It has been about 2 and a half weeks since I began my internship here in Tokyo. My company is called LOOK UP Accounting, but as a whole they own a few different businesses. These include a café, a co-working space, and a studio. As that description might entail, it is not the most conventional accounting firm! Their values are heavily focused on easing other’s financial burdens, making accounting accessible, and bridging communication barriers. Health, wellness, and family are also very valued. Part-timers and remote workers are very common, and the traditional Japanese work model that might come to mind for some isn’t extremely dominant here. Many members of the office all come together to stretch and exercise together in the afternoons, which in English translates to “refresh time”. Speaking of English, the majority of employees here do not speak any. There are 2 fluent English speakers, and a few with some light English knowledge. Consequently, I am experiencing some significant Japanese immersion! Technology has certainly been a big help, and tools like ChatGPT, DeepL, and Google Translate are big components of how I perform here in Tokyo.
Thanks to my lovely co-workers, I’ve gotten to experience a lot of new cultural aspects of Japan as well! I had my first traditional, non-Americanized hot pot meal with my co-workers, as well as many different types of gyoza! If you can’t tell from the empty plates, it was delicious. I have been doing my best to share my culture where I can as well. For our refresh time one day, I did my best to teach a simple line dancing lesson in Japanese! I sadly had to cheat off of my pre-made, ChatGPT assisted script a bit, but everyone had a lot of fun.
