EEducation in Japan

Escaped from Eikaiwa hell, but feeling lost.

  • September 10, 2025

I was let go from my Eikaiwa job and miraculously found a 正社員 job at the last possible moment.

I have a degree in TESOL, CELTA cert and some other certifications, and while I have yet to take the JLPT test, I’m probably around N3 level or slightly higher.

I always knew teaching was a dead end job, and I’d have to get out someday, I just didn’t expect it to be so sudden. I was told they could no longer afford to pay my salary and cut my contract early. In rush to find a new job, I accepted whatever I could, although I didn’t really have a choice, as all but one company rejected me.

My job now involves driving heavy machinery. Something I never imagined doing.

Good points:

  1. Permanent position
  2. 社会保険 and 厚生年金. This means my wife no longer has to pay her national pension which is 17k in savings from her part time work.
  3. Company will pay for me to obtain various qualifications. E.g excavators, cranes, explosives etc.
  4. Annual bonus of 2.2 or 3.2 months salary.
  5. 300 yen cafeteria lunch.
  6. Yearly company trips although a small fee is deducted from your salary to help with the cost.
  7. Company pays for 飲み会 and your taxi home.

Bad points:

  1. Low salary of 230k before taxes. Eikaiwa was 260k.
  2. Lots of overtime. I have the option to refuse but I need to work overtime to support myself and my family. I average at least 20H per month but usually more.
  3. About an hour commute each way.
  4. I now work mostly alone. It’s loud, noisy, dirty and exhausting.
  5. Sometimes there are communication issues and misunderstandings with my coworkers since my Japanese is still far from fluent.
  6. Less time with family. If I do overtime I leave at 6am and don’t get home until just after 7pm. Sometimes 8pm on rare occasions.
  7. Only 108 or so days off a year which is below average. Once or twice a month, there is also Saturday work which isn’t overtime.

Coming from a job where there was lots of interaction, always something new to talk about, not sitting down all day, it’s really hard to get used to. I don’t hate my job now but I also can’t say I love it. However, I’m trying to keep an open mind. I know that if I stick it out, I’ll have some useful qualifications and hopefully a higher salary. I just don’t know if I can do this for the rest of my life. I live in the countryside so there are very few opportunities for foreigners to work outside of English teaching.

I love teaching but it’s not realistic unless you can work at an international school or have a PhD and land a university job. Trying to get an IT job isn’t realistic either. I have no experience and moving to the big city isn’t on the table for me and my family.

Should I stick it out or try to find something else?

by Enryu4213