At COLIVE Fukuoka 2026, three long-term residents shared why they have made Fukuoka home, what helped them stay, and what they would tell someone considering the move.
By Nick Szasz, photos by Emiko Szasz
Micaela Braithwaite still finds new things to enjoy in Fukuoka after more than two decades in Japan. “After 20 years, I just don’t get bored,” she said.
Her turning point was practical: “For me, Fukuoka became a viable option to live long term once I got my visa sorted out.” After years of moving between study and employment, she secured a status that allowed her to work independently, without attaching her career to a particular employer, school or partner. Wanting to stay and being able to stay had become the same thing.
That distinction ran through Why We Came, Why We Stayed, and What Comes Next, a panel produced by Fukuoka Now at COLIVE Fukuoka 2026, a programme of talks, coworking and community events for digital nomads and entrepreneurs. On October 1 at The Luigans Hotel, I moderated a discussion with Douglas Weber, founder and CEO of Weber Workshops; Braithwaite, the content creator and travel storyteller also known as Micaela Anne; and Jean-Pierre “JP” Villeneuve, founder and CEO of New Town Technologies.
All four of us on stage love living here. Fukuoka is home, and we have chosen to keep building our lives here. I wanted us to share that affection alongside some straight talk about work, family and belonging, to help people still deciding whether to make the move.
When Staying Became Possible
The three had arrived by different routes. Micaela first came to Kyushu as a teenage exchange student in Miyazaki. JP moved to Japan after his Japanese wife decided she wanted to return; the couple then chose Fukuoka. Doug deliberately selected it as a base for the life and business he wanted to build.
For JP, permission to live in Japan was less of an obstacle than finding satisfying work. Married to a Japanese citizen, he acknowledged that his circumstances differed from Micaela’s. But making a living had been difficult.
His English-teaching job came with an unexpected accessory: little white taxi-driver gloves to hide his tattoos, giving him a rather Mickey Mouse appearance. “Very fashionable,” he said. The long teaching days were followed by work in mobile applications, which drew on his programming background but still involved low pay and extensive overtime. With a young daughter, he needed something more sustainable.
Studying Japanese helped him move forward. A subsequent job at software company Nulab brought a better salary, a career path and the chance to spend his days “doing things that I could do well instead of just whatever I could do.” That was when a lasting life here began to feel possible.
Doug’s experience was different again. After years at Apple and time divided between Tokyo, Fukuoka, Taipei and San Francisco, running his own company gave him greater control over where and how he lived.
Fukuoka offered room for “a beach and chickens and stuff,” as Doug put it, while keeping his factories in Taiwan and business elsewhere in Asia within reach. He could choose when to engage with a large city and when to step away from it.
Each had found a way to build the life they wanted. The turning points differed: independence to work, access to a rewarding career, or control over where to live. Their experiences offer useful questions for a prospective resident.
Being the First to Say Hello
Micaela’s public career might suggest someone naturally comfortable meeting people. Her description of life off camera was rather different: “When I’m at home, I shut off. I like to spend my time talking to as few people as possible.”
Building a community in Japan nevertheless required her to initiate contact. Her policy was to “always be the one who talks first.” Greet the neighbour. Say good morning to other parents at school. Make the small comment that gives someone an opening to respond.
For her, those small exchanges showed neighbours that she wanted to be part of local life and gave them a way to connect.
JP recognised that experience. Learning Japanese had expanded his options at work, but its value also reached into family life and everyday encounters.
Micaela saw an opportunity for Fukuoka here, too. As more people become interested in spending time in the city, she felt there was room for more initiatives that bring international residents together across language groups. She recalled Fukuoka Now gatherings as occasions where people could meet and develop connections.
Her point extended beyond English-speaking networks. A growing international community needs opportunities for people with different backgrounds to get to know one another.
What Remains Difficult
Building a life here also gives people a clear view of what could work better.
For Doug, education was a continuing concern. He wanted more schooling options for international families, including choices that kept Japanese central to children’s education. “Putting the onus on parents is tough. We’re already running businesses.” He wanted greater support from the city and prefecture.
JP described exclusion in particularly everyday terms. His tattoos prevented him from using certain facilities, including a nearby water park he wanted to visit with his daughter. Restrictions that might sound minor to someone planning a move could affect ordinary family activities years later.
He also spoke about his concerns as a husband and father over opportunities for women. His criticism was directed at broader conditions in Japan, rather than Fukuoka alone.
Micaela returned to residence status. From her perspective, people who wanted to live and contribute in Japan needed more viable ways to remain.
The concerns ranged from local schooling to national rules on residence and employment. For people considering a move, understanding how these affect everyday life can help them prepare.
Before You Decide
Doug’s advice was to spend enough time here to experience ordinary life. A week was too short. If possible, stay for a month, establish a daily routine and investigate how living here would actually work.
Micaela encouraged people to accept that their first route into Japan might change. She had been a student three different times. “So the things that get you here may not be the things that keep you here long term.” An initial arrangement could give someone the time and experience to work out a longer-term direction.
JP’s advice was emphatic: “Learn Japanese, learn Japanese, learn Japanese.” For him, it had opened doors to better work and closer connections in daily life.
Their views on opportunity also differed. Doug and JP saw business and investment possibilities. Micaela emphasised the need to build community. Those perspectives reflected the different lives they had made here.
After four decades in Japan, I love living here and have no desire to live anywhere else. For me, the conversation connected with one of COLIVE Fukuoka 2026’s themes: ikigai.
Looking back on the panel, the word I keep returning to is yakuwari: a role. Having something to contribute, feeling needed and knowing why you are here matter enormously when building a life overseas.
Financial opportunity can be part of a decision to move, but it may change. My own reason for remaining in Japan has been the sense that I have a role here and a mission I want to continue. The satisfaction that brings is an important part of my life.
That is the thought I would leave with someone considering Fukuoka, or a move to any country: alongside the practical questions about work and where to live, consider what you want to contribute. What might give you a reason to stay?
Explore Fukuoka Further
For the panelists’ personal recommendations and links to their work, visit Fukuoka, Off the Map.
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