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Bars Employing Western Staff?

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Hannah

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Sorry if this isn't the best place for this request...

I will be living in Tokyo for 6 months from July onwards and need to find some work while I'm out there. I was born in Tokyo (to British parents) and have a Japanese grandparent, but this will be my first time visiting since I was a baby and I'm ashamed to say my Japanese is non-existent so I'm busy taking classes back here in the UK so I can hopefully get by.

I have plenty of bar/waitressing work from part time jobs in the UK and was wondering whether anyone knows of any bars in Tokyo which employ foreign staff so I can make a bee line when I get there.

All help gratefully received :)

Hannah x
 
If you weren't aware, legally you aren't able to work in most bars without permanent status in Japan. I'm assuming that you wouldn't be on TAG if you were super-concerned about strictly adhering to the rules though.
 
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Thank you for your help x
I need to check what my visa status will allow exactly. I am not really sure whether being born in Japan and having a relative there helps me from a working perspective at all (I have a British passport rather than a JP one sadly!) but I have asked those in the know to check into it for me as I know its complicated :(

I stumbled across TAG by accident.... so you're not allowed to judge my adherence to the rules by that alone :)
 
Hannah said:
I need to check what my visa status will allow exactly.
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Japan has an 'adult activities' (fuzoku) law that not only defines prostitution (lots of loopholes), it also talks about other adult activities, such as bars and clubs. Places that meet certain conditions, including most bars, cannot legally employ people that aren't Japanese citizens or have permanent residency status. So it doesn't matter if you are here on a work visa or educational/cultural activities, etc.

Some of the definitions get pretty technical, so I'd basically say if the bar wants to pay you under the table, that's your first hint that they are not only violating employment law, you are violating the terms of your visa, too. :)
 
See despite being a forum of ill repute you're also really good at employment law! I knew I'd come to the right place :)
It sounds like maybe bar work may not be an option then? :(
We definitely have it easy in the UK! x
 
Hannah said:
See despite being a forum of ill repute you're also really good at employment law! I knew I'd come to the right place :)
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Well, this is the part where I say I am not a lawyer (IANAL). :) I'm sure there's official documentation on what sort of work you can do with your visa.
 
Thank you anyway I really appreciate your help x My parents used to live and work in Tokyo but I think the rules have changed a lot since their day :(
If bar and club work is not an option, what are the most common jobs non residents usually take? I know I'm letting myself in for trouble asking that on a forum like this :D x
 
Hannah said:
what are the most common jobs non residents usually take?
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It depends on your background. Many English-speaking westerners teach or tutor English.
 
But not such great money I guess...
Anyone want to give me a job? :D
(Sorry we're really off topic now aren't we)
 
I am no expert but being a hostess isn't as lucrative as it used to be.

Going down the escort route would bring in the real money. But that opens up a whole new can of worms.
 
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John Chavers said:
Post some photos and the offers may start rolling in. :love:
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Hah while i'm not entirely against showing my face, I'm not sure I'm ready to embarrass myself on a public forum just yet! :)
Having seen the profiles of the rather attractive ladies who do post on here, I fear my appeal may be limited with such a discerning audience...
 
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(personal post)

If you're from the UK and under 30, you should be able to get a working holiday visa, which doesn't require proving you have a 1+ year work contract. As long as you can prove you have the money to support yourself and a "plan" (which you don't actually have to follow), it's not too hard to get/renew one, and no one is going to check up on you in between renewals.

I think once you're here you'd be able to find a hostess club that would take you... if that's really the kind of work you want to do. English teaching/tutoring is also an option. If you don't mind living outside of Tokyo, at least at first, there are hotels that hire working holiday people in Okinawa and Nagano (Booboo Ski/Beach is one such program). If you get a restaurant position there and learn passable workplace Japanese, you might be able to swing a proper job at a bar or a hotel in Tokyo eventually.

What kind of visa were you planning to get though? If it's a student one, you'll be very restricted in the hours and jobs you can work.
 
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Thank you everyone for taking the time to help. I really appreciate it :)

The Visa I'm applying for is the "Working Holiday Visa", which sounds a lot like everyone has described...

"Under the"Working Holiday Scheme", a limited number of British citizens who wish to stay in Japan up to one year primarily for a holiday may be granted a visa which allows them to enter Japan for up to one year, and take work for up to one year, incidental to their holiday in order to supplement their travel funds. British participants need not obtain further permission to engage in remunerative activities while in Japan, although they are not allowed to be engaged in activities at certain sites stipulated under the Law on Control and Improvement of Amusement and Entertainment Businesses."

So the good news is I can work, the bad news is that bar/club work I can't do legally :(
 
Most ladies that I knew that said they worked at a bar actually usually meant they were a hostess at a hostess bar.
Normal bars as far as I know isn't the best for money making & surviving.
 
I know your talking about jobs but if you want to save some money look for places within tokyo that are mostly student friendly. Share houses are good places, just be weary of your neighbors sometimes. Living outside of tokyo can sometimes not be beneficial because the cost itself for transportation would negate any savings on housing.

As others have mentioned there are a few jobs that you can do, obviously as a girl some activities this board promotes will give some good spending money, but if you don't want to go down that route, without japanese skills the pickings are limited. As for being a hostess girl, well I have a friend who tested that and it wasn't so great, you can pm me more if you want details. Offering to teach English privately may also be a good flexible job if you get clients...
 
Thank you :) I'm going to look into teaching English although I don't know how well it pays. Tokyo is such an expensive city I'm a little scared about how I'm going to survive it already! I understand a bit about hostessing work and what it entails and I think I could cope with it, but there are a lot of people with horror stories so I guess I'll have to think carefully. Hoping I'll be able to avoid falling into the "activities this board promotes" as I don't think I'm really cut out for that on so many levels, but the more I read up on finding jobs in Japan the more tempting it becomes! Whatever happens it's going to be an adventure that's for sure :)
 
Hostessing is easy for Western girls if you have a high tolerance for a) boredom b) annoying Japanese men either making racist comments to you or speaking bad English to you if you don't speak Japanese and c) alcohol. There are always clubs hiring. The best ones are in Roppongi (Fusion is probably the best, but hard to get hired there now unless you're an Eastern European model owned by the owner's agency).

I did it off and on for about four years and it was an OK experience. Nothing bad happened to me bar some sexual harassment, and hey, living in Japan you're going to get that anyway without being paid for it.

Hannah said:
Hoping I'll be able to avoid falling into the "activities this board promotes" as I don't think I'm really cut out for that on so many levels, but the more I read up on finding jobs in Japan the more tempting it becomes!
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Assuming you're not talking about working at a soapland or a delivery health agency, let me be the first to tell you that you don't 'fall into' high-end escorting, and using that term is actually kind of offensive. The myth that all sex workers got there out of desperation is a really pervasive one but it is just that in most cases: a myth. You choose it and work at it. It's a highly rewarding career if you have the right temperament but you're right, not everyone is cut out for it. Do you like the idea of casual sex with men, a lot of whom you're probably never going to see again? If so then that's Step 1 of Becoming an Escort. :D

Tokyo is actually not that expensive, either. Compared to other metropolises (London, New York etc.) the rents are not bad if you don't want/need to live super central, public transportation is reasonable, and it's very cheap to eat out here.

English teaching pays about 250,000 yen gross per month, so you pocket about 180-190k. That's enough to live on if you don't go crazy spending and you live modestly. Thousands of foreigners do it. ;)

PS. Don't even worry about the legality of working in a bar/club. Immigration has way bigger fish to fry than prosecuting a Westerner on a WH visa. Sometimes the owner won't hire you because THEY'RE worried about the law, but if they do then go for it. I know multiple people working as bartenders/hostesses/club staff, none of whom have a spouse visa or PR.
 
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