Living in Japan Advice
 

Hi, I am wanting to travel to Japan backpacking but would like to do so for as long as possible, staying for a year or more. I would really love some tips on anything that could help me, eg Jobs, long term accomadation, expereince from other travellers etc.
I'm really passionate about going there but i'm worried once i get there i will not have enough information to put me on the right track. i'm hoping to have $4,000 dollars AUS to set me up, will this be enough?

Thanks! :)

As far as I know, you can travel for up to 90 days on a tourist visa. I am not sure how Australian dollars translate into yen.

You cannot legally work in Japan without a work visa, and you cannot get a work visa without a sponsor and government approval.

I have a feeling your vision of travels in Japan and what is actually possible have a pretty large chasm in between.

Again, read through these forums a little, as this type of question is regularly addressed, and if you have specific questions feel free to ask.

i assume you are Australian wich gives you the great possibility to get a 1 year Working Holiday Visa. Your money will keep you travelling around 1 month maybe 1 and a half (as the A$ is quite week) or it will keep you living in one city for 2 months.
You are a english native speaker wich will give you the possibility to get work as a teacher. It will be easier if you have a university degree, but it is possible without (just alot more difficult).
If you can speak Japanese you will easily find another job, wich just doesnt pay well. Other than that you will be very limited.
I have been 1 year in Australia with WHV and im now in Japan since 6 month and i have to say that Japan is alot more difficult.
First to do backpacking.... this country doesnt have the culture and facilities to Backpack like Australia. Youthhostels are quite expensive as is public transport. Most travellers here will either have a big wallet, or just stay for a short time.
Second: finding a job wich can actually keep you alive is not as easy as in Australia as most jobs pay bad and accomodation tends to be expensive.

My advice is: Save up some more money (if possible), learn japanese basics (you will be living there for a year after all) and get a book (there are a few out there wich are something like "WHV Japan" or "live work and play in Japan") to give you a overfiew of you possibilitys.

Overall, i´d say you can do it, but you might end up working most of the year and might have a rough start. If you keep your wallet closed in the beginning till you find a job, than you should be alright.
Its definetly worth it, its a beautifull country with some very nice people and lots to see, so i recommend you to give it a try. Just keep in mind that you will be backpacking Asias most expensive country, you could go longer in China, Vietnam,... or even Korea, but only Korea (besides Japan) will offer you (as Australian) a Working Holiday Visa. Off course Japan will be a special experience and i think you would not have come to the Japanforum if you wanted to go to Korea ; )

Oh, and MMM i dont want to tell you off, because i like that you try to answer every question (and apreciate that), but could you please consider the Working Holiday Visa possibility for other countrys than America when giving answers to this kind of questions? I know that you don´t know alot about this visa, so just write smth like "... but you might be able to get a Working Holiday Visa...."
Sorry and thanks : D

since there r only nine countries (valid as of OCT07) which has a working holiday visa arrangement with japan i would say that MMM's answer covers a lot more cases than any other answer. casually counting he is correct in 19 our of 20 cases (using 200 countries as a basis)

more info

That's OK. I'll try and remember that Australia is a WHV country.

Regardless, the days of a traveling wanderer doing odd jobs as he thumbs rides and sleeps in barns and cheap inns is ancient history.

Thatguy, I'd recommend the Working Holiday Visa as well since it'd allow you to find work if it presents itself. I have a couple of friends from Canada who are currently working at ski resorts in Japan and are having the time of their lives.

Just do yourself a favor and start learning the language. It'll enrich your experience and it'll make yourself a lot more marketable if you start looking for work.

Considering that most of that 200 countrys are not native english and this forum is in english, lets do the count again:
Canada, Great Britian, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland are English speaking countrys wich can get the Working Holiday Visa for Japan and im sure we´ve got quite some members from some of these countrys, wich leaves America as the only country wich is english native (eg. most probably uses this forum) and cannot take the WHV.

I didnt want anyone to always remember all the countrys, just a "...and you might be able to get a WHV Visa if your not from America..." is enough.

oh and hitchhiking in Japan works quite well by the way and there´s still a few "wanderes" around ; )

^ Oh dear...

This was a good read for me, thanks for asking and thanks for replying!

i fail to see what having english as a mothertongue and participating in this forum has to do with each other. and no, us is not the only "native" english country around not having a working holiday visa arrangement with japan; south africa, jamica, barbados, trinidad and tabago, malta and liberia to mention a few.

a fair point blimp; but i think they were simply trying to make a simple shortlist... i don't think it was supposed to be in any way derogatory to other users from other parts of the world, or to other countries for that matter :)