Want to study in Japan to be a chef

[JJDJ]

I'm 18 years old and almost done with high school. So i want to ask is there a way to study at a Culinary school in japan and get a job because i really want to live in Japan. I know there's another way but it will take a long time because i need to have 10 years of experience to get a visa. Or are there other ways to get a chance to learn and get a job in Japan

[liuzhou]

1 hour ago, JJDJ said:

I'm 18 years old and almost done with high school. So i want to ask is there a way to study at a Culinary school in japan and get a job because i really want to live in Japan. I know there's another way but it will take a long time because i need to have 10 years of experience to get a visa. Or are there other ways to get a chance to learn and get a job in Japan

 

Do you speak and read Japanese? Any tuition will be in Japanese and you will need to be proficient to follow a course of professional education.

 

Do you have the funding? Japan ain't cheap.

 

Have you been to Japan? Any connection to Japan other than "i really want to live there'? That prompts the question, "Why?".

The difference between reality and fantasy is often huge. Even a vacation in the country doesn't prepare you for the reality of living there.

 

I'm not saying it's impossible and don't wish to seem negative. I've been there and done it, but it is crucially important to be realistic. I've seen so many people turn up here in China full of dreams and leave after a few months hating the place and the people - not that it's their fault in any way.

 

Of course, for all I know you are fluent in Japanese and a regular visitor, in which case ignore me.

Edited June 16, 2017 by liuzhou (log)

[Alex]

I'm assuming you're not fluent in Japanese, haven't spend extended time in Japan, etc.

 

1. "...it will take a long time..." Exactly. I'm stereotyping a bit here, but at 18, although you want things NOW, it's not going to happen. Accept that this will be a long path -- and that's assuming your interests and focus don't change over the next 5-10 years.

 

2. Go to culinary school here. Get a Bachelor's degree along the way. Learn Japanese. Spend a few years in Japan teaching English (one of the few easy paths open to gaijin) while making contacts in the culinary world.

[JJDJ]

1 hour ago, Alex said:

I'm assuming you're not fluent in Japanese, haven't spend extended time in Japan, etc.

 

1. "...it will take a long time..." Exactly. I'm stereotyping a bit here, but at 18, although you want things NOW, it's not going to happen. Accept that this will be a long path -- and that's assuming your interests and focus don't change over the next 5-10 years.

 

2. Go to culinary school here. Get a Bachelor's degree along the way. Learn Japanese. Spend a few years in Japan teaching English (one of the few easy paths open to gaijin) while making contacts in the culinary world.

Thanks for the the reply. I was thinking alot about and and came with a conclusion.

I will first try to get some experience and a degree and then i will take it from there

[helenjp]

In 2013, "washoku" or Japanese food was recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. That changed the game plan considerably here in Japan, because there was suddenly a need to make Japanese culinary techniques accessible to foreigners at a professional level. It's not easy, but it is becoming possible.

I don't know whether to advise you to study Japanese HARD now while getting some kind of hospitality/food preparation/cooking qualification, and then coming to Japan, doing a 6-12 month language course to get you up to the required language level; or to apply for a MEXT scholarship and come straight to Japan. I suggest you enquire through places like Tsuji Academy - they will tell you whether they are used to getting students in their teens or their twenties.

1) You will need a HIGH level of Japanese - usually level 2 of the NLPT JLPT  exam (you can sit it in the US, assuming that that is where you are). Level 1 is the highest (professional translators and interpreters aim for this) and Level 3 is often required for jobs with contact with Japanese people, e.g. hospitality. There is a short-cut - getting a certificate of completion from a Japanese-language school. I assume that schools have to be recognized or certified in some way.

2) Increasingly, food professionals in Japan go to some form of vocational college before they start working at a pro level. These courses tend to be from 1 to 3 years, and they typically start in April. However, the big schools are starting to set up courses that start in the fall, to suit Europeans and North Americans. Tsuji Academy is a particularly famous example. You should check the reputation of any vocational college carefully, and make sure that they are really interested in and capable of teaching foreigners.

3) Cost. I figured there must be some kind of assistance available for non-university study, and there is: MEXT Scholarship for Specialized Training College Students . This scholarship gives you 1 year of language training plus money for 2 years of senmon-gakko ("specialized training college") which is the standard course length. You should find the nearest Japanese consulate or embassy to you and see what information they can help you with. If you don't get a good reception, try again when there is somebody different on the counter....if at all possible, go in person (after phoning/mailing) because Japanese people really hate to say No to your face!

Senmon-gakko sometimes offer scholarships too, like this one from Sanko Gakuen, but you need to have specific qualifications in Japanese language - a bachelor's degree won't do.

4) Professional qualifications. Typically, Japanese chefs acquire their professional levels through a kind of apprenticeship system after they start working. This was a real handicap for foreigners, who would graduate from Japanese senmon-gakko and then not be able to get a visa to remain in Japan and work long enough to get advanced qualifications and recognition. THAT system has changed since 2014. This article from the Japan Times (2013) explains the problem and the proposed changes. The visa rules have now been changed, although there seems to be a lot of oversight, so small, individually-owned restaurants may not want to deal with all the paperwork.

Good luck, and let us know which area of Japanese food you are interested in, because each program has a different focus.

Edited June 17, 2017 by helenjp (log)