Things I Learned in My First ALT Job in Japan

August 2019 marked my half decade here in Japan.

About 5 years ago this time, I was at my first ever Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) job in Japan. It's interesting to think about how much I've grown as a teacher - I might still not be a great teacher, but I know that I have improved.

Thinking back, I came into the job with a lot of assumptions.

If you haven't guessed, I was a weeaboo. I watched a lot of anime and Japanese TV... and you know, it's easy to fall into that trap of being a Japan expert when you're really not.

School Schedules

For some reason, I assumed (wrongly) that the flow of the school day would be very similar to that of our schools back home. You know, that time you have for recess? Nope. None of that. You do get 10 minutes in between every class, but that's it. I was quite surprised.

School Facilities

When my company told me I had to fax my time sheets in after every month, I couldn't believe it. Fax machines? They still have them??

Yep. In fact, there was always one sitting somewhere in the staff room. And people still frequently use it. My deskmate at my first job was the office admin, and one of her task was to empty the incoming fax spam.

And good ol' cassette tapes. My teachers and I would record our students' listening tests on them at the end of the semester. It's still not a foreign concept to the youngsters here.

Washrooms - squat toilets! Most of the staff bathrooms I've been to are blessed with western toilets nowadays, but it's still commonplace for many student toilets to have only squat toilets.

Lastly, lack of air conditioning. The only place you will find AC in a typical school is the staff room. Sometimes the multi-purpose room is blessed with one. And maybe even the library. But yes, students are expected to use spot heaters in the winter and well, in the summer......

A lot of rooms are moving towards renovating out squat toilets, but the fact of the matter is that there is very little budget for schools to do renovations like these. So don't be surprised to see these at your schools too!

Level of English

English is a difficult language. It's even harder to try to learn (and retain) it when you aren't exposed to it on the daily basis and have to be force to use it, like living in a foreign country.

Unfortunately, a lot of Japanese teachers that I taught with was not blessed to learn English this way, thus why some teachers' speaking skills in English is rather poor.

In my first ALT job, all but three teachers have had experience living abroad and only one lived abroad for more than 1 year and she wasn't even the school's English teacher - she taught Maths!! She was a Japanese returnee - she had married and raised her family abroad, but returned with her family to take care personal issues. Since my Japanese was still quite poor at the time, she took on the task to really show me the ropes of a Japanese school. I'm still really thankful to have her take me under her wing, because I think she knew better than anyone what it was like to work abroad.

Be patient with the teachers you work with. Write down everything. What they can't do speaking, they can do extremely well when reading!!

Friendship & Tolerance

Moving abroad to a new country is exactly like going to University/College. To put it bluntly, this is like University 2.0.

Just like in University, there will be a lot of friendships made out of convenience. "Friends" you temporary call friends because they happen to speak your language or happen to live in the same town as you. If these people are not normally the type of people you'd consider best friends with back home, then these people aren't your best friends here either.

A lot of drama later, I learned it the hard way. Don't settle for friends. Learn to tolerate those people your work with and be friendly, but not everyone is your friend. Not everyone has to be friends with you either.

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I know I sounded like I was complaining, but really, I'm not. A lot of these things shocked me, but it's good practice material for being tolerant and open-minded. Learn about it, embrace it and see what you can do to improve the reality of your situation.

What are some things you learned when you first came to Japan??

Types of English Teaching Jobs in Japan

Jobs for teaching English are well-known in Asia to be gateway jobs. They are the easiest way to get into countries like Japan, Korea and China with a work visa.

In Japan, there are various types of English teaching jobs. However, most jobs are only available to “native speakers”. This is a term referring to people from English speaking countries who have 12 years of education in English. If you do not qualify, a lot of companies may choose not to hire you as getting a certain type of work visa without this requirement can prove difficult.

What kind of English teaching jobs can you get?

English Conversation Schools (Eikaiwa)

These are private companies that hire pretty much anyone who has a good command of English. You do not need to be a “native speaker” to work in these types of companies. They are kind of the equivalent of an after school program or an English conversation tutor. Students (kids and adults alike) pay for these lessons on top of their normal school routine.

The work hours in these companies are usually much more harsh and they are considered to be some of the least rewarding and most demanding jobs in the industry. Some well known companies in Japan are GABA, Nova and ECC.

Most companies require their staff/teachers to work weekends, and night hours. The pay scale are on the low end, but some companies may promise a small year-end bonus or a contract completion bonus. Some contracts with these companies pay by teaching hour, which essentially means that you could be at work… but if you are not teaching a class, you will not be paid.

My advice: tread carefully with “eikaiwa”. Make sure you know exactly what your contract entails, and all the fine print. Do your research carefully. If the contract sounds too good to be true, it probably is. However, it is rather common for foreigners to use eikaiwa schools as a stepping stone into Japan while actively looking for other work. I also have friends who are perfectly ok with the situation and stay for a good few years, so situations can vary widely.

Assistant Language Teachers (ALT)

ALTs are the ones that only hire “native speakers” due to work visa requirements. These are jobs located in public and private schools, where you teach English with a Japanese Teacher of English (JTE) in a classroom. Within this category, there are slight differences in how you can be hired:

Through Dispatch Company

Dispatch Companies act as a third party mediator to pair you with a local city’s Board of Education (BOE) who will work together with the dispatch company to determine which local schools you will visit and teach in. You report to the dispatch company. For example, if you are sick, you are required to call the dispatch company to take a day off - not the BOE nor the school. You are essentially the employee of the company.

Well known dispatch companies are Interac Inc., ALTIA Central and Borderlinks. Some previously mentioned eikaiwa companies like ECC may have a division for dispatch jobs as well.

Through the Board of Education (direct hire) (public schools)

A popular program that hires directly is the JET programme. The JET programme hires annually, starting their recruiting process in November. JET acts very similarly to dispatch companies, but everything is streamlined from the Ministry of Education to the BOE. Most JET positions are public high schools, but it can vary from location to location.

Some BOE may decide to take the hiring process upon themselves, skipping the step of having to go through the Ministry of Education’s JET program. Most of these position will only hire people who are already in Japan, and may be difficult to come by as most BOE don’t seem to like having the responsibility.

Through Private Schools (direct hires)

There are quite a few private schools in Japan, especially in big cities. Most of them hire directly, but some have started to use dispatch companies. Some schools will also only hire within Japan, but there are some who hire internationally. The other thing is, while it’s not a requirement, most schools prefer their ALTs to have a good command of Japanese. You are more likely to be asked to do other activities outside of teaching in these positions, such as being the advisor for a school club, so knowing Japanese is an asset for them.

International Schools

Jobs in international schools are considered some of the most stable jobs in the country. However, they are usually only available to those with teaching qualifications back in their home countries. If you are planning to stay long term to become a teacher, I highly recommend investing some time to get your qualifications first.

University

Jobs in university are rather sparse, but they are there. This is not a field I’m familiar with, but similar to public and private schools, University jobs can vary between direct hire and dispatch. University jobs are usually teaching classes on basic conversational English to freshmen.

Another type of University-related job is working in a drop-in English conversation hub. Some bigger Universities will have a hub dedicated for any student in that University to drop in anytime, for the purpose of practicing conversational English. Your job there would be to facilitate those conversations and occasionally create activities to promote English use.

Day Trips Outside of Osaka City

Osaka City, Japan’s Kitchen, is the prime location to be when traveling around Kansai. You can easily catch a train to other cities and various areas, then be back in Osaka for the night, stuff yourself with lots of great local food - just to do it again the next day. It is accessible to a major airport hub (Kansai Airport), and you’re just one Shinkansen ride away from other cities outside of the Kansai area.

Here are some great day trips you can do from shortest train ride to the longest.

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Universal Studios Japan (USJ)

A good way to spend the day with your friends is to head out to a theme park of some of your favorite characters like Minions, Snoopy, Hello Kitty, etc. It is slightly notorious for its long lines for their popular attractions like Harry Potter and Jurassic Park, but I see the time queuing in lines as a great way to have a lunch break or just have a nice long chat with friends (if not, there are express passes available). USJ has a lot of seasonal changes to the park, so make sure you look into them and take advantage of them!

Kobe City

(~20 minutes to Sannomiya station)

Kobe Beef lovers rejoice, you are only 20 minutes away!

Other than Kobe beef, the city is also very well known for its Chinatown and pastries (cakes). The city is highly influenced by foreign trade, thus why there are a lot of interesting architecture to explore. The outskirts of Kobe city is lined with mountains great for nature lovers and hikers, as there are many trailheads and paths to hike.

Nara City

(~30 minutes to Kintetsu Nara station)

Nara is known for its deers in Nara Park, where they bow three times in order to try to nibble off your fingers for the senbei cookie you are holding to feed it. And it is much closer to Osaka City than most people think. Within Nara Park, there are various temples you can visit, which makes it a great and easy day trip for solo travelers and families alike.

Kishiwada City

(~40 minutes to Kishiwada station)

This city has a special place in my heart as I lived 2 years of Japan life here. During September, it holds one of the largest Danjiri Festivals in western Japan. Danjiri celebrates the autumn harvest and you can see loads of locals pulling very detailed floats through the city.

During the spring, Kishiwada castle is one of the best place (and lesser known) to view cherry blossom.

Besides those things, Kishiwada is full of history and cultural architecture. It was also the Japanese period drama filming location for “Carnation” (2011-2012). The proximity of the city to the airport makes it a good brief stopover before boarding your flight out of Kansai Airport.

Rinku Town

(~45 minutes to Rinkutown Station)

Rinku Town is not so much a town nor does it have any sightseeing, but more just a huge Outlet Mall complex. This is a good area for people who want to go shopping for some high-end brands last minute, just before getting on their flight to depart. The close proximity to Kansai Airport is one of the reasons why the mall quite popular amongst tourists.

EXPOCITY

(~50 minutes to Bampakukinenkoen Station)

Expo City is a huge family-friendly area with lots of shopping, kid-friendly activities and a huge (paid) park area. The park is the home for the “Tower of the Sun”, an art piece created by Okamoto Taro for the Japan World Exposition in 1970. Recently, the operators have opened up the inside of the art piece, and you can explore the inside of the art work.

For shoppers and families, Lalaport is a huge shopping complex that houses the only “Pokémon Gym” in the nation and a Gundam cafe. It also houses an aquarium, and other active learning “museums” for your kids to enjoy.

Kyoto City

(~40 to 60 minutes, various stations)

This is a HUGE city, and you can easily spend 2 to 3 days here just soaking in the cultural architecture, temples/shrines, museums and so much more. On the west side of the city is Arashiyama and the Kinkakuji area, while the east side is Higashiyama (Gion/Sanjo), Kiyomizu and Fushimi area. To the north, you have a popular hiking route between Kibune and Kurama.

Do your research and make sure you know what you’re getting into. There are a lot of seasonal events in Kyoto as well, and the city is most well known for its seasonal foliage. It also has a huge cafe scene with tons of unique cafes. However, if you just have one day to spare, I would focus on the east or west side of the city!

Himeji City

(~60 to 80 minutes to Himeji Station)

There are two attractions in this city that are worth checking out: Himeji castle and Soshazan. Himeji castle is one of the 12 original castles still standing in Japan, and perhaps the biggest of the 12. You can see the castle all the way from the train station and during your entire walk to the castle. For a small fee, you can enter into the grounds, the outer wall and the main keep.

If time allows, definitely make your way out to Soshazan Temple Complex. You must pay for the cable car ride and the combined entry into the Temple Complex. This attraction may be a little difficult for people who have mobility issues, as there is still a steep hike after the cable car ride.

Uji City

(~90 minutes)

Uji city is in Kyoto prefecture, which means that in a lot of ways, the city is an extension of Kyoto city in cultural architecture. However, Uji city is most famous for its production in green tea (matcha). If you’re a fan of green tea, you will find rows of tea shops and green tea goods - from green tea soba, sweets, bread, alcohol and even spaghetti! The downtown area of the city is fair easy to navigate; a great place to experience tea ceremony and just wind down.

This is also the birthplace of the famous Japanese story “Tales of Genji”. There are several artworks dedicated to the story all around the city, and even a museum. Great place for fans of the work to visit!

Minoo Park & Cup Ramen Museum

(~90 minutes)

Minoo and Ikeda city (where the Cup Ramen Museum is) are in close proximity of each other, which you can easily make a day trip of. Minoo Park is a great hike for people of all ages. It is a relatively easy hike, even if you are not very fit. There are a few sharp slopes, but the main trail is overall very gentle and very flat all the way to the Minoo Falls - the main attraction. This spot is particularly popular during autumn foliage season.

After the hike, you can put on your creativity cap - because at the Cup Ramen Museum, you can design your own cup noodle! Keep in mind that the closing time for the museum is quite early (for tourist attraction standards), so if you want to make your cup noodle and have a walk around the small museum, make sure you have enough time!

Mt. Rokko and Arima Onsen

(~90 minutes)

Just on the outskirts of Kobe city is a famous onsen town, Arima. Famous for its close proximity to the big cities and its water quality, it is a great way to wind down and relax after days of traveling. The town is also great for hikers going up Mt.Rokko, then down the other side of the mountain to Arima onsen. Nothing like a good bath after a day’s long hike!

For non-hikers, Mt.Rokko has a lot of other activities up on the top, connected by ropeways on both sides. Mt.Rokko has a spectacular view of the Kobe port and it’s supposed to be one of the best night views in the country.

Mt.Koya

(~90 to 120 minutes)

Yes, now we’re getting into territory that’s much over an hour, but I personally think Koyasan is one of the best day trips out of Osaka if you want to get away from the bustle of the city. On most days, the traffic in this UNESCO world heritage town is minimal to none. Of course, on weekends and holidays, the crowds increase - but even still, perhaps it’s due to the nature or maybe it’s a temple settlements, it never feels suffocating.

Most people recommend a temple stay for the experience, but personally, I think a day trip is enough for people who may not have enough days to spare.

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There are a lot more places, but I will leave it for the next post.

I hope you enjoy this list!

If you've been to these places, what is your favourite day trip spot from Osaka? Let me know in the comments below!