Yesterday I attended a meeting of nomads and local businesses at CIC Fukuoka. There were some good questions for the nomads, but not many spoke up, including me.

Thinking about what I could say, I realized it’s important to start with the bigger picture - the role of digital nomads in Japan.

This foundation matters, because the kind of nomads Japan hopes to attract will naturally shape how events like this should be organized.

How Digital Nomads Can Benefit Japan

Many nomads wondered why Japanese businesses were so interested in us.
In some countries, we’re seen as a nuisance, so it’s refreshing to feel welcomed.

We have a responsibility to live up to this welcome by contributing something meaningful to Japan.

There are many ways to do it, but here are two areas that I'm particularly interested in:

  • Tourism in smaller towns
    While Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto are crowded, smaller regions need more visitors to revitalise the area. Nomads have the luxury of staying for a longer time, meaning they can visit places that most tourists don't reach.
    Many nomads are also content creators who can provide exposure to these places.
  • Professional skills
    Many nomads are developers, designers, writers, and marketers who can help Japanese businesses reach global audiences.
    I feel this idea is very underrated. It could lead to meaningful partnerships between locals and nomads. We’re not just tourists; we can collaborate, create, and build things together.

Example: What We Can Offer

I’m a web developer and e-commerce specialist. My partner Kristina is a web designer with a marketing background.

We can help Japanese brands improve their websites, both for domestic and international customers.

However, during our time in Fukuoka, we didn’t meet many local businesses who needed that help.
Maybe what’s missing is a simple directory where nomads can list their skills and local companies can post projects or requests.

Working together on a budget

Small businesses often cannot afford our services, but we still want to help them. There are other ways to exchange value, such as experiences and practical perks.

  • Local discounts and partnerships (e.g. gyms, cafes, coworking spaces)
  • Unique learning opportunities - workshops, cultural exchanges, or short courses
  • Visa or residency support

Business & Networking Ideas

We could easily start a freelance exchange board — even a simple Notion page — where nomads can list their skills and Japanese businesses can post what they need help with.

The main challenge is the language barrier, but I met many Japanese and foreigners who live at the intersection of both cultures. They can perhaps act as project managers and translators.

There are many such people at CIC Fukuoka. This was the best coworking space in Fukuoka, not just for comfort but for networking with locals. The location, facilities and community are perfect for a digital nomad hub. Big thank you to Alice for inviting us there and connecting us with the CIC community.

Housing Needs of Digital Nomads

Finding suitable accommodation in Japan can be surprisingly difficult for medium-term stays.

Because of Japan’s "Minpaku law", short-term rentals like Airbnb are legally limited to 180 days per year. Most hosts therefore only open their listings for a few nights or weeks at a time, which makes medium-term stays (1–3 months) very hard to find.

Here’s what most nomads are looking for:

  • Private bathrooms and showers — we’re not backpackers in their 20's. Most nomads are older and value a private and hygienic space.
  • Space to work from home when needed. Not all types of work can be done from shared spaces (e.g. I make tutorial videos on YouTube and need a quiet space).
  • Good location near transport and food.
  • Basic cleaning and cooking tools. A washing machine and drying space, a vacuum cleaner (if it's not a hotel). Ideally, a small kitchen with stove, pot, and utensils.

Services like Apartment Japan and Uni-Lease are the best option for us, but there are certain issues:

  • Sometimes in smaller cities like Fukuoka, they only list 10 or 20 apartments, so they can easily be booked out during high-demand periods (e.g. sakura season).
  • Their websites are often buggy, difficult to use, or badly translated.

Also, some offers are misaligned with the needs of nomads, for example:

  • At WeBase Hakata (a hostel), the common lobby and community aspects sound great, but the prices are almost the same as a private room at a hotel, and the lack of a private bathroom and shower is a dealbreaker for many.
  • Uni-Lease showed a house for ¥700,000 ($4,500 USD) for four people, but most nomads are either solo or a couple, in which case this is too expensive. If we were to travel in a group of 4, this would be an acceptable price, but that situation is rare.

My best housing experience was in Tokyo, where I stayed in a Hmlet apartment. It was large enough to work from, had a kitchen, and was close to transport. We paid around ¥280,000 ($1800 USD) per month, which is acceptable for us as a couple, but might still be expensive for a solo traveller.

Budgets & Misconceptions About Nomads in Japan

Before the pandemic, most nomads visiting Japan were high earners - entrepreneurs or people with tech jobs in places like Silicon Valley. That became Japan’s first impression of what a “digital nomad” looks like.

But today’s nomads are remote workers or freelancers with average incomes. Most spend around $1,500 USD per month for accommodation and prefer comfortable, practical options, not luxury.

Improving the Coliving Experience

First of all, Colive Fukuoka was excellent. All the organisers, community managers, and volunteers did an amazing job. In this post, though, I mainly want to share constructive feedback.

What could be improved

  • A shared common 'home' space for all coliving members. Ideally, the hotel lobby would double as a co-working and socialising space.
  • A permanent office space for all members. A booked room in a larger event space like CIC Fukuoka would be ideal.
  • Better event coordination. Personally, I found WhatsApp a bit messy, easy to miss important events. I think a task tracking or calendar-style software could be used, such as Notion or Trello.
  • Partnerships with local gyms that are open to short-term visitors. Fitness is important to many nomads. It is well-known that many gyms in Japan have complex joining conditions.

Cultural Activities I’d Love to See

For me, cultural immersion is the highlight. Here are some ideas that would make Colive Fukuoka even more fun:

  • Japanese language classes – two times a week, small group format to stay affordable.
  • Budo experiences – Sumo, Kyudo, Kendo. There are examples of this in Tokyo.
  • Traditional arts – Shodo, Ikebana, Nihonga
  • Cooking workshops – Sushi, Omurice, Ramen
  • Festival participation – local mikoshi or shrine events

Two types of nomads

Lastly, it's worth noting that not all nomads are the same. I noticed two different motivations among attendees:

  1. World Nomads: Those attending because it's a fun nomad event in Asia. No specific interest in Japan. They want to meet other nomads.
  2. Japan Nomads: Those deeply interested in Japan, attending Colive Fukuoka because it is in Japan. They want to meet locals.

Of course, there’s plenty of overlap, but it helps to recognise these two groups, because what they’re looking for can be quite different.

I’m part of the second group. I don’t plan to travel much around Asia; my goal is to make Japan my second home.

This seemed rare among the attendees of Colive Fukuoka, but actually, it's common that as nomads get older, they settle into rotating between only 2 or 3 of their favourite places in the world.

For nomads like these, short-term stays are just the beginning. It’s far more interesting to explore topics like longer visas, property, and business.

I hope this post was helpful for Colive Fukuoka, local businesses and other nomad events.

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