Work in Japan

Japan tends to conjure up images of kimonos, temples, samurais, diligent pupils, micro-technology and bright lights but spend any length of time there and you will realise there is much more to it than this.

Japan is a country of spectacular scenery and across its many islands glistening rice paddies, active volcanoes, palm-lined beaches and snowy mountains can all be found. The beautiful, unspoilt rural areas of Hokkaido offer fantastic outdoor opportunities for skiing and hiking and have an abundance of natural hot springs.

By contrast Tokyo must be amongst the most vibrant yet safest cities in the world. It is the Japanese people that tend to have the greatest impact on visitors, probably because of their diversity in personality, generosity, sense of humour and very different outlook on life and ideology.

Peel back the intricate layers of their culture and underneath you find still more to intrigue. Society is governed by strong codes of behaviour and it is fascinating to learn and pick up the many details of social etiquette. Enjoy opportunities to learn about the tea ceremony, visit traditional shrines, practise karate or kendo, hone your chopstick skills on the freshest of suchi or relax in a hot spring bath.

View our guide to working in Japan and apply today. There are so many jobs for foreigners and English speakers, from teaching to working at a ski resort!

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Latest Vacancies

These companies can help you to find work in Japan.

Japan Facts

• Population: 127,000,000
• Capital: Tokyo
• Currency: JPY
• Telephone country code: +81
• Time Zone: GMT/UTC +9
• Electricity: 100V, 50Hz
• Weights & measures: Metric
• Name of country in Japanese: 日本
• Major Industries: High-tech electronic products, motor vehicles, office machinery, chemicals, steel, textiles, processed foods

Top Reasons to Work in Japan

• Challenge yourself to live somewhere totally different culturally and with the language barrier
• See amazing places in your spare time
• Learn or improve your language skills
• Enjoy living in one of the safest countries in the world

About Japan

If you would like to move to Japan it’s important to learn a bit of the history about how modern Japan came to be…

From the early seventeenth century, the Tokugawa shogunate isolated Japan from foreign influence in order to secure its power. For over 250 years, Japan enjoyed stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened its ports and began a process of modernization.

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan was a formidable foe, defeating both China and Russia, occupying Korea, Formosa ( Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island. In 1933, Japan occupied Manchuria and later a full invasion of China was launched. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 – triggering America’s entry into World War II – and soon occupied much of East and Southeast Asia.

After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and business executives.

Popular Places to Live

You can find work throughout the country

• Tokyo
• Yokohoma
• Osaka
• Nagoya
• Sapporo

Jobs for Foreigners and English Speakers in Japan

Working in Asia is cultural experience like no other! You might think working in Japan is difficult due to the language and visas, but believe us, its one of the easiest destinations in Asia to legally live and work. Unless you are fluent in Japanese, you are best applying for seasonal and working holiday roles.

Winter and Ski Jobs in Japan
A lot of foreigners find work in education or doing ski jobs – yes you can work a winter season here! Japan has amazing ski resorts and most hire internationals to work in roles like instructors, hosts, cooks, reps, nannies and entertainment. This is certainly different to working a winter season in Europe or North America!

Teaching in Japan
One of the most popular options is to take a TEFL course and then teach English in Japan. There are lots of jobs at universities, language schools and companies as local people are very keen to learn English. Japan has long been a mecca for ESL teachers despite the high cost of living. Though its hay day is long over, it remains an attractive place to go to, especially if you plan on staying awhile. Salaries have become depressed in recent years but the benefits packages are really good. If you teach outside the major cities, you’re costs will be a lot less and you can save a substantial amount of money.

If you do have a good education and level of Japanese then you can apply for more professional jobs in the country.

Winter Ski Jobs in Japan

This might surprise you but Japan is one of the top skiing destinations in the world. Okay North America and Europe have the reputation but Japan has amazing slopes and hundreds of foreigners work in this industry every year. You can find jobs from working as ski/snowboard instructors, to childcare to working at chalets and resorts.

Some of the top resort to seek employment include:

Hokkaido
• Niseko
• Furano
• Rusutsu
• Kioro

Honshu
• Nozowa Onsen
• Hakuba
• Myoko Kogen

Visas

Most job-seekers enter Japan on a 90-day tourist visa and then begin the job hunt. The key to obtaining a work visa is to have a sponsoring full-time employer in Japan. If you are hired by a school or company able to offer a full timetable, your employer must take your documents to the Immigration Office for processing within six weeks. The government of Japan will not give work permits to anyone without a university degree. Another option is a “cultural visa.” To qualify, you must be able to prove that you are studying something Japanese like flower arranging, Shiatsu massage, martial arts, or the Japanese language.

Money

The currency of Japan is the Yen (currency code: JPY). Coins are minted in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen. Bank notes are printed higher denominations of 1,000, 2,000 and 10,000 yen.

To give you an idea of costs, meals:
Budget: ฅ550-880
Mid-range: ฅ880-2700
High: ฅ2700-5000
Deluxe: ฅ5000+

Accommodation

Housing prices in cities across Japan are not cheap. New arrivals are best off heading towards the now well-established long-stay guesthouses that have served the needs of foreigners over the years. These “gaijin houses” (foreigner house) are easy to find in guidebooks and on the internet, and very often full of resources useful for finding work. They don’t require a guarantor (as renting an apartment does) and are so useful that many foreigners stay there for their entire contract period in Japan.

These guesthouses are not the newest and most modern available; apartments are usually equipped with basic kitchen utensils, a futon, a pay phone, and possibly a television.

Naturally, private apartments are more expensive than rooms in shared apartments, where kitchen and bathroom are typically shared. Depending on the room and location, the monthly rent for a shared apartment in Tokyo is typically between Y 40,000 and 100,000 per month and person, while a private apartment usually costs at least Y 100,000 per month. Contracts are usually rented for a minimum of two years.

How to Apply

If you are looking for a culture shock and a totally unique and amazing experience find seasonal, summer, winter, temporary and short term jobs in Japan. Browse the recruiters featured on our directory and start your application today.

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• Work in China
• Work in Thailand
• Work in Vietnam
• Work in Korea