After a three-month stint in Kanazawa, the city I affectionately refer to as my “hometown” in Japan, I’m back in Tokyo.
Despite the lifting of the state of emergency and the reopening of the economy, not much has changed in Tokyo. The Covid-19 pandemic still rages here just as it does everywhere else, though perhaps in a less dire way. There are of course guidelines in place on how to live and conduct oneself in this new normal, but as there are no real consequences or lockdowns we remain much freer in our day to day lives than pretty much everyone else I know. For me, it’s become a matter of trying to determine what feels comfortable to me, and trying to balance what I deem reasonable, safe measures with my pressing need for socialization.
I’m also still unemployed, and still making my regularly scheduled visits to Hello Work, the cutely-named organization that runs the unemployment insurance scheme here in Japan. For the second installment in my Hello Work journey, head over to Japan Forward to read my latest article on this riveting subject!
Happy Travels, but stay the fuck at home,
Mo
A Stranger In Paradise 
So you’re just about due to go back again. Good luck finding a job! Or did you get one already? So cool that you qualify for at least some benefits.
Alison
Yes, I just had my third visit, and it was still overly complicated, but I am so fortunate to be getting benefits right now! I’ve started doing some contract work for an online teaching company that might pan out into a more permanent position, so fingers crossed!