Man went to Japan for six months and stayed for 32 years

Man went to Japan for six months and stayed for 32 years

When Dave Prucha from California traveled to Japan for a "short -term" work task in 1992, he never thought that he would still be there 32 years later. The former university professor, who had never visited Japan before, thought that he would stay at most six months or a year.

a life -changing decision

In the three decades that have passed since then, Prucha has built up a home, married and got three children and founded an American craft beer company. "Even after 32 years, I still feel that I really like to live here," he says. "It's so much fun."

inspiring beginnings in Japan

Prucha's interest in Japan began during his studies in the international business administration at San Francisco State University in the early nineties when he learned more about the country. "At that time, Japan was an important rivalry of the United States, and I knew little about it," he explains. After a accidental encounter with a teacher who worked in Japan, in December 1991 he was given the opportunity to teach a high school in Tokyo and immediately took this opportunity.

"I went to Japan without a lot of luggage, and that was helpful. I had an open spirit and I think I was young enough," recalls Prucha. During his first visit, he impressed the “cohesion” of society and the attention to detail, especially in Tokyo. "Society was geared towards harmony, and everyone seemed to know exactly what to do," he says.

cultural challenges and adaptation

Back then Prucha was only able to "Konnichiwa" in Japanese, but was confident that it was to learn the language. "I had a small notebook with me and thought I could learn the language," he says. "It was much more difficult than I expected." His initial restricted language skills represented a great hurdle. "Without knowledge of German, this country is difficult for many people to penetrate," he admits.

Prucha found that the courtesy of the Japanese meant that it sometimes took a while for him to realize when he was doing something wrong. "Japanese are so polite that it is against their nature to tell someone directly how this is possible," he explains. He remembers having been waiting for a taxi for a long time and realizing that no driver stopped. Finally he found that he had overlooked a large taxi line.

The joy of the Japanese way of life

Prucha quickly realized that he had to take the time to learn how to live in Japan if he wanted to survive here. "Japan is permeated by culture, tradition, customs and habits. It's just endless," he adds. The country is known for its "job addicted" culture, and Prucha says that it suits him. "I often get the remark: 'Dave, you are really like the Japanese. You work a lot'," he explains. "I take it with a grain of salt. I have nothing against work ..."

a new life in the country

After his employment contract was extended, Prucha spent more time in Japan and started to feel more at home. "After five or six years I wanted to stay here forever," he says enthusiastically. "I was completely fascinated by Japan and didn't really have the idea of wanting to live elsewhere."

Prucha initially found Japan "super expensive", but realizes that he was able to compensate for everything due to his high salary. "I found that I could save and use these savings to build my company," he says. After acquiring his driver's license, Prucha bought a motorcycle and traveled through the country. "I started to have the feeling of being able to go anywhere in Japan, and I did so."

Foundation of a craft beer company

After becoming a father, Prucha began to re-evaluate his life and ultimately decided to pursue his dream of the production of American craft beer in Japan. "I've always loved craft beer," he says. When he saw that Japan began to craft beer to Embrace, he was very enthusiastic. Prucha, who is a licensed farmer, had already started growing hops on his property.

After finding a suitable empty building in the Yamanashi Prefecture, he spent two years to convert into a craft brewery. "As soon as we got the license and started brewing beer, it was as if everything would come together," he says. To date, he has produced over 50 beers with his brewing system. "We start selling in the big cities, because people realize that the taste I have developed here is basically a mirror of what makes American craft beer," he reports.

a feeling of belonging

Although Prucha loves his life in Japan, he admits that he misses the wide open rooms of the United States. "I also miss freedom to express his opinion openly without feeling the feeling of kicking someone on their feet," he says. After over thirty years in Japan, Prucha no longer sees himself "so much as foreigners". "I feel as if I were just part of society and try to help my community and let our city grow," he explains.

Prucha is convinced that he has become a better person through the Japanese lifestyle. "I love Japan the most because they have created a society that works well together and endeavors to ensure a fair and comfortable standard of living for their people," he summarizes.