How to Work & Travel in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa

A Brief Overview

Deciding I was going to Japan meant I would have to first figure out a few basics:

• Getting my Working Holiday visa sorted 
• Learning when to go & where exactly I wanted to be
• Finding a job
• Saving money before I took off

I took full advantage of my year living in Japan. The Working Holiday Visa allowed me to spend a summer working on a farm in Hokkaido and the winter working on the slopes in Niseko. But, before you can jet off to Japan, you first need to understand how to get a Japanese Working Holiday Visa.

You might want to copy/paste my checklist from above or start making your own as I dive into the nitty gritty.

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How to Get Japan's Working Holiday Visa

Before we can go any farther, you first need to see if you're able to apply for the Working Holiday Visa in Japan. They're pretty strict about the requirements they have in place so you'll want to make sure you meet them.

I am going to go over the process for a Canadian passport holder, so there may be differences depending on your country. 

General Requirements:

• Applicant must be between the age of 18 and 30 (25 in case of some countries)
• You must hold a passport from one of the allowed countries
• Must be currently residing in his or her country of nationality
• Must hold sufficient amount of funds
• Must be in good health
• Never have been issued a Japanese working holiday visa in the past

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How Much Money Do You Need to Apply?

You will need a little moola in place to apply for the Working Holiday Visa. This is how I actually got into the country, and hopefully you can too, but to apply for this bad boy you need to have at least around $3,700 (but do check when you're applying as this number is subject to change).

If you don’t have this yet just start saving, even if it's little bits over time. Gotta start somewhere!

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Can I Apply From Anywhere?

You need to be living in your home country to apply for this visa. You will have to find the closest Japanese embassy to you and then make an appointment. This will be to submit all necessary documents and to actually apply for the visa.

If you cannot make it to an embassy, I would recommend getting in touch with the nearest office to see what other options they recommend. You may be able to just send everything yourself, however I know they have specific standards on all forms needed to apply. I went to the embassy in Calgary to be safe.

You’ll want to make an appointment for at least a month before planning on going to Japan. Once you get the visa you have 12 months to activate it. 

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Other Countries to Consider

New Zealand and Australia also offer Working Holiday visas as well. The requirements are a bit different for all 3 countries so if you can't get one of the visas, you should try for a different country!

To see a full list of countries that offer Working Holiday Visas, I'd do a search online with that + your country of nationality to see what comes up. There are a large number of visas out there but they're very dependent on your nationality and where there's a mutual understanding between them.‍

The Application Process

Applying for the visa you’ll need a few different documents. Again, keep in mind this is from the perspective of a Canadian passport holder. The documents you'll need to apply might differ.

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Necessary Documents to Apply

First things first, you'll need to get these documents in order before you apply:

• Valid Canadian passport
• Completed visa application form
• One photo (Approx. 45mm x 45mm, taken within the last 6 months)
• Personal resume
• Detailed itinerary of your stay in Japan (form)
• Letter explaining your reason for applying for a Working Holiday Visa
• Note from a doctor stating that you are in good health (original note)
• Canadian dollar minimum amount $3,500 ($4,500 for a married couple) in a bank statement providing proof of that amount.
• Airline ticket or flight itinerary to Japan. Alternatively, add an additional $1,000 to the above amount if you are unable to provide your itinerary or ticket

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Big Tips While Applying

‍While getting my visa, I picked up on a few things that might help you out.

1. They expect this visa to be mainly used as a holiday

This is why they ask for you to have sufficient funds, so while you can legally work, the work is just meant to supplement your funds and not be your main reason for going to Japan.

2. The itinerary you submit does not have to be your exact plans

‍But it is a good idea to include a few places and things you’d like to do.

While I worked for most of my time in Japan, I still left plenty of open space to travel the country. I suggest you do the same.

My favorite place I visited was Osaka. With incredible food, a deep connection to Japanese culture, and amazing places to stay, I'm pretty sure you'll love this city just as much as I did.

3. Buy the cheapest flight out of Japan

When dealing with the flight home, I wasn’t sure when I would actually want to come back. Since you can stay in Japan up to one year, it can be hard to know in advance if you'll want the full year or not.

You can either have a higher amount of money in your bank account or do what I did and buy the cheapest flight out of Japan (in my case to Hong Kong) and explain your plan to travel there afterwards.

4. Have extra copies of the application ready

They are a bit particular with the paperwork so I recommend printing out extra copies of the visa application. You also will need to send your passport with the paperwork, so be sure you won’t need it during the processing time!

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Job Types on the Working Holiday Visa

Since your visa is valid for up to one year, that gives you plenty of time to work and travel while in Japan. Personally, I chose to work 2 seasonal gigs: a winter job at a ski resort and a summer job at a farm. Others choose to teach English in Japan but if you want to go that route, it's usually easier to go directly on a work visa instead.

Many other Working Holiday Visa holders that I met were only working one of the seasons but since I wanted to take full advantage of my year in Japan without completely relying on my travel funds, I decided to work both seasons.

The ski season is the most popular for those on Working Holiday Visas but only covers you with a job and a place to live until April. That will leave you with around half a year left on your visa. Since I wanted to stay the full year, I then started to look for farming jobs.

I ended up finding a job right near where I was living in winter and things just kind of fell into place. Though most businesses shut down in April until the winter again, there were plenty of opportunities to stick around. It had quieter vibes, less people about and well, no more snowboarding.

‍The season changes and so does the lifestyle. Be prepared if you're thinking of staying in Niseko/Kutchan area that it will be totally different in the summer as it is in the winter. 

It is important to note that visa holders are strictly prohibited from working at bars, cabarets, nightclubs, or gambling establishments.‍

These are some different job ideas and job boards to find opportunities.

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Working in Hospitality

This will be any restaurants, shops, hostels, or hotels in the local area. For a lot of places it is not necessary to speak Japanese, but it is always an added touch if you can! I found my job on the Kutchannel, which is a local posting board for jobs and accommodation.

For other job opportunities check:

• Facebook groups like Niseko Winter Staff
• M Group
• Nisade 
• Hostels/Hotels (contact them directly for job opportunities) 

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Ski & Snowboard Instructors

Another option for work is if you’re an instructor or want to work at the actual ski resort. There are many companies looking for instructors, as well as positions for ski school or Front of House.

Below is a list of companies that might help you in search of a job:

• Rhythm Japan
• SkiJapan
• GoSnow
• Hanazono‍

When you start interviewing, be sure to clarify when you need to arrive, where to go exactly, and if accommodation is provided.

I would also ask about the ski pass situation if that is a priority to you, as some companies provide one and others offer shared passes. You can always buy your own though.

‍I ended up working at M Group, which is a hotel and restaurant in the center of Hirafu. I had a shared accommodation, with a meal provided on shift, and a shared ski pass. This ended up being fine for me as a few people in the shared pass decided to buy their own lift passes.

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Summer Farm Work

A pal of mine passed on this website to find local farm work. It shows you where the farm would be, if you need to know Japanese, and if they have accommodation. It’s really helpful because as great as Workaway is, you don’t get paid through those opportunities.

On the other hand, job hunting through the local website meant you were getting paid and possible accommodation. Plus they were unbelievably friendly when helping me apply for the actual jobs.

I ended up with a job at VegetableWorks in Hokkaido, Japan. 

Farming is not the only option for work around, but man, did I end up loving it! I really got to connect with the Japanese culture and all the people at the farm. It is proper work though and you will be outside a lot, so that is important to consider. 

They weren’t too strict on how many days you have to work but they appreciated it if you could do 3-5 days a week. If you were getting picked up it was a set time from 8am-6pm. I got an hour lunch and proper breaks where they kindly provided drinks, snacks, and of course, laughs.

You get paid monthly and you don’t need a Japanese bank account. You’ll also get lots of lovely fresh vegetables and occasionally a sore back. They even have BBQ days with drinks and the most amazing BBQ that just never seems to end. 

Again I recommend checking out theKutchannel or Facebook groups like Niseko Summer Staff for other opportunities if farming isn’t your thing.

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Accommodation in Hokkaido

I took their offer for a shared house accommodation which was about a ten minute drive from the farm, which they provided me a ride to and from. I ended up being able to rent a car for a lot of my time out there so living outside of town wasn’t too bad. 

They do offer pick ups to work from the main town Kutchan, which is also an option to find a place to live. It will be far cheaper in the summer than winter, you just might need to do some looking. It will be easier to do this in the summer after your ski season as you may find others looking for accommodation as well.

In all, I was in Japan for about 10 months. I had those as my main jobs and also helped out some local restaurants part time. I traveled in between working, 1 month backpacking around Japan, and another 2 week road trip through Hokkaido.

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Tips for Getting a Job in Japan

If you go the route I chose and want to get a job ahead of time, you will probably have to do some online applications and interviews, so have a recent copy of your resume ready to go.

‍Treat any interviews you get seriously. Although you might see this as just a small stint while on vacation, you won't get hired with that attitude.

Be in a quiet location and know a little bit about the company before the interview, just like you would do for a gig back home. Also, always double check on the time of the interview, as they might schedule it for Japan time but if you’re back home, that’ll be a big difference. When you start looking at where you want to work, don’t be afraid to apply at multiple places, that way you’ll have a better chance of securing something. ‍

The ski season/winter season in Japan starts about the end of November to late March, so you can start applying for jobs from June to September.

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Will You Apply for a Working Holiday Visa in Japan?

If you're looking for a relatively easy country to move to, the Working Holiday Visa in Japan has to be near the top of your list! With reasonable funds in your bank account you'll be able to travel throughout one of the most stunning and culturally impressive countries in the world. Plus, having the chance to work if you need or want to without the hassle of a work visa is a huge perk!

If you meet the requirements for the Working Holiday Visa in Japan, I highly recommend you take advantage of it!