Musician moving to Japan
 

1) My roommate is Japanese and her student visa expires in September. I have decided to move back with her and was wondering if anyone here knows how easy it is for gaijin to get jobs either as a musician (I play guitar/keyboards semi-professionally in the US) or as a bartender (I bartend to supplement my income as a musician).. Is there much of a music scene (for gaijin, or otherwise) in Tokyo? Nagoya? Osaka? Fukuoka? How about for touring musicians? Could I get a work visa for that kind of work?

Sorry, I don't have a college degree.

2) I was also wondering about my music studio. I've got some expensive mixers, synthesizers, guitars, amplifiers, etc. etc. I'd really like to bring things with me (certainly some, if not all), but I'm not sure if shipping things would be worth it or if I would be better off selling everything and literally starting over from scratch?

3) Any other recommended resources for expats regarding the logistics of making a (semi) permanent move overseas? Specifically I need to investigate things like dealing with current debt before/after I move, what to bring and what to sell (especially concerning electronics, like synthesizers and guitar amplifiers), finding jobs, etc. etc.

Opinions from expats with experience would be very much appreciated.. As for actually living in Japan, I've been there a number of times and will be moving there with my current roommate... so I'll have a little helper once I get there.. I just need to figure out the logistics from my end... that is, taking my current life and moving it across the Pacific.

Without a degree, you may need to marry your roommate to live and work there...

My roommate and several of her college friends seem to think it's pretty easy for gaijin to find jobs once they're in the country... regardless of visa. Is this not at all the case?

Doesn't seem like it. Seems that it's a general requirement to get some type of a Visa to remain in the country, unless you luck out and end up with a company to sponsor you, which is probably difficult for a "gaijin" to obtain.

Not many reputable places will want to break the law if they don't have to, and trying to get a real job while on a tourist Visa is against the law. If your employer decides to not pay you, or you get hurt on the job, etc, you'll be out of luck because you can't very well go to the police to complain about the job you were working illegally...

All I can say is that so many people have tried what you are planning on doing and failed.

Just check out this guy on youtube.

He goes by the handle name of sexymdlman and he has some videos about his attempt to get a modeling career in Japan.

Only problem is that he went there with a tourist visa and although he had many offers, at the end he got nothing.

Sponsoring a visa is not free and it comes with lots of responsibilities and sometimes liabilities for companies so unless you are skilled labor in high need field such as engineering, you are out of luck.

You can still visit Japan and stay there for 90 days.

Here is the link to sexymdlman: YouTube - sexymdlman's Channel

You can find jobs...I worked as a bartender for a couple years while I was JET, but I had a real job and real sponsor for day work.

As was stated, your tourist visa will expire in 90 days. If you overstay it, you become an illegal alien. If you ever want to go back to Portland, it will be your last trip from Japan.

I was able to play music and bartend in Japan only because I had a work visa through the JET Program. The bar I worked at didn't care about my visa status, but also paid me in cash every month. My name was nowhere, and if someone asked, I didn't work there.

Dunno who peed in his cheerios this morning but yeah onto the topic... Japan doesn't like foreigners working jobs that Japanese can do, especially anyone with out a degree or a steady source of income because they don't want to have to support them. My gaijin friend is a fairly successful DJ here but he has a valid work visa just like MMM did and a sponsor. On another note Japan isn't as forgiving about overstaying your visa as some countries, they tend to detain you a long time then letting you go with an official don't come back for 5+ years going away present, they also like to make sure you have money to spend in Japan before you come here so you don't wind up homeless and stuck in Japan thus becoming their problem. If you have been to Japan a number of times you should have picked up on this little thing, if you have no Job, no degree and not a lot of money to spend and then go home there there not interested. Sorry to be so negative >.<

Don't know where this came from because there are tons of "live houses" in Japan. I went to dozens of clubs and concert halls in Osaka and the surrounding area, and there are many in Tokyo, too.

In terms of employment, it's a sketchy line of business no matter where you are.

Yea, I must agree.

There are tons of places all over Tokyo, Osaka, and in its surrounding cities.

I mean both Tokyo and Osaka are big cities and spread out obviously so if you stick around in one area, you may not see them but I go to live houses all the time when I'm there.