Working in Japan
Introduction
Are you thinking of working in Japan? For a gaijin (外人) it can be pretty scary living in another country but that doesn't mean you shouldn't! Think about all the new, exciting and extraordinary things you will experience and learn. Guaranteed, it will blow your mind!
This blog will guide you though some of the important things you need to know about living in Japan for an extended period of time.
Accommodation
Staying in Japan will require you to find somewhere to live. Therefore, you will need to search for rented accommodation. This will not be cheap or easy. The first thing you need to consider is your budget, what you can afford and what you can't. There are two main ways to do this:
- Guest Houses
- This is the best way to avoid a lot of the hassle surrounding rented accommodation is to locate what is known as a guest house. Commonly designed with foreigners in mind, they can be found in all the major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. In these cities, vacancies will be easier to find. Guest houses are also shared accommodation and an excellent place to meet new people who are in the same position. This will help you to settle in and make the transition a little bit easier. However, there is no fixed standard of living so each guest house will will vary in condition and the furninshings provided. Here are some of the benefits to staying in a guest house
Typical Guest House Kitchen Short term leases with either weekly or monthly rent- Located close to public transport
- Sharing with people in same position
- Saves money!
- Apartments
- Apartments are more suited as a long term dwelling. The cost will also be much more because the rent will be higher and there will be lots of extra charges that the guest houses don't have. Firstly, there will be the chukai tesuryo (ちゅかい てすりょ) which is the fee claimed by the estate agent who listed the property. Typically, this will cost the equivalent of one month's rent. Secondly, there is the shikikin (しききん), better known to us as a security deposit. Usually, this costs two month's rent however, it some rare cases, landlords may ask for three months. This money however, will be used to pay for maintenance on the apartment. Lastly, there is the reikin (れいきん). Although it is supposed to be a gift, it is a mandatory payment made to the landlord. This cash 'gift' will also set you back the same amount as two months rent.
All of this information sounds discouraging but if you're really serious about working and relocating to Japan for an extended amount of time then this won't stop you and you'll see it as just another stepping stone until you reach your dream! For more information, check out Sakura House.
Helpful Hint #1
If it's your first time living in Japan,
you don't need a lot of space
and larger apartments will raise your
rent needlessly!
Start off small and once you're more established,
moving on to bigger and better things!
Nationals & Guarantors
If you decide to rent an apartment, you will definitely need a Japanese national to act as a guarantor for you. More often than not, your new employer will vouch for you. As this is a common situation, many employers will be used to this and may already have contact which will make finding accommodation smoother. If you are working as part of a program such as JET (teaching English as a foreign language in school) there is a chance that they may help you with the financial aspect. For more information about working in Japan as a teacher, click here.
Helpful Hint #2
Typically, if you do receive financial
help from your organisation,
it is provided as a loan which will be payed
back by small deductions
from your wages
Getting to Japan
As Japan is an island, the only method of travel is by plane if like me, you're from the UK. There are several different airlines that fly to Japan so shop around and don't take the first ticket you see. Here are three possible airlines you could choose from; Air Asia, British Airways and Finnair. Something else to consider, is the time of year that you're going. It is important to note that, during late April and early May, there is a national holiday known as Golden Week and the ticket prices will soar! You will also want to avoid mid August and Christmas time for the same reason.
Visa
Don't be too hasty and book your flights straight away. To visit Japan, you need to have a visa. There are several different types of visa but the one you ideally want is the working visa, however, you will need to have a job secured to get accepted. Alternatively, you can apply for a landing permit. This will enable you to go to Japan and allows you three months to find work before you are deported. The landing permit is a great chance for you if you don't already have something in the pipeline. One last option is the working holiday visa. This visa will permit you to work in Japan but also act as a tourist and sightsee. It's a great opportunity for people who don't know how long they want to stay, however, it only lasts for one year. The way it works is that Japan has an agreement with several countries, including the United Kingdom and entitles you to work part time to cover the cost whilst you reap the benefits of a holiday. Check out this website for additional information and application procedures.
Japanese Etiquette
So, now that you have decided on what accommodation you're going to look for, applied for your visa and shopped around for your plane ticket, you need to know some of the social interactions. Here are three suggestions of what to do and what not to do:
- Bowing
- When greeting people, it is customary to bow. Men and women have different postures when bowing. The men will keep their arms down at their sides and the women will have their arms down in front of them and hands overlapping. The severity of the bow has different meanings. Typically, the person of lower status will bow lower.
- Footwear
- When entering someone's residence, you must remove your shoes. There will be an area just inside the door which is known as a genkan (げんかん) and the purpose of this is to prevent germs from outside getting inside. The host will always provide you with a pair of slippers to wear whilst visiting.
- There are also slippers provided for using the bathroom. Whether you are at someone's home or in a restaurant, a separate pair will be provided for use inside the bathroom area. Again, this is to stop the spreading of germs.
- Chopsticks
- Notoriously tricky to get the hang of, there are a couple of faux pas you should be aware of. Sticking your chopsticks into a bowl of rice is a big mistake. This is only acceptable behaviour at a funeral where it is considered an offering to the dead.
- Passing food or feeding someone with your chopsticks is also frowned upon.
- When you're not using your chopsticks, the safest thing to do with them is lay them on the rest provided. If there isn't one, then lay them across the rim of the bowl.
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| Genkan |
Thanks for reading!
Cali
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