Well, at least he's honest...

[Azrael]

So I'm looking for a new job. I was browsing job listings online when I found this one. I found it to be kind of hilarious, if for no reason than the blunt, up-front honesty.Private businessman seeking secretary/mistress for part time employment. Immediate position available for Japanese or foreign female, 20-35 years old, attractive with professional appearance. Bilingual desired. Will sponsor visa. Very good salary. email resume/photos to...I wonder if anyone responded?

[Saitou Hajime]

Oh geez, the things some people do...


Hey, Az, put that wig down!

[Kwiz]

I wonder if anyone responded?

Perhaps someone sent back a tongue-in-cheek "a/s/l? cyber?"

[mawande]

I wonder if anyone responded who WASN'T willing to be his mistress.

[I Like Shinny!]

Ownly en Japan.

[kilreli]

Private businessman seeking secretary/mistress for part time employment. Immediate position available for Japanese or foreign female, 20-35 years old, attractive with professional appearance. Bilingual desired. Will sponsor visa. Very good salary. email resume/photos to...
well, if i ever make it big in japan, ill be sending out a few of those also......

[paideuo]

Ownly en Japan.

Did you just wake up today and decide that you wanted to mock every inane and frivolous thread on outpostnine in which you participated by spelling incorrectly?

How about something more blunt like "This is the dumbest fucking thread I have every seen"? Or you could just not participate at all.

[Kwiz]

Did you just wake up today and decide that you wanted to mock every inane and frivolous thread on outpostnine in which you participated by spelling incorrectly?

How about something more blunt like "This is the dumbest fucking thread I have every seen"? Or you could just not participate at all.

Someone remove the stick from this person's ass, STAT!!

[jindojim]

*pulls latex gloves onto Kwizard's hands* It's all you, my aspiring proctologist friend. Enjoy.

Az...is the job market really that bad in Japan right now? Like in general or mainly teaching jobs?

[paideuo]

What makes you think I wasn't joking?

[Kwiz]

What makes you think I wasn't returning on the joke?

[Masa the Masta]

Given past history of twattitude, sir twatsalot.

[paideuo]

I have done nothing, BUT joke around with you people. If you look at my posts, I think you will find that 90% of it was a joke, even if a lot of it was really subtle...

[paideuo]

What makes you think I wasn't returning on the joke?

Well, the fact that you weren't made me think that, but...

[Pierrot le Fou]

That is f'ing awesome. Where is it? Maybe I should convince the girlfriend to apply.

[Azrael]

Az...is the job market really that bad in Japan right now? Like in general or mainly teaching jobs?
Eh, it could be a LOT better.

The fiscal year starts from April. So around February/March is the best time for job-hunting. Unfortunately, for me to have taken advantage of that I would have had to break contract early, and I didn't want to do that.

If possible, I'd like to do something other than English teaching. But I haven't found a whole lot in that area. I've found a lot of openings for engineers, business managers, graphics designers, stuff like that that I'm not really cut out for. I've found some English teaching gigs but nothing sure-fire or even really promising at this point. It concerns me, as every day that passes puts me another day closer to unemployment and living here without a valid visa.

Hey Az, put that wig down!
I'm not that desperate. ...Yet.

[erbiumfiber]

Want to be a headhunter (excuse me, corporate recruiter)? Seems you can always get one of those jobs in Tokyo. Actually, you can probably find a lot of decent jobs in Tokyo; however, when you factor in the high cost of living, it's not worth it...

[I Like Shinny!]

Did you just wake up today and decide that you wanted to mock every inane and frivolous thread on outpostnine in which you participated by spelling incorrectly?

How about something more blunt like "This is the dumbest fucking thread I have every seen"? Or you could just not participate at all.
I'm speling uesing simplified Anglish think u.

[paideuo]

Aye tink yue miin "pimplafyed," stoopad.

[Azrael]

Want to be a headhunter (excuse me, corporate recruiter)? Seems you can always get one of those jobs in Tokyo. Actually, you can probably find a lot of decent jobs in Tokyo; however, when you factor in the high cost of living, it's not worth it...
I gotta stay in Kansai. I already have a new apartment in Kyoto city - it's just a matter of finding the job now. Kyoto would be best, but I could commute to Osaka, Kobe even.

Plus, I don't think I'd do well in that field.

Me: Hey dude, wanna work for us?
Guy: Well, uh, I don't know.
Me: Ok, whatever, your call man. Pardon me, I'm gonna be over here playing Street Fighter...

[Pierrot le Fou]

www.kyojingai.com Download the resume thingie, send it in, and hope. You've got 2kyu (which is more than I have, by far for Japanese qualifications), and that should help. Also check ohayosensei for jobs (I know there was one on Keihan between Kyoto and Osaka which would be a reasonable commute for you, as in under an hour). You can always apply to Nova or whatnot for a job as well, and upon getting the job, immediately quit being left with the visa but without the crap job, which will make it easier to find something else.

[Azrael]

Yeah, I did Kyojinzai. I had a meeting with a counselor on Saturday. He told me I needed to pad my resume a bit and gave me some pointers how. He also said he'd look for some companies where I might be able to work. However, one thing was clear - I'm definitely running out of time.

I was supposed to talk to my BOE today about getting them to help me extend my visa, but my supervisor's out. ...I doubt they're gonna help me anyway.

One thing I'm kind of thinking about now is just going to an ECC, maybe working there until Feb or Mar of next year, then taking advantage of a much better job market for the next fiscal year in April.

[paideuo]

On an entirely different note, and in accordance with my official capacity here at OP9 (look at title), does everyone like my Avatard? Does it bear a resemblance to anyone we know? Why, it's only just the awesomest littlest tribute to the awesomest of the most moderately awesome people on this crappiest of planets we call Earth!

[Pierrot le Fou]

Yeah, I did Kyojinzai. I had a meeting with a counselor on Saturday. He told me I needed to pad my resume a bit and gave me some pointers how. He also said he'd look for some companies where I might be able to work. However, one thing was clear - I'm definitely running out of time.

I was supposed to talk to my BOE today about getting them to help me extend my visa, but my supervisor's out. ...I doubt they're gonna help me anyway.

One thing I'm kind of thinking about now is just going to an ECC, maybe working there until Feb or Mar of next year, then taking advantage of a much better job market for the next fiscal year in April.
The Kyojingai person said you were running out of time? Yowza. I'm going to send mine in, not expecting much, but we'll see.

[MNJetter]

Az, have you ever looked into Interac company? It's a program a lot like JET, only privately run, that places ALTs in public school systems. The pay and benefits are slightly less, but still on the higher end of the ALT/Eikaiwa spectrum.

You can find a lot of their ads on the gaijinpot job listings - they always seem to be needing people, especially in the bigger cities - and I know someone who is very satisfied with them. He left his JET job to pick up with Interac, and apparently has not regretted it for a moment. Job satisfaction is also a lot like JET (ESID ftw :P). Unfortunately, I don't know a whole lot else, though.

[I Like Shinny!]

Aye tink yue miin "pimplafyed," stoopad.
I'm ownly proving that semplified Anglish is a rely dum ida.

[Azrael]

The Kyojingai person said you were running out of time? Yowza. I'm going to send mine in, not expecting much, but we'll see.
The visa expires, best case, August 2nd. After it expires, things will become a lot harder, or so I've been hearing. Not to mention that I'll be technically living here illegally? And apparently, it takes some time for all the paperwork to go through and what not.

I was supposed to talk to the BOE about it, but I guess that'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Az, have you ever looked into Interac company? It's a program a lot like JET, only privately run, that places ALTs in public school systems. The pay and benefits are slightly less, but still on the higher end of the ALT/Eikaiwa spectrum.
Yeah, I put in an ap with the Kyoto branch. A guy emailed me saying he wanted to get in touch with me. I called to find him in a meeting, twice, then the third time he'd left the office for home. The next day I called, he'd left the office early to go on some business trip in Tokyo. That was two weeks ago and apparently he's still there.

I just sent in an application with a branch in Hyogo. They want me to come in for an interview this Thursday. I gotta see what my schedule is like first. And that'd be kinda out of the way.

-----------------------

I'm also kind of thinking about the English cafe thing now. If you get enough students, it seems like it'd be enough to pay the bills/live off of, and you'd be your own boss and set your own hours, which would be really cool. However, I do need to get my visa taken care of first. So I'm kind of thinking about doing ECC for a few months, have them take care of my visa, and then even start to cultivate prospective students there, then quit and do the English Cafe.

Ah, what to do.

[Pierrot le Fou]

I am rather certain that you can change your visa type from Instructor to Tourist and get an extra 3 months in the country, without leaving and coming back. If you find a job to sponsor you, then they can simply put a temporary visa in your passport, and you can come and go as you please until the real visa comes through. If you can't find a job to sponsor you, well, then you're in trouble.

Your BOE will likely have trouble extending your visa as you wouldn't technically be working for them. Or untechnically. You need to either sponsor yourself (which is a difficult process and very awkward, as well as requiring you to show proof that you can make enough money, and can pay taxes on enough money, to live in the country without support), or get someone to hire and sponsor you.

If you applied now, you could theoretically state your income from this website as income, pay taxes on it in Japan, and potentially get a visa through that and a few private students. The catch being that you have to pay taxes on it all. However, through that self-sponsorship, you will be able to maintain a visa so long as you can demonstrate the ability to earn 20 man or so a month.

That route may be best for you in the meantime.

[mikem]

It's a complete shot in the dark, but maybe you could do a little journalism for a while? It's probably a bit late to try and get that all set up though. In any case you can pretty much work for any company anywhere as long as they agree you position is about reporting in Japan. Who knows maybe someone in the media is already a fan of your editorials.

[MNJetter]

Yeah, the Yomuiri could probably use some fresh blood to add some character to the editorials there. :D

I thought that you could only switch to a 2-week tourist visa after your work visa, instead of the first three months. I could be wrong, though.

[erbiumfiber]

The visa expires, best case, August 2nd. After it expires, things will become a lot harder, or so I've been hearing. Not to mention that I'll be technically living here illegally? And apparently, it takes some time for all the paperwork to go through and what not.

I was supposed to talk to the BOE about it, but I guess that'll have to wait until tomorrow.


Yeah, I put in an ap with the Kyoto branch. A guy emailed me saying he wanted to get in touch with me. I called to find him in a meeting, twice, then the third time he'd left the office for home. The next day I called, he'd left the office early to go on some business trip in Tokyo. That was two weeks ago and apparently he's still there.

I just sent in an application with a branch in Hyogo. They want me to come in for an interview this Thursday. I gotta see what my schedule is like first. And that'd be kinda out of the way.

-----------------------

I'm also kind of thinking about the English cafe thing now. If you get enough students, it seems like it'd be enough to pay the bills/live off of, and you'd be your own boss and set your own hours, which would be really cool. However, I do need to get my visa taken care of first. So I'm kind of thinking about doing ECC for a few months, have them take care of my visa, and then even start to cultivate prospective students there, then quit and do the English Cafe.

Ah, what to do.


Ooh, Ooh, English Cafe FTW. Am happy to assist with start-up capital, anytime, anywhere (courtesy of the tech boom of the late 90's and the beauty of stock options...). Seriously. I really think you have a shot at a successful business which I still think you should do with PLF given his natural talent for drinking and conversation. Having broken leases twice in Japan, you've got very little to lose if the place fails (hell, I have even gotten my security deposit back, minus "cleaning fee"). I think with all those universities in Kyoto you have a lot of potential customers. All you need to do is make it a cool place to hang out. And if you're open till the morning, people will pay just to have a warm (or cool) place to spend the night.

Don't know about a liquor license but seeing as every tiny mom and pop place in Japan sells alcohol, it can't be that hard to do.

Free drinks OR 1000 yen an hour will get the ALTs in. Hell, you gotta watch out or it could become ALT hangout.

And, of course, sponsor parties every (or every other) Friday and/or Saturday night.

I forget the amount of capital you need to incorporate in Japan but I think it's relatively low. I could probably get some corporate legal advice around here if I dig hard enough. There are tons of people who advertise in Metropolis and Tokyo Notice Board classifieds to help set up Japanese corporations.

Help save PLF from the hell of fluid mechanics. You can do this. You have nothing to lose.

Costco up here has a HUGE liquor selection. They do wholesale/corporate accounts. Same for food. Probably a Costco in Kansai. We just got an IKEA (nice light fixtures, cheap furniture, completely outfit a kitchen/bar area with their stuff).

I'll come help paint...

Costco- in Amagasaki, Hyogo (close enough for delivery to Kyoto?) http://www.costco.co.jp/eng/whs_861.htm

OK: Incorporation in Japan: Three types of companies- the middle type is what I think is analogous to "limited partnership" in America. 3 million yen- just has to sit in a bank. Do-able.

http://www.acojapan.com/business_in_japan.htm

[Crowley]

Now that's an offer you'd be foolish to refuse...

[Kansai_is_for_lovers]

Actually that English Cafe sounds really interesting. If you actually went down that route, after my third year is up, I might even be interested in helping you bud.

[kilreli]

Ooh, Ooh, English Cafe FTW. Am happy to assist with start-up capital, anytime, anywhere (courtesy of the tech boom of the late 90's and the beauty of stock options...). Seriously. I really think you have a shot at a successful business which I still think you should do with PLF given his natural talent for drinking and conversation.
people will run out crying after 10 minutes:karate:
ok ok joke. but as many of us are saying, it seems like a good idea. if you need some help coming up with money for the place, you could always bring up the paypal thing again (if it ever even stopped). get out a few new japanese editorials and you'll be sure to have us faithfuls sending you some money. :yes:
Actually that English Cafe sounds really interesting. If you actually went down that route, after my third year is up, I might even be interested in helping you bud.
Do i smell...."Cafe OP9" in the works?:watson:

[羽之助]

Stranger things have happened. I'd go for the grand opening.

[erbiumfiber]

Spoke to someone knowledgeable about Japanese incorporation-the capitalization can really be brought down to one yen. This person has incorporated a small business in Japan and says it's not that hard. The hard part, of course, is getting the business up and running, but then that's also the interesting part.

[Pierrot le Fou]

It's really cheap to start a business, in all honesty. But getting me to join in may be difficult, since I'm pretty sure (barring Az making miracle-money) that I would make more in the regular job-market. Who knows though? Perhaps... Perhaps...

If it does happen, you all have to visit -- every day.

[Azrael]

I'm really starting to get into this idea.

[Crowley]

Someone offering you lots of money will do that.

[FOBulous]

If possible, I'd like to do something other than English teaching. But I haven't found a whole lot in that area. I've found a lot of openings for engineers, business managers, graphics designers, stuff like that that I'm not really cut out for. I've found some English teaching gigs but nothing sure-fire or even really promising at this point. It concerns me, as every day that passes puts me another day closer to unemployment and living here without a valid visa.

Graphic designers huh? Hmm....

[erbiumfiber]

And, while starting up, I'm sure some customers would be interested in becoming private students in the off-hours- and you have a built-in language studio (could rent out space to other teachers during the day...).

[erbiumfiber]

It's really cheap to start a business, in all honesty. But getting me to join in may be difficult, since I'm pretty sure (barring Az making miracle-money) that I would make more in the regular job-market. Who knows though? Perhaps... Perhaps...

If it does happen, you all have to visit -- every day.

Yes, in the beginning you would certainly make more in the regular job market. The question is whether you want to take a job locally (Kyoto metro area) at an eikawa and work on this on the side until you could quit or whether you're truly willing to up and move to fluid mechanics land...

[Pierrot le Fou]

Fluid mechanics, rawr. It'd be a 2 year contract. Then I want to get my arse back to the US and pop out some babies.

[kitsunepixie]

Sounds like an awesome idea!! Good luck with it!

[erbiumfiber]

So here's all the visa information. I was looking for the business/entrepreneur visa category, but it appears to be limited to companies opening branch offices in Japan. So, yeah, eikawa for the visa and then after you establish a corporation you would be "hired" by that corporation as President & CEO. Hey, if nothing else, having started your own business definitely is something to be proud of on your resume. Starting a business in a foreign country, doubly so.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/04.html#b1a

[paideuo]

This isn't really going to happen is it?

If so, maybe I'll have to fly down to Japan sometime soon (I was already thinking of going anyways) and visit your cafe - maybe get a black eye and a beer with some cum/piss/fecal matter in it. Sounds like fun.. :clap:

[stsparky]

Have you talked to Berlitz?

[羽之助]

Do they have some kind of franchise deal going?

[Plekto]

Another job you might look for is what I'm doing to pay the bills right now.

I work for a company that does legal forensics. We take hard drives and files from clients and generate tiffs electronically, which we then ship back out to the lawyers.

Okay - the real part of it is that you run batches and do quality control on documents - to see if they are scanned and came out okay. It's a little niche field that's virtually invisible. But my company charges 5 cents a page most of the time, and a hard drive full of files... yes, there's money.

A trained chimp could do it. Is the thing okay? Check. Is the next image fine - okay... oops - that one gets reprinted... At 5 pages a second, mind you, since 95% of the time you aren't reading it so much as scanning quickly for formatting errors. Boring but pays the bills. And pay well it does :) I've been doing this for two years and the industry average is $15-$16 an hour.

The real bonus, and why I mention it, is that 1/2 of the documents, even in Japan, would require some English. My company has roughly 20 languages known by the people working for it. If you can find a company in Japan that deals with mostly U.S. firms/clients, they'll hire almost any college-educated native English speaker - but you need to be fluent in Japanese as well, which I think AZ could handle.

Nope - not teaching. Probably a snap for AZ to get a job doing. Sorry - I don't know the exact name of the job type in Japanese, though the industry standard program is called "Discovery Cracker" - plug that into any job database and you'll only get back these sort of jobs.

[Murakumo]

Hey Az, if you do start an English cafe or something , I wouldn't mind working for you in a couple years. I'm supposed to be leaving on JET in a year and hoping to get anywhere in the Kansai area (I'll also be there in about a month for a month long duration if you wanna throw down on MvC2, A3, 3S, CvS2, ST, TTT, T5, or whatever) :clap:

So yea, sorry my working experience over there is a little delayed compared to yours, but if you do open a business and expand in the future, if you offer me employment and it's a done deal. With the Japanese after hours "work" ethic (games and alcohol in our case?) things could work out pretty well. They sit around to suffer together? We screw cig breaks, close shop, and play fighting games. If I'm working through JET my first year and you by any chance needed someone for the evenings I might be able to manage that, too, as I'm mainly trying to put some bank away the first year, get things here paid off (not that much to pay), and get some money set aside.

I speak enough Japanese to hold everyday conversations, and I'm sure that will improve as I'm over there as well. I'm also supposed to finish my TESOL certification this year so that I'll be able to crossup, link, chain, and super cancel lesson plans. The best thing is that if I worked for you, that'd bring about assists and DHCs as well. ZOMG, the madness!! j/k, but seriously, if you ever need someone for that sort of gig, let me know. I plan to be in the area trying to make use of duo Japanese/English skills.

So anywho, for games, jobs, whatever... just let me know. =)

~Curtis

[mikem]

And pay well it does :) I've been doing this for two years and the industry average is $15-$16 an hour.

All I can say is: What. The. Fuck. :duh:

That is crap ass pay. The most basic entry-level teacher here is going to make around $17-18/hr. I've got friends this past semester who made closer $26/hr with zero experience. Of course I've only got a couple points of imperical data.

I still I stand by the fact that $15/hr is complete crap. That's basically what we got paid in high school to do tech support!

Edit: Didn't figure it was worth an extra post to respond to PLF, but ... We are talking about foriegners in Japan. Being here pretty much requires a four year degree or some impressive work experience. I think life would pretty much suck trying to live in one of the bigger cities on 1700-1800yen an hour.

[Pierrot le Fou]

$15/hour is around $30,000/year

Not bad for someone without a college degree, or short-term, but really really bad over the long haul.

[japanat]

Work Eikaiwa factory - $25/hr, salaried

Teach lessons privately - $50-150/hr, hours vary (some people manage to get 35hrs/wk, but I'd say half that still ain't bad)

:duh:

[kilreli]

150 an hour? who would pay that?!

[PopCulturePooka]

150 an hour? who would pay that?!
Foolish Japanese?


This English Cafe? From Erbium's words, sounds like its an all night, licenced place for young people to come and speak english to foreigners?

Sounds like Eikaiwa mixed with a hostess bar too me. You'd have to tread very fine lines to make sure it doesnt just become a pickup bar thing for gaijin hunters, groupies, japanophiles etc.

[Trump]

People pay a lot for private tutoring. It is scary.

[kilreli]

Sounds like Eikaiwa mixed with a hostess bar too me.
...now i understand why they would pay 150 bucks...;)

[Azrael]

This English Cafe? From Erbium's words, sounds like its an all night, licenced place for young people to come and speak english to foreigners?

Sounds like Eikaiwa mixed with a hostess bar too me. You'd have to tread very fine lines to make sure it doesnt just become a pickup bar thing for gaijin hunters, groupies, japanophiles etc.
Yeah, that thought crossed my mind. I dunno if I'd want to do it all night, especially at first.

Sometimes just the environment helps. If I made it trendy/classy enough, it might ward off the potential sleaze. While I'm absolutely sure there'd still be some hook-ups going on...well...I figure that's almost unavoidable.

I was thinking we could charge Japanese like 1000 yen entry fee. To entice foreigners into coming, we could offer a free drink token, but only if they were willing to interact in English with the Japanese customers. Then, upstairs or something, we'd have lessons and workshops. Customers could pay perhaps 3000 yen an hour to participate in the lessons.

Just preliminary ideas of course.

[Murakumo]

You could scare the foreigners that just wanna pick someone up away by calling something the Japanese probably wouldn't understand all so quickly, but would make an impact on pickup/horny Japanophiles.... ie: 'I've Got Crabs' :watson:
Now what kinda of foreinger would wanna visit 'I've Got Crabs' to pick up a woman. :box:

Granted, you wouldn't want to scare away all business. =x

... could always call it the 'Engrish Crub.' :blank:

[kilreli]

... could always call it the 'Engrish Crub.' :blank:
if i ever saw that, i would die of laughter. :rofl:

[ShadowDeth]

People pay a lot for private tutoring. It is scary.

I personally pay 25 bucks for an hour, once a week. Now that i've taken private language and music lessons for a while, tutors really make out. The only issue I could see is if they didn't have the volume to make enough money to live on.

[Pierrot le Fou]

Yeah, that thought crossed my mind. I dunno if I'd want to do it all night, especially at first.

Sometimes just the environment helps. If I made it trendy/classy enough, it might ward off the potential sleaze. While I'm absolutely sure there'd still be some hook-ups going on...well...I figure that's almost unavoidable.

I was thinking we could charge Japanese like 1000 yen entry fee. To entice foreigners into coming, we could offer a free drink token, but only if they were willing to interact in English with the Japanese customers. Then, upstairs or something, we'd have lessons and workshops. Customers could pay perhaps 3000 yen an hour to participate in the lessons.

Just preliminary ideas of course.

The way I was thinking would work best is to run it essentially like a Snack. In the afternoon, it's a coffee shop. Have daycare for little kids in English at X rate/hour, and overpriced coffee for the housewives. When it gets to be 5 or so, shut down the coffee part, and move to the eikaiwa bar concept.

For the bar, honestly, sleazy or not people will come. There will be the eigo bandits that so many foreigners hate. Long-termers probably won't bother coming for a free drink or two. You'll get a lot of eikaiwa teachers most likely. Not that this isn't a feasible business plan mind you, but will likely give a hint as to what your clientelle would be like.

And unless you want to learn how to make cocktails good and proper, you're going to be pretty limited in drink choices, which makes it hard to make it a super-swanky upscale place.

[Plekto]

Well, those are U.S. wages, and that's the starting pay, of course. In Japan, it would definately be closer to $20 an hour and up.

Doesn't suck, given the hard time everyone is having finding work.

[Murakumo]

*raises hand*

I'll learn to make more kinds of cocktails.
... and you need fighting game cabinets. What better than having students learn "time to die" from Nina?

In all seriousness, though, as far as opening the cafe/business thing, image is a HUGE part of it. I'm sure with a lot of the people on this site it would be easy to develop a killer image (advertisements, signs, shop design, menus, etc.) It'd be like the Roxbury of English learning... regardless of the class setup, you could bring in people and make bank on the image alone (not to say you wouldn't have good English instruction, because I'm pretty sure you hate the bullshit English programs as much as I do).
*imagines 'A Night at the Engrish Crub' as SNL style-skit on Downtown or something*

Also, I am thinking (seriously) of starting up a clothing business that markets over there. If you're interested in working on something like that let me know. Reasoning? Buy cheap T-shirt in Japan of good frabric for $2.50... WTH, cheaper than here? Then you go into a department store and see spammed Engrish T-shirt that's 'cool' for like $70+. Ever notice that over there? I swear if someone got in the niche they could make a killing (yet another business scheme to start up as or before I leave next year).

... Or you could do weddings for Japanese people. One of my acquaintences did weddings on weekends between being a JET during the week. He made total bank off of it. Not religious? Neither am I, but I'm still thinking about it because I potentially COULD do it. Few hours on a weekend for a grand or so? Not bad, not bad.

[Azrael]

Yeah, the daytime would totally be bored housewife time. The upstairs rooms (do you like how I've already given myself two levels here) could be the daycare, and we'd have songs/games in English, some basic words/phrases, etc - basically elementary school gameplan. Then the overpriced coffee for the moms, along with perhaps some English programs.

Then close the place for an hour or two (to get the old ladies out) and go into the English bar. I was thinking at least find a bartender who could mix drinks. Beer's good, but it won't keep everyone happy (it should...) so we'll need a wider selection. And then, probably food wouldn't hurt either so a cook as well.

Yeah, I've been giving this a lot of thought, and kinda getting ahead of myself, but I've really gotten interested in it. I think it could work.

[Murakumo]

Stock Budweiser and other cheap American beers. As dumb as it sounds I've run into so many Japanese people that are in love with American beer (Amerophiles?).

[PopCulturePooka]

Corona.

Thats all I saw in Japan beer wise (out of non Japanese beers).

[kilreli]

Yeah, the daytime would totally be bored housewife time. The upstairs rooms (do you like how I've already given myself two levels here) could be the daycare, and we'd have songs/games in English, some basic words/phrases, etc - basically elementary school gameplan. Then the overpriced coffee for the moms, along with perhaps some English programs and some casual sex.

edited for correcting purposes. ;)
but i will admit, you guys are getting into this, so just go out and do it! no use daydreaming about this for a few weeks, and then end up teaching at a school you dont want to teach at for a few more years. but thats easier said than done

[SoulPlay]

I agree its a good idea... i think it could materialize but as of now i apologize since i've got nothing to contribute to the project...

[Pierrot le Fou]

You don't need to go all out for the toddlers Az, I'm saying put a foreign person in the room with cribs to watch them essentially. No more no less. Takes very little effort, you don't have to pay anyone serious cash, and you can hire students on foreign exchange to do it for pennies on the dollar. Even the little kids (4 and 5) can be given a boatload of legos and be told, 'build a boat!' or somesuch nonsense, and then ignored.

The parents too likely don't need real English conversation (that's what the night is for) -- they will socialize amongst themselves, because that's what housewives do here. Trying to actually teach them English is well beyond the scope of what you have to do. You're trying to fill a niche separate from Eikaiwa, yeah? Eikaiwa ropes in people who want to actually learn English, all the other English nonsense is just for presenting the image that you care as much as those eikaiwa folk.

And while I agree that image is important, Japan is PACKED with little hole in the wall bars, swanky restaurants, and whatnot. It is very very very hard to stand out because of the sheer volume of choices you have. It'll take more than just making t-shirts or whatnot.

You could also try the first English tachinomiya -- you just get a tiny hole in the wall bar with simple food (like fried chicken, or some other greasy simple food) and beer, and stick it someplace by a station with just a bar and no seats. People can stand and drink on their way home.

[erbiumfiber]

At the beginning, chips and salsa or dip and mixed nuts with beer (American and Japanese) and soft drinks and coffee. Later, can add kitchen facilities and a cook, etc. Less bar and more eikaiwa at the beginning, probably easier to set up. Just my 2 cents.

[japanat]

150 an hour? who would pay that?!
Kobe Steel offered me that to teach factory staff after hours (from 6-7pm). Half of them would be asleep, but at that rate, I loved babysitting!!!