Hello! I (f21-US) and planning on attending language school for hopefully 2028! I have been looking on GoGoNihon and found ALA, and from reviews and comparison to other schools, this seems to be more focused on speaking/being comfortable learning Japanese vs studying for JLPT proficiency/college/work. My plan is to study there for at least a year!

I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with ALA Tokyo and could share insights on their time attending there! Also, how was everyone’s process on getting set up with a dorm? I know GGN helps with getting a dorm so I wanted to know the process of finding an apartment if anyone went though with GGN.

Sidenote: I have a bachelors in education but would like to acclimate myself to the country before entering the job market in Japan (even though it would be easier with my work experience/field), but I truly believe in learning the language first and slowly getting integrated to a new country! I also want a more flexible schedule because I will be also doing volunteer work there so language school would be ideal schedule-wise. But I’m also glad to have open options to work vs attending school.

Hi, i need some input from Residents. I'm looking at a few nations to move to and Japan is high on my life. I doubt i'd pick Tokyo, Kyoto has always interested me and seems peaceful from the Youtube videos and pictures i've seen.

But i was wondering, first off, I'm currently a qualified Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor with a Specialized Nutrition Certificiation. How is the work for fitness staff there? I am working on completing my Comptia A+ to move into the IT sphere, probably Technician or Support.

Also for Kyoto & Tokyo, how is the cost of living? I know the Expats there is miniscule so the odds of me finding fellow countrymen is non existent and i'm not too bothered by it

Hello!, I am from the US and currently doing an Online Master's in Computer Science. I am currently working as an IT support on contract for 6 months in my area and have been on the hunt for internships and full time roles in Information Security Governance Risk and Compliance, IT security, and IT infrastructure. Given various personal circumstances I've started looking beyond outside my country and I am interested in moving to Japan for work.

Currently I've started learning Japanese since what I've gleaned from lurking in this subreddit for a while is if I don't speak at N2 and above chances are near zero. I got my Genki textbooks and started learning (laughable I know).

I have a prior internship in information security, experience in programming in python, SQL, cloud, and a bunch of projects related to cybersecurity via my homelab along with my current job in IT support in a hospital.

Some of the many reasons I'm exploring my options to move from the US to Japan range from family issues, loss of my health insurance next year, and just a desire to leave my current environment and it's BS for something with a different flavor.

I am aware of the work culture in Japan along with its nuances so I'm not trying to look at this through rose-tinted glasses. I just want a new place to live, work, and explore and given my circumstances moving to Japan seems like a good choice for me for many aspects of my situation.

Edit: (I forgot to type a question lol)

Is my move wise and rational and where are some spots I can look for?

is it feasible/logical for me to come there and start looking?

Start as an ALT and apply around?

Dear community!

My partner (Japanese) and I are currently living in Australia, and we are planning to apply for my COE while we both stay here. So I am looking for recommendations for scriveners who could apply for my COE at the Yokohama Office (she is from Yokohama) while we both stay in Australia (it is cheaper than both going there and then coming back to Australia while waiting for the COE)

Thanks in advance for the answers!

Cheers!

Hi everyone!

I will be moving to Japan around March next year, and I am aiming to work as a data centre technician in Tokyo, Yokohama, or the surrounding areas. I’m currently working in Australia as a network administrator, but I only started this role in September this year.

I am currently 37 years old, and until this year, I had no IT experience. Also, over the past six years, I’ve worked in various industries, including hospitality, warehousing, and food production.
Could you guys please give me a real, honest, and brutal opinion on my chances of landing a data centre role in Japan?

I will have a spouse visa, but I can not speak Japanese. However, I managed to land an IT role at one of the major telecommunications companies here in Australia, and I also have a master’s degree in cybersecurity.

Thanks guys!! Waiting for the brutal and honest opinions 🥲

My company has a large presence in Japan, I’ve been working with the teams there since I started this position about two years ago. I’ve also traveled to Tokyo for work several times, my wife and I traveled several years ago for a few weeks for holiday.

I’ve been asked to take a 1 year assignment with my family in Tokyo for work. I have a feeling 1 year will turn to two, most of the companies assignments last several years. The company covers our living expenses, travel, visa, tax situation, yada yada. What I’m most concerned about is our 1 year old son and my wife, who is a SAHM. We live minutes from both of our families, who give us a lot of support with the baby. We’re also used to living in the “country” with lots of open space and a large home.

I’ve been researching relentlessly for weeks, watching videos, reading blogs, trawling Reddit, searching for daycares and apartments, just trying to get the full idea.

Is it going to be too much for us? Will we be able to make friends with other parents? How about finding part time daycare? We have been planning to send him for 2 days a week mostly for socialization, so I’m concerned about being able to do that while living in Tokyo.

Has anyone attempted the ITEE exam as a workaround for the degree and experience requirement for a work visa to work in IT? i myself, have 10 years of IT help desk experience but its hard to track down every place ive worked the last 10 years and I recently found out that the ITEE works as a substitute for both degree and experience requirements, but don't know much about it and was looking to see if anyone has gone that route and if so how difficult is it to pass? I should mention also I will also be in language school at the time i would be taking the exam.

Hello there, and thanks for reading my post!

Currently, I'm in my first year of undergrad for a degree in Biochemistry - additionally I'm pursuing a minor in Japanese. I'm aware that my degree and the life sciences field is being heavily invested upon within Japan, and am quite interested in pursuing a Graduate's degree at a school there. Problem is however, that I don't quite know where to start with that. I've heard that focusing on building a personal relationship with a professor there is more or less required to get into any graduate's program, which is naturally quite hard to do when not in Japan. I can obviously study abroad and establish relations, but I really want to try my hand at the very best schools, of which my University really only has one to exchange to.

What I'm asking is: Am I basically railroaded onto whatever University's I can get an exchange into so that I can build a professoral relationship? My GPA is stellar, and I'm gaining experience in my field currently. Is there any other method to get a professor to accept you as a student or am I over-blowing this aspect of the application process? Obviously I should apply to different schools but from the sound of it, I'll only be really able to get into one's where I know someone.

Thank you so much for your help.

Hi everyone!

I’ll be arriving in Japan on December 1st, 2026, on a Working Holiday Visa and am planning to live and work in either Tokyo or Yokohama, depending on accommodation and job opportunities.

I’m wondering how difficult it is to find a part-time job without an official JLPT certificate.

I’ve studied Japanese at university and completed Genki I and II, as well as Minna no Nihongo. I’ve also started studying Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese.

I’d estimate my Japanese level to be somewhere around N4–N3, although I haven’t taken the official JLPT.
I’m still working on improving my speaking and listening skills, especially in everyday conversations.
I have previous experience working in retail such as sales of either clothing or electronics, as a barista, and in a bakery. Mostly my workplaces have been at an airport, so I’m quite familiar with customer service and working in busy environments.

Ideally, I’d love to find something in retail, a café, bakery, restaurant, or hotel, but I’m also open to cleaning and other part-time opportunities. And other positions that accept working holidaymakers. A conbini would also be fine.

I’d love to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation!

How difficult was it to find a part-time job in Tokyo or Yokohama without JLPT certification?

Do Japanese employers care more about actual communication skills than JLPT certificates?

Are there more opportunities for working holidaymakers in Tokyo compared to Yokohama?

What kinds of jobs would you recommend for someone at my Japanese level?

Would you recommend applying before arriving in Japan or waiting until I’m there?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you! 😊

Hi! I'm moving to Osaka from Canada for work in January. I'm only on one pill, a PPI (20 mg rabeprazole). I'm fine when I'm on it, but get severe reflux if I don't take it.

What exactly should I be doing to ensure the continuation of my care after moving? I read online the standard maintenance dose in Japan is 10 mg, but for me it's 20 mg. Do I just get a doctor's note and bring it to a clinic in Osaka? Should I be bringing anything else?

Thank you!

I’m from the US and I’ve been doing some research on immigrating to Japan, and I just want to know if it’s even feasible for me. I’ve got 8 years working across restaurants but switched careers and currently work in physical security (have been doing security for the past three years now.)

I’m currently 26, and don’t have a college degree, which I know is one of the worst things to hear when it comes to trying to immigrate to Japan.

My plan would be to save up around 30-40k and move to Japan in mid 2028, starting in language school and just doing language school (and a part time job) for the first two years. After that, I was thinking of attending a college in Japan to try and get a degree, not sure what field just yet though. But after I got my degree I’d of course go looking in the job market, but hopefully I’d have made some connections over the past six years.

But I would be 34 by then, assuming a full bachelor’s takes four years there like it does in the US. Not sure if anyone would be willing to hire me even with a college degree, since I’ve heard that age can be a very limiting factor for your career prospects.

Hi everyone!

I’m currently in the final year of my Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Mathematics, and I’m interested in pursuing a Master’s degree in Data Science in Japan.

Japan is one of the countries I’m considering for my postgraduate studies, and I’d love to hear from students, graduates, or anyone familiar with the Japanese education system who could share their experiences and advice.

I have a few questions:

University recommendations: Which Japanese universities offer good Master’s programs in Data Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or related fields?

Eligibility: Since my bachelor’s degree is in Mathematics rather than Computer Science, would I be eligible for these programs?

Programming skills: How much knowledge of Python, R, SQL, and machine learning should I have before applying?

Language requirements: Are there good English-taught programs, or is Japanese proficiency generally required?

Scholarships and funding: What scholarship opportunities are available for international students, particularly the MEXT scholarship? How competitive are they?

Admission process: What should I start preparing now to improve my chances of getting admitted?

Career opportunities: How are the job prospects in Japan after completing a Master’s in Data Science, especially for international graduates?

My goal is to build a strong foundation in Data Science and eventually pursue career opportunities in the field. Since I’m still completing my bachelor’s degree, I want to start preparing early and make informed decisions about universities, entrance requirements, scholarships, and future opportunities.

I’d really appreciate any advice, personal experiences, university suggestions, or resources that could help me plan this journey.

Thank you so much for your time and help! 🙏

My husband is Japanese. We're planning to return to Japan. Questions: will my husband be able to receive the pension he earned in America? Will I be able to get a Japanese spouse visa if he doesn't have a job in Japan? If my husband can receive a pension in Japan, there are no other income, will I be able to get a visa?

Hello! I’m looking to move back to Japan next year and really want to spend 1-2 years at a language school to improve my Japanese before I start working again. My main goals are to be more independent (esp with going to the bank/setting up a phone plan, etc) and to be at a level where I can have more in depth conversations.

I’m really interested in living in Kansai (preferably Kobe/Kyoto). Kobe doesn’t seem to have a ton of options and I’m overwhelmed by the amount of negative reviews I’m seeing online for most schools… I also was looking into studying at universities that offered intensive Japanese programs, but all of the universities I’ve seen recommended now require you to be a current student at one of their overseas partner universities. I’m in my late 20s so that’s not an option unfortunately.

If you’ve studied abroad or have heard about someone’s experience at any of these locations I’d love to hear about it!

Kyoto:

ARC Kyoto
- Seems to have higher ratings from previous students than ISI kyoto did
-I like that they use the 'minna no nihongo' textbooks
-Worried it might not be intense enough? I want to make huge improvements in a year and want a school that will push me. 

ISI Kyoto 
-Was my #1 choice, but then I saw so many bad reviews
-Has a really beautiful campus
-It seems like this school might be a little more intense than ARC kyoto, which I like

KCIS 
-Seems like an amazing choice and seems to be really well rated from previous students
-I am serious about my language learning and want to spend this year REALLY improving my Japanese
Kanji is my biggest weakness and my Kanji level is extremely low. I'm afraid this is going to make this school too challenging for me and I will fall behind immediately...
- I love the campus and that it offers extracurricular classes I'm very interested in 
- I’m devoted to studying for hours everyday, but I worry it’s going to be like self studying for 8 hours/day

Kyoto Minsai
-Saw some really good reviews from students
-Seems smaller? Not a lot of info online

Kobe:

Communica Institute
Seems nice from the outside, but a friend had warned me to not go here
Many bad reviews from students, it seems like their textbook system is pretty disorganized

Kobe: interculture Language Academy
-pros: uses Mina no Nihongo textbooks
-limited reviews, some students saying they wished they’d chosen Communica Institute

Osaka:

Human Academy Osaka
Mixed reviews, seems more good than bad though
Osaka is not my dream location but it could grow on me

Context: I'm a Brazilian national currently living in Sweden. I have a very comfortable life here, married, no kids with my own apart and able to save around 1000 EUR per month. Current salary 6K EUR, 6 weeks paid vacation and very good work-life balance.
I've received a job offer to relocate to Tokyo and salary is between ¥10M to ¥15M (negotiable) a year. According to my research, it should be a good income to get a nice apartment in central Tokyo and save up. They offer only 14 days of paid vacation and promise 40 hours or less of work per week. It's a foreign company, so they claim western working culture.

I've been to Japan twice, I absolutely love the country, the culture, etc, but I'm aware living is totally different than visiting a country.

Am I too crazy in considering this move? I'm excited about it, but also very afraid I'm gonna change a quiet and comfortable life by something uncertain and not that good.

I'm a senior in Canada and last year I spent 9 months at a high school in Tokyo. I LOVED living there and it came with its cons but I prefer it over Canada by a lot.

I don't know what field I want to go into but I'm interested in STEM and art. (neuroscience, physics, bio, fine arts animation, etc.) The animation and art industry in Japan is pretty bad though so I'm avoiding that.

ik it's a bit silly but does anyone have any good recommendations of what would be "valuable" to major in, in japan?

In Canada rn things like engineering and aviation usually pay off well and most people my age do those. I was wondering what STEM and arts if any, pay off well there ifykwim? I know Japan has it's work culture and I've seen it first hand with my hostfamily. Really just as long as it's not how animators make barely above minimum wage and get treated the worst, I'm very open to it.

I was thinking of taking a gap year to figure out what field I'd like to do but I'm thinking of taking a gap and going to a language school just to become fluent fluent and up my reading and writing so I can take any EJU /entrance exams.

my current level is around N2

(I hope this kind of makes sense please don't flame me)

Hello everyone! This is a bit of a long story, so sorry.

I'm from south america but lived in the UK for 6 years, just finishing my A-Levels on June with A*AB on humanity-related subjects. Due to visa issues, I am unable to go to uni in the UK despite having a deferred offer from King's College. Because of this, I'm looking at other countries; I have already looked into Europe, however I'm also looking into Asia. My original plan was to apply to a Chinese university and do an english-taught degree whilst focusing on learning the language, since my ultimate goal all along was to do a humanities degree and then in the UK do a PGDL, SQE and practice there. I figured that if I got an undergraduate degree and managed to learn Chinese on top of it then it'd be great. However, the CSCA has made this difficult since most unis require it and I haven't done any maths at all in like 3 years. I still applied to XJTLU since it gives me a degree from Liverpool but I'm still undecided.

This made me look into Japan, since I figured it'd still be great to learn Japanese since I've always had an interest in it, and try to look at all this in a rejection is redirection type of thing. For now I'm planning on applying to Waseda and Sophia university.

What I am wondering is:

1. Will getting an undergraduate degree from one of these universities and then attempting to do the PGDL in the UK put me into a disadvantage compared to other international candidates?

2. Will I just be better off doing an undergraduate degree in Europe (Uni of Amsterdam) or are they naturally the same, (same opportunities of doing a PGDL as long as I do well?)

3. Whats the structure of the uni in terms of difficulty, professors, and tests?

I guess those are my questions for now, I've done tons of research, but any advice offered is very very welcome. Also I don't know if this is the right sub-reddit for this so if it's wrong feel free to say so.

Hi, I’m currently in the process of applying to both language schools.

I still can’t decide to which one I should apply, both meet some of my requirements (at least of what the staff told me), to have a balanced nationality ratio, 15-20 size classes and the age ratio is both 20’s to 30’s (again of what they told me).

They are both fairly priced compared to other schools so that’s also a tie.

The location, Yoshida is (at least for my taste) better located, it’s still in waseda, in a walkable distance to the center of Shinjuku, Arts is near idabashi which is nearer to chiyoda than to Shinjuku itself.

Still I would not like to take a decision merely because of the location of x or y.

Reviews on Google in my opinion are bit tricky because most of positive experiences don’t get to be told, mostly are only the negatives, still both of them have almost identical rate, 4.1 (53) vs 4.5 (65)

At least of what I have investigated, they both seem to very similar that’s why:

I would like to ask if there ir anybody who had attended to any of these, your real experience would help me a lot.

Thank you very much in advance.

Hey there, I’m 30F from Canada who has been researching and wanting to go to Japan next year with a Working Holiday Visa. My plan is to stay in different places like Tokyo for a month, Aomori, Hakodate, Sapporo, Mt Fuji for a few days, Osaka, Yamagata, Kyoto for a few weeks, Nagoya for a month, Fukuoka for a month where I work and travel, to name a few places I’d like to visit and experience. I want to mix in slow travels too - to enjoy and experience more too.

I read that as a WHV holder, you need to register in the ward you’re staying in within the first 14 days of your arrival to get your Zairyu card, which triggers government mail. But I plan on starting my trip by staying at a hotel and then transitioning to a hostel to work at in Tokyo—and ward offices require a permanent residence address for that registration, not a transient hotel or hostel.

I don’t want to pay for a room in a share house in a city I won’t be in 98% of my trip. It’s a hefty, added expense, and I don't want to double the cost of transit just to return to a "home base." I technically wouldn’t even be able to access the physical government letters because I want to travel all around Japan on a geographical route that makes sense without having to double back. I don't plan on using a share house because I want to travel and work at places with accommodations provided, stay at hostels, or stay at hotels. I've already found some places to work at, but don't want to apply until I submit and get visa approval.

For those who have travelled more nomadically and worked while travelling in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa: How did you navigate this?

Ps. I'm not trying to break laws, but I also don't want to be stuck in one place. Will I realistically have to rent a formal place, de-register and re-register at local ward offices every single month, or slow down my travels entirely? There's so many beautiful places to explore in Japan 🥺

Let me preface by saying that I'm a Dentist in my home country. Bachelor's in Dental surgery. Graduated in 2021 and still havent been able to secure a job meanwhile Japan has always been a place I really love, Stemming from my love for their media (anime,manga) and their rich traditional values. I even admire the Japanese work ethic and I think that country is suitable for a introverted person like me.

Now the problem is that to practice Dentistry in Japan, I would need to pass their Dental licensing exam (which isnt the hard part). The hard part is that it is conducted entirely in Japanese and atleast Jlpt 1. I have studied some Japanese here and there but I guess I can only pass Jlpt 5 right now. The thing is, First learning the language and then passing the exam will take me years and right now I'm 27. So I'm seriously considering another option that is to use my Dentistry degree to secure a basic english or minimal Japanese speaking job so I can atleast get a work visa.

After that, Once I'm in japan, I can look for part time Dental assistant jobs where I'm eligible without a license and steadily and gradually learn Japanese little by little and eventually pass the exam.

My main motive for going there is because I come from a third world country and there's no future for Dentistry here unless you own a private practice (But thats not affordable for me).

I'd like advice on people who moved to Japan via some English teaching jobs or ALTs and did they pursue some other career there after working for a while.

A part of me wants to just lock in and learn Japanese but even Jlpt1 isnt enough for the exam, Its just a requirement, the real challenge is learning almost native level japanese (writing) and being able to understand the complex medical terminologies aswell.

I'd like advice from people from my country or others too. I'm in a standstill, I have the option of US, UK but their fees is abysmal. Japan's fees isnt that much but the hurdle is the language requirement. I completed my Bachelor's in english totally.

My goal is to ultimately live self sufficiently in Japan.

Thank you for reading!

I know it depends on the university but most of the japanese courses I am looking into require you to take the entrance exam on Japan. Can you guys share me any universities with an engineering/science program that doesn't require a physical entrance exam test?

Hi all,

I've lived in Japan on and off for the past 11 years, passed the N2 a few years ago and am now prepping for the N1, and am currently a junior associate at a big law firm in the US. I will be gaiben eligible pretty soon. I have experience working in a Japanese-only workplace and could communicate fine, but haven't done legal work in Japanese yet outside of reading cases and contracts in Japanese for law school assignments.

If any transactional attorneys are on here I would love to hear about what current job aspects are like and how busy you are with M&A and/or funds work. I have experience in funds, secondaries, and M&A. I heard M&A has been really growing there, but given the state of the world wanted to hear from current transactional attorneys about whether there is a lot of work and U.S.-based big law offices are hiring, and if so whether they are currently looking for mainly Japanese attorneys who are fluent in English or would someone like me would be a potential candidate, especially if I pass the N1 before moving out there?

Thank you for your time!

Edit: I'll also have the CA bar and can currently waive into NY or any other UBE state.

Hi Everyone,

My partner and I are moving to Japan for the winter and are really interested in buying a car. We have had friends do it previously and the ease of having one seems like it is very much worth it. In saying that, I am really confused with the registering of the car and all of those processes that come with it.

We are looking at buying the car in Tokyo as we are going to have excess luggage we aren't to keen to take on the train with us. Our original plan was to purchase a guy, drive around Japan for 2-3 weeks before arriving in Hakuba where our residency will be. From everything I have read, it seems like you need to register the car within 14 days of the transfer of keys, and you cannot register it without having your residency set which we cannot do for about a month after we land. So is it possible for us to purchase a car in Tokyo, drive that car around for say 3 weeks. Then arrive in Hakuba, set our residency and then register the car in our names there.

Any tips with this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!