Well,
In Japan there are also places where you can help at an inn or other places. You can choose how long you can stay, from a few days to more than a year.
So I don't think you will need to stop school
unfortunately, I will not be able to go
(I'll lose my child money if I go for longer then one month (and also my orphins money and so...))
But I still want to go in a few years
Hope this can help you in your dream
ps: I also saw
CouchSurfing as a potential possibility. Think it is great if you don't want to work