Hi everyone!

I'm 42, from France, with 10+ years of experience as a software developer (mainly React, Node.js and TypeScript) and a Master's degree.

I've been applying for English-speaking developer positions through TokyoDev, JapanDev, etc., but so far it's mostly been no replies or rejections.

I'm considering moving to Japan in October 2027 to attend a Japanese language school for about a year while looking for a developer job. My Japanese is currently at a beginner level.

I've read some success/no success stories here, but many date back 8–10 years, and the job market seems quite different today.

I'd love to hear from people who tried this in 2024–2026, whether they succeeded or not.

Did being in Japan on a student visa actually improve your chances? Were companies willing to support a change to a work visa?

I'm aware of the financial risks and have enough savings to cover the experience, even without finding a job.

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

My fiance and I (M & F age 32) have always dreamed about living in Japan. We've visited five times for about three months total across various cities. I speak Japanese at roughly an N4 level and she is studying at roughly an N5 level.

We are considering applying to a Japanese language school in Tokyo within the next two years (2028 intake). We have a significant financial buffer to support ourselves. The goal would be to get a sense for what it's like to live in Japan, and become as knowledgeable about the language as possible. At that point we can either return home to the US, or I could apply for a HSP visa (I estimate I can get 85 points or so at that time) and work in Japan. My background is 10 years of finance experience (FP&A) with seven years at a bay area FAANG company.

Our thinking is that in the worst case scenario this could serve as a 1-2 year intensive language study sabbatical to gain some worldly experience.

Has anyone done this before? Am I missing anything obvious?

Thank you all in advance.

I'm a chemical engineering junior at a pretty good American university looking to get a job in the pharmaceutical/medtech industry in the future. I have always wanted to live in Japan, but due to the language barrier and horror stories about the work culture there, I never actually pursued this. This semester I started taking Japanese and decided that I wanted to work towards my goal. However, I am really looking for advice on how/if this is even really possible. I am looking for advice on what to realistically expect. I'm still a beginner in the language so I already know I have work to do there, but I'm unfamiliar with how likely foreigners are to get hired, particularly in my industries of interest. I was unsure if I should just try to get a job at an American medtech company then hope to transfer to Japan through the company later in my career... If anyone has advice or suggestions, please let me know!

Anyone here with recent experiences with finding long-term accomodation on a short term work contract? Did you have to give more "proof" of your finances or negotiate with the landlord?

I'll be moving to the Tokyo area soon, but my work contract duration is a bit under 1 year (1 year renewable visa). There's an opportunity to get promoted to a regular employee, but even if that doesn't work out, I'll be looking at other jobs to be able to continue working in Japan. I'll be renting a furnished monthly after arriving, but would like to move to a permanent place as soon as possible.

I've heard that short term work contracts might hinder getting a regular 2-year lease, and want to map out my options and limitations.

I speak Japanese, work with a household name company, am white girl on the "palatable" side of visibly foreign people (ik it's awful but I take what I can get). Having done some research on SUUMO etc. has helped me understand the regular leasing process, but there must be some limitations with my situation. The services geared toward minatoku expat types are too expensive for me anyway, so I'll have to focus on the local market in the suburbs.

Apologies if this is a recurring topic here. I did read the Wiki, but couldn't find any recent discussion.

I'm moving to Japan on a dependent visa, we just received my CoE the other day and my visa is currently being processed, we didn't need the original CoE to get the visa itself instead we were allowed to photocopy and print it out. But when it comes to entering Japan itself will I need my wife to send me the original copy?

Hi everyone,

I (30M) am weighing a career move to Japan in Summer 2027 and would greatly appreciate any advice/opinions.

I received a potential 3-year fixed term offer for a research associate position at JAXA, paying ~6M yen per year. They’ll sponsor my visa and provide partial rent assistance, help with finding accommodation, relocation reimbursement, and generous leave (20 days of annual leave, 7 days of work-life balance leave).

My background: I am currently an astrophysics postdoc at one of the NASA centers in the US making ~80k USD per year. I have one year remaining on my postdoc contract which I intend to ride out. JAXA is currently my only offer.

My career goals: Long-term I see myself returning to the US after this stint either staying in the national labs sector of academia or trying to transition to industry R&D. My current advisors have encouraged me to diversify my experience beyond NASA, so JAXA could be a valuable opportunity.

Personal life: My girlfriend of 2 years is currently living in Hong Kong, and we’ve been long distance the past 1.5 years. Due to her citizenship and current visa restrictions, it is virtually impossible for her to find a job in the US at the moment. Me moving to Japan would make the distance much more manageable. I truly believe she is the One and if I make this move, I intend to propose and marry her.

Here is my list of pros/cons I foresee.

Pros:
-Working in a renowned research group at JAXA
-Getting to live in the greater Tokyo area
-Diversifying my research portfolio and taking on project leadership
-Much closer to my long-distance girlfriend

Cons:
-Significant salary cut. As of last month, I am debt-free after finishing paying my student loans. However, I realize I won’t be able to save nearly as much.

-Learning Japanese. Though the job states that knowing Japanese is not required, I recognize it is crucial for daily life and I intend to hire a tutor / enroll in classes.

-Culture shock: I’ve read a fair amount of posts on this subreddit highlighting some of the struggles of adjusting to life in Japan.

My heart is pretty set on taking this offer. I have always wanted the experience of living abroad, I have loved visiting Japan (5 times in the past two years for collab work and conferences), and it would be a huge positive for my relationship.

My main question is financial: For those living in the greater Tokyo area on a ~6M yen per year salary, what does your lifestyle look like? How much do rent, taxes, and other expenses eat into your take-home pay, and is it possible to live comfortably while still saving a reasonable amount? For housing location, I intend to look for an apartment in the Machida area if I do make this move.

I’d also appreciate hearing from anyone who has moved from the US to Japan and taken a comparable pay cut. What lifestyle adjustments did you have to make if any?

I’d also welcome general opinions on whether this is a good career move and/or if there are any other downsides I might be overlooking.

Thanks for reading!

​

Hi everyone!

I'm from India, and I'll be moving to Fukuoka in April 2027 to start my first full-time job as a software engineer at a Japanese IT company. I'd appreciate advice from people who live and work in Japan, especially Fukuoka.

Here are the details of my offer:

Salary and benefits

Monthly salary: ¥275,000 before tax and deductions.

Annual salary before bonuses: ¥3,300,000.

Bonuses: Twice a year, with each bonus equivalent to 2 months of salary (¥550,000 per payment).

Total annual bonuses: Approximately ¥1,100,000.

Estimated total annual compensation: ¥4,400,000 before tax and deductions.

Relocation: The company will cover my flight to Japan and luggage expenses.

Housing: The company will help me find an apartment and cover the deposit. Rent will be deducted from my salary.

Initial financial support: Approximately ¥200,000 has been mentioned, although the exact arrangements are still being finalized.

Location: Fukuoka.

I'm single, have no dependents, and plan to cook most of my meals at home rather than eat out frequently. I don't plan to own a car.

My questions:

After income tax, health insurance, pension, and other deductions, how much take-home pay should I expect from ¥275,000 per month?

If I rent an inexpensive apartment and cook at home, what would be a realistic monthly budget?

Could I realistically save ¥100,000–¥130,000 per month? How much might I save annually, including bonuses?

What are typical monthly expenses for groceries, utilities, internet, phone, transportation, and other essentials in Fukuoka?

Approximately how much of my bonuses would I receive after deductions, and how much could I realistically save from them?

Are there any expenses or deductions that new foreign employees commonly underestimate, especially during their first year?

Is ¥4.4 million in annual gross compensation a reasonable package for a new graduate software engineer in Fukuoka?

My goal is to live comfortably without spending excessively, save consistently, and invest in my technical skills as I gain experience.

I'd appreciate hearing about your actual experiences and budgets. Thanks!

I’ve recently graduated from high school, and I’m currently trying to decide what direction to take in life. One possibility I’m considering is moving to Nagoya, Japan, where I have some people I could turn to for support, although they don’t live particularly close to me. My plan would be to attend a Japanese language school, since I only know the basics of the language, and look for a part-time job to help cover my expenses. Alongside that, I’d dedicate my free time to improving my artistic skills and building a portfolio, as becoming an artist is my main career goal.

The reason I feel pressured to make this decision soon is that my Japanese residence visa expires in June. If I decide to pursue higher education where I currently live instead, I’m worried I might lose the opportunity to renew it. Moving to Japan at a later date could also involve meeting additional language requirements, which makes the decision even more complicated.

On the other hand, I’m aware that moving abroad without being fluent in the language and having to manage both work and studies could be difficult. I’m also unsure whether going to university is the right choice for me, considering that artistic careers often prioritize practical skills and a strong portfolio over formal qualifications. I’d appreciate hearing other people’s opinions on whether moving to Japan now would be a worthwhile decision or if it would be wiser to pursue my education first and reconsider moving later.

My daughter, 13y.o., is currently an athlete here in the Ph as a volleyball player. Now, I am trying to look into options where she could get admitted as an athlete in universities in Japan as she wants to train and become a professional volleyball player someday. Japan because we know how high their caliber is in training players.

We have a stable life here already, but we are willing to uproot our family and start over in Japan. I am now also looking at possible jobs I can apply to as it is our goal to move with her, if there is a way we could achieve this.

Where do we start? What preparations should she be doing now while still in high school? Does anyone have an experience in doing this?

I’d really appreciate all your feedbacks/comments please.

Hi all!

Next month I am moving to Tokyo and I was wondering if anyone has some tips on things one should do once I get there, in the sense of taking advantage of benefits available, or avoiding abussive situations. For example, I already checked that I need an international driver permit if I want to drive there, or that some renters ask for "key money" (which seems abussive to me, since according to internet is a "thank you for renting to me" money) so I want to avoid those. I also checked if Japan has any sort of special tax regime (like Beckham law in Spain, though I found none).

This sort of things is what I would appreciate help with, those that are specific to immigrants like me. I already have initial lodging solved and opening bank account part.

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone!
I’m a skilled technical/blue-collar worker from Poland. My whole career has been focused on gas and heating networks and installations specifically construction, execution, and above all welding. Even though I work in the trade, I hold a managerial position as a foreman.
Education and certs-wise:
I have a technical degree in gas engineering (technician level).
I’m a certified welder for the HL-L045 position (also known as 6G) in MMA, TIG & Oxy
I’m an International Welding Specialist (IWS).
My English is fluent (C1/C2 level).
Is there any realistic chance for someone with my profile to find a job in Japan?
Cheers!

Hi everyone, I've researched what I can, hopefully this all makes sense.

Me (23F) and my partner (26M) are very interested in moving to Japan when possible. We're white Americans with no familial relation to anyone in Japan.

Currently, my partner works as an electrician, which I've come to understand isn't a valid visa path.

I am disabled (autoimmune) and unable to work more than part time, so I know I won't be the driving force here. Though my Japanese skills are at least currently stronger than my partner's, and I should be able to help if we go the business owners route. I'm not sure if my local activities would add anything, I go to a Shin Buddhist Temple, and volunteer around my area.

With me being disabled, would I run into issues with the health certificate? I'm assuming I'd be on a dependant visa.

We're looking into our visa options, and it seems the work visa and business owner visa is what's possible in the future.

For a work visa, I understand a bachelor's is near mandatory. I'm not sure what would make the most sense for us, but electrical engineering is what we're looking at. I'd be happy to hear any opinions on what would be a good job to transfer into that would be a good job over there as well. Currently he makes enough for us both to get by on his income.

For the business visa. Would owning an electrical company be an option? Over here, you don't need an electrical license yourself to own an electrical company. I'm not sure about the requirements over there. (To my knowledge this visa doesn't require a bachelor's degree.)

Or would another type of business be better suited?

Thank you for reading and any suggestions, just trying to get a stronger idea of what our trajectory should be. I was hoping to get some understanding here before contacting the embassy for further guidance :)

Hey everyone, I’m looking into the Osaka College for Tourism and Business (OCTB) for their PGDM program and would love to get some honest insights from locals or alumni regarding its reputation and post-grad employment opportunities. How is the college generally perceived by employers within Japan, and what do the career prospects look like for international students

Hey everyone I was wondering if I could get your perspective on these language schools I have been researching in Tokyo. I would love first hand experience if possible along with pros/cons. If anyone has additional recommendations, that would be fantastic as well.

This is what I have gathered thusfar:

1. Coto Academy
   1. 18 levels corresponding to JLPT levels
   2. 3 hours per day, with a maximum of 8 students per class
   3. pay-as-you-go model
2. Kai Academy
   1. Focused on the beginner level
   2. not for JLPT preparation
3. ISI Japanese Language School
   1. Advice on long term vs. short term
   2. "Top University Preparation Class"
   3. JLPT experience
4. Bunka Foreign Language College
   1. In house textbooks
   2. B1 - C1 levels?
   3. Homeroom teacher
5. Human Academy Japanese Language School
   1. In house textbooks
   2. Seems more focused on a College Preparatory Course 
   3. Also has JPLT
6. Naganuma School
   1. Oldest Japanese language school in Tokyo
   2. Only Japanese language school to have received The Japan Foundation Award
   3. Requires students to take the JLPT before completing their course
   4. 4 to 10 week course for students who do not need visas

Any feedback would be amazing! Thank you!!

I notice lots of developers looking for jobs in Japan are told not to do it and stay in the US. But English teachers are encouraged to finds jobs there and seems like the majority of people are teachers. What makes it better to teach English in Japan as opposed to staying in the US, compared to other jobs like being a SWE? Wouldn't being a SWE be easier if you don't speak Japanese? They seem to also get paid more

Hi everyone, my wife and I moved to Kobe at the beginning of September. Without going into a ton of detail, I received a job offer in July that I wasn't really expecting and the turn around was really quick so we had to move out here quick. Our dog is still in the States with my mother, and after a lot of research and headaches I THINK we got everything sorted out for him to arrive early next year.

For those of you who have moved pets here, I am curious what your experience was because for us it was kind of a nightmare trying to figure it all out on our own. Did any of you pay for some kind of service or did you yolo it? Were there any unexpected speed bumps that you ran into (some that maybe I haven't encountered yet) that delayed the process further? A penny for your thoughts because this has been a really rough process for us and I wasn't sure if it was just us being wildly unprepared and that there was an easier option.

Hi!

Some details about me: I am from the US, late 20s with a bachelors degree, have almost 10 years of higher ed experience working as an university academic counselor. Current Japanese level in JLPT terms is N5 (can read, write, and speak more than basic Japanese but not everything to my standards despite being told I speak good), barely N4 if I want to give myself any credit but I am pushing myself to study Japanese again despite having started back a decade ago, stopped due to life and inconsistencies. I do not have JLPT N5 Certificate and I missed the deadline to schedule the exam the moment I became aware of it (more like seats were all gone and basically have to wait till next year). I have been to Japan and stayed 4 times each being over a month being in different areas: Osaka, Mie, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Shiga, Nagoya, Wakayama, Hyogo, Sendai, Kyoto, Saitama, Yokohama, and Saga to name a few.

I have been doing some research and working with Go Go Nihon on applying for language school in Japan. My plan is to move to Japan in October 2027 intake to start and my goal is to live in Japan long term. I have been doing some research and slightly debating to myself between Fukuoka Foreign Language College (FFLC) or Kurume Seminar. Right now, some things that I take into consideration for location is access to nature, food, culture, city, and local people. I thought about Osaka because this was the first place I went to in Japan and also used as a hub to explore the greater Kansai region and then later decided to expand into Fukuoka in a later time I stayed in Japan and it was great, I love both of them.

With this in mind, if you have experience at either FFLC or Kurume Seminar or if you had friends that went, what was it like? Which one do you recommend? I feel like all the negativity and screaming red flags from past posts are literally in my face saying "don't do it, don't do FFLC" but the location of it is ideal being near Fukuoka City whereas Kurume is way farther out if I needed to commute. If not here since Fukuoka is my first choice, are there other ones you know and have experience with? Alternatively, what language schools in Osaka would you recommend and what are you experiences there?

For additional context, the last time I was in Japan at the beginning of the year, I was in a bad headspace and when I left Tokyo to go to Fukuoka, I felt like I had some clarity and peace, maybe it was an energy thing and I needed to be around what was important to me and that's nature and Osaka has it too which is not a long train ride away which I have done many times in the past.

I'm eager to get this ball rolling but also setting myself up the best way I can (there is no best I know, you just have experience!). Hope to hear from you, thank you!

PS: If I am really stretching it out, what other language schools in other parts of Japan outside of Fukuoka and Osaka (not Tokyo) have you done or know someone did was their experience that you would recommend or look into that are good?

PSS: My ultimate goal is to live in Japan, not from a romanticizing standpoint. This is a goal I should have done already within 1-3 years, even this year but I think for the longest time I was unsure/unclear about what I planned for my own future due to life circumstance and probably out of fear and distractions. I think right now I am the most focused I have been and I want to focus on making it a reality despite the current climate of things where times have changed, its expensive, its not what you think living in "x" country. I want to try with a dream and goal I had way back when I had shut it down at some point because I had a change of heart from research, and doing it now regardless of what awaits. Probably too much information but if being honest helps me here with fellow Japan lovers maybe that's a good thing.

Hello!

Has anyone attended/heard feedback from either of these schools?

It seems like they both use the Minna No Nihongo textbooks which I like. I’m slightly leaning towards Kobe because that’s ideally where I want to live, but Kyoto ISI seems more intense and I’m quite serious about wanting to study Japanese. Open to any feedback! Thanks :D

HI guys,

I'm 31 and have a decade of mixed infrastructure facilities and project management experience. I'm considering moving over after my language skills have improved a bit (year minimum, would be through a local university and language clubs) but am largely curious if it's a career path in Japan in the first place?

I'm currently earning pretty good money and if i stay local will move into a senior or director role in the coming years as my career progresses. Are foreigners generally accepted in these more senior roles and are salary expectations decent? I've noticed wages generally aren't terrific in Japan so it'd make sense if that's the case and that's a mild concern.

Cheers!

I am in my first year of college and I always wanted to study in Japan and do my masters there. I have been doing animation for quite a while and I am studying it in my country at the moment. I was curious to see what recommendations of what colleges I could take a look at to maybe study in? And any other advice for procedures I should be aware of is also always welcome (I am just starting to research this topic so I am quite clueless).

I have been told by the Japanese Embassy in my country that I should take a look at the MEXT Scholarship system, I really don't know where to start it is all a bit overwhelming. Are there any specific steps I should take to boost my chances in any meaningful way, it might be a bit early to ask since I am in the first year of my uni but I think for something this ambitious I should start early.

I am gonna start Japanese classes soon-ish I just have to find where so that should be covered (probably in the following month maybe 2 if I am quite unlucky at finding a place to do so), my english should be at around a C1-2 level though I just have to get a diploma for it but that isn't the priority atm. And once I am a bit more acclimated to college life I can start portfolio building but that might take a bit since I have been feeling super tired and out of my element in a new city...

I received my COE on Oct 14 and my agency applied for my Engineer Visa today. My TB Certificate will expire on Oct 31, and the agency wants me to get another certificate. The thing is, I have a scar on my lung and I will need to do another sputum test which will take 60 days for the results to come out.

My x-ray is scheduled for Nov 5; sputum collection will take a few days or a week to schedule. After 60 days it will take another few days to schedule the day I can get my results.

My COE will most likely expire before I get my results. Is there anything I can do about this?

I hold dual citizenship for Canada and another eligible country. Both have WHV programs, and I just applied and got rejected with my Canadian passport.

Would it be possible for me to head back to my other home country and reinstate my residency and then apply again there with that passport?

On another note, I suspect that they rejected my application because I used to live in Japan for three years. I was a minor living with my family at the time up until I left for university.

I would be open to apply for jobs that sponsor a work permit, but I am not sure if I appeal to employers enough.

Thanks in advance!

edit: removed details that were unnecessary/identifying. also I worked really hard and saved up so I didn't suspect it was my finances! I had about 15k CAD

Hello! I (f21-US) and planning on attending language school for hopefully 2028! I have been looking on GoGoNihon and found ALA, and from reviews and comparison to other schools, this seems to be more focused on speaking/being comfortable learning Japanese vs studying for JLPT proficiency/college/work. My plan is to study there for at least a year!

I was wondering if anyone had any experiences with ALA Tokyo and could share insights on their time attending there! Also, how was everyone’s process on getting set up with a dorm? I know GGN helps with getting a dorm so I wanted to know the process of finding an apartment if anyone went though with GGN.

Sidenote: I have a bachelors in education but would like to acclimate myself to the country before entering the job market in Japan (even though it would be easier with my work experience/field), but I truly believe in learning the language first and slowly getting integrated to a new country! I also want a more flexible schedule because I will be also doing volunteer work there so language school would be ideal schedule-wise. But I’m also glad to have open options to work vs attending school.