Teach English in Japan
Teaching jobs in Japan now available throughout the greater Tokyo area and Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Kyushu. Experience life in one of Asia’s most fast paced destinations! 💚🏯
Teach English in Japan
Teach small groups of children and adults at established language schools in and around Tokyo, with full training, visa sponsorship and no placement fee through ESLstarter.
English teaching jobs in Japan
Teach at friendly, professional language schools that are part of the communities they serve. Your students are a mix of children, teenagers, parents, young professionals and business people, roughly half adults and half children.
Classes are small, with an average of three students and many one-to-one adult lessons. The full curriculum, course books and materials are provided, so you can focus on teaching. Your day usually starts around midday and finishes at 8 or 9pm, on a regular five-day schedule.
Your Japan package
Salary depends on your qualifications and experience.
Monthly salary, plus a bonus system
Paid annual leave, including 10 days at Christmas and New Year
One week of training in Tokyo, plus young learner training
Your school sponsors your Japanese work visa
Help finding and setting up your home in Japan
Work travel reimbursed
Access to the Japanese health insurance scheme
Support from a dedicated team in Japan
Routes into senior teacher and management roles
Who can apply?
- A bachelor's degree in any subject
- Fluent English
- A CELTA, Trinity TESOL or TEFL certificate
- No teaching experience needed
- No Japanese needed
Applicants with a 100+ hour TEFL and six months of full-time English teaching experience are also welcome to apply.
No TEFL yet? Get the 120-hour TEFL online from just £63 with our partner TEFL UK. Want a CELTA-level qualification? The Ofqual-regulated Level 5 TEFL is from £239.
Get TEFL certified from £63Where you could teach
Most schools are in and around Tokyo, with some in other major cities:
- Shinjuku
- Shibuya
- Ebisu
- Ginza
- Saitama
- Yokohama
- Nagoya
- Osaka
- Kobe
- Kyoto
- Kyushu
How it works
Apply with ESLstarter
Send the form below. We'll check your eligibility and documents.
Interview
Shortlisted applicants are invited by email to an interview, with tips from us beforehand.
Offer and contract
Choose your start month from eight intakes a year.
Visa
Your school sponsors your work visa. Processing takes time, so apply early.
Fly to Japan
A week's orientation in Tokyo, then your first classes.
From late-night noodles under Tokyo's neon to quiet mountain temples, Japan is an unforgettable place to live and teach.
With six weeks of paid leave a year, you'll have time to explore it. · Read teacher stories
Teaching in Japan: your questions answered
How much do English teachers earn in Japan with this programme?
Teachers earn up to JPY 262,800 a month depending on qualifications and experience, plus a bonus system. The package also includes visa sponsorship, accommodation support, reimbursed work commuting costs and six weeks of paid annual leave.
What qualifications do I need to teach English in Japan?
You need a bachelor's degree in any subject, fluent English and a CELTA, Trinity TESOL or TEFL certificate. Applicants with a 100+ hour TEFL and six months of full-time English teaching experience are also welcome.
Do I need to speak Japanese?
No. Lessons are taught in English and no Japanese is required, although learning some basics will make daily life easier and more fun.
When can I start teaching in Japan?
There are intakes in March, April, May, June, July, September, October and November, and applications are accepted all year. Visa processing takes time, so apply early for your preferred start date.
What are the working hours?
You teach around 29.5 hours a week over a regular five-day schedule. The teaching day usually starts around midday and finishes at 8 or 9pm, with lessons of 40 to 50 minutes and an average class size of three students.
Does ESLstarter charge a fee?
No. Our recruitment service for teaching jobs in Japan is completely free for teachers.
Ready to teach in Japan?
Applications are open all year. It takes five minutes, and our service is free.
