Teaching English on the JET Program in Tokyo
When I got my placement in Tokyo I couldn’t believe my ears. I didn’t know it at the time, but when you get your go signal for the JET program, most people don’t get placed in the big sushi (big apple, big sushi…never mind).
In fact I wasn’t expecting to get the call at all. It came on a sunny morning and literally rocked my week. I had applied twice and both times I was accepted as an upgrade candidate. Basically if there was an open spot, I was on the call list. When I got the call, it was the chance of a lifetime. So I said yes.
For those that may not know, JET is short for The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. The application process is quite long as you apply in the Fall of the year prior to the actual departure date. After you apply in October, you interview in January, and find out if you’ve been accepted in February/March. You’re then placed into one of a few departure groups.
There is early departure, where you leave in April, smack in the beginning of the new school year. This is optional of course for some applicants. You’ll also have an opportunity to check for this option on your application.
Then, there’s Group A and Group B. Both of these are the folks who got accepted to go after the interview process. They leave around June/July. This is the most common departure period. Then there’s Group C, which is the final group for upgrades. You leave in August with that one, and that was my slot. This is the least common departure, and can be stressful.
I would have to leave a month from when I got the call in mid July.
There was a lot to do prior, during and post moving and the process for JET is actually very long, intensive, and risky. There’s a lot I’m grateful for, having made the leap. For one, JET is one of the top teaching programs in Japan and it really gives you a lot of flexibility with your experience here. However… It is just that: an exchange employment opportunity. So that means you get what you put in. As a Tokyo JET Assistant Language Teacher, my experience is different from those placed outside the capital city, so here’s what I like and dislike about my experience so far.
Disclaimer:
This is by no means a critique on the program, and my views don’t reflect those of anyone else except my own.
Con #1: Finding Affordable Housing
The JET Program is new to Tokyo, and it doesn’t have a history of participants that extends as far back as some of the other prefectures. This means that it’s unlikely to get a stipend for living expenses, compensated rent or even prefecture designated housing.
When you come to Tokyo, you gotta apartment hunt like everyone else. Be prepared for the steep rental prices! There are plenty of real estate agencies willing to offer their service, even some in English. If you’re lucky, your area will have an apartment/house that your predecessor rented that you can rent after them.
Rental discrimination exists in Japan. Property owners can outright deny your application to rent with them because you aren’t Japanese. Yeah… The size of apartments can also vary on the smaller side, depending on if you’re in the central 23 wards, or a little further out in the suburbs. Either way, living out here is not cheap regardless of size. It’s doable with the JET salary for sure, but save ahead of time if you can.
Con #2: Detached City
Tokyo is also a huge area, and culture shock is very real when you first get here. Being in such a big city, it can also feel like you’re a small fish in a big pond. There are ways to navigate forming community with the other JETs, your teachers or other expats in your area. Living out here can be isolating without community. Now, it’s not as bad as living in the Inaka, the countryside. I just find that Tokyo can have a cold, detached vibe at times.
Con #3: Crowds
It’s going to be crowded. Again, this is one of the world’s largest metro areas, so you’re gonna have to get used to bumping shoulders on the train if you commute. Tokyo has seen rapid growth even with JET applicants being accepted and more positions opening every year.
It’s also projected to get more crowded in the coming years with people arriving for the 2020 Olympics, as well as new and revised visa entries for folks looking to immigrate and work in Japan. So the narrow streets might feel even more narrow.
Con #4: Short Tokyo JET History
Most schools in Tokyo aren’t used to having JET ALT’s (assistant language teachers) so this means a lot of the time, other JET’s in your area are going to deal with similar issues that you may encounter. For example, not being informed of critical information on time or co-teachers not collaborating during class time. Not only that, but the teachers have to get used to the procedures of JET and how to handle you, the ALT.
They need to make sure they have the right paperwork, address your needs and also make sure you’re a good fit for them while they try something new. There’s a lot of work to be done in terms of infrastructure and relationships with schools for their current and future JETs.
Pro #1: Active ALT Community
The JET community in Tokyo can be super active in terms of meeting up and getting to know each other. There are town-based, interest-based groups, and a lot more. You’ll meet a good amount of people when you arrive for your orientation. Even afterwards, you can join an online group, where most admins are pretty good at keeping everyone up to date.
I find that Facebook groups are the most useful if you have a question regarding your school, any trouble you might run into, or if you just need to buy or swap house items. The foreign community in Tokyo is growing every year and with that there’s always something going on that you can join.
Pro #2: More English Translations
The train system as well as other areas in the city are getting fitted with more English translations. Not that fluent in Japanese? No problem! Well…not as much of a problem. With the 2020 Olympics gearing up, the whole prefecture is getting ready to showcase itself to the world.
With English becoming a global lingua franca it makes sense that the prefecture is taking steps to provide resources and access to non Japanese speaking folks. This goes for other languages like Chinese (Mandarin/Cantonese), Korean, Spanish, Hindi and others. Tokyo is really opening itself up to the world and this atmosphere is more friendly to foreign visitors and residents.
Pro #3: Cultural Hub
Having access to items that may not be as common in other prefectures. Clothes with larger sizes, international groceries, furniture from Ikea, dope shoes, nightclubs, arcades, all kinds of cuisine, large expat communities you name it!
Living in Tokyo isn’t something to complain about if you’re talking about things to do or see. It’s not just sightseeing either. The city isn’t a monolith and there are tons of different neighborhoods with their own unique vibes. The architectural and residential variation is my favorite in the whole world. Being on the JET Program, you are actually afforded quite a bit of off time to travel. Living out here you’re not really pressed for lack of options.
Let’s just say that a lot of things happen here that don’t happen elsewhere. Are you into fashion? There’s tons of fashion events. Your favorite artist is doing a world tour? Do you like Disney or Sanrio characters or trains or anime? Do you like thrift shopping? How about food tours? Do you like beer? There’s a whole beer museum.
Tokyo prefecture is one of the cultural hubs of the world. If you have any kind of specific interest, you’re bound to find a way to keep it up. If you put yourself out there or have your ear to the streets (or the internet) you can find things almost tailor fitted to you. It’s a city that even with as many people that live here, still finds a way to be extremely personal if you just know where to look.
Pro #4: Tech for Teaching
Now I can’t speak for every school on the program, but from what I hear… some schools including my own are equipped with decent levels of technology. There are work PCs you can use, my school has access to projectors, the other teachers can assist if you need help printing or faxing or file sharing for your lessons.
Being a Tokyo JET, I have heard that we are able to access basic tech, which isn’t always common for other prefectures. It might be a budgetary thing, I’m not sure, but it does make life easier if I can pop up a slideshow for classroom instructions and focus more on talking to my students.
A lot of new positions open up in the Tokyo prefecture every year, but it’s still not as likely that you’ll get placed here. That being said if you’re still wanting to come to Japan and find work or other ways of living I think the JET Program is a good bet. Maybe not a whole Plan A, but as a backup or chance card it’s worth a shot.
Now there is one thing I wanna leave y’all reading this article with. No matter my experience, if y’all get the call, your experience will be different. I think that’s the beauty of the job really. For better or worse you will change, grow and learn more if you come out here. If you get a chance, don’t miss the opportunity.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for taking chances and trusting people. Never let others estimations of you limit your own experience. Take chances, be bold, move forward even if you can’t see where you’re going. Eventually you’ll have a life to look back on and smile.
My partner interviews me on what it’s like to be a Tokyo JET.
