Job Discussion Forums

[FAQ]

Frequently Asked Questions
About Working In Japan

revised 27 January 2007

Table of Contents

1. What kind of teaching jobs are there?
2. What qualifications do I need to teach in Japan?
3. How can I get a full-time teaching job at Japanese universities ?
4. Do I need a special teaching certificate or one of those TEFL or TESOL accreditations to get a teaching job?
5. How much money can I make by teaching in Japan?
6. What should I bring to Japan and what can I leave at home?
7. Can I teach private lessons on my own?
8. What is an eikaiwa?
9. What is housing like?
10. How can I get a telephone?
11. How can I connect to the Internet?
12. What are the power requirements for electrical appliances?
13. What can I expect at a job interview (in general)? a JET program interview?
14. What do I do if.......?
15. What can I do if I want to increase my teaching qualifications?
16. Getting published.
17. Do I need to speak Japanese to get a job teaching in Japan?
18. How do I send money home?
19. How do I send money to someone in Japan?
20. What questions should you ask a potential employer?


1. What kind of teaching jobs are there?
Japan has jobs for English teachers in many areas. There are the standard ones, of course, such as kindergarten, elementary school, junior high school, high school, junior college, technical or trade school, and universities. Japan also has an enormous number of conversation language schools (eikaiwa) which are businesses that offer classes in English conversation. The largest, NOVA has over 250 branches and about 4000 foriegn teachers on its payroll. Other large schools are AEON GEOS, ECC and Berlitz. teachers are paid to give English conversation lessons to paying customers and previous experience or training is not usually a requirement to get a job there.

Cram schools (called juku in Japanese ) also abound, although they don’t specialize in teaching English. Some businesses offer internal programs for their employees to learn English; they may hire teachers on their own, or they may go through recruiting firms to supply them with instructors. Conversation cafes also exist; these arrange for foreign teachers to sit and provide lessons at hourly rates. And, of course, teachers often give lessons on their own in what are called “private lessons”. (These should not be confused with private lessons that some companies offer. Teachers who arrange their own private lessons may teach one or more students that they have acquired from personal advertising initiative, while company-organized private lessons are one-on-one sessions that students may find by contacting a specialized agency.)

Another type of school is a dispatch company which sends English conversation teachers to work in elementary schools as a dispatch teacher. Your employer is a Japanese business but your workplace may be a public Japanese school or even at a university and your salary is paid by the private company

2. What qualifications do I need to teach in Japan?

The first requirement to have a serious chance of getting an interview is be a native speaker of English. A majority of teachers come from America, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K., and Australia. Non-native speakers can and do teach English in Japan but they must also have a valid work visa, a degree and many teach their native language as well as English.

To get a job in Japan you first need to obtain a visa. Immigration determines the proper visa that individuals must obtain to pursue various functions, whether as a diplomat, artist, student, religious leader, or teacher. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has an excellent description of the many types of visas that are offered.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/index.html

The ability to obtain certain visas may depend on your nationality. For example, Americans are not eligible for the Working Holiday Visa, but Canadians, Britons, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders, French, Germans, and South Koreans are. Americans require a four year university degree in order to get an instructors visa. Australians, New Zealand and those from the UK can get a work visa with a three-year undergraduate university degree. A two year degree does not qualify you for a work visa in Japan. If you have three years previous ESL teaching experience it is possible to get a Humanities visa with no degree.

Your age may also be a factor in obtaining a working holiday visa. The Working Holiday Visa has an upper and lower age limit that varies with nationality. For most working holiday visas the qualifying age is from 18 to your 31st birthday but for UK residents the upper age limit is 25 but you can get permission if you are between 25 and 30.. The visa available is for six months and renewable only once. Australians can renew twice giving them up to 18 months in Japan.

The standard working visa (sometimes referred to as a work Visa) is issued either for an initial one year or for three years, at the discretion of the immigration officials. You and your employer have no say in this period of time. Once you have received your work visa, you may apply for renewal as many times as you like. The specific type of Work Visa for teachers is listed as Specialist in Humanities/International Services or an Instructors visa. Working Visas require an undergraduate bachelor’s degree (any field will do) from an accredited 3- or 4-year university, depending on the country. The employer is simply the sponsor of your visa and the employer has no say over your immigration status or eligibility to get a visa. If you do not have a bachelor's degree, you can still get a work visa if you can prove 3 or more years of full-time teaching experience.

Working Holiday Visas (not to be confused with Working Visas) have a limited lifespan. That is, they are valid for a maximum time which varies on the country. Some can be renewed once for a total of 2 six-month periods (New Zealand, UK, Ireland, Canada). Some may be valid for 18 months (Australia). But, after these maximum periods expire, the WHV can no longer be renewed. There is an age limitation for the WHV; it depends on the country, but generally if you are 18-30 years old, you are eligible. Working Holiday Visas do not require a bachelor’s degree or visa sponsorship, and you may need to prove you have sufficient funds to support yourself in Japan. There are some kinds of jobs you are not allowed to do on the working holiday visa such as work in bars or entertainment establishments.

The two visas mentioned above are the most common types that foreigners use to work as teachers in Japan. However, other circumstances may lend themselves to different types of visas that allow you to work, either full-time or part-time, as a teacher.
(i.) One of these is the dependent visa, which is awarded to the non-Japanese spouse of a foreigner who has a full-time job (of any kind) in Japan. (You will have to file with immigration a separate document to get permission to work on a dependent visa.) http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/zairyuu/shikakugai.html
(ii.) Another is the spouse visa, which is given to foreigners who have married a Japanese citizen. With this, you can work in any job that an employer feels you are qualified for and is not restricted to english teaching jobs. Limited Japanese ability is usually the greatest hurdle for people on a spouse visa wanting to do other jobs than teach English.

Two others include the Student Visa, which is for people who wish to study at a Japanese language school or at Japanese university, and the Cultural Visa which is designed for people who wish to pursue studies on certain artistic or cultural themes related to Japanese culture (such as flower arranging or judo). For these two types of visas, your school or cultural mentor serves as your sponsor. It is advised that you check with immigration to get the complete details of what kind of hours are permitted with these special visas. For example, with a student visa, you will have to apply for a special stamp that allows you to work part-time. http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/zairyuu/shikakugai.html

Special Note 1: Working on a tourist visa (passport alone) is illegal in Japan and you can be deported for telling immigration you have come to look for a job on a tourist visa.

More Info:
To get a work visa, a foreigner must show proof of a prearranged job in Japan and provide the name of a Japanese guarantor. A guarantor is essentially a person (usually an employer) willing to accept responsibility for your behavior while you're in Japan. The guarantor is responsible for paying for a gaijin's return ticket home if he or she is in trouble. Understandably, taking on this type of responsibility without first meeting the prospective teacher makes most employers nervous. Herein lies the paradox: English teachers need jobs and guarantors to get work visas, but first they need visas to enter Japan and find jobs.

The first step in obtaining a work visa is for your sponsor or guarantor to obtain a "Certificate of Eligibility" on your behalf. The guarantor can be your employer, a school, a relative, etc. The guarantor must contact the local immigration office in Japan in order to apply for your certificate. Once you have the completed certificate, you can then apply for a visa at the Japanese embassy or consulate nearest you. When applying for a work visa, submit your valid passport, one 2" x 2" photo, a completed visa application form, the original Certificate of Eligibility, and one additional copy of the certificate. There is no fee for the visa and it will usually take two business days to process. Note that a B.A. or B.S. degree is the minimum qualification required to teach legally in Japan. An instructor category working visa is good for six months to one year; however, if you wish to stay in Japan for longer than the time allotted and can provide evidence of your continuing employment, you can apply for an extension through the Japanese Immigration Bureau. If you have a solid work record and reputation, you should be able to legally extend your stay from within the country without mishap. The Japanese Immigration Bureau can be reached at:

General Affairs Division
Japanese Immigration Bureau
Ministry of Justice
1-1-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo, Japan
(03) 3580-4111

It is recommended that you contact the Japanese consulate before beginning the visa process as these procedures are subject to change. Some basic approaches that may simplify your visa process follow.

Option 1: Writing Ahead

Although it's not always easy, it is possible to acquire a work visa before setting foot in Japan. The key is finding an individual, school, or organization willing to sign on as your guarantor. This will undoubtedly require both perseverance and patience; if you're determined to arrange a job before departing, you will need to be resourceful.

Writing ahead to apply for a position often pays off, especially if you have previous experience and/or a teaching certificate. If you are a greenhorn, though, connections are indispensable. Having someone to testify enthusiastically on your behalf can do wonders to span the gap between you and your prospective Japanese guarantor. You may be nice, law-abiding, and honest, or even able to single-handedly address all the difficulties the Japanese have with the English language, but if you have no previous experience or formal qualifications, most employers will want to meet you before becoming your guarantor. Be sure to start the process well in advance, as it normally takes over a month for the company or school to receive your Certificate of Eligibility.

One way to avoid this ordeal is by finding a job through a sending organization (see "Other Opportunities"). These firms interview prospective teachers in the United States on behalf of employers in Japan and set them up with all the amenities once they are hired.

Option 2: Finding a Job on an Entry Permit

Most aspiring teachers who lack jobs and guarantors initially go to Japan posing as tourists. American and Canadian citizens do not need to obtain visas if they are entering Japan for less than ninety days, but they will be required to present a return airline ticket when entering the country. After finding jobs and guarantors, they apply for work visas.

Until recently, this process involved multiple hassles and enormous costs, including two trips out of Japan. The first was for submitting a working visa application and the second was for retrieving the work visa from the same Japanese consulate. Fortunately, this process was recently streamlined so that an employer can start the work visa paper chase from Japan. Here's how it works:

The employers put together the appropriate paperwork for their new employee and send it to the immigration office. After five weeks (during which time the teacher is legally not allowed to work, but most do), he or she is issued a certificate of permission to obtain a work visa. Armed with this certificate, the teacher must then leave the country—most go to a nearby country such as South Korea—and go to a Japanese consulate to complete the necessary paperwork (allow at least one week).

Some Westerners working in Japan never bother to get a working visa. They simply teach illegally for three months with their entry permit, then fly or take the ferry to South Korea, and reenter Japan for another ninety days on a new entry permit. This scheme is technically illegal and will disqualify you for jobs at most reputable English schools. Most people doing this are teaching only as a cash-refueling measure before re-embarking on their travels. You can be deported for teaching without a work visa and we strongly discourage risking it. Schools that hire in your home country will help you avoid the stress, since they can cut through the red tape for you.

Though you don't have much choice about getting a visa, you should be aware that the schools that sponsor your work visa will try to gobble up as much of your time as possible during the most valuable hours—primarily evenings after standard office hours. You don't have to lock yourself into a thirty- or forty-hour work week in order to get a visa—a school can sponsor a teacher who works only twenty hours or so a week.

Option 3: The Cultural Visa

Cultural visas are issued to foreigners who are planning to study an aspect of Japanese culture. Whether you enroll in Japanese language, judo, cooking, painting, or sumo wrestling classes, your school can help you obtain a cultural visa. If you wish to work while on a cultural visa, you must apply for a work permit through the Japanese Immigration Bureau. A work permit is not the same as a working visa because your primary purpose for being in Japan is to study culture; working is secondary. For this reason, cultural visa holders are permitted to work only twenty hours per week, but many exceed this number off the record.

Applying for a cultural visa is very similar to the working visa application process. Applicants must have a sponsor in Japan that will supply them with a Certificate of Eligibility. Teachers enrolled in classes generally don't burn out as quickly because they spend at least a few hours a week studying Japanese, calligraphy, flower arranging, and so forth. The disadvantages of working on a cultural visa are primarily financial. Courses plus study time can take up quite a few hours per week, leaving fewer hours to teach. They can also be quite expensive. Cultural visas are usually issued for six months to one year, and extensions can be applied for through the Japanese Immigration Bureau.

Option 4: The Student Visa

The requirements for this visa are the same as those for the cultural visa except that it is for students who are attending colleges, universities, or vocational schools for courses of study that are not exclusively cultural. If you wish to work, you have to apply for a work permit as you would with a cultural visa because your primary purpose for being in Japan is not to work, but to study. As with the cultural visa, the number of working hours is limited to twenty per week.

Option 5: The Working Holiday Visa

If you are a Canadian, Australian, or New Zealander, you have a distinct advantage in that you can get a six-month working holiday visa (which is renewable) before setting foot in Japan. The primary purpose of the working holiday visa is to give young people a chance to see Japan and find work that is "incidental" to their holiday. Prospective applicants for a working holiday visa should contact a Japanese consulate for the details; they will likely require a valid passport, a medical report, application forms, and a letter with your schedule in Japan. This visa is renewable once, with conditions.

Many lucrative jobs will state in their advertisements "proper visa holder only." Generally, these companies simply don't want to bother applying for a work visa for their teachers, so they hire working holiday visa holders

Special Note 2: Proving that you have a Bachelor’s degree may be as simple as providing the original diploma/degree, or a notarized copy. In some cases, you may also have to provide official transcripts of your courses. You must be able to prove to immigration you have graduated from your university before immigration will process your visa.

Special Note 3: Despite the immigration regulations on qualifications, employers may have vastly different needs in order to hire you. They may be looking for a certain gender, age, nationality or person speaking a particular accent though generally such kinds of discrimination are outlawed in Japan. Employers will however select those teachers who best meet their hiring profile.

For example, universities typically require a minimum of a Master’s degree plus professional publications for full time positions, and they may even set an age limit. Japanese ability is usually a requirement for many positions at a university, as well as previous colleg teaching experience.

Special Note 4: For more information on visas and immigration documents, refer to these web sites.

Ministry of Justice Immigration Control and Refugee Act
http://www.moj.go.jp/ENGLISH/information/icrr-01.html

Immigration Procedures Guidebook
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/t_main.html#zairyuu


3. How and where can I look for a full-time teaching job at a Japanese university?

You should understand that it is very difficult to have a job as a full-time faculty member in Japanese universities without sufficient fluency in Japanese language, for all the administrative procedures are done in Japanese.

In most cases, notice of available jobs are given only in Japanese.
If you are fluent in Japanese and your browser displays Japanese, check out the following page of Japan Research Career Information Network, which contains almost all academic jobs available through open-competition.
JRECIN
http://www.jrecin.jst.go.jp/index_e.html [English version; not all ads in the Japanese section are listed in English]

Japan Association of College English Teachers

JALT's Job Information Centre of The Language Teacher

More information about the university hiring process can be seen in the March 2007 issue of The Language Teacher.

International Christian University supplies information in English about available faculty positions, but this is an exceptional case.
International Christian University

There is a strong demand for qualified native English teachers in Japan.
Though there may be quite a few exceptional cases, in most cases required qualifications are rather tough for university jobs.
For example, to quote several lines from a notice in the above mentioned JRECIN early in 2002 (The notice was from Hiroshima International University (HIU), and written only in Japanese.):
Positions for full-time faculty member.
Teaching, Oral English, English Reading, English Writing and others.

Applicants should:
1) be native speakers of English,
2) have accomplished Master's or higher degrees (preferably be a PhD holder),
3) have published academic papers in the field of English education, Applied linguistics, Western cultural studies, comperative cultural studies, and/or intercultural communication,
4) have experience in teaching at undegraduate level or higher, and
5) have sufficient fluency in Japanese.
In relation to the last point, HIU requires applicants to submit an essay written in Japanese on their view of English language education in Japan.
The case of HIU shows a typical example of the requirements usually asked for applicants.

The Japan Times often has advertisements of available academic positions for English speakers.If you have access to the Japan Times, it might be worth going through the pages. This applies to paper edition (Monday only) and its onlined classifieds.

You may also benefit from reading these articles (cited in the 2007 article of The Language Teacher that was mentioned above).
http://www.eltnews.com/features/special/002a.shtml
http://www.eltnews.com/features/special/028a.shtml
http://www.eltnews.com/features/special/032a.shtml
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2002/08/glick
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2002/09/glick
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/10/stapleton
http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/articles/2004/10/mccasland

Plus, here is some slightly old information on salaries themselves, and only for the Kansai region.
http://www.palesig.blogspot.com/
Scroll down this JALT blog to find the entry:
2005 Kansai Area Teacher Salary Scales
courtesy Michael "Rube" Redfield
Osaka University of Economics

Special Note 4: Previously, people who came to Japan looking for work on a tourist visa had to leave the country to process their Work Visa. This meant that you had to go to another country (often to Seoul, Korea because it is so close) and present your paperwork at the Japanese embassy there. In recent times, this has changed, and many immigration officials are waiving that part of the visa application process. It is still wise to plan for this contingency, and many employers are not aware of the changes.

4. Do I need a special teaching certificate or one of those TEFL or TESOL accreditations to get a teaching job?
To get your work visa, no. To get a certain job, the answer is “maybe”. It all depends on the employer.

In some cases, it may be to your advantage to have such training. For example, a person with a background/degree in a field unrelated to teaching or English may benefit from such a program. Also, with the steep competition for jobs, any additional merit such as this may be what’s needed to tip the scales in your favor at the interview. Such teaching qualifications are expensive are quite tiem intensive to complete, so its a good idea to be sure about teaching as a long term career before investing thusands of dollars in a TESOL qualification.

5. How much money can I make by teaching in Japan?
That is a twofold question. The first part may be worded as how much can you earn working at a particular job vs. how much can you save. Japan is the most expensive country in the world and cities like Tokyo and Osaka have a very high cost of living and rents. Foreigners have to adapt themselves to the lifestyle, or else go home without saving anything. Many see the opportunity to teach in Japan as a chance to revel in a new culture, to sightsee, or to enjoy themselves in many kinds of pleasurable activities all because they are living in a new environment. Those that don’t pay attention to their finances will pay the price (usually a big one). A starting salary can easily be wasted away by going out even a few nights a week so its a good idea to watch your budget until you have got established in Japan.

Starting-level salaries have a baseline of about 250,000 yen (gross) per month. [This "standard" has been falling since about 2004, and the average may be 20,000-30,000 less per month.] There is no minimum award salary in Japan for language teachers but the above is the average figure immigration asks an employer for to sponsor a work visa. That’s 3,000,000 yen per year, and it usually applies to entry-level eikaiwa and ALT-type teachers. Obviously, places that require more qualifications should (and usually do) pay more in salary. Full-time teachers at high schools may expect to make about 3.6 million yen/year, while university instructors could start out with 4-5 million per year or higher, depending on qualifications and experience.

You will have to pay for certain things every month while you are here:
Taxes: direct taxes, resident tax, consumption tax
Rent
Apartment utilities (gas, electricity, water/sewage)
Health insurance (private or national health insurance)
Telephone (land line or mobile phone)
Food & drink
Car parking space (if you have a vehicle)
Insurance

These will generally run about 130,000 – 150,000 yen per month. That means the remainder of a basic paycheck for most eikaiwa teachers is reduced to 100,000 – 120,000 yen each month. How much of this you save depends on your lifestyle and location.

So, consider the “extra” things that you often pay for. Deduct their costs from the above figure.
Reading material (books, magazines, newspapers)
Long-distance phone bills
Internet-related costs
Snacks
Transportation (whatever is not paid by your school/company)
Video rentals
Postage and envelopes
Souvenirs (for yourself, friends, family) plus shipping charges
Medical costs not covered under insurance
Entertainment (drinking, dancing, movies, museums, etc.)
Photographs (developing) and film purchases
Travel costs for sightseeing, accomodation costs
Gym fees; club fees

People who have learned to cook can save money. Finding the all-you-can-eat/drink establishments is also a boon. Knowing how to save money with cheap video rental days, cheap photo developing places, 100-yen shops, etc. will also help. A basic (but very general) rule of thumb is that a moderately thrifty person should be able to save about 70,000 per month from a standard paycheck of 250,000 yen.

If you have credit card bills, student loans, car payments, or other bills back home that must be paid on a regular basis, you will obviously save less than the 70,000 yen figure just mentioned. Its probably a good idea to pay these necessary expenses first before spending money on your variable expenses. Paying interest costs money so its a good idea to reduce debt as quickly as possible.


6. What should I bring to Japan and what can I leave at home?


http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=17068

http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=12701

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Specific:

booze
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laptop/electronics
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=12154
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gifts
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=11957
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products for women
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=9109
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7. Can I teach private lessons on my own?
Many people supplement their salaries with lessons on the side. Technically, it’s not legal unless you report the income to the tax authorities, but the majority of private tutors never do.

How much you charge depends on what the market will bear and what students are willing to pay for your time. Some people charge per hour per person, while others have different scales (such as a set group rate). Typical fees run from 2000 to 5000 yen per person per hour, but some people use a “sliding scale” of lesson fees in which the per-person amount goes down as the group size increases.

You can advertise yourself in many ways. Most teachers use word of mouth, and they often begin their search for private students by discreetly informing their current company/school classes that they are available. (This is important because some employers prohibit such teaching because they feel it takes away business.) Other ways to advertise include posting your name on information boards at community centers, churches, international centers, and such.)

Beware that students who post on such boards are often looking for free lessons called “language exchange” in which they offer to provide Japanese tutoring to you. You won’t make any money with these.

The Internet also has several places that teachers use to post their names and contact information:
www.findateacher.net
www.nativeconnection.net
http://homepage1.nifty.com/y-dream-support/englishteacher/

Private lessons are held just about anyplace – coffee shops, restaurants, students’ homes, teachers’ homes, etc. – wherever it’s most comfortable to meet.

8. What is an eikaiwa?
This is the Japanese word for language school or conversation school. Some are owned by large corporations, some by small companies, others by individuals. Their function is to bring in students of all ages and expose them to some regimen of English, usually for conversation but sometimes for writing classes, too. They often divide students into levels of fluency or into age groups. Sometimes there are textbook classes that introduce grammar and vocabulary lessons. Sometimes the lessons are merely “free talking” sessions. Some eikaiwas have their own program of instruction and therefore have their own textbooks and teaching materials. The flexibility of each teacher’s presentation depends on the school, but generally there is a certain path to follow so that students advance appropriately. Eikaiwas don’t necessarily have tests or homework for students, and many offer classes only once a week. Not all eikaiwas sponsor visas and some require teacherss to already have working visas or be living in Japan. Here are some photos of what one of the largest conversation schools (NOVA) in Japan looks like and what you can expect to find at a typical "eikaiwa" language school.

Working at NOVA



9. What is housing like?
For many people, living as a teacher in Japan is like returning to college life. Many employers provide apartments but with meager furnishings, and most of them are secondhand from previous teachers. Rent will vary considerably depending on your location. Some employers expect teachers to share housing. Some employers assist in paying for some of the rent.

One thing to note is that if you choose to rent an apartment on your own, you will face some challenges. The vast majority of landlords will not rent to people (Japanese or non-Japanese) without a source of income, so if you come to Japan to look for work, you will have a hard time finding an apartment. Many stay in “gaijin houses” or “guest houses” instead; these are like boarding houses or dormitories with shared kitchen and bath facilities. The second challenge you will face will be paying the up-front “key money” that most places require before people move in. Key money is a lump sum of cash to the building manager and/or the rental agency, and you should not expect to get this back. It is separate from any security/damage deposit. Key money may be as much as 2-5 times the rent, so moving in on your own can cost you a large amount of money. Employers that provide housing usually do not require their employees to pay this. A third challenge revolves around discrimination. Many landlords refuse to rent to foreigners, and they get away with this. They claim that foreigners don’t know how to take care of apartments, or they won’t be able to understand the landlord, or that they cook foul-smelling foods, etc.

One thing to remember is that if you want furnishings, you have a good supply of used things in the local garbage. Japanese people tend to discard perfectly good furniture and appliances after a short time, so it’s wise to keep an eye on the dumping stations in your area. Foreigners and college students use them as a source of TVs, stereos, sofas, bicycles, microwave ovens, etc.

Japan is a country about the size of California (and 75% of that is mountainous), yet has a population of about 126 million (nearly half the US population). 25% of the population live in the Tokyo area (Kanto) and over 50% of the population live between the Osaka area (Kansai) and Kanto. As soon as you arrive, you'll be faced with the next big challenge if you plan to stay here: finding a place to live. When you come to Japan you should bring at least US$5,000, and several thousand more if you need to get your own place in a big city like Tokyo or Osaka (where most of the jobs are).

"What?!! If I had that much money I wouldn't even go to Japan!!"

Stay home then.

Moving to Japan isn't cheap, and living here certainly isn't. If the school/company you'll work for already has an apartment/dorm set up, you're in luck -- this'll save you from a big hassle, but you won't be able to choose where you live. If not, you're on your own. Apartments in Japan are found through real-estate agents (fudosan). Many have ads of available apartments pasted on their windows, and magazines for apartment-seekers exist as well.

For your first few nights, you may need to stay in a hotel or youth hostel. For hotels, you have 4 cheaper options -- a "Love Hotel", a capsule hotel, a Ryokan, and a Business Hotel. A business hotel is the most straightforward -- it is just a spartan hotel with your own room. A ryokan, or Japanese inn, is cheaper though and you may or may not have your own room. Hygiene also varies. Youth hostels are a cheap alternative but privacy is often lacking. That said, staying in one can be fun and you can pick up a lot of good info from others there. Availability can be a big problem though. A capsule hotel is perhaps the cheapest with a coffin sized room for you to sleep in. There may be a sauna in the hotel also. However, most if not all these hotels are for men only. The last option, the love hotel, is a hotel you can use for a few hours or a full night, for obvious reasons. See Rob's Japan Photo Gallery for more info.

Afterward, you'll probably end up in your own apartment, a "weekly manshon", or a "gaijin house". Weekly manshon are like apartments or small condos you rent on a weekly basis -- they are cheaper than a hotel but more expensive than a regular apartment. They may provide a temporary home but will drain your financial reserves if you stay too long. The gaijin house is like a college dormitory and can be fun and informative also. You can also escape the huge fees of moving into an apartment until you earn enough money; on the flip side, they're only available in the largest cities, and security of your items may be an issue. Costs range from 40,000 yen a month and up.

For looking for housing, see the links at the bottom, or try The Japan Times, or regional ex-pat magazines.


Apartment Hunting


When choosing an apartment a few things to consider are: How close it is to a bus or train station? How close it is to a supermarket, post office, restaurant or laundromat? Is it on a busy street? (Many motorcycle gangs called "bosozoku" love blowing your eardrums out at all hours of the night by revving their engines). Is it near a hostess-bar ("sunakku")? Then I hope you like the drunken wails of old men who actually think they can sing. Is the place old? Then you might have lots of roaches in the summer who want to party with you. Is it on a slope? Japanese bicycle brakes will make your ears bleed. Is there any building construction going on in the area? Can you adapt to the Japanese toilet? Does the place face south where more sun shines in? Is the place smaller than your closet back home? Can you afford it? These are some things to think over carefully.

Rooms are measured according to how many tatami mats fit into it. A tatami mat (-jo) is 1.8m x 90cm, and a typical room has 6-jo, or about 10 square meters. A 1K apt. has one 6-jo room, 1DK has that plus a kitchen room, 1LDK has that plus a living room. Other apartments have 2DK which means 2 6-jo rooms and kitchen room, etc. A small one-person apt. in Tokyo can easily cost over $800/month in rent excluding utilities. Your next hurdle is finding a fudosan which will actually serve you. Some fudosan refuse foreigners, or drag their feet and make excuses until you go away. At this point screaming about discrimination and "My Rights" until your face turns purple won't help you. In many cases it's actually the landlord who doesn't want you, not the fudosan. Assuming you find a fudosan that'll help you, most will show you whatever places they have open for no fee -- you only pay if you decide to move in.

Now comes the sticker shock: in most places, before you can move in, you have to pay your first months rent, an amount of one month's rent as commission to the fudosan, 2 months' worth as a deposit (shikikin), and 2 months' worth to show your deep thanks (read: BRIBE) called "reikin". When you leave, if your place is in pristine condition you might get some of your deposit back, in many cases you'll get little or none at all. To get the apartment you'll also need a guarantor (see section on visa guarantor). It can be the same person who guarantees your visa or someone else. To sign the contract you may be asked to use a personal name stamp (called "inkan" or "hanko") You can have one carved up for you at a shop that deals in them for around 2000 yen or so. Both you and the fudosan should receive a copy of the contract. Read through or have every provision carefully explained to you before you sign. And before you sign, make sure you note down whatever wear & tear/damage is in the apartment first and have that acknowledged in the contract or else YOU might be paying for it when you move out.

If you change apartments, some owners require at least a one-month advance notice or you may have to pay a penalty.


Setting up your apartment -- Utilities

So now you're in your new place, nearly broke, and tired after moving lots of stuff. What's next? Getting your utilities installed -- the phone, electricity, water, gas. Your fudosan can help you in getting some of these items taken care of quickly. First the electricity -- on the circuit breaker there should be a post card with the last meter reading, the last person living there, etc. Use this tag as your application for your electricity. Fill it out and mail it or take it to your electric company. For water, notify your local waterworks bureau in your district (ku). Do the same for your local gas company but first make sure there are no abnormalities in your gas equipment.

Note: The above information in green was taken from http://thejapanfaq.cjb.net/ .

10. How can I get a telephone?
A new telephone line for your apartment can be installed for about 70,000 yen by paying for a line at NTT. Second hand lines can be bought for about half this price from teachers leaving Japan. That seems like a huge cost, but in Japan people buy the telephone line. That means, if you move to another location, you take the line with you and avoid setup costs again. When expats leave Japan, they often sell these lines at discounts, so you don’t always have to buy a new one.

Basic phone charges are 4000-5000 yen per month. Local calls as well as long distance calls cost money in Japan, so using the phone can be pricey. There are many discount services, however, to help reduce your payments.

You can also buy a cellular phone at many locations. Japan has the best technology for cell phones, as evidenced by the compactness of the devices, the Internet capabilities, email functions, various options for the chime or melody ringer, and the ability to make/send still photos or short video messages. Fashion conscious Japanese prefer to buy only the latest models which can run over 10,000 yen, but models that are even a year old sell for less than 800 yen (sometimes even for free). Monthly charges are similar to those for home phones. Buying the actual phone is very cheap, but you will pay monthly charges rung up on the phone. You can pay for service by cash, credit card or automatic bank transfer. Some companies require that you have a Japanese bank account and pay a deposit before you buy the phone. Connection can be set up as soon as you buy the phone.

The telephone is a little more complicated. First you need to get a "subscription right". You can buy one straight from NTT, or a broker or another individual can sell you theirs for less. Another option is renting phone service from a separate company, but in that case you might not be able to make international calls. A subscription right from NTT costs 74,984 yen -- you'll need an ID to apply. On top of that are installation charges, which if the phone wiring already exists will cost 2,000 yen (+5% consumption tax). To sell your subscription right to another, you need your ID, the other party's ID, and have to pay 840 yen. Phone options include: touch-tone phone: 390 yen/month+tax (and 2000 yen installation fee), call-waiting: 300/month+tax yen (if you also have a touch-tone service with this, 50 will be discounted), 3-way calling: 500 yen/month+tax, etc. For free information in English on all this dial 0120-019116, then push 1 for a voice message or 2 for receiving a fax. As mentioned earlier, bringing your own phone/answering machine to Japan would be a good money-saving idea.

The basic fee for your phone bill will be about 2310 yen before you make any phone calls.
The costs for phone calls from a residential home are:
Within same district (ku): 9 yen per 3 min.
To adjacent district (ku): 10 yen per 90 sec.

Outside areas:
up to 20km 10 yen per 90 sec.
up to 30km 10 yen per 45 sec.
up to 60km 10 yen per 36 sec.
up to 100km 10 yen per 22.5 sec.
over 100km 10 yen per 10 sec.

* On weekday evenings (7-11PM):
up to 60km 10 yen per 30 sec.
over 100 km 10 yen per 22.5sec.

* Late night (11PM-8AM)
Within district: 10 yen per 4 min.
To adjacent district: 10 yen per 2 min.

Outside areas:
up to 20km 10 yen per 120 sec.
up to 30km 10 yen per 60 sec.
up to 60km 10 yen per 60 sec.
up to 100km 10 yen per 45 sec.
over 100km 10 yen per 30 sec.


NOTE: The prices are different for pay phones, which charge 10 yen per minute for calls within the city. To see how they work, go to the Photo Gallery.

Cheaper companies for domestic long distance calls in Japan also exist, such as Daini Denden (Tel. 0120-11-0077), Japan Telecom (Tel. 0120-0088-82) and Nippon Kosoku Tsushin (Tel. 0120-03-0070).
Note: The above information in green was taken from http://thejapanfaq.cjb.net/ .


11. How can I connect to the Internet?
By the time this answer is posted, technology will have changed. You can connect to local servers with your home computer in a variety of ways. Broadband access can be rented for about 5000 yen/month. You don’t even need a phone line if all you want to do is plug in your computer. Cable TV also offers Internet access. The best answer to this question is to say that you should check with people in your area for the best service.

If you bring a computer to Japan, the modem cables will connect to Japanese outlets directly. No adaptors are needed, except perhaps for the electrical power. Check with your computer dealer, but most laptops are made with built-in power converters. It depends on what country you are from, too.

12.What are the power requirements for electrical appliances?
Japan operates on 100 volts, but depending on the area, the power may differ. Eastern and northern Japan (from Yokohama, Tokyo, and everywhere north) uses 50 cycles. Western and southern Japan (Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and everywhere south/west) uses 60 cycles. Adaptors are available at electronics shops and some luggage stores in your home country.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2225.html

13. What questions can I expect at a job interview?
Interviewers for most teaching jobs will ask standard questions as well as some special ones. Of course, because of the difference in their operations, universities will ask different questions than eikaiwas, the JET program, and high schools. The Japanese style of interviewing is to put an interviewee in front of a panel of 2-4 interviewers, so be prepared for this setting and try to relax. Each person on the panel may have a different agenda, so you might have questions thrown at you from different angles without notice.

Standard questions depend on your background and resume. Employers will want to know a little about your previous jobs, so try to answer in ways that show some bearing on teaching, or training people, or working in a diverse environment, or working under pressure, etc. Be prepared to explain why you want to teach, let alone teach in Japan. (Note: employers often don’t care about how much you learn in your experience in Japan, so don’t dwell on how much the job will enhance your skills or knowledge of Japanese culture.)

Of course, standard questions for hiring any foreign worker will also include such things as your visa status, how long you expect to stay in Japan, how much time you need to prepare to work (or to travel from your home country), and if you will be traveling with family. It’s your responsibility to ensure that your passport is in order, so at least know when it is going to expire.

Special questions may include things along the following lines.

They may want to know about your overseas experience and/or your feelings about living in such a faraway land as Japan. Expect some questions that may seem trivial, but are intended to learn about your awareness of Japanese culture and daily life. They may ask whether you can eat Japanese food, for example. All of these are asked because they will be concerned about the possibility that you will be lonely and want to go home before the contract expires.

If you have any language skills, they may want to know how fluent you are in reading and speaking that language. Most schools prefer that Japanese isn’t used in the classroom, so employers are more concerned about your communication with the office staff and people you meet in daily life (shopkeepers, public transportation staff, city hall workers, etc.).

If you have teaching experience, they may ask about that and how it relates to the job they are offering. You should know the names of the text books you have used.

If you are interested in the JET program, expect a 15-30 minute interview in panel style with many other applicants visiting on the same day.

Some eikaiwas may ask you to present a demonstration lesson (or part of it). This may be something you have already created, or it may be something they want you to design on the spot. Your “students” at this time will probably be staff members from the school simulating adult or juvenile students.

Some language schools also administer a written test on English grammar and vocabulary. Obviously, you are expected to know the various terms, and to identify mistakes, so be prepared.

It is assumed that you will dress appropriately for the interview. Wear professional business clothing, shine your shoes, groom your hair and nails, etc. It wouldn’t hurt to bring extra copies of your resume. Show up on time. The streets of Japan are not labeled as conveniently (if at all) as in the west, but that is no excuse for being late in Japan. Don’t worry about bowing when you greet people; they will expect a western handshake anyway.

Besides the information above, if you are headed to an interview for the JET program, look up these links for additional tips.
http://www.umich.edu/~sswd/Bobby/services/international_center/117b.html
http://www.jet-program.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=1
http://www.karatethejapaneseway.com/articles_on_japan/jet_interview.html　
http://www.kansaiconnect.com/altonline/interview.html　
http://www.aaronackerson.com/archives/000013.html
http://www.cheno.com/job/career/interview.html
http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jic/jetfaq.html

14. What do I do if......?


Here is a very eclectic list of what to do if for example your are stopped by the police, you want to get divorced, you want to become a permanent resident in Japan. The answers can be found at this web site.
http://www.debito.org/whattodoif.html

WHAT TO DO IF...
...you are asked for your "Gaijin Card".
...you are stopped by the Japanese police.
...you are arrested by the Japanese police.
...you overstay your visa.
...you see a "Japanese Only" sign.
...you are refused service at a business catering to the general public.
...you are turned away at a hotel.
...you want to protest something you see as discriminatory.
...you want to take somebody to court.
...you want to get a job (or a better job) in Japanese academia.
...you are having a labor dispute in the workplace.
...you are swindled in a business deal
...you need a lawyer.
...you want to get Permanent Residency (eijuuken).
...you want to become a Japanese citizen.
...you want to run for office.
...you want to build a house.
...you want to get a divorce.
...you want to do some awareness raising.

14. What can I do if I want to increase my teaching qualifications?

Maybe you have seen some ads saying the employer wants a TESL certification, you have been teaching for a while and want to upgrade your skills. Depending on your job needs and your budget i.e how much you can afford there are several avenues that teachers can take to acquire further qualifications or skills to increase their attractiveness to employers or get higher paying jobs

Gaining an ESL teaching qualification: There are many different kinds of teaching qualifications and much will depend on how much time you have, what you are looking for and what you can afford. You should look for one that is internationally recognised and provides some practical training as part of its course requirements. TESL courses are not cheap, but as the maxim goes "You get what you pay for". In other words, you pay peanuts you get peanuts. There are courses lasting 4 or 5 days, but you can not expect that you can expect to learn very much about teaching English, in what for many is a professional full time occupation. You may scratch the surface and get a 'taste' of what teaching is like, but if you are serious about developing proper skills you should consider doing a proper course, some of which take up to a month, part time.


Most employers here do not require formal teaching certification but if you feel you need to improve your skills get some training, brush up on your teaching there are a few places that offer courses. Langage resources in Kobe, for example, offers a 12 week CELTA course, and Tokyo Language Arts college offers a course in TESOL. For those with greater ambitions and perhaps want to get their foot in the door at a university, two American universities with branch campuses offer graduate teaching degrees taught completely in English on campus in Japan. Temple University,<http://www.tuj.ac.jp. and Columbia University<http://www.tc-japan.edu/> offer Masters and in the case of Temple University, a Doctorate in Education (D.Ed) in Tokyo and Osaka as well. A Masters from Temple will cost from 2 million yen, take a few years to complete all the coursework, but once you have graduated you can take it anywhere in the world, and even apply for full time university teaching positions in Japan. For more information on these graduate programs and other distance learning TESOL courses go to

http://www.teachinginjapan.com/continuinged.html

16. Getting articles published

If you are aiming for university-type positions most universities will ask for academic or refereed publications during the selection process. These are usually original articles of research published in university journals or TESL magazines. Here are some links to places you can submit an article for publication:

www.jalt.org
The Internet TESL Journal
TESOL Quarterly
Asian EFL Journal
The Reading Matrix

And, more (lists):
http://www.burlingtonbooks.com/bbitaly/teaching/EFLorg.html
http://iteslj.org/links/TESL/Journals_on_Paper/
http://acadweb.snhu.edu/riabov_lyra/CALL_Prof_Organizations.htm

17. Do I need to be able to speak Japanese to get a teaching job in Japan?

As you are being hired for your native English speaking skills, you will be expected to speak and use only English in the classroom. Students are paying to hear and speak English with a foreigner for X minutes. They are also interested in learning about the teachers home country and culture. For this reason, you job is to get the student using English, utilising the English they learn at high school. At most schools, Japanese is NOT used at all in the classroom. At some schools, teachers who use too much Japanese are considered less foreign or Japanised, and are less attractive than fresh-off-the-plane new foreigners wh tend to be more perky and enthusiastic about their new surroundings. Avoid using Japanese in class unless its really necessary. (This also means that outside of class at work, you might need to know some Japanese, in order to understand memos, e-mail, and staff meetings. It depends on the job.)

That said, try learning as much Japanese as you can and avoid socialising only in English-only 'ghettos' of groups of other foreigners from your workplace while you are living in Japan. You will learn more about the culture and society by learning its language and meeting its people, but its not necessary for getting a job, and most Japanese do not expect you to know how to speak Japanese in the beginning. You learn Japanese by speaking and using the language, so make an effort to broaden your social circle by joining clubs etc.

Recommended Text: For learning the Hiragana and Katakana there is a system developed by James W. Heisig.

Title: Remembering the Hiragana and Katakana
Author: James W. Heisig
isbn: 4-88996-072-4
Publisher: Japan Publications Trading Co. Ltd.

[color-green]More info on how to start learning Japanese on your own[/color]
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?p=279661#279661

18. How do I send money home?

In Japan, bank interest is exceptionally poor -- less than 0.5% on any account. If you do set up such an account though make sure you have enough money on hand to cover any possible emergencies. Bank hours are about the same as in the US -- they close at 3PM on weekdays. Most have ATMs, but outside of central Tokyo they close around 6 PM or so. Also, you can save money just like banks through the post office. The P.O. is open til 4:00 (their ATMs until 9:00 weekdays, 5:00 Saturdays), has slightly better interest rates, and vastly more offices than any of the banks. Being a foreigner, you probably can get by without an inkan in establishing an account, but if you get one and use it once you'll be forever required to use it. It is the same as your legal signature -- take VERY good care of it.

Checks in Japan are nearly unheard of for consumer transactions. People use cash and credit cards. Credit cards are generally accepted only at larger department stores and hotels, as well as shops that handle a lot of tourists. Generally smaller shops and supermarkets do not accept them. But it's now possible to withdraw money using a Visa, AmEx, Mastercard, Cirrus, Maestro, Plus, or Electron affiliated card at some ATMs and post offices, as well as Citibank.

Japanese banks do offer one big convenience, though. You can automatically have your bills for utilities paid through bank transfer. This will save you the hassle of paying the bills yourself. Just fill out the necessary forms from your utility company. You can revoke this power at any time, and you'll get a receipt through the mail of what was deducted. If you choose not to do this, you can still pay your bills through the post office, or almost any convenience store if it's not overdue.

In some cases though you may have to send it through a bank, which takes about 4-7 days. If you have a Citibank account with over a million yen you can send the money for free to any bank account through the Internet Banking System. Simply download and mail in their recipient registration form to a Citibank administration center first. Another alternative is through GoLloyds, which has a 2000 yen fee (kokusai soukin tesuryo) per remittance. Through a Japanese bank, the fast way is direct electronic transfer, which costs 2500-7500 yen, and maybe more when it reaches its destination from the receiving bank(s). The smaller the bank you send it to, the more times the money bounces around from one bank to another and incurs service charges. A cheaper way is the bank mail transfer, which takes up to a couple of weeks. The costs are around 2500 yen, but vary from bank to bank. A US bank must inform the US government anytime over $10,000 is moved, so frequently depositing more than US$10,000 in an account might attract government scrutiny and increase the chance of a tax audit by the IRS. Since 1986 to willfully attempt to circumvent the bank's $10,000 reporting law (e.g. sending several blocs of $9900, etc.) is also illegal and a bank can inform the government voluntarily anytime they wish.

19. How do I send money to someone in Japan?

Since Japanese don't use checks, Japanese send money by way of bank transfer (furi-komi). Usually the money will arrive on the next business day. The costs for sending money can range from 105 yen to 735 yen, depending on the bank you go to and whether the receiver's acct. is at a different bank. Japanese banks do not send monthly statements of your current balance. To check, you need to take your acct. book (tsucho) and stick it in the ATM. Any deposits or withdrawals will immediately be printed on it, including your current balance. You will need your PIN number (ansho bango) to withdraw money -- do NOT forget your secret number!! Also, if you or someone attempts to put in the incorrect PIN number to gain access to your account, the bank's computer will freeze the whole account until you clear up the mess with their administration. Some banks charge a small fee (100-300 yen) if you withdraw money and your balance is below a certain amount.

20. What questions should you ask a potential employer?

Can you see the contract before you decide?
Exactly what are the hours, and how flexible are they (shift work? shift swapping?)
Can you talk to current teachers? How long have they been there?
What teaching format is required (ie, do they have one laid out for you)?
Will they provide housing or at least help you find it?
What sort of health insurance plan will you be on?

[wintersweet]

Although the above post indicated that you need to be fluent in order to use JREC-IN (for academic jobs), there is now an English version. Only some of the jobs listed on the Japanese version are listed in English, but there are still quite a few.

http://www.jrecin.jst.go.jp/index_e.html

All of these jobs require at least a master's and many require or prefer a PhD.

(EDIT: Despite what the FAQ says, I have never seen a university job listing that requires a Japanese essay, and I've been reading JREC since fall of 2006. I may have missed a couple, but still, it's definitely not as standard as the FAQ implies.)