RResidents in Japan

Does anyone know how to become an extra in movies here in Japan?

  • January 10, 2026

Hi all!

I was wondering if anyone had any insights into how to become a background extra for movies here in Tokyo?

Are there specific groups or websites I should take a look at?

Thanks

by janthefan

10 comments

  1. I have been an extra in a Japanese motion picture.

    Everyone knows everyone in the industry it seems. For example:

    My wife has friends that made home YouTube short videos. They are from around the same area. One of them started working in the film industry. Since my wife knows this person, they invited us to be at the location that day. My wife ended up in the final movie for like 2 seconds.

    Your best bet is to find a click of friends that are dedicated to making short films, then eventually you’ll start knowing people that are making real films. Then if there is a movie happening, your friend might call you up to extra.

    This is just personal experience, and I have no knowledge of anything outside of this.

  4. I did commercials and fashion modeling in Japan back in the day and you should contact modeling agencies that hire foreigners. Another user has already posted some of them so you can start by checking them out

  6. I did extra work when I first came here 20 years ago. You just sign up with an agency, they’ll take a picture of you, and say thanks we’ll call you if we need you. Or nowadays maybe they send a text. Depending on your gender, race, age etc you could be just what they are looking for.

    The key is to be available all the time so you can say yes when they do call you. It can be very short notice, as in the day before, so you really need a clean slate. I was in a movie and several tv shows, but it was because at that time I was only working part-time and could fit those in my schedule. The working hours are random–early in the morning, very late at night, or sometimes all day long, 10+ hours.

    When I started working full-time, I had to turn down quite a few offers. One was for one of those Boss Coffee commercial with Tommy Lee Jones! They were gonna fly me out to L.A. and everything, but I would’ve had to have basically quit my job for it, so had to turn it down. Eventually I turned down so much stuff they just stopped calling altogether.

    The pay is pretty bad, maybe Y10,000 a day, probably more these days, but still you can’t make a living unless you get really into the scene and work consistently. If you speak Japanese you’ll better your chances for more substantial roles–directors and producers generally won’t speak much English, so if you don’t need a babysitter to translate for you, you’d be a better hire.

    Everyone talked about getting a speaking part in a tv commercial because that pay the best. You get residuals for each time the commercial airs, so it can add up to quite a lot.

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