Between Homes: The Complexity of the Holidays for Quiet International Leaders in Japan

Living Between Cultures During the Holiday Season

The holiday season can be unexpectedly complex for international quiet leaders in Japan. You choose where and how to spend this time. Sometimes, you have no choice.

Some people leave—some stay.

You move through the season with Japanese traditions, international friends, familiar rituals, or family gatherings here. And yet, a particular kind of loneliness can surface.

Not all the time.
Not overwhelming.
Just enough to notice.

You may love your life here.
Or you’ve learned how to live it well.
You tell yourself—and others—“Japan is home.”

Still, something feels missing, and your mind wanders.

What would it be like to be back home?
What if you didn’t have to navigate language, culture, or unspoken expectations?
What if no one noticed how you speak, dress, or move?

If you do go back, there’s another layer— aging loved ones, changing places, and the quiet realization that you no longer fully fit there either.

If you stay, you may feel stuck.

After the holidays, even when you feel rested, agitation, restlessness, or quiet overwhelm can appear.

This is very common, including among introspective, international leaders.

The Moments That Stay in the Body

During the holidays, quiet international leaders often find themselves in between moments.

At a dinner table.
In a living room with soft winter light.
Surrounded by voices, laughter, and familiar smells of food.

And yet, what stays in the body isn’t the conversation.
It’s smaller.

A pause before someone speaks.
A hug that lingers a second longer.
A soft smile that meets you fully.
The warmth of a hand on your back.
The sound of someone saying your name gently.

You don’t need to explain your life in Japan in these moments. You don’t need the right words.

Presence is enough. Being aware of these small details is more than enough.

And if there’s something you want to express—say it.
Share the moment while it’s here.

Living Between Cultures, Quietly

For international quiet leaders in Japan, life—including the holidays—is unique. Living and leading across cultures doesn’t announce itself.

It shows up quietly:

in how you listen
in the pause before you answer
in how your body holds more than one place at once

During the holidays, you may notice it more.
If you return somewhere familiar, the contrast is immediate:

how loudly people speak
how lines bend—or disappear
spontaneous conversations with neighbors or strangers
hugs
last-minute plans
no need to schedule weeks in advance

You reach for clothes or shoes that fit without effort. Makeup or dresses you haven’t worn in years. Products you could never find while living in Japan.

And without realizing it, you stop translating in your head before you speak. Your body remembers before your mind does.

If You Stay in Japan

If you stay, something else happens.
🌿 Ōmisoka — quietly closing the year.
🌿 Hatsumōde — the first shrine visit of the year.
🌿 Bōnenkai — year-end gatherings.
🌿 Shinnenkai — welcoming the new year together.

You begin to notice the beauty again:

the quiet differences
soft smiles
the tone of everyday interactions

A different energy from crowded trains, busy streets, or the office. You notice people’s liveliness and how they relate to one another.

And for a moment, you feel part of it.

You are part of it.

You may still miss home. And at the same time, you find yourself slowly immersing in new rhythms, new traditions, and the life you’ve built here.

The beginning of a bridge at Ise Grand Shrine, with no people present, conveying quiet stillness.

A Quiet Kind of Luxury

This life is rare—a quiet kind of luxury.
Not because it’s easy, but because it’s layered.

When you meet others who live between cultures and ways of being, something softens.

Ask about their life.
Share yours, too.

More often than you expect, there is common ground. And sometimes, that’s enough.

Photo: Kyoji Saito

About the Author

Chie Sawa is the founder of Thrive Life Design — a sanctuary for quiet, introspective leaders and visionaries in Japan.
Drawing from decades of experience in psychology and reflective practice, she now offers The Reflection Room, a non-clinical space for one-on-one conversations and intuitive tarot readings that help thoughtful professionals realign with clarity, confidence, and calm purpose.