Part-Time Jobs for students

Hello everyone, I am currently living in Japan since September and I am having a very hard time when it comes to 'financial survival' here. The problem is that before coming here I heard it was so easy for foreign students to find a part-time job here as a way of helping them to pay their living expenses, but since I got here I am searching and found nothing but some students to which I tutor english and portuguese. I come from Portugal and know very little japanese (i am still learning the basic level at my japanese university) and seems like every work I find requires a knowledge of the language. My question is also related to those who are from many different nationalities and work here sometimes knowing nothing about japanese language... how does it happen? I desperately need to find a part-time job and thought maybe there are ways for me to work with portuguese language (teaching) besides some private tutoring, or even working in english in some bar/club... I know some students work that way and don't even need to speak japanese.
I live in Shinjuku so that won't be difficult to find something relatively close home...but although I am trying to learn japanese, the fact that I need a job asap is forcing me to choose from a limited range of options: jobs with no need of japanese language.


Can you help me with this? Thank you so much!

To be honest, since you have very limited Japanese skills, tutoring might be your only option as of now. Also, the fact that your a student limits it a bit more since you can only work a set number of hours per week. If you knew a lot more Japanese, then you can probably find a job in a convenience store, or even as a waiter. A few of my foreign friends do that so it's not impossible. Without a working knowledge of the Japanese language, I think you may be stuck until you improve your Japanese.

I agree with aru.
Its very difficult to find a job without proper japanese knowledge and even more if you are not an english native speaker, cause most jobs for foreigners are english conversation lessons.
but because you are living in tokyo you haven`t it that hard like someone else who lives in an area where foreigners aren`t that normal.
as a student you can work only 20 (?) hours per week.
but just ask at western style restaurants like irish pubs, french cafes, restaurants etc.for a part time job...
good luck!

Uh... Your post make me a bit nervous. I will be in a similar situation. My six months language school start in October.
Can school You are study in help You to find job? Maybe any adverts in school with job for gaijins?

Hmm..You could try to ask your school but doubt they can help you. What *usually happens is that once you arrive in Japan, the school sort of forbids you to do any type of work for up to 3 months because essentially you should have enough funds to cover your expenses while you there. But the 3-month wait is more of a guideline than anything.

One thing you can do is that once you arrive in Japan, try to settle in as best as you can so that the school can see that you can do things on your own. Basically, try to convince the school that you are capable of doing things on your own.

Do anything a Japanese person would as long as your visa allows it.

But back on the topic at hand, try to learn Japanese as best you can and study hard so that you can get a part time job somewhere other that tutoring/teaching English (although is that's what you want to do, go for it)