I left Nepal eight years ago with little understanding of the world outside my own country. Japan changed everything — how I think, how I see Nepal, how I understand myself. This post is written directly to my Nepali community — with honesty, with love, and with things that need to be said.
Why Nepalis are coming to Japan
Eight years ago when I left Nepal, the situation was clear: jobs were scarce, and even when you found one the pay was low. Many young Nepalis were going abroad — to the Gulf, to Australia, to Korea, and increasingly to Japan — searching for better money and a better future. My family and friends saw Japan as an excellent option. The opportunities were real. The security was real. The entertainment and quality of life were real.
Today nearly 300,000 Nepali people live in Japan. Most come to earn good money — that is the honest and simple truth. Caregiving, restaurants, and hotels are the most common fields. Japan has become one of the most significant destinations for Nepali workers, and that number continues to grow.
What Japan did to my mind
Before coming to Japan, I was like a toad in a well — unaware of the outside world, holding naive thoughts about life and how things work. I knew Nepal. I knew my neighbourhood. I knew the small circle of what I had experienced. And I thought that was most of what there was to know.
Japan changed that completely.
I did some research on Japan from 50 to 60 years ago and found videos of old Japan. I was genuinely surprised at how developed the country already was back then. There is no honest comparison to Nepal in terms of infrastructure, systems, and development. Saying that is not a criticism of Nepal — it is simply the reality of what I saw when I opened my eyes wider than they had ever been opened before.
But here is what I also discovered: development and value are not the same thing. Every culture has its own unique stories and narratives. I do not question Nepali culture because of Japan. I do not question Japanese culture because of Nepal. Both have their own wisdom. What Japan gave me was perspective — not superiority, not shame, but the ability to see more clearly by having seen more.
What Nepal means to me now
After eight years of distance, Nepal means everything to me. My existence is tied to Nepal and to my family. I am who I am because of where I came from. The food I miss. The faces I miss. The particular feeling of being home — surrounded by people who knew you before the world shaped you — that is something Japan has never been able to replace.
I love my country. I would do anything for Nepal. And I plan to return someday — not because Japan failed me, but because Nepal is where I belong in the deepest sense of that word.
Japan is my home. Nepal is my heart. The distance between them is the space where I have grown into who I am.
About the Nepali community in Japan
I have always been someone who prefers to do things independently. When I first arrived in Japan I did ask other Nepalis for help finding work and navigating the language barrier — and that help was real and appreciated. But beyond those early weeks, I built my life largely on my own terms.
I have heard there is a strong Nepali community in Japan and that Nepalis support one another — this reflects something true about our culture back home, where we believe that if you help someone today they will help you in return tomorrow. But I have also heard from friends who were scammed by other Nepalis in Japan. So I cannot give a clean answer about community trust. What I can tell you is what I live by: I trust myself first. Not out of arrogance — out of experience.
What Nepalis in Japan miss most is simple and universal: traditional food and family. No matter how long you stay, those two things never stop pulling at you.
What I want to say to young Nepalis coming to Japan — honestly
This section is written with love. Not to criticise. But because someone needs to say these things clearly, and I would rather say them honestly than stay silent.
The most important things you need before coming to Japan are language and manners. Not because Nepali people lack manners — we do not. But Japan has different cultural expectations that many Nepalis arrive unprepared for.
Some Nepalis cook food and go outside in the same clothes. Some use too much perfume in enclosed spaces. Some smoke and drink in public without considering the people around them. We tend to be loud — we talk a lot, we laugh loudly, and some become aggressive when drinking alcohol. I have seen videos on social media of Nepalis fighting amongst themselves in Japan. I have seen Nepalis disregard Japanese rules entirely.
I am not saying every Nepali behaves this way. Most do not. But because of the actions of a few, many Japanese people have formed a general impression of all Nepalis. That impression affects every Nepali who comes after them. The behaviour of one person in Japan carries weight for an entire community.
Japan ranks 68th in alcohol consumption per capita globally. Nepal ranks 140th — meaning Nepalis drink significantly less than the Japanese on average. And yet some Nepalis in Japan behave worse when drinking than the people of a country that drinks far more. That inconsistency is something we need to examine honestly.
Please do not smoke while walking in crowded public areas. Japan has designated smoking areas — use them. Please be mindful of noise levels in residential areas. Please follow the rules about waste separation, quiet hours, and community expectations. These are not difficult things. They are basic respect for the country that is giving you an opportunity.
And please — learn Japanese. I know the desire to earn money is strong and immediate. But many Nepalis prioritise work over language study and end up limiting their own futures as a result. Without Japanese proficiency, the ceiling on your opportunities in Japan is very low. I say this with some personal regret — my own past choices led me to become an SSW worker rather than pursuing a path with more options. Learn from what I did not do.
A message to the Nepalese consultancy
I do not know if anyone from the Nepalese consultancy will ever read this. But if they do — please hear this:
Before sending Nepalis to Japan, ensure they learn Japanese to at least N5 level. Inform them about Japanese rules and cultural expectations before they board the plane. Connect them with teachers or resources that can explain what daily life in Japan actually requires. The adjustment would be significantly smoother for everyone — Nepali workers, Japanese employers, and the communities they enter — if people arrived prepared rather than learning everything the hard way after they get here.
The most important thing to remember
This is not our country. That is not a sad statement — it is an important one.
Think about it this way: if a foreigner came to Nepal and behaved without respect for our culture, our rules, our community — would you tolerate it? I would not. And neither would you. The same principle applies in Japan. We are guests here. Guests who work hard, who contribute genuinely, who deserve to be treated with respect — but guests who also carry the responsibility of behaving accordingly.
Japan has given many Nepalis real opportunities. Real income. Real security. Real experiences that changed their lives. That opportunity deserves to be honoured — not just with hard work, but with the respect and conduct that keeps that door open for the Nepalis who come after us.
Nepal is in my heart. Japan is my home. And wherever you are in the world — represent both with dignity. 🇳🇵🇯🇵
Related posts
→ Want to know why I stay in Japan after 8 years? Read Why I Stay in Japan — The Honest Answer After 8 Years.
→ Curious about what nobody tells you before coming to Japan? Read What Nobody Tells You Before Coming to Japan as a Caregiver.
→ Want to know what 8 years in Japan really taught me? Read 8 Years in Japan — What I Wish I Knew on Day One.
“For more context about foreigners living and working in Japan read Why Foreign Workers Have Become Essential to Japan’s Elderly Care System.”
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