Hi there, I’m Kyohei. Thank you for visiting my website.
The Un-Salaryman: Redefining Work and Life in Japan shares my path from the traditional ‘Salaryman’ life to building my own business. This blog offers insights and tips for you looking to ditch the grind and start an online small business.
My hope is that this blog helps you make a positive change in your life, no matter how small.
Contents
About Me
Self-Introduction
First, a little about me.
- Location: Fukuoka, Japan
- Occupation: Web Director, Online Thrift Shop Owner, Blogger
- Started My Business: 2020
- Hobbies: Working out, reading, learning English (since 2023)
- Favorite Food: Sri Lankan Curry
After graduating college, I started my career at an IT company. However, my desire to run my own business led me to begin selling second-hand clothing as a side hustle. Eventually, I decided to go full-time with that side business and become independent.
Why I Wanted To Start My Own Business
When I first started my career at the IT company, I never imagined I’d want to start my own business. Like many in Japan, I worked hard as a ‘Salaryman’ (the common term for a Japanese office worker).
However, one day, I stumbled upon a book called ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad.’ Honestly, I wasn’t curious about it at first. I’d heard things like, “It’s written by a suspicious swindler,” or “It just recommends simple real estate investment.” But, to use a common expression, reading that book for the first time felt like being hit by lightning. It completely opened my eyes to the system of capitalism, gave me crucial knowledge about money, and showed me concrete ways to escape the ‘endless rat race‘.
What I truly felt this book was telling me was, “Quit your Salaryman job quickly and start your own business, no matter how small!” It wasn’t simply a recommendation to invest in real estate. That’s why I immediately began searching for a way to leave my Salaryman job and launch my own venture!
This is the Japanese version of ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’
Why I Started This Blog
By the way, why did I decide to start this blog? And why in English, no less? The simple answer is: it’s just my hobby.
I began learning English seriously in 2023 because I needed some personal downtime. After going independent, I pushed myself so hard that I actually broke my mental health, so I knew I needed to take a proper break for myself. (I’m much better now.)
And I stopped learning English for a while in February 2025 because I felt I could already speak at a basic level. But then, I found myself wanting to explore opportunities to use English at work and connect with people all over the world. That’s when I came up with the idea of starting a blog as a way to share my thoughts and experiences globally.
I actually used to write a blog for Japanese Salarymen interested in selling second-hand clothing. So, I decided to leverage that experience and start this new blog.
Conclusion
I started this blog to share my thoughts and experiences on building an online small business, escaping a boring routine, learning English, and my daily life, among other things.
My goal is to help anyone who, like my past self, feels anxious about their future or has questions about their current life.
I truly hope this blog inspires you to change your life!
Kyohei きょうへい