“Most people know me as Japan Ana, the Tshangla-speaking woman from my videos. I share glimpses of my daily life with my Japanese husband and our son as we live in and travel around Japan and Bhutan. But life wasn’t always like this.
I was 20 when I left Bhutan for Japan. Back home, my single mother was raising 7 children on her own. Often, I helped take care of my younger siblings. When the opportunity to go abroad came, I took it, hoping to support my family. That decision was made 25 years ago.
Japan was difficult in the beginning. I didn’t know the language and struggled to find work. I worked long hours in factories for a small salary. Most of what I earned was sent home, and whatever remained was barely enough to survive. I lived paycheck to paycheck, with little progress and very few Bhutanese around me. The homesickness was overwhelming.
One day, I decided I couldn’t continue like this. I was tired of being an hourly worker. In Bhutan, my English was average, but in Japan, it was valuable. I started an English coaching class from my home. Slowly, it grew, and I no longer had to work in factories.
Around that time, a Japanese man found my classes online. He was unhappy with his job and wanted to join JICA and come to Bhutan. I taught him English and helped him prepare for his exams, but he couldn’t clear them. Seeing him disheartened, I told him I would take him to Bhutan one day. Soon after, we got married.
After my coaching business, I opened a food truck called Bhutan Kitchen in Japan. It became very successful, with long queues and features on Japanese news channels. Celebrities like Miyazon and Hiromi even visited. Later, I opened a store in Bhutan called Japan selection and even started a makeup brand.
I also focused on fitness and community, creating the Motay Group on Telegram, which now has over 12,000 members. When I earned my first income from social media, I used it to celebrate the group’s first anniversary in Thimphu.
At 45, I’m proud of the decision I made at 20. The journey was difficult, but it shaped me into an entrepreneur. And no matter where life takes me, I remain everyone’s favorite Sharshopka, Japan Ana.”
