Things to Know Before Going to Japan as a Language Student

Living in Japan, even as an exchange student or as a language student means that you have to know how to conduct yourself in society. Manners are required anywhere in the world and the same is true in Japan. You've probably heard the saying "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", well, "when in Japan, do as the Japanese do."

The concept of  "Omoiyari"

If you go to Google Translate and type this in, you'll get "consideration" as its translation. But the Japanese concept of "omoiyari" is more than just that. The full definition of "omoiyari" is the consideration towards others by imagining oneself in another person's position and act accordingly with their point of view. This is the actual reason why the Japanese people exude an aura of politeness. People will go out of their way to avoid causing inconvenience or discomfort.

Building on the concept of "Omoiyari", let's go through a few things to keep in mind when you come to Japan as a language student.

1. Be aware of the people around you

One thing I noticed in Japan is how people will try and avoid bumping into you as much as possible. People try their best not to be an inconvenience to anyone so they try not to bump into you unless there is nowhere else to go (ie a crowded train). This also applies to other forms of inconveniences such as noise and littering.

Backpacks

People try to avoid bumping into you and you should try to do the same. You should wear your backpack in front if you are standing inside the train so that you don't bump other people accidentally. You never know who you're bumping into like old people, children, pregnant women to name a few. You can even see reminders of this in trains sometimes.

Talking on the phone in enclosed places

Talking on the phone may seem like a mundane thing to worry about but people in Japan tend to mind if you talk to someone on the phone in enclosed spaces. You will notice that they go outside to make their call, or in trains, they wait till they get off. 

This also applies to other forms of noise like watching a video or listening to music without earphones, blowing your nose, even typing on a laptop with a noisy keyboard. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to just be as quiet as you can. You can have a hushed conversation with a friend, just keep in mind that there are people around you.

Eating and drinking while walking

It's considered rude to eat or drink while walking in Japan. It's perfectly okay to eat standing up but not while walking. If you eat and walk, you might drop your food, and people who step on it will be inconvenienced with it. You are giving other people who might be in a hurry consideration by not getting their shoes or clothes dirty.

Take your trash with you

You will notice that Japan is very clean, but there are hardly any public trash cans available. This is because people take their trash home. They don't just leave it somewhere for someone to clean it for them. 

Smoking

Smoking is very common in Japan. But there are rules to follow when it comes to smoking. You cannot just smoke anywhere. There are designated places, even in open areas, where you can smoke. This is out of consideration for people who don't smoke. In the past, restaurants offer smoking seats but in recent years, these restaurants are growing less in number. Also, if you do smoke, it's best if you have a pocket ashtray with you so that you don't dirty up the place.

Vaping is considered similar to smoking and people tend to be uncomfortable with the "smoke" (I know it's not smoke, don't argue with me on this) this produces. You will only be able to vape in smoking areas.

2. Follow the signs

Pay attention to signs

There is a multitude of signage all over Japan and you would do well to follow them. Some signs tell you what to do, where to go, what not to do, etc. Don't worry, most of the time, these signs are illustrated, and recently, (initially as preparation for the 2020 Olympics) signages have English translations. 

Follow the traffic lights, cross at the crosswalks

You will notice how people follow the lights even when the streets are empty. It would do you good to do the same. You never know when a traffic light is equipped with a camera that can capture your face. This applies whether you are a pedestrian or riding your bike. 

As a pedestrian, on the occasion where there are no traffic lights, try and see if there are crosswalks (zebra stripes), and cross there. If there are none, try to cross at corners or intersections. Try to walk on the left side of the sidewalk as most people tend to keep left, especially in crowded streets. 

As for bikes, signs show whether you can park your bike.  There are bike parking spaces almost anywhere you go, so make sure that you're leaving your bike where it's supposed to be placed.

Speaking of bikes...

3. Bicycle Rules

Yes, there is a whole, dedicated section for bike rules.

Riding on sidewalks and keeping to the left

Japan drives on the left side of the road. So when you ride your bike, it would be best to keep it to the left. Technically, unless there is a sign on the sidewalk itself, you are not supposed to ride your bike on sidewalks. Well, the rule goes: Children 12 years old and below are allowed to ride on the sidewalk, in a situation where it "seems" dangerous, then you can ride on the sidewalk as well. This is one of the "gray area" kind of rules in Japan. My advice, use your better judgment. 

If you do ride on the sidewalk, always remember that you should always yield to pedestrians. Hitting a pedestrian with your bike will cause you a lot of headaches the moment that pedestrian decides to press charges. Worst case? You end up in jail. 

Get off your bike

In situations where you are entering a people-dense area, it is best practice to get off your bike. When you cross the street at crosswalks it is best to get off your bike, unless you're the only one crossing or all of you are on bikes.  There are also places where you will be asked to get off your bike (in signs) like in underpasses. If you think that maneuvering your bike is risky, just get off the bike. 

Make sure you have bike lights

In Japan, it is required by law that you have a front light on your bike that is fully functioning. In addition to this, you are also required to have a rear reflector and a bell. Biking at night with no lights can get you stopped by police and you might be asked to pay a maximum fine of 50,000 yen. There are rumors that say the police don't really enforce this, but it's better to be on the right side of the law.

Don't ride double, don't ride drunk

Riding double, or 2 people riding one bike is prohibited in Japan. If and when you get stopped by police for doing this you might get slapped with a 20,000 yen fine.

Riding drunk on the other hand will land you in jail for up to 5 years. Plus a one million yen fine. You might notice, or read somewhere, that police don't really enforce this, but are you really willing to risk it? You can always leave your bike and get it in the morning, or simply push it home.

Hands on the handlebars at all times

When riding your bike, make sure you have both hands on the handlebars. You should never hold an umbrella with one hand. On the same note, you shouldn't hold your smartphone while biking. Any of these violations can cost you up to 50,000 yen in fines.

A similar violation is using earphones, earbuds, or headphones while you ride. The rationale behind this is, despite having your hands on your bike, you might not be able to hear oncoming vehicles that would help you react accordingly. This is also fineable by up to 50,000 yen.

4. House Rules

We are all familiar with having to take off your shoes before entering someone's home in Japan, but what other house rules should you be familiar with?

Shoes and slippers

Japan is famously known for the fact that you will have to remove your shoes when you enter someone's home. Upon entering the front door, you will enter the genkan part of the house. This is the part where everybody takes their shoes off to change to their indoor slippers. Most of the time they will offer slippers for you to use whilst at their home. This is also true for some offices (like at the dentist's and some clinics) and some public spaces. Just make sure to look around for a place to put your shoes and when in doubt, always ask if you need to take your shoes off. (靴を脱ぐべきですか - kutsu o nugubeki desu ka?)

Important note: Make sure to take off your shoes on the lower part of the genkan and not in the elevated part. This defeats the purpose if you step with your shoes onto the elevated part. The purpose of the genkan is to separate the outside shoes from the inside shoes. 

On the topic of slippers, toilet slippers are a separate pair of slippers you use only for the toilet. In the context of separating indoor and outdoor footwear, the toilet is considered dirty, thus a separate pair of slippers. Never forget to put your toilet slippers back and trudge around the house in toilet slippers.

Make your presence known

If you live with other people (roommates, dormmates, etc), always announce your arrival. If you live there, announce yourself by saying, ただいま (tadaima) or ただいまです(tadaima desu) meaning I'm home. People at home would greet you back with: おかえり(okaeri) or おかえりなさい(okaerinasai) roughly translating to "welcome home." In case you are entering someone's home, announce yourself by greeting your host and saying: おじゃまします(sorry for the intrusion). 

Alternatively, when leaving your home, announce this to your housemates as well by saying いってきます(ittekimasu) meaning "I'm leaving for the day"/ "I'm off to ~" (lit. I'll be leaving and coming back), to which your housemates would respond: いってらっしゃい(itterasshai) meaning "Have a nice day"(lit. go and come back). If you're leaving someone's home to go home yourself, you can say そろそろ　失礼します(sorosoro shitsureishimasu) which means "I'll be leaving now" and thank them.

Wait to be asked to sit

Whenever you are entering someone's home, an office, or anywhere you have to wait, always wait to be asked to sit. Do not just directly sit wherever. It is good manners to wait for your host to ask you to be seated.

Always ask permission

It's good practice, even with very good friends, to ask permission before doing/touching anything in someone's home. Japan is a culture of respect and it only shows that you respect your host when you ask permission before doing anything like touching stuff and using the bathroom.

Ask to help out with cleaning

Even as a guest, you should still offer to help with the cleaning up. Most likely your host will politely decline, but it is polite to ask.

Coming to a foreign country can always be overwhelming but arming yourself with the most basic of expectations can help you avoid making the common mistakes most foreigners make. This also will prove to your school how serious you are with your studies when they see the effort you put in to really fit in. Don't worry though if you do make a few mistakes here and there, what's important is you learn from your mistakes.

These tips should help you ease into your daily life in Japan. If you enjoyed reading this, you might enjoy these articles as well:

How to Come to Japan as a Japanese Language Student

How Much Will it Cost to Come to Japan as a Student

Part-time Jobs for Language Students

For questions, feel free to comment below or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

How to Send Money Home, International Remittance from Japan

"Will I be able to send money home?" 

How to send money home as a language student in Japan.

Coming from a Filipino background, it's deeply ingrained in our culture to take care of our families back home once we set foot on foreign soil. This is especially true for OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). But, being a student, is this really feasible?

In my previous post, I described in detail how much the initial costs are for studying in Japan. It goes without saying that it gets pretty expensive. I also wrote a post regarding a student's monthly budget to give you an idea of how much you will earn and spend monthly. 

As a student, you will be earning an average of 80,000 to 100,000 yen a month for working 28 hours a week, Factoring in tuition, rent, and other necessities, you will probably have about 10,000 left depending on how much effort you put into savings. If you live simply, cook your meals at home, and don't spend much on going out, you can save even more.

There are no hard and fast answers to this question, but technically speaking, yes, you would be able to send money home, but it's not as much as most people expect.

Now that you have established a working budget and will be able to send some money home, let's talk about international remittance in Japan. There are several ways of sending money home including banks, wire transfers, and remittance services.

International Bank Remittance

This is probably the most common and the first thing people think of when you say remittance. Banks are very secure and reliable but they tend to cost more. If you are transferring large amounts of money, going through banks would be the most sensible course but if you are only transferring small amounts (anywhere from 1,000 yen to about 100,000 yen), you might want to go a different route.

Transaction Fees: 4,000 to about 7,000

The best banks to use for international remittance are Japan Post Bank, Shinsei Bank, and Prestia. 

Japan Post Bank

You can apply for remittance by filling up an information sheet, printing it out, and bringing it to the nearest Japan Post Bank branch. They have recently suspended their corporate remittance and will only process individual or personal remittances. They charge ￥7500 for over the counter transactions and ￥3000 for online transactions. I haven't tried this yet but I will try and write a post on how to register for their online services.

Shinsei Bank

Shinsei Bank offers bilingual support which is very beneficial to non-Japanese speakers. They also have a smartphone application available making it very convenient. Their remittance fee is a total of ￥4000 yen and may go up depending on how much you will be remitting.

Prestia (SMBC)

Prestia is another great bank for transfers because of its English language support. They also offer mobile and online banking which makes remittance convenient. They charge ￥3500 yen for the remittance and will charge additional fees depending on the amounts.

Remittance Services

Whereas banks are the first thing that pops into someone's mind when sending money home, more and more remittance service centers are stepping up to the plate. 

These remittance service centers tend to charge less than banks for transactions and with fees depending on how much you send. Remittance centers would be the best choice for transactions below ￥300,000. 

Most remittance services offer to give you a furikomi card for easy sending and recipients at home can choose whether to pick up the money or have them deposited to a bank account.

Seven Bank

Seven Bank gained popularity because of their mobile app that lets you transfer from your smartphone. They offer discounts if you use their mobile app and guarantees no additional fees to be borne by the receiver. Another feature they offer is the option to receive the transfer in local pick up points all over the Philippines. They also offer directly depositing your remittance to local banks.

Metrobank Japan

This is a local bank in the Philippines that operates a branch in Tokyo and Osaka. They function mainly as a remittance service. I personally chose this because it's convenient for Metrobank account holders. I can transfer money and have it received within a few hours.

Japan Remit Finance

I discovered this remittance recently while researching for this article. It's a reputable remittance service founded in 2011 and by far offers the best exchange rates. These remittance services and banks follow their own exchange rates, and though they post it on their websites, they tend to have different rates. The differences are in decimal points but when you're sending a big amount, the difference grows. I have not tried their service as of writing this, but I did apply for an account with them. If everything goes well, I might be switching over to them soon.

SBI Remit

SBI Remit is another long-standing remittance service established in 2010. They offer competitive fees and exchange rates. I was going to use SBI Remit for my remittances but for reasons I can't remember, I just went with Metrobank. They have a very streamlined registration process and they are very responsive. 

Online Money Transfer

For those who have experience working online or shopping online, you have heard of several online payment systems. One classic example is PayPal. I have personally trusted this online payment system for a very long time, and they have never let me down yet. But with the dawn of the digital age, more online money transfer systems are popping up and these are a few that I personally used in the past.

PayPal

I am a fan of PayPal. I learned about PayPal back in the early 2000s when I worked as a chat support agent for eBay. And through the years, they have only improved their security and I have been a member for almost a couple of decades now. To be honest I only ever do online shopping if I can pay using PayPal. As a remittance service, they only charge a currency conversion fee. The catch is, it's a percentage, so the bigger you send, the bigger the fee. Also, they charge you to deposit to your bank account. They charge about 2-3 USD to deposit to bank accounts.

TransferWise

TransferWise is a UK-based online transfer system that I came across in the last 5 years. I made a payment to someone in Thailand using this payment method and the fees were considerably cheaper. A couple of years ago, I couldn't use this account yet because they haven't established their base in Japan yet but I checked recently, they are now fully up and running. I am thinking of trying this service again soon and see which one truly will give me value for money.

WorldRemit

Okay, this one I admit, I have never used. But I did research on it and they function similarly to TransferWise. I did a quick comparison and their conversion rates are very competitive too. This is another way to send money conveniently. 

Depending on your needs and level of comfort transacting online, you can choose from these methods to send money back home.

If you enjoyed reading this, check out our other posts that might interest you:

Study in Japan: How Much Will It Cost Me Initially?

Part-time Jobs as a Language Student

Japanese Language Student's Monthly Budget

For questions, feel free to comment below or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

Japanese Language Student's Monthly Budget

Welcome to Japan! You finally did it! You went through the long process of applying to be a Japanese language student, came up with the funding to pay for the initial payments, and you have finally boarded that plane to study and work in Japan.

Now, get ready to face your first challenge. How much will you be earning and spending as a Japanese language student?

When you're a student, chances are, you don't have much spending money because you only work part-time. Your main focus is to study and thus, you are only allowed to work 28 hours. But this also means you have to work with a budget to avoid mishaps like having to eat instant ramen for 2 weeks because you blew your money on something trivial.

Here's a preview as to how much I earned and spent as a Japanese language student.

Part-Time Job Salary

Money matters

I studied in Oarai, Ibaraki. Much like other countries, the minimum wage will vary from place to place, and since Oarai is a little seaside town, the minimum wage is on the lower end of the scale. Back in 2016, the minimum wage was at 800 yen per hour. As of writing this in 2020, the current minimum wage in Ibaraki is at 850 yen per hour. Depending on your part-time job, your salary will vary a little bit, but on average, a part-time working student earns about 80,000 to 100,000 yen a month. You can also check my post about part-time jobs for students. 

*Note: When you work part-time, you only get paid for the hours you work. You don't get paid leaves and other benefits. Although, you do get paid night differential if you work between the hours of 10 PM till 5AM.

Monthly Salary = 80,000 to 100,000 yen

Tuition

As a student, studying is your priority

I studied at Oarai International Exchange Academy (大洗国際交流アカデミー). Since I enrolled with the 1.5-year program, my total tuition cost was about 1.5 million yen.  The school requires 6 months' worth of tuition in advance before coming to Japan and is paid before the COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is sent to you. This amounted to roughly around 650,000 yen. My school's tuition is inclusive of dormitory and utility fees which made life easier budgeting-wise. The remainder of my tuition is paid in monthly installments of 50,000 yen.

Monthly tuition (inclusive of dormitory and utility fees) = 50,000 yen

Food

A simple, yet beautiful lunch.

One thing I liked about living in Oarai is food. There aren't many fast food joints available in  Oarai. The nearest McDonalds required me to bike about 3 km to get a burger and when you're a student, you just don't have that much time. So, most of the time we simply made our own meals at home which drove costs down. Occasionally, we would buy bento boxes that go on sale around 7 PM till closing time for most supermarkets. And, if you time your supermarket visit right, you can get bento boxes and other foodstuffs (like sushi) at 50 percent off. You can also stock up on cup ramen for days that you just can't be bothered to cook or go out. Your food budget is the most flexible part of your budget and I had months when I would only spend 5,000 yen on food. 

Monthly food budget = 5,000 to 15,000

Phone and Internet

Communication is key

Having a cellular service can be optional for some. When I was a student, I got my first Japanese phone about 3 months into studying. Some of my classmates even got theirs near graduation. Most students opt to just get a mobile wifi router and use the phones they brought with them to save costs. As I wrote in my post about the initial costs of coming to Japan, the initial cost can be a bit pricey, but the monthly bill would average at around 5,000 yen a month (even lower if you are below 25 years old). This 5,000 yen a month budget would afford you about 3GB of data. Calls will be charged on a pay-per-call basis. The telecommunications companies are coming up with better deals all the time so you can get an even better deal, but 5,000 yen would be a fair average cost for your phone bill. If your dorm offers wifi, it might already be included in the utility bill, so kindly check with your school if there is wifi coverage and if not, you can always negotiate to have one installed.

Monthy phone and internet bill = 5,000 to 10,000

Insurance, Tax, and Pension

Health is Wealth! Don't forget to pay for your health insurance.

Everybody in Japan, regardless of nationality, are required to join the National Health Insurance(NHI) and for those above 20 years old, the Pension system. As for the National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), you will have to pay the premiums once you get the bill for it. It's usually cheap for students because you only work part-time. As for the Pension (日本年金機構), you can be exempted for the duration of your studies due to low income. The NHI will cost you about 16,000 per year, and if you choose to pay in monthly installments, roughly about 1,600 a month. You can budget your initial year's NHI premium to your initial costs so you don't need to think about it. Else...

Monthly NHI Premium = 1,600

In Summary

So, it is possible to save a little bit by working part-time and studying in Japan. Although these values fluctuate due to a lot of other factors like you catch the flu and had to stay home for a few days. Or if you had a sudden big expenditure or if you opted to go home for summer or winter holidays. If you're planning to do this as a means of livelihood and support family members back home, this might not be the route you should go. 

Remember, if and when you come to Japan as a Japanese language student, your first priority is to study the language. This means that you have to pay your dues first before spending on anything else. If you really want to support your family back home, think of your time as a student as your "investment" for your future. Once you graduate and get a full-time job, sending money home will be a piece of cake (well, not really but at least you will be better equipped to). 

If you liked this post, you might want to check out our Japan Survival Tips here.

Study in Japan: How Much Will It Cost Me Initially?

 In my previous post, I described the process of coming to Japan as a Japanese language student. Now that you have an idea of the "How  to?", let's now talk about the "How much?"

Will this be enough?

Education, no matter where you are in the world, is expensive. Even more so when you are aiming to study abroad. Studying in Europe averages about 20,000 USD in tuition fees, plus about 4,000 USD for living costs (food, utilities, phone, transportation, etc) per semester. Studying in Japan is no different. 

In a glance, let me give you a simple breakdown as to how much you will need to initially prepare to come to study in Japan.

Tuition Fees

Yearly, language school tuition fees alone will cost about 700,000 yen. The cost will vary from school to school and the length of the program you choose. Take note that this amount does not include dormitory fees yet.

Depending on where you decide to study in Japan, costs do vary from place to place, as well as the size of the school. Most established schools tend to cost more because they are usually located in major cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. 

In my school, Oarai International Exchange Academy (大洗国際交流アカデミー), there are only two programs available: 1.5-year and 2-year courses that cost 940,000 yen and 1,230,000 yen respectively.  *The English version of the website seems outdated and is showing 4 courses, but confirming with the owner, there are only two programs available.

Depending on the school you apply for, you will be required to pay part of your tuition up front. Some schools, they require a year's worth of tuition paid initially. For some, 6 month's worth. 

Initial Tuition Cost: 250,000 yen to 850,000 yen depending on the school.

Walking to school saves costs

Dormitory Costs

Most language schools offer dormitories or at least will arrange accommodations for you. Compared to tuition fees, dormitory costs vary widely. Initially, a deposit will be required which can be returned depending on the state of the dormitory by the time you leave. When you leave, there will also be a cleaning cost that usually will be covered by the deposit. 

Initial deposit cost: 100,000 yen to 250,000 yen. *Some schools tuck this into the tuition costs so be sure to ask the school whether this will be paid separately.

School Dormitories

These are typically shared rooms. There will always be a toilet and bath for each room but the laundry and kitchen may sometimes be shared.

Price range: In major cities, the price ranges from 20,000 yen to 60,000 yen a month. For smaller cities, it is a bit cheaper ranging from 15,000 yen to about 40,000 yen a month. 

Typical dorm room

Private Renting

For those students who prefer to rent their own, it is possible to find your own accommodation. This will usually be for those who are accustomed to a certain way of life and have more spending power. Rent will depend on the location, size, and accessibility of the apartment. 

Price range: Anywhere from 30,000 yen to 100,000 yen a month.

Homestay (Relatives)

Some students prefer to study in a school in the area where their relatives stay. In this case, schools usually allow students to opt to stay with relatives. This would usually prove to be the most cost-effective as relatives tend to charge less (sometimes free) for their stay.

Price range: Depends on your agreement

Cost of Living

When studying abroad, you will have to take every little cost into consideration. When you live at home, you rarely have to worry about food when you get home because the fridge is always accessible. When you get to Japan as a Japanese language student, you can work for 28 hours a week so you will have spending-money but it is advisable to bring two months' worth of food, utilities, and other allowances when you first come to study in Japan. 

Food allowance: 20,000 to 40,000 yen (depending on how lavishly you eat)

Utilities: 30,000 yen to 50,000 yen (depending on what season it is when you arrive)

New phone plan with a new budget phone: 35,000 yen 

Initial health insurance premium payment: 16,000-18,000 yen

Initial budget (two months worth) Total: 125,000 yen

Food

The average cost for a bento box in Japan is about 500 yen. A bento comes complete with rice, a meat dish, and vegetable side dishes. If you are in a pinch, you can opt to buy an onigiri (riceball) instead. They cost about 100 yen apiece. Cup noodles are also available at about 100 yen. You can save the most if you cook at home and bring your own bento (packed lunch). 

Restaurant meals will usually cost you about 1500 yen for a decent set meal.

Price range: Depending on how picky you are with food, a budget of 10,000 yen should suffice. If you are a big eater or if you prefer eating out, set aside a bigger budget.

Beautiful Japanese-style set meal

Utilities

Basic utilities are electricity, water, and gas. Utility costs vary per season and hands down, winter is the most expensive. On top of these, you also have internet fees and if you drive a car, you will also have to pay a monthly parking space fee.

Price range: Peak season (aka winter and summer) basic utilities can cost up to 25,000 yen a month. On off-peak seasons you can safely allot 15,000 yen a month. Internet fee averages at 5,000 a month (if you have your own connection) and parking spaces cost about 4,000 yen a month.

Phone

If you have a current iPhone (from the last two years), chances are, all you will need to do is to update your country setting and you are all set. If you're using android, your phone might work with some networks, but it really depends. If you want to check if your phone will work you can use this website. Personally, I think that getting a phone with a plan works the best for Japanese language students because the phone will be tailored to Japanese apps and the provider itself. The cheapest phone plan you can get is around 3,500 yen a month for about 1GB of data. Phone providers also charge a processing fee of about 3,500 yen which will be charged to your first bill. If you aren't picky with your gadget, a budget of 30,000 yen for a new phone is sufficient. But if you're planning to get the latest model, prepare about 120,000 yen.

Price range: New phone plan with a new budget phone: 35,000 yen 

Taxes and Insurances

If you are staying in Japan longer than 90 days, you will be required by law to join the National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) regardless of nationality. 

As a student, you will be paying about 16,000 yen per year. You will have the option to pay monthly or pay it as a whole. It is less of a hassle if you just pay it upfront so you no longer think about it. You will receive a bill in the mail that you will have to pay in a convenience store.

Another bill that you may receive is the National Pension (日本年金機構). Anyone aged 20 to 59 is required by law to contribute to the National Pension System although as a Japanese language student you can apply for an exemption due to the fact that you are not earning a full-time wage. If you do get this, you can ask help from your school to apply for the exemption.

Plane Tickets and Visa Application

The last expense that you will need to consider is travel costs. The biggest chunk is will be the plane ticket. I'm from the Philippines and regular priced tickets are around 30,000 yen. If you're lucky and are able to catch a sale, it can go as low as 10,000 yen. Another cost you have to consider is visa processing fees. From experience, I spent about 6,000 yen for the whole process. In the Philippines, the Japanese embassy does not process direct applications so you will have to go through an accredited agency to process your visa. 

Plane Ticket and Visa Processing: 16,000 to 36,000 yen

Grand Total: Anywere from 400,000 to 1,000,000 yen

This is a rough estimate of how much money you will need to prepare to go to Japan as a Japanese language student. From time to time there are even cheaper options depending on the school. The key is to ask. These schools have been in the business a long time and they may have ways of accommodating you so don't hesitate to ask.

Are you ready to study in Japan? Check out my post about part-time jobs Japanese language students can do.

For questions, feel free to comment below or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

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Part-time Jobs as a Language Student

On our third day in Japan, we started with our very first part-time job or arubaito(アルバイト).

When you come to Japan to study, you will be allowed to work for 28 hours a week to help with your day to day expenses (rent, utilities, food, etc.) At the time, the hourly rate for part-timers in Ibaraki was 800 yen per hour. One good thing about working as a part-timer in Japan is the fact that everyone is paid the same rate. They don't look at age, gender, or nationality. Across the board, the minimum wage is the same.

Update: As of 2020, the minimum wage in Ibaraki is at 850 yen per hour.

There is a multitude of part-time jobs available all over Japan. But if you come here with practically zero language skills, then your options become limited. Let me show you a few of these arubaito gigs that can be done even when you barely speak Japanese.

Let me tell you our story...

After the school orientation, we were given the rest of the day off. Or so we thought. At around 3pm, (if memory serves) we were told to report to the school's field office. We called this place jimusho(事務所). This is where we would go whenever we needed administrative stuff; work issues, problems with our apartments, payments, or when you accidentally get bit by your neighbor's dog (true story XD), among other things.

So, we were told to go there because they decided what our part-time jobs would be and when we would start work- which was the next day. We were told to buy work boots and hats. Hmmm... what was this job going to be?

The next day.

So we went to school and had our first day of lessons. We were then loaded on to a van to be taken to our very first job. We ate our lunch in the van, en route to our destination. 

Farm Work

Sweet potatoes...as far as the eye can see...

We were taken to a large field with exposed sweet potatoes for the picking. Digging the crops are done by a machine but the initial sorting is still done by hand and thus we had to go, pair by pair into the field and pick out the big ones first, and then the smaller ones.

休憩中 - Breaktime

This is one of the jobs available for students who are still at the very basic stages of learning the language. It's hard labor, we all had muscle aches the next day, but it was a very fun day.

Some other farm work part-time jobs in Oarai are:

Harvesting cabbages and other vegetables

Harvesting strawberries

Note: Harvest jobs are typically seasonal. 

Factory Work

The next day, the boys continued with the farm work, and the girls were taken to the factory to help with the packing of the finished products. We were given a white long-sleeved shirt, a yellow apron, and a head covering.

Guess who???

This is what factory part-timers usually look like, especially the ones working in the food industry. Uniforms vary depending on the work they do. In this factory, we had to arrange the dried sweet potato in a way that it will look beautiful inside the packaging.

Nihongo wakaranai!

Going back to the story

We thought that we would stay with this part-time job till we graduated like most students. But the sweet potato industry only operates in full capacity from autumn through winter. So when spring comes around, they let all their part-timers go. A lot of industries will have peak and off-peak seasons so there is a possibility of needing to change jobs from time to time.

We were then transferred to a different food processing company.

"Why am I always the one holding the camera?"

From sweet potatoes, we moved on to vegetables. We prepared vegetables for restaurants and bento making factories. 

"Aren't we supposed to be working?"

Some other factories that employ part-time student workers are:

Fish/Seafood processing plants

Bento (boxed lunch) processing plants

Industrial laundromats

Restaurant/Cafe Staff

The saga continues...

When we were transferred from our sweet potato life, we were divided into two groups. Three of us were sent to vegetable processing, the other three were sent to a seafood restaurant. 

Prep time!

Another entry-level job students can get while studying is in restaurants and cafes. When you can't hold your own in a conversation yet, you will most probably be placed in the kitchen where you will wash dishes all-day-long. 

But as you progress with your Japanese language skills, you will slowly, but surely, be introduced to other aspects like taking orders or manning the register.

And sometimes, you get to wear cute uniforms!

Hotel Staff

Oarai may be a small town, but it does have a number of hotels. Students can get jobs in housekeeping, cleaning, kitchen staff, etc in some of the hotels in the area. 

Do not disturb me!

Other Arubaito

For students who come to Japan with some Japanese skills, you can find other part-time jobs. I listed these jobs for last because most of the time, students come with almost no Japanese language skills. 

Convenience store clerk

Whenever you take a customer-facing job, it will require you to speak and it goes without saying that you will need language skills for this one. I never experienced this myself so I really have no opinion about this.

English Tutor

For those with English speaking skills, you can sideline as an English tutor. The biggest downside to this would be having to find your own students. Although there are a lot of available websites to do this.

Supermarket Staff

This is similar to the convenience store clerk job where you have to man the register. Although sometimes you just need to stock the shelves or put discount stickers on bento boxes two hours before closing.

I'm sure there are other part-time jobs I may have failed to mention here. Not to worry, the key is to be open to any available job and you can't go wrong. Besides, no matter how difficult, it makes for a good experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the usual questions students have. If you have any other questions, feel free to comment below and I will update your questions here periodically.

Q: Can I have more than one part-time job?

A:  Yes. But you still need to abide by the 28 hours per week rule. During long school vacations (golden week, summer vacation, winter vacation, etc), you can work up to 40 hours a week.

Q: Are we allowed to work night shifts? Do we get paid night differentials?

A: Yes. You may work any shift as long as it does not interfere with your class schedule. Yes, the night differential is paid. It's set at 25%.

Q: Do we get paid holiday premiums?

A: Depends on your company. Some pay it, some don't. Same with weekends. It really depends on the company you work for.

Q: How much do you earn a month?

A: Part-time workers earn about 80,000 to 100,000 a month.

What do you think? If you liked this post, read about how a usual day goes in our life as a student in Oarai. For questions, feel free to comment below or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

How I got to Japan as a Japanese Language Student

On the way to JLPT Test Site

If you dream of living in Japan, the first step is to learn the language. Japan is a country where English use is uncommon despite the effort Japan puts into strengthening English proficiency. To enjoy Japan to the fullest, you will need to get a good grasp of the language. And the best way to do this is to be a Japanese language student.

Sometime in late 2015 (if I remember correctly), I saw an ad on Facebook about a study and work program in Japan. I checked it out, attended a seminar, and got application forms and a list of requirements. I submitted my documents and waited for the COE result, which took a couple of months. I passed, paid the processing fees, and I was on my way. 

I studied at Oarai International Exchange Academy (大洗国際交流アカデミー） for a year and a half from October 2016 to March 2018.

Simple right? Now let me break down the steps on how to come to Japan as a Language student. 

Prep Work

Before making life-changing decisions (like quitting your job and moving abroad thinking you can make a living by doing odd jobs), always do your research. Before deciding to be a Japanese language student, I did my fair share of research before I jumped on board the "Study and Work in Japan" train. I had been researching a way to get to Japan for years(I was desperate to go to Japan, childhood dream, and all) before I finally found the way that fit me the best.

 

Some things to research:

School or Agency 

There are many language schools all over Japan. Decide where in Japan you would want to study, and research available language schools in the area. Just search for: "Japanese language school in PlaceName." This search should show you the schools in that area. Some students opt to go with agencies, although these usually will cost a little bit extra.

Program Fees

Not all language schools are created equal. Some schools will cost more than others, and this is something you should research on. Spoiler alert: studying in Japan is expensive. So don't be shocked by the figures you see. 

Requirements

For non-OECD countries, the documentary requirements to be a Japanese language student are a bit more strict. It will be best if you do some research on this as well. I will talk more about this in detail below.

Study basic Japanese

"Wait, what?! But this was supposed to be the reason why I am going to Japan to learn the language, right???" Coming to Japan with zero Japanese will be difficult, especially if you chose the countryside area to study. Also, the chances of getting approved for a COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is better if you have credentials showing study time(a certificate showing at least 150 hrs of Japanese language study, or a JLPT N5)

*Special note on age limit: Most language schools will accept students aged 18-30. They prefer that you already have a university degree, but finishing senior high school will suffice. Only university graduates (bachelor's degree holders) can find a job after graduation from language schools.

Find a Sponsor

Studying in Japan can be very expensive. Tuition alone will set you back around 700,000 yen for one year. Adding dormitory costs, utilities, food, and other miscellaneous expenses would bring you up to a total of 1.3 million yen a year. Hence, the Immigration Bureau requires a sponsor who is a family relative and can support the Japanese language student during their stay in Japan. The sponsor would need to show proof of 1.5 million yen bank balance (this is the minimum though most language schools would require 2 million or more).

Application Timelines

Every school has its timeline, this is just a rough estimate of the usual times

Graduation: March

Step 1 - Decide on a School/Agency

After researching schools, you need to decide on which school you would like to apply to. You can then proceed to start the application process one of a few ways:

Apply Directly

Language schools get most of their students from abroad, and more often than not, they will have a direct application link on their website. You will almost always see their application timeline as well. (This can be difficult for smaller schools who are very limited with their English ability)

Apply through Agencies

There are services online offering help with processing documents like GaijinPot Study and Go! Go! Nihon. According to their websites, they offer free services, and you will only pay the fees required by the school.

Apply through a Friend or Family member

If you have a friend or family who's already living in Japan, they can apply to the school directly for you. This method is my preferred way because it's easier to get feedback from both the school and the applicant.

Step 2 - Gather the Required Documents

After the initial inquiry for the application, you will receive a list of required supporting documents. These supporting documents will be used to acquire a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) with the Immigration Bureau. These documents are mostly proof of the ability to pay for your stay in Japan. Gathering documents is time-consuming, and I strongly advise you to gather all the documents you can, as soon as possible. The usual documents required are:

Applicant(Student):

School Application Forms 

University Diploma 

Transcript of Records (the last school attended)

Family Registry (usually your birth certificate should suffice)

Certificate of Employment (for past and current job)

Certificate of Completion (Japanese language study 150 hours or more)

JLPT/JTEST/NAT results (if available)

Health certificate (some schools have this included with their application form)

Sponsor:

Identity document (passport copy)

Proof of relationship with the student (for family members, please prepare documents that show your relationship; birth certificate, marriage contracts, etc.)

Certificate of bank balance (This should be recent, or issued within the last three months, so save this for the end)

Income tax documents for the past three years

Certificate of employment showing annual salary - if currently employed (this also has to be recent)

Letter of guarantee (usually provided by the school)

Step 3 - Submit your Application and Pay the Processing Fee

Some schools will work with you as you gather your documents. There will be a lot of emails back and forth to make sure your application is "wrinkle-free." Schools will usually ask you to scan your filled in application form first so that they can double-check all the details you wrote. Once everything is in order, you will submit the original signed application directly to the school via post or parcel. In addition to this, you will also need to send the processing fee (non-refundable, ranging from around 20,000 yen). Putting together an application for a COE (Certificate of Eligibility) is incredibly time-consuming because everything has to be in Japanese. 

Step 4 - Wait for the COE Approval

COE applications take around three months at the most. This wait time can be extremely nerve-wracking, speaking from experience. While waiting, you can study Japanese, master the kana (hiragana and katakana), and increase your vocabulary. This extra step can help ease the transition when you arrive as a Japanese language student. 

Step 5 - COE Approval and Tuition Payments

Congratulations! You now have your COE, and you are now halfway there! The next step will be to send your tuition payment to your school. Depending on the school and your agreement, you will have to pay anywhere from 6 months worth to a year's worth of tuition upfront. This payment scheme is a safe-guard for the school because many students (especially from southeast Asia) tend to leave midway through school in hopes of getting jobs elsewhere. Requiring the payments upfront ensures the student will stick to the program till graduation. Once the school validates your tuition payment, your COE will be sent via EMS (Express Mail System) or through any other parcel service you choose. You will be paying the shipping fees.

*Special Very Important Note:

If, and when you come to Japan as a Japanese language student, you CANNOT quit midway. You will have to see your studies through graduation to secure a legal job afterward. There are ways around this, but they are ILLEGAL and can result in jail time or deportation. If Japan is your dream, do it right from off the bat.

Step 6 - Visa Application and Ticket Purchase

Once you have your COE, you will have to send your visa application to your country's Japanese embassy. The turnaround time varies per country, but the general average is five working days. You will also get a piece of paper for an application to allow you to work part-time as a student with your COE package. You will submit this application to the immigration desk once you enter Japan. When you get your visa, you can then book your flight to Japan. You will need to inform your school of your flight details to arrange your airport pick up. You will be paying for your ticket as well. 

Step 7 - Come to Japan and Start Your Adventure!

Yokoso! Welcome to Japan! After disembarking your plane, you will go through immigration and get your brand-spanking-new residence card with the stamp at the back showing proof of your permit for part-time work. You are now officially an international exchange student. 

Are you ready for your Japanese language student adventure?  Click here to read about our first-day-of-school shenanigans.

For questions, feel free to comment below or message me on Facebook or Instagram.