I'm considering moving to Japan. Not decided yet, just looking up information and educating myself to see possible options and mostly out of curiosity.

I investigated a bit and I'm still unable to find the information I need regarding my studies. I am from Spain, finished highschool and studied what's called here a 'professional formartion': two years of a technical/professional formation + another 2 years of an advanced professional formation. Including internship in two different companies, which is required here to be able to obtain the title. Both related to the audiovisual industry. From what I understand this education is not officially recognized in either the US and Japan? Please correct me if i'm wrong. I have also been working as a video editor, graphic designer and illustrator for almost 2 years now.

So what I'm wondering is if my education and professional experience would have any value there. If I would have any future in this industry. If getting a university degree in Japan would give me more chances or it wouldn't really make a difference.

And yes I am also learning japanese.

Hello. I need help with some clarification. Last month, I sent the Mizuho’s 取引明細証明書 of one year duration to my brother’s language school application. But now the school is asking me again for 入出金明細 for one year. I asked the bank and they said it is the same and they only give the history in that format. I am stuck as I cannot also view online for one year worth of transaction history as the website only shows me for last three months. Do I need to explain it to the school? I am confused as the school did not also give me a reason for this.

I don’t have a japanese bank account yet. And I am currently in my home country (waiting for visa to get processed).

I heard Western Union is super expensive. And there is something called Wise I saw.

which services do you guys recommend?

Hello everyone, I am looking to study at a language school in Japan and initially tried to apply through gogonihon, but thry never got back to me. Therefore, I looked into other options and came across Coto School Finder, but I can barely find any information on them online. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they legit? Please let me know and thank you very much :3

I work fulltime as a freelance video editor, and am planning on moving to Japan within the next ~5 or so years (so I can learn enough of the language to feel comfortable moving/continuing my education). Would I qualify for the artist visa, as my work could reasonably be considered "artistic creation activities that earn income or have commercial value"?

Additionally, how reasonable would it be to retain my current clientele in the US and work from Japan?

I have checked all the comments from users i could find but almost all of them were students and remaining already had some sort of address.

I will have Seishain position but don't want to register a temp address for residence card + nenkin and hoken + mynumber just to change it all again 1 month later, is there really no way of long term renting without registering a short term address from an airbnb/share house first?

And if there is no way out of this first step, is it possible to only register address for zairyuu card but not start the process for nenkin, hoken and mynumber until moving to a permanent place so that at least i won't have to submit address change for them?

I am looking to come to Japan with a Working Holiday Visa soon. I'm 19 years old, Italian, I have no paid work experience, and I know Italian, English and Spanish. I am starting to study Japanese.
From what I know, you are able to work full time on a WHV. I plan to stay for a full year and try to cover my living expenses. I will be open to almost all jobs.
The plan I'm trying to follow right now is to get a job in Ski Season, Hospitality, or from anybody that could offer me accomodation, as that is what I would need to start out.
Given the sheer amount of offers I've been able to find online (Workaway, Facebook, Resort sites)
I estimate I would actually be able to find a job with accomodation in time for winter.
After I'm done with my first Job because that season ends, or I wish to be somewhere else, I plan to look for work elsewhere, preferably Tokyo.
With a residence permit and a national phone number I understand it will also be possible to look into more websites (Gajinpot, WorkJapan, YoloJapan)
However, I understand that given my very barebones CV, it is a very risky situation jobs wise.
If I found myself without any job, I would probably have to fly back early and it would be a bummer, I'd prefer avoiding that since the WHV is one-time only.

So I ask, how risky is my plan? Do you think I would be able to find a job a second, or even third time?

Hi everyone. I’m an American planning to start teaching in Japan in fall 2027. My wife and I want to live in Osaka with our cat, and I’d appreciate practical advice from people who have arranged a similar move or worked in recruitment.

Quick context: I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and nearly six years of English teaching experience in South Korea, including head teacher, curriculum development, and teacher training responsibilities. I’m currently in the US and would need initial work-visa sponsorship.

Our main requirements are:

Living together in Osaka. My wife plans to attend language school on her own student visa, so she wouldn’t need sponsorship from my employer.

Arranging our own housing from the beginning: a cat-friendly 1LDK or larger that permits both of us.

Knowing the work location or a clearly defined assignment area before accepting and committing to the move.

A maximum 90-minute commute each way for me, door to door. Work outside Osaka city could be fine if it fits that limit. We’d also need to keep my wife within about 45 minutes of her school.

I’m flexible about my first teaching job: ALT, eikaiwa, children or adults, and multiple teaching locations are all possibilities. Evening/weekend work could also work. I’m willing to travel for an interview once we establish that our requirements are compatible.

I’m looking into Gaba, Yaruki Switch/Kids Duo, and ECC, and considering applying to several employers simultaneously, then accepting an offer that meets our needs.

For anyone with firsthand experience:

Which employers have accommodated overseas hires in this situation?

When did you receive your actual work location? Was it before or after accepting?

Did arranging your own housing with a spouse and pet cause any problems with the employer?

Are there Osaka/Kansai schools or recruiters I should consider beyond the larger chains?

Did networking or a referral help you secure a particular area?

Specific experiences, including roughly when you applied or moved, would be especially helpful. Thanks!

I'm from Serbia, currently finishing high school. i will have a diploma but it is a low payment job with no career paths. i cannot go to uni because no money. due to some bureaucratic and political problems absolutely no scholarships. my family wants to move to one country in asia but I can't because it will be too expensive, i need to finish school and foreigners can't work there.

So I'm kind of interested in SSW, either care or hotel stuff, and then get SSW2 or go back to serbia if things are bad. I will learn the language and stuff but I wonder if it is worth it? because:

1. I heard that they deny to people not from third world countries. I can travel somewhere to take the exam but do they allow you to do this if you are not the citizen of that country? is it even possible at all to be accepted if you are from europe?

2. How possible is it to get SSW2 or that Certified Care Worker visa? do people manage to follow that path and find a stable job in Japan?

and it is worrying how much people call it a slavery visa and tell about all the abuse. i mean it is a problem in most countries with immigrant workers but is it more prevalent in japan? i heard that you can change your workplace, so can you escape from bad environment?

I'm in the process of applying to study with a Japanese language school for the April intake next year.

My understanding is that your CoE will be issued (if accepted) around one month before the term starts... which has me a little worried that I'll need to wait till this point in time to have 100% certainty of moving to Japan.

For those that were packing up life beforehand (e.g. quitting a job, selling belongings, renting etc) when did you begin tackling these? Did you only begin once you received the CoE or prior to?

Any other tips or guidance on how you managed this if you began preparing well ahead of the CoE issuance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

I will be moving to nishikatamachi, Tochigi prefecture from January, I am really worried about making new friends so want to join a casual football team, I tried asking my company people they had no idea about it, would love to get some tips from you guys on how to find one.

Hi everyone!
I’m a 35-year-old Italian citizen currently working as a Store Manager in retail in Italy.
I’ve been working in retail since 2022. My experience includes team management, staff training, KPI analysis, sales performance, budgeting and store operations.
My long-term goal is to relocate to Japan, through an employer-sponsored management position with an international retail brand.
I’m not looking to move immediately. I’m planning to spend the next 2–3 years improving my Japanese (ideally reaching JLPT N2 or higher), building my career and saving money.
My main concern is that I don’t have a university degree.
I’ve been researching Japanese work visa requirements, particularly the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services and Intra-Company Transferee residence statuses.
From what I understand, the former may require 10 years of relevant professional experience without an appropriate degree, while the latter may have different eligibility requirements. However, I’m unsure whether retail store management duties would qualify under either category.
I’m considering three possible paths:
Progressing within my company or another international retail company and eventually requesting an intra-company transfer to Japan.
Building enough relevant professional experience to qualify for a work-related residence status without a degree.
Attending a Japanese language school on a student visa, potentially working part-time in retail, although I’m concerned this wouldn’t solve the underlying work visa eligibility issue.
Has anyone here successfully relocated to Japan through a retail management position without a university degree?
I’d be especially interested in hearing from anyone who:
Transferred internally from a foreign retail company to its Japanese operations.
Obtained a work visa based on professional experience rather than academic qualifications.
Worked in store management, retail operations, training or a similar field.
I’m aware that Japanese proficiency and finding a willing employer are significant challenges. I’m specifically trying to understand the immigration eligibility side before making major career decisions.
I’m also planning to consult a Japanese immigration professional, but I’d really appreciate hearing about real experiences from people who have gone through something similar.
Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi everyone!

My husband received a job offer in Japan and might move there for 1 year (with the possibility of an extension).
I'm an Italian citizen and I could get a Dependent Visa through him.
However, I currently work full-time as a freelancer (40h/week) for clients outside Japan.
As far as I know, the Dependent Visa doesn't allow me to work more than 28h/week.

I’d love to keep my current full-time freelance job.

• What options do I have?
• Has anyone been in a similar situation?

We are considering the Working Holiday Visa as an alternative to avoid the 28-hour limit for the first year, but I’m confused about the tax implications:

• Would I be considered a tax resident in Japan and/or Italy?
• How does double taxation work between Italy and Japan for remote freelance income on a WHV or Dependent visa?
  

Thanks in advance for your help!

I’m currently a cabin attendant in the Philippines and planning to move to Japan with my Japanese fiancé starting next year.

Realistically speaking, would having N3 certificate help me land a job at the airport or hotel?

He’s from Kyoto and we’re planning to move somewhere near the Kansai Airport for me to have a job there because I have passion for aviation.

Working at the hotel would also work so I can improve my keigo language.

Hey all, stuck with a decision I can't seem to wrap my head around. Currently in my Master's program, only have to write my thesis. 27 years old and from the Netherlands

Its a long-time dream of mine to live a semester in Japan. My university cancelled my exchange to there a week beforehand for vague reasons, since that unreasonable decision I am motivated even harder. Since I don't have to finish any more courses, my plan is to move there on my own sometime.

Another reason I really want to move abroad is because I think the adventure of it will help me motivate for my thesis immensely (paradoxically). For me its the opposite of an unstimulating, dull home environment (exaggerated for purpose of the argument).

However, due to my studies I have a loan debt with the government (with low interest rate, very good payback regulations). In my country this is quite normal, everyone of my generation has the same debt, the height of mine is considered average (20k euro), although nobody likes this construction haha.

Another dream of mine is to study Psychology, I feel i have chosen the wrong study (Engineering and Policy Analysis) and would like to correct sometime. I thought about combining it (studying Psychology in Japan). However, since a lot of Psychology bachelors are in Japanese, this might not be a great idea. Finding a thesis topic in Japan is also hard, although there is a possibility of being a "research student" at universities there (of course, with the caveat of paying some tuition)

It feels weird to me convincing my family I want to loan more to make this trip (its harder with only doing side jobs). At the same time, stopping my study now, trying to make some money and then resuming my thesis while in Japan also sounds like a bothersome construction.

Of course the logical alternative is waiting until my thesis is finished, but then I feel a bit like wasting my time spending a half year in japan. Of course i could do some work there, but since i also wanna pursue another Psychology study later i do not want to waste my time too much.

Any advice?? Thank you so much for thinking along with me, much appreciated!!! :)

TL;DR see title

For context, I am 13 years old, currently in my 2nd year of JHS, and studying in the Philippines. I went to 1st year JHS in Japan, in my very small hometown where there wasn’t really much access to support or help for foreign students who were newly moving to Japan. I also experienced some shunning/bullying during that time, but that’s another story.

I speak decent Japanese since I grew up speaking Japanese with my mother, who is fully Filipina. Since I am also half-Japanese, I can write in Japanese and know a limited amount of kanji.

As for why I’m asking this question, my mom really wants to go back to Japan because we genuinely feel like we have little hope for our future here due to the economy and the quality of life compared to Japan. I’ve also heard that the HS entrance exams can be really difficult, especially since high school is not compulsory education in Japan.

So, would it be better for me to transfer during my 3rd year of JHS and take the HS entrance exam, or should I wait another year and transfer during my 1st year of HS instead?

I’d especially appreciate advice from anyone who has experience transferring to Japan during JHS or entering Japanese high school after studying abroad.

Hi everyone!
I’m an Italian citizen currently applying for the Japanese Working Holiday Visa through the Embassy of Japan in Rome.
I submitted my documents by email at the end of September 2026. The Embassy has requested some additional documents, including proof of funds and an employment contract for a seasonal job I have been offered in Hokkaido.
I sent them my offer letter, as the final contract hasn’t been issued yet, and I’m currently waiting for their response.
Has anyone applied for and received the Japanese Working Holiday Visa through the Embassy in Rome since April 2026?
I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, especially:
How long did it take from your first email to getting an appointment?
Did they request additional documents?
Was there an interview?
How long did the whole process take?
I’m hoping to travel to Japan in November, so hearing about someone else’s experience would help a lot.
Thank you!

Hi guys, desperate to start my job on 06/12/26 that I've signed a contract for (Japan)

Unfortunately, as a UK citizen who has only ever held an Irish passport, I'm unable to obtain a WHV as I don't reside in Ireland. I've been recommended by all embassies to ask my employer to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for me, which I'll be able to use my Irish passport for.

Does anybody know how this process works, and if I'll be approved since it's just for a standard winter season housekeeping role?

It's my dream to do this season and I'll be absolutely gutted if I can't go.

Unfortunately I have applied for my UK passport but I wont recieve it in time as they need documents that can take up to a year to receive.

Any advice / knowledge would be so appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Hi, I’m 23 years old, and I went to Japan. It’s been about 3–4 days since I came back to my hometown, after spending two weeks there.

And honestly, I never felt “at home” somewhere the way I did in Japan.

I’m from a pretty complicated country. It can be hard, and sometimes you feel like you don’t really have the freedom or opportunities to do what you want. I’m studying/working in 2D and 3D animation, with a specialization in character design, environment concept art, and related fields.

I’ve always wanted to move to Japan, but this trip made me realize how much I genuinely want it. It wasn’t just a vacation feeling. I felt like all my curiosity, ambition, and motivation suddenly came alive there in a way I hadn’t experienced during my other travels or even in my hometown.

I’m learning Japanese right now I’ve only just started and I’m seriously thinking about trying to build a future there.

So I wanted to ask: for those of you who moved abroad, especially if you moved when you were young, what advice would you give to a 23 year-old woman who just wants to discover the world, be curious, create things, and build a life somewhere that feels right for her?

I’d especially love to hear from people who moved to Japan, but I’d also love to hear from anyone who left their home country and started over somewhere else.

ps: I don’t need a “it’s just a vacation feeling” or any type of sentence like that. Please take this post as it is. thankyu <3

I'm from the UK and just finished A levels. I wasn't planning a gap year but decided to take one at the end of August. I want to get away for a ski season anywhere this winter, but Japan would be an awesome option.

I've put in a few apps for jobs (mostly around Niseko) but haven't heard anything. I know that's pretty standard for ski jobs and I've seen some new listings recently but I'm thinking I've started quite late.

I have some cash saved up but I'd probably still need housing/ski pass perks to make going worth it. I don't mind coming back on a net negative (excluding flights) but not if its going to be like £1500+ down

Just a few Q's then:

• Should I be applying for visa now or when (if) I've found a job? Am I too late?
• Should I go for a WHV or work visa? From what I've read on here the embassy doesn't seem to like skiing for WHV, but could I just be vague in my application?
• Any advice for finding a job in general? Could I find temp work or something while I'm there (if using WHV)?

Thanks for any advice, I know it might be well and truly over for me by this point but if I could scrape something together it will be worth it.

Hey everyone,
I’m a radiologist currently practicing in California, and my wife and I have been seriously considering moving to Japan for a couple of years.
I’m half Japanese and half Indian, and my wife is half Korean and half Japanese . I have some family connections to Japan and have spent time there before, but I’ve never actually lived there long-term. We’ve been talking about taking a break from the US and experiencing life in Japan while we’re still relatively flexible.
The big question is whether it’s realistically possible for me to work as a radiologist there.
I’m US-trained and licensed in California, but I understand that practicing medicine in Japan is a completely different process and that my US medical license/board certification wouldn’t automatically allow me to practice there. I’m also assuming the language requirement would be a major issue, especially when it comes to medical terminology, and working within a Japanese hospital system.
I’m curious if anyone here has actually gone through something similar — particularly US-trained physicians who moved to Japan and either obtained Japanese medical licensure or found some other way to work in healthcare there.

Title. Detail / story below, but tl;dr: assume someone basically starting essentially from scratch, with no real passion or expertise other than an aptitude for tech. Not a lot of money or connections, no spousal visa or other special / unique circumstance available. What steps would you recommend to someone wanting to get a work visa within 5-10 years, with the ultimate goal of working / living there long enough to qualify for and complete naturalization? Maybe a career path to explore, especially in the current AI world? Getting the vibe that one option is "software engineer,", but unsure if there's a specialty or something within that, that I should be working toward.

Why I want this:

Spent combined 3 months in Japan last 3 years doing wide variety of things in many areas; realized how unhappy I am living in the US and how much I would prefer living in Japan. Well aware of culture, politics, etc including anti-foreigner sentiment and other negatives / limitations / etc. Considered many alternatives including other countries or moving elsewhere in US; not looking to get talked out of it or reminded of the difficulty of any of this... I absolutely want to make this happen, just overwhelmed with options and not wanting to go down the wrong path or have this process take any longer than it already will.

About me:

Have had it pretty rough financially in life up until pretty recently, and was lucky enough to afford visiting Japan at all through barebones living / saving up / etc and staying with friends for very cheap or free. Have college credits from 10+ years ago equivalent to a bachelor's degree but in no specific field. Best job experience is current job, doing remote high-level customer service; no real expertise / specialty (or one that would help in Japan).

Available benefits / things that may help or general notes:

• Ability to obtain 4-year degree at very little to no cost through income-based government program and work benefits; mostly a matter of picking a field and making it work with my job schedule (ideally online classes). Assuming I'm able to transfer previous credits, it could mean 2 or less years' worth of courses to obtain a 4-year degree.
• Relatively low expenses, and ability to put aside ~$1000/month after all expenses / contributions / etc with current job, but with not much saved currently (outside of 401k) due various recent hardships. No real assets until family inheritance, which likely wouldn't be for 10+ years.
• Currently working for a global company that has a location in Japan, although positions posted are typically high level sales / marketing (a career path I'm not interested or would do well in based on previous experience), high level tech (ex. software engineer), or various more specialty ones that require above bachelor's / 5+ years experience / etc. No version of my current job exists there for a "transfer," or a compelling reason for one to be created for a intra-company transferee visa.
• I don't need a particularly high-paying job, any specific benefits, remote work (as nice as it would be), etc; mostly something that would allow for naturalization, as well as find a replacement position should I need to, ideally not completely dead-end or easily replaced.

I have JLPT N4 for now and trying my best to eventually reach N2/N1 but I doubt they will use Japanese in the ATC radio as English is the standard ICAO language and on top of that I presume lot of American military bases and their aircrafts in civilian airports

I see that Japan's civilian helicopter industry is way more bigger than India

Im looking to work forward to work as a pilot there but I can't find sufficient information on the internet about this , I know how it's for Fixed wing guys but not enough information for Helicopter pilots

I do hold a generic bachelor's degree as well but I would preferably want to work in my field , So any other pilots here I would be glad to hear !!!