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While cities like Tokyo and Kyoto offer undeniable charm, truly making your Working Holiday in Japan unforgettable means exploring beyond just the major tourist spots. This gives you the chance to see beautiful nature and historical buildings, meet locals, and really immerse yourself in Japanese culture. One place truly worth a visit is Sado Island, a hidden gem in Niigata Prefecture. Sado Island - Why It’s Worth a Visit Sado Island, Japan's sixth-largest island, is a microcosm of the country itself, boasting diverse landscapes from picturesque beaches and cascading rice paddies to rugged mountain roads. Known for its clear waters, rocky shores, and abundant marine life, Sado offers fantastic opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking and swimming. It also is home to five sake breweries, so why not try some sake while you are there? Beyond its natural beauty, Sado is a hub of traditional culture. It's home to the Kodo Taiko Ensemble, which hosts the annual Earth Celebration Festival. The music festival is a dynamic event of drumming and cultural exchange. Visitors can also try taiko drumming themselves at the Sado Island Taiko Center. Unique experiences like riding a "tarai bune" (a traditional tub-boat) or exploring historic villages like Shukunegi, with its preserved wooden houses, offer a glimpse into the island's rich heritage. Additionally, the Sado Gold Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a significant historical attraction that offers a fascinating look into the island's past as a major mining center. The island is also a crucial site for the reintroduction of the Japanese Crested Ibis, a species that was once almost extinct in the wild but now thrives on Sado thanks to conservation efforts. A Short History of Sado Island Sado Island has a fascinating and at times tumultuous history, serving for centuries as a place of exile for political figures and intellectuals. The island experienced a significant boom with the discovery of gold and silver mines in the 17th century, which helped finance the Tokugawa shogunate. The Sado Gold Mine, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracted people from all over Japan, leading to a sudden rise in population and enriching its cultural diversity. However, nowadays Sado faces a shrinking and aging population, like many areas in Japan. Furthermore, while Sado used to be a popular tourist destination, due to the rise of cheap overseas flights, the tourist numbers have halved. As a result abandoned buildings and even entire villages now dot Sado’s landscape. Historical buildings, including vital temples, are deteriorating. Many of the island's monks, often elderly, struggle to find successors, leading to a profound loss of invaluable cultural heritage. A Unique and Innovative Cooperation Amidst these struggles, new innovative ideas emerged. One of them is the cooperation between World Unite! and Chokokuji Temple. The historic Chokokuji Temple is one of Sado's largest and most significant temples, founded by Kobo Daishi (Kukai) in 807. It is designed to resemble Nara's Hasedera Temple, is not only a spiritual site but also a custodian of cultural assets, including ancient Kannon statues and Heian Period guardian figures. These eleven-headed Kannon statues and only unveiled to the public once every 33 years, with the next viewing set for 2034. Beyond the buildings, the temple grounds are home to three ancient cedar trees, estimated to be over 1,000 years old, believed to hold spiritual power. Recognizing the challenges faced by historical structures like Chokokuji in an aging society, World Unite! is using the temple as a base for an Environment conservation camp. The volunteers support the 87-year-old monk and his wife with the temple's preservation and development. A portion of the program fees directly contributes to the temple’s upkeep, and proceeds from a souvenir shop within the temple, launched in 2024, also go directly to Chokokuji Temple. This unique model helps ensure the temple's future while providing volunteers with an authentic immersion into Japanese culture and temple life. The Mother Nature Environmental Conservation Camp This camp, called “Mother Nature Environmental Conservation Camp Sado Island”, provides a deeply enriching experience for travellers looking to contribute to local life and explore Japan beyond the mainstream path. Participants live in large, fully furnished tents on the grounds of Chokokuji Temple and engage in a variety of activities: Besides temple preservation, the participants also contribute to the conversation of the Japanese Crested Ibis. After World War II, the use of chemical pesticides became widespread. The poisons decimated the Ibi’s food sources to such an extent that in 2003, the bird was considered "extinct in the wild." A government breeding program saved the last captive specimens and successfully began reintroducing offspring into the wild. For the species to survive in the wild, traditional, pesticide-free rice fields and irrigated, fallow Satoyama areas are urgently needed today. Volunteers from World Unite! therefore work together with local rice farmers to promote precisely these traditional farming methods, irrigate unused fields, and thus permanently secure the toki's habitat. Furthermore, in this camp you can participate in beach cleanups and learn how to use bamboo to make sustainable and traditional crafts. You will learn about herbal medicine and engage with local school children by teaching them about environmental protection. Regularly, World Unite! also organizes the participation in workshops on traditional and local culture such as building a traditional reed boat. This program offers a unique blend of cultural immersion, environmental contribution, and personal growth, making it a truly distinctive Japanese adventure. Do You Want to Know More? Does this sound interesting, and would you like to know more? Then check out the projects page:https://www.world-unite.de/en/internships-volunteering/japan/environmental-conservation-cultural-heritage-templestay-sado If you would like to receive support with organizing your Working Holiday, visit the World Unite! webpage at:https://www.world-unite.de/en/working-holiday/japan/work-and-travel-tokyo-kyoto
Do you dream of carving fresh tracks in legendary powder snow while experiencing vibrant Japanese culture? People from all over the world come to experience the “Japow” - the famous, light powder snow of Japan. Australians and US Americans make up the biggest share of international visitors. Therefore, Japanese language skills are not necessarily required to work at a ski resort. However, it will make finding a job easier as Japanese nationals also love to ski in their home country. Working at a ski resort in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa offers a unique blend of adventure, cultural immersion, and practical work experience. This opportunity allows you to live and work in breathtaking winter landscapes and connect with people from around the globe. World Unite! can pre-arrange a job at a ski resort for you if you are planning to be in Japan during the winter season. Our partners are located in prime winter destinations across Hokkaido, Niigata, and Iwate prefectures. The winter season in Japan typically runs from late November or early December to the end of March, and you are expected to be available for the entire season. Do you need to speak Japanese? Not always! There are English-speaking positions, yet they are limited. Japanese language skills will definitely enhance your experience and chances of securing certain roles. If you want to learn Japanese from scratch or freshen up your skills, you can also book one of our language classes in Tokyo beforehand. So, what kind of work will you be doing? You'll find a variety of roles to suit your skills and interests: Ski & Snowboard Instruction: If you have solid snowboarding and skiing skills, you can work as a ski instructor assistant or children's ski instructor. Instructor experience itself is not necessary. Hotel Hospitality: Many resorts also seek staff for essential hospitality positions, including front desk/reception, housekeeping, room service, laundry, onsen cleaner/attendant, and luggage handling. Restaurant & Food Service: Roles such as kitchen assistant, dishwasher, and waiter/waitress are also common. These are full-time positions, where you should expect to work around 40 hours per week. While wages vary by role and prefecture, the hourly rate typically ranges between ¥800-¥1,200. Combined with subsidized living costs, this ensures you can comfortably cover your expenses and enjoy your time. How, and where will you live? While accommodation costs apply, they are subsidized by your employer, making your working holiday more affordable. The specifics vary by resort. For instance, one resort offers a shared twin room for as little as ¥5,000 per month, while others might provide a dormitory bed for free, with an upgrade option. Beyond just affordable housing, you'll often receive additional benefits. These could include subsidized meals and, perhaps the best perk of all, free ski passes! This means endless opportunities to hit the slopes during your time off, making the most of Japan's legendary powder.
Do you love working with children and want to share your English language skills while experiencing vibrant Japanese culture? Many families in Japan are eager for their children to learn English naturally, making English-speaking babysitters and nannies popular! This unique opportunity allows you to connect deeply with local families and experience daily life in Japan beyond the typical tourist path. World Unite! can secure a babysitting position with a Japanese family. You don't need to be a native English speaker, and no Japanese language skills are required for this role, making it accessible to a wide range of working holidaymakers. A Day in the Life of a typical Japanese Family A typical day for a Japanese family often starts early, with children waking around 6:30-7:00 AM for breakfast. Mornings are usually busy as children prepare for kindergarten or school, often going there independently or with friends. While the children are out, parents are typically engaged with work, household chores, or running errands. Afternoons often involve extracurricular activities for the kids like cram school or sports, but also playing at a local park. Dinner is typically a family meal, sometimes later in the evening, followed by bath time and a bedtime routine, often concluding around 9:00-9:30 PM. What will working as a babysitter look like? Working as a babysitter in Japan offers a glimpse into the daily rhythm of a Japanese family. Japanese parents, often busy with work or errands, appreciate reliable support - That’s where you come in! Your role typically involves caring for children in their home, focusing on engaging them in English through play, songs, reading, and everyday conversation. A typical day might involve picking up children from kindergarten or school in the afternoon, playing games, or taking them to a nearby park. You might assist with meal prep or supervise dinnertime. For younger children, your time could be filled with creative play, teaching simple English phrases, or helping with bedtime routines if parents are out in the evening. Full Flexibility With World Unite! you will create a profile that then will be used by the families to inform themselves about you. They can book you by the hour. World Unite! cannot guarantee a set number of hours, since your workload depends on your "popularity". It could range from just a few hours a week to a full-time position. Generally, female babysitters are more in demand than male ones. While babysitting might not always be a full-time position with a single family, it offers incredible flexibility. You can work for multiple families, diversifying your experience and potentially building a more consistent schedule. Furthermore, once your profile is set up, it remains active throughout your entire stay in Japan, helping you secure a steady income source for the full year. With families participating in many regions of Japan, this program also provides the flexibility to move around the country. Unlike au pair arrangements, accommodation isn't provided, which further enhances your freedom to choose where you live and gives you the chance to travel around. If you're looking for a flexible and enriching way to experience daily life in Japan while sharing your language skills, a babysitting role could be the perfect fit for your working holiday adventure! Do You Want to Know More? Does this sound interesting, and would you like to know more? Then visit our webpage at:https://www.world-unite.de/en/working-holiday/japan/work-and-travel-tokyo-kyoto
When you book our Working Holiday support program in Japan, you can choose to start in either Kyoto or Tokyo. At both locations, we operate our own sharehouse accommodation and support office. About our new Kyoto sharehouse Our new Kyoto sharehouse offers a comfortable, convenient base in Fushimi, with our support office located in the same building—just like in Tokyo. This setup makes it easy for you to reach us in person if you stay in one of the dorm or twin bedrooms in our sharehouses. At our offices, we provide introductions and job support. During office hours (Monday-Friday), you’re welcome to stop by for any assistance you need. We also offer a dedicated area with a PC and printer for job research and resume printing. Our Working Holiday support services in Kyoto and Tokyo assist you with: 👉️ Visa application process👉️ Travel planning and preparation👉️ Job finding in Japan👉️ Formalities such as Residence Registration, Tax Number Application, Health System Registration, Pension Exemption, Bank Account Setup, and Phone Contract Assistance👉️ Accommodation in Japan👉️ Japanese language lessons👉️ Socializing with Japanese individuals and other foreign travelers We also offer a monthly language exchange with locals, giving you the chance to practice your Japanese skills and connect with Japanese people. Additionally, we can arrange Working Holiday jobs at farms, traditional Japanese hotels (ryokans) across various cities and regions in Japan (for those with basic Japanese skills), ski resorts, and on Sado Island (agriculture, fishing, tourism) prior to your arrival. We also offer placements for babysitting and for positions as English and French assistant teachers at public schools. Contact us for more details about babysitting and assistant language teacher jobs. Our pre-arranged job packages include all support services in Tokyo or Kyoto, allowing you to fully experience Japan in all its diversity! What are you waiting for? Working Holiday start dates in Kyoto are once a month—come join us! 😃👉️ You can easily book your Working Holiday in Japan through our website:BOOK YOUR WORKING HOLIDAY IN JAPAN HERE!
World Unite! has launched an intensive Japanese conversation language course tailored specifically to the needs of those arriving in Japan on a Working Holiday visa. The aim is to enhance listening comprehension, speaking skills, and basic reading skills as rapidly as possible. Beginners can commence the course once per month and are welcome to participate for any duration ranging from 1 to 8 weeks, with rates that are very affordable. We spoke with the lead language instructor, Megumi Taguchi, who also developed the educational materials, to learn more about the course. Who is the course designed for? The course is tailored to meet the needs of foreigners arriving in Japan on a Working Holiday visa. For them, possessing basic conversational Japanese skills can significantly broaden job prospects and income opportunities, enabling effective communication with Japanese customers or colleagues. They require rapid language acquisition and skills relevant to their circumstances. Additionally, individuals undertaking internships with Japanese companies or engaging in volunteer work in Japan can greatly benefit from the Japanese conversation skills acquired through this course. Given that we offer flexible enrollment options starting from just one week and do not impose costly registration fees, we also warmly welcome tourists or travelers interested in learning the Japanese language. What aspects of the course do students most appreciate? My students often expressed that the textbook structure was the most effective aspect of the course. They found it clear and understandable, allowing them to grasp the rules and independently construct sentences and conjugate forms. Moreover, they appreciated the additional homework and practice sheets customized to their individual needs, as it enabled them to focus on areas for improvement in their Japanese skills. Could you please provide a brief overview of the course content? The course offers fast-paced and intensive learning experiences beneficial for students' daily lives. Students can book lessons from 1 to 8-week durations. If you are not a total beginner, but you already know a little, you can join a course after it has started. A placement test is available to ensure the appropriate level. During the initial 2 weeks, students will acquire an understanding of basic Japanese sentence structure and word order. Each day, we will also be learning hiragana, with one column covered per day. During weeks 3 and 4, you will acquire proficiency in various Japanese linguistic elements, including past tense, formal forms, continuous forms, te-forms, imperative forms, conditional statements (if, when, even though), causation, subjective and objective expressions, comparison, and interrogative sentence structures. Each day, we will also be learning katakana letters, with one column covered per day. During weeks 5-8, you will have thorough review and practice sessions covering all previously learned forms, as well as opportunities to enhance your speaking and listening abilities. Furthermore, you will acquire proficiency in using a more formal speaking style enriched with advanced vocabulary, which is essential for working in Japan. Can you share a bit about your background and experience? With 2 years of experience teaching Japanese across 11 countries, I have taught in US colleges, Japan, and online platforms. I am enthusiastic about implementing innovative teaching methods, such as creating my own textbook. My textbook is developed based on various feedback from my students. For example, I identify the most challenging aspects of learning Japanese from my students and strive to provide clear explanations of Japanese rules and systems in English. This approach helps students grasp concepts more rapidly and comprehensively. Additionally, clarifying the differences between English and Japanese structures and expressions enhances students' understanding of the Japanese language. What other options do students of this course have to improve their Japanese? At no extra charge, we offer language exchange events twice a month and a social meetup once a month, fostering friendships and conversation partnerships. Our cultural events, which come at a little extra cost, provide a deeper understanding of Japanese history and culture, offering diverse perspectives to enhance your learning experiences. Students seeking higher proficiency levels after completing the 8-week course can access other schools that we cooperate with and continue their learning journey. Thank you, Megumi for your insights! 😃 You can book the lessons via World Unite! Japan KK: BOOK LESSONS HERE!
Cooking course, language lessons and culinary internship in Japan If you are a fan of Japanese cuisine and want to get to know it first hand and in depth, this program is just right for you! You will spend the first month in Tokyo, taking part in a cooking course and in Japanese language lessons. You can decide whether you prefer to stay with a Japanese host family or, more affordably and independently, in a sharehouse (self-catering). The basic Japanese language skills that you acquire through the participation in the language course is required for the second part of your stay in Japan - the restaurant internship on rural Sado Island. Additionally, you can book a 4-week Japanese culinary vocabulary course with 2 sessions of 45 minutes per week, where you will specifically learn Japanese culinary terms. You will then spend the second and third month on Sado Island on the west coast of central Japan in Niigata Prefecture. Sado is a picturesque island with a strong local culture and is also particularly known for local seafood specialties (shrimp, crabs, squid, fish, oysters, abaolone and turban shellfish) as well as seaweed such as wakame, mozuku and iwanori, shiitake mushrooms, traditionally grown rice and persimmons. Sado has several producers of sake, igoneri (seaweed jelly), meat products and other local specialties. Many domestic Japanese tourists travel to Sado for culinary experiences. You will do an internship in a typical Japanese restaurant that specializes in yakitori, ramen, sushi, gyoza or other Japanese or local specialities. There are also two culinary day visits included in the program. You will live in an apartment or in a temple's guesthouse, depending on the location of your internship restaurant. START DATES 2025: October 31 and November 28 2026: January 2, January 30, February 27, March 27, June 5, July 3, September 4, October 2, October 30 and November 27 BOOK NOW! ITINERARY Day 1 - 3 Arrival in Japan, accompanied pick-up from Narita or Haneda airport by public transport and escort to your accommodation (you can choose between a Japanese host family including breakfast and dinner, accommodation in a single room) or a sharehouse (accommodation in a 4-8-share dorm room together with other foreign interns). Saturday and Sunday at leisure. Day 4 - 28 Monday to Friday you will join our intensive language lessons from 9:10 to 12:40 (a total of 20 lessons x 50 minutes/week). You can join the course as a beginner, but also at other levels if you already know some Japanese. You need to do a proficiency test if you want to start the course at a higher level than beginner (available up to upper intermediate). Additionally, you will get 2x45 minutes of lessons per week in "Culinary Japanese", including cuisine-related vocabulary and useful expressions for your internship at a Japanese restaurant kitchen. The cooking classes are held 8 times. The English-speaking cooking teacher is a professional chef. Class 1: Japanese food basics The 5 taste concepts (sweetness, saltiness, acidity, bitterness, umami). The 5 colours: red, green, yellow, white, black The 5 methods: bake, simmer, fry, steam, raw Chopstick manners and basics of serving meals Cooking: Grilled fish, steamed egg custard, Japanese mustard spinach with sesame sauce, pork miso soup, white rice Class 2: Easy Japanese dining table setup with rice pot cooking Oyakodon, mizuna and jako salad, instant radish pickles, tofu and shiitake mushroom miso soup. Class 3: Colorful bento with five colors Fried chicken, boiled hijiki, tamagoyaki, boiled spinach, kinpira burdock root, white rice bento Class 4: The concept of "Sashisuseso" Nabe-daki rice, mackerel simmered in miso, meat and potatoes, vinegared seaweed, ginger and cucumber, miso soup Class 5: The role of seasonings in Japanese food and how to make dashi Mixed rice or sekihan, boiled in Chikuzen, horse mackerel pickled in Nanban, clear soup Class 6: Japanese sweets 1 Mizuyokan Class 7: Japanese Sweets 2 Kingyoku and Nerikiri Class 8: Other Japanese dishes Cutlet curry rice and Japanese potato salad or Dumplings and Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen) Accommodation is with your host family (including breakfast and dinner during weekdays and including 3 meals on Saturday and Sunday) or in a sharehouse (shared, self-catering accommodation). The host families mostly live in Saitama, Chiba, Yokohama or in the west of Tokyo. The sharehouse is located in Koto-Ku near Kiba Station. Not included in the price: Commuter ticket for local public transport in Tokyo (between your accommodation and the language school and cooking school; approx. 6500-10,000 JPY for the entire duration). Day 29 & 30 Travel from Tokyo to Sado Island by Shinkansen bullet train and ferry (total travel time approx. 5 hours). You pay for the train and ferry costs yourself, around 14,000 JPY. We will pick you up from the Sado Ferry Terminal (Ryotsu) and drive you to your accommodation on Sado. Accommodation is chosen depending on the location of the restaurant where you would do your internship. In case of the central Sado and Ryotsu area, you will stay at a self-catering rental apartment, single room. The apartment are two-room apartments where you will share kitchen, toilet and bathroom with another participant of the program. In case of a restaurant in the Ogi area of Sado, you will stay at the guesthouse of Chokokuji Temple at a single bedroom, sharing sanitary installations and kitchen with other participants. In case your accommodation and restaurant is in the central Sado or Ryotsu area, you can reach your restaurant by walk, bus (communiting costs at your own expense) or bicycle (provided to you free of charge if needed). In case of the Ogi area, you reach your internship restaurant by bicycle (provided free of charge). Days 31 - 89 You will do your restaurant internship. You will be in the restaurant 4-5 days a week for 4-8 hours each as an assistant to the local chefs. Japanese restaurants typically only prepare one type of food, so the restaurant where you will do your internship will most likely specialize in one certain type of food only such as Yakitori, Ramen, Sushi or Gyozo. Once a month there is a full day trip (included in the price). The date will be decided depending on the availability of all internship participants. First month: Natural herbs collection in the forest and visit to/workshop in a herbal tea factory Second month: Traditional rice cultivation / harvest (depending on season) Accommodation at your apartment room or at Chokokuji Temple. Day 90 Transfer to Ryotsu Ferry Port in Sado and return travel to Tokyo (at your own expense) for your outbound flight (visa validity for most nationalities is 90 days, so please make sure to book your return flight accordingly) You can do this program on a Temporary Visitor Status or Tourist Visa (or other long-term visas for Japan that you might arrange on your own). If you are unsure about possible visa options for your nationality, please consult with WORLD UNITE! before booking the program. RATES For 1 person: 2980 USD For 2 persons: 2880 USD for each Host family accommodation (for 30 days): +769 USD Japanese culinary vocabulary course: 140 USD Do you want to join this Culinary Internship? Contact us now!