meru Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Sooo, I live in Japan! And I thought there might be some of you who had questions about what life is like here The very brief version of how I got here: I'm originally from the UK. I fell in love with anime & manga when I was about 13. When it came to make my university applications, I decided to choose to study Japanese~ I spent 5 years at university, 1 of which was spent at a university in Japan. I graduated in Summer 2012 and started looking for jobs in Japan (which btw is very difficult if you're not already living there). I finally found something and came over in October 2012. Since then I've been living and working in Tokyo. I've been at the same company the whole time, but I'm leaving next month to work as a freelance translator full time~ I know there's a few other members who live in Japan, and I'm sure many people have visited, so please feel free to share your experiences Hint, Izuru, SieghartXx and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zalor Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 What in particular do you find special and appealing about Japan? I guess what I'm trying to ask is what got you to decide to move and live there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mevvrynne Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I've been to Japan several times and made quite a few friends that I am constantly in contact with. I've been in the Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa and Niigata prefectures. Beautiful country, and the people have surprisingly been very kind to foreigners visiting the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainsismyfav Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 What other job fields would it be viable to get into Japan other than English-teaching? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosebleed Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 What other job fields would it be viable to get into Japan other than English-teaching? I'd also like to know this. Also when you mentioned you decided to study Japanese. Did you go to a university that had a course dedicated to Japanese itself or did you go to university and learned japanese as "a hobby" per say? I'd very much like to learn Japanese myself and use it in some form of translation work and help the VN community as well. But there's hardly anything here dedicated to Japanese, especially not college/university wise. I'd most likely have to move out of the country just to study japanese itself. So i'd like to know from someone who has studied it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flutterz Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 What in particular do you find special and appealing about Japan? I guess what I'm trying to ask is what got you to decide to move and live there? I'm also curious about this. I have no plans whatsoever to move to Japan, even when my Japanese does improve, but it'd be interesting to know what gets other people to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meru Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Thanks for the questions guys~ I'll do my best to answer them. What in particular do you find special and appealing about Japan? I guess what I'm trying to ask is what got you to decide to move and live there? This is a difficult question to answer, as I'm not really sure myself! There were a few circumstantial things. Firstly, I had experience of living here on my year abroad, so I knew I enjoyed life in Japan. Secondly, I had to find somewhere to live after I graduated. In the UK basically the only place with jobs involving Japanese is London, and I'm not such a fan of the city. Since I had to pack up and move my life anyway I thought it was an ideal time to try living abroad. Now for what I find appealing about Japan? I think it's similar to the UK in a lot of ways in terms of people being more reserved than, say, America, which suits me. I like that people are polite and don't stick their noses in your business. I feel safe when I'm walking the streets. The weather is much nicer than the UK. There's tons of interesting and exciting things to do in Tokyo. Also, I wanted to be a translator and my Japanese language ability is actually kind of crappy considering the amount of time I've been studying it haha, so I figured the best way to improve was to be here. Of course there are things I don't like about Japan, but overall I enjoy life here more than in the UK. What other job fields would it be viable to get into Japan other than English-teaching? In my experience there are 3 ways to get employed in Japan (barring going your own entrepreneurial way): 1. For non-Japanese speakers - English teaching. The easiest way to get here. 2. For non-Japanese speakers - having some kind of in-demand skill or industry experience, particularly in IT, finance, automobiles, or medical implements 3. For Japanese speakers - translation industry, although this is hard to break into. Companies usually prefer native Japanese speakers or at least native level bi-lingualism (I'm nowhere near that yet ^^ I've been working in a real estate investment company where half our clients are foreigners. I actually got this job via an introduction from my senpai. I'd sent off loads of applications but hadn't been successful so far, partly because of applying from abroad, and partly because I was lacking in skills & experience. In other words, personal connections are really helpful!! I'd also like to know this. Also when you mentioned you decided to study Japanese. Did you go to a university that had a course dedicated to Japanese itself or did you go to university and learned japanese as "a hobby" per say? I'd very much like to learn Japanese myself and use it in some form of translation work and help the VN community as well. But there's hardly anything here dedicated to Japanese, especially not college/university wise. I'd most likely have to move out of the country just to study japanese itself. So i'd like to know from someone who has studied it. Yep, my course was dedicated to Japanese Studies! Actually it was half language and half East-Asian studies. The language part was mostly focused on translation and literary studies. The other half was East-Asian history, culture, economy, etc and that was taught in English. In the UK I think there are around 10 unis (maybe more now?) that offers Japanese Studies, although some only offer it in combination with other stuff like business. As far as I'm aware, many of the main universities in European countries offer Japanese in some form (I've met people from Croatia, Turkey, Italy, etc.), and I also know a lot of Europeans who came to the UK to study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solidbatman Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I study world history and the such, and take a huge interest in other cultures. Sooo, I might be somewhat active in this thread. What are some strange aspects of Japanese cultures, things that people might not even think of, or little things that you just wouldn't notice at first glance? And is there reasoning behind any of these things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainsismyfav Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 @meru It sucks that it's too late for me to switch to what's in-demand in Japan. But I think what's even worse is that I fear they wouldn't bother hiring foreigners for an entry level position. I find it already difficult to find an entry-level position here in the U.S. I guess there isn't really much realistic chance for me to get in Japan other than English teaching, unless with #3 and I raise my Japanese into native fluency... Somehow. You uttered the magic word which I think applies anywhere in the world when it comes to jobs: "Connection". Tough... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OriginalRen Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I noticed a lot of members asking about job teaching opportunities in Japan, and seeing as how I am moving back to the country as an English ALT in the summer, I thought I could help answer some questions! For most people, everyone is familiar or has heard of the JETS program for English ALTs in Japan. You don't need any prior exposure to Japanese to get into this program, and in fact, they prefer candidates who have none considering the main focus in the classroom is to only speak English as the target language. This program opens up around November each year for applications, and after a couple of months they post the applicants who get hired. You usually start working when the new trimester starts for either elementary, junior high, or high school students, but it all depends on where they place you. You work for about a year and then have to reapply for the next year. Seeing as how these applications only come around once, it's pretty hard to get into this program. It's also very competitive. Aside from JETS, there are other large scale companies like GABA and Interac, to name a few. If you aren't interested in that field, there are also schools that post their own job advertisements that you can look into. Most of the time you email these schools with a resume and cover letter stating your interest. Nothing to special. In addition, there are also independent jobs you can take on such as translation work and self-teaching, though it helps to have some experience before heading into this area. Basically, it's pretty competitive considering you set your own prices (10 yen a line/sentence for checking English papers, 5,000 yen for the first hour of teaching and 3,000 every hour after that), but it can pay off if you are well known. As for what you need to teach as an ALT, a Bachelor degree from any university works. In addition, if you want to teach independently, it pays to have taken a TEFL course for a certificate. This helps immensely as most programs that aren't online give you actual teaching experience. For university teaching, you need a Master's. Finally, you need a work visa. Sadly, the only way to get one of these is to have a company sponsor you for it, and most companies won't consider you for an interview unless you are actually in the country. And that's about it really. If you really are interested in teaching in Japan, one thing you should realize is that Japanese students are what we call "false learners" of English. You will be surprised how little they can actually produce the language. It's not so much they aren't smart, it's that their way of teaching it by using a Grammar Translation Method approach doesn't work well. Most English teachers now aim for a CLT styled approach, and this is exactly the kind of study you do during a TEFL course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainsismyfav Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 @ OriginalRen Ahhhhhhhhhh how I regret not applying for JET last year. I didn't expect the job market to be bad here in the U.S. for my field. I wonder if it's too late. Thanks for the references, I'll look them up. GABA, Interac, TEFL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OriginalRen Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I study world history and the such, and take a huge interest in other cultures. Sooo, I might be somewhat active in this thread. What are some strange aspects of Japanese cultures, things that people might not even think of, or little things that you just wouldn't notice at first glance? And is there reasoning behind any of these things? Funny you should ask this. One thing I find surprising is the lack of English Japan has compared to other neighboring Asian countries. Just in the last decade, Japanese students scored an average English comprehension score comparable to tests given in other countries like Zimbabwe. Given their connection to the rest of the world and technology, I find this odd. Reason being is that "false learner" idea. Japan has learned English going through the schools, but they never have had the chance to review or use it, and this is where the problem lies. Currently, the prime minister of Japan is aiming to get English into the schools as early as 3rd grade for that "critical period" of brain development, yet most of the teachers hated English growing up and are now forced to teach it. This is where the flux for English teaching jobs comes into play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OriginalRen Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 @ OriginalRen Ahhhhhhhhhh how I regret not applying for JET last year. I didn't expect the job market to be bad here in the U.S. for my field. I wonder if it's too late. Thanks for the references, I'll look them up. GABA, Interac, TEFL. TEFL is a program, not a job recruitment agency. Basically, it's a 4 week program with 120 hours of learning and about 20+ hours of hands on teaching experience. By taking this course you become certified (in a way) to teach English. You practice making lesson plans, discuss methods of teaching, etc. In a way, it's sort of an alternative to a teaching degree and only focuses on English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O. Van Bruce Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 How is the japanese countryside? do you have friends or know how people are in small villages? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest loppez Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 How is the japanese countryside? do you have friends or know how people are in small villages? just type in google graphic 日本の田舎 and you will see how it looks like. Plots - 500-2000 m2. basically village is a compilation of rice fields, mostly wooden houses, 2-3 floor upwards. landscape - from the sea you can find rice fields and then mountains. Many hills, small forests but no free space. fast trains to all villages, 200Mbit internet, shopping centers, everybody has a car, life is calm and quiet. a lot of people work in factories. most of them have rice fields so they are "free" during sowing and harvesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O. Van Bruce Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 And how is the personality of people on the countryside? specially in the Kansai (Nara prefecture) and Kyushuu region. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alucard Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I lived in Japan for a year in Tokyo. Great experience but sometimes you really do get the isolated feeling since my Japanese was weak. I was teaching English there with a company called NOVA before it ran into trouble and collapsed. It wasn't the best job but it was a way in. I really miss being able to go grab Melon bread and some tonkatsu curry on my lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Star Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 i have always wanted to go to japan, After I finish my Bachelor's degree i was contemplating applying under JET, But only If I'm more Competent in Japanese at the time. I'm curious though, If You could use the Notion of being An ALT or teaching English to get into japan, and then in your spare time branch out and possibly acquire a working VISA after your term being an ALT ends if you can find a company my personal Dream would be to Do audio production in japan, as that's what I do and am currently studying The biggest thing that attracts me to japan, is simply the culture and how Everyone seams much more polite and considerate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OriginalRen Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Japan has its eyes down everywhere. Cell phones, cell phones, and more cell phones. You will rarely make eye contact with any younger person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alucard Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Yes trains are pretty silent for the most part. The one person who is speaking loudly on their sidelong death glances from the other passengers and they figure they must be from Osaka Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O. Van Bruce Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Japan has its eyes down everywhere. Cell phones, cell phones, and more cell phones. You will rarely make eye contact with any younger person. I assume this only happens in the city, right? It's one of the reasons I would consider better going to the countryside... Yes trains are pretty silent for the most part. The one person who is speaking loudly on their sidelong death glances from the other passengers and they figure they must be from Osaka Thank god... seems like there are sane people in the cities then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OriginalRen Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I assume this only happens in the city, right? It's one of the reasons I would consider better going to the countryside... Thank god... seems like there are sane people in the cities then... Actually, it really is just prevalent for teenagers everywhere. Cell phones are just a staple for Japanese people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O. Van Bruce Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Actually, it really is just prevalent for teenagers everywhere. Cell phones are just a staple for Japanese people. Yeah, but what I mean is, can you make friends on the street? e.g: I meet you on a shop and I can start talking to you if I see we share common interests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SieghartXx Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Yeah, but what I mean is, can you make friends on the street? e.g: I meet you on a shop and I can start talking to you if I see we share common interests? Do you go to your usual shop and start talking with random people? I can't even talk to a friend of a friend if I don't know a bit about them beforehand D': Noooooooow, I've been wanting to ask, is it true that there's a limit to the things you can bring with you? Me and some friends want to go to Japan for a week or so in the unknown future, and of course, I would love to buy anime goods in Akiba, but my friend found that they don't let you take more than X number of stuff with you. I thought asking someone who actualy went would be wise. Following up that, how is Akiba? Is it like it's always pictured in anime? Like, a paradise of sorts xD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flutterz Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Yeah, but what I mean is, can you make friends on the street? e.g: I meet you on a shop and I can start talking to you if I see we share common interests? People do that? Just randomly on the street? o_O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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