Super video-game enthusiast Hollie had always wondered what life in the birthplace of gaming giants such as Nintendo would be like, but it wasn’t until after a first-time holiday to Japan that she knew she had to turn idea into reality. We had a chat about how she landed a job in a development studio in Kyoto, the things she’s been up to since and she shared some tips on how to break into the Japanese gaming industry.
Hey Hollie! Could you start by telling us a little about yourself?
Absolutely! I’m originally from Fleetwood, a small coastal town in Lancashire and I studied PR, Marketing and Communications at Liverpool John Moores University. I’ve worked in the video game industry for the past 10 years and I moved to Japan earlier this year to join a development studio based in Kyoto.
I share a huge collection of retro video games with my husband and in my spare time I enjoy sharing pieces from our collection over on my Instagram page.
What first got you interested in Japan?
Being a huge Nintendo fan, I’ve always wondered about what life in Japan would be like, but it wasn’t until 2017 that I had the opportunity to visit for a holiday. We spent 3 weeks in Tokyo and I immediately fell in love with the culture, the hospitality and of course the food. As well as sightseeing, we spent time exploring local video game stores and discovered that it really is the best place to be a retro collector!
It was a bit of a culture shock visiting for the first time, but nowhere near as much as I’d imagined. Even during that first trip we talked about how amazing it would be to move to Japan long term, kick-starting our mission to make it happen.
Following this I continued to return to Japan, and in December 2020 took another trip with my family which included getting engaged in Nikko - one of my favourite memories from all of our time in Japan.
How did you come to be working in Japan and what has it been like?
I feel incredibly lucky to work in my dream industry and Japan is renowned for developing incredible games, so it felt like a great match. I reached out to some contacts in Kyoto for advice and ended up connecting with my current boss (spoilers) and founder of Q-Games, Dylan Cuthbert. We got talking and to cut a long story short, I joined the Q-Games team remotely at the end of 2021. In April this year I was able to fly to Kyoto to join the team and it’s been a brilliant experience so far.
Q-Games recently celebrated their 20th Anniversary and I get to work on a wide range of games with incredibly talented people. I’m currently working on the release of The Tomorrow Children: Phoenix Edition and experiencing Japanese working culture is fascinating. The company is really diverse and we conduct business in both Japanese and English, which is the best of both worlds for me as I continue my language studies. Around 50% of my colleagues are Japanese, with the other 50% coming from Spain, Canada, USA, France, South Korea… pretty much all over the world. It’s a great environment and also makes for an interesting range of omiyage when people return from trips to their home countries!
What is the one thing you would import into the UK from Japan, if you could? (It can be an item, a custom, a tradition etc.)
Adding a genkan to your home or office. These traditional Japanese entryways create a designated space to take off your shoes and switch to slippers, and it’s my absolute favourite thing about our Japanese home. We also adopt the same practice at work, with everyone switching to slippers as soon as you step out of the elevator. It’s a great way to keep a space clean and as a British person it feels like such a treat to wear slippers at work. The UK is definitely missing out!
What have been your most treasured memories of Kyoto so far?
Experiencing Gion Matsuri for the first time was really special. The festival runs every year and includes Yoiyama, a celebration to showcase the festival floats accompanied by rows and rows of street food stalls. The procession itself took place on July 17th this year and as the parade route passed by the front of the Q-Games office, we gathered as a team to watch from the windows. The view was great and thanks to the air conditioning we were able to watch comfortably, as Kyoto in July is incredibly humid!
My other highlight so far isn’t in Kyoto but is only 90 minutes away on the train. Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan has been on my bucket list since it opened, so finally getting to visit was a dream come true!
Any particular overnight trips you would recommend out of Kyoto?
My favourite overnight trip so far has been taking the Shinkansen over to Okayama and then travelling by local train to the Southern coast of Kurashiki. We took advantage of the extension of select JR passes to foreign residents and purchased the Kansai Wide Area Pass, which is a great deal and gave us unlimited train access between Kyoto and Kurashiki.
There are lots of great places to stay overlooking the Seto Inland Sea and we chose an onsen resort on the beach with great views of the Great Seto Bridge. We rented electric bikes to get around as there are lots of very quiet shrines and temples to explore, but an equal number of very steep hills…
A highlight was walking up the stone steps to Shimotsui Gion Jinja, a shrine which sits atop the hillside overlooking the port. The views were breath-taking and we were the only two people up there. There’s also a family run okonomiyaki restaurant nearby (which fits no more than four people at a time!) called Waki in Shimotsuitanoura and I can’t recommend it more.
What is your advice to any keen gamers hoping to work in games, in Japan?
Everyone’s experience will vary massively depending on your language ability and current discipline, so there isn’t one piece of advice that will apply to everyone. If you already work within the games industry and have existing Japanese language skills, then I’d suggest reaching out to companies you are interested in potentially working with and putting in the time to network and learn as much as you can about the industry over here. Stay up to date with what’s happening with events such 'BitSummit' and the 'asobu Indie Showcase', and put together a portfolio that showcases your skills and experience.
Where is next on the list to visit?
I have a crazy long list of places I’d like to visit and Okinawa, Hiroshima and Iwankuni are at the top of the list! The next trip I have planned is during Obon, and we’ll be spending a few days in Wakayama, followed by a few days in Nara.
Thank you for your time!
To follow Hollie on her Kyoto adventures, be sure to check out her Twitter account too!
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