September 2025
Still Going Strong!
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Summer is past, school is back in full swing, and we’re celebrating! What you ask? This month marks the one-year anniversary of The Mikan maga(ZINE)! It’s hard to believe it has already been a year and we couldn’t have done it without all our amazing contributors. They have truly made it the amazingly creative outlet that it is today and we couldn’t be more grateful.Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā However, we’re not the only ones with an anniversary. It’s also time to celebrate all the JETs from last year who are still going strong well into 2025 and beyond. To do that, we sat down with Katie, Lydia, and Arturo to reflect on their first year in Ehime.
Meet the ALTs
Katie
Newcastle upon Tyne, England —> Tokushima City
Lydia Tweed
Wirral, England —> Seiyo
When I first moved here, I kept telling myself “you have to do this. You HAVE TO. You can’t go back home yet, just one more month…” then once I started to settle and realise I was okay, I was able to reframe that to “wait… I GET to do this?! I get to do this!!! I’m so lucky!!” – JET isn’t an obligation, it’s a chance.
Arturo Fernandez
Jason in Review - Katie
One of my schools is located right next to two of the temples of the Shikoku pilgrimage, and I was lucky enough to walk between them with two local headmistresses. The two older women described themselves as soul mates: two people who were destined to meet and share the journey together. They showed me how to properly pay respects, which sutras to chant and generously shared their incense, candles and osamefuda at each hall. At the end of our walk, we spoke about the belief in ēø (ćć) – a word that carries meanings of fate, destiny and that unseen red thread that connect us.
Time and again, weāve found ourselves in the right place at the right time, forming relationships that have fundamentally changed and shaped our JET experience.
When I first got my placement email, I canāt pretend I wasnāt disappointed to be sent somewhere so rural and far from where Iād asked for. Moving from London to Tokushima felt daunting and isolating, but knowing a friendly face was nearby made it easier. Looking back now, with all the experiences of this past year, itās hard not to see ēø at work.
Here are the facts about Jason and I:
- In 2017, I lived in a flat about 100 meters away from their family home
- In 2021, we both started working at the same library within a week of each other
- In 2023, Jason was placed in Ehime
- In 2024, I was placed in Tokushima, despite requesting only northern prefectures
So hereās my advice for new ALTs:
- Think about ēø – how serendipitous it is that youāre here, now
- Say yes to new friendships and embrace the changes that can happen to old onesĀ
- Take advantage of the long weekends and travel ceaselessly across Shikoku and beyondĀ
- Come visit Tokushima! If you hang around ē“ŗå±ēŗ long enough youāre sure to find me
ehime dwelling, story telling - Lydia
The Journey
What were your first thoughts when you arrived in Japan?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā When I first arrived in Japan, I was equally excited as I was nervous. I was ready for a new adventure, one unlike any Iād ever experienced before, but I knew it was likely to come with some challenges.
How did your expectations compare to the reality of living and working in Japan?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Iād been to Japan before on a whirlwind Tokyo-Kyoto trip, but living here is a whole different reality. The work culture can be tough, especially since my previous job was in a progressive mental health charity (RIP long breaks and WFH), but I think everyone on JET is making some form of sacrifice. You give up home comforts, and your family and friends are likely thousands of miles away, BUUUT in return you gain a community of people in the same boat and the chance to explore Japan in a way few people will ever get to!
Can you describe your first day or week as an ALTāany culture shock or memorable moments?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Upon arrival in Matsuyama, jet-lagged after 48 hours of Tokyo orientation, I was whisked straight to my school for my barely understandable self-intro before being handed the keys to my completely empty apartment. Yup, I had to buy an AC, fridge, washing machine, bed and couch on my first day. Bye savings! That evening, I called my sister, who works for an airline (I love being a nepo sister – flight perks!), begging her to book me a flight home. She said, āGive it a month, and if you still want to leave, I promise Iāll book it.ā I thought, āEh, whatās one more month?ā, and then another month passed, and another, and wellā¦ you get the picture. Iām now still here, 14 months later, grateful for her ultimatum.
The Most Rewarding Part of Teaching
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Definitely noticing the students’ English skills starting to improve, and them feeling excited and more confident to talk to me outside of lessons. A top tip – if you can choose where you clean during cleaning time, choose somewhere with lots of traffic! In 10 minutes, I can speak to around 30 students, and theyāve now started planning conversations/prepping questions because they know Iām in the same spot each day.
Cultural Immersion & Daily Life
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Iām an ALT at a very unique school, known for agriculture and sumo! There are so many daily occurrences that teachers and students see as entirely normal, but Iām still amazed by. Oh, youāre stressed? Just go to animal club after school and cuddle rabbits for an hour! Whoās that over there? Oh, itās just Riri the school turtleā¦ next to Sakura, the school pony. Why is this student’s desk bigger than the others? Oh, theyāre a sumo student, of course. Ah, theyāre not at school today? Theyāre competing in a sumo tournament across the other side of Japan? I shouldāve known!Ā
Challenges
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Iāve faced many challenges here, from my poor Japanese ability to homesickness. These are things Iāve slowly chipped away at, but one challenge remains constant in the inaka: self-expression.
Back home, I expressed myself through my appearance, constantly changing my hair to pink, blue, purple, you name it. Now, I have natural hair, Iāve had to remove my piercings, and every day I cover my tattoos (even in the brutal summer heat) to fit into the Japanese work culture. I knew Iād have to make these sacrifices, but a part of me is screaming out to grab the hair dye!!
Iām also a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Iāve never shared this in my town or school. Instead, Iām met with āDo you have a boyfriend?ā questions, with no space for anything outside of heteronormativity. I donāt know if itās taboo or just not talked about, but I feel like Iām actively having to work at not slipping back inside the closet. THAT BEING SAID, the first Ehime pride was held last year, so I hope I can meet some of you there this year!
What part of your daily life in Japan do you think you’ll miss the most one day?
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Life feeling like an open world game, for sure. Like what do you mean I can just go outside, walk for 5 minutes and be in the most beautiful place Iāve ever seen? If I want a change of scenery, I can drive to Kochi or Kagawa, get the boat to Oita or Hiroshima, fly to Tokyo or Okinawa. The sense of freedom here is unmatched.
Growth & Accomplishments
Iāve developed the mindset that anything is possible. The person I was at the start of this journey and the person I am now are two worlds apart. Before moving here, I was terrified that Japan would change me. The societal expectations are entirely different to my hometown back in England, and I feared they would push me down. Even in the light of the challenges with my identity, Iāve been forced to dig deeper and find a new sense of self whilst still honoring all past versions of myself. I truly believe that if I can comfortably settle into a life in the inaka, I can live anywhere!Ā
Iāve also found ways to nurture my inner child – in deeper ways like giving myself grace and acknowledging my needs, but also by viewing life through a playful lens, letting my creative energy flow, never shying away from curiosity and allowing myself to dream without constraints. I really love romanticizing life!
Future Outlook & Advice
Ā
What do you hope to achieve in your next year (or years) in Japan?
I hope to keep learning and growing. JET has taught me so much about myself, and Iāve seen how stepping out of my comfort zone can help me discover new versions of who I can be.
How has this experience shaped your future goals or dreams?
Living in rural Japan has inspired me to pursue a creative career in the future. Seeing the beauty of the inaka has made me realise how many untold stories exist beyond the bigger cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. I want to highlight places like Ehime – right now on social media (cheeky plug – @lettersfromlyd on instagram), but hopefully in bigger ways in the future! Iām being a little hush hush on it for now, but we need less Shikoku erasure!! Go go ShikokuuuuuuĀ
Inspiration For New ALTs
What advice would you give to new ALTs who are just arriving in
Japan?
Give yourself credit where itās due! The first month feels like the adventure of a lifetime, but when the realities start to set in things can get tough. Remember that youāre human and itās okay to feel a little funky after moving your life to Japan. Take a breath, remember why you came here, listen to your body and pleeeease reach out to someone if you need it <3
What’s something small that made a big difference for you?
Having AT LEAST one person in your workplace that you can feel safety and comfort in. It may feel isolating at first, especially if you canāt speak Japanese well (like me!) but you will find your comfort people, and spaces. For me, if Iām feeling stressed or in need of social interaction, Iāll go to the art room and yap with the art teacher. The art room has a sense of nostalgia for me – the smell of paint and the classical music playing through the old radio. We now have scheduled ātea timeā where the art teacher makes me matcha and teaches me how to bookbind, and I teach him about English culture and make him English tea. Itās the little things like this thatāll stick with me for years to come!
If you had to sum up your first year in Japan in one sentence-or one lessonā-what would it be?
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to oneās courage.
Two heavens as One - Arturo
The Journey
What were your first thoughts when you arrived in Japan?
Arriving in Japan was a surreal moment. It still felt like I was just visiting for a bit and it didnāt really hit me that I was here to stay and work. I always told myself I wanted to live in a different country since I was 19 so I was definitely ecstatic.
How did your expectations compare to the reality of living and working in Japan?
I definitely had some preconceptions about living and working in Japan. The living situation was what I expected but lucked out with a bigger space than what I had in mind. However, working in Japan was the complete opposite. My teachers and supervisors are very sweet and kind. They go out of their way to help me when I have any questions and it’s a very relaxed work environment.Ā
Can you describe your first day /week as an ALT?
My first week was definitely an experience. I was a bit nervous doing a speech in front of the school in both English and Japanese. A moment that was memorable though was hearing all the kids whispering about the new ALT and curious to what kind of person I was. Their excitement got me even more excited to be here.
The Most rewarding Part of Teaching
I think the most rewarding part is seeing your kids being excited to learn English. Also seeing them use it outside of class when talking to their home room teacher or watching a high school parade with them and they compliment the costumes with ā Wow, Beautifulā
Cultural Immersion & Daily Life
Ā What cultural experience or tradition made the biggest impact on you.
In my first month here, I was offered to be taught Japanese classical martial arts. Fastforward, this experience has taught me to be more disciplined in Japanese customs stemmed from the Edo PeriodĀ
What part of your daily life in Japan do you think youāll miss the most one day?
I will miss walking past my townās castle everyday, the insanely beautiful sunsets, and being a part of a community.
Have you picked up any new habits, hobbies, or language skills?
A major hobby I have picked up is classical martial arts. These martials arts are called Niten Ichi-Ryu, Hozoin Ryu Sojutsu, and Takeuchi-Ryu.Ā
Growth & Accomplishments
What are you most proud of accomplishing during your first year in Japan?
Something I am proud of was completing my first full marathon in Ehime. It was an amazing but brutal experience.
If you could give your past self one message, what would it be?
That you made a great decision submitting that application and that you’reĀ right where you’re supposed to be.
Future Outlook & Advice
What do you hope to achieve in your next year in Japan?
I would like to start studying Japanese more intensively with the JLPT in mind. As well as making as many connections as I can to help with my future endeavors.
How has this experience shaped your future goals or dreams?
It has definitely put me inĀ a spot to start taking the steps to pursue my goals and not just keep talking about it. Helping me with language acquisition and making international connections has really shown me that it is possible to be in the international industry.Ā
Do you see yourself staying in education or Japan long term?
I donāt see myself staying in education nor Japan long term. I would love to be able to visit Japan as often as I want since I have built a community with my town but I will eventually want to go home. Being away from the U.S. has shown me how spoiled we are in the U.S. in small ways a lot of us take for granted.Ā
Inspiration for New ALTs
What advice would you give to new ALTs who are just arriving in Japan?
Donāt be holed up in your house and go broke traveling. Ok the last part might not be the best advice because I gotta eat ramen for a week sometimes. However, you are here for a reason. To gain new experiences and find a different world from your hometown. Go into that scary izakaya, most likely than not you will be fine and might even get a free dish and drink paid for ( in my case I got scallops and 6 beers paid for). Look for activities in your area, try on a kimono, learn how to do a tea ceremony, and be a part of the festivals. In the workplace, try your best to teach kids about English in the way that you can. Even if some kids might not be interested there are some that canāt wait for the next English class.
Whatās something small that made a big difference for you?
For me it was definitely a mindset that I am here to be a Japanese person not Mexican-American. What I mean by this is, trying the āweirdā looking food at the school nomikai atleast once. Learning the customs whether itās leaving the workplace, pouring someone elseās glass, how to pick up chopsticks, etc. Thereās a time and place where yes you are an ambassador of your country and you need to speak English. However thereās times where you can immerse yourself in the culture and tell yourself if this is normal for a Japanese person. Why couldnāt it be normal for me?
If you had to sum up your first year in Japan in one sentence what would it be?
We outside livin life.Ā
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Happy one-year anniversary to The Mikan Magazine! I canāt believe itās already been a year. Iām so proud of what weāve built and how far this little project has come. Working on the zine has not only been such a joy but has also opened the door to so many wonderful opportunities that Iām truly grateful for. None of this would have been possible without my amazing team, who have poured their heart and creativity into every issue, and all of the incredible participants whoāve shared their voices and stories along the way. Youāve all helped make Mikan what it is, and Iām so thankful to be doing this alongside you. Hereās to one year togetherāand many more to come!Ā
– Dillon
Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Hey everyone, happy one-year ZINEiversary! It has been an amazing experience first serving as a collaborator and then as the editor to this project that has brought so much of us together. Thank you everyone who has contributed so far and I can’t wait to see where the ZINE will go in the future!
– Justin
Hey, Mikans!
We hope you’re enjoying this month’s ZINE. If you have a story to tell, an idea to share, or just want to contribute we’d love to hear from you!Ā
Weāll have a new maga(ZINE) post for you on the first of each month, so keep an eye out!
Interested in having your own ZINE? Reach out to us atĀ themikanblog@gmail.com!