So who's actually retired in Japan?

[JimNasium]

One thing to seriously consider is how close shops and medical facilities are …. I know for me I don’t plan to drive once I am passed 70.

I thought it was interesting I hear this kind of thing constantly when people are talking about building a house or thinking about where to live long term. I can’t remember anyone back home talking about proximity to hospitals or clinics when deciding on a home.

[Jed331]

Yes, fair point, but the weather here has harsher extremes than where I come from and we get snow here where I live

[RetireJapan]

I thought it was interesting I hear this kind of thing constantly when people are talking about building a house or thinking about where to live long term. I can’t remember anyone back home talking about proximity to hospitals or clinics when deciding on a home.

One factor is probably the real estate market. In most countries it is possible to sell your home and downsize/move to a different one if you need to, but less so in Japan.

Also people live longer here, so the practicalities of being (very) old might be on people's minds more. My wife's parents are in their 90s for example and we spend a fair amount of time helping them logistically with transport etc.

[Isodora]

I thought it was interesting I hear this kind of thing constantly when people are talking about building a house or thinking about where to live long term. I can’t remember anyone back home talking about proximity to hospitals or clinics when deciding on a home.
[/quote]

So what do people in your country do, once they cannot get around anymore? Do they all have family who take care of them or can afford to retire in a nice senior home? This is a real question .

For me it is 当たり前 - no matter which country - thst the closer you live to the (walkable) infrastructure the longer you can enjoy some independence.

We are in the city, but not really close to the infrastructure, so once I have to give up the bicycle and once we cannot walk longer distances or to the bus stop anymore, we may have to move closer to the shops, doctors and etc.. countryside or even purely residential areas, may be ok when you are youngish/middle aged - in old age that can quickly become a nightmare/trap.

I therefore study the real estate offers regularly - well mainly as a hobby really, but also - to see the trends and what’s out there.

The whole thread is very interesting by the way - thank you SARS - somehow overlooked it, when I first browsed through the forum.

[gsnod]

I'm finding this discussion very interesting. My Japanese wife and I (American) are toying around with the idea of relocating from the US East Coast to the older part of Tokyo (close to Sky Tree/Oshiage), where our oldest son and his wife live. Son is fully bilingual, and they have their own house in Mukojima. Youngest son lives in NYC and is also fully bilingual and well employed. Probably the biggest thing putting a question mark on the move is our own concerns about 'abandoning' our NYC son....but that is another issue and he may eventually decide to move to Japan.

If we do relocate, we would likely sell our house here, and rent a mansion in the Oshiage area. We are fortunate that we'll have Social Security when I turn 70 in 7 years, and we have some savings to cover those years. Also am fortunate to have other investments. I'm trying to think my way through what I will do if we moved there in 2025...I imagine going to the gym daily and finding ways to meet people during the day. I can navigate both being outgoing and quiet. Currently a college administrator who is comfortable getting around Japan, even though my language skills are not too strong! We've been traveling to Japan yearly since the mid-80's, so I'm familiar with the ups and downs of spending time there.

Anyway, in too many words, I'm enjoying this discussion!

[AreTheyTheLemmings?]

Since the Occupations: What do you do? thread has got a bit of an update, and since that thread was intended as a sort-of-companion to this one, perhaps we should get an update on who is actually retired in Japan. So raise your hands, retirees, and let us know how you're faring.

[RetireJapan]

I get to post in both threads I guess: FI but still doing this and that

[beanhead]

On the retirement community topic, I found this:
https://www.sunshinevillage.com.au
Still a concept not real homes.

I am not sure if their business plan will be successful.
From 'The Plan' section:

The Plan - Part 2

Use Australian retirees as influencers.

Invite a group of Australian retirement village residents to come to Japan as Influencers. This group of active silvers will live in the newly constructed villages in Japan for a period of up to 3 months. For comfort, we suggest the spring/summer and summer/autumn seasons as the best fit!

*Australians entering Japan on a tourist visa are entitled to stay up to 90 days

Hmmm...

[captainspoke]

To keep this thread going...

I was cleaning and reorganizing some books and noticed this one: On Turning Sixty-Five.

Someone sent that to me at some point close to retirement. I don't remember reading much of it, certainly not all of it, but I did browse it some, and it seems to be rated well.

[TokyoBoglehead]

What would you'll do differently if you were to go back to your mid 30s?

I'm wishing now, in my mid-30s I had studied language more seriously. But beyond that, no major regrets so far.