and we don’t want to go to Japan to experience the same thing as London, Paris, San Francisco, Montreal, Helsinki or wherever… Starbucks on every corner with people on their laptops..

  19. @triplebaconcheesel1906

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    Being an English teacher is not having a regular job in Japan English teachers live in a foreign bubble that being said that industry has become very sketchy I really don't recommend it to people. As a Canadian I find Japan is a much better place to live and work.

  20. @kkitao217

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    Fascinating.

    I’m an American who has lived in Japan for more than 40 years, and I’m sorry you had such a bad experience lining here. I think that was partly due to your particular job and whatever made it difficult for you to make friends.

    I live in Kyoto, and I know a lot of Westerners who have also lived in Japan for decades. Some came to Japan for a year and somehow just never left.

    There are a lot of factors that can contribute to how well a foreigner adjusts to living in Japan. While some people don’t have good experiences, I don’t think it’s true to say that Japan is not a good place for foreigners to live. Many of us have built very satisfying lives here.

  21. @links2000

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    Japan can be a very lonely place, especially depending on your Japanese level, where you work, and your co-workers. I’m about the same age as you, also from BC, lived in Saitama, and was in Japan in 2007. The first year was lonely so I came back to BC. I improved my Japanese, made some Japanese friends, then went back and had the best time of my life. I feel Japan can be the loneliest place for someone not prepared, or an amazing place for someone who knows what to expect.

  22. @lilliedoubleyou3865

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I am so intrigued by the video of JJ walking around at night. I didn’t see any people in the background. It’s quiet. Even in the wee morning hours, most large cities in my state (CA)would be noisy, you’d hear cars, and you’d see or hear people. Tokyo must be a very safe place indeed.

  26. @The1920sChannel

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I'm nearing the end of my 5-year stint as a English teacher in Japan, and it has ended up being a pretty miserable experience for me as it was for you. I just hope I can reconcile my time here years later like you did.

  32. @gnamedreagan9497

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    The Hands store we do have in America places similar are TJ Max, Ross and Michaels they have discount clothing, cookware, jewelry, dust collectors, electronics, furniture, toys and appliances

  33. @sgtK0420

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    As a South Korean I can totally relate to living in a monoculture country. Here we have our own cultural reference to almost everything including very trivial things. And even things that come from outside world, mostly western ofc, get coded with our own interpretation and stored into our part of culture.

  38. @dotdotdot1000

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I for one am very glad Japan by and large rejects cosmopolitanism. This idea that every city should be a world city and not a city of its locals is destructive to the diversity of the world. Homogeneity of nations stands as a bulwark against homogenization of the world. I hope Japan doesn't make the mistake of attempting the multiculturalist experiments of North America and the EU.

  39. @MatthewTheWanderer

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    Your negative experience teaching English in Japan is similar to my negative experience teaching English in South Korea. I was also mostly miserable and lonely. But, I only made it 3 months before they fired me for "not being entertaining enough."

  42. @kamikitazawa

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I am freaking out right now learning that you worked at Amity. I worked there for two years and similarly had some mixed feelings about working there. In the end, I really came to love Japan and, like you, just went back for a two week reunion tour. I was also quite lonely when I was living there, but I persistently studied Japanese which made it easier to get along with people and make friends. When I came back just now after five years away, my Japanese had improved quite a bit, and I felt it really enhanced my experience being in Japan. So I can understand why you wouldn’t recommend a foreigner to live and work in Japan, but I would caveat that by saying that if you speak Japanese decently well, you can overcome many of the barriers that a foreigner is likely to face. But also that company was quite terrible to work for, which can really have a negative effect on the overall experience.

  43. @thatguy913

    September 16, 2026 at 2:21 am

    I spent two weeks in Japan in 2019. I loved it, the people were unreasonably kinds and polite to me. One person sat on thebus with me using google translate to explain how i get to my hotel

Comments are closed.

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