#Japan #Tokyo #Foreign Residents #wagaya Connect #wagaya Japan

Overview of wagaya Connect

On September 7, 2025, wagaya Japan, a subsidiary of the Japan Agent Group, hosted its first-ever event, "wagaya Connect," aimed at foreign residents in Japan. Held at the stylish Kiyosumi Garden in Koto City, Tokyo, this initiative seeks to foster a sense of community between foreign participants and local residents through cultural exchange.

What is wagaya Connect?

wagaya Connect is designed to create safe cultural and social exchange opportunities for foreign residents and local citizens, thereby advancing coexistence within the community. The goal is to bridge the gap between foreigners and the local society by promoting understanding through experiences, learning, and interaction. Ongoing collaboration with local governments and real estate businesses will expand these initiatives, establishing a robust framework for facilitating interaction between Japan and foreigners.

Event Details

• - Title: wagaya Connect
• - Organizer: wagaya Japan, Inc.
• - Date: September 7, 2025
• - Location: Kiyosumi Garden, Tokyo
• - Attendance: 25 participants

The structure of the event was twofold: a "Learning" session followed by a "Hands-On Experience".

Learning Session

The first part focused on education, where participants learned about essential topics such as housing searches, local customs regarding waste disposal, noise protocols, disaster prevention, and recent legislation changes. Our foreign staff facilitated this session by delivering information in both simple Japanese and English, ensuring resources were available in multiple languages aligned to the attendees’ nationalities, allowing for easy reference post-event.

Feedback from attendees highlighted the reliability of information being shared. One participant remarked on the trust gained from learning from a historically significant Japanese company, while another appreciated the persuasive explanations provided by staff familiar with the realities of working alongside both foreigners and Japanese nationals.

Hands-On Experience

In the second half of the event, participants engaged in traditional Japanese activities such as making dango (rice dumplings), experiencing matcha (green tea), inscribing kanji on fans, and practicing origami. Each activity was accompanied by explanations of its cultural significance to foster a deeper understanding of Japanese customs.

Participants expressed delight at the chance to learn kanji while personalizing their fans, and noted the easy-to-understand guidance provided during the origami session.

Feedback and Future Roles

Surveys conducted at the end of the event indicated that 50% of attendees favored future disaster preparedness events, suggesting a strong interest in understanding natural disaster protocols, particularly in light of Japan's vulnerability to such events. Many shared challenges experienced while living in Japan, notably difficulties related to finding housing and managing rent payments. Recognizing that housing is a fundamental element of life, wagaya Japan plans to expand its foreign resident real estate team and promote knowledge-sharing among real estate companies nationwide to foster better connections between landlords, tenants, and communities.

Future Prospects

wagaya Japan is committed to nurturing cultural learning and exchange opportunities through future editions of wagaya Connect. We are enhancing collaborations with local governments, real estate entities, and educational institutions to expand these initiatives on a national scale. The next wagaya Connect event is scheduled for December 21, 2025.

Conclusion

Japan's foreign resident population continues to grow, with statistics from the Ministry of Justice indicating that by the end of 2024, approximately 3.76 million foreigners will reside in Japan—marking the highest number recorded to date. Foreigners are contributing significantly across various sectors, from manufacturing to education and tourism. However, living challenges due to cultural and linguistic differences indicate a pressing need for accurate information dissemination, particularly surrounding essential local customs and safety regulations. wagaya Connect is an essential step toward integrating foreigners into society as partners rather than mere customers, fostering an environment for shared learning, cultural experiences, and mutual support among all community members.