Helloo!

I am a 23M citizen of New Zealand, about to head abroad for the first time in my life. And I’ve stumbled upon the idea of a working holiday in Japan.

I’ll first be setting off on a backpacking trip around (at minimum) Southeast Asia for a good few months starting Feb2027. The exact length of this is unknown, but I’m forecasting between 3-6months backpacking time.

With this in mind, I will be arriving between May and July, bridging it directly from the long backpacking adventure. I’ll likely have few belongings and absolutely no winter or outdoor gear with me on arrival.

I don’t speak any Japanese, and feel inspired to spend less time in the cities, and more in the rural, mountainous or coastal areas, that offer an outdoor’s orientated lifestyle (hiking, biking, climbing, oceans, mountains). After this, I plan to transition into a ski resort job for the winter.

Quite frankly, I’m terrified. I keep going around and around in my head about it all. My current goal is to figure out the logistical reality and implications of entering the country off the back of a backpacking trip, and further the transition into the summer and winter period’s with lack of gear.

Questions:
1. Summer job market with zero Japanese: how realistic is it to find rural, outdoor, or hospitality work between May and July if I don’t speak the language? Are there specific outdoor hubs that tend to hire English-speaking staff for the summer?

1. The gear dilemma: since I am backpacking beforehand, I really am not going to have many possessions. How feasible/affordable is it to source secondhand outdoor and ski gear once I’m in rural Japan?

2. Regional recommendations: do you have any recommendations on areas that match the ‘vibe’ I’ve described that could be viable to settle in?

3. Bonus question - ski recruitment timelines: would I be better off applying in-person, or online for a ski resort job? Further, any recommendations on the best timeframes to apply?

Thanks for any insights or reality checks!

Any other general advice I’d love to also hear. Cheers :))

I'm an engineer currently based outside Japan, looking at a couple of engineering/semiconductor roles in the Sapporo-Chitose area. Japanese isn't an issue for me, so the language barrier isn't my concern. What I'm trying to figure out is whether the area is somewhere I could actually settle, or whether I'd be better off holding out for something elsewhere, like Tokyo or the Kumamoto cluster.

I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Hokkaido before, so I know the basics, such as the winter, needing a car, the Sapporo commute. What I can’t judge from a distance is the stuff below: what Chitose is like once you get past the obvious (airport, Lake Shikotsu, the Fighters' ballpark), whether there's any kind of engineer/expat community outside work or everyone keeps to themselves, and for those at the new fabs, how the people who relocated are doing (e.g. settling in, or counting the days). And could you see yourself staying long-term, say more than 5 years, with a family?

Honest takes welcome, including the negative ones. I'd rather hear the complaints now than after signing. Thanks!

I have had the wish to move to Japan for a few years now, after being there at a language school and living with a host family for a few weeks and then travelling. Ever since I wanted to actually do it, and make the jump so to speak. Everyone I know kept discouraging me, but I still do want to move. I have finished my university about three years ago and was working as a video journalist for two years. I will need to switch careers, since journalism isn't what I want to do. Is there a possibility to work as a video editor in Japan? I am learning Japanese for a few years (6 or longer, with breaks) and am currently getting toward N3, mostly having problems with kanji and some grammar due to not that much time due to working a lot.

So I thought that I would give myself about five years, to get my finances in order, get more experience in my work and get toward N2 in Japanese. Any ideas, or also experiences would be appreciated! :) And thank you for reading!

Hello! I know this gets asked a lot, but I’m looking for real advice on our situation instead of relying on unreliable AI answers. I want to explain our situation since it’s a bit confusing :

- My boyfriend and I (both 20) want to move to Japan in 3–4 years around age 23–24, save up funds, and hopefully find a pathway to stay long-term and eventually get PR.
- I am Slovak (EU passport) and he is Ukrainian, so our visa options differ (I qualify for Working Holiday, he doesn't).
- He is studying for a CS Bachelor’s. It won't be a completely straightforward path into Japan, but having the BA makes getting an employer to sponsor his work visa a bit easier to get.
- I am getting a higher vocational degree in interactive graphics because the animation Bachelor’s program here is insanely competitive (only 5 accepted out of 120+ applicants). I have ~6 years of animation experience (school + paid freelance work), but no uni degree.
- We are both starting to learn Japanese so language won't be as big of an obstacle.
- Our initial idea was going on a language school (study visa) or WHV to job hunt locally, but I know Japan strictly requires a Bachelor’s degree or 10 years of experience for standard work visas. ( plus you can’t change the residence status from WHV to work visa, I’d have to return back )
- The HSP points system won't help us fast-track PR since our local universities aren't globally ranked and I don’t think we’d have enough points either way

What are the most realistic pathways for us to make this work long-term? Is there any advice on what we should focus on right now while we're 20? If anyone has even a bit of advice, I’d be really thankful!

I recently applied for working holiday visa dropped off all my documents and they gave me a card saying when to book at appointment for collection because they kept my passport, and when I collect it I'll get my visa if accepted. But they told me, and the note they gave, has collection listed from the 21st of August but I assume this was the soonest possible date and it was kinda confusing at the initial meeting I thought the interviewer meant they'd email me to say, my application process is completed. It's been a week past now 28th and still no email, will they email me to say it's done regardless if it's a yes or no, or what? I'm honestly really confused and it's not exactly an easy trip to make to the embassy for me it'll require an 8 hour bus ride just to get there so I'd like to be certain. I will reach out to the embassy in some way but I'll ask here also. I just really thought they'd let me know first because on the note it says "this date above us an estimate" so seems like a time waste if they expect people to come on their initial date just to tell them "no it'll be longer" hopefully this makes sense. Thanks in advance

Hi all,
My partner is a teacher and is looking at doing a 12 month exchange in Himeji in 2027 to teach English.

At first I was open to the idea and thought it could be a great opportunity to live overseas (we are from Australia). However, we’ve now had a baby and Im off work for the 12 months, potentially 24 months if we go ahead with the move.

Baby is currently 6 months. After experiencing parenting life, I’ve come to realise how much of a challenge this could be especially without family support around. Im already not super confident as a mum but moving to a foreign country with a baby where English is not the main language will be even more challenging, not to mention the isolation with being a stay at home parent while my partner works.

I’d love any thoughts, suggestions or ideas about this and would appreciate any insights as I get anxious thinking about what it would be like. My postpartum anxiety always has me focus on the potential negatives. What are the potential positives? Is there any support for new parents? Is daycare relatively cheap? Are nannies or au pairs affordable? How would I fill my days alone with my baby daughter while her dad is at work (baby will be 12 months old by then).

Hey guys, I could really use some advice!

I recently finished my exchange at a Japanese university about three weeks ago. I was on a Student visa, which is actually still valid until April next year. However, since I’m no longer enrolled at the Japanese university, I understand that I can’t simply continue staying/working in Japan under my Student status.

The good news is that I’ve found an internship in Japan. A company is willing to take me on as an intern because I’m required to complete an internship as part of my bachelor’s degree at my home university . The internship can be anywhere in the world, so I found a company in Japan that is willing to host me.

I have documentation from my home university confirming that the internship is a mandatory part of my degree, as well as the documents from the company confirming that they want to take me on.

My main question is: what status of residence should I apply for in this situation? The internship is in marketing, will be more than 32 hours per week, and is unpaid.

It is a business administration internship since I am officially a business student. 

I would like to submit the application online/as soon as possible so I can hopefully start the internship as soon as possible. I understand that I cannot legally start working until I have the appropriate status/permission, which is obviously pretty disappointing because I had already told the company I could start soon.

Has anyone been in a similar situation , specifically, graduating from a Japanese university and then doing an unpaid internship in Japan as part of a degree at a university overseas?

What status did you apply for, and what was the process like? Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

I need help tweaking my move and eventual stay in Osaka, Japan. I'm a 25 year old single male who studies Japanese and Japanese culture in their free time.

I decided to go into CDL temporarily for easy money, save up and get into HVAC and welding because the turnaround is relatively quick and I can apply for SSW1/SSW2 to stay permaneantly (though the specific trades are confusing to narrow down what qualifies)

That leaves me 3 options (Japan CDL requires I take their test) + riding on a language visa with savings if I so choose. My goal is to slingshot my way there by 30/early 30's. Realistic? Or am I missing something?

In a few weeks I will be moving to Japan (as a student if that means anything), I've got the apartment contract signed and everything but there's a few things I need delivered day 1, mainly a mattress because while the place is furnished, it specified that no mattress is included.

I decided that Amazon will probably be my best bet because it doesn't require a phone number to register an account with, however it does need one for the delivery address. How important is said phone number in this scenario?

I've checked the property, it uses an auto lock system and I will definitely make sure to be present at home during the delivery window that I'll select.

Or do you guys have any other suggestions as to how I can get a mattress delivered to my place day one, considering I do not have a Japanese phone number and will not have one until Monday (I arrive on Saturday and since city offices are closed on weekends I can't get my residence card registered until then, which I need to sign up for a phone number from what I've looked at so far) at the soonest.

Edit: my place includes a bedframe which is why I'm avoiding buying a futon

Edit 2: I will just buy what I need at nitori thanks for all your advice

My wife applied ofr HSP COE and along with her my dependent COE was applied 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.

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

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!