When Teaching in Japan Becomes a Nightmare: Red Flags to Watch For

You’ve dreamed of teaching English in Japan—cherry blossoms, polite students, and the adventure of a lifetime. But what happens when the dream turns into a months-long unpaid training period in a moldy apartment?

One teacher’s story from a small school in Kitami, Hokkaido offers a cautionary tale that every aspiring TEFL professional should hear. The details are painfully familiar to those who’ve fallen for a bad contract, and they highlight the warning signs you absolutely cannot ignore.

The Rush Arrival

The first red flag appeared before the teacher even boarded the plane. During interviews, the school insisted on immediate arrival in Japan. They promised the visa and contract process would take only six to eight weeks, and assured the teacher they would be compensated during that waiting period.

Stories like this often begin with urgency. Legitimate schools rarely pressure candidates to drop everything and fly out within days. Always be suspicious of any employer who demands immediate relocation without proper paperwork in place.

Airport Abandonment

No one met the teacher at the airport. Instead, they were told to take a long bus ride to Kitami and find a hotel on their own. This is not how a reputable school treats its new staff. If no one is willing to greet you after a long international flight, consider it a clear signal of how you will be treated throughout your employment.

Teaching Before Paperwork

The next morning, the teacher met the owner and was immediately asked to start teaching—no training, no contract signed, and no visa application started. This is illegal. Working without a valid visa violates Japanese immigration law, and it puts both the teacher and the school at risk.

Never start teaching until your work visa is approved and your contract is signed by both parties.

The Unpaid “Training” Trap

After two months of full schedules, often teaching alone, the teacher was told that this entire period was simply “training.” The pay they were promised—¥180,000 per month—never came. They received only ¥40,000 in cash, with vague promises that more was coming.

This “training trap” is surprisingly common in the ESL industry. Some schools classify regular teaching work as training to avoid paying wages. If a school cannot clearly define a paid training period before you arrive, walk away.

The Apartment Situation

The provided apartment had moldy old food in the fridge and had not been cleaned. While housing may be basic in many teaching positions, a sanitary environment is the bare minimum. An employer who leaves rotting food for you to clean is an employer who does not respect you.

Disorganized Scheduling

Students didn’t match their scheduled lesson times, so prepared lessons were often useless. When you cannot plan effectively, your teaching suffers, and your stress increases. Disorganization reflects poor management, not your teaching ability.

The Visa Runaround

The teacher eventually had to leave Japan to reset a tourist visa and then return to continue working—still without a work visa. This is not how the legal process should work. Never accept a job that requires visa runs or tourist visa hopping.

When to Walk Away

The teacher eventually resigned when it became clear the visa process had never even been started and pay was never coming. They enjoyed teaching the students, which made the situation even more disappointing.

Trust your gut. If a school ignores your questions about pay, delays your contract, rushes you to relocate, or treats you like a burden rather than a valued employee, do not stay hoping things will improve. They almost never do.

Teaching English in Japan can be a wonderful experience, but the right school makes all the difference. Take your time, ask specific questions during interviews, request written contracts before you travel, and always—always—trust the red flags.