When Bianca Toeps first set foot in Japan in 2008, she just knew: "I'm going to live here someday." Flash forward fifteen years, and she's finally traded her tiny apartment in the Netherlands for an even tinier one in Tokyo. But it wasn't always easy. Between that first visit and now, Toeps was diagnosed with autism at age 26, suffered several burnouts, and switched careers a time or two (or three) before becoming a web developer and a best-selling author. And just when she was all set for the big move, the pandemic derailed everything.
This Autistic Girl Went to Japan is the inspiring story of a young woman who moved halfway around the world in pursuit of happiness. With humor and remarkable candor, Bianca describes the challenges of applying for a visa during a time of terrifying uncertainty, slogging through endless red tape, and the loneliness that comes with being a stranger in a strange land. Oh, and how she wound up evicting a bat from her new apartment, attending a Pokémon go event with a bunch of middle-aged women, and discovering the best thrift store in all of Tokyo. Along the way, she explains why she feels so at home in Japan, where things are often a bit easier for autistic folks. Well, except for revenue stamps. And opening a bank account. And faxes.