Paid dancing gigs/humanities visa

Ifve been in Japan over 5 years now, and Ifm currently on a humanities visa teaching English. Since the summer, Ifve been dancing as a hobby, but recently my teacher asked me if I wanted to join some other students for semi-regular dance gigs. Later I found it the venue would be paying us a relatively small fee to perform.

I actually called immigration about it to today to ask if Ifd need to submit a permission for exgaging in activities outside of the scope of my visa (or whatever itfs called) form, and after some questions and a check with her supervisor, she said as long as Ifm continuing my current job, I shouldnft need to submit anything else. Basically itfs just a hobby thatfs turning a profit and is not a real job (no contracts, etc).

Ifm just curious if anyone else has done something like this and been fine? I might just be over thinking, but I thought maybe I could have misheard the immigration officer since Ifve seen a lot on this forum that suggests I may need special permission. Thoughts?

As long tax is not deducted from the payment you receive no issues, than you can consider the payment as a gift.

The only similar case I've seen here (here on this Forum) is someone working in IT full-time, and wanting to do some gigs on the side, in which case he was required to obtain a separate permission for each gig. That was a one-man gig I believe, for which he got paid.

In your case, if Immigration said it, I would think it is OK - it is a "group" dance, for one thing, right, and a "small" fee, you say? I would keep a note of the name of the officer and which immigration bureau it was that you asked, so that you would have something to fall back on should someone later ask.

OP here (I remembered my log in haha)

Ooh I should have gotten the agents information huh? She asked me how much the fee was (itfs 4,000 yen per time) and some other questions about my job, but ultimately said therefs no need to do anything. Im pretty sure there are no taxes being taken out, but it will be directly deposited I think.

Maybe I should just call again next week to confirm and this time take notes haha

Thank you!