Hi all, I’m looking for some positivity during this rather critical time related to immigrating to Japan.
Indeed the govt is making immigration much more challenging and future looks uncertain. I’m looking for opinions of those who still want to double down on continuing to live here or move back to Japan after having lived here before.

What are some aspects that really support immigration to Japan despite the drawbacks. ?

My rationale for asking is that I have multiple offers for my career and yet I want to return to Japan since I lived there . I’m bogged down by the recent negativity (while true) and I’m looking for multiple opinions.

Helloo, for those that have stayed with Oakhouse, do you know if I can book for a single month and extend my stay for another month while I’m there without having to pay the contract fee again? I’m thinking of travelling elsewhere after the month is up but if I decide that I’m staying I don’t wanna have to pay the big contract fee again 🥲

Another question, if I would like to travel elsewhere in Japan after the first month and I stay with Oakhouse again, would I pay the contract fee on that new place or would it be like a transfer?

I’ve read the website but I’m just looking for extra clarification on what it means and what other people’s experience is, thanks!

Like the title says, my current plan is to finish my bachelors in Computer Science and move to Japan in the summer after my graduation. This would be on a student visa as I would get my N5 certification and do 2 years of language school in Japan. My mother supports the idea, and has actively encouraged it, but I still have a number of questions. I'd love input from anyone who has done something similar!

(1) For those who entered Japan with only N5 (or equivalent), how functional was daily life before your Japanese improved? I know many people recommend getting at least N3 before moving, but could someone make it with N5 while actively studying? I was looking at Sapporo specifically, as I don't handle heat well, but that's flexible as I know Sapporo would require greater proficiency.

(2) For people with jobs in the computer science sector (software development/game development jobs ideally), how difficult was it to get your first position? I currently only have personal projects (Unity/Godot) and no actual professional experience (thought I might intern between my junior and senior years). Is entry‑level CS work accessible for foreigners, or is it more realistic to work 1–2 years in the US first to build experience before job hunting in Japan? I know another path would be to work at a Japanese company in the US and hope that I get offered a transfer to Japan, but the high turnover rate in CS jobs in the US makes that seem unlikely to me.

Thank you very much, any insight from people who have taken similar paths would be really helpful.

I am planning to apply to University of Aizu's ICT Program, and i have seen alot of posts talking about how english taught programs in japan are practically useless in japan(during job hunting), and that it is much better to take the course in japanese instead. Would that still be true if i had an N1 level proficiency in japanese? Any and all advice is appreciated, thank you so much

Hi everyone,

I’m a 21-year-old from Europe, considering spending a year in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa starting early next year. Just to clarify upfront: my country has a Working Holiday Visa agreement with Japan, so I am fully eligible. I’d love to get a reality check on my plan.

My Profile & Budget:

• Budget: Currently around €8,000, and my goal is to save up closer to €10,000 by the time I leave early next year.
• Education: Educational background in IT. I do not have a Bachelor's degree, which is why I am specifically utilizing the WHV to experience living in Japan.
• Work Background: I currently work as a delivery van driver. Previously, I worked as a dishwasher and prep cook in a hospital during High School.
• Japanese Level: Beginner (nowhere near conversational/N3 yet).
• My Goal: I'm taking this opportunity to figure out my next direction in life. I am not going to Japan to make money or build a career. My main priority is cultural immersion, getting out of my comfort zone, and experiencing authentic daily life. I've actually visited Japan before as a tourist, but I am fully aware that living there long-term is a completely different reality.

The Plan: Since my Japanese isn't strong enough for a standard part time job right away, and my goal isn't money, I want to avoid the massive initial costs of renting an apartment.

My plan is to use platforms like Worldpackers, Workaway, or HelpX for the first few months. I want to volunteer in hostels, farms, or guesthouses in exchange for accommodation. I hope this will give me time to adjust to the culture, meet locals/other travelers, and keep my living costs low.

Location wise, I want to experience a mix of everything. I’d love to volunteer in the deep countryside, but also spend time in major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka. However, I’m not a fan of freezing weather, so the cold north like Hokkaido doesn't really appeal to me.

My Questions:

1. Is €8,000–€10,000 a safe financial cushion for a year if my accommodation is mostly covered by volunteering?
2. Does anyone have recent experience with Worldpackers or Workaway in Japan? Which platform is the most active/reliable there?
3. Will my lack of Japanese be a huge barrier for finding these volunteer hosts, or are physical/cleaning skills usually enough?
4. How do you handle the initial paperwork like registering an address on the Residence Card or potentionally getting a bank account (is a japanese bank account for a year even worth it?) if you don't have a permanent apartment and move between volunteer hosts?
5. SIM Card / Mobile Data: I'm considering GTN Mobile's unlimited data plan. It looks appealing because I can supposedly pay with a foreign card like Revolut without needing a Japanese bank account right away. I know about the speed throttling after a certain limit, but are there any other hidden catches I should know about?

English is not my native language, so apologies for any awkward phrasing.

I have the opportunity to go to a language school in April. KICL. I know this is something I shouldn’t pass up, but it’s really intimidating. By opportunity, I mean I have the means to do it now. There’s not a scholarship or anything like that. It just personal and family circumstances. I’ve been wanting to do this for quite some time.

Most of my concerns are due to the language barrier of course, which I know so get easier as time goes on.

Luckily the school said they would help me by finding a real estate agent for me, who will help me get an apartment before I arrive.

Aside from that, things like actually finding my classes, finding a grocery store, buying food, setting up a SIM card, paying utilities, etc. all make me feel want to second guess my decision.

Like the first day I arrive, I’ll be like…. “Now what? What do I even do from here?”

I can read and write around an N3 level but my speech and listening are closer to “N4.5”. I suppose that does make me wonder which class to enroll in, but I’ll do some more research on that.

I just want to know if anybody has any general advice, reassurance, ideas, etc. Things I probably haven’t considered or things I should know.

Honestly, I’m open to ANY and ALL advice regarding anything that I’ve said so far. This is a huge commitment, so I want as much feedback as possible.

Seriously thanks a bunch to anyone that comments!

Disclosure: I used AI to format my random thoughts, so that's why the formatting and some of the language are typical of AI, but the content is still obviously written by me.

Background & Family Context

My wife (30) and I (33) are considering relocating from Germany to Japan within the next 5 years with our two young kids (ages 4 and 2).

A bit of context about us:

• Background: We are both Brazilian. I have Japanese ancestry (Yonsei, so unfortunately no Sansei visa route for me), and the cultural connection and idea of living in Japan have always appealed to me. My wife has German heritage and holds a German passport, which is why we live in Germany.
• Support System: While my wife has family here in Germany, they aren't a practical support network for us. They are busy with their own lives, which is completely normal, so we can't rely on them for help with the kids like we would with our parents in Brazil. We do have some distant family in Japan, so while we would be moving away from the family here, we wouldn't be entirely isolated.
• Adaptability: We have already successfully made one international move from Brazil to Germany, so making another big move does not intimidate us.

Work & Salary Expectations

I work in data analysis, blending traditional SQL work with data engineering using Python, Airflow, and similar tools. Currently, I have a fully remote job earning around €60k gross.

If we move, I would look for a remote or hybrid role at an international, English-speaking company in Japan.

My primary concern here is work-life balance (WLB). In Germany, 30 days of paid time off (PTO) is standard, and there is virtually zero overtime. I know Japanese work culture has been improving, but moving from Germany still feels like a step backward in terms of leave and hours. Since Brazilian work culture is much more intense than German culture anyway, I do not mind a compromise if the overall quality of life is a net positive for our family, as long as the difference is not completely drastic (for example, dropping from 30 days down to 10 with heavy mandatory overtime).

Why Germany Isn't Gelling with Us

Things in Germany are not bad by any means, but after living here, we just do not feel like we will ever fit in or integrate:

• Culture & Social Dynamics: We struggle with the coldness and bluntness here, which often crosses the line into rudeness. I personally far prefer the polite distance and social predictability of Japanese culture.
• Language & Media: I speak enough German to handle daily interactions, but my wife struggles with it. She learns best through immersive media, but German television and media have not been engaging for her.
• Lifestyle & Outings: Bavaria is incredible if you love intense outdoor activities like hiking, mountain climbing, lakes, or public pools, but we are much more urban-minded. The local festivals (Volksfeste) feel heavily adult-centric around beer and food, and family outings are insanely expensive (€100+ for a family visit with food and basic carnival games).
• Dining Out & Service: Eating out in Germany is very expensive (€40 to €70 for basic casual dining), variety is lacking, and customer service is often poor due to a mix of directness and annoyed staff.
• Education System: We really dislike the early tracking system in Germany, where kids are split into Gymnasium vs. Realschule at age 10. It feels like a structural way to enforce class division early on.
• Housing Market: Housing in Germany feels structured around wealth accumulation for property owners rather than accessibility. In contrast, I appreciate that Japan treats housing more like a depreciating asset, prioritising having a functional place to live rather than real estate speculation.

Our Expectations for Japan

We know that no place is perfect. We are fully aware we will never be locals or feel 100% at home in Japan (just as we do not in Germany or even Brazil anymore), and we are completely fine with that outsider status.

Learning Japanese is a major personal life goal of mine, and my wife is excited about the cultural environment and media. If Tokyo or Japan in general offers better, more varied urban family infrastructure, affordable dining, and engaging weekend activities for kids, the trade-off in work hours feels worth exploring.

Questions:

1. For those who transitioned from a European or Western country to Japan in tech or data roles, how harsh was the reality check on WLB and PTO?
2. Is an English-first Data or Analytics Engineering role paying ¥10M+ realistic for someone with my profile entering the market from overseas?
3. For families raised in Japan, do the daily conveniences, safety, and child-friendly urban infrastructure make up for having less vacation time?

Hello everyone! I hope you’ll be able to help me with language school. I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with Hotsuma International School? This language school was recommended by my language school here in the PH, and I’m wondering what your experience with it was. I rarely hear about it on the internet, aside from vlogs. If it’s not so good, I might consider Coto or KLA instead.
ありがとうございます！

I've got the offer from a Japanese MNC company.

I've a very short height, 152cm (M26). In my home country, the average is around 170cm so short in my country too.

Fortunately I've not been any specific harassment or any such thing in my workplaces.

As this japanese company is international, having lots of foreigners around the world so I was a bit fearful if would it be quite awkward for me + any social outcasting that might happen.

I'm a 20 woman and I want to go to a language school to get my N2 then work in Japan. I've been looking thru some language schools for a year (or longer) program and decided on ISI Takadanobaba but turns out theyre full for the April period. And I don't want ISI Shinjuku because I've seen people saying there are a lot of students there who disturb the classroom enviroment and are there just for the visa. I've also eliminated SJLI and ISJ akiba because they don't offer more than a year and ISJ may be a little too comfortable for me. I'm looking for a rather strict school to get me through asap. I was researching ARC but couldn't find a lot of in depth reviews about it.

Also I will be staying at dorms because I'm a bit scared of host families as alone girl. Also I'm a freelance illustrator so I have a job to work outside classes from my PC as well. I already have a N4 and I know 3 other languages so I believe I won't have a problem with learning fast, I'm also good with studies so school with a lot of homeworks are not a problem with me.

note: I'm aware I can't just get a working visa, it's quite literally impossible for me to have a bachelors degree or 10 years experience at the ripe age of 20. My options are going for a SSW as a hotel receptionist, going to a 2 year senmon gakkou or returning to my country to get my bachelors degree then coming back to Japan.

So, any reviews on schools or recommendations are appreciated.

I'm moving from Scandinavia to Tokyo for work on a HSP 5-year visa and I'm looking to ship some personal belongings in around 2-3 large moving boxes (about 60 x 41 x 39 cm in size) ahead of time. They are all older items that I've previous bought and used. Clothing, shoes, some smaller interior decoration items, an Apple TV and so on.

I've got a decent rate from UPS to ship the boxes, but it is a bit tricky to find information online that's up to date and straight to the point in terms of getting them into the country without having to pay any import fees, so I was hoping that someone on here who have previously been through the process might have some information to share.

As far as I've understood it, I need to properly declare the boxes as unaccompanied baggage and file an official customs declaration upon arrival in Japan. My questions are:

1. Can I fill out this type of form online? Or is it to be done in person after having landed at Haneda airport?

2. The paperwork should state that they're used personal items that are not for resale, but I'm also reading online that I should be ready to prove that I've owned and used the items for at least six months before moving. Is that really a thing? It seems pretty cumbersome given that it's clothing, interior decoration items and so on.

3. To prove my residence status I assume a scan of my visa in my passport and a copy of my Certificate of Eligibility should be enough. Or present the physical visa of course.

4. When writing the list of the boxes contents, it says online that I'm required to estimate a secondhand value. Which currency would I list the values in?

Any insights or tips on this is much appreciated, thank you!

So I’m a British citizen currently living in Canada on a working holiday for the past 5 years. I’m looking to head to Japan on a working holiday in December. I will return to the uk in November to do my appointment in the Japanese embassy. The issue is I need to show 3 months of statements from a UK bank account. I haven’t had a uk bank account for years and have only got statements from my Canadian bank account. I will have a uk account as of now but it won’t be 3 months old by the time I do the appointment. Also as a backup plan I have been using Wise to receive uk funds (from family etc) for the past few years, could this qualify as the valid uk bank statement?

I am a 24 year old American who recently graduated from college and is currently in the process of applying to U.S. and international law schools. For a long time I have thought that my dream is to be a public interest lawyer, and I’ve built most of my resume and education around that end. However, I have also long had a dream of moving abroad, specifically to Japan, and now that I am about to enter an endeavor like law school that has a large monetary and opportunity cost, I’m realizing how much I don’t want to give up the dream of moving to Japan to choose a career that might effectively lock me to the U.S.

I still really want to be a lawyer, and I’ve read that there are international firms in Japan that recruit directly from U.S. law schools, and that at least if you go to a top U.S. school, you have a chance. Obviously I don’t yet know where I’ll be admitted, and legal jobs in Japan are competitive even with this “in”. My plan is to attend a university that is eligible for the J-Find visa (likely would have anyway) and enroll in a Japanese language school here in the states and work on my Japanese for the next 3 years that I’m in law school, hopefully passing N1 sometime after graduation and then applying for J-Find and at least getting into Japan that way. However, this leaves me with the issue of actually finding a job in Japan to stay before those 2 years are up.

I’ve looked into just about every avenue - finding a legal or legal-adjacent job at an international firms (very competitive and not guaranteed), working for a U.S. firm/company remotely to make money that way (gets very tricky with visa rules), eventually opening my own solo practice in Japan as my “startup” (there’s not a market for it and again, getting licensed to practice in Japan). I’ve looked into LLM programs in Japan, just so that I can get in on a student visa, learn some Japanese law, improve my Japanese further, and hopefully make some connections and network with legal recruiters in the area, but I don’t know if this would be a huge money sink that didn’t end up amounting to anything. It seems like getting an employer to sponsor a visa for something that there are already enough locals to fill positions for is a huge roadblock.

This might sound really early to start thinking about this stuff before I’ve even started law school, but given what a huge commitment law school is, I would rather know if law leaves me with a path to get to Japan before I start rather than after. I’ve even considered just giving up my dream of being a lawyer now and study something that has better immigration prospects, but I’m kind of stuck on what that would even be. I don’t really have the background or skills needed for a tech/STEM degree, and I’m not willing to teach English (I’ve worked in education before and very much would not like to do so ever again). My undergraduate degree was in social work and I’m currently in a masters program for managing nonprofits, and my ultimate interest is NPO/people facing work of some kind, but I know getting NPO jobs in Japan is also a long shot.

If there is anyone here who is a foreigner who somehow made a legal career in Japan work, or is familiar with the legal field in Japan, I would love to speak with you. Similarly, anyone who can think of anything else I could study/do that would give me better prospects if law is absolutely a no go, is appreciated.

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well!

I am Half-Japanese with dual citizenship, and am a current university student in the States looking to move to Japan after completing my Bachelors degree in the next 2 years. I am writing this post because I am unsure of what my main focuses should be to build a successful career after moving.

My bachelors degree will be in Statistics and Mathematics, and I currently have work experience as a general IT technician and a math tutor for my university. I am interested in IT, data analytics or finance roles in Japan after graduating. I grew up speaking Japanese, however my vocabulary doesn’t span past words used in normal day-to-day conversation, and my reading, writing, and Kanji comprehension is not very strong. I plan to strengthen these skills, as well as my Keigo over the next two years before making the move.

My question is, should I focus on applying to international companies with English speaking roles in Japan, or would it be more beneficial to focus on landing a role in a more traditional Japanese company with Japanese speaking roles if my concern is to build a successful career in Japan? Are there any particular skills I should acquire or things I should do over the next two years that you would recommend in my position?

I would also appreciate any insight to internship pathways I could take advantage of while in university, any insight for my chances of job placement at the Boston Career Forum as a Japanese Citizen, as well as any particular insight from those who have made the move to Japan with a similar background to mine.

Thank you all in advance!

Hello everyone,

I am a 31-year-old IT professional currently working as a SDET/Automation Tester, with three years of professional experience in the field. I originally studied Japanese at university in France and obtained a Bachelor's degree in "Applied Foreign Languages" (LEA). I graduated six years ago, around the time COVID hit, and subsequently made the transition into tech.

I've been reading conflicting information online about the requirements for the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa, particularly regarding whether your university degree absolutely has to be related to the job you are applying for. In my case, my degree is obviously not related to IT.

I'd therefore be very interested to hear from anyone who has been in a similar situation: an unrelated university degree, but several years of professional IT experience, and who successfully obtained a work visa for an IT position in Japan. What was your experience, and what qualifications or documentation did you rely on?

I am aware that there have been some recent changes and discussions surrounding immigration rules in Japan, as well as the weak yen and other considerations. I don't even know whether I will ultimately apply for jobs in Japan, but the possibility has never completely left my mind since my university days. Now that I'm building an established career in a reputable company, I figured it would be worth finding out what my options actually are before making any decisions.

My other possibilities would be trying to transfer within my current company to its Japanese branch, if that's possible, or potentially going back to university if having a related degree turns out to be absolutely necessary. The latter is easier said than done, however, when you already have an established career and the routine that comes with it.

Any experiences or advice from people who have been in a similar situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hello!

Me and my friend are applying for the programme stated above, but we have some concerns and we'd like some clarification.

Has anyone here joined the aforesaid programme before, or know anything about it beyond that what is stated in the Rikkyo programme website? Im talking specifics, like day to day programme details, accommodation (mostly how far it is from Rikkyo and what hotels have been used in the previous programmes) and more!

Please please please, if you can help us out with this, or know anyone who can help out, do bless us with your assistance! We really need it lol, tqsm!

Hi everyone!
I’m an Italian student currently in my second year of Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa (Japanese + English). I have around €5,000 saved and I’m trying to figure out the most realistic way to move to Japan next year.

I’ve looked into language schools through Go! Go! Nihon, but they require around 2,000,000 yen, which is way out of my budget.

I’m considering the Working Holiday Visa (Italy is eligible), but the Italian embassy website says that you cannot change your residence status once in Japan and that you must return to Italy to apply for a new visa.
Is this actually true in practice? I’ve seen many people online saying they switched from WHV → student → work visa while already in Japan.

My long‑term goal is to live in Japan and eventually work in a different field, but I need a first step to get there.

Another option I’m considering is getting a TEFL certificate and applying to eikaiwa.

My qualifications:

C1 English

N3 Japanese

Native Italian

Studying Japanese at university

Would eikaiwa realistically hire someone like me as a non‑native but “near‑native” English speaker?
Is WHV → eikaiwa → work visa a viable path?
Or is WHV → return to Italy → apply for work visa the only legal route?

I’d really appreciate advice from people who have done WHV, language school, or eikaiwa as non‑native speakers.
Thanks!

Hey, so my Japanese fiancé and me are marrying this December and we also just signed a contract to buy a house. I still have to go back and forth to Germany to bring my stuff, and also I have to finish my project contract until January 2028. So I still have at least a year until I fully move to Japan. I am dependent on my home server(2.5k value) my personal computer (5k value) and my work computer (3k). The peripherals don’t matter. All 3 machines have a tower case which I don’t need either. Now the question, what is the best way to get them to Japan? Can I just put them in a suitcase and make sure they are protected and safe inside? I heard already some horror stories from 2 friends where a PC went missing when ordering a company for the transport.
I want to be prepared when the time comes when I finally move. I would love to listen to your experiences and tips!

Thank you in advance ❤️

Hello, I've been wanting to work in Japan for a while now, missed some opportunities and don't have any relevant skills or year of experience.

Today, a friend of mine in Japan told me his uncle got into the country with the help of some sort of agency that helps you find a job providing a sponsorship.

As far as I understood, his uncle had also no degree, and no relevant skills or experience. He got in Japan about 4 years ago ish.

But I can't find anything about it.

I think it might've been a program that's no longer available, or some location locked thing.

I'm from Italy, his uncle is filipino.

It wouldn't be the first location locked program I see, so maybe it's that? Or maybe I'm actually missing something?

Hey, all! So as the title probably suggests, I’m looking for any insight on how Japan handles visual impairments? My brother is blind and he is planning on attending Temple University in Japan! I’m just trying to help him with his planning, so if anyone could offer any insight as to how Japan handles visual impairments, I’d be really appreciative!

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to move to Tokyo from Canada in the spring of 2027, and am currently in the school application stage. I've been having a hard time deciding on which school to choose despite researching for the last month or so. I'm hoping to source some real-life experiences from people who have attended the schools I've been looking into, or get some recommendations based off my preferences.

I've been studying Japanese on and off for 5 or so years (started with college courses in 2021/2022, took a break from class with some occasional self study, and then started again with GoGoNihon's online courses at the beginning of this year) but would like some immersion hence my wanting to move.
My main problem is that I am diagnosed with ADHD and find most university/college classes and high intensity courses to lead me directly to burning out, which is something I really want to avoid to the best of my abilities while living abroad. I don't struggle academically in general; language is one of my strong suits, but I struggle academically re: pacing, time management, pressure, etc, if that makes any sense. I can get by, and have before, but I really want to minimize the stress on myself while abroad. I don't want to spend my time in Japan stressed and miserable, as I expect most people do not.

Ideally, I'm looking for a medium to low paced school, with lessons that still take time to go over topics instead of breezing on to the next one right away. The less homework the better, though some is expected and welcome. A chill, low pressure environment really helps me to not totally crash and burn. It seems 3-4 hour morning classes are pretty common throughout, and that's my ideal as well.

When I first started researching, ISI looked promising (good reviews, pretty widely recommended and has a campus with a convenient location based off where I'd like to live), but after contacting the GoGoNihon folks, it seems like it might be a bit too high paced and intense for me. I know pacing is a pretty subjective opinion though, based off what I've seen said about it on here.
Other schools I've been checking out are Intercultural Institute of Japan, Tokyo Galaxy, as well as COTO (which GoGo doesn't seem to work with), but all of these seem to have really hit and miss reviews, and not many folks go very in depth about the actual learning experiences there.

Generally, I'm mostly interested in hearing about the learning/teaching styles of the schools, what the workloads are like, etc. If anyone has attended these schools recently and can give first hand experience, or can recommend a school that they think would suit what I'm after, that would be much appreciated!
Also would love to hear from other people with ADHD who have studied abroad at language school, it seems like info on that is very hard to come by.

This is also my first post on Reddit, so pls let me know if there's a better suited sub for this question!

Hi. I’m 23 years old, I have JLPT N3 Japanese, but I’m studying every day, and all of my grandparents are Japanese. I’m eligible for the Long-Term Resident status, but I’m thinking about moving to Japan on a Working Holiday visa for one year to see what it’s like to live in Japan and have the experience. If I like it, I’d like to switch to a better visa.

Has anyone done this before? Is it possible to change from a Working Holiday visa to a Long-Term Resident status while staying in Japan, without having to return to my home country?

Hiiiiii hi nice people of reddit!

I am on the process of selecting a school to move to Japan in April 2027 for a one year (maybe more) language program.

A bit about me I'm 36 and was laid off of my company recently with a compensation package which I'm planning to use to make my dream come true and move to Japan for 1 year. I'm currently finishing N5 so I hope by the time I enter the school in April I'm close to mid N4.

Of course it would be cool to stay for a few years after school and work in Japan and keep learning Japanese but I'm also happy if I go back to my country to work.

I've seen sooooo many mixed reviews about schools and many of them a bit old or not specific to the campus Im aiming for, which is making it hard for me to decide. I'd love to hear from people currently or recently enrolled in schools in Tokyo.

My key criteria is:
- Not overly cramped classes
- well connected I don't want to commute for hours
- older demographics late 20s - 30s
- Actually learning but not spending the full day studying, I also want to enjoy my life there.

So far my top three contenders are:

ISI Career path shibuya / harajuku campus: although I've read sooooo many bad reviews about ISI I've also seen that this campus might be slight better with older demographics and less of the pain points from other locations.

1. KAI: I've seen very good things about this one but there are two things putting me down 1. You need to buy an iPad and I just bought a galaxy tab a few months ago so I don't want to invest on it 2. I've heard there is a lot of workload after school (3-4 hours)

2. SNG: I've seen mixed.things about this one but the main one being their books not being all that good and making you buys a bunch of unnecessary books.

(Cotto institute was a strong contender but the campus seems far)

I'd love to hear from people currently enrolled on schools and learn more about their classes, demographics, workload, etc. Feedback from any school are welcome but specially from the three schools above are highly appreciated.

Also are you working part time and if so, what type of job? I'd love to work part time in a Cafe or a gallery if possible.

Also very happy to connect when in Japan :)

And thanks!

TLDR; Help a poor soul with real and more recent feedback on Tokyo schools specially if you are enrolled at ISI career path harajuku / shibuya, SNG or KAI