working in japan

[dorian 0]

hey everyone. i'm new to this board. i thought it would be a good idea to join and find out a little info about japan and if its a good place to work as an instructor. I'm not sure if you can talk about that stuff hear since you said no ads, but i thought i'd give it a go. I'm keen to do another seasin somewhere new and different. i normally do the states.

 

anyways, if you guys have any hints or suggestions as to if western instructors are needed up north, or if its too hard. PS: is there anything in china either? kris

[krotch 0]

I'd look around google first for getting a work visa in Japan. I hear it's a bit tough. I personally don't know though.

[Zaoman 0]

This might be an interesting read for you

 

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/working-at-japanese-ski-resorts.html

[RockyV 0]

I too pondered that thought before I came here and the impression I got at that time was that it would be very difficult without very good conversational Japanese. Unfortunatley it isn't as easy as knowing the basic stuff like turn left and turn right, your students will ask you lots of questions and you need to be able to answer them. So having said that unless you have lived here before, or have a Japanese mum or something like that, I doubt your Japanese is good enough, I hope that I'm wrong, but hows your Japanese?

 

Also my impression from my time here is that it is definately who you know, much more so than Aus or the US. So it makes it lots easier if you are able to find a contact, even a friends', uncles', mums' doctors' brother is probably ok. Japanese will go out of their way to help you if 1. you speak to them in Japanese and 2. there is some connection to them somehow

 

People have done it before, but it is rare. If your keen enough and pushy enough and vist lots of places in maybe November next year, and you can do all of this without using a word of English, then you can do it.

 

Goodluck

[number9 0]

I haven't met any ski instructors, but I've met plenty of Aussies and Kiwis who spoke great Japanese who worked for summer adventure companies (rafting, canyoning, etc.) I wonder how they got their start.