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All in Japan
Unbeknownst to us, the Kansai Soka Schools' leaders had planned an exceptional experience, one befit for royalty. Although we arrived 30 minutes early, we were immediately welcomed by the Kansai Soka School’s Principal, President, and English-Japanese translator / teacher. After taking the customary photos with the magnificent building and burly lion statue, we received an extensive tour of the school’s museum.
Ever since coming to Japan, I’ve been cooking breakfast and dinner on most days. That way, I can eat healthy foods that I love and save a bit of money. Thankfully, I adore the food here. It’s healthy, mostly gluten free (except the ubiquitous soy sauce condiment and most noodles), and contained in well-designed packages.
Living abroad in any country is needless to say, difficult. Besides the obvious cultural, language, and social differences, there are a multitude of unspoken rules in Japan, four of which I’ve listed below.
What's it like to live in Japan? Well, for starters, I've experienced excellent customer service parallel to that of the high-end brands in the U.S. such as Nordstrom or even Zappos
First off, the care and attention given to new members is outstanding. Of course, I can't speak for everyone, but my experience thus far, has been superb. Last week, my mom visited a local Soka Gakkai International (SGI) center, and informed them about how I wanted to attend meetings, and that I would be living in Kyoto for two years. That same night, a woman called me at my dorm and invited me to a local Buddhist block meeting the following week. I gladly accepted the invite!
Overall, my goal is to develop a premier resource for Japanese female entrepreneurs to embark on their journeys, while simultaneously, championing their successes!
At its core, this is a framework of what I will be doing over the course of this 2-year Mombusho Research Scholarship.
An analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the current socioeconomic and political realm of female entrepreneurs in Japanese society.
As a graduate of political economy at UC Berkeley and a proud marketer at three startups since college, I would like to conduct a cross-cultural analysis of female entrepreneurship in Tokyo and Silicon Valley. The hub of technology innovation, Silicon Valley is making the world a more connected place. Simultaneously, Japan is moving towards becoming a more global society, increasing the number of women in the workforce, and developing a healthier entrepreneurial environment.
I plan on conducting a comparative study of female entrepreneurship in Tokyo and Silicon Valley with a focus on socioeconomic and political trends.
A good place to begin contacting female entrepreneurs in Japan is the Women Entrepreneurs Center run by the Development Bank of Japan. Both the finalists and judges have a wealth of experiences and knowledge about developing businesses in the Japanese context. Prior to arriving in Japan, I will begin connecting with people associated to the program.
