If we just forget 2020 was even a year (was it?), Summer times in Japan are usually fun times – they have lots of events which attract tourists and locals in large numbers. This requires establishments to open up part-time positions for those looking to earn an extra buck – whether it is students or tourists with a working holiday visa.

Note – some of these options might not be available as of now due to the unfortunate circumstances that the Coronavirus has brought along for businesses.

Tourism in Japan

The busiest time of the year in Japan for tourism is generally spring and autumn because that’s when you can see the cherry blossoms and the beautiful autumn leaves. Plus the weather is also a little more bearable then. Summers are a little more relaxed, but still pretty busy with tourists coming from all over the world.

Summer vacations for students in Japan are in the months of July and August. During these months, students, including foreigners, look for part time jobs.

Many establishments hire employees temporarily for part time jobs only for the summer break. Students who stay back in Japan prefer to take up these jobs rather than spend the summer doing nothing. This gives them their own money and time to understand Japan’s work culture.

So if you are a student or just looking for part-time job opportunities, now is the right time to start applying!

Let’s look at some of the top summer time jobs in Japan.

Housekeeping & other Hotel jobs

Hotels and resorts need extra staff when it comes to the tourist season starting in Summers. They need more hands on deck to keep the place clean, welcome guests, clean rooms, restock items and even manage the kitchen service.

The good thing about resorts and hotels is the employee benefits and privileges they provide – free meals during work hours, dormitory accommodation and a discounted rate for using resort/hotel facilities. So working part time in a hotel or resort can actually save you almost all the money that you make.

English teachers

This is one of the most sought after jobs by foreigners in Japan, especially those from native English speaking countries. If you are fluent in English, you can find many job opportunities, both part time and full time, teaching English.

Most English teaching jobs last from anywhere between 6 months to 1 year. But many language schools, academies and private tutor organizations offer short term work as well. Many companies also organize English summer camps for Japanese nationals – from young children, high school students to even college students.

These camps hire foreign students in Japan to teach English to Japanese students through interactive activities and classes.

Convenience stores

People looking for part time jobs in Japan often apply to convenience stores because it pays well for relatively lesser work. Part timers are generally hired for restocking products, maintaining the register, opening and closing the store and keeping it clean.

For any roles that require dealing with customers, you should have basic Japanese language skills to be able to communicate with locals. But a major advantage is the ability to speak English in locations most frequented by tourists.

Restaurant jobs

Tourist season or not, restaurants and fast food chains regularly hire extra waiters and waitresses. In 2020 and the better half of 2021, restaurant hiring was affected because eating out was not allowed. But in the coming times, expect restaurants to pick up part time job hirings again.

You can watch out for job listings on apps like WORK JAPAN for full-time/part-time jobs, or sites like this one, targeted specifically towards restaurant jobs.

Most of these restaurants do not let part timers take orders or serve customers since those require some training.

Jobs on the beach

Beaches and beach resorts are packed with tourists and locals during the summer months. What is better to beat the heat than a dip in the pool or the ocean? That is generally why beaches and resorts hire additional help during this time. Life guards, pool attendants, cleaners, customer service associates – all are ramped up during the summer vacation season.

These would be good places to get hired at with free lodging and food as well as the scenic beauty offered by the place.

Farming jobs

This is another category of seasonal jobs which provide an amazing opportunity to explore the outskirts of cities while earning money. Most farms hire extra hands during planting and harvesting times. Your tasks may include anything from collecting harvest, picking fruits, cleaning, taking care of or milking the animals, trimming etc on the farm. The hiring duration could be from 1 week to 1 year depending on your preference. During your time at the farm, you can learn a lot, have fun and at the same time enjoy the highest quality agricultural produce. No initial farming experience is usually required.

Farm jobs generally offer food and accommodation as part of the remuneration.

Summer camps

There are many different kinds of summer camps available in Japan, apart from the English summer camps mentioned above. There are camps for teaching specific sports (like swimming), hiking camps as well as educational camps to learn more about Japan and its culture.

Although to get hired in one of these camps, you have to have knowledge and have some leadership skills as well to be able to monitor and administer the tasks and activities.

Hiring for Events

Japan has many festivals throughout the year, but the most spectacular ones usually take place during the summer. There are many popular festivals like the Gion Matsuri (Kyoto), Tenjin Matsuri (Osaka), Tanabata Matsuri (Sendai and all across Japan) and Mitami Matsuri (Chiyoda). The huge displays, floats and parades require many part time employees to prepare and pull off successfully. You can sign up as an event staff, but be prepared to do physical labor like carrying heavy things, setting up stalls and displays etc.

Had the Olympics had happened in Tokyo as planned and at its general scale, there’d have been a lot of jobs available for student volunteers.

Requirements for Part-time jobs

Make sure you check what sort of jobs you can apply for with your visa type. If you are a student, you need to get a work permit from the Bureau of Immigration before you can apply for any job.

Most establishments require you to be of legal age to work in. For instance, a bar or a restaurant serving liquor cannot hire anyone under the age of 21. Basic Japanese skills might also be necessary for some kinds of jobs, especially those that require frequent communication with customers or colleagues.

Some of the jobs listed above require you to have specific skills apart from the basics listed above – fluency in English language for an English teaching job, first aid skills for a camp supervisor job etc. Having certificates for these skills from accredited and verifiable institutes OR having relevant experience also increases your chances of getting hired.

Summary

Japan offers many opportunities for getting part time jobs during summers. Instead of not doing anything, why not apply for a part time job which will help you make money and keep busy?

If you are looking for part time jobs in Japan for the summer, now would be the best time to start applying. Try finding housekeeping, caregiving or even farm jobs and earn money while on vacation!