Why Teach Abroad in Japan

Teach English in Japan—and never look back. ☆ Maybe you’ve fallen in love with Japan because of classic animes like Sailor Moon and Dragonball Z, or because you’ve always been fascinated by the samurai and geisha stories. Or, perhaps travel to Japan has been sky-high on your bucket list because you’re a j-pop fan, or you simply love sushi. However, we all know how pricey a “holiday” can be, so why not make it a “change of scenery” kind of experience? 

Big city Tokyo has a hot market for English teaching jobs abroad

And by that, we mean, why go on a short vacation, when you can experience first hand what living in Nihongo is actually like by teaching abroad in Japan. If you’re an English native speaker, or anywhere close to native and have a TEFL certificate, you’ll most likely be able to score a job teaching English in Japan.

Which is great news for all us sushi-lovers. The teaching English job market in Japan is hot hot hot—great jobs, great support systems, and great salaries, too. If you’re still unconvinced, here are just seven of the many awesome reasons to teach abroad in Japan stat.

7 reasons to teach abroad in Japan

Why teach in Japan? Pour yourself a strong cup of genmaicha and stay awhile.

1. You can teach in a variety of places.

Of course you would want to find a job directly in the heart of Japan, Tokyo so you can be in the middle of all the action. But Japan is more than Tokyo and there are other cities you should definitely take into account. The major cities that one should start their search with are Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Fukuoka. The job market is definitely competitive in these cities, but try to be flexible and check out other cities and opportunities all over the country. Plus, you know how great the Japanese transportation system is, so you shouldn’t even worry about not living directly in Tokyo.

2. It can last as long as you want.

Yup, it’s true—You can teach for different lengths of time. Different schools and programs have different timelines that you can choose from, from a few months to a whole academic year. If you’re unsure, you can just sign up for a season, summer or winter, test the waters, then extend for a year... or a few. We just know that once you get there, you’ll fall so much in love with the country, culture and the locals that you will definitely want an extension and experience the country all year long.

We won’t tell if you accidentally have favorites. ;)

3. There are a variety of job opportunities to choose from

The English language is being taught in Japanese schools starting at the age of 5, lasting all the way through high school. That being said, there’s quite a wide range of teaching in Japan programs and job types out there that one can choose from when considering teaching English abroad in Japan. Depending at what level you want to teach English at, you can choose between the following opportunities:

• Public schools. You can work as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in a public school, elementary or junior high, usually alongside a Japanese teacher. The most common way to enter into such a position is through Japan’s own Exchange and Teaching Program known as JET. Normal working days and classroom sizes, accommodation included and paid holiday. What more could one wish for? 
• Private schools. Private language schools, bilingual or international schools are widely available through the entire country and the requirement for English teachers is increasing each year. Your students will range anywhere from kindergarten students to full adults that want to improve their English skills. You might have to work late night shifts to accommodate your adult students that have a full time job during the day, but the work is rewarding at all levels.  
• Eikaiwa. Eikaiwa are typical Japanese English conversational schools for all ages that mostly concentrate on grammar and conversational English. The students attending these schools have different goals and objectives, some want to supplement their English studies, at a conversational or business level, some do it for fun or as a hobby, some do it to help them socialise and some do it just for being able to travel the world and at least be able to order themselves a meal. Your days will always be exciting and different in an eikaiwa. So give it a shot!
• Big corporations for teaching business English. Big Japanese corporations such as Sony, Toyota, Nissan or Honda (just to name a few) will hire English teachers to help their employees improve their business English skills and they will pay top dollars and will expect the best. Employees that enroll in such classes have different goals, like improving their writing skills, learning how to do delicate negotiations, get more insight on how to deal with foreign customs, creating thorough presentations, or simply study the art of ‘chatting’ to release work pressure and break cultural barriers. 
• Private tutoring and online teaching. Private tutoring is a great way to teach English in Japan and earn some extra cash. In combination with a full time job, these face-to-face sessions with students are more private and easier for the students to follow and ask their questions. However, making a living only out of private tutoring is a tricky risk to take. But if you are a shy person and these are the kind of classes that you prefer, try a combination with teaching English online. Japanese people are shy themselves so this could be easily considered a win-win situation.

Find yourself as a teacher abroad in Japan!

4. It is more affordable than you think.

It’s a well known fact that Japan is an expensive country. So expensive that some people can only dream about visiting it for a few weeks, let alone live there for an entire year or longer. However, this “theory” doesn’t necessarily apply if you are a full time English teacher in Japan. Most schools and programs, JET included, pay a salary of around ¥3.3 million yen (41,000 USD), or less, depending on the level of experience you have, the level you are teaching at, demographics, the number of hours you teach in a week and how high your competition is in that area. 

5. The food rules.

And it’s more than just sushi and ramen noodles—wayyy more. If you've never tried curry donuts, now's your chance. Rice omelettes and sea urchin will tantalize the senses, and delicious kakigori (shaved ice dessert) will top off your meal at any time of day. Piss Alley's Yakitori, octopus balls, sulphuric eggs, ramen that you dip (#tonkotsu forever). There’s a reason that Japan is home to the most centenarians in the world… and a lot has to do with the dinner plate!

6. It’s easy to secure accommodations and save money for travel.

Education plays an extremely important role in Japan and most students attend prep schools after their normal school days. Which goes to say that private lessons are quite popular in Japan and although the fees can vary, a standard price would be ¥3000 yen (around $37 USD) per hour. We’re sure you’ll find something to do with that extra income coming in!

Some companies or programs such as JET provide accommodation for their teachers, or they support them along the way to find something at an affordable price. If you feel brave enough, you can find and rent out your own apartment. 

Your tastebuds will certainly thank you for teaching English in Japan.

You can always share some of your expenses with a roommate. Even though Japanese housing is known for being kind of tight, we are here to tell you that it is doable. Plus, who would want to spend most of their time inside, when there are so many things to see, eat and explore! So save up on that rent money, go out and delight yourself in that one of a kind Japanese cuisine.

7. You don’t necessarily need to be a teacher already.

Japan can have some high expectations when selecting their teachers, and a Bachelor’s degree alongside a TEFL certification are amongst the requirements for some schools. For other schools, a TEFL certification is the only requirement they have, so if you don’t have any experience yet, don’t panic. There’s a spot for everyone!

Knowing the Japanese language is not required, but it will definitely set you apart from the competition if you have at least some basic skills. For a country with three alphabets, even basic skills are impressive.

8. You’ll feel challenged—and rewarded—from their different work culture.

If you are already a teacher, or love working with children or people in general, teaching in Japan is an exciting and rewarding experience. You will find Japanese kindergarten classrooms are like nowhere else. The Japanese children are so friendly that they do not shy away from asking from a hug. Kawai! That right there is your reward for doing a great job. You can then go and celebrate with a delicious bowl or ramen, or a plate of sushi and a glass (or two) of o-sake and a local izakaya. Because when in Japan, do as the Japanese do. Banzai!

An interview with a current ESL teacher in Japan

To give you a better insight on how easy and fascinating teaching in Japan is, we’ve teamed up with Chris, who taught English in Japan for two years and got a little inside scoop on his whole experience. Check it out!

The chance to explore the local culture on your time off is one of the many perks of English teaching jobs in Japan.

1. What made you decide to teach English abroad in Japan and what city did you teach in?

I had always been interested in Japan, ever since I was a kid. Japanese television and movies like Godzilla vs. Mothera, Ultraman and the Space Battleship Yamato started being broadcast all the time back home and it was so different. Fast forward 20 years and a friend told me of the great experience he had teaching in Japan. That is when I decided I had to go. 

I taught in suburb outside Nagoya. Nagoya is the third biggest city in Japan and is located in central Honshu roughly between Osaka and Tokyo (but closer to Osaka). I was there for almost two years and it was epic! 

2. What sources did you use to find your teaching positions and how did you find the entire onboarding process?

 I found my job in the classified section of the New York Times. However, I know many people that went to major cities and were able to find a job through networking. It was a risk for sure but they figured fortune favored the bold. Also, knowing some Japanese will help but most people went to learn and pick up the language.

In today’s market I would focus more on web search and building a network of people who work in the field. And don’t just focus on English, make sure to search in Japanese too. 

Another great way to teach in Japan is to get involved with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme or JET programme. This programme is run by the Japanese government to provide English speakers to work as Assistant Language Teachers in schools all over the country. Even if you don’t get employed from the JET it can be a great resource to begin to understand teaching in Japan.

Getting there was a little complicated for me but it was my fault... I missed my plane! And the next plane they put me on was to Tokyo (170 miles from Nagoya). Long day... 

3. What kind of qualifications and teaching experience did you have when you applied for the job?

The Japanese government requires a bachelor’s degree (in any subject) to teach. 

On the brightside, you don’t need to speak Japanese to succeed as an ESL teacher in Japan!

4. How was your experience as an English teacher in Japan?

Subarashi! I had a great time, traveled and learned a ton! It had a big impact on my entire life. Japan is a great travel hub to jump over to visit other places in Asia. 

5. What do you miss most about teaching in Japan? 

I miss seeing the students learn and having an effect on their future. Teaching is a big responsibility and an incredibly rewarding job. In Japan the role of a sensei (teacher) is perhaps the most respected profession and you truly sense that when you are there. I think everyone should teach at some point in their career.

Secondly, I miss the small local adventures and discovering different perspectives on things. Japan has a very unique culture and language. For example, it’s funny, but when I think of skiing in japan I also think of curry rice. It’s one of the main staple foods served at Japanese ski resorts and its delicious smell is everywhere at the bottom of the mountain. That being said, the food alone is a great reason to live and work in Japan. I miss the food! 

Also the language itself is fascinating. An example there is in Japanese your wrist is your arm’s neck (Tekubi) which is odd until you realize they both can make the same movements. It’s those learning moments that make you think from a completely different viewpoint and that is amazing.

And a thousand other things… like origami crane folding, Sumo, Karaoke, technology, movies, crazy fun festivals, Enka music, cars, Mos Burger… on and on… too much to list here.

#ThatFeelingWhen you snap the perfect photo of an epic sunset

6. What are some 'inside tips' you could give someone that would move to Japan for the first time? 

Don’t be afraid to get involved and talk to people. The Japanese people are very friendly, open minded and often hilarious. However, you may need to take the initiative to start the conversation.

Be respectful and polite. The Japanese will notice and appreciate the effort. This is a core element in Japanese culture. Try to adapt. You don’t need to shake hands when a slight bow is the norm.

Finally, have fun, travel and in moments where you are not sure about a food… be brave. Eat it and ask questions later… Itadakimasu!

Teach abroad in Japan — you won’t regret it

This is the sign you’ve been waiting for. It’s time to teach English in Japan!

Now that Tokyo is getting ready to host the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Olympics in 2020, there has never been a higher demand for English teachers, and you might get your spot in Tokyo just as you wanted. A great workplace in one of the most fascinating countries in the world will surely make for an enriching experience that other people can only dream off. Now’s your time to stop dreaming and make it happen!

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