I moved to Tokyo to open a bar last year. I'd already lived in a few cities across Asia, but moving was harder in my 30s.

Thu, 08/08/2024 - 20:14

Female bartender Holly Graham standing at Tokyo Confidential bar in Tokyo. — Holly Graham moved to Japan to help open the bar Tokyo Confidential.
Holly Graham

Londoner Holly Graham moved to Asia the day after she turned 24.
She lived in Thailand, South Korea, and Hong Kong, with her career shifting from teaching to writing to bartending.
In her mid-30s, she moved to Tokyo, where she now faces the challenge of running a cocktail bar with her husband.

I moved to Thailand to teach English the day after I turned 24. I realized right away that I wasn't built for my native London, and wanted to create a life outside the UK.