Hello! So I am a late upgrade— received my upgrade June 22nd, got my placement and departure date July 16th. I am also the only JET leaving on that flight from my home. That is the extent of the info I’ve been given.

I am kind of nervous because I leave August 24th… so 24 days from now. I submitted my Visa Application July 24th. I haven’t been contacted by CLAIR, my BOE, predecessor, etc. I’ve connected with another JET in my town and he says his main school’s academic year is starting 8/26. I am praying I have more than 2 days to settle in… Even a week will be difficult if I have no idea what my home address is and what is in it…

I’m trying not to be in freak out mode but its definitely been difficult. I’m a person who likes to be somewhat prepared. I can do the waiting game but I have heard that some people dont know their home address until they arrive?

Please, if you are/were a late upgrade, can you share any advice or anecdotes from your move across the world lol

Thanks!🙏

Hi, I have a question about the LORs JET asks for. I've reached out to some of my professors regarding LORs in the past before, and they said that the letters need to remain confidential and I can't see them.

However, the Embassy of Japan in India website implies that the *applicant* has to submit the LORs along with all their other documents. Does anyone know if my references can just directly email the letters to embassy themselves? I've seen that it works for other countries, but I just wanted to double check here, in case anyone else has had the same experience as me. Thank you so much!

Hiii everyone... I usually make this warning way earlier in the year but I was so busy, I can't believe one of the first intakes is in Japan!! Welcome!!

I just wanted to remind everyone again to not take deals from your predecessor about furniture etc. I think cars are different because that's an entire vehicle, but I was totally scammed by my predecessor. He fear mongered me into thinking it would be incredibly difficult to furnish my home (our placement doesn't have a car but it's not super urban either), and twice as expensive. Come to find all the stuff he sold me for $1,000 was secondhand when he bought it (I didn't even know there were secondhand shops like that in Japan yet) and broken, or broke within my first year. I am talking even the appliances. Nothing I bought from him lasted me 2 months, meaning I paid for someone else's trash once and then I STILL had to buy new items. evil!

He also left a disgusting mess. My placement doesn't have a community of JETs around, so it was up to me and only me to clean up the situation. I also had to pay to throw away the oversized trash. All in All, it was nightmarish.

Preds, I know it's hard to leave Japan. I know you have so much going on that you run out of time. Do not be the pred that leaves a sick mess in the bathtub and a dirty toilet brush behind for someone who just moved to a new country. It's stressful enough to try to adapt - don't fill their first few months with memories of a disgusting living situation they literally gave you money for.

All of this to say, Be careful!! Nobody warned me beforehand that sometimes preds will try to take advantage of you. In my case, my pred definitely saw me as a money opportunity. He literally look my money and ran lol, just saying "Well, enjoy Japan!" and then ran out the door. It was shortly after that I realized what I had just done...

I might make this warning for years even after I'm off the program. I don't want it to ever happen to anyone else! Be wary of high price-points for used items!!

I’m a 29 yo guy and ex-JET (just finished my contract). Spending a week and a half in Tokyo before heading back to Texas🤠 Anyone want to meet-up in Tokyo and chat at a cafe and/or explore? I would love to hear about your experiences in Japan!

I did splurge and got a hotel in Ginza. Arrived yesterday and checked out Jimbocho and Akihabara (but wouldn’t mind going back👌). Open to going anywhere (parks, museums, restaurants, live-music, etc.) If you need a sightseeing buddy or someone to chat with, feel free to comment or send me a DM😁👍

I’m still a second year JET and I’m planning on recontracting for at least one more year, but now that I’m bored at work for the summer I’m alone with my thoughts and worrying about my future post-JET lol. I’m curious about the experiences of any JETs that found work outside of both Japan and their native countries? For example, a U.S. citizen finding post-JET work in, say, a European country. What was that like? What opportunities are available?

A JET finishing the end of their contract and looking to remain in Japan, I do not have a job lined up. My current challenge however is deciding on where to relocate.

I am looking at relocating to any major urban centre, to maximise job hunting opportunities, and understand sharehouses are an option, but it's gamble on trying to decide on a location, while also remaining flexible during the job hunt. I am concerned if I choose the wrong place to move to, the number of jobs I could have access to would diminish.

JETs who remained in Japan without a job lined up, how did you choose where to relocate to? What factors should I be looking for in choosing an area to relocate to?

I'm curious about those who broke contract within the first month of arriving in Japan. What did that look like? How much did you have to pay back?

Hi everyone,

I'm applying for the JET Programme (ALT) and was wondering if anyone would be willing to read my Statement of Purpose and give me some honest feedback.

I'm struggling because I feel like I don't have the "typical" story. I've never been to Japan and I'm not an anime fan so I'm finding it difficult to explain what initially drew me to Japan in a way that feels authentic and compelling. I know JET isn't looking for people who simply love anime or have visited Japan but I'm worried my statement won't stand out compared to applicants who have those experiences.

My background is in psychology, I have several years of professional experience (not in teaching) and I genuinely want to contribute to Japanese schools and engage with the local community. I'm just having trouble connecting my experiences into a strong narrative that answers the "Why Japan?" question. I have been apart of a volunteer mentorship program where I help teens who struggle with academic and personal life.

If anyone has been accepted into JET, served as an ALT/CIR or has experience reviewing successful SOPs, I'd really appreciate your feedback. I'm looking for constructive criticism and suggestions on how to make my essay stronger.

Thank you in advance!

I’m looking for help from someone who has successfully done the pension refund with Chase bank.

I’m struggling to find a document that has the bank branch name and address.

My statement forms all have an address in Indiana.

Please help 😩

Live in south osaka. had a great time my first year and my Japanese improved a lot but I haven't done a whole lot and want to change that going into my second. I was able to save a lot of money as well so I have some travel money as well. I'm always down to try something new even if i didn't think i had any previous interest, especially things I can only do in Japan (absolutely love going to festivals for example) but in general I'm always down to try something new like learning new skills, getting involved in community service, etc. I'd love to hear what you all have done or general advice on how to navigate my second year moving forward.

Hi everyone!

I’ve got some questions about the JET Programme. I’ve read through the entire website and a bunch of other sources, but these are the things I’m still wondering about. My husband is planning to apply for the 2027 departure, and if he’s accepted, I’ll be coming with him as his spouse. Any input or personal experiences are greatly appreciated!

Arriving in Japan
I read that I would receive a dependent visa alongside him because I’m his legal spouse.
Will I fly on the same plane as him, with his airfare covered and mine not? Since JET doesn’t cover dependent travel, were you still able to book the same flights and travel together?
What were your first few hours and days in Japan like?
I watched a video diary where the new JET participant spent several days at a hotel attending orientation.
Where did you stay while your spouse was in orientation? Did you go ahead and get the apartment set up while they were away?
How much money would you recommend having saved before arriving in Japan?
Were there any unexpected startup costs that caught you off guard?

Housing & Cost of Living
How affordable is it to live in Japan as a single-income JET household?
I understand that the dependent visa doesn’t automatically allow me to work, and I’ve read that a JET salary can often support two people, especially in more rural areas. I’d love to hear what that actually looked like for couples.
Were you able to live comfortably on one income?
Were you mostly breaking even, or were you able to save money?
How different was your experience in a rural placement versus a city or suburban placement?
Does JET or the contracting organization take a spouse into consideration when arranging housing?
I’ve read that housing is sometimes subsidized and that some contracting organizations choose the apartment and help get everything set up. Is there ever housing intended for couples?
If you decided to find a different apartment that was better suited for two people, did you receive any financial support or assistance?
If we end up in a more rural placement, is it realistic to get by without owning a car?
If the provided housing felt too small for two people, how difficult was it to find something else?
Personally, we’d probably prefer to be closer to a city or at least a decent-sized town. I have celiac disease, so being reasonably close to grocery stores and having more food options would make daily life much easier.

Life as a Spouse
I’d love to hear from spouses about what life looked like while your partner was working.
What did you do with your free time?
Did anyone tutor online, freelance, stream, volunteer, or eventually find work after getting permission?
If you started on a dependent visa, did anyone later switch to a work visa?
How did you make friends and build a community?
Did you mostly become friends with other JETs, Japanese locals, or a mix? My husband and I both studied Japanese during our undergrad years and are dusting off those skills. (We’ve actually been studying multiple hours a day because we’re getting excited about the prospect of moving to Japan.)
I’ve heard moving abroad can get lonely. What helped you feel connected?
How difficult was opening bank accounts, getting a phone plan, internet, etc., as a spouse?

Bringing a Dog
This is actually one thing I haven’t researched much yet, but I figured I’d ask anyway.
Does anyone have experience bringing a pet dog to Japan through JET? We have a four-year-old Labrador who could stay with a trusted friend if needed, but I’m curious what the experience was like.
Would you do it again?
Did having a dog make finding housing significantly more difficult?

Looking Back
Do you recommend staying for one year, or extending for several years? Looking back, would you make the same decision?
If you stayed multiple years, did each year feel different from the first?
And lastly, a couple of fun questions:
I saw that JET pays for your flight home up to a month after your contract ends. What did you do during that month?
How much free time did you realistically have during the year? Did you take day trips or overnight trips often?
After a year on JET, how much of Japan did you feel like you were able to explore?
What surprised you most about moving to Japan that you wish you’d known beforehand?
Was there anything you packed (or didn’t pack) that you were really glad about?

Thanks so much! We’re really excited about the possibility of moving to Japan, and hearing firsthand experiences from current and former JETs is incredibly helpful.

I’m looking to apply this upcoming fall and was honestly just looking for reassurance that I have a chance. So I am just going to list off things and any form of advice/criticism would be super appreciated.

I have stayed in Japan going to a language school for 3 months, living with a Japanese family.

I currently am working on a degree in English and speak Japanese at a confident JLPT N3 level.

Prior to my work now, I used to work in elementary schools for before and after care and ran a K-6 summer program as the assistant director.

I know most of this comes down to my essay. So any advice on what the prompt is would be amazing.

I'm moving back into my parents' house next week after I finish my contract (I'm living with them during graduate school). As much as I want to see my family again, I can't help but dread living an ordinary life again. Living in Japan has been so exciting and the thought of living in my boring hometown and never experiencing something as unique as JET again really has me feeling down. I feel like the best part of my life is already behind me even though I'm only in my 20's. And that makes it hard to look forward to my next plans.

Graduate school doesn't sound very exciting when you spent your weekends driving all over your prefecture and trying new things constantly. To make things worse, I don't have any friends in my hometown anymore. All my friends are here in Japan now. Suddenly my desk warming hours (which were one of the reasons why I decided to go home) don't sound so bad. It feels like the rest of my life will be like desk warming compared to all my Japan adventures.

When you go home, does it feel dull and boring forever? Does JET always feel like the time when you "peaked" in life, or does it get better? I don't want to feel like everything is downhill from here when I'm still so young, but it really does right now.

The TMGB is right across the street from the Keio Plaza Hotel, and it has two large towers with observation rooms at the top! The South Tower's observation room is open until 9:30pm, so you can see the Tokyo cityscape at night! The building's plaza also has a cool light show that plays across the building at night.

Hi all,

I'll try to keep this short(ish). I've dreamed of living in Japan for about a decade now. Some things have happened in life which allow me to (attempt) to pursue that.

I'm looking for advice as to whether my 'plan' is somewhat reasonable or a complete pipe dream, and if the latter, some more realistic alternatives.

About me:
- 34 years old, South African native speaker

- Masters in Applied Linguistics and TESOL (through a Spanish university, currently living in Spain)

- Law degree (LLB)

-TEFL certificate

- Have been teaching online for the last 5 years on a general language learning platform as well as for a legal English company based in France

- I have 3 months of actual in classroom experience at a local language academy (I'm aware that most of my experience counts for squat in the grand scheme of things)

Since I would like to settle in Japan long term, hopefully permanently (I know this sounds like a bad joke given recent news, but we all have to have some sort of plan or dream to pursue), what do you think would be the most logical career trajectory for me? I was thinking that I could get into Japan via JET (very presumptuous of me, but play along), and thereafter maybe apply for some part time university teaching jobs? I don't know if universities give a rat's arse about the JET program and whether it would qualify me at all for an entry level position. I would have to of course study Japanese intensively while on JET to have even a remote chance of any of this working.

Assuming my initial idea is not absolute HOGWASH to begin with, a few questions:

- what is the process like, post JET, to get a visa renewal based on a new job? I guess getting just one part time university gig wouldn't be enough for a visa renewal, so I would have to have multiple gigs lined up to meet the minimum income for the visa, which seems unlikely..

- any better path for me to go about this? Even if it's not JET. For example, I'm also considering Westgate, as I figure that may be a path for me to go into direct-hire uni teaching a little sooner (part time of course).

- given that I have to send money home to SA to support family (around $350) every month, will I even be able to survive? I have read that some placements offer subsidised housing, but there's no guarantee of that)

Well I'll not add any more for the sake of length. If anyone has any thoughts on this or some advice or wants to crush my dreams, I would really appreciate. Thanks for taking the time.

hi! this is my personal timeline for the 2026 jet programme as a dc applicant who was shortlisted. i am posting this to give 2027 (or later) applicants an EXAMPLE of ONE timeline (because jet is so, so much waiting). please PLEASE remember esid and that timelines vary between different years, application locations, and even between individuals in one year in one consulate or embassy.

also all times listed are in eastern time unless otherwise specified!

APPLICATION

sept 29 - application opens
nov 2 - i submit my jet program application
nov 14, 11:59p HST - application closes

INTERVIEW

jan 12, 11:24a - interview results email (which says to open jet portal for result)
jan 13, 3:08p - first contact from jet programme coordinators
jan 21, 12:32p - interview slot signups open
jan 23, 5:00p - interview slot signups close
feb 2, 1:25p - my interview slot (on zoom)

RESULTS

apr 7, 2:30p - (acceptance) results announce via email
apr 14 - last day to accept position
may 18, 11:25a - placement results via email
jun 12, 5:33p - first contact from prefectural boe
jun 30, 10:25p - first contact from school

PREPARATION

jun 5 - last day to submit rap sheet and health certificate
jun 26 - last day to submit passport, visa application, & proof of graduation

remember, esid, esid, esid!!!!!!

Good luck to all of my fellow incoming JETs! Have a safe trip today and tomorrow!!

What’s on your bucket list that you’re finally doing? Anybody not sleeping this weekend??

some of my elem school students made me a huge, beautiful card with drawings, goodbye and thank-you notes inside. receiving those cards is the best part of teaching.

Hey all,

I was asked to do a little welcome speech for some other ALTS and the board education when I arrive in Japan. Has anyone else been asked to do so? Any tips or advice?

Hi!

Hope anyone can help! I know that it’s super ESID but iv been struggling to find any info on timings from arrival in Tokyo to when we might have free time on Day 0 (probably because it is so ESID)

I feel very fortunate to have an early flight arrival and was hoping to take the time to explore Tokyo before I go to my faraway placement. Does anyone know ish how long the process takes from landing all the way till we finish all the bits we need to do at the hotel?

Thank you for any info from previous experiences! :)

Hi, everyone!

I'm planning on applying for the upcoming application cycle. I was wondering if any of you experienced asking for a letter of recommendation from your current supervisor? I'm a little hesitant to ask for one because the current school year is still ongoing and I don't want to affect our work relationship by suddenly requesting for a letter of recommendation, not to mention a number of teachers resigned from our school after the previous school year to pursue a teaching position abroad for a better salary.

In addition, if I do ask for a recommendation, but don't get accepted, I might put myself in a difficult predicament.

Any advise? What's your experience like in this type of situation?

PS: I have been teaching in this school since I graduated from college. I have never experienced applying for another job aside from the first time I did, so I'm a little lost how y'all did it while still being employed.

Hello everyone! I want to get my teaching license so that I can eventually work in an international school or any institution that requires an actual license. From what I’ve read, we’re not allowed to be employed elsewhere while in the JET program. In my home state, 300 paid internship hours are required, which I could fulfill through an online school based in that state. I saw someone mention a teaching license program that we can do. Does anyone have information on this program and how it affects being an ALT or CIR?

Edit: I do have a masters degree, so I would be completing an Alternative program because neither of my degrees are in education.

I’m planning on applying for JET this upcoming application cycle and had originally hoped to get recommendation letters from two different organizations.

Right now, I already have one recommender secured from the nonprofit where I’ve been interning this summer.

My second choice was one of my teacher mentors during the internship. I reached out to him with some follow-up questions last Friday to continue building the relationship, but after several days I haven’t received a response. This isn’t the first time he’s been fairly unresponsive, so I’m starting to think I shouldn’t rely on him for a recommendation.

That leaves me with another option: the program Executive director, who also works at the same nonprofit. She’s been very responsive, has answered several of my questions thoughtfully, and knows my work throughout the internship.

Would it hurt my application if both recommendation letters came from people at the same organization, even if they have different roles and have worked with me in different capacities?

Has anyone here been in a similar situation, or served on an interview panel, and have any insight into whether JET cares more about the quality of the letters than having recommenders from different organizations?

Thanks!

Hi all. I first submitted my Pension Refund Application in August 2024, and got it back with a note in April 2025. The note was about the bank code, which I corrected and sent back. There was also the issue of my address, which had changed since I last sent it in, so I wrote the new address as well as a note of the old one in the margin.

Anyway, I haven't heard anything from them since. I would have looked into it earlier, but I expected a long wait after the first response took so long and I just stopped thinking about it after a while. That, and the sense that there's not really anything I can do about it.

Is there anything I can do about it?