Moving to japan without bachelor’s degree?

Good eve, I'll cut straight to the point. I intend to leave the states and attempt to make a life for myself in japan. I am 20 years old, and have desired to do so for the last 5 years of my life.
I don't have any unreasonable requests or desires in particular for that matter, I have a better grasp on reality then to assume that I will get a job in electrical engineering, or any advanced field for that matter. Life is hard anywhere, and I've learned this over the last three years, wrestling with losing my home and even at one point having to become a trapper, just to secure some sort of income, however...
I have read many and many a forum that says you require a bachelor's degree even to work in japan, however I feel most of the jobs that the people are asking for require those in the first place (IT jobs, Nursing, ect.) Well, I am more interested in basic jobs, Restaurant/bar work, Construction and Factory jobs, jobs that any man can do with enough devotion and effort. Don't get me wrong, I would like something better, but if Life has taught me anything: Always make realistic assumptions.
My ability to speak Japanese is enough to hold short conversations, nothing to complex, but good enough to get by, although I will admit I have had very little chances to practice it here in Tennessee.
In other words, what advice can you guys spare a old fashioned sort of guy like me as far as job hunting and shelter goes? I am leaving in march, so if you have any advice you can spare, any at all, please feel free to share.

Well, I am more interested in basic jobs, Restaurant/bar work, Construction and Factory jobs, jobs that any man can do with enough devotion and effort.

A bachelor's degree is an immigration requirement for a work visa. Optionally, several years work experience in a specialized field is also acceptable.

Unfortunately, non-skilled jobs do not qualify for work visas. So unless you had some other means of staying in the country (Japanese spouse, parent, school, etc) there will be no way for you to stay and work here.

In other words, what advice can you guys spare a old fashioned sort of guy like me as far as job hunting and shelter goes? I am leaving in march, so if you have any advice you can spare, any at all, please feel free to share.

Come to Japan as a tourist first. Decide if its the place that you want to live, and if so if its worth devoting the time, energy, and capital necessary to make that a reality (i.e. go back to school and get a bachelor's degree).

Chances of getting a work visa for a dishwashing job is zero. It's not going to happen. It's completely unrealistic.

If you don't want to go to school, you have one choice: get married to a Japanese national or someone who already has a visa.

Well, I am more interested in basic jobs, Restaurant/bar work, Construction and Factory jobs, jobs that any man can do with enough devotion and effort.

I think if you are searching for a job that you can do without devotion and effort, you should find another country than Japan.
Japanese people are devoted and make so many efforts everyday in everything they do.
With such a way of thinking, you will get nowhere in Japan and I honestly doubt the life there is made for you.

finish a random 3 year degree and get a job that pays 2-4x more than washing dishes.

I have no experience in this field,you can learn more in google

How to move to Japan:

If you already have a college degree, you can get a working visa and move to Japan. The easiest/best paying job for most English-speaking natives is teaching English, either at a private after-school eikawa, or you can participate in an ALT program and help teach at a public Japanese school (elementary/junior high/high school).

If you don't have a college degree, two main things you can do:

1. Go to college in Japan. There are a LOT of colleges that teach in English in Japan, including very good colleges. Look up "Global 30" in Google for a list of the best colleges. Also, if you go to JASSO's website, you can see a list of hundreds of less well-known, but still great colleges that teach in English.

2. Go to a Japanese Language school. The idea with this is that Japanese Language school's can sponsor a student visa for you, so if you want to go to Japan right away, this is an option. Then, as you learn Japanese, you can consider applying for a college in Japan. If you wait 'till your Japanese is good enough, you can even apply to a Japanese college that don't offer English courses/just take your classes in Japanese.

Best of luck. I moved to Japan, and didn't regret it one bit. You won't either if you truly love Japan.

Here are links to the previous university lists I mentioned:

JASSO's very LONG list:

www.jasso.go.jp/study_j/documents/degree_english.pdf

Global 30:

http://www.uni.international.mext.go.jp/university_list/Index/

I think if you are searching for a job that you can do without devotion and effort, you should find another country than Japan.
Japanese people are devoted and make so many efforts everyday in everything they do.
With such a way of thinking, you will get nowhere in Japan and I honestly doubt the life there is made for you.

...
No insult intended, but this post makes me feel as if you have never worked in any of thouse jobs; We work in these factories day in and day out til our fingers bleed, struggling to make a living. It requires so much devotion and effort to your family and job that it is not funny, otherwise you can just be depressed and give in. Its hard work, but it must be done. To say that there is no effort involved is near down right insulting. There must be people of every cloth in life after all.

But either way, thank you very much for the input you guys have given me, although not much of it was any different from what I have read on here or elsewhere for that matter. Still, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'll consider the school as a option, even if this trip in march does not work now.

It's about getting a visa otherwise they won't let you in!
Look at Visa classifications on the Japanese embassy site, see if you fit or could potentially fit any of them & then aim to work towards that.

I agree with the comments here, the posters are just being realistic about your choices before you blow 2000 dollars in plane tickets and lodge and some food. Gringos without a bachelor degree can still grab an english teaching gig in many parts in Latin America but competition to be an english teacher in Japan is fierce these days and you would be fighting for jobs with people with masters degrees, teaching courses and many years of teaching experience.

Maybe just crashing in the party in the 1980's without any papers or qualifications and still get hired as an eikaiwa was easy, not anymore.

If university costs are a huge issue in the US, consider getting an online degree from a reputable university, some courses will be on campus but many can be online without spending cash on gasoline and commute. CLEP exams are also an excellent choice for students that wish to graduate early without wasting money and time taking Gen world education 101 courses universities like to force juniors to take.

Many European universities offer highly discounted university degrees to foreigners, if you are open to being forced to learn swedish in 6 months (not too hard if you already speak fluent english) and move there you can get a degree for less cash than the US.

If you go the japanese language student option which seems to be the one you'd like the most right now, if you are lucky once you get the student visa even if you are a foreigner you can earn some extra cash getting a side job as a waiter or store clerk or something. Some daring male foreigners have even worked at Butler cafes where they can practice Japanese and English conversation while on the job.

If university costs are a huge issue in the US, consider getting an online degree from a reputable university, some courses will be on campus but many can be online without spending cash on gasoline and commute. CLEP exams are also an excellent choice for students that wish to graduate early without wasting money and time taking Gen world education 101 courses universities like to force juniors to take.

FYI, just make sure that you are getting a bachelors degree equivalent and that the university is accredited by a reputable agency that Japanese immigration approves of. Otherwise you'll just be wasting your time and money as your degree won't count toward the immigration requirements.