Recently, I've been considering the idea of moving to Japan when I graduate college. My original plan was that both my wife and I move there, I work as an English teacher, and we eventually start a family in Japan.
But, after some extensive research on life in Japan, the work life there is starting to seem almost *scary*. I asked Yahoo! Answers and got some very negative answers about working in Japan. I heard people work 12-15 hour days with few breaks at all..
This doesn't seem like really LIVING life, does it? I mean, I want to have a good family life. Could I do that in Japan? Would the work be as harsh for a foreign English teacher? I live in the US, so I know I have things easier than others...
But this just seems like a not-so-good way to live..
How can people really be happy working like that?
I've also heard about karoshi, how bad is that there?
Thanks in advance for any answers!

"Trying hard" is considered more important in Japan than "living life".

It definitely is more stressful living in Japan than in most other countries.

They accept it.

MOST foreigners don't accept it.. fight it for a while.. and then go back to where they came from.

Japan is a unique wonderful place, however if you do not understand the culture and their way of life here it will be a mistake coming here. I live across the street from a Japanese Junior High School and the teachers are first to show up 6:00 AM and last to go home 6:30 PM. Teachers often have to work on weekends as the students always come first. If you cannot accept this type of teaching and commitment then I would say Japan is not a place to come and work.

There are other factors to consider when moving here, the language is the hardest to over come. Coming here on a short vacation and living here are two totally different things. Teaching English is a commitment you will have to take seriously here. As a permanent resident I see lot of JET or other English teachers come here and fail and bash the Japanese because it is so difficult because they refused to conform to the Japanese system. A lot of the English teachers here how to put it nicely, are undesirables of their own country and culture and really make it difficult for us permanent residents who do conform to this society and choose to live here.

Just one man?s opinion.