HELLO FROM TOCHIGI

Simple Gaijin's Next Chapter Begins in Tochigi

After more than 10 years of teaching Japanese in Texas, months of planning, packing, paperwork, and saying our goodbyes, the biggest change in Simple Gaijin's history has officially happened. Ayaka and I made it to Japan!

We arrived on October 16, 2026, and are currently staying with family in Kaminokawa (上三川町), Tochigi Prefecture, as we settle into our new lives.

What started as a dream many years ago has finally become reality. And even now, nearly a week after arriving, the whole experience still feels a little surreal.

From Texas to Tochigi

On October 14, Ayaka and I officially closed the door on our lives in Flower Mound, Texas. The apartment was emptied, the keys were returned, our belongings were shipped, and our final goodbyes were said. The following day, we departed Texas and began our journey across the Pacific.

On October 16, we landed in Japan.

After clearing immigration and customs, we boarded a bus bound for Utsunomiya, where Ayaka's family would pick us up.

I remember sitting on that bus, looking out the window, and thinking about everything that had happened to bring us to that moment.

t reminded me of the first time I visited Japan in 2011. Except this time, I wasn't coming as a tourist, exchange student, or temporary employee. I was coming to build a life here with my wife.

And yes, one of our first meals after arriving in Tochigi was gyoza. Some things are simply too appropriate to pass up.

Why Japan? Why Now?

This story began long before Simple Gaijin existed. When I was younger, I received a diagnosis that was later determined to be incorrect. I won't go into all the details here, but it affected how others perceived me, what they expected from me, and, for a long time, what I believed I could accomplish.

Not many people expected much from me professionally. When I became serious about studying Japanese, some people dismissed it as another hobby I would eventually abandon.

I didn't. I kept studying. Japanese eventually brought me to Japan, where I studied, lived, and worked. After returning to the United States, I began teaching Japanese myself.

In October 2015, that became Simple Gaijin.What started as a small side business eventually became something that has lasted more than a decade. Through economic uncertainty, changing circumstances, lost students, and the challenges of running a small business, one thing has remained consistent:

I genuinely enjoy teaching Japanese.

Moving to Japan doesn't guarantee Simple Gaijin's success. There are still challenges ahead, and I don't pretend to know exactly what the next several years will bring. But I spent enough of my life hearing what other people thought I could or couldn't do.

Now I have an opportunity to find out for myself. And this time, I'm doing it from Japan.

Settling Into Life in Tochigi

Our first several days have been a mixture of family reunions, errands, paperwork, and getting reacquainted with everyday life in Japan. Our remaining footlockers shipped through FedEx have arrived, although we're still waiting for our larger Yamato shipment. I've also begun taking care of some of the practical details of living here.

One particularly satisfying accomplishment was getting my old Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) account updated and reactivated. I originally opened that account in 2015, and after all these years, it still had approximately ¥2,700 sitting in it.

I've also begun exploring Utsunomiya independently. On October 21, I took the bus from Kaminokawa into Utsunomiya, located the immigration office, visited Bell Mall, enjoyed some gyoza and karaage, and stopped by Mega Don Quijote.

It might not sound particularly exciting to someone who has lived here for years.

But for me, these ordinary experiences are part of something much bigger. I'm no longer just visiting Japan. I'm learning how to live here again. There's still plenty to do, and I know the adjustment will take time. But little by little, Tochigi is beginning to feel less like a destination and more like home.

Simple Gaijin Came With Me

One thing I want to make absolutely clear: Simple Gaijin isn't going anywhere...Well, geographically speaking, it just moved halfway around the world. But the business itself is continuing.

Regular online Japanese lessons are scheduled to resume on November 1, 2026, with instruction delivered live from Japan. While preparing for the move, I've also been rebuilding Simple Gaijin from the ground up. That includes a completely redesigned website, expanded lesson information, and a comprehensive 12-stage Japanese curriculum.

The curriculum begins with the Japanese writing systems and fundamental language skills, progresses through beginner and intermediate Japanese, and concludes with advanced study and an Advanced Japanese Capstone. Students who complete the structured curriculum can continue with individualized advanced instruction based on their interests and goals.

What isn't changing is the foundation of the business: Private, one-on-one Japanese instruction built around the individual student. Whether you're learning Japanese for travel, personal enrichment, professional development, or a long-term goal. Simple Gaijin will continue offering the same individualized instruction that has defined the business since 2015.

Only now, I'll be teaching from Japan itself.

A New Website for a New Chapter

The new Simple Gaijin website is also nearing completion. After months of planning, writing, revising, and curriculum development, the content for all 16 pages has been approved, and the website development team has delivered the homepage and internal pages for review. The new website will provide much more detailed information about our lessons, curriculum, pricing, teaching philosophy, and specialized services.

It will also introduce additional opportunities, including Travel Japanese instruction and limited in-person travel accompaniment in the Tokyo area by arrangement.

Our target remains November 1, 2026, or as close to that date as possible, for the official relaunch.

However, I won't rush the website simply to meet an arbitrary deadline. I want the finished product to accurately represent the business I've spent more than a decade building.

When everything is ready, this website's web address will take you to the new site.

Lessons and Pricing Beginning November 1

Simple Gaijin will resume regular online lessons on November 1, 2026.

For new students, our lesson rates will be:

One 60-minute lesson per week: $45 per lesson.
Two or more 60-minute lessons per week: $40 per lesson.

Students must take lessons at least once per week. Twice-monthly, monthly, and other infrequent arrangements are not offered.

Current students who remain actively enrolled through the transition will retain their existing rates. Former students returning on or after November 1 will be subject to the new rates.

If you're interested in beginning or resuming lessons, you can contact me at mike@simplegaijin.com.

Although Simple Gaijin is now based in Japan, lessons will continue to be available online to students in the United States and elsewhere, subject to scheduling availability.

Thank You, Texas. Hello, Japan.

Texas was my home for more than 27 years. It's where I grew up, attended school, built friendships, met students, and eventually founded Simple Gaijin. Leaving wasn't easy. There were plenty of difficult moments during those final days, especially when it came time to say goodbye to people who had been part of my life for years.

But leaving Texas doesn't mean forgetting it. I'll always be grateful for the opportunities, friendships, students, and memories I made there. For more than a decade, I built Simple Gaijin in Texas while teaching people about Japan. Now I get to find out what Simple Gaijin can become from Japan itself. I don't know exactly what the next ten years will look like.

And that's part of what makes this exciting.

Years ago, I took a chance on Japanese when plenty of people thought I was wasting my time. That decision brought me across the world, gave me a career I genuinely enjoy, and helped me build a business that has survived for more than a decade. It also led me to Ayaka and, ultimately, back to Japan.

This isn't the end of that story. It's the beginning of another chapter.

Bet on yourself. Always. If no one else will, do it yourself.

これからもよろしくお願いします！

— Mike Viscusi
Owner & Founder
Simple Gaijin Japanese Language Services