I live in Japan!

[aldafariomar]

Hello Nyororin, My name is omar. I' am knew to JF ( I barely know how to do anything in this website, haha). But, I have indeed been doing plenty of research on how to live in Japan. My answer after my study would be,rough ( as a foreigner), BUT WORTH IT! My longtime dream is to live in Japan. I have a lively attraction to it. Not only the face of it, the colorful city lights, the anime ( although aware that reality is that it is not ANIME), and the crazy technology. But the old, wise, and calm japan. Anyway, one question. Why are you in Japan? What motivated to make such a bold move? Thank you

[ComeonUPStaffE]

WOW! What a complete turnaround of story. Glad to have read this stuff! It's a blessing to know that you are now living a good life and have the heart to be of help.

I'm also blessed to be part of a company here in Tokyo that helped out students who came here for the Winter Career Forum. Story can be read here.

Follow me on Twitter: @ComeonUPStaffE

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Just thought I`d volunteer any info that anyone needs...

I live in Japan, not in Tokyo, and have lived here for almost 9 years now. I basically came to Japan with nothing (On my own, not part of any program, not as a teacher, with almost no money, etc) when I was 17, and have been here pretty much ever since.

I`m now married, and *own* a home. I`m willing to answer pretty much any questions about real life in Japan - not the English teacher in Tokyo type stuff... Because that`s only like 0.1% of reality. (Not to offend any of the English teachers in Tokyo or anything though.)

We usually try and help other people who are/were in the same boat as I was when I came to Japan (Bad family life, etc), but last year a girl we let stay with us really screwed us over so we have stopped for the time being. But I really want to help people, so if I can in any way please ask!

(Oh, and I think I mentioned a lot more stuff in my intro in the introductions thread, so...)

[Kenzo89]

I must say Nyororin you have a very inspirational story there. Great stuff, I must say this. But i envy you my frind, I am sure you didn't have a great life before and things sucked hard for you. But now, the story really is great!

My life long wish was to visit Japan one day, I'm 22 years old and so far I didn't do it. But I still hope to make it happen one day, I also love the culture in Japan. And let's not talk about Animes

The most thing that that makes me wonder is. How are the girls there, are they any different, I mean since the culture is very different from country to country. But damn, Japanese girl are hard to resist at least physically. Since I still don't know the mentality of them I can't talk about that part.

Tell us more, one more time. Thanks you for sharing this things with us

[Maskedatrocites]

I pretty much want to do the same thing you did but I wouldn't know where to start I'm pretty much tired of the U.S. :P would like to try somewhere new but where do I start? If you could help a lost soul it'd be very much appreciated :]

[Jeikobu]

I have an AD in General Studies. I am interested in continuing my education, but I was curious about whether it'd be better to pursue that in Japan, or in America. My goal has been to go and live in Japan for the longest time, but I know education is highly valued. My main objective is to be the Lord's witness in Japan, however, since I don't want to make money off of the Lord's ministry, I obviously need a money making career, too. I am very interested in being a marine mammal trainer, and if not that I am considering some line of work in which I could work with kids (preferably other than education).

I only have between $1,000 and $1,500 right now. I know Japan is where God has called me, and while I know He'll get me there, I am also trying to do my part in making a plan as to how to get there. I would really like to go ASAP, but if I have to do more in the US first, then I'm open to hearing what that is.

I guess right now I don't feel like I really know where to start. So, I'm looking for advice and tips from people who have been there and done that.

[HokurikuYome3]

My parents are pretty nice people so I don't have that in common but I also came to Japan without any program.

I just came after graduation and moved in my husband's parents house for a short while, got a job, and now we have a baby so now I'm a homemaker.

I've been here for 3 years now.

I'm not living in Tokyo either.

[ghwang2888]

Hi all,

I put together a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in moving to Japan (short or long term). I used to be in the exact same boat fantasizing about moving to Japan and experiencing everything it had to offer. I ended living there for several years.


Some topics the guide will cover:

-Top 3 easiest ways to move to Japan
-Living in Japan on a budget (aka you're broke)
-Shocking truth about living in Japan
-The Fastest 2 ways to learn Japanese
-How to get an job in Japan while still in your home country
-How to get an job while in Japan
-How to get a job in Japan that's NOT English Teaching
-How to get paid $50-$60/hour while in Japan
-and many more...

Also, if you have any particular topics or details you'd like to know about, please reply back here and I might put that info in the next release of the guide.

If anybody is interested in receiving a copy of this guide (pdf format), please send me a PM.

[stingyscoundreljapan]

If you need to live cheap here's an article on how to do it.
Internet Cafe Refugees Tokyo Japan

[US27]

Teaching English certainly is not the best way to go but it will work TEMPORARILY. BE WARNED: if you stay in Japan long enough and do not pay those taxes, the government WILL RAID YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND TAKE EVERY LAST YEN YOU HAVE. I know people this has happened to. They live in poverty and can never save enough money to get out. My wife and I did the English thing for a while and we barely made it out alive. We got out several years before the NOVA Disaster. The OP is right. Teaching English will wear you out and you will end up hanging out at the gaijin pole drinking way too much chu-hi and bashing Japan. All your "buddies" will be other native English speaking malcontents. Give that about a year and you will age twenty.

[Sangetsu]

Originally Posted by US27

Teaching English certainly is not the best way to go but it will work TEMPORARILY. BE WARNED: if you stay in Japan long enough and do not pay those taxes, the government WILL RAID YOUR BANK ACCOUNT AND TAKE EVERY LAST YEN YOU HAVE. I know people this has happened to. They live in poverty and can never save enough money to get out. My wife and I did the English thing for a while and we barely made it out alive. We got out several years before the NOVA Disaster. The OP is right. Teaching English will wear you out and you will end up hanging out at the gaijin pole drinking way too much chu-hi and bashing Japan. All your "buddies" will be other native English speaking malcontents. Give that about a year and you will age twenty.

Never heard of this before. Your national income tax is deducted from your pay, and during your second year your local government will send you a bill for your residency tax, which you can pay monthly, or all at once. Most employers will pay the residency tax for you automatically if you ask them to.

Teaching English is not the most prestigious profession in Japan, but it pays the prevailing wage, and if you live outside the metro areas where the cost of living is lower, you can actually do quite well.

For those of us who quit teaching, and moved on to other things, we still have to pay taxes. And if we are lucky enough that our incomes are higher, so are the resulting taxes.

I have been here for 8 years or so now, and life is good. I have my own business, and now make more money than when I first arrived. Most of my friends are English speakers, which is natural enough, but I have no regrets about coming here.