How can i move to japan?

hi names kevin... ive been thinking about this for a very long time... it started as just an farfetched idea 3 years ago.. but the more i thought about it the more it started to sound like a good idea... i simply just dont want to live in the US anymore, i feel that this place is going to hit rockbottom and i dont want to be here when it does... im 17 and im kinda tired of this place

There are plenty, plenty, plenty of threads corresponding to this topic and I think you should search for those before starting another topic.

And no... it's not a good idea to want to leave the US because "it's going to hit rockbottom," whatever the hell you mean by that phrase.

People from all around the world would do ANYTHING to be in your position and even have an opportunity to do something with their lives.

One good thing about living in another country is that it makes you appreciate your own as you get to look at it with different eyes. I wanted nothing more than to leave New Zealand when I was in my late teens- I didn't think it was a bad place, just boring. I hadn't been in Japan long when I started to realise that NZ has so many positive points and thought "so that's why people say they love New Zealand!"

I still live in Japan, but now I think my own country is a wonderful place and hope to live there again some day.

Remember too that Japan is a country with many, many problems of its own, and being a foreigner you will get to experience some of those issues first hand- please don't idealise Japan or you will be in for quite a shock.

You will need to spend a few more years in the States before coming here I imagine anyway, so you might as well enjoy your life, wherever you happen to be.

What kind of information are you hoping to get from this site? You need to post specific questions if you want specific answers.

I kind of can relate to you because I had that same feeling when I was 26. I am surprised it has happen to you at such a young age. After being in full time employment in uninspiring jobs I was always interested in doing something exciting. I quit my jobs went to uni full time graduated and went to Japan and taught English. I have had the time of my life. I concur with the other poster, you do realise your home country does have its good points after living in another country. Every country has its good and bad points. I find living overseas fascinating and educating. You broaden your horizons. I would like to live in another country too but I still love Japan. Anyway good luck and give it a try.

Hi Kevin,

First of all...don't listen to Trenton (sorry Trenton) and other people who try to make you not do things!

That's a brilliant idea that you're having! Always do what you feel like doing, that's the only way to learn and grow and to not become a miserable old person without dreams who wishes he should have done things but didn't...so DO IT!
Where there's a will there's a way...for you it's quite easy since you're a native English speaker...you won't have a problem finding English-teaching jobs I reckon. Though I think you need some sorta degree for most of them...but then there's always TESOL and those institutions where you can make a like 3 months course (does cost about $1000) and that qualifies you as some sort of teacher. Also, try to learn Japanese before you go, makes it easier to find other jobs.
Yeah I feel the same about the US, it's going down eh...
I'm German but same as you...I just always wanted to get outta there and just live everywhere in the world...managed NZ, Aus, Ireland and soon Japan yay and then there's sooo many more countries...I absolutely love it!

Wishing you all the best...go for your dreams mate!

Just to clarify- a 3 month TESOL isn't a substitute for a university degree when it comes to getting a working visa here. It is a requirement of Immigration that you have a bachelor's degree or at least 3 years of relevant experience to get a working visa to teach English, and there is no other way around this.

Make sure you get accurate information about things like visas.

And just so you know, I'm not saying "don't come to Japan", I'm saying "don't idealise Japan".

I too want to move to Japan and really don't want to be living in the US. Its just not the place for me so I gotta go and find my place which I know is in Japan. Wish you the best of luck.

Me

Whoops...i falsely assumed that you'd be able to get a working holiday visa... well that makes it a bit harder then...erm...you could do something called WWOOFing, I did it in Australia, you work on small farms for free but get accommodation and food and you get to know the ''real'' Japan then...unfortunately you need to have some funds to do that...
So i guess one of those student exchange programs would probably be the best option for you...

Trenton has a good point, though maybe expressed bluntly, and living outside of the USA, I kind of agree.

Your negative attitude about the USA is off putting, and, frankly, myopic. You're young and you've got lots to learn; just a helpful tip, try to be more broad minded.

Sira fills it out well too.

It's not a good idea to leave the USA just because 'this place is going to hit rockbottom.' It's not, really. Not even close.
Just leaving because you don't like where you live isn't really a good motivation to move outside the country. It's not like you jump in the car and just go.

But, in the USA, you can. The USA is a giant country, and I'd suggest that maybe you get a broader view of it before you conclude that it will hit rock bottom. I had a chance to drive across the country and it was a great time. You'll find that the USA is doing pretty well.

However, moving outside of the country, in order to learn more about the world, and your own country, as Sira said, is a good idea. I can't say I'm so thrilled to be here, but I don't regret the decision.

Moving to Japan presents a *lot* of challenges. Have you been on your own before? Not like living with a bunch of roommates, but really, totally alone, where you are solely responsible for bills, food, rent, upkeep? It can be overwhelming in your own country, let alone somewhere else. It's important to not get too 'grass is greener in Japan' so to speak.

I'm just saying, don't write the USA off, and carefully consider your motivations for moving. I also think it's best to get a degree first too.

I also think it's best to get a degree first too.

This is generally good advice. However, in regards to moving to Japan it is practically a requirement. Get your degree first or you will find that you won't be able to stay in Japan on your own merits (i.e. not being an exchange student, married to a Japanese National, etc.) for even a semi-permanent basis.

Thanks for the words Dr. Bob, I agree with your post 1000% and also agree with you that this kid's view on the US is myopic. I mean, the kid probably hasn't even been in the workforce full-time, lives at home with family, and doesn't have the slightest clue of what is means to live in Japan (or any foreign country for that matter).

Also, thank you to Claudia for your cheapshot. All I originally wrote in my post is: this same topic has been discussed numerous times, it's not a good idea to leave a country without knowing anything about the destination, and how many people from around the world would love to be in his position. I don't think anything I wrote is incorrect.

If he wanted to visit or study in Japan for an extended period, that would be a fantastic idea and experience. (I'm currently doing it myself) But to want to pack up and completely leave for another country? Please... you're in dreamland and sounds like something coming from a naive high school student.

First, there ARE a lot of threads on this forum about this topic and I usually just pass them by. If you're serious about moving to Japan then you should have read them all by now.

I've lived in Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg and now Japan (5 years here), and I'm by now a confirmed America-phile so the idea that you HAVE to leave the US because it's so lousy is, yes, off-putting as somebody else has said.

But I get it, you want to move to Japan. So here's the practical advice:
First, do research. Not only in forums where you get everybody's wild responses, but in real official sources as well. How about the government of Japan?
http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/03.html
that's a start. If you can find this forum, you are internet-savvy enough to do your own research.

Second, have a plan. Look at what's required, and how you are going to get there. Again, don't rely on general advice from people you don't know. What do you want to do with your life, other than 'move to Japan'? You have to support yourself. Get busy figuring out how. Americans do not have as many options for obtaining residency in Japan as some other nations (we don't have the 'working holiday' option) so as far as I know you'll need a degree at least.

Take charge of your plan. Know everything you need to do, inside and out. Know the education requirements. Know the visa requirements. Know how much it will cost to buy a plane ticket. Don't let yourself be at the mercy of anyone else who knows 'a little bit' about what you want to do. Become the expert so you do what you need to do without casting around looking for advice.

And last, I'd recommend you visit Japan for a bit before deciding it's the place for you. There's lots to like here but quite frankly though I know enough japanese to get around I will never feel that I belong...everybody's experience is different but unless you really take a look at this country (and it's not at all like the image I made up in my mind before coming) then I for one can't imagine that you're going to be happy moving here just because it seems like a cool idea.

I also wanted to point out, besides it being a requirement to come to Japan, the actual process of getting a degree (i.e., 4 years+ of college) helps in the 'growing up' process. Going to college, you might meet people from other countries. Lots of colleges have study abroad programs too, so there's an option to visit Japan on a limited basis and see if you like it right there.

I've been self sufficient for nearly 15 years or so, and when I came here I was completely lost. I didn't have much help with day to day stuff. It took a long time to get settled in and it wasn't fun at all. This isn't a place where you can plop yourself down and you're good to go.

Spendthrift advice is very very good. In my younger days I had the chance to live in 2 countries for awhile. One "job" was in a student exchange program. The place I worked for was by the seaside and I shared a company cottage with 2 other students.Idyllic and the pay was good. The other job was in a different country and I worked for a company from my mother country,again without having to worry about finding a place to stay etc. THEN I emigrated to North America. That is totally different. Really though as you have no help! there were days when a peanut butter sandwich was my only meal. Tt takes years to get a decent job, a decent home etc. And not only will I always be a foreigner in my new country but when I go back to my birthplace I feel like a foreigner there as all sorts of things change all the time. I don't mind it and I am very happy with my life. But realistically it was much harder to earn a living in my new country than in my native one. Much harder.

At times I think about going back to the States but, whenever those thoughts pop into my head, I just remember all the reasons why I left in the first place.

Its hard to get to Japan but once you're here, its easy to stay.

At 18 I moved to Japan because I hated my life in the USA. I had been accepted to a Japanese university and, of course, "mommy and daddy" had the money to support me durring those four years. If you have the financial backing, its not hard to get a visa at all.

I know people will probably say I'm spoiled, and I was. I was a spoiled 18yo brat who knew nothing about anything. But Japan changed me. I went from living in a 10,000 sq foot house to living in an apartment smaller than my bedroom closet! My parents supported me during my university years, but they never over indulged me and only gave me enough money for the bare minimums. So I ended up getting part time jobs to supplument what i got from my parents.

This time allowed me to grow up and I came to realize that the USA is not as bad as I thought. Sometimes we can't see all the good things about a place until we look at it from afar.

After I graduated my father told he was cutting me off completely and I either had to come home to the States or I had to get a full time job to support myself in Japan. And thats exactly what I did. I spent so much time in this country, it'd be a shame to leave so I am now working full time.

I never want to go back to the States and its not even Because I hate it, its just that I had a lot of bad experiences growing up and I suffered from depression all the time and I felt I just had to get out of there. America is a great place but, and I know this is probably some psychological problem, whenever I'm there these bad memories and emotions start to stir up and I can't wait to get out of there again. And I know it sounds strange but, as a teenager, thinking about coming to Japan made me feel happy. And now I love my life in Japan.

If you really want to come to Japan, you'll find a way here but, just remember, that life here is not all that easy for foreigners and I've known plenty of people who have left after being here only a few months because they couldn't take it anymore.

Just to add alot of people who have come to Japan and loved it have had some prior experience with the Japanese culture. Like learning the language and Japanese students doing homestay at their house. These things prepare you a little in helping you to adapt to living in a vastly different culture. Just reading manga magazines and listening to Jpop is not enough. I have met alot of foreigners who have had problems in Japan who have seem to have had no prior experience with Japanese culture. There are certainly others who with no experience who seem to be able to adapt. Anyway follow your intuition, take in hand good advice and best wishes.