This article introduces a 40-something couple in Japan who have embraced life in their vehicle, having left behind their conventional lifestyle due to extenuating circumstances. The story delves into their daily routine, their adjustments to their new living quarters, how they manage basic needs such as food and hygiene, and their overall attitude towards this significant life change. Despite living a lifestyle often associated with precarity, the couple exhibits resilience and contentment.

Japan has traditionally been a society with rigid expectations for lifelong employment, home ownership, and maintaining social status. However, struggling economy and rising living costs have seen increasing numbers of vulnerable people living non-conventionally out of necessity, such as in cars or internet cafes. Discussions around these social issues continue to be prevalent, sparking debate on how to support these individuals.

While van dwelling has emerged as a lifestyle trend in parts of the US and EU, in Japan, it is still largely a matter of necessity rather than choice. The dialogue around this issue is different as well, with a stronger emphasis in Japan on social safety nets and public empathy, whereas in the US, the focus might be more on individualism and personal freedom.