How long does it take to get my spouse visa?

I am going to Japan next week to get married to my fiancee(who is Japanese and in Japan, and I am an American living in America) we have been in a long distance relationship from the start. I am a bit worried as I have no idea how long it takes to get my spouse visa(and even if they will give it to me). My plan is to go on a temporary visitor status (not mention anything of marriage to the immigrant officials) and then apply for a status change in Japan.
How long does this usually take? I wish I could just go on a work visa but I never went to college so that is not an option.

Although it is not immigration's preferred route, that shouldn't be a problem. The processing should take around a month or so, presuming all of your paperwork is in order.

Anywhere from a short week, to a very long 2 months or more. A lot depends on your relationship and the answers you give in your paperwork. When I applied for my spousal visa last year, I got it within a week, but I was already on a work visa, and had been living in the country for a long time.

Others report it taking a lot longer.

When you apply, they will give you an automatic 2 month extension in your passport from the date when your permission finishes if its soon enough. I'm not sure how far they would extend a tourist visa since that's already 3 months.

My advice: apply immediately once you get to Japan, then have a "Plan B" in case.

When you apply, they will give you an automatic 2 month extension in your passport from the date when your permission finishes if its soon enough.

Is that a new policy? In the past you'd get a sort of indefinite extension that allowed you to stay in country until a decision was made on your application.

I got a 2 month extension from the date my visa expires on a paper stapled to my passport, so it's pretty clear. i don't know if that's a strict "that's all the extension you get" or if I could go back in and ask for longer... Hopefully never have to find that out!