‘I’m the face of NZ in Japan’
Aucklander Jessica Gerrity has become a famous face in her new homeland.
I’ve been in Japan for 14 years. I arrived with no Japanese language ability and taught English to adults and children for several years before moving to internal recruitment and HR. For the past 12 years I have worked in the media, appearing on TV, radio and in books and magazine as the face of New Zealand. I am a mother of three and appear on a weekly show called Sekai Kurabetemitara, which compares Japan with different countries from all over the world.
What are the greatest advantages to living there?
As a woman, I feel safe walking by myself at night. There are small police stations dotted around the neighbourhood and it’s reassuring to be within five minutes running distance from home if anything did happen.
Disadvantages?
The Tokyo trains stop running after midnight so an all-nighter will result in either an expensive taxi ride home or a wait until 5am to catch the first train home.
How expensive is it compared to New Zealand?
In the past I have rented a onebedroom apartment two minutes walking distance from a semi-central station at ¥80,000 (NZ$1034) per month. I thought this was great value for money! These days, I buy familyrelated items (such as nappies and formula) and grocery items most often. Kids’ clothes I can find at the recycle shop sometimes for as little as ¥100 and brands like Ralph Lauren for under ¥500.
How much is a beer?
Asahi Super Dry has tiny micro beer cans which cost about ¥90, or you can pay ¥187 for 350ml or ¥247 for 500ml.
What do you do in your spare time?
I practice kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery, visit the D1 Drift races held annually in Odaiba, check out the Tokyo Auto Salon (on at the end of January) and love taking my kids to the park close by. I have a YouTube channel which I post videos on, a blog and an Instagram account, @jessintokyo.
What’s the local delicacy and would you recommend it?
I’m based in Saitama at the moment, about 30 minutes by train north of Tokyo. The area I live in is Urawa which is famous for its eel cuisine (unagi). There are many restaurants in Saitama that sell eel only. And my recommended dish is the unaju, a lidded box filled with a layer of rice then strips of eel coated in the special unagi sauce.
Easiest way to get around?
Saitama is more suburban, with large shopping malls and carparks and it’s convenient to get around by car. But when I need to go to Tokyo, the train is the best and quickest option.
Best after-dark activity?
At this time of year the Christmas illuminations are stunning. Roppongi Hills is beautiful. This a long road of blue LED lights. In summer, at night it’s all about fireworks (hanabi) which are on the scale of 10,000 or 20,000 individual explosions.
Best time of year to visit?
I recommend spring (end of March until May) and autumn (late September until mid-November). In spring the cherry blossoms are stunning. You can pick yourself up a beer from the convenience store and sit underneath a cherry blossom tree (sakura) and enjoy. It’s a national pastime in spring!
What are the top three things you recommend for visitors?
Tokyo Tower, the Skytree and the Tokyo national government buildings. Weather permitting, all have stunning views of Tokyo. For retail therapy I love Ginza. For those with limited time, I love Hato Bus tours to take in the beautiful Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Chinzanso Gardens and a ferry ride.
Besides family and friends, what do you miss most about home?
I miss licorice to be honest! Occasionally I’ll find it over here but not the Kiwi stuff. Oh and crumpets!
How easy is it for you to get back to NZ?
Relatively easy in the sense that it’s a direct flight back to Auckland with Air New Zealand, but difficult in the sense that it can be expensive depending on the time of year.
Which industries are seeking fresh talent?
For Japanese-English bilinguals there are opportunities everywhere. Japan started its recruitment drive in late November for people looking to start in April 2018. For English speakers with banking, finance, IT, accounting and law backgrounds, there may be options in foreign-owned companies. The best bet would be to contact a recruiter who knows the market. For English speakers fresh out of uni who want overseas experience I recommend a working holiday. English teaching work can prove a great way to initiate yourself.