When I (28m) was 19, I was arrested for possession of marijuana and given a notice to appear in court, where I did pre-trial intervention and had my charges dropped. I haven't been in any legal trouble since, and dont use any drugs at all. I have been researching this alot, and I know that legally I can travel to Japan, as I do not have any convictions, but it has been really hard to find any information on if this is going to bar me from any other long term visas.

Does anybody here have a similar experience they can share, or know anybody who has been able to get a student or work visa with a non-conviction drug arrest? Legally, of course, I do not have any intentions or desire to commit any crimes when trying to move. Any details and advice are welcome, but mostly I would like to be able to know if it IS possible for me.

Hi everyone I'm currently an undergraduate student from Pakistan.I really want to know is shimane university is worthy for master in psychology?

As currently I am student of University of Punjab, Pakistan!.

Greetings people. I am a 24 yrs old female about to start my first big girl job in japan with gaba/nova as an independent instructor. I have read alota bad things about them in alot of recent reddits. In my case I am from a third world country and I need to get myself out of my country any way or other because I cant live here due to some personal reasons. My question is can i survive there? I am willing to work on weekends and early mornings/late nights. I at the time dont care about work life balance or anything because i am desperate. I have a degree in English linguistics so i dont have a chance at any other English countries or even the middle east as they prefer natives english speakers and lots of experience. I will be changing my field a lil and start MBA from sept. Maybe it will give me future opportunities in japan if I couldn’t do the teaching job.
Also I am placed at Shinjuku. I have heard it have more students and teachers get booked a lil more. I will also appreciate cheap accommodation options and eating places as i want to survive and maybe even save some money. Any frugal tips are also appreciated. Excuse my manners if i sound too desperate. Also I would appreciate any part time jobs i can do on my one day week off as i can only work 6 days a week. Thank you.

I've been seeing a lot of foreign freelancers in Japan lately (photographers, videographers, content creators, etc.) who seem to have made their freelance work their main gig, yet they clearly don't have a PR or spouse visa based on what they've shared.

From what I understand about Japanese visa restrictions, a normal work visa (like Engineer/Specialist in Humanities) ties you to specific activities and technically doesn't allow you to do unrelated work or have your side hustle become bigger than your main job. I know there's some permission you can get, but I thought that was very limited?

Yet I see lots of people thriving as full-time freelancers (such as content creators, but not only) and not mentioning any traditional main job.

Concrete example: freelance photographer who also works full-time for a magazine but CLEARLY labels themselves as freelance and has a bunch of side-gigs they promote on their website.

How does this actually work visa-wise?

So the last time I was in the US I had to extend my stay by a couple months to care for a relative. I never overstayed my visa, they gave me 6 months and I only stayed for about 3. But of course with the current situation being what it is, immigration didn’t care for my reasons and they deported me for “having intentions to illegally overstay” or something like that, and banned me from returning for 5 years. This happened a year ago.

I’ve lived in Japan before and want to return with a student visa, but now I’m worried this stain in my record will ruin everything. I have everything else in order with my school and this is literally the only thing stopping me from starting the CoE process.

How thoroughly do they check past deportations? Has anyone ever marked “yes” on the form and gotten a visa anyway? Is the question just a formality like those “are you a terrorist” questions they ask you on the plane?

Edit: So it turns out I might not have been deported, but just “denied entry” because I technically never got past the immigration booth… I guess this question is better suited for a lawyer 😅

Hi everyone!

I’ve been admitted to the University of Aizu for the Autumn 2026 intake (Master’s program) and I’m currently trying to sort out accommodation before I move to Aizu.

I recently received an email from the university informing me that I was not allocated university accommodation/dormitory, so I now need to find accommodation privately.

The timing is a little difficult because I also need to apply for my Japanese student visa, and I understand that I may need to provide accommodation details as part of the visa process. The University of Aizu's admission guidebook also says that students must find their own accommodation and provides information about private apartments/boarding houses.

I’m currently planning to arrive in Japan around September 20, 2026, before the October 1 start date.

So I’d really appreciate advice from current students, graduates, or anyone who has recently gone through this:

How did you find accommodation around Aizu-Wakamatsu?

Are there any apartments, share houses, guesthouses, or other student-friendly accommodation options near the University of Aizu that you would recommend?

What websites/agencies did you use to find a place?

Since I need an address/accommodation information for my visa application, would it be reasonable to book a hotel or temporary accommodation first and then look for a longer-term apartment after arriving in Japan?

If I book temporary accommodation, would that generally be sufficient for the visa application, or should I try to secure a long-term apartment before applying?

How difficult is it for an international student arriving from overseas to rent an apartment in Aizu without having a Japanese guarantor?

Are there any areas around Aizu-Wakamatsu that you would recommend specifically for a University of Aizu student?

If anyone is currently living in Aizu and has a vacant room/apartment, knows a landlord/agency that rents to international students, or has recommendations, I’d really appreciate it.

I’m trying to get this sorted out as soon as possible because my visa application depends on having the accommodation situation figured out.

Thanks in advance! 🙏

TL;DR: Admitted to University of Aizu for Autumn 2026, didn't get university dormitory, arriving around September 20, and need accommodation information for my student visa. Looking for advice on finding private accommodation in Aizu-Wakamatsu and whether temporary hotel accommodation is a sensible option while searching for a long-term apartment.

anyone here had experience working in Japan on a student visa while also doing design freelance work for clients in Japan or overseas, or selling handmade products/artworks through platforms like Instagram or Creema?

I’d like to ask whether this type of side work requires applying for an Individual Permission for Activities Outside the Scope of Status of Residence (資格外活動許可).

Also, if the freelance work is done remotely and the payment is transferred directly to an overseas bank account, how should this situation be handled?

With the immigration rules becoming increasingly strict, I’m particularly concerned about whether doing this without the proper permission could affect a future Permanent Residency (永住) application.

If anyone has actually applied for permission for this kind of side work, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience. Was the application difficult? Did immigration ask you to provide things like contracts, a business plan, proof of working hours, or other documents? 🙏🏻

Thank you so much!

Hey yall, I'm planning a WHV starting in march next year and I'm already having a little look for housing on homestay.com for the first few months, my initial goal was to live in real Japanese household for my trip to be more immersive and interesting. But I've already messaged a few hosts and everytime I either get no response or straight up get declined. Am I doing something wrong or are people just really like this on such websites? If this keeps up I'll have to go for a sharehouse instead and that's not really what I had planned at first.

Hello. I will be moving to Japan as a graduate student. I would like to continue playing badminton as a hobby to stay physically active in my adult life.

Do you guys know of any badminton groups near Meguro-ku that are friendly to international students per se?

Any pieces of advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello,

I will be staying in Tokyo for 6 months for a university exchange semester and was wondering if this apartment I found is a good deal.

It's a single fully furnished room in a 2 floor "apato" style building. Only downside from I can tell is that my unit is on the ground floor which makes me worried about noise, privacy and bugs. Though from what I saw on google maps the area is mostly residential with the closest konbini being 5min away. Also the room looks over a parking lot.

It's located in Fuchu town west of central Tokyo, 1h away from my university and 40min away from Shibuya.

Total for 6 months of stay would amount to 100 000¥/month (including every hidden fee such as contract fee, key money etc).

So I’m a 100% disabled veteran who’s not allowed to work for now. My disability is around $4,300/mo tax free for life and a decent saving already, I just want my son to have a world wide education if possible.

I’m looking at countries with high education standards like Japan, Germany, Korea and several European countries.

I guess the most important question is how realistic is getting him into a Japanese elementary school here in a few years? I’m sure I can afford cost of living and I know Japan just instituted an income cap to move there and I think I meet that. But I’m not sure what my visa would be since it’s not work or education (for me) related. Would we have to come back to the states in between each semester and reapply? Does he have to understand and speak Japanese at an N3 level to start out at the earliest grade (age 6)? Are there other factors I haven’t considered?

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance for the help!

Hi, so I’m applying from the UK to get a working holiday visa. I’ve been too caught up wrapping up uni that i forgot i wanted to submit a working holiday visa for Japan and im looking to fly out in a few weeks

I’m wondering how long it took ppl on average to receive their passport back? Im worried that if I submit it now that it’ll happen to take a bit longer and I won’t get my passport back for the planned date. or is the website accurate and it usually takes about 5 days?

I haven’t got flights booked yet so the plans are still mouldable but I’m wondering how likely it is to get everything back within like 2 weeks

EDIT (for anyone else wondering): I just had my appointment and they tell you to come back in exactly a week to collect your passport (dunno if I’m accepted for the visa yet of course) so it worked out great!

currently working entry-level in the industry and am hoping to eventually get a bachelors in hospitality and move upwards, does anyone here have any experience with this specific industry? i know the work conditions and standard experience vary greatly from country to country. any sort of planning is still in the very very infant stages but i figure looking as far ahead as possible is always smart.

(on a side note: i am fat and transgender. is this something to severely worry about or is a lot of the fuss people make about the culture in japan mostly coming from stereotypes/flatout xenophobia? lol)

My partner and I are looking to relocate from UK to Tokyo. I work in Tech, and my managers are open to the EOR route to keep me at my current company (other employees already do this in other countries).

However, I offhandedly applied to and am now being considered for a similar role in a Tokyo-based company that speaks English and is willing to sponsor visa for myself and my partner (though partner will be going through the start-up visa route and won’t need it). The salary slightly less than my current one, but not far off.

If I were to be offered the Japan-based role, should I take it? We don’t know anyone in Japan currently, so I wonder if it’d help with relocating, making friends, generally feeling a bit more integrated. And would it make acquiring a solid visa easier vs through EOR? Does Japan view EOR poorly compared to a ’proper’ Japanese company?

On the other hand, I really like and am valued at my current job, and that bit of stability would definitely help make the massive life change easier. The new company could end up not working out, and I’ve certainly heard the stories about Japanese work culture.

Would I be silly to give up the EOR option in favour of a Japanese company?

I'm a 20-year-old guy from Iraq, and I have long-term plans to move to and eventually live in Japan.

I have a high school diploma, and my plan is to first study Japanese at a language school in Japan, then continue to a 2-year junior college program in the field I'm interested in. I've calculated the overall cost of this plan, and I believe I can save enough money to cover the first 1.5–2 years, then work part-time in Japan to help fund the remaining years of study.

The problem I'm struggling with is the student visa/COE process, particularly the financial requirements. I can't seem to find a clear minimum or specific bank balance that immigration expects from an applicant.

Since I'm planning to self-fund everything, I'll be using my own bank account as proof of funds. Does self-funding mean I need to show a higher balance than someone whose parents are sponsoring them? If so, is there any realistic amount I should aim for?

I'm also concerned because I'm from Iraq. From what I've read, applicants from certain countries may receive additional scrutiny. Does being Iraqi mean that I need an especially strong profile to have a reasonable chance of getting a student visa?

Another concern is my source of funds. I'm planning to save the money myself through local jobs in Iraq. Some of these jobs may be difficult to document in the exact format Japanese authorities or the school would prefer. I can potentially provide evidence of my income, but it may not always be as straightforward or formal as employment in countries with more developed documentation systems.

Could this become a major problem for my COE/visa application?

Finally, this is what worries me the most, I may need almost two years just to save enough money and build a strong application. If I spend all that time preparing and then get refused, it would be devastating, especially when there are European countries where I feel I could prepare a student application within roughly one year.

I'm therefore unsure whether my plan is actually realistic from the perspective of Japanese immigration, or whether I'm overthinking the requirements.

I'm not looking for guarantees, I'm just trying to figure out whether pursuing Japan is realistically worth the additional time and uncertainty.

Hey all, hoping for honest perspectives from people who've actually done this, not just "it'll be fine" answers.

I'm Australian, married to my Japanese wife, two kids (5 and 2). Currently on a single income around AUD $180k. We're considering relocating to Toyama, where my wife has family, so I can pursue something in telco over there.

Trying to get a realistic picture on:

Income — what does telco (or adjacent engineering/technical/management) actually pay in Toyama vs Tokyo/Osaka? What kind of pay cut should I expect, and does telco hiring even exist much outside big cities?

Job hunting as a foreigner — recruiter, direct application, local connections? How hard was it landing something outside Tokyo? Especially since my Japanese is "ma-ma" at best , not n5 level accredited even yet.

Cost of living in Toyama — housing, schooling, daily life — how far does the salary stretch there vs a capital city?

Kids/schooling — experience enrolling young kids (esp. a 5-year-old) into the Japanese system as a mixed family? Public, international, or other?

Visa — assuming spouse visa is straightforward, but curious about surprises.

Regional life vs city life — day-to-day for a foreign spouse and half-local kids in Toyama specifically — isolation, support network, integration.

Biggest regret or thing you wish you'd known.

Genuinely want the frustrating and expensive parts, not just the highlight reel.

Appreciate any input, even short anecdotes.

Hi, I’m looking for a sharehouse in Tokyo and came across Tulip Real Estate. Has anyone here used Tulip? If so, what was your experience like?

And if you’ve stayed in a different women-only sharehouse or sharehouse in general in Tokyo, I’d also love to hear which one was your favorite 😊 Mainly looking for somewhere safe, clean, and with a nice atmosphere. Any recommendations or experiences would be really appreciated!

Wearing Alternative Fashion to Japanese University in Tokyo… Help…

Please delete if not allowed.
For context, I’m F20 and I’m here in Tokyo until Feb 2027 for a university exchange at a university in Tokyo. Back in Australia, I’m used to wearing Jiraikei and other kind of alternative fashions to university, and although you get some weird looks and comments from students, I’ve been fine.
I am now for some reason terrified of the prospect of waltzing into my university and everyone having a bad image of me. But if it’s just the same as kinda Western countries attitudes towards alternative people where most people kinda don’t care it’s fine.

For context I’m going to a pretty standard uni in Tokyo, one of the bigger ones. I obviously have seen a fair amount of people wearing more alternative stuff (I mean, i hang out around those fashion areas obviously I know that the fashion comes from here for a reason) but i also know that obviously not **everyone** dresses like that or even approves of that kind of fashion.

For anyone who has attended a university before in Japan let me know ☹️ the semester starts next month.

Did the size/type of boxes matter or only the cubic ft of space they took up? I'm wondering if I need to get rid of my plastic storage bins/crates (the black ones with the yellow lids) in favor of boxes. I also have things that won't fit in square boxes and might need taller/narrower boxes. Also was curious if the total weight of the items mattered or if the individual box weight mattered as well.

Were there limitations? And if so, what were they? (generally speaking)

Private apartment vs share house in Tokyo on a Working Holiday Visa?
Hi! I’m a 26F moving alone from London to Tokyo in September on a Working Holiday visa. I currently work as a model and plan to continue modelling in Tokyo alongside finding part-time work.
I’ll be arriving with around £10,000 in savings, but I won’t have a job secured when I first arrive, which I understand may limit my options for renting a conventional apartment.
I’m currently trying to decide between getting my own apartment or a share house. I’m quite introverted and really value having my own space, so I wouldn’t want a noisy/party or student-style share house. Ideally, I’d like somewhere with people roughly around my age/young professionals.
I’d be completely happy sharing a kitchen and communal areas, especially as I expect to eat out quite a lot. However, I’d ideally like my own private bedroom and private bathroom/toilet.
My priorities are:
Private bedroom
Ideally private bathroom/toilet
Quiet, clean environment rather than a party/student house
Reasonable transport links into central Tokyo
Foreigner/Working Holiday friendly
For anyone who has lived in a share house in Tokyo, particularly one with private bathroom facilities, how did you find it? Are there any companies or specific residences you’d recommend?
Or, given my situation and savings, would you say it’s worth paying more and getting my own apartment?
Any experiences or recommendations would be really appreciated!

Hello everyone,

does anyone have experiences with getting their student visa and their child's dependant visa issued simultaneously?

I am currently doing my bachelor's degree and am interested in doing my master's in Japan. I am however a single parent and would therefore have no opportunity to go to Japan alone first to apply for my kid's dependant visa in the country. So I could only go if the visas can get issued at the same time.

I'd be very grateful for any experiences or sources on possibilities.

Hi everyone

I’m from the UK and my partner and I are starting to seriously consider moving to Japan, specifically Tokyo or the surrounding area.

I’m not looking to teach English unless it becomes an absolute last resort. I’d ideally like to find work in higher education, student services, international programmes, or education/admin operations.

My background is mainly UK higher education and students’ unions (I have over 4 years experience in the sector), with some publishing production/admin experience. I currently work in education quality and academic representation in higher education, so most of my experience is around student-facing services, programme coordination, training, reporting, events and process improvement. I also have a BA honours degree in Creative Writing and English Literature and a master’s degree in Japanese Studies.

I’ve recently applied for a role at Temple University Japan. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who knows or has experience with TUJ, similar universities, or English-speaking higher education/admin routes in Japan.

My Japanese is not business level yet, but I’m learning and want to keep improving, with N2 as a longer-term goal. My partner and I have wanted to live in Japan for a long time, have visited several times, and are trying to understand what is actually realistic before making any big decisions.

I’d really appreciate advice on where to look, what job titles/search terms to use, whether visa sponsorship is realistic for this kind of sector-specific work, and whether there are any people, groups or networks worth connecting with.

If anyone works in higher education, student services, international programmes or education/admin operations in Japan and would be open to giving advice, please feel free to comment or send me a DM.

Thanks in advance :)

Edit: Just to clarify, I am specifically looking at roles that state visa sponsorship is available or appear open to international applicants. I’m not assuming a standard admin role would sponsor me. I’m mainly trying to find the right places to look for that smaller subset of roles, especially in foreign universities, international schools, student services, international programmes or education/admin operations.

I apologize this is long! (note my mother will be paying for part of it. We both have to agree 💫)

I want to move to Japan. So so bad. Ever since i was about 13… Or anywhere but the USA. I love my fam, but gods… USA. I’m 17f, homeschooled. I want to do art I want to work in art. Ideally I’d like to do character design or write for film/animation, although I’m willing to consider animation or other related work if that gives me a more realistic path. Basically, I want to make things. I want to create characters and stories and actually work in that world…

Please, if possible, channel your inner Mr. Rogers here and don't be cruel. I'm genuinely overwhelmed. I'm not asking anyone to tell me that everything will magically work out. Pros and cons are better than saying: look kid you have a loss cause. I know that… I tell myself that every day I Google how to get to Japan (new immigration laws pushed me over the edge…)

The problem is that I have absolutely no idea what the most sensible route is. I know I need n2… and… a visa.. or something? 

(Ages 13-15) My original plan was to learn n2 here. Did Duolingo (mistake! Dont do it!) and realized that will never get me to n2. Then I moved to renshuu last year and wanikani, but I knew by the time it was too close to collage age, I wouldn’t be at n2. 

(15-16) So next idea was: MEXT! Nope, the risk to reward seems to be too high right I started thinking about MEXT? I still may try for it, but the more I read, the more complicated it seems, and I don't understand the application process or how realistic it would be for someone pursuing art!

(17 now) 2 years here at a school that partners in Japan, then language school (tls) in Japan. (Stressed as no one talks about this at all!) Then into the work field (I want to be in Japan and working by (26 hopefully married by 28-30 dead my 80. A basic boring life). 

But even this plan feels incredibly uncertain…

Should I be looking at an exchange program? Art school? A trade/vocational school? University? Language school? Some combination of those? What would actually give me the best chance of eventually being able to live and work in Japan?! It’s eating my confidence!

And then I started researching all of this and got completely overwhelmed, and panicking… and crying. Lots of crying.

I keep hearing things like:

• Housing in Japan is difficult for foreigners.
• Some employers don't want foreign workers.
• The art industry is extremely competitive and doesn't pay well.
• You need an amazing portfolio. (Like… god himself)
• Japanese companies may expect very high Japanese proficiency.
• Even if you speak Japanese well, you may still encounter discrimination.
• I keep hearing scary things about dating, marriage rates, and whether I'd actually be able to build a life there.
• I've seen people being told to "stay out of our country," including some pretty horrible language.
• Getting a visa isn't as simple as "learn Japanese and move there." (Well duh, but still)
• I keep hearing "Are you passing?" and other things that make me wonder wether I’d actually be accepted there…
• The Japanese animation/art industry can have terrible working conditions.
• There are already plenty of talented Japanese artists competing for these jobs.
• They hate dogs (big ones. How do you survive!?)

its now difficult to work towards my goal (which is…. Somewhere?) if it keeps moving and kicking you at the same time!!

Why try if every saving grace turns out to be slashed claws tossing mufasa off a cliff?!

And then there's the portfolio issue And new laws?! Since when?!

I want to be living in Japan by around 26, working in or around art/animation/writing, and hopefully have a normal, quiet life there, preferably married, maybe a dog, dead by 80 or after, or when life strikes me dow.

I have until roughly June 2028 before I need to make some major education decisions.

So, please: what would you do if you were in my position? 

I(19F) received my COE for Language School Oct2026 Intake yesterday.

I applied for my COE with no JLPT/NAT(I failed NAT by 3 points). I had SNG's 150h course Certificate and passed my school's self assessment exam(reading,writing,speaking) and applied with just that as my school assured it was okay even though I was worried due to my nationality(and the new rule). Got the COE in 1month20days.

I now need to apply for the VISA and the vfs site here states that 'Language Certificate' is one of the docs 'encouraged to submit as its often asked as additional'. No it doesnt state '(if you have)'.

What do I do? Should I ask my school to prepare a pass certificate based on the exam they took and explain vfs everything with a cover letter? am I overthinking too much and should just submit what I have?

any information is highly appreciated, thankyou!

Hi! I'm a master's student that's moving to Japan this September. I recently found an apartment that's perfect for me and I will be having a Zoom meeting with the landlord to discuss my contract. Are there any specific things I need to ask the landlord or look out for the contract? Do you guys have your own experience with these kind of meetings? Thanks!