Work and Travel Japan
Japan – the land of the rising sun – fascinates with its contrasts: centuries-old traditions meet state-of-the-art technology, and historic temples blend harmoniously into the futuristic cityscape of the metropolises. Japanese culture shapes daily life and can be felt everywhere. Experience this unique world up close with Work and Travel in Japan. Discover the country, people and language, and immerse yourself deeply in the culture. We explain what requirements you need to meet for the Japan Working Holiday Programmes and how to apply for the visa.
Why do Work and Travel in Japan?
When it comes to Work and Travel, most will think of New Zealand, Canada or Australia: Japan is at the top of the wish list for very few. But we have some good reasons for doing Work and Travel in Japan.
Japan is considered one of the safest countries in the world. The crime rate is very low and violent crimes are rare. This allows you to live freely and safely in Japan during your Work and Travel stay and travel carefree through the country – be it alone or in a group.
Are you already a fan of Japan and are currently learning Japanese? Then a Work and Travel stay is the perfect opportunity to experience the country for yourself for a year and improve your language skills at the same time. Get to know Japan and its contrasts. Immerse yourself in customs and culture and admire Japan’s technological advances. Through your work and your travels, you will certainly meet a lot of new people with whom you can talk in Japanese.
What only a few people know: Japan is a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. The country has ski resorts with the best powder snow and amounts of snow that we rarely see in Europe. The best snow is in Hokkaido and the Japanese Alps.
But Japan also wins guests over with its beautiful nature, with cherry blossoms in spring, colourful maple trees in autumn – every season is an experience. In addition, Japan is home to many volcanoes, hot springs (onsen), forests, rice terraces, bamboo groves, and much more.
Japan, the “Land of the Rising Sun”, is located in the Pacific Ocean off the east coast of Asia and consists of four main islands as well as numerous smaller ones. With around 125 million inhabitants and a land area of about 378,000 square kilometres, it is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Pacifism is firmly anchored in the Japanese constitution – the country officially renounces war as a means of politics. Japan impresses with its diverse nature: snow-capped mountains, dense forests, volcanoes and subtropical coastal regions characterise the varied climate. The mixture of tradition and modernity is particularly fascinating – ancient temples stand right next to gleaming skyscrapers. Japan is also known around the world for its pop and subculture: anime, manga, video games and a bold, creative fashion scene shape the cityscape just as much as modern technology and deep-rooted cultural values.
Jobs for Work and Travel in Japan
Would you like to do Work and Travel in Japan and are wondering which jobs this could involve? If you don’t speak Japanese, the choice is limited, but with a very good knowledge of English, you still have a few opportunities.
With Work and Travel, your main options are working in hostels and hotels, restaurants, in sales, factories or agriculture (e.g. on rice farms). You can enquire about foreign restaurants in large cities, for example German restaurants. German-speaking service staff are always needed here. There are also restaurants in tourist areas where you have to be able to speak English well.
If you can already speak Japanese well, you have a good chance of getting a job as a language teacher or in an office. You are not allowed to work in clubs or nightlife with the Japan working holiday visa.
Japan working holiday visa
For your Work and Travel stay you will need the Japan working holiday visa. This visa allows you to stay in the country for up to one year. You have to apply for it at the Japanese embassy or consulate in Germany. It is essential that your stay is for touristic purposes. If your main purpose is to work, you will need to apply for another visa. The visa is also subject to other requirements.
Requirements
- Age: You must be between 18 and 30 years old.
- Financial reserves: You must have at least 2,000 euros in reserves. If you do not yet have a return ticket when you apply, you must have 3,000 euros in reserves.
- International health insurance: You must take out and demonstrate international health insurance.
Note: The requirements referred to apply for German citizens. Since January 2025, the Japan working holiday visa can also be applied for a second time.
Documents
You will need the following documents to complete your application for the Japan working holiday visa:
- Passport
- Application form
- Itinerary with the places you plan to stay in, etc. (English or Japanese)
- Curriculum vitae (English or Japanese)
- Cover letter (English or Japanese)
- One-way or return flight ticket
- Proof of financial reserves, e.g. bank statement
- Insurance certificate of your international health insurance
Applying for a working holiday visa
You can submit the visa application by mail or in person. You usually do not need an appointment to take your documents in person to the consulate or embassy. However, you should observe the applicable opening hours and inform yourself in advance. You cannot submit your application online.
Document translation
Do you need help translating your documents into English or Japanese? Our professional native-speaker translators will be happy to help you!
Dos and Don’ts in Japan
✓ Bowing as a greeting and goodbye
✓ Courtesy and consideration
✓ Order and cleanliness, especially in public places
✓ Respect for the elderly and authority figures
✓ Taking off your shoes before entering apartments and sometimes also restaurants
✓ Openness to Japanese culture
✓ Use both hands to hand over gifts or business cards
𐄂 Taboo topics such as war, yakuza, politics
𐄂 Being too honest
𐄂 Tipping
𐄂 Rejecting things directly
𐄂 Anger or excessive joy
𐄂 Physical contact, such as hugging or kissing in public
𐄂 Sharing your private life too quickly
FAQs: Work and Travel Japan
Yes, Work and Travel in Japan is possible for German citizens. You must be between 18 and 30 years old, have at least 2,000 euros in reserves and you will need international health insurance.
The working holiday visa for Japan is free of charge. However, you must have at least 2,000 euros in reserves. If you do not have a return ticket yet, you will need 3,000 euros. Moreover, life in Japan is relatively expensive. Therefore, you should have set aside about 5,000 to 7,000 euros before your Work and Travel adventure in Japan.
Yes. More than that, you must apply for your working holiday visa for Japan while you are still in Germany. You can do this at either the Japanese embassy or consulate.
Author
Katharina Weckend, Content & SEO Manager
Katharina joined lingoking as a Content and SEO Manager in 2024. She handles our content and SEO strategy and writes texts for our website, guide and other lingoking media. “I am happy I get to pass on knowledge in our lingoking guide and help break down language barriers.”
Translation
Dr. Tracey Kimmeskamp
A native of Northern Ireland, Tracey has lived in Germany’s Ruhrgebiet for over 20 years. She has been working with lingoking as a translator since 2016, all the while diligently training for her dream career in mochi quality control.
