Alone in Japan: 5 Tips To Get Through The Solo Foreigner Blues

Once the initial excitement and novelty of being abroad in Japan wears off, work challenges, language barriers, homesickness and even the winter season can gang up on you, making it harder to connect with others and enjoy daily life.

Japan has a reputation for being one of the loneliest countries in the world, and many newcomers search for advice on how to navigate feeling alone in Japan. With long working hours and social schedules that rarely overlap, it’s easy to understand why isolation is so common.

When I first lived here, I worked a contract playing piano and singing six nights a week at a Hakone resort. I met many kind and thoughtful people, yet my schedule and limited Japanese skills made it challenging to establish genuine day-to-day connections.

Loneliness is such a powerful and widespread emotion that several countries now treat it as a public health issue. The UK appointed a Minister of Loneliness back in 2018. Japan followed in 2021, naming its first Minister for Loneliness and Isolation, Tetsushi Sakamoto, in response to rising suicide rates and pandemic-related challenges. The position is currently held by Junko Mihara, who has served in the role for the past year.

Recent OECD data shows that around 10 percent of people in Japan have no social interaction outside their family. In other words, you’re truly not alone in feeling alone. The good news is that even small steps can make a meaningful difference.

Here are my personal tips for meeting new people, building community connections and experiencing all the incredible things Japan has to offer.

1. Invite Your Co-workers Out After Work

© Photo by iStock: AzmanJaka

The joy of being in Japan is that there are endless opportunities for fun—and for those in the city, everything is open late. Getting the chance to get to know your co-workers outside of work is undoubtedly a great way to create, strengthen and maintain new friendships.

The good news is that in Japan, post-work drinks or nomikai (drinking parties) are practically a part of the job, so you shouldn’t have much trouble persuading your colleagues to join you.

My Personal Recommendation

Music lovers in Tokyo should head to Shibuya’s Dogenzaka on a Tuesday night for Ruby Room’s famed open mic night, where a mixture of locals, ex-pats and travelers will entertain you. Given the intimate setting of the bar, it’s a golden opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone—if they don’t beat you to it!

You should also check out Savvy Tokyo’s food archives for more cool places to visit after dark with your (hopefully) new friends.

2. Discover New Passions Through Volunteering

Volunteering in Tokyo can be a great way to give back to the community, make new friends and appreciate the things you have to be grateful for. Working alongside other volunteer staff who are passionate about changing the world for the better will not only give you all the good feels, but you’ll be a part of a community where you’re all working towards one collective goal. And nothing brings people closer together than that.

My Personal Recommendation

For those who are slightly more introverted but love animals, the Animal Life Matters Association (ALMA) is accepting volunteers for both administrative tasks and caring for the cats and dogs, including cleaning cages, preparing meals and walking dogs. The website is in Japanese, but you can access the volunteering form here.

3. Endorphins Make You Happy—Exercise!

© Photo by iStock: joka2000

It’s all too easy to stay under the covers with a good Netflix drama, but if you dig deep and get up and at ‘em, your mind and body will thank you. If a standard gym session isn’t your cup of tea, I highly recommend a boxing class for an intense and not-your-everyday workout.

Other options include joining a local sports team or a running club, allowing you to make friends while exercising. You can easily find various English-speaking sports groups on platforms like Meetup.

My Personal Recommendation

I personally enjoy attending the B-Monster group-taught boxing classes, which are held in a dark room illuminated by colorful LED lights. The idea is to “refresh yourself both physically and mentally as if you were dancing in a club”—you’ll be having too much fun partying that you’ll forget you’re working out!

For a gentler workout, practice your namastes at one of these English-friendly yoga classes in Tokyo. Everyone, from beginners to super flexible yogis, is welcome.

4. Go To A Japanese Class

© Photo by iStock: izusek

Perhaps the most obvious point is the inability to speak Japanese—it is automatically isolating to a certain degree. Self-study is all well and good, but only another student studying the language can understand the arduous journey of learning Japanese.

The power of shared learning is not to be underestimated. I personally learned more Japanese in a single month of classes compared to months of self-study. And best of all, an environment like a classroom is the perfect place to meet others working hard toward the same goal.

My Personal Recommendation

If you’re like me and prefer flexible classes that don’t break the bank, I can recommend Coto Japanese Academy. Aside from the textbook material they provide, they teach Japanese words and phrases commonly heard in everyday situations, such as at convenience stores or train stations.

Simply being able to recognize a few sounds and kanji characters can go a long way; you’ll start feeling like you’re a part of the world around you. GaijinPot Study is also a valuable resource for finding a language school that offers courses tailored to your specific needs.

5. Take A Solo Trip 

© Photo by iStock: Oleh_Slobodeniuk

Being lonely isn’t always caused by the absence of interaction. Instead, it’s how you feel about those interactions. If you’ve ever gone out with a group of people, yet felt disconnected, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

One of the best aspects of Japan is its incredible safety and ease of travel. How is this possible? Enter Japan’s railway system. Hop on a train, throw on some earbuds and make the mental shift from “lonely” to “solo day-tripper”. With countless historical monuments, mountains, natural hot springs and an entire ocean only a hop and a skip away from most areas in Japan, there’s no better place to pursue your inner wanderlust.

My Personal Recommendation

There are a number of easy-to-get-to and totally #worthit spots in and around Tokyo that I love: Hakone for a dip in Japan’s famous onsens, Enoshima for those missing the beach or in search of a spa day, Kamakura to catch historical views of the massive Daibutsu or Ibaraki prefecture to catch the final colors of fall.

Feel proud of yourself for taking a chance on something—whether it’s a job, a relationship or your own desire to be in Japan—you took the leap and made it happen. You can get through this.

Further Resources

Loneliness can be debilitating and lead to other mental health issues. There are several places you can reach out to if you feel you need professional support.

• Tokyo Counseling Services offers counseling and therapy services in multiple languages to all residents of Tokyo.
• TELL (Tokyo English Lifeline) is a wonderful organization that provides 24-hour support for mental health.
• The Japan Helpline provides information and resources for areas across the country, covering a wide range of topics, including medical assistance and other emergencies.

Have you felt alone in Japan before? How did you deal with it? Let us know in the comments.

This article has been republished for 2025.