Our family of four (our kids are 2 and 4) has moved to Ireland!
Up until now, I’ve mostly written about family trips within Japan, but from here on, I’d also like to start sharing our experiences with living abroad as a family with kids.
Where Is Ireland, Exactly?
Ireland is pretty far from Japan.
Honestly, not many Japanese people – myself included – could tell you exactly where it is on a map (ha!).
It’s an island nation just west of the UK, with Dublin as its capital.
Before we moved, I’d read that it’s known for its beautiful nature and easygoing people – and that turned out to be exactly right!
Is There Anywhere in Japan It’s Similar To?
Back when we were still in Japan, I once met someone from Ireland, and they told me the closest comparison in Japan would be Hokkaido (Japan’s northernmost main island, known for its cold, snowy winters).
Both Hokkaido and Ireland are surrounded by the sea, have roughly the same land area, and have vast grazing land – so they share a lot of the same food strengths: seafood, dairy, lamb, and potatoes.
Ireland actually sits at a higher latitude than Hokkaido, but thanks to the warm current flowing up from the Gulf of Mexico (the North Atlantic Current) and the prevailing westerly winds, the temperature barely swings throughout the year – it almost never snows in winter, and summers stay cool.
Is It Safe?
We’d heard it was safe before moving, and now that we’re actually living here, it really does feel that way.
We often see women and kids out and about on their own, or people walking around with earbuds in without a second thought.
Japan is often called one of the safest countries in the world. Adults can still be careful about their surroundings, but our kids (2 and 4) have only ever known that kind of freedom, so I was a little worried about the change.
But seeing things like bags left sitting on strollers at the park, or parents just relaxing on a bench nearby – it looks a lot like what we’re used to in Japan, and that put us at ease.
What I Want to Write About Going Forward
The questions I got asked the most were things like, “Why Ireland?”, “How long are you going for?”, “What about the move itself?”, and “Do your kids even understand what’s happening?”
I’m planning to turn each of these into its own article as we go through the experience, but for now, here’s a quick overview of what I’m hoping to cover.
Moving Abroad in General (Not Ireland-Specific)
- Sorting through our things (what to bring, what to let go of)
- What to do with our house back in Japan
- Mail, residency paperwork, and other procedures
- Shipping our belongings
Things Specific to Ireland
- Finding a place to live
- Differences in climate and daily life
- Comparing grocery stores
- The cost of living
Things Unique to Having Kids Along
- Flying internationally with kids
- Keeping up their native language (Japanese)
- Finding local daycare and schools
- Helping kids cope with the change
Travel
- Sightseeing spots within Ireland
- Trips to other countries in Europe
- Timing trips back to Japan and flight planning
That’s the plan – I’d like to go into each of these in more detail, one at a time, going forward.
In Closing
Honestly, living abroad was always a dream of mine. Traveling somewhere is fun, of course, but actually living there is a completely different kind of experience.
I’m grateful our whole family gets to go through this together, and I want to make the most of this rare opportunity.
Thanks so much for reading to the end.
