Iran-Born, Japan-Raised Actor Discusses Diversity in Tokyo

Experiencing the Kindness of Tokyoites

Sahel lived in an orphanage in Iran until age seven when she was adopted. After moving to Japan with her adoptive mother, she had to overcome much hardship. They were forced to live on the street at one point when they first settled in Tokyo's neighboring prefecture, Saitama. Then, when she was in the 4th grade, they moved to Tokyo and started living in a 70-year-old wooden apartment complex in Shimotakaido with shared restrooms and no baths.

"When the wind blew, the house shook. We had only cold water coming out of the kitchen faucet, so my mother would use the gas stove to boil water, sit me down at the sink, and wash me," Sahel recounts.

They were so poor that they sometimes fell behind on their rent payments, but the elderly landlord and his wife took them in with kindness. When Sahel's mother went to apologize for late payments, the landlord said, "Don't worry," while giving her soap and towels. When a light bulb went out in their apartment, there was a male student who lived in the same building to help them. They often felt the kindness and compassion of their community in situations like these.

Kaleidoscopic Scenery of Tokyo

Tokyo is a city where both skyscrapers and old neighborhoods blend in, creating a unique charm that cannot be found in other countries. Even the appearance of a single spot changes greatly as the day goes by, from a bright atmosphere in the morning to a sense of nostalgia from the shadows at sunset, and to the night with its glittering neon lights.

"The view of Tokyo is like a kaleidoscope. Each view has a completely different look and charm that can't be seen twice, which leaves a deep impression on you. Not just what you see, but even the sounds and smells that are part the people's lives there are different."

This combining of old and new as well as diverse people creates unique scenes that can only be seen at one time, following one after another like a rotating kaleidoscope. What would be an uneven gradation creates a unique tone that becomes a somewhat mysterious charm of its own.

Sahel likes to go to traditional shopping streets and shitamachi (old town) areas with alleys. When you walk around an unfamiliar town without a map, every alleyway has new discoveries and encounters. According to Sahel, shitamachi are brimming with new ideas and excitement while being "like a time capsule" where longtime residents take in young people seeking new challenges.

"I love that shitamachi are like a kitchen to everyone, with produce stores, fish stores, and tofu stores. They have a comforting atmosphere like my homeland, Iran," she says.

The Nakasugi-dori Street in Asagaya lined with zelkova trees reminds her of the main street of Iran's capital, Tehran. One interesting feature of Tokyo is that you can enjoy a different multinational atmosphere depending on the area and those who live there, like Takadanobaba which is full of people from Myanmar. Another characteristic of Tokyo is that there are different areas that attract different age groups, such as Shibuya and the young or Sugamo and the elderly.

What makes a city comfortable depends on your identity or how old you are, but there is always somewhere in Tokyo that feels like coming home no matter who you are.

"Whether it's for food or fashion, everyone has their favorite places, and Tokyo makes you want to create your own guidebook. It reminds you of the feeling of being a child again when you had a hiding place or secret space."

The coexistence of the new and old with the comfortable contradiction of combining multi-national and diverse cultures may be the reason why many people from overseas are attracted to this city.

Tokyo has about 700,000 international residents as of 2024. There are not many cities in the world that have such a wide variety of people living side by side in harmony.

Tokyo's infrastructure ensures international residents can live comfortably, including visitor information at airports and train stations, multilingual signage in public facilities, and multilingual broadcasting in the event of a disaster. Tokyo has a culture that embraces diversity, which can even be seen in areas where shrines, temples, churches, and mosques coexist. After visiting various countries to help with refugee assistance and other activities, Sahel is confident that "there is no other country that is so safe and easy to live in."

As Tokyo's internationalization and urban development progresses, hopefully people will continue to cherish the kindness and warmth of traditional Japan.

Tokyo, a Place Where Everyone Can Say, "I'm home"

Based in Tokyo, Sahel often travels both within and outside of Japan for work and humanitarian assistance. "The moment I see Tokyo Tower from the plane, I feel the comfort of being home. I love that it shines like a candle that lights up my heart."

"When you close your eyes, the scenery you see is 'home.' When you say, 'I'm home,' you hear, 'Welcome back!' It's a place where someone is waiting for you to return. For me, Tokyo is home."

Sahel's new book, 10 Things I Want to Tell You as You Grow Up: The Power to Love Yourself and Overcome Difficulties, was published in November 2024. In it, she writes about her efforts to help people in need in various countries, which she had never discussed in detail before.

Sahel hopes that the book will be read not only by teenagers who are about to become adults, but also "a wide range of people facing loneliness and other difficulties in life." The book's message to its readers is "to look back at yourself and love yourself," she says.

"I want to continue to be a bridge between Tokyo and Iran and give back to Tokyo for raising me."

Sahel Rosa

Born in Iran in 1985. She lived in an orphanage in Iran until age seven and moved to Japan with her adoptive mother at eight. She played the lead roles in the play, The Respectful Prostitute, and the film, Cold Feet, which was screened at various international film festivals including the Milan International Filmmaker Festival where she won the Best Lead Actress in a Foreign Language Film award. In 2024, her directorial debut film, Hanataba, was released in Japan.
She has also served as a goodwill ambassador for the international human rights organization, Family for Every Child. In 2020, she received an award in the USA for her work as a human rights activist.