Self-introduction

Hello everyone, I'm Wu Meng-Hsuan from Taiwan. If we have a chance to meet, please call me Xiao Wu. I am currently attending Tokyo Hospitality Academy (formerly Tokyo Tourism College) in Shinjuku, majoring in Funeral Director. When you look at this major, don't you think it's pretty cool? I agree. First, I'd like to share my 9 years of experience living in Japan and tell you why I chose this major.

Aiming for Koshien!

Contrary to appearances, I was once a baseball player. I came to Japan to play in high school baseball at Koshien and to become a professional baseball player. Yes, back then, an immature 16-year-old boy, I headed to this unknown foreign land to pursue that dream. It was a different world! I couldn't speak the language, the food was unfamiliar, and we lived in the mountains. Dragging a box of luggage, I spent three bittersweet years with my friends who also had shaved heads and loved baseball.

Mr. Wu (bottom left) volunteering

You have to choose the path you take in life

The process of realizing my dream was not easy. After experiencing injuries and depression, I decided to put an end to my 10-year career as a baseball player when I was in my second year of college. Just chasing my dream was enough. I had to choose the path I wanted to take in life - that's what I told myself at the time. Life is a path that you decide for yourself, and you should not resent heaven or regret the past, and everything is your own responsibility. Fortunately, I had a habit of reading and writing before, which helped me to acquire the ability to talk to myself and think.

Accumulate experiences and enhance your own life experiences

After a certain period of time, I spent three years at university trying to find my ideal workplace and stage, and took on various jobs. I decided to meet people from all walks of life, accumulate experiences, and improve my own life experience. The jobs I have experienced over these years include interpreting for professional baseball players, accompanying interpreter and guide for Japanese baseball teams, assistant baseball coach, Japanese sushi shop clerk, tapioca shop clerk, family restaurant employee, cafe clerk, insurance worker, short-term florist dispatch employee, Japanese-Chinese tutor, and Taiwan-Japan temple exchange. I also worked as an interpreter for various events and at a Japanese funeral home. Currently, I work with the Taiwan Representative Office in Japan as a special supporter for Taiwan-Japan funerals, providing full support for funerals in Japan, and serving as an interpreter and funeral consultant.

Why a funeral consultant?

If you've read this far, are you interested in why I chose this special job? I hope you're interested! Actually, my family has been in the funeral business since my great-grandfather's generation, and I grew up in the temple and this industry. So I didn't have any negative feelings about this industry from the beginning. But this is a strange connection. After experiencing many jobs and taking detours, I've still come back to where I started. This may be my calling.

Mr. Wu giving a presentation at the Japanese Speech Contest

Hospitality and courtesy in the funeral business

The funeral industry in Japan is said to be the best service industry, and there are many things that have impressed me, such as the hospitality and politeness of the work. Through the funeral scenes I have seen in plays and movies, and through my many actual experiences, I truly wanted to bring back to Taiwan the Japanese funeral culture and its charm that cannot be seen with the eyes but can be felt from the heart, and have as many people as possible feel and understand it. So that as many people as possible can have no regrets and be grateful during this extraordinary time.

Why did you choose Tokyo Hospitality Academy?

I want to impact the lives of others with my life. That's why I chose this school. Our school offers many resources to help people understand the value of life and issues of life and death. I'm really glad I chose this school. I've met many great people here and have grown a lot from my instructors and peers.

Lastly...

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to share my story. I hope this story will be of some help to those of you who are considering studying or working in Japan in the future. You have to choose your own path in life. If you choose what you think is right, be brave and take that wonderful first step!