"California wasn't what it used to be: the cost of living was insane, and the Bay Area magic had dimmed. I wanted a reset. I had visited Tokyo as a tourist and loved its safety, cleanliness, and energy. I also noticed something important. Japan is home to more than 3 million small businesses, including restaurants, bars, cafés, and retailers. Unlike the US, where big chains dominate, Japan still runs on a lot of mom-and-pop shops."
"That made it the perfect market to test my idea. In 2024, I came for three months, the maximum my US passport allows. I don't have roots in Japan - I'm not Japanese, I don't speak the language, and my family is originally from Hong Kong. But I figured if I could make something work here, I could make it anywhere."
Eric Fung left California seeking a fresh start and relocated to Tokyo to pursue a business opportunity. He found California's cost of living prohibitive and perceived the Bay Area energy as diminished. He grew up in Brooklyn in a blue-collar household; his father emigrated from Hong Kong and his parents briefly ran a restaurant. He studied advertising and public relations at Penn State, then worked in New York before joining a small startup. Early entrepreneurial efforts failed, prompting a move to San Francisco. In 2024 he arrived in Tokyo for a three-month market test without Japanese language skills or local roots, aiming to serve Japan's many small businesses.
Read at Business Insider
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