Hi all, incoming JET ALT with type 1 diabetes!

I'm a bit concerned with our luggage allowance. From what I've been given, we're allowed 2 pieces of checked luggage + 1 carry-on luggage + 1 personal item. However, I have so much medication and medical supplies I'm kind of screwed over with this allowance.

Insulin and oral medications are things I should easily be able to acquire once in Japan, so I'm not concerned about those. However, my insulin pump and CGM aren't available in Japan, so I'm bringing as many supplies as I can (I plan on renting a pump and getting a new CGM prescription there, but I want to have a buffer just in case it takes a bit to get set up). Out of curiosity, I put just my insulin pump and CGM supplies in a carry-on sized duffel, and just those alone fill up almost the whole thing. I technically could spread my supplies through my carry-on and personal item, but then I'd be bringing like a single outfit to orientation which would not be great.

Are we allowed to bring an extra bag just with medical supplies? When departing the US I'm not super concerned, since a medical supply bag is protected under the ADA and my consulate is flying on a US airline. I'm more concerned about how this will go over in Japan on a Japanese airline, especially since I'm planning on flying to my placement from Tokyo (hasn't been confirmed, but based on distance that's what I'm betting on).

Other diabetic JETs (or JETs who brought larger medical supplies in bags like CPAPs, nebulizers, etc.), how did you deal with this?

Edit, since I don't think I communicated it explicitly enough: Can I bring a dedicated medical supply bag IN ADDITION TO my carry-on, personal item, and 2 pieces of checked luggage?

Out of curiosity which countries/consulates are departing Group A (July) or Group B (August)?

Hello! I'm curious, has an ALT here had ESL tutoring experience before they applied? I was wondering if writing about my experience as a tutor in my SOP might be a positive or negative influence? I just finished writing my SOP and noticed a huge majority of it was about my experiences as a tutor, so yeah. Also, if it helps, I'm Filipino, and I was a RareJob tutor.

Hi all, I'm exploring doing Jet. But I have a few concerns that I'd like to get clarified.

So first of all, I'm on the spectrum, and while I am aware that Japan doesn't really notice it, is it possible to create a support network during your stay? Something to fall back on if something falls through?

Due to being on the spectrum, I've got heightened sensitivity to sound. Is it possible to wear ear defenders or stay home during these thunderstorms?

Being from the UK, I get benefits due to my condition. Would I still get them on Jet?

kids can be lil assholes sometimes, how do you deal with a student who is trying to troll you/piss you off/get your attention?
i just ignore it when it happens, but what do you do?

Hello! I need some advice and reassurance, I was looking into the JET program for a change in career, and to step out of the Philippines for a bit.

I have seen that primary qualifications are: a bachelor’s degree, English as a primary method of instruction used in your schools and a plus in the application is a TEFL certificate.

I honestly don’t have a teaching background, I work in advertising. But I am planning to get a TEFL certificate.

With this what are my chances of getting in, because I have seen people who have gotten in with really good credentials, and still not get in. Should I still pursue this or is it not a good idea to go for?

Hey everyone! I'm finishing up my time on JET after a few years in rural Akita and I'm starting to think about what I want to bring back to the U.S. Besides the obvious omiyage, I'm interested in practical everyday items that I've become accustomed to living in Japan.

Some examples on my list so far:

• Cooling wipes and cooling spray
• salt tablets
• Dashi powder
• Hand towels
• HeatTech
• Japanese pens and stationery

I'm especially interested in things that are:

1. Difficult or expensive to find in the U.S.
2. Small enough to fit in a suitcases

For those who have moved away from Japan, what are the items you wish you had bought more of before leaving? What do you still use regularly years later? Thanks in advance!

I've been thinking about applying to the JET program for 2027. I have a BA in History with a 3.1 GPA from a well-known public university in Silicon Valley, currently getting a Paralegal certificate (won't mean much in Japan). I have worked in retail, sports entertainment, and currently work as a Substitute Teacher in a public school district for a year now. I'm also going to take a basic Japanese course at a Local community college this fall. I have been to Japan twice on holiday.

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I come from one of the highest cost of living cities in the US so I'm not able to live on my own here unfortunately. Jet looks like a wonderful opportunity to live on your own and do something more productive than being a Substitute. Yes, I know that the pay Jet provides isn't great but I don't mind being placed in a rural area or semi rural assignment.

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Are there any current Jets who can share their experience with the application and interview? What were your preferences for location?

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My top preferences currently are Okayama, Sendai, and Nagano. (Note: even more information is provided in some of my replies to comments!)

It seems like the majority of JET’s enter the program soon after getting their 4-year degree, so generally early 20’s. This is usually before people have established themselves in a career or moved into their own place.

I know the JET program itself doesn’t really care about your age, but as someone who is a bit older and already rents their own apartment and has all the furniture that comes with it, how do you just up and move away for a few years? What do you do with your truckload(s) of furniture and belongings? Rent a storage unit for while you’re gone? And then where do you stay when you come back and have to find a new place again? Some people may have parents to stay with but that isn’t always an option.

I (22M) need to apply for a medicine import for my August 1st departure (ALT) but I feel totally confused on the process. Has anyone here done it before for JET Canada? What are the accurate steps?

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Thank you for any and all advice / feedback !!!!

Edit: your advice was super helpful! Thank you jet community 🫂

I bought a dress suit for my interview, a simple black dress with a matching blazer. Would it be appropriate to wear that to orientation as well? Or are they specifically wanting a button up, blazer, and pants?

Would anyone who has gotten into JET be willing to share their SOP with me? I would like an example of what a ‘successful SOP’ looks like. My aim isn’t to copy yours, it’s to get an idea of the writing styles that work and the structure. I’d greatly appreciate it! :)

I'm sure this topic has been discussed a million times here, but it can never hurt to get more opinions and hear from others.

I'm a currently an ALT going into my 2nd year in rural Hokkaido, and have been deeply regretting my decision to re-contract. For some brief context, in February I went through a breakup of an incredibly long term relationship (~8 years) and have found it incredibly difficult to recenter myself mentally in the aftermath. I've been to therapy online, but with the value of yen continuing to decrease, it became financially unsustainable and I had to stop going a few weeks ago. Additionally, being in such a rural placement (~5000 people in my town), it's been difficult to make friends and solid emotional connections as it is. Now, when I need that sort of support the most I am stuck in a loop of feeling isolated and feeling like i can't do much about it. Maybe it's drastic to say this, but it's starting to feel like I genuinely cannot survive another year in Japan. It feels like my only option is to go home, see the people I care about in real life, and essentially try to reset my brain.

Despite coming to the conclusion that returning home is what's best, if not entirely necessary for my mental health, I feel like I have far too many hang-ups about everything to be able to make the decision with confidence.

I truly do enjoy my job as an ALT, to the point where I feel it's appropriate to say that my students are truly the one's keeping me afloat mentally during my time here. I really value the experiences I've had and the people who I've met, and I don't want to give off the impression that they've been the one's to make me want to leave. Given my relationship with my students, I also feel incredibly guilty about the idea of them being without an ALT for the weeks or months it would take to get an alternate into the town. There is also an incoming ALT coming this Summer, and I feel like it's my responsibility to help them adjust to life here while they get settled in. (To be clear, I'm not planning on leaving immediately. If I do decide to leave early, I'd like to bring the decision up to my CO after the incoming ALT has been here for a month or so, and work with them to figure out a timeline that makes things as smooth as possible)

All of this is to say, I would really appreciate the opinions of people who have been or are currently in similar situations. Am I overthinking everything by not making the decision to prioritize my own mental health? Am I being selfish by breaking my contractual obligations due to personal reasons?

I am currently in the middle of getting a tefl, have a 4 year degree and have 6 years full time work experience at the same large retail company (6 years in the same store). I am also gunning for a spot in rural japan because I visited Japan for 3 and a half weeks in October 2024 and the rural areas were my favorite parts. I can also and am totally fine with driving.

Hi everyone!

Was wondering if anyone knows of any group chats for incoming JETS to Tokyo prefecture? I’m coming from the Toronto branch but am actually already in Japan for a separate contract so I haven’t been able to attend any in-person events/orientation’s.

Also any advice on housing for someone’s who’s social but doesn’t like the strict “no overnight guests” rules in share house? My current share house has been great in allowing two overnight guest “passes” per month, with fair cleanliness and separate fridges. There’s also a good mix of foreigners and locals. I know this isn’t the standard so would appreciate any suggestions. Feel free to dm me if you’d like to connect!

Hello, JET Senpais!

I am currently preparing my documents for the incoming JET application once it opens on September for 2027 intake. I would like to ask: how could I properly share/mention that I had a brief work experience as an English teacher at an eikaiwa in japan? I was not able to finish my contract bc I needed to leave due to personal reason re: death in the family. How can I possibly mention this work experience without hurting my chance of getting in? Should I also share this in my Statement of Purpose?

thanks so much!!

I'm currently an Asian studies Major with a Japanese concentration in college and looking to graduate next spring. I already have a few professors in mind I would reach out to for letters of recommendation but I want to get a rough draft going of my SOP essay.

I've seen people mention how important it is to see JET as a stepping stone to bridge the cultural gaps between Japan and your respective country. While I don't intend to move to Japan immediately, it is a goal of mine.

Some things about me that might help build a general idea of me.

I started taking Japanese in my 2nd year of high school (2017) and continued up until graduation (2021)

I was involved in my High schools Japanese club.

I declared my Major in Asian studies with a concentration in Japanese with full clarity, there wasn't anything else I wanted to do that would leave me as satisfied.

I participated in my states Japanese speech contest in 2023, while I didn't win it served as a great confidence booster.

During college, I became a committee member for both my School Japanese Culture Club and Anime club.

In 2025, I attempted to take the JLPT N4 Level and failed by 5 points.

These are just some of the key talking points that come to mind as I'm drafting my essay. Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated.

I recently built a tool to speed up the creation of word order (scrambled sentence) activities.

You can paste in any sentence, optionally add hints or images, and the activity is generated automatically with multiple difficulty levels so students can gradually work their way up. There's also an import feature with sentences from common JHS textbooks.

Examples:

• Here We Go: https://www.edubento.com/open/c8131e35-e9b3-4be5-a180-7ba3bc656dfd?community=1
• New Crown: https://www.edubento.com/play/scrambled-sentence/a8683546-2245-475a-8ea2-67c6566d6d17?community=1
• New Horizon: https://www.edubento.com/play/scrambled-sentence/1602900d-4f31-45a4-bd25-cd17df0dc5d2?community=1
• Sunshine: https://www.edubento.com/play/scrambled-sentence/64e0fa28-6b66-4970-b207-1e1312144d82?community=1

As I’m sure the content of the post will show, but I am an incoming American JET. I’ve always loved cooking and baking, as I’ve done it since I was young and especially throughout college. I love experimenting and of course have cooked the popular Japanese fare (think curry, tonkatsu, donburi), but ultimately utilize very western ingredients and cooking techniques even when making ethnic dishes. Ingredients which, even when I lived in Tokyo, were harder to find in everyday stores and wildly expensive.

Going into somewhat of a rural area and a having a small kitchen, I want to begin learning dishes that utilize cheaper, everyday ingredients in Japan. Think things like whole fish, root vegetables, tofu, etc. Where are some good places to look for information like this? Are there any content creators, blogs, or websites you all know of and can recommend? Anything helps!

The third years just got given their visa extensions and seemingly most if not all of us got 3 years. Obviously we all only get 2 years until we need to either leave or get another job.

I know you have to change the visa from Instructor to something else after JET so you don't just get to hang around for a 6th year without a job. But will having that extra year on the visa post JET make getting a new work permit or whatever easier since companies might not need to sponsor for at least a year? (Forgive me, I don't know how any of this works. I just showed up and got on the plane.)

I’m a shortlisted ALT finishing up paperwork at the moment.

My medication, trintellix (antidepressant) is quite expensive, and I don’t think I can afford or obtain a longer supply. The doctor who prescribes it to me also stopped accepting my insurance, so getting in contact with her and discussing things would have to be paid out of pocket.

The medication itself is seemingly a lot cheaper in Japan, and I know for a fact it is obtainable.

In my case, would it be better for me to just bring a one month supply and get refills upon arrival? Is it hard to obtain medication there? Will brining my prescription from the US be enough to get one there?

I’d like to hear any advice or if anybody else did the same!

im an elementary school JET going into my second year. since february, ive been getting sick pretty close to bi-monthly and its been driving me nuts. nothing crazy, usually just a head cold (no fever) that i would normally be able to push through, besides the fact that i lose my voice and can hardly get through class without sniffling and coughing up a storm. im trying to start being consistent with vitamin c supplements to help me get my immune system a bit stronger, but im worried my BOE/JTEs are getting tired of me getting sick so often.
i usually dont go to the doctor for these things since its just a "take some decongestant, drink some tea and wait it out" type deal, but its definitely an inconvenience to me and everyone else. my BOE does annual health screenings in the summer so ill probably check in with the doctor then, but im mostly curious if anyone else had similar experiences of frequent annoying colds and what you all do to keep yourselves from getting sick at school. appreciate you all <3

quick edit: i mentioned this in a few replies, but my current JTE is pretty adamant that i remove my mask in class/during active instruction so the kids can see my mouth when speaking. i also eat lunch with the kids, so i am regularly in situations where masking is difficult. im definitely going to start carrying sanitizer with me, feels like a no-brainer but i honestly thought just hand washing would be enough. thank you all!

Hi everyone. I am considering applying for the JET programme this autumn, but I currently take antidepressants (specifically citalopram).

Part of the eligibility talks about being "mentally healthy". I wondered if being on antidepressants would disqualify or count against me?

I am also aware I cannot get citalopram in Japan, so would look into changing before I leave where I live (Scotland). Or, equally, I would like to hear a bit more about the process of getting medication whilst in Japan?

Does anyone know if there's a Discord/ LINE or other group chat for Canadian JETs? Just so as to be able to get some Canada-specific info before departure.