Life in Japan and the need to diversify
The Flower Fields of Furano
What began in 2005 as simply a passion for restoring antique clocks evolved into becoming an authorized dealer and service center for Howard Miller, the world's largest manufacturer of floor clocks and grandfather clocks.
Fast forward to 2024, and I now live in Japan with my Japanese wife. We live in Hokkaido, Japan. Hokkaido is the northernmost prefecture of Japan and has a climate similar to Alaska. It serves as an agricultural breadbasket for many cherished crops. The people are very welcoming and kind as well.
Hokkaido is an extremely beautiful place; it’s true. And if you thought groceries were cheaper at the local supermarket, you wouldn’t be wrong. But while food is cheaper at the supermarket, it is also very difficult to make a living here. It is common for most people to have three jobs just to make enough to live on.
Therein lies my biggest issue with living in paradise. I knew I had to make changes and diversify. The clock repair business was very successful while it was located in the USA, but despite being the exclusive and official Howard Miller authorized dealer and service center for Japan, it is not as successful. People just don’t have the disposable income that many Americans have. Buying necessities like food is the best most people can hope for here.
So, after much thought and discussion, my wife and I decided to diversify in some very interesting and fun ways that we thought made sense. Only time will tell if we made the right decision. Hopefully, I have done an adequate job of explaining why a clock repair business offers a Japanese snack box subscription, Japanese classes, and sells Japanese antiques and vintage collectibles. These are things that we thought would be of interest to Americans. Are we right? Send us an email with your thoughts and suggestions. We would love to hear from you and know what you think.
Please check our blog often. I will try to write interesting articles about everyday life in Japan at least once a week.
Until next time, take care and stay well.
