Discovering Japan in the Lost Decades: My Adventures and Observations in a Country Mired in Economic Turmoil

I arrived in Japan during a time of great economic turmoil, known as the Lost Decades. It was the start of a long period of decline that would last for two more decades. Despite efforts to recover from the economic downturn, the gloom that hung over the country seemed never-ending in 2003.

Despite the struggles, I was immediately struck by how sophisticated and technologically advanced Japan was. Having been exposed to Japanese culture since my childhood in Ireland, I found it a good fit for someone fresh out of college, offering a unique sense of adventure being far away from home.

I had come to Japan as part of an exchange program to teach English in rural Hiroshima. It was there that I first noticed the malaise that had been affecting the country for so long. The economy had peaked in 1989, but since then, Japan had been unable to shake off the effects of the recession. It was similar to the stifling low-pressure front that seemed to linger over Tokyo during my arrival in the bustling city.