Hi all! I've visited Japan twice now for a total of 4 months; 2 months in 2019, 2 months in 2026. Both times I loved it, and the second time I set up home in Kyoto for a month, and loved that too. I've come away feeling that despite the many things Japan does not do well (under no illusions) I feel much more comfortable there than in my home country, and am seriously considering about making a move there.
Background info about me: I have a degree in veterinary medicine (bachelors in the UK, equivalent to a DVM globally), but am no longer enjoying clinical practice. I do have a role lined up at an elite UK university for the rest of 2026/first half of 2027 – it is considered a scholarship of sorts whilst still practicing – and it will involve a little teaching of undergraduate students. I have looked into pursuing veterinary in Japan – but realistically, I am not going to/nor do I want to spend the time reaching the level of Japanese required for the licensing exam, nor do I really want to practice vet med over there. I have no teaching qualifications, only informal experience at this stage. I have basic Japanese, but am going to grind this over the next year to at least a conversational level.
To get my foot in the door, I'd be very happy considering going down the English teaching route. I do enjoy teaching and passing on skills I've learned. I've looked briefly into TEFL and other certifications, but when browsing job listings, it doesn't seem like an essential prerequisite. I don't really want to take part in the JET program but will consider it if it's one of my best options. I do have the potential for working as a digital nomad too by completing administrative work for a veterinary company (which would likely pay much better than teaching, but I want to be part of the community). My current big questions are as follows:
- Will TEFL be a genuine advantage?
- What visa should I be looking at? If I was there on a digital nomad visa, I assume this would bar me from taking on any part-time teaching work? I do have the option of a working holiday visa, too.
- Are there any other roles I could be exploring given my background? I've done a quick look at research roles etc, but unsure on how open these are to foreigners. Setting up a pet-sitting business too is something I'm thinking about – or perhaps trying to find a Japanese pet-sitting business I could be employed by. Should conversational Japanese be enough for this?
Thanks in advance 😄
by hae-rose