# 1) Can I spend 6 mos in Japan w/no job? 2) Chances of finding apt w/outdoor space?



## yippee1999

Hi All.

I would like to possibly spend 6 mos in Japan to learn Japanese. There is a possibility I will not be able to afford goign to school, in which case I will just learn on my own while there. (I have already been studying on my own and tend to be good with languages in general...)

Of course if I go to school, the school would be considered my 'sponsor' yes?

But if I DON'T go to school, do you know if I will be alllowed to spend 6 mos in Japan with no job or school to sponsor me? Will it be enough for me to show the governemtn or whatever that I have sufficient savings to cover my living expenses? Would it also help matters that I have a number of friends in Japan....are 'letters of recommendation' from nationals something that might help?

I would plan to live in the outer parts of Tokyo only because I know how expensive the center is. That said, I would hope to have a place that has a separate kitchen and two other rooms (not including the bathroom). I could pay maybe US$ 1,000 per month. In that price range say one hour outside of the center of Tokyo, do you think I could find something with a bit of outdoor space? I wanted to bring my two cats with me (I've already learned about all the procedures for bringing animals into Japan btw) and since they are accustomed to giong out each day, I want to be able to provide this in Japan. I know I've seen small neighborhoods in Tokyo where it was more quiet...few cars...and where cats roamed freely. I suppose I wouldn't mind that...if I didn't have private outdoor space and just had to let the cats roam the streets...but then....do you know how the Japanese are with regards to neutering their cats...is this a law that's really enforced? My two cats are both neutered, and I'd prefer that they only interact with other neutered cats....not cats that are too wild....

Thanks all!


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## larabell

yippee1999 said:


> Of course if I go to school, the school would be considered my 'sponsor' yes?


There are both "student" and "cultural activities" visas that allow long-term stay for purposes other than work. I've never known anyone who came over on a non-working visa so I don't know the specific rules but I'm sure if you can find the Japanese Embassy or Consulate near you they would be able to answer that question. To start with, check out: MOFA: Guide to Japanese Visas.

You didn't say where you're from. If it's the UK, Australia, or one of a handful of other countries, you can avail yourself of a "working holiday" visa that lets you come over for up to a year and you can even work part of the time to help pay your expenses. If you're from the US, unfortunately, that visa is not available (different treaties).

Another option is to come over for 3 months, then take a trip to Seoul or some other nearby destination (Seoul is the most popular because it's close and the flights are cheap). When you return, you're entering Japan again and the 3-month clock starts over. I've heard the Immigration guys are wise to this ploy for people who come over to work without a proper working visa but... since you're not planning on working... I don't see any reason why they'd refuse you a second entry.

And... according to the MOFA web site, you can apply for an extension on a tourist visa -- something you couldn't do when I first came over. So you could show up as a tourist and then go visit Immigration over here and ask them what options you have available for a longer-term stay. If you're really not planning on working while you're here, there's bound to be some way to extend your stay.



> Will it be enough for me to show the governemtn or whatever that I have sufficient savings to cover my living expenses?


If you're planning to stay long-term (ie: your return ticket is several months in the future), they may ask you for that anyway. Certainly being prepared to prove that point will help support your claim that you aren't coming over to work. If you come over as a tourist, the decision on entry is made by the Immigration officer at the airport so be prepared to answer questions aimed at ensuring that you're really coming as a tourist and not planning to work (evidence that you can support yourself for the entire period would help at that point).



> Would it also help matters that I have a number of friends in Japan....are 'letters of recommendation' from nationals something that might help?


I've never known that to be necessary. But if you try for one of the "cultural activities" visa types, they may want a guarantor during your stay -- in which case, having at least one Japanese national willing to act as your guarantor might help.

Again... never having looked into the particular details of the non-working visa types, I'm not sure what's required. And the rules change from time-to-time. So you should contact the Embassy/Consulate for details.



> That said, I would hope to have a place that has a separate kitchen and two other rooms (not including the bathroom). I could pay maybe US$ 1,000 per month.


That doesn't seem unreasonable. If by "two other rooms" you mean a living area and one separate bedroom, that's a "1LDK" and I'd expect those to be in the $800 to $1000 range if you're an hour outside of Tokyo. That would include Kawasaki, parts of Chiba, Kokubunji and beyond, and the closer parts of Saitama-ken. Those areas are considerably cheaper than Tokyo so given your budget you should be able to find a place.

But... I've never seen a "1LDK" with outdoor space (other than a balcony attached to one of the rooms). If you're lucky enough to get a first-floor place in a building which isn't nestled up against another building, maybe... But smaller apartments tend to be crammed together in clumps because they're usually aimed at single working adults who don't tend to spend much time in a "yard" anyway (and since land is so expensive here that a significant yard ("niwa") would raise the price beyond what most 1LDK seekers would be willing to pay).

You might also have trouble finding a landlord that would rent to a non-resident (especially one who is not willing to sign the typical 2-year lease). If you manage to obtain one of the non-working visas (eg: if you attend a school and come over as a student), you can register as a resident. If you use the two 3-month trips approach, you're technically a tourist and it might be hard to find accomodations. There are "gaijin houses" around that are cheap but I don't know of any that would give you multiple rooms (and many don't even give you a private bath). It might be good to Google for "Metropolis" -- the Tokyo-area free classified magazine -- and check out their online ads. They usually target the small/inexpensive market and they usually list a number of gaijin-friendly apartments where short-term stays are not a problem.



> I know I've seen small neighborhoods in Tokyo where it was more quiet...few cars...and where cats roamed freely.


Many of those "freely roaming" cats are feral. Unfortunately, it's pretty common for cats to simply be abandoned in a park and many of them are not fixed. Cats kept as house pets are often fixed and there are folks here and there who pick up feral cats, have them fixed, and then either try to find them homes or, if they're too old for adoption, release them back into the area where they came from. We got our cat that way -- it was apparently a stray in the Koto-ku area and one elderly lady caught him and had him fixed, then another younger woman put his picture up on a web site for adoption.

I don't think having cats neutered is a law. And if it is, it's certainly not enforced. There are feral cats in almost every neighborhood I've been in -- especially near large parks. I would assume the majority of cats wandering in any given area are wild, not simply pets out for a stroll.


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## yippee1999

*Thank you!!*

Wow....thank you so so much for all the information! I really appreciate it. 

I'm from the US. So I guess one of the visa types you mentioned is 'out' for me. :-( I quickly read through your entire post. I'll have to re-read it again as I saw lots of info there but overall it sounds like my being a student there would be my best bet!

Tx!


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