Japanese language school requires diploma?

Coincidentally, Chopsticks is the studio where Hori benny was mentored, I find it interesting it got shut down, maybe not everything was above board.

But Benny was in Japan on a work visa through the JET program which allows you to teach, but a university bachelors degree is essential in being able to achieve this. He was in Japan 10 years before setting up his own studio, I guess that may be when he was allowed to be granted permanent residency as no restrictions on work then. very interesting case indeed!

Youfre right, he did teach for two years, but what I canft understand is how he still remained in Japan as a tattoo apprentice for 10 years before he started tattooing, how did he keep his visa? He stopped teaching by that point, so how would he stay in Japan making no money as a tattoo apprentice? These are things he has never explained and we will likely never know until someone else goes down the same path and succeeds. Keep in mind, tattoo apprentices make no money.

Yes exactly! That part is very vague, he is very open about everything BUT that! And that's the part that's important for you.
In order to be granted a visa he would have to prove he could support himself financially etc so I would guess he used his bachelors degree and had a sponsor for another job that fit a visa category and then studied tattooing on the side as he wasn't getting money for it. Unless he got married!? He apparently didn't practice tattooing for many years.
But you are right, we can only speculate how he could have achieved it.
Please do let us know on here on how you get on in the future with your dreams. I really hope you manage to find a way that lets you achieve it.

With such a specific example it may be difficult for us to help you, but don't hestitate to ask if you have any questions along the way, you never know! Good luck

Thanks for all the help, itfs been very enlightening. One day when I manage to tattoo in Japan, I will write about how I did it so others can atleast have a path to follow. I think Ifll set up a blog about my path there. You guys gave me a new hope.

uthe govt says you do need a medical license to tattoo, but then what does that mean for all the tattoo shops in Japan? You guys and I both know that the demographic of people that tattoo certainly donft usually have a medical degree laying around, so that raises the question, how do these shops exist? v

I think you're mistaking "license" with "degree." The government doesn't require everyone working as a tattoo artist to have attended a four-year post-graduate medical program and interned at a hospital as though they were going to become a surgeon or general practitioner M.D. What they do require, though, is for tattoo artists to test and obtain a specialized license proving they have the skills and knowledge to perform their job without putting customers at medical risk.