Leisure gaining ground over work in Japan

When I first moved to Japan, one of the clichés I heard again and again (and still do, a bit) was about the work culture that comes with endless overtime, packed trains at midnight, and the idea that your job defines you. No doubt, for many people that probably is still the case, but a new survey from the Japan Productivity Center has found that more people here are starting to value their free time over their careers.

Nearly 68% of people surveyed said they find more meaning in leisure than in work, or at least try to finish up quickly so they can enjoy life outside the office, and that's the highest figure recorded since tracking began in 2009. I think this is a huge shift to the daily rhythm of life here, and definitely for the better!

As for leisure activities, the most popular activity (chosen by almost half of respondents) was domestic travel. On average, those surveyed take four or five domestic trips a year and spent about ¥129,000 doing so.

Other pastimes mentioned in the study were more everyday-focused, with streaming shows, eating out, and reading all ranking highly. Dining out in particular stood out to me. On average, people go nearly 19 times a year, spending around ¥65,000. That matches fairly well with what I see around me, with local restaurants fairly busy not just on weekends but also on weeknights. 

One of my family's favorite leisure activities: movies! 

One result that surprised me from the research was how few people traveled abroad, with only 6% reporting overseas trips last year. For many Japanese residents, it seems domestic travel is enough, perhaps because it's convenient, affordable, and offers so much variety. I personally have found that every prefecture offers something different to enjoy, and I've always had good domestic travel experiences (clean hotels, convenient transport, well-maintained attractions) so I get the appeal. 

I'm really encouraged that Japan seems to be rebalancing its relationship with work, and more people are realizing that leisure is not just a break from work but a source of meaning in its own right. I think for us as expats it's a great thing! For instance, it means I'm not alone in wanting to protect my weekends or actually take my annual holidays that I'm entitled to.

If you've lived here a while, have you noticed more of a shift towards your coworkers wanting to protect and embrace their leisure time?

Info source: https://www.jpc-net.jp/research/detail/007458.html