Job Discussion Forums

billysmolesworthy · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 26 Location: Hamamatsu, Japan

I have been celebrating weddings in Japan for a couple of years and loving it. It's one of those jobs you'd do for free, yet you get paid (well). I got married this year and recieved my spouse visa this week. In the past I've been working on the side with a small outfit, but my new visa status frees me from the lmits of a Humanities Specialist visa and makes me more appealing to the big companies, one of which responded very positively to my original approach years ago (though they ultimately declined due to the above visa problem.)

My Japanese is limited, which reduces my options, but the experience I already have, my training in Australia (the TAFE course which is a prerequisite for applying to the Attorney General's Office for registration as a Marriage Celebrant) and my general deportment should at least get my foot in some doors.

Any experienced bokushi care to advise?

And please, this is NOT a thread to discuss the merits or otherwise of 'fake priests'. For that, please consider starting a separate thread, on which I would be glad to contribute.

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

I don't understand. Are you looking for advice? On what, specifically? Do you have a question? If so, what is it?

I wasn't able to ascertain from your post what you were after.

Confused

User N. Ame · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 222 Location: Kanto

billysmolesworthy · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 26 Location: Hamamatsu, Japan

[I don't understand. Are you looking for advice? On what, specifically? Do you have a question? If so, what is it?]

Yes, I could have been more specific. My next step will be to approach one of the large companies. Any advice on strategy? Also, any advice or hints that established bokushi would like to give? [/quote]

tigerwood · Joined: 22 Jun 2005 Posts: 85

Yes phone them up say Im a fake priest and I like lots of money and my Japanese is rubbish and see what they say.

Grasshopper · Joined: 01 Nov 2005 Posts: 62 Location: Japan

What are you asking?

Do you want to know how to get a job?
As what?

Why were you telling us about your wedding experiences?

Please be clear in your request, and if we can, we`ll help.

billysmolesworthy · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 26 Location: Hamamatsu, Japan

Okay, sorry. I must make myself clearer.

I would like to work for one of the larger wedding companies. I am sure there is a good way and a bad way to approach them; things they value and things they don't. Someone who has worked with one of these companies would have an insight into what I should pitch.

I'm also interested in hearing from celebrants who have survived pitfalls they can warn me about or who have stumbled onto things that have endeared them to employees.

Grasshopper, I am asking for a strategy for approaching one of the large wedding companies! There must be many ways to do it badly and a few ways to do it properly.

Tigerwood, why did you go to the trouble of posting such an unhelpful comment?

Grasshopper · Joined: 01 Nov 2005 Posts: 62 Location: Japan

Ah, I see. Okay, hmm...

Keeping in mind that I know nothing about wedding companies...

I would suggest going by the different wedding places and talking to the people there, trying to make some connections, and trying to find out who might be able to help you get a foot in the door.

If you`ve done weddings before, perhaps you already know somebody who might be able to help you make contacts.

If I were you, I would probably go by, ask to talk to the boss, try to leave a resume if he`s not around. And basically just keep talking to people until you make the connections you`re looking for.

I wish I could be of more help...

Good Luck!

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Thanks for the clarification.

From what I know and from what I've been told by those who are/were in the business -- it's generally not a huge challenge to get in with these companies. I think the demand is higher than the supply, in part due to the fact that you pretty much need a Dependent's visa (or better) to work for them legally. Without discussing the "merits" of fake priests, that IS exactly what the job is... and around here where I live, you do not need ANY kind of certification/qualification/ordination... And I've had people try to recruit ME for the job (which I kindly declined)... Japanese marriage ceremonies are made official at the city or town hall in a "civil ceremony" (a.k.a. paper-signing).... Anything outside that context is just for show... It's a novelty act that many couples are willing to pay a lot of money for.

I'd just approach them the same way you would approach any other company... However make sure that you have your resume translated into Japanese and it MAY benefit you to go talk to them with your wife as a native Japanese-speaker if necessary... I seriously doubt you will have much trouble finding a number of outfits willing to hire you.

Mind you, any work you DO will most likely be shift work/on-call work.. I've never heard of anyone working as a "celebrant" full-time... Even if it's a larger company. The nature of the job is sporadic, I'd say.

In addition, since people often come and go, just because a company tells you "no" doesn't mean they won't need someone months down the line, or on a fill-in or temp basis if someone calls in sick.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan

There is a company based in Kansai that hire foreigners to do weddings. They are mainly looking for white men that look a little bit older...with an unwritten rule around 30 years old. The better the Japanese ability, the better chance of getting a job, even though the ceremonies are often in English. Many of the people I know that do it are university teachers, and there are a few busy months, but not a lot more. It often isn't steady work. Doing 3-4 weddings on a Saturday, I heard you can earn around 30,000 to 40,000 yen.

billysmolesworthy · Joined: 18 Mar 2007 Posts: 26 Location: Hamamatsu, Japan

Thanks Folks. Your ideas are appreciated. I will take my wife or mum-in-law with me should I make any house calls. First up is a translation of my 'ministers' resume into Japanese.

I agree that this work is only a sideline. The company I do weddings through now are only able to offer me one or two a month, but I understand that larger outfits are geared up to do many more ceremonies, hence my interest. It's just that I get so much satisfaction from delivering a good ceremony - I want to do more.

My lack of Japanese is a liability, but as these ceremonies are more theater than anything else, I hope my 'deportment' (which is code for 'white guy without a ponytail') will compensate.

Any comments from established bokushi about next steps and missteps?