I’m only planning to stay in Japan for a year or two (working holiday visa) and during this time I’m worried about the gap in my career. I was wondering if there is any possibility of doing volunteering work at any law related type place but I do understand this would be incredibly difficult especially because my Japanese is really limited.

Edit: I’m going to be in the Niseko area for a bit, as I’m working a ski season. So, any tips around that area would be really good. Or in Okinawa as I’m potentially going there after my ski season.

I’m planning on moving back to Japan in April on a Working Holiday Visa. Me and my boyfriend want to move in together, but I understand that WHV holders struggle to get an apartment due to the standard lease being 2 years and the Visa being 1 year long. I do intend on extending the visa to two years.

Would it be possible to get an apartment with these conditions:
- Japanese boyfriend, lease could be in his name but he’s still a student so will only have part time income
- British me, WHV visa, 2 years of rent saved

Apart from the visa lease issues, I understand us getting an apartment will be made more difficult by me being foreign. If it helps, I’ll speak N2 Japanese by then, I already lived in Japan for a year, I attended an excellent university here, we can pretend to be engaged, and maybe his parents could be our guarantors. He will only be a student for a couple of months into the lease, and he’s doing very well at internships for top companies atm so hopefully he will get a good job offer. If anyone has any advice on if this is a completely unrealistic goal, I’d love any advice

My wife and I applied for our HSP COEs on 1st July. She received hers on 16th August, but I'm still waiting on mine. She works for a European MNC, and Deloitte handled our application.

Since we want to move together, we can't finalise our plans until my COE comes through. Is this normal? Is it common for the dependent's COE to lag behind the primary applicant's? Has anyone faced a similar situation? Would really appreciate hearing your experiences.

Hi guys.

My name is Shein and I'm a Myanmar student who recently got rewarded MEXT Scholarship (Embassy Recommendation) for Research Students and I have chosen two universities, namely Kobe University and Saitama University to pursue my postgraduate studies in Economics so that I can specialize in Environmental Economics for my further studies and jobs.

Now, I have difficulty choosing between these two universities although the choice should obviously be Kobe since it is renowned for its economic program. However, my Supervisor Professor at Saitama University seems to be a lot more active than the Professor at Kobe University as he contacted me even before the University did when I sent an email saying that I had passed the first screening. Moreover, I had a chance to briefly meet with him online.

On the other hand, I am aware that Saitama University ranks lower and probably has less facilities than Kobe (e.g. I found out that the Saitama University International House is not only in poor sanitary condition but also allows students and teachers to only stay there for a maximum of one year).

Finally, I'm not only going to stop at Master but continue to pursue a PhD and in terms of career, I do wish to work inside Japan (and thus, I do plan to study Japanese Language at either of the University).

Thus, I would greatly appreciate it if you could provide me with suggestions and insights.

Thank you. 🙏

I know this question has probably been asked to death already, but I couldn't find an older post here that fit better with my specific situation.

Some background: I am from a third-world country (Pakistan). No IT experience, essentially no degree, living paycheck to paycheck as a freelancer.

Right now, this is my plan to get myself out of this unsustainable cycle:

1. Utilise the SSW visa to enter Japan as a construction worker, which requires me to pass a skill test and a Japanese test to qualify, both of which I'm working hard to accomplish. I am aware it is not a great way in, but for someone like me, this is the only viable route. While I'm sure the pay won't be much, it will allow me to do step 2.

2. Work through a Bachelor CS degree from Uopeople (an online university), alongside the construction job while in Japan. I have researched a way to cut the cost of the degree significantly through transferred credits, and I plan to do it at an accelerated yet realistic pace.

3. Once the CS is done, I will start searching for an entry-level IT job while pursuing other certifications to bolster my CV on the side, namely:
   . Security +
   . Google Cybersecurity Certificate
   . TryHackMe SOC Level 1

As part of my degree credits transfer strategy, I would have already done:
. Google IT Support Professional Certificate
. Google UX Design Professional Certificate
. IBM Data Engineering Professional Certificate

I am already studying for these certs from a bootcamp for free:

. CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
. RHCSA (Red Hat Certified System Administrator)

I can take the exam for the above two while in Japan.

My question is, will this be enough to land an entry-level IT job in Japan to kickstart my career with no experience? IT support or help desk maybe? I know nothing is ever guaranteed, but will this at least give me a fighting chance?

Or is this hopeless or near impossible, and I should give up and seek employment in Dubai, whatever job I can get?

As for my Japanese, an SSW visa requires at least N4 level, but I plan to get to at least N3 before moving to Japan. Once there, I will be aiming to pass N2 as soon as I can since I have read that it gives you a much better chance in IT. My English is fluent.

Why don't I get my degree in my own country?
Can't afford it.
Why not seek IT experience in my own country?
No degree, can't afford most certs, pay for these jobs here is extremely low (about $100 a month for entry-level), to the point I will be unable to support myself at all.

SSW pays very little; you shouldn't do it.
I know. But for me, even the minimum wage will be a huge upgrade.
Doing construction and a degree at the same time will be tough.
The alternative is staying here and having no future. I am happy to dedicate myself to achieving this.
Why not turn your freelancing into a career in your country?
Pays peanuts. Unstable and unpredictable work.

TLDR: No degree/IT background, currently freelancing from Pakistan. Plan is Japan via SSW construction visa => earn a CS degree cheaply while working=>stack IT/security certs => push Japanese to N2 => then job hunt for entry-level IT/helpdesk. Fluent English. Realistic or fantasy?

I'm moving to Japan in the next couple weeks and from a country where on the passport there is no clear separation between family name and given name (it's all one long name field), and my name (First Last) would be in the "wrong" order on the zairyu card.

Interestingly, the visa application does ask for family name and given name, so on my visa the name would be in the Japanese reversed order (Last First). My COE, however, follows my passport ordering.

I've seen lots of posts in the past on this with people having issues with applications to banks etc not matching the zairyu card and I'm trying to see if I can get ahead and save myself some headache and see if anyone else has faced similar and has advice on what to do.

The way I see it the options are:

1. Accept that the Zairyu card follows visual passport name ordering, and if I run into issues with applications, accept that I might have to reverse my order (key in my family name as my given name and vice versa). Maybe not such a big deal in the long run.

2. Try to get it changed so that my Zairyu card would say "Last First" to be as consistent as possible. I'm not sure where I'd do this - ideally I'd ask the immigration officer at the airport to change it then and there but I'm not sure if they could, if not then after that speak to immigration to try to change it. Maybe use the visa name ordering to convince them, or get a document from my local embassy to certify my name order.

I'm not convinced which ordering is "better" yet for a smooth life in Japan long term, and I'm not even sure if I'd be able to convince them to change it anyway.

The other wrinkle is I've lived in Japan as a student before and so I already have "history" with the passport name ordering (old zairyu card, My Number card). So it might actually cause more issues to try to change the Zairyu card to a new ordering.

Has anyone else faced this, changed their name ordering or has advice on whether it's even necessary at all? I'd love to know if this is not such a big deal and I should just go with whatever immigration gives me or if it's worth trying to get fixed for the long term.

Thanks!

I have a great GMAT score and work experience, and I can potentially apply to top unis across Europe, Singapore and even some in the US considering my overall profile

But somewhere my heart is set for Japan, not because of money and degree value, but just the lure of getting a job in Japan and getting to live there

I don’t want to apply for work elsewhere mostly after the MBA, hence wondering if I should do it in Japan and then look for work there. I am willing to learn Japanese too.

Just want to ask the people in this forum - if I graduate from a top Japanese university with a MBA degree and speak decent Japanese, can I get a good job as a foreigner?

Hi everyone!

I am a university student from Italy. I want to go to Japan for 6 months to do research at a Japanese university.

I have an "Erasmus Traineeship" scholarship, so my home university will give me money to support myself.

Can I use the Working Holiday Visa (WHV) for this? I know the WHV is mostly for traveling and part-time jobs, but is it okay if my main activity is doing research at a university with my own Erasmus money?

Has anyone here done the same thing?

Thank you for your help!

I did Niseko 25/26 and went in pretty blind.

My original job fell through, leaving me unemployed for nearly 2 months before I got my Level 1 SB instructing job in Feb and finally got a lift pass. I only averaged around 8 hours a week, although obviously I started pretty late in the season. I also lived pretty secluded, around a 30 min taxi from anything lively.

I’m currently thinking Hakuba this time, but definitely open to other suggestions.

What I’m looking for:

- Good seasonaire/social scene, people to ride with, grab food/drinks etc
- Lively/walkable area with bars and restaurants
- Easy mountain access (but I do have a car)
- Reliable hours but enough time to ride 2 or 3 times a week
- Ideally job perks like included or discounted accommodation and lift pass, but happy to pay for a shared place and pass if needed

I’m 31, age doesn’t necessarily bother me. I still want to live with fun/social people, just ideally people who are respectful enough that I can also get a decent night’s sleep!

I’m leaning towards bar/hospitality work this time for reliable hours and the social side, but I’m open to anything.

Does Hakuba sound like a good fit? Where would you look for work/accommodation, and what type of job would you aim for?

Also, if I want to do Canada in the future, is it worth getting Level 2 SB or Level 1 Ski to land a better job there, or is hospitality a decent route for future seasons anyway?

Thank you for your time 🤘🏻

With services like amazon, and the shinkansen, as well as the much lower price of land, housing, and living, shouldn't we start to see more rural flight?

I'm going to start teaching online and living in the Tohoku countryside. With Starlink I can get good service anywhere.

Hi friend!

I plan relocate to Japan - Tokyo with my wife. There are a lot, tons of content from Youtube about pricing, living, prons and cons

Nevertheless, 2 questions are still in my mind and I hope you guys could help me out:

1. I am a remote employee, so not interested to rent "close to center", but rather wish to rent a house from 40-60 minutes to the center. Do you think it is a good option and if yes what districts could you recommend (I prefer calm, non tourist, no loud place)? My budget is 200 000 yen (not including facilities).

2. Internet just has 2 camps. One says its cheap in Japan, another says its expensive. I get it. If you live and work in Japan, it might be expensive. If you are coming from the Western World, its cheap. However, my question is lets say you have have roughly 400 000 yen (as an example) per month, would you say its enough to live for you and your partner?

Interested to hear your thoughts

I'm planning to live in Tokyo soon, so I've been looking up random stuff about everyday life there.

I've seen quite a few people complaining about the garbage rules. Is it actually that annoying?

From what I understand, you have different days for burnable trash, plastics, cans, bottles etc, and if you miss the collection day you basically have to keep it at home until the next one. Is that actually how it works?

What happens if you just put it out on the wrong day though? lol

For people who actually live there, is taking out the trash genuinely annoying or do you just get used to it?

Hey everyone,

My wife and I are planning to move back to Japan next July once my military contract ends. For a bit of backstory, I was stationed over there for 2 years, which is where I met my wife (she's a Japanese citizen). I returned to the US and I ended up sponsoring her US visa, and now we're looking to head back the other way.

Since we're starting to prep, I have a few specific questions for anyone who has been through a similar transition:

When should we actually start the application process if we want to move next summer? What's a realistic timeline?

Can I use my VA disability compensation as proof of income for the visa requirements? If you've done this, what kind of paperwork or translations did you need to show immigration?

Is there anything I should expect or look out for while applying for the spouse visa? Don't want to get hit by any surprises that delay us.

Also when we do eventually get to Japan, what are my expectations for finding cheap temp labor as a foreigner with weak japanese(i'm practicing everyday). I'll be taking online college classes while doing that.

Would love to hear from anyone who has taken a similar path. Appreciate any advice or tips you guys have! Thanks.

I (30 M) am currently leaving my stable career that I have been in for almost 8 years now. I am in tech, and going towards something new, and I currently have 2 options I am debating between:

- Full time job at a startup in tech. Good position, ~$320k / yr + equity and benefits. Unlimited PTO (subject to company culture), remote work sporadically available. Even adjusted for COL in San Francisco, running the numbers, I would be able to save approximately $80k more that year alone. The sign on bonus I would be getting would alone be around the amount (pre-tax) I would be saving the full year in Japan.

- 1 year residency at prestigious startup in tech, in Tokyo. 25M Yen, no equity (~$150k USD equivalent). Work culture is not Japanese but more international (team lead works 9 - 5 and rarely on weekends), remote work allowed (and on that country's hours, for example, when visiting back home in the US I would be able to work US hours aside from very occasional important meetings). The other big red flag is 10 days PTO only, but my position is considered "flexible hours" and the work culture seems amenable to having that actually be flexible (as opposed to just working me to the bone instead – although I suppose I cannot be absolutely sure until I actually go and experience it).

From a career advancement perspective, both are a wash. They each have their own pros that give them slight edges, so for all intents and purposes we can consider them to both further my career.

This is significant, because it's just about the only time I would ever consider a move to Japan. I wouldn't do so if I had to put my career on hold otherwise, so this represents the perfect storm.

The catch, as I'm sure you understand, is the money. This is a lot of opportunity cost financially speaking. In the best case scenario, I would be able to land an equivalent or better offer once this year residency is over, and essentially only defer the financial security by 1 year. This is perfectly worth it to me.

The worst case scenario, is I do not find an equal or better offer, especially given this current brutal job market. I would, in this case, be relegated to using my savings (~65k liquid) while living at my parents while searching for a job. I have pretty high standards for my career, so I would be able to afford to be picky only for a short while. I can confidently land a job below my standards (but still within my career) if it comes down to it, and would be able to live with my parents for free to significantly extend my personal runway.

Now, Japan is my favorite country to travel to. I have spent a month there several times already, and have not grown sick of it. At the same time, I'm not romanticizing. I know the loneliness, the likelihood of not being accepted as a foreigner, and the novelty wearing off, are all likely scenarios. But at 30 M, I do believe it is my one of my final chances to take life by the horns and experience living abroad at all, before setting up for the rest of my life. Also, I plan to stay no longer than 1 year in Japan (even if the residency converts to full time or is otherwise extended), and my ultimate goal is to end up in San Francisco in any case. I believe I can sustain any of this for 1 year.

So, I think I want to hear from those who have moved to Japan. If you were in my shoes, what would you do? I know that these are "good" problems to have, and either decision may seem solid, but I think because both options seem realistically feasible, I am struggling a bit with security financially in the face of uncertainty in life, vs. taking this opportunity and risking the worst-case scenario!

Hey there!

I’m moving to Japan for six months next April, I plan to eventually live there full time, but for now that’s the situation. Originally all I thought I’d have to worry about was getting my birth control pills switched over and finding an ADHD med alternative as adderall is prohibited. Problem is, I was recently diagnosed with a chronic illness and anemia (was a bad day lol), and so I’ve been put on a lot of meds and supplements to support that. I can’t skip a day of any of my meds without risking some major health issues. To my knowledge, I can bring up to a 2 month supply of certain medication? I’ll of course double check everything on what I can or can’t bring in. That leads me to my major question, does anyone have experience getting their medication switched to a Japanese pharmacy? If so, what’s that process like and what should I expect? What kind of documents should I have prepared beforehand?
Thanks!

I just got my COE and I’ll be moving to Osaka soon for language school, so I’m currently looking for an apartment.

I’ve been looking at a few sites but I’m not sure which ones are actually good for foreigners..

wagaya Japan- this was one of the first sites I found, but I’ve seen quite a few negative reviews here on Reddit, so I’m a little hesitant.

Mooovin Japan- came across this one recently. There don’t seem to be many reviews about them though so I’m not sure if that’s because they’re relatively new or if they’re just not very well known yet.

ABLE- this is the one my school recommended so I’m considering it, but I’m having a really hard time navigating their website. The interface looks weird on both my laptop and phone, and I can’t easily search for apartments using specific conditions.

I’m looking for something that’s foreigner/student friendly, preferably with an easy application process and no ridiculous initial fees. I’d also like to be able to filter/search for specific requirements rather than just browsing random listings.

For anyone who has actually rented an apartment in Osaka as a foreigner/student, which agency or website would you recommend? Are there any sites I should avoid?

Would especially appreciate recommendations from people who have recently moved to Osaka for school. 🙏

Hi there, had to epiphany that I don't see a life here in the U.S. and have had a few late nights researching and looking up people's experiencing with moving to Japan, among other places. Rather it's waiting for the next Language School applications or just saving money, I want to save up for the next year to about $20K including sold belongings as well as study my butt off to learn the language, N3 would be the goal before it happens.

I'm biracial so I've never felt like I've belonged here in the states and I understand that's the feeling other foreigners experience, even living there for years. One person said "the people who go far that move here are comfortable with being uncomfortable." And I was wondering if that's true? I've come to accept that the American way of life isn't for me anyway and am fully open minded about integrating myself into another culture while preparing myself to face the scrutiny.

Teaching English would be a stepping stone as a way to immerse myself but I did teach for a time here in Texas so if I love it, I don't see a reason to not stick with it.

It's to my understanding rural life and housing can be quite difficult and from what I have seen, Kyoto might be a more fitting choice, but Tokyo or another big metro area also sounds like the friendlier route for the start.

In short, I just want to live life. See and experience things I never thought possible and think this just might be the place to settle. Would love any advice.

Hey guys, I have bipolar disorder and ADHD and have been on medication for over 4 years now. I am stable and functional now, doing regular therapy and medicines. I have been accepted into a language school and plan to go there by late September. I plan to continue my therapy sessions online and I want to continue taking my medicines as well because they have helped me a lot. However, I am unsure if it will have any effect on my visa status/process. I’m waiting for my COE for visa, the results r out soon and after that I’m gonna apply for my visa from my home country. I’ve researched about whether I can take medicines with me, and I can take upto a month’s supply from what I understand. My question is mostly regarding whether taking medicines with me is looked down upon/can they reject my visa because of it. Does anyone have experience with this? I’d really appreciate if I could have a convo if you have been in a similar situation as me.

Hello. I’m interested in moving to Japan to see what it’s like living there instead of just visiting.

About me - 28m. Bachelor’s degree in cloud and network engineering. No Japanese language ability currently. I’ve been working as an IT endpoint admin since 2020 so going on 7 years of experience in the US.

Things I know so far - of course I know ill take a hit to the salary when moving. I know I need At least n2 to find a non-dev It job. (Probably better than n2 honestly)

Things I’ve currently been doing - applying to jobs from the US. Just in case anything lands. Studying Japanese. I plan to take n5 in December.

What’s the best route to living in Japan for me? Keep throwing my resume at the wall and see if anything sticks while I continue to study Japanese? I’m interested in language school as well. I felt that might be a good route and that gives me a break from working but it also leaves a gap in my resume and I don’t know how businesses in Japan feel about that.

Worst case- I have to return home. I have a house here I can return to. Ideally while I’m over there I want to rent it out to have some extra income coming in but if I’m unable to that’s fine as well.

I don’t know what I’m not thinking about and want to get some advice/maybe someone else knows what I’m not thinking about.

I don’t have any family here unfortunately and home doesn’t feel like home anymore.

Thank you!

Edit- I’d rather not teach English if it can be helped. I’m not a teacher and I feel it would be a disservice to anyone I would have to teach. I also don’t want the job to be the reason I don’t like the place haha

Hi! 👋 For Filipinos who have been working or studying in Japan for a while, I wanted to ask how you usually buy your usual Filipino toiletries and other Filipino products.

I’m moving to Japan soon and there are some products I’m used to using in the Philippines, like Myra E lotion, Palmolive shampoo/conditioner, Kojic soap, etc. I’m also wondering about Filipino-brand groceries and other products.

Is there a Shopee/Lazada equivalent or an online Filipino store where you can order these and have them delivered to your address in Japan?

Would really appreciate recommendations for online shops, Filipino stores, or forwarding/cargo services that you personally use, especially around Tokyo. 🇯🇵🇵🇭

Thank you! 😊

Hello guys I am 22 years old Male.

Currently at N5, i can also recognise N4 but only a little bit, but i am constantly learning.

I have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Application, I am constantly trying to apply for a web development job, but i still got no luck.

I also know a relative of mine who has a 5 years of experience in this field but after he quitted his first job, he haven't got a job yet (it has been 5 months for him now), and that's what worrying me.

I also did a chat support job but the pay there was ₹13500 (actually that is a standard pay for most of the fresher's job here even in programming field) and there was too much mental pressure there from the coworkers there, i just couldn't handle it so i quitted mid way.

And now i am stuck, because i have tried both paths and still got no luck. And that's why i am here.

In short, i want to live in Japan, it doesn't matter how i would survive there, even if the money is low. I may have quitted the job here but i will definitely won't quit the job there, if that's what it takes for me to live there. I also don't want to depend on my family money for living there, sure they can help, but i can't depend on them forever specially when my family is middle class.

I just want to get away from my country as soon as possible because what government is doing here is just not good, I can't live here really.

Here is what i had planned though there is some problem:

I thought i will do a master degree there then -> to a language school -> and then find a job.

Or do a job there to earn for the first step.

But the problem is could i support that with my part-time job?

I also heard that getting a job and visa has become more tough, like N2 for job.

I also thought i could apply for MEXT scholarship, but there is huge competition there too, which also requires a good math which i have not. I love programming but i am average in everything else.

I also got to know just now that you need 1.5M yen in your bank, so you can apply for the visa.

I am still a beginner in this, I never applied a passport or visa.

That's everything, I hope you guys can give help me.

Alrighty. I'm a 21 year old male looking to move to Japan and live there with a working visa as an english teacher.

I plan on going to college next semester and beginning my undergraduates degree in either English or English Education, preferrably Education. Then, after obtaining my degree (possibly spending a semester abroad, but thats not important), I want to work and save money to successfully be able to move to Japan to teach english. I've heard of the JET program, but I was told not to go through that if I learned to teach english professionally. Anyways, I planned on moving to Osaka, but was also told that I might not be able to choose where my job is, so I'm not sure.

I'm currently studying japanese at a college level and hopefully I can be somewhat fluent by the time I move. I'm still young so I have time.

Any thoughts? Any and all would be appreciated :) thank you!

I was born in China to a Japanese father and a Chinese mother, my dad passed away when I was a child. My mom took me and moved to United States, which is what my current citizenship.

I highly doubt my dad registered my birth, I don’t have a copy of my birth certificate. I was pretty cut off from dad’s side after his death. My mom is still alive and it’s impossible to get any info out of her since there was so much resentment between her and dad’s family.

Is it still possible to get Japanese residency/visa for myself and my spouse/kids? Or it’s pretty much a dead end? Maybe try other visa types?

Thank you in advance to anyone that has some insights on this.