Teaching in Japan

Honne, tatemae, and four real routes into one of the world's most established teaching markets — a complete guide with Reading, Video, and Audio.

4 Real Routes

JET, ALT, Eikaiwa, Int'l

Meishi

Business Card Ritual

Est. Market

Decades of Structure

What's In This Guide

Reading — culture, food, landmarks, honne/tatemae, and the four real routes in
Video Script — “First Impressions,” following a South African teacher's arrival
Debate Audio — two hosts weighing whether Japan is the right fit for you

Watch — Teaching in Japan

Listen — Debate Audio: Japan

0:00 / 18:18

Reading — Japan at a glance

Quick Facts

Tokyo and Osaka are the largest hubs, though ALT placements reach right across the country
One of the world's longest-established, most structured English-teaching markets
Four genuinely distinct routes in, each with a different pace, pay, and competitiveness

Honne & Tatemae: The Two Concepts That Run Everything

HONNE

A person's true feelings and desires — genuinely held, but not necessarily spoken aloud in professional or public settings.

TATEMAE

The public face or stated position, chosen to maintain group harmony — not dishonesty, but genuine social tact.

“Japan often surprises new teachers with how much unspoken structure sits beneath the surface — this is a culture where what's said and what's meant aren't always the same thing, and that's not dishonesty, it's genuine social care.”
FROM THE VIDEO SCRIPT

Meishi: The Business Card Ritual

Exchanging business cards (meishi) is a genuine, structured ritual in Japanese professional life — treated with real formality:

1Present with both hands — card facing the recipient, text readable to them, with a slight bow.
2Receive with both hands — take a moment to actually read it before putting it away.
3Never write on it, fold it, or put it straight in your back pocket — treat it as an extension of the person.

Four Real Routes In

JET Programme

The official government scheme — genuinely well-structured, competitive, placing ALTs in public schools nationwide.

ALT (via Dispatch Companies)

Interac, Altia Central and similar — a faster, more accessible route into public school assistant teaching.

Eikaiwa (Private Conversation Schools)

Private language schools with flexible hours, genuinely popular for city-based placements.

International Schools

Higher bar for entry (often requiring a teaching license), but genuinely strong pay and conditions.

Food

Ramen — regional broth styles vary enormously, genuinely worth exploring beyond one city
Izakaya culture — casual after-work drinking and small plates, a real social institution

Landmarks

Mount Fuji — Japan's defining, genuinely iconic peak
Fushimi Inari Shrine (Kyoto) — thousands of vermillion torii gates winding up the mountainside
Hiroshima Peace Memorial — a significant, sobering historical site, approached with genuine respect

Rules: Do's & Don'ts

✓ DO

✗ DON'T

Present and receive business cards with both hands, and read them before putting them away

Write on, fold, or pocket a business card carelessly

Bow when greeting, matching the depth of the other person where possible

Assume a direct “no” will always be spoken plainly — tatemae often softens refusal

Research which of the four routes genuinely fits your goals before applying

Tip at restaurants — it's genuinely not expected, and can cause confusion

Remove your shoes wherever indoor footwear norms expect it

Assume JET, ALT, eikaiwa, and international schools are interchangeable — they're genuinely different jobs

Video Script — “FIRST IMPRESSIONS”

[SCENE: LINDIWE, a South African teacher, stands before the vermillion torii gates of Fushimi Inari, the path winding up into the trees ahead of her.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

Japan often surprises new teachers with how much unspoken structure sits beneath the surface — this is a culture where what's said and what's meant aren't always the same thing, and that's not dishonesty, it's genuine social care.

LINDIWE (taking in the gates):

I've never walked through anything quite like this.

[SCENE: At her new school, Lindiwe carefully presents her business card with both hands, bowing slightly, and receives her principal's card the same way, pausing to read it.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

The meishi exchange is a genuine ritual here — present and receive with both hands, and actually take a moment to read it. Small details, but they matter.

[SCENE: In a staff meeting, a colleague responds to a scheduling request with a warm, non-committal answer, and Lindiwe later learns it was a gentle no.]

LINDIWE (reflecting, to a friend):

I'm learning to listen for what's not quite being said.

NARRATOR (V.O.):

That's honne and tatemae in action — the true feeling beneath the polite, harmony-preserving surface. Reading it takes time, but it comes.

[SCENE: Weekend — Lindiwe stands at a viewpoint with Mount Fuji rising clearly against a bright blue sky.]

NARRATOR (V.O.):

And once the etiquette and the unspoken layers both start to click, Japan offers a teacher something genuinely rare — deep structure, real respect, and a culture worth a lifetime of learning.

Debate Audio — “IS JAPAN RIGHT FOR YOU?”

Hosts: NKOSANA (confused by the different routes in) and AYANDA (has taught in Japan, makes the case for it)

NKOSANA

Everyone mentions JET, ALT, eikaiwa — are these all basically the same thing with different names?

AYANDA

Genuinely not — they're four real, distinct paths. JET is the official government scheme, well-structured and competitive. ALT roles through dispatch companies like Interac are a faster, more accessible way into public schools. Eikaiwa are private conversation schools, genuinely flexible. International schools sit at the top, usually wanting a teaching license.

NKOSANA

What's the one thing that catches new teachers off guard culturally?

AYANDA

Honne and tatemae, without question. What someone says isn't always exactly what they mean — it's about preserving harmony, not deception. Learning to read that takes real time.

NKOSANA

And the business card thing I keep hearing about?

AYANDA

Meishi, genuinely a real ritual. Both hands to give, both hands to receive, and actually read it before putting it away. Small, but it says a lot about how seriously first impressions are taken here.

NKOSANA

So, worth it overall?

AYANDA

Genuinely, yes — as long as you pick the route that actually fits your goals. Japan rewards patience and real cultural curiosity with one of the most structured, rewarding teaching markets anywhere.

The Japan Equation

Japan rewards teachers who choose their route deliberately, and invest real patience in reading the unspoken layers of honne and tatemae. Get both right, and Japan offers deep structure, genuine respect, and a culture worth a lifetime of learning.

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