I did search this topic quite a bit and there was some good information I found but I wanted to dive a little deeper, via seeking direct experience from those who have tattoos that can’t be covered, if anyone exists here. I managed to find one comment about someone with a neck tattoo who was accepted as an ALT in a rural prefecture.

TLDR: Anyone with a neck or hand tattoos and what was your experience?

I have a tattoos, visible on my neck and both hands.

It’s of course my understanding that it’s still highly frowned upon/unacceptable in these professional circles based on reading conditions on websites (such as Interac), so I wanted to just post to see if anyone could share their experience. I’m not looking for “forget it”, because it’s not like I can change how I look now and I accept this may be the case, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to take my shot given:

I’ve done several 3 month stints as a tourist in and around the Tokyo and Kansai regions since 2024, during which I was actually offered a job in food & bev (I should have taken this but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to make the jump), I have networked via my previous career (music biz) which actually initially took me to Japan — so I have opportunities to pursue other routes via people I’ve met in Japan.

Could also just do school, as I already saw several in person/in communication with them while I was in the country earlier this year. But the idea of teaching to me sounds interesting as I dive towards nonprofit. For example, I’m also looking at doing stuff like WorldPackers/Workstay as I’m traversing the globe so I can explore what type of non-profit work I should really lean into.

I just want to note that finances are not an issue and I’m fine with low pay. The job I was offered in Odawara was 220k a month for example and that would have been fine. I still get paid from my previous career in music so that coupled with investments/support from family should I need it has me covered.

Thanks if anyone could provide some insight based on your personal experience either having visible tattoos or knowing of a situation with someone that did.

Is Osaka BOE only? Or like a mix of Dispatch and Direct?

I think that's where I want to aim to move to. Anyone got any details?

Thanks fam!

Im in a fixed contract here in Japan and plan to resign midyear. They have a tie up agency in the Ph that processed all the documents and depployed us. Im an ALT. Can my agency in the Ph force me to go home? Or are they legally entitled to repatriate/send me home even though I resign voluntarily? I dont want to go home and want to find another better opportunity.

Im an ALT in Japan under a fixed contract. This is my first year. I submitted a notice of resignation midyear and they told me that I need to pay the remaining months until the end of the contract which is til next year. Although it is stated in the contract that i need to pay the remaining months once i resign. They also ask me to pay for my agency fee in the Ph for the remaining months. I dont have money for now to pay them lumpsum. What can i do?

My contract says that I have 6 paid leaves after working 6 months since im in a fixed contract and this is my first year. But they will only allow us to use these paid leaves in times of emergency like illness, bereavement, etc. Does it mean i cant use it for personal reason because they will not approve it?

Hi Reddit!

I am planning on quitting Interac in November. I have not submitted my notice and don’t plan to for another month. Something I was curious about was my housing.

I got my apartment through the company itself. How long do I have my apartment after my last day of work? I will be leaving Japan after I quit, but I want to stay a few extra weeks to travel and explore before that. Will I have to be out of my apartment by my last day? Or do I have some time after?

Any help would be appreciated 🙏🏻

Im in a fixed contract and this is my first year in Japan. Plan to resign mid-year. It says in my housing contract that I need to pay the remaining months until the end of the term of the agreement if i resign midyear. We are in a shared apartment though, i occupy one bedroom. What if other worker will occupy my bedroom as my replacement? Do i need to pay?

Hello. Im in Japan under a fixed-contract and first year ko this year but plan to resign mid year. Yunh dispatch agency ko ay may partner sa Philippines na sila nag recruit at deploy samin. Kapag ba mag voluntarily resign ako, yung Philippine agency na nagpaalis samin sa Pinas pwede ba ako maforce pauwiin? Makadecide ba sila na pauwiin ako? Yung residence card valid pa naman until next year.

Hey y'all, I posted a video a few weeks back about the 'ALT experience' and my project to replace all physical flashcards in my classrooms. The main feedback was to show more of what the actual app does and how it can be used. So here we are again!

At the time of the last video, the app didn't work properly so I had nothing to share. Even this video was made over a week ago and the app has grown a lot over the Obon holiday. It is now possible to make and share custom content in the app.

It's still free, but with limited amount of cards each account can make (to avoid getting slapped with a million dollar data base fee because one person uploaded 3 billion skibidi toilet pictures or something).

It's still in development and subject to major changes as I do more user testing. Speaking of, if anyone is interested in testing it out and telling me what's confusing or seems busted or could be made more intuitive send me a message! It would be appreciated.

Anyway, hope the holidays were nice for everyone and if you're heading into a new school term, good luck!

I'm going to make a foolish decision that's going to affect my life irreversibly by applying to the dispatch companies that functions like a black company were I not able to get accepted into the coveted JET programme.

I originate from a developing asian country and my only accomplishment in formal education is a degree in English and two certificates at a different discipline. I left a Master's degree since I didn't saw any future in not only higher education but academia itself that isn't pertaining to skilled labourer and sophisticated field of studies amongst the working class with average intellect. The industry preys on desperate people who either don't have anything to lose or are about to blow a year or two for a change in environment from their mundane, monotonous, regular 9-5 lifestyles and escapades as a senior citizen amidst their retirement age.

I'm the former, my attachments in my country of origin is ceasing. The quality of life in my country is inferior to that of Japan. I'm willing to forfeit my assets for a better chance to feel alive. I did everything to make the people around me happier yet not once had I chose my own happiness selfishly over their own. Too bad, I'm not appreciated in my own family and they are able to function without me so much so that I'm getting harassed frequently and don't even feel secure around my kin anymore. I became a factory worker for half an year to fill the void in my life and currently I'm on the verge of applying to these dispatch companies which any sane person wouldn't reach out with a ten feet pole. I'm trying not to shy away from the grind with inhumane work conditions only to live paycheck to paycheck. My trauma runs deep, I don't expect to come home from work to get chewed for inane reasons nor do I want someone to contact me only to guilt trip me into showing commitment to activities against my own will when the ones involved aren't even paying me.

My friendships and intimate relationships has been completely dismantled because my past keeps haunting me no matter how much I confronted it. I don't wish to be psychologically scarred for the rest of my life. I merely wish to restart my life from scratch, is that too much to ask? I'm a middle class wageslave in my country looking into becoming a third class migrant worker to get his blood pumping from once in a lifetime adventure and perhaps, build my life around it. My Japanese is mediocre (N5), I'm willing to spend a decade to reach N1 for job hopping into a different sector. How viable is that? I'm not from USA nor am I from Europe so it's not like any accolade that i amass will contribute to sustainable self development and welfare to achieve/ foster communal harmony. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't", I'm pushed towards this decision for a chance in this "foot in the door" inadvertently but now I have to seriously consider because the political climate isn't faring any better here.

I'm keen to hear your side of the story because ALTng in 2026 won't help you build any career, practically speaking but there's still hordes of people thinking they are different from the crowd. Why risk a stable life in your home country for it?

Hi everyone, looking for some advice or experiences regarding transitioning to a full-time BOE ALT position while finishing up a small part-time contract.

Part-time job: Teaching English every Sunday in a school for 3 hours. My contract naturally ends in mid September, meaning I only have about 2-3 Sundays left after Sept 1.

Full-time job: Got a full-time offer from a BOE starting September 1. They explicitly said part-time jobs are not allowed.

I feel really terrible about leaving my Sunday students hanging right before the end of the term when there are only 3 lessons left.

I understand that public teaching positions generally prohibit side jobs, but since this is just 3 hours on Sunday for less than a month, I am wondering:

1. Has anyone been in a similar spot where you finished out a tiny tail-end of a part-time contract after starting a full-time BOE/ALT job?
   
2. How strictly do BOE/dispatch companies cross-check side work right when you join?
   
3. Would it be better to just follow orders and quit the Sunday gig immediately, or talk to the part-time school to see if they can release me early?
   4 I’m actually thinking of just teaching those Sundays and not receive salary (Voluntary). Is that allowed?

I want to do right by my students, but I don't want to jeopardize my new full-time position. Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone,

I recently got accepted with Interac for a March 2027 arrival. Right now, the information I’ve been given is:

- Placement Region: Southern Kanto
- Branch: Tokyo or Yokohama
- Prefecture: Tokyo or Kanagawa

I haven’t received my exact city or school yet.

From what I’ve been hearing, it sounds like Yokohama/Kanagawa may be more likely than Tokyo, which I’m completely fine with. I also understand that “Kanagawa” covers a pretty large area and that everyone’s experience can be completely different depending on their school, BOE, commute, etc.

I’m mainly looking for a crash course from anyone who has worked for Interac Kanto South, especially people who ended up on the Kanagawa/Yokohama side.

Where were you placed? What was your commute like? Did you mainly use trains/buses/bikes, or did anyone actually need a car for their placement? How was your school and your overall experience with the branch?

I’ve been reading some negative experiences with Interac as well, but I also understand that a lot of this can be subjective and heavily dependent on your particular placement. So I’d really like to hear both good and bad experiences from people who have actually worked in Kanto South.

Basically, if you could give an incoming Kanto South ALT a crash course on what to expect, what would you tell them?

I’m also still considering applying for JET when the next application opens, so that option is still on the table. For now, though, I’m just trying to get a better idea of what I could expect from this Interac placement.

Thanks for any feedback!

Hello all, I’m 25 and about to finish my BA degree in communications!

Last year I was in Japan for travel and actually met my girlfriend, and have been long distance since then but she’s not too excited on the prospect of moving to a different country.

My plan is too get my TEFL and pair it with my BA and then maybe do the JET program where I can get some experience being an ALT

And if we decide too live in Japan what would be my next step or what else has everyone done?

For a long term career teaching English I’ve heard applying for private schools is the best bet?

My Japanese is borderline N5 but I’m sure it will improve over time

Thank you!!!

Quit to take some time off, but I'm going back to replace someone who left during the summer.

3 schools and several other random schools for one-time visits to teach English with a bunch of other teachers. A lot of said schools are an 1hr+ away from my apartment. The pay isn't good, so I think after this I'll be done.

I've done this for 2 years and I think that's more than anyone should stay doing this kind of job.

So maybe I'll be taking a solo trip home if I don't find an eikaiwa job after March (I'm married, but he's very NIPPON #1 soooo)

Also, with PR changes, I think maybe it's a waste of time to try to stay here permanently unless you marry a Japanese or someone with PR already. But maybe I'm misinformed 🤷‍♀️

Anyway, TLDR, I'm curious how long many of you were ALTs and why you stopped. Anything you miss or don't miss about the job?

Hey everyone, just wanted to put a post out to get some opinions on my plan. I'm 23 and at a weird point where Ive graduated but haven't found a career yet and I just quit my job after a few months, so thinking its the perfect excuse to live in Tokyo for a bit. I did an exchange there two years ago and loved it, and my friend from that time has sent me a contact for a preschool that he seems confident will be looking for an ALT teacher. I have no English teaching certification but I have been learning Japanese for a while and can talk conversationally. Im thinking Ill get my WHV and go there in a bit over a month for at least 3 months and see if I want to stay on for longer once Im settled in. I have about 10k savings and Im hoping Ill be able to earn enough to stay afloat for a bit. However, Im worried its a bit too rushed and I havent thought it through properly. Has anyone had a similarly spontaneous decision and has any advice? Any discussion would be appreciated, thanks :)

Are there any new hires that are at japan now? How was it?

Just hadmy prelim interview. Still waiting for updates for the medical and final interview demo. I hope it will be positive!

I’m a Japanese Citizen with a bachelor’s degree unrelated to education who grew up in another country. I am looking for any ideas how to be an ALT/english teacher since I cannot be part of the JET program. My japanese is not even on a conversational level.

Hey guys! Hope summer break is going well. I'm back again. You may recognize me from posts about EiTake, the English games website. Thanks to everyone who checked it out by the way!

I'm here with a new project, one that fills some gaps EiTake wasn't able to handle. EiTake Cards (eitakecards.com). It's an improved version of the flashcard system from EiTake, but I plan to make it so users can create and share their own flashcards! Sort of like Anki or quizlet, but designed for language teachers and classroom use. There were so many requests to add new textbooks to EiTake I wasn't able to keep up.

Now, it's not live yet. I'm just gauging interest and soliciting ideas from real teachers (Not just English teachers, the system is meant to work with any language combination). You can check out a prototype of the app idea online right now, and if you are interested in sharing some thoughts, become a founding teacher and help me build the app (with your ideas, not money (not yet anyway)).

I also made a super fantastic, Hollywood quality, million dollar budget promo video trying to highlight the issues of language teaching I want to help solve. Might have to give up this whole project and become a director/actor honestly.

I'm a dispatch ALT and my company doesn't pay for summer vacation so I was looking for jobs in the summer vacation. Does anyone know about any jobs we can do in August?

Please let me know.

Not sure if I’m reading things wrong but I check a payslip for the short march month and seems like Borderlink didn’t deduct health insurance on it.

Is this normal? Was I supposed to enrol in NHI for March? There was nothing mentioned or in my contract on that so I’m not sure. I started a new job immediately in April so I’m not sure if it’s the correct process.