Becoming a train driver for JR Central

Hello, my name is Raúl and I am from Barcelona, Spain. I am 15 years of age.

I have a huge interest in terms of trains, as of one year ago, I have started being interested in Japanese trains, I have watched many documentaries about the Shinkansen, the Tokyo Metro, the JR East lines in Tokyo... and I am certainly very interested in the Tōkaidō Shinkansen.

I have read that the Tokaido Shinkansen is operated by JR Central (JR Tōkai), but one of my main questions is, is it possible to work for a company like JR East in normal 1067mm gauge trains (trains like the ones that run in the Yamanote Line), then move to JR Central for trains like the Shinkansen?

According to some other forum posts this is some of the information I have found, I am not sure if they're reliable or not:
-In order to become a Shinkansen driver you must have worked 2 years as a station attendant, 2 years as a conductor, and 2 years as a 1067mm gauge train driver.
-Shinkansen drivers must take a national examination (Licensed by the government) to qualify.
-Shinkansen drivers must not wear white socks.
-Most people hired are between 23 to 27 years of age.
-Train drivers need to have a Japanese citizenship.

I do not know if JR has ever hired a foreigner driver, I do know some English speaking people have gotten a job at JR however.

I am obviously aware that a driver for JR (or any train/bus/cab company for that matter) must have a native-like knowledge of the Japanese language, I have currently mastered Hiragana and Katakana (and I also know some very basic Kanji), and I am able to ask some questions, I still have to learn most Kanji, though.

JR East does have a recruitment page in English, however.

I also know about pointing and calling, and know many words that would be used in a train.

I intend to move to Japan on my early 20's, since I want to work in the local rail company here first (Renfe, since they also have high speed trains), in order to have experience.

I have also been thinking about visiting Japan for around 3 weeks once I am around 19, in order to see how life there would feel.

My final question is; Where should drivers of the Tōkaidō Shinkansen be based in? Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya?

Thank you very much for reading up to this point of my post, I hope someone here has answers to my questions.

ありがとうございます。

Raul,

You should be asking those questions to JR Tokai instead. I'm sure you'll have a great learning experience filling in their Japanese-language question format below, and you can always come back to this forum to have your Japanese corrected if necessary.
https://jr-central.co.jp/info/orange/input

Right now, the Shinkansen business is being greatly affected by Covid-19. I'm sure the people at JR Tokai would be happy to know that a young man in Europe is looking forward to the company's future.

Meanwhile, I can answer one question.

I do know some English speaking people have gotten a job at JR however.

Today, all personnel of the JR Group are required to speak English to a certain extent, but that doesn't mean they don't speak Japanese fluently. That said, JR is constantly seeking workers who have the ability to help their foreign customers. If you speak Spanish fluently, and also turn out to have a good knowledge of their railway system as well as the ability to read and write Japanese, I'm pretty sure they'll be interested in hiring you even if it weren't for driving trains.

Stay safe.

In order to be a train driver you need to work at JR first and get to know the company.
You will start as conductor or other function.

It does not matter if you are foreigner as long you have the correct visa and have native language skills

https://shingakunet.com/bunnya/w0009/x0123/

I drive trains. I am in my mid 30s. I had a similar idea as you. It was not feasible. This is what I discovered after some research and discussion with Japanese railway workers.

Yes you need to have excellent Japanese language skills and reading ability.

Yes you need to start at the bottom in the station attendant roles. So they normally pull kids from high school that don't go onto further studies. Then you move up to different jobs while in the railway companies as you and others have quoted. And they are very rigid in this process and do not deviate from it.

So unless you can come to Japan and complete high school (with ability to read and write and converse) and pass high school. Then I would say it will not happen if you cannot do this.

I would just get a job in your home countries rail companies. And visit Japan on a holiday and full train otaku while visiting.

Someone needed to say the truth. Above poster did.

Japan has many many "train otaku", young japanese people who are passionate about trains, taking pictures in railway stations, playing railway games since they were kids...Japan has a lot of candidates to drive trains in the country, it doesn't need to seek new candidates from abroad for such jobs. The training to become a train driver, the way of thinking, communication, the whole process is "very japanese way" and as a resident I don't see a foreigner who didn't grow up in Japan getting such a job.

Also if you come to Japan in your mid-20 you will be simply "too old" for them.

I saw on my own line (Seibu Ikebukuro line) training of recruits being supervised by older driver standing next to them. The "new" driver looked like a kid who just finished high school (even if I may exagerate because Japanese often look younger than they are).

Someone needed to say the truth.

I think T.K. meant "reality" instead of "truth", because I believe every poster on this thread has written the truth so far. At least I did.

@Uco

I am not a mother tongue speaker either, but I think an expression as "needed to tell the truth" means something like "harsh truth" or "harsh reality". I.e. it doesn't mean that the previous persons didn't say true things. It just means that the harsh truth is that it will be nearly impossible / impossible to make this dream a reality and it's better to think now about alternatives rather than continue to pursue this dream, which will not become reality.

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/to-tell-you-the-t...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Another semi related point/s to the above discussion - working for the rail companies in Japan (and there are more than 100 of them) is generally considered a prestigious job (although given the abuse some customers gives the workers you might not think so). So getting a job at somewhere like one of the JR companies is going to be highly competitive especially for something like a driver. I see that in how the workers behave, and some news reports where someone from a non traditional background gets promoted into a new position (like the usual "first woman to XYZ") and the operation of the train system is a source of national and cultural pride. Even something as mundane like the drinks carts on the shinkansen have a defined hierarchy (indicated by the colour of the badges they wear) and they take their jobs seriously.
Many of the largest companies recruit straight from high school or from universities with everyone starting the same day. It is quite something each April to see trainees being mentored in so many offices/stores/institutions at the same time. JREast recruited 1,100 people for the 2019 year and they employ around 73,000 people overall (just one of the six JR companies). BTW, starting salary for a Masters degree is pretty terrible, and only slightly higher than someone from a technical college. But that is pretty common for many starting jobs in Japan.
So coming from another country outside of that cycle, at a different age, competing for a prestigious position becomes unlikely. Added to that, you would also need the company to sponsor your work status - they have little incentive to do that. And then, even if you landed a job, the career path to actually get to be a driver is far from certain.

LikeBike, thank you for enlightening me, and I hope you all have a great weekend too!

Thank you all for helping me out, I now know the reality of my possibilities for the job, I still want to be slightly persistent and try to land a job in JR (Since it does seem like I might still have a chance), but, it is very uncertain.

I have started taking my Japanese language studies way more seriously, I now study an average of 3 hours a day, instead of the 35 minutes I would casually do before.

I am currently mastering writing Katakana (as I had already mastered writing Hiragana before) along with learning Kanji, it is certainly hard, but I will try my best to get it to an advanced level asap (Hopefully 2-3 years from now on, quite hard but not impossible, I assume.)

As a matter of a fact, I am finishing high school this year (Spanish people usually finish it between 15-16 years of age, depending on the time of the year you're born in), I do want to study something in the meantime, though.

I have been thinking of studying abroad, but I doubt it will be possible due to COVID-19 (maybe in a year or so, hopefully.), so for now I will study computing for 2 years (as I really enjoy computing as well.)

Hopefully, and with enough luck, I will manage to move between 18 to 19 years of age.

Obviously, due to my idea being really hard, I have considered working for Renfe's AVE network (Spanish High Speed rail) as an alternative, along with working in something that would have to do with computing as a third alternative. (I would certainly visit Japan and go full train otaku, visiting various railway museums and such if that was the case though.)

I have three questions, though.
First question: Is it possible to use the studies I have done in Spain in order to land a job in Japan? (For example: Finishing high school in Spain, and then working in Japan)
Second question: How would I be able to get the correct visa?
Third (and last) question: Do any of you know of any website/app to learn Japanese? I currently use Duolingo, however, I feel like I could learn way more.

As I said in the start of this reply, thank you all for answering my questions, I am truly grateful for the help I have gotten.
皆さんありがとうございます！

First question: Is it possible to use the studies I have done in Spain in order to land a job in Japan? (For example: Finishing high school in Spain, and then working in Japan)
Yes, your university(!!! )studies from Spain will count towards your visa. See also below. IT related university degree is a good choice as this is relatively in demand in Japan. At least now. Who know in 5-6 yrs.

Second question: How would I be able to get the correct visa?
There are different visas and many different for different categories of work. Student visa eg is for studying at a language school or other type of school/ university but you need to show that you have money. Then depending on your country a Working Holiday Visa exists which allows some work but mainly holiday. I think it is limited to 1 yr max and only available if you have the right nationality.
But what you are after to work and live in Japan is a work visa. They come by categories and each has other conditions. But generally you need a job offer from a company and they need to sponsor your visa application. Ie you cannot apply for a visa and then start looking for a job. The other general condition is experience or university degree in a certain field. Eg there are visas for professional cooks, but it means you need to have x yrs of experience in your specific cuisine. But there are no visas for dishwashers.
If you have a university degree visas get slightly easier as often the condition is “a” university degree, not necessarily one that is related to your job. But obviously your potential employers will look at if your degree is relevant. Also with university degree you can’t work in anything. The visa categories are still quite strict. You can find more details on the web.


Third (and last) question: Do any of you know of any website/app to learn Japanese? I currently use Duolingo, however, I feel like I could learn way more.

Not really. . But for kanji studies as you seem to be at the very beginning I would strongly suggest the Heisig method. It introduces kanji in a way where they are connected to each other. And with strong mnemonics. While normally books either introduce them as they are fought in school, but you are not a 6 yr old Japanese who knows who to speak fluent child Japanese. You are much older. So you can understand more advanced concepts which a child would not. Or books are introducing them in the order they appear in texts which is approximately oriented at what children learn anyway. That method isn’t bad, but you may see a kanji and then never again for x lessons. However if you follow a book you will need to learn those kanji. But in parallel I’d get the Heisig book. I myself did not use it as I was too much along the way when I learned about it. I knew by then about 1000 kanjis. But if I’d start now, I would use it.

An app I have been using for learning kanji is skritter. Where you can learn to write by hand.

An other good app is “imiwa” which is a great dictionary. And if you install the chinese keyboard you can write kanjis by finger , which is useful if you don’t know how to pronounce it.

For any kind of book I would try to get one that stops using furigana quite soon. Otherwise you are unconsciously reading the furigana instead of the kanji. And furigana in real life in Japan only exists in notes aimed at very small children.

Maybe it is only me, but I think a blood and flesh teacher is important when study as a corrective factor. So if you can get one that would be good. I think you said you are from BCN. There might be courses offered at the university. I went to one in Madrid at complutense. Just once or twice a week.

Also preparing for one of the JLPT tests can be good to measure your actual Japanese capability. Until you reach N2 they are kind of worthless from a job perspective but they still give you a study goal and an independent assessment of your capabilities. But they don’t test your active use of Japanese. Only listening, grammar, kanji and reading. But not speaking & writing.

Well, happy studies!

"(For example: Finishing high school in Spain, and then working in Japan)"
if you mean that you want to get a working visa, without going to university, probably you can't get it easily.

another point you have to know is that, at present, JR central only hires fresh graduates of high school, university, and graduated school.

For your question about on-line Japanese courses - try Japan Foundation. The UK website has a lot of learning resources (there is also a branch in Madrid).

https://www.jpf.org.uk/language/courses.php

Lots of online resources. Japanesepod101 has been around a while. A nice easy introductory course is available on NHK as well - search for Japan-Easy and you'll come up with a course. However, what works for one person might not work for another. Ultimately it takes time and effort.

One other observation about trains in Japan - there is a move on some lines to go to driverless options. They have been working on that for the Yamanote line for ages, but other routes already do not have drivers.

OP did not read nor did comment what was said about being a foreigner in Japan. He won't be a train driver for JR Central. He won't. He wants to go to Japan and work without a degree. Things don't work that way. Japan is not in Schengen Area so getting a work visa is necessary and JR will not hire a foreigner to drive a train with hundred of Japanese passengers. They will have a hard time finding a reason to hire a foreigner and not a Japanese citizen.

Not going to happen. No need to make speculation.

It sounds like other foreign people who post messages on Japan Guide and wanting to become police officer in Japan. Completely unrealistic.

Hello again, I am writing to give a small update (and to ask some more questions).

I want to order this post from the most important part to the least (though it is all very important, obviously).

First of all, I do sincerely apologize for not including the fact about coming to Japan as a foreigner in my last post, I do understand that it will certainly be way too hard (and almost completely unrealistic) for me to come and work in Japan with no degree (and to fit in the society as well).
Therefore I have thought about it, and since JR also recruits university graduates, I believe getting a working visa and working there could be possible if I were to have a university degree.

I have also thought about graduating university in Japan, I do not know if this is possible, since I haven't truly informed myself in this, but (In Spain) it is possible to go to university by doing a "Bachillerato" (Similar to school from 16-18 years of age in Japan) or a "CFGM-CFGS" (Which would be based on a certain topic, but usually lasts longer, from 16 to 17 years of age for the CFGM and 17 to 19 for the CFGS.) I am going to do a CFGM, because as I said in my last post; I want to study computing (Or rail maintenance, since there is a course for that). Doing Bachillerato would mean studying the general stuff, which despite having many advantages, also has its drawbacks.

I still do not know about graduating university there, since COVID-19 is still a huge deal in many aspects, especially in terms of economics (And going to university is truly expensive, and the costs of living in Japan would add up too).

Now, second of all, I know that fitting into the Japanese society is incredibly hard, I first want to deal with my own personal issues, in order to be more ready and avoid common issues such as culture shock (especially since the Spanish are way too open, and could be considered rude in other countries standards, such as the British).
The thing that I do not have control over at all is JR hiring me, as T.K said, it will certainly be hard for them to find a reason to hire a foreigner instead of a Japanese citizen, but I still want to at least try to do it, and if it fails, at least I would be able to do stuff in other fields (Since I would have graduated from university anyway.)

I am also aware of the fact that JR is working on automating lines such as the Yamanote line


I'm going to order up the questions now (Most are about working for the company, but I do have some questions regarding the language, which I will mark with an L).

First question: I am aware that coming to work for a company like the JR Group (East, Central, West, Kyushu, Hokkaido and Shikoku) that usually recruits high school graduates in my mid 20's would not work at all, since I would be too old, Could I have a chance coming to work in my early 20's? (20-22, maybe 23 at most.)

Second question: Where do train drivers usually reside? I would assume it is near the depots, since going to work at certain schedules and having to commute could be an issue.

Third question: How many hours does a driver work? I've read that they usually work on the morning, or work in the evening, staying in the depot at night, I however am unsure about that, since I found it in a not-too-reliable website and could be wrong.

Fourth question: What universities would you all recommend? I know there are plenty of universities in Tokyo itself, and I am unsure in which one to study in if I were to do what I mentioned earlier.

Fifth question: Though I understand that you must have perfect Japanese skills to be a train driver, especially in speaking and reading (which is in my opinion the easiest part), is it okay to not know how to write all the Kanji? Since I am already aware that I'll end up forgetting about the stroke order of a rare one.

Last question (L): Is the Heisig method the most efficient for learning Kanji, or are there any other alternatives?


As usual, I want to thank for the replies I have gotten, I understand that it is almost completely unrealistic, however, I still think there might be a small chance.

I also saw a recent thread about driving the Shinkansen, which is what made me decide to give an update to this thread.

The only slim chance of becoming a teain driver is to complete high school in Japan. If you cannot commit to this. Drop the idea.

I'm afraid I can't answer any of the OP's latest questions, but I suppose that this is a time when a lot of people, including our viewers and posters, are being negative or perhaps lonesome and need to let it out in a negative way. I send my love to all those who need a hug.

By the way, when I was the OP's age, no one thought a woman would be allowed to host a news program in network television here in Japan. By the time I was in college, NHK had female newscasters, and when I was graduating, they had become a trend and women of various upbringings were being recruited. Meanwhile, when I was the OP's age, my dream was to become a rock star or a movie director. To this day, I haven't become either of them, but did end up in the industries, and also realized along the way that it's better than being a star or director.

Perhaps not as drivers, but railway companies indeed hire foreign residents, young and old. The future is unpredictable, especially at the moment, and I hope the OP will be able to cultivate his way.
https://www.jreast.co.jp/recruit/stationstaff/tokyo/

The 7 Jr Companies aren't the only ones operating trains in Japan. There are dozens of other rail companies throughout Japan. Tokyo has at least half a dozen. Osaka has its fair share as well. Other large cities have their own rail companies and there are many third-sector railways operating throughout the rural regions. Don't narrow the search for just the 7 JR companies.

Animo, y continúa con tus sueños, pero también ten expectativas realistas. No es imposible, pero casi, casi. Ten tambien otras opciones en mente!

There are dozens of other rail companies throughout Japan. Tokyo has at least half a dozen.
Tokyo has 43 train companies that I am aware of - 43!! I also know there are more than 110 companies spread across the country.