About BFF Tokyo

By  Tyson Batino | Updated September 13, 2019

About BFF Tokyo - Tokyo Life

Our Mission : Help Foreign Residents in Tokyo

Many companies are focusing on foreign tourists and not residents.

With the major boom in tourism, many businesses are focusing on superficial topics like traveling, food, parties and events since they can target both foreign residents and tourists and provide a great service and make a good profit to support their employees and families.

However, there has not been enough focus on foreign residents, especially those who are average Joe's and not receiving the VIP reception that executives receive when moving to Japan.

Our Mission : Focus on Core Expat Needs

Food, traveling, shows and events are a part of enjoying life, but we can have a bigger impact on the quality of life for the foreign community by improving the major factors that affect our well being in Tokyo.

1 : Finding a Job in Tokyo

Providing information to help our readers find a job in Tokyo that will help them develop their career and provide financial and emotional stability.

“I want to find a full-time job, but I am afraid the company will be so restrictive.” Let us tell you how to find the right company.

2 : Making Japanese Friends

Making Japanese friends that will help us understand a different mindset and fully experience a life in Japan.

“Why is it so hard to make Japanese friends?” Making Japanese friends is very tough and much harder than making a foreign friend. The bigger problem is that your friends know equally as little or much less than they think they know and so you end up never making friends.

We have interviewed foreigners who have many Japanese friends and got their opinion on why they are so well-liked by Japanese people. The founder of BFF Tokyo also runs a company that has over 60 Japanese employees even though he is not Japanese and he shared his insights as well in the article above.

3 : Learn the Japanese Language and Culture

Learning the Japanese language so we can understand the rich and deep soul of a culture that has continued for more than thousands of years. Almost every other culture in human society has experienced being conquered in their history which Japan has not. The culture that was develop thousands of years ago still remains until today, which pretty does not apply to any of our cultures.

4 : Finding an Apartment that Will Provide Stability

Finding the right place to stay that will give you peace of mind and not have to worry about things, so you can focus on the other things listed here. This section will come in the future.

5 : Develop Stable Finances in Tokyo

Developing stable finances like making a credit card and organizing a budget, so you do not have to go nuts worrying about money. You would also need to know ways to save money, which you can find at my friend's website called Tokyo Cheapo.

Many foreigners need help but don't know where to look or ask

I never realized how many foreigners who are stressed out and overwhelmed because they have not been able to secure good employment, strong and robust social network, an apartment where they can refresh, and with the other everyday things in Tokyo. Even worse, I have seen so many foreigners who have come to discover themselves and experience their Japan dream but left prematurely and disappointed with Japan.

We think that is preventable and we hope to provide more stability in the Tokyo foreign community.

What Makes BFF Tokyo Different?

Our Editor

My name is Tyson and I am the founder and chief editor of BFF Tokyo. I would like to share with you many of the things I have learned over my time here in Tokyo.

1 : I worked as an HR Manager in a large corporation and did recruitment for entry-level to manager level positions. I also co-founded two successful companies that currently employ over 160 people combined in Tokyo and Yokohama.

2 : After years of not understanding my wife and growing more than a few white hairs, we developed a great marriage, so I can share what foreigners and Japanese have trouble understanding about one another.

BFF Tokyo Expert Writers

The expert writers for BFF Tokyo have all had their own experiences as a foreigner in Japan and are currently successfully and happily living in Japan. We write these articles and guides because we have been through the same struggles and would like to share our experiences and tips, rather than doing it for a paycheck. We could write trendy content that is fun and cool, but we rather write content that really makes a difference in helping people.

BFF Tokyo Young Writers

BFF Tokyo also will include to articles written and checked by people just like you who are in their twenties and maybe thirties and still trying to figure out what they would like to do in life. Additionally, they will understand what our readers are going through better than the expert writers who really know a subject well but may not understand the target audience deeply enough. Through this balance of expert and less experienced writers, we hope to provide great contact that is not only informative but matches what you the reader want to know about living, working, learning Japanese, and making friends in Tokyo.

Problem Solvers not Complainers

BFF Tokyo is all about solutions and not about problems.

A large part of the BFF Tokyo mission is about taking personal responsibility. If you take responsibility for something, that leaves the possibility of resolving that challenge yourself. However, if you blame others or feel it is someone else responsibility, you give away your power to solve the problem or issue.

We acknowledge that there are real victims of injustices in Japan like the factory workers who have experience unsafe and just plain dangerous work conditions (Asian boss did a good piece on that), foreigners who have been the victims of fraud and were not supported by the courts, and worse the women and men who have been victims of physical violence and hit and run accidents who received no support from the courts or the police.

If you are feeling depressed and are potentially suicidal, we recommend you contact TELL (Tokyo Emergency Life Line) immediately.

Why the name BFF Tokyo?

We choose the name BFF Tokyo because we want to provide the most unbiased and honest guides to help foreigners in Tokyo. One of the main reasons foreigners become disappointed with Tokyo is because they choose the wrong job, the wrong apartment, or feel isolated in Japan.

The name BFF or best friends forever is a little bit cheesy, but we chose the name because we want to have your back and help you have a great experience. We also aim to gain your trust by providing honest and the least biased information and be your best friend and source of information until you finally get settled in with a job, apartment, and friends in Tokyo.

When you think about apartments, jobs, learning Japanese, and overall enjoying your time in Japan, we want you to think BFF Tokyo.

Let us help you until you get settled in and make the right decisions that will ultimately influence your time in Tokyo.

What content can you find at BFF Tokyo

BFF Tokyo Business Model

We would need a stable business model to provide the income necessary to fund future articles and research. Right now, the main writer Tyson and his friends are writing during their free time, but we would like to transition out of this model to produce more content.

The future business model would probably be to provide a job database for foreigners to be scouted by potential companies and paid advertisements on the website.