Job Discussion Forums

[Jaime1]

I currently live in Korea and it is well so-so. I have some questions(well a lot) for you guys living in Japan. Here goes:

How much can you save a month realistically?

Is Internet fast there? How fast do you download at?

Is it easy to sign up for internet? What do you need? (ARC card, passport copy? Social Security card copy?) What are some good internet service providers?

Are you happy with your job and your boss?

Can you do side jobs or do part time jobs on the weekends even if you don't speak Japanese?

Do people there discriminate against Americans (or Westerners)?

Do employers typically secure an apartment for you? Do you like it? Does it come with washer, dryer and a stove and oven?

How hard is it to find things in Japan that are available in the U.S. (Like spices, food, electronics, English books, etc.)

What are some pros and cons to living in Japan?

Is it much harder to get into teaching in Japan than it is to Korea?

Is it easy to transfer from Korea to Japan? What documents do I need? (work visa, diploma, resume, transcript?)

Are you happy living in Japan overall? Why or why not?

What are some must bring items for Japan?

How much are transportation costs? (bus, cab, subway)

What are some misconceptions you had about Japan before you arrived?

How does Japan look architecturally and aesthetically? (I live in Korea and it looks like a giant ghetto - well I mean ugly at least)

Do merchants cheat you with your money?

How is Japan's attitude about themselves? Do they think they are the greatest country in Asia. South Korea certainly seems that way.

Thanks

[partialtone]

Made the switch from Japan to Korea about 6 months ago. They're both cool but I like Korea more.

How much can you save a month realistically?
-entry level - $1,000 give or take 400

Is Internet fast there? How fast do you download at?
-it's comparable to Korea

Is it easy to sign up for internet? What do you need? (ARC card, passport copy? Social Security card copy?) What are some good internet service providers?
-Stole the net from my neighbors.

Are you happy with your job and your boss?
-Was very happy.

Can you do side jobs or do part time jobs on the weekends even if you don't speak Japanese?
-easily.

Do people there discriminate against Americans (or Westerners)?
-like Korea, some do, some don't. probably a lot less discrimination to westerners, especially in noraebongs and small bars/restaurants.

Do employers typically secure an apartment for you? Do you like it? Does it come with washer, dryer and a stove and oven?
-some do, some don't. if they do I'd expect the above you mentioned and then some.

How hard is it to find things in Japan that are available in the U.S. (Like spices, food, electronics, English books, etc.)
-relatively easy depending on the size of the city. maybe a bit of work to track down a book you are looking for.

What are some pros and cons to living in Japan?
-money travel fun drunkenness discrimination homesickness people

Is it much harder to get into teaching in Japan than it is to Korea?
-it'll be harder than Korea, but still easy for anyone who can work an interview/resume

Is it easy to transfer from Korea to Japan? What documents do I need? (work visa, diploma, resume, transcript?)
-be prepared to wait a month or more for the bureacracy provided you have everything. diploma is necessary, possibly transcripts, possibly drug tests. don't expect to make it far without a resume.

Are you happy living in Japan overall? Why or why not?
-was happy. work was cake and after work was fun

What are some must bring items for Japan?
-deoderant and condoms

How much are transportation costs? (bus, cab, subway)
-more expensive than it should be. you'll probably be taking the train. it'll seem cheap at first then will slowly eat at your wallet and soul. ~$6 for an hour trip one way.

What are some misconceptions you had about Japan before you arrived?
-godzilla

How does Japan look architecturally and aesthetically? (I live in Korea and it looks like a giant ghetto - well I mean ugly at least)
-where I live in Korea is nice. where I live in japan was nice. If you're in Seoul and you are moving to Tokyo then you'll be taking a large step up aesthetically.

Do merchants cheat you with your money?
-no more than other countries. watch out for mom and pop bars, that's about it.

Thanks
-no prob

[Chris_Travel_the_world]

Hey,

Everyone is going to tell you to read the sticky notes and/or use the search function (just so you know) don't let them bother ya.

I'll talk about money first. It's not that easy to save money in Japan. Personally I save about $500 a month, but I do make an effort to do that. My pay cheque breaks down like this: pay 280 000 yen
Tax/unemployment/healthcare 40 000
Apartment 50 000 yen
Japanese lessons 20 000 yen
Bills (including phone) 20 000 yen
Gym 5 000 yen
Food for home 20 000 yen
Drinking/dinners etc 30 000 yen
Transportation 15 000 yen
And the rest seems to disappear pretty quickly...seriously if you're after money stay in Korea.

People don't usually teach lessons on the side, at least not where I work, the risk of getting caught is too big.

My employer does secure my apartment for me and it's reasonable.

Japan definately thinks it's the best county in Asia (if not the world) but what country doesn't?

Japanese people don't really have anti-western tendenices so much as they have anti foreigner tendencies.

Life in Japan is relatively comfortable and easy. I am relatively happy here. Learning Japanese is hard but worth it.

Anyways, good luck

[markle]

[smedini]

[SaganWasHere]

[Glenski]

I'm going to be one of those people who does strongly recommend that you read the FAQ stickies on this page. They were made for a reason -- to address the more general and often asked questions you posed.

How much can you save a month realistically?
On a salary for entry level work (roughly 250,000 yen/month), about half goes to basic necessities. What you do with the rest is up to you. Figuring an average lifestyle (the word "realistic" plays here), plan on 70,000-90,000 yen/month. Convert that to your own currency, but the exchange rate changes hourly.

Is Internet fast there? How fast do you download at?
Depends on where you live. Some rural places are still on non-ADSL lines, some have optic fiber (hikari fibaa).

Is it easy to sign up for internet? What do you need? (ARC card, passport copy? Social Security card copy?) What are some good internet service providers?
Yes, it's easy to sign up. Do it with your regular phone service. Providers vary with your location.

Are you happy with your job and your boss?
Sorry, but this is far too general a question. Everyone's case is different, to be sure, but you have to ask something more specific about the job or the boss to get better answers. Besides, I've had 3 jobs here. The entry level one was standard, paid well, and left me alone. For me, that was good enough, but for someone needing more babysitting support, that could be bad.

Can you do side jobs or do part time jobs on the weekends even if you don't speak Japanese?
Yes, you can, but legally only within the realm of your work visa, and the work is somewhat limited due to the language barrier. My advice is not to count on doing it right away. Get used to the territory first. Also, some employers will try to tell you (in contracts) that you can't work outside of your regular job, but that's false.

Do people there discriminate against Americans (or Westerners)?
Yes. Sometimes very openly (No Foreigner signs exist), and sometimes very secretly (as in contract clauses and behind the back discussions). For the most part, it's not a bad place to work, though.

Do employers typically secure an apartment for you? Do you like it? Does it come with washer, dryer and a stove and oven?
For entry level work, yes, they usually have a place with the security deposits paid and secondhand furnishings provided. Dryers are relatively rare here; depends on the region, but usually expect to hang your clothes dry. Stoves are as small as camping stoves; the "oven" is either a tiny microwave or a fish grill.

How hard is it to find things in Japan that are available in the U.S. (Like spices, food, electronics, English books, etc.)
Depends on where you live, but generally not much of a problem. Electronics run on 100 volts, not 110, and depending on your location, the power may be 50 or 60 Hz. Warranties are often not valid outside Japan. Books often cost twice what they do in the USA. Don't expect a tremendous selection, but you can always use Amazon Japan to order (and with 1500 yen orders or higher, shipping is free and much faster).

What are some pros and cons to living in Japan?
WAY too general and depends on the individual. Want to compare just to Korea? Figure on more employers here being legitimate and up front and less shady, plus you get to keep your visa even if you lose/quit your job.

Is it much harder to get into teaching in Japan than it is to Korea?
No. What are your credentials and goals?

Is it easy to transfer from Korea to Japan? What documents do I need? (work visa, diploma, resume, transcript?)
Bachelor's degree or 3 years of teaching experience qualifies you for a work visa, so find an employer willing to sponsor it, and you provide that documentation and a resume to get in the door. Original degrees are usually requested for the visa, but it wouldn't hurt to have some transcripts as well. Resumes may not require a photo, but you will be asked to provide some anyway if you are hired. Resumes also usually contain some info you might think is discriminatory, but it's just regular business here (date of birth, nationality, birthplace). The market is pretty flooded now, though, so it is not as easy if you apply from outside, especially from a non-English speaking country.

Are you happy living in Japan overall? Why or why not?
Yes, because I have learned to adapt without losing my individuality.

What are some must bring items for Japan?
Antiperspirant, a starting supply of any prescription meds, clothes if you are a size vastly different from the local population, and a willingness to keep an open mind.

How much are transportation costs? (bus, cab, subway)
Your local transportation will be paid by the employer in most cases, so I wouldn't worry about that. Buses can be 120 to 200 yen for one stop or a whole route (on the low side), or can be higher. Taxis start around 640 yen. Subways make the first stop with about 120 yen.

What are some misconceptions you had about Japan before you arrived?
Not as many as most people because I'd already lived here. Please don't come with the notion if getting laid every day instead of working. Leave western morals in your back pocket instead of complaining that Japan doesn't do things the "right way", socially as well as in business. Don't think that the locals (especially your boss and staff) are stupid and that they can't understand what you are saying in English behind their backs.

How does Japan look architecturally and aesthetically? (I live in Korea and it looks like a giant ghetto - well I mean ugly at least)
Please look at any travel site. JNTO is helpful.

Do merchants cheat you with your money?
No.

How is Japan's attitude about themselves? Do they think they are the greatest country in Asia. South Korea certainly seems that way.
Please read any local newspaper here (in English).
www.japantimes.co.jp
www.yomiuri.co.jp/en
Japan thinks it is great and has not fully apologized for some of its war crimes. It stifles some of the history textbooks. People can be very nice, but government is government, and Japan's gov is ancient and still carries with it a tradition of inbred thinking (many politicians' parents were politicians) and slow operating.

[Yawarakaijin]

[Hoser]

RTFM!! Oh wait Glenski beat me to it-never mind! Carry on!

[markle]

[Tiger Beer]

I'm another who spent YEARS in Korea before recently arriving in Japan.

Saving money. It's about the same for saving if you want to save money. I do find that public transportation and bar-hopping to be significantly more expensive endeavors than Korea. On the other hand, teaching privates is legal in Japan, so you can legally make more money. On the other hand again, privates and general English-enthusiam is nowhere near the level of South Korea.

Internet. KOREA IS TOPS with the Internet. Japan has SOME internet cafes, but you have to buy in long bulk hours. They are REAL NICE but real expensive. You also have to really seriously search them out. Its NOTHING like Korea where you have dozens of internet cafes in sight at all times throughout the entire country.

For internet. First you need an ARC card which takes two weeks. Then you need to get a bank account which takes another week. Then once you have all the basic esssentials, you can request the internet, which will take another week or so to get your house. Again, NOTHING like Korea where you can pretty much get it in 2-3 days.

JOBS/BOSS. Yes and yes. Very happy with both of them. I always liked my jobs in Korea, and I liked my boss in my last job in Korea, but most of my jobs in Korea, I didn't.

Discrimination against Americans. As an American, I find Japanese to be significantly more pro-American, and tons of Japanese I've met have visited San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Honolulu, etc. multitudes of times. Significantly different than Korea where they can't even get visas to the U.S.

My employer has apartment available, and it has all that you mentioned except a dryer.

Finding stuff in Japan. It's similar to Korea.

Japanese are NOTHING like Koreans in their nationalistic stuff. People say that Japanese are nationalistic, but they are nothing like Koreans. I haven't heard Japanese ever say the kind of nationalistic stuff that Koreans say. I'm sure its here, but I haven't heard it like I did all the time in Korea.

I DO like Japan better than Korea on a lot of levels. It's normal, people act normal, it's clean, the city of Tokyo is REALLY a world-class city in every respect, the people are very friendly, etc.

Negatives about Japan. Korean food is MUCH BETTER. However, Japan actually makes really good western food - things like pizza, italian sauces, etc. They are not only edible but taste good too. Whereas Koreans always put too much hot stuff in Italian sauces ruining it. There are more western restaurants just in general as well.

More negatives. Excessive politeness in Japan irritates me. The fact it takes an extra minute or two of them using ultra polite language for the customer just to get your change, etc. The costs of bar-hopping and public transportation is also NOT to cool. In Korea, you can do whatever you want all weekend long eating and drinking as much as you want and taxi-ing around. If you had a similar Seoul weekend in Japan, your entire paycheck would be gone fairly quickly. On the other hand, the stressfulness of just BEING in Korea doesn't exist here, so you don't feel the strong need to just get out and blast yourself with alcohol for the weekend.

THAT ASIDE. There are tons of 100 yen stores (US$ stores) to shop and if you aren't taking public transportation and bar-hopping, most all your other day-to-day activities are the same costs as Korea.

Another big difference. Japan is comfortable EVERYWHERE in every town, city, and bar. Whereas when I was in Korea, I hated the small towns because of the people, and I hated to go to just any ol' Korean bar, as they were socially draining experiences.

[Gypsy Rose Kim]

I've also lived in both countries.

[Tiger Beer]

I feel compelled to add a comment on the housing here in Japan.

UNLIKE Korea, there is no ONDOL (floor heating). The houses are every bit as POORLY INSULATED as Korea, but to compensate for that, they place an aircon/heater on the ceiling above your largest window. (I've seen 7 apartments in Japan now, and all 7 were like this).

In other words, expect to be much COLDER in Japan than in Korea despite the outdoor temps being a bit warmer than in Korea.

It's really quite a shock, as you'll nearly quickly notice that everything else in Japan having great care taken to detail - showers and toilets and such in particular. People take care of every part of their house - nice things on what would otherwise be eyesoars, etc. YET, for whatever reason, they completely and totally miss the mark when it comes to how to insulate or heat a house/apartment.

I think it is definetely one of the greatest unsolveable mysteries I've encountered in Japan so far.

[smedini]

[Gypsy Rose Kim]

Good point, Tiger.

It is freezing inside Japanese apartments. You just can't imagine how much I miss ondol.

On the plus side, I burn tons of calories trying to stay warm and can eat whatever I like all winter!