Work for foreigners on temporary visa?

Hi, I'm going to Japan in February and was wondering if it is possible to get work in the entertainment industry? Or if there is an organisation that would hire me to work for a month in February. I can speak/read/write conversational Japanese and am fluent in English.

I would also be willing to work anywhere, (waitress etc) but am unsure how to go about applying for this work.

~Elle

Elle,

A "Temporary Visitor" visa does not allow you to work legally, so no legitimate company would offer you employment. Options for someone in your position could include teaching privately (Starbucks-style), or cash-in-hand jobs at dubious "entertainment" establishments in Roppongi if you are attractive - or Kabukicho if you are not.

Officially you are not allowed to work on a Short-term Stay (Temporary) visa and you could get into a lot of trouble when caught.
Having said that, it seems that some bars employ hostesses illegally which get a fine when caught whereas the hostess gets deported and banned from Japan. Certainly not recommended.

Can I get a working visa only for a month? If so, is work more readily available?

Elle,
There is no general "work visa" that you can simply apply for and receive. You need to have a potential employer first, who offers you a job because they want to hire you for your skills, experiences, etc., and then sponsor you for your visa. There are certain conditions/requirements for visa applicants. And because employers go through such trouble to sponsor you (a lot of paperwork!) noone would really be interested in sponsoring you for one month, I must say. I don't know exactly what you are thinking of - coming for a month of sightseeing and making extra money, or just coming to work? - but this is not possible unfortunately.

you can teach private lessons with payment in cash. you'll never get caught for doing that and it's really not a big deal. you'll never get enough students to cause anyone to care. starbucks is the standard teaching location.

if you are good with an instrument or part of a band you might be able to get an entertainer's visa, but it's unlikely.

i'd just stick to teaching english privately. no one's going to deport you for it unless you act like a real idiot and make a police officer angry enough at you to try.

How would I go about getting work as a private tutor?

Not withstandin it is illegal if you don't have the right visa, chances are you won't get caught, but just noting that to you.

Also, just for one month only? Hard to keep privates that way, its 1. hard to get privates in the first place, 2. keeping the privates, especially after most want a free lesson, then they plan to meet you once a week later, so assuming you come to japan week 1 you need to find students, do demo lessons, then have 2 maybe 3 students in the 4 weeks you are here, you're making chump change, 3. you won't be able to make any living on just privates alone. 4. You are fluent in English but are you native english? Privates can also be picky during the demo lessons as well. The good old days post Nova, post, bubble economy are gone.

As for work visas, no company is going to go through the trouble of sponsoring a visa for someone working only 1 month. Considering it usually takes longer then a month itself just to get all the documents processed, then they have to go through the trouble of replacing you once you're gone.