If you are considering teaching English in Japan, I thoroughly recommend you to check out Craig Desorcy’s guide,
The Super Teaching in Japan Handbook

Craig’s handbook is full of valuable tips and information that will help you find and prepare for this life-changing experience as well as how to succeed as an English teacher and lots of insider info about the teaching business in Japan.

Many young people (and old too!) embark every year on a great adventure to Japan, enticed by the myriad of English teaching jobs on offer. Teaching English in Japan has a great appeal, and you never quite know where you will end up being posted and who you will teach.

For example, you may get a job at one of the large English schools in Japan such as Nova, where you will be teaching a variety of students ranging from bored housewives, to salarymen who feel forced into learning English in order to further their career. One area that you may not realise you could be teaching, is teaching children.

If you thought that a bunch of adults may be difficult to teach, how about a class of kids all go to the toilet at the same time… right in the middle of class! Obviously their command of English is going to be limited, so you will need a great deal of patience and the ability to manage your anger as the frustration levels rise. You have to be firm with them, and you might get a little mad, but the lessons made in anger management are an unexpected beneficial side effect. The children know that they have done something wrong, but have no idea what the foreigner at the head of the class is blabbering to them!

That’s just one of the strange twists you may take when teaching English in Japan. It’s definitely interesting and if you are thinking about doing it we recommend you take the plunge and see where your big Japanese adventure takes you!

And don’t forget to take grab a copy of Craig Desorcy’s excellent guide, The Super Teaching in Japan Handbook before you go!

Despite many other airlines already putting in their orders for the new large-capacity Airbus A380, Japan Airlines (JAL) has announced that it has no plans to add it to their fleet. Singapore Airlines are the first airline to take delivery, with other notable buyers including Thai Airways, Emirates Airlines, Korean Air, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa and Qantas.

The huge new Airbus A380 promises to be a revolution in air travel. Some airlines have mentioned that instead of extra seats they plan to utilize the space with luxury lounges, bars and gaming rooms. Airline tickets for these flights are expected to be very popular, but as yet no indication of price has been given.

By adding more seats to the planes it is possible that airline ticket prices may come down due to more bookings. However the luxury flights could see steeper prices for those that appreciate the finer service and relaxed atmosphere.

JAL airlines claim its decision is based on a global downsizing trend amongst the airline industry. However, the list of purchasers and orders for the Airbus A380 may go against this thinking. A spokesperson also alluded to minimizing risks to passengers in the event of unforeseen event, stating that aircraft with fewer passengers significantly decreased the risk to travellers.

If you are considering teaching English in Japan, I thoroughly recommend you to check out Craig Desorcy’s guide,
The Super Teaching in Japan Handbook

Craig’s handbook is full of valuable tips and information that will help you find and prepare for this life-changing experience as well as how to succeed as an English teacher and lots of insider info about the teaching business in Japan.

You may not have considered it, but many people both young and old are heading off to teach English in Japan every day. It can be a life changing and very rewarding experience. Making the big move to Japan whether it be for a short working holiday, or if you plan to live in Japan for a longer duration, can sound daunting but you will get plenty of assistance from your school and employer-to-be.

There are a large number of conversational English schools in Japan and among the bigger and best known ones are Geos, ECC, Berlitz and Nova. Most people that go to teach in Japan start off by attending a local information session. After going through with the interview process your suitability for the role will be assessed. A sense of adventure and an enthusiastic spirit is as must. Actually, you don’t even need any teaching experience and being too good at the Japanese language could also be to your detriment!

Those that teach English in Japan will soon pick up the Japanese language as they go along. If you are really keen to learn Japanese first you could try checking out the Pimsleur series of audio lessons which I thoroughly recommend. Learning to speak Japanese can seem an intimidating experience in the beginning, but if you study gradually you’ll soon figure out the essentials needed to get by in daily life. By actually being in Japan, the Japanese immersion experience ensures that you are going to learn a great deal faster, rather than pounding away at the books trying to learn the kanji symbols and theory before you have anyone to practice speaking with.

Your school will arrange your airfare to Japan and when you arrive at the other end you will usually be greeted at the airport by an experienced staff member. After you go through a few weeks of training and staying in a hotel or share house, you will then be assigned to your school. But that could be anywhere from the middle of Tokyo to way out in the countryside. It’s important not to get too fond of the idea of living in a big city because it’s very likely you could be posted to a distant and small country town. But that’s all part of the adventure!

As part of your posting you will most likely receive your own desk in a shared office. Japan is well known for maximising it usage of small spaces and you will find that your teachers’ office is no exception! Here you will be required to prepare for your ESL (English as a Second Language) lessons and do any other paperwork that may be required such as evaluating students and marking tests. At the end of a hard day’s teaching, it’s traditional to go out eating and drinking with your new found Japan friends. Typically this is to a Japanese tavern called an izakaya and you may even get your own private room complete with those delightful wooden and paper shoji screens.

Your school’s staff and other experienced teachers will explain all the necessary information to survive, including helping you get your own Japanese cell phone (keitai), arranging your accommodation, sorting out your bills and showing you the best places to eat and go grocery shopping in Japan. If you have any problems you can always call on them to help you out.

Should your country have good diplomatic relations with Japan, working holiday visas are easier to get and let you live in Japan for up to 18 months depending upon the arrangement. For a full work visa you will need a proper diploma or degree, however it can be in any discipline and does not have to be related to teaching. For more advice regarding visas I recommend you contact your nearest Japanese embassy or consulate. Also the school you decide to go with will be able to help you with more specific information.

The experience of going to teach English in Japan is an absolutely amazing one that you will never forget. If you have been putting it off I recommend you just jump right into it and see where life takes you!

And don’t forget to take grab a copy of Craig Desorcy’s excellent guide, The Super Teaching in Japan Handbook before you go!

Have you ever stayed at a traditional Japanese hotel? In Japan they have a number of different types of hotels such as capsule hotels, business hotels, love hotels, western style hotels and of course the old style hotel.

More like an inn, these traditional style hotels are called ‘ryokan’. In the city they may be located in more modern premises, but in the country towns they usually appear more like the image we have of Old Japan. However, even at a city ryokan hotel, step inside and you will be instantly immersed in Japanese culture and hospitality. The staff will make you feel most welcome, and will even take care of transforming your room from a private dining room, into a bedroom come nightfall.

Featuring lovely decor, many ryokan have relaxing hot springs either attached to them, or conveniently located nearby. The traditional-style rooms often mean sleeping on the floor, but the soft futons and tatami matting will ensure you have a peaceful sleep. In the morning ditch the Western breakfast (which you’ll usually find is just toast!) and try a carefully prepared multi-dish Japanese meal.

The combination of different foods and flavors is not only healthy, but a taste-sensation and a great way to start your day of traveling or sightseeing with vigor. We thoroughly recommend booking into a ryokan when you visit Japan, after all if you want to stay in a western hotel why are you visiting Japan for anyway!