I'll try to keep this as concise as I can. I (30M) am considering moving to Japan (Tokyo or Osaka if possible) long term, and while I feel I have a some prospects I don't have a very concrete plan in mind at the moment. I currently live in Texas.
- I have a BA in psychology from a state university with a minor in Japanese.
- I spent 3 months in Japan following my graduation, mostly visiting but taking some language classes on the side. I liked almost everything about it and I find the atmosphere suited me well.
- My Japanese is functional but far from fluent. Probably N5, maybe N4 if I'm feeling generous.
- A couple of years of professional teaching experience (certified).
- Additionally I am fluent in Spanish and am currently working as a elementary school Spanish teacher.
- I also spent several years working in semi-well known taqueria after graduating, where I was able to brush up on my Spanish and also learn how to make really good Mexican food.
- I have a few friends/acquaintances who live in the Tokyo area, most of them foreigners with or working on residency.
Now I imagine I wouldn't have too much trouble landing a job as an English teacher, especially if I spend a year or two taking language classes there, which is my intention at the moment. But I've heard that the work/life balance and pay are both horrible, so if possible I would like to pursue other avenues. So my main questions are these:
- Is there any demand for Spanish teachers in Japan? Would a career as a Spanish teacher be at all meaningfully different than that of an English teacher? I imagine the work hours are roughly the same by I'm kind of hoping I can find something that pays better.
- How difficult would it be to start my own Mexican food restaurant in a city somewhere? This feels like a stupid idea but it kind of thrills me. I've learned some good recipes and want to try a bit of Mexican and Japanese fusion. To be honest I always enjoyed working with food and would still do so if my current job didn't pay so much more.
- How likely would I be to find a restaurant (preferably ramen, but open to w/e tbh) willing to give me a part time job while I'm studying? I have a lot of experience in the setting (I even worked at a ramen restaurant here in the states briefly) but I would definitely have to learn a lot of things on the fly given my Japanese is pretty basic. I think it would be sick if I could get a job and one of those ramen carts you see on the side of the street but it seems like a stretch lol.
That's all the main things, idk if I left out any relevant details but feel free to ask questions if some more info would help, I'd really like some insight on this. I wouldn't plan on moving on sight, possibly at the end of 2025 or early 2026. Thanks to all for reading.
by Sir-Captain