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Cultural Activities Visa -
03-10-2008, 11:08 AM
I'm looking for any advice people may have on obtaining a cultural activities visa.
First and foremost, I'm not trying to portray myself as trying to "get away" with anything, but my main goal is to experience day-to-day life in Japan for an extended period of time, and cultural activities is the means by which it makes the most sense for me to do this. Thus, while I'd really like to find something that interests me, it is more important for me to have a low-cost activity that doesn't make great demands on my time. My first thought was to take Japanese language classes, because that could always use improvement. My findings are that classes that act as sponsors tend to have fairly long courses (6-7 hours a day) and cost... well, not an unreasonable amount, but certainly more than I'm hoping to spend... to the tune of $5-600 per month. I've heard of people undertaking other studies such as a martial art, an ikebana course, etc., which I assume requires substantially less time. But I'm not having a lot of luck with finding information about organizations who are willing to act as my sponsor for such activities. I would really appreciate if anyone could share their experiences or knowledge with a cultural activities visa, in terms of finding a cost-effective activity, and whether most places are willing to act as a sponsor upon agreeing to enroll as a student of their institution. Edit: Actually, in retrospect, definitely some and probably all of those 30 hours/week and $5-600/month classes were for student visas, not cultural activities visas (though I had searched for cultural activities visas originally...). So maybe my problem is more specifically that I'm having difficulties tracking down any organization at all that will help as a sponsor for a cultural activities visa. 
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03-11-2008, 01:14 AM
Thanks for the advice. I'd actually given small consideration to re-entering the country every three months. The big problem with that is the cost (you have to leave and come back, though I guess there are probably options cheaper than going all the way back to the US and back). The slightly smaller problem is that it would never feel like I'm at home, which I would be able to obtain a sense of with a cultural studies visa. Also, I've heard that if I attempt to "abuse" this, in other words, keep leaving and re-entering the country, it's possible that they'll start denying me entry.
I also had originally intended to work for JET, but as misfortune would have it, I didn't make it in. I realize there are many many other options for ALTing, but none seem to pay nearly as well. My boss is cool with me telecommuting and continuing to work for him, which is why a low time investment cultural studies activity would work extremely well for me.
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03-11-2008, 02:13 AM
Seriously, if you want my position which is up for grabs in April, you could do whatever you do at school being paid for being an ALT as well. I have a computer with internet access and at least 6 to 7 hours of free time each week. Then there are weeks like this week. I have three classes for two days and then none the rest of the week. That is 37 hours I will be at school with nothing to do.
Also no one does the ALT thing for the money. If I wanted money, I'd be working in Korea.
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03-11-2008, 09:40 AM
Hah, that's a sudden and intriguing offer. I'm not sure how serious you were about it or if you have any say in the decision, but in any event, going out in April is too early as I have a number of matters to attend to on the home front before I can go enjoy a couple years out in Japan.
I'll be heading out to Japan in early May, primarily for vacation, but I'm also going to do some research on the cultural activities visa application. I realize that ALTing has its own set of rewards, and someday I definitely intend to try that, but if I can manage a cultural studies application, that will allow me to help my family out while I'm living abroad. That's why I really hope to do that a few years before I begin ALTing. A friend of mine who is ALTing in Hiroshima told me that he ran into someone staying out there under this visa type and she was just doing ikebana a few hours a week. So I know it's possible to get out there on such terms. But apparently, not a lot of info is on the web about this visa (that I could find, at least) so I'll be sure to post whatever discoveries I come across in case it helps someone else down the line.
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03-12-2008, 12:14 AM
Alright, here is one way you could go about finding ikebana classes and other stuff like that. Choose the prefecture of your liking, then contact the CIR or the office the CIR works in. This is basically their job. Putting foreigners in a position to experience Japanese cultural things. I would do all this on a tourist visa. After you find a program you like, go back to that CIR and ask how you are supposed to a certificate of eligibility to continue studying. And when they don't know, I would go to the visa center in Tokyo.
And yeah, seriously someone needs to take my job.
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05-03-2008, 09:01 AM
You still need a sponsor for your cultural visa and that's why those who are in Japan under this visa, have been practicing ikebana or other cultural activities for certain amount of years.
Many of them are very serious and you have to have the right connection to get to know teachers and sensei. Ikebana for example, is very expensive thing to do and it is mostly for girls. Also classes are not free and it could be very expensive. Personally as a Japanese, I don't want some random people trying to exploit this visa option just so they could stay in Japan.
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05-03-2008, 09:14 AM
Wish I could get a cultural visa to become maiko.
Okay, so, maybe not, but it would be really interesting to actually spend the time doing it. If I was independentally wealthy, there's an art I'd want to devote several years to.
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12-30-2009, 03:09 AM
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