Tokyo living?

zeddyau
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:45 pm

Tokyo living?

Post by zeddyau »

Hello, I am 'new' to the IT scene. I was thinking about applying for a position at St Mary's in Tokyo. I know I probably won't get it. But I was hoping for some advice so I can keep an eye out for the school next year.

1. What type of conditions (if anyone knows) they offer? Flights home etc? Pay? Housing?

2. What areas might be close to the school but affordable to live in. I would be looking for something 2 bedroom...??

3. Possible to save while living in Tokyo?


Thanks to anyone that can provide any extra info on the school or working in Tokyo in general. I'm not familiar with other schools there but I heard this school is one of the better ones... (am I right on that?)


Cheers.
Kilg0re
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2014 5:01 pm

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by Kilg0re »

Can't help you with number 1. As a devout atheist I never consider working at Catholic schools and so haven't looked into St. Mary's.

As far as living in Tokyo, THAT I know about. The school IS in Tokyo (in south Setagaya) but it's only two stops away from Kanagawa, which is the next prefecture over to the west. In other words, it's in the outskirts/boonies. I lived in northern Tokyo so I'm not really sure about that area. However, I can share some thoughts.

I'm assuming you won't drive and will thus be at the mercy of the train lines. Luckily that's not such a bad prospect as the trains in Japan are great, but the school lies in an area that doesn't offer many options with regards to train lines. This means you'll need to live near stations on those train lines unless you want to have multiple transfers every time to go to or come from work. Japanese people do that all the time, often travelling an hour each way every day. I don't recommend doing that.

If you do get the job, I would look at living in Nakameguro which is a nice area closer to the center of Tokyo. Not only because it's a nice area near Ebisu and the Yamanote train line, but because you're going to want to go against the flow during rush hours. Trust me, you don't want to be in the most crowded trains EVERY morning. If you live in the center and head AWAY from the center in the mornings, your blood pressure will thank you. That area of Tokyo (Setagaya, Ebisu and Meguro) is fairly expensive and I'd probably lose the notion of having 2 bedrooms, but it all depends on the salary/benefits, I guess...

Explore this website: http://www.realestate.co.jp/

Ability to save depends on salary and such, but Japan is not the easiest place to save. Things can be cheap or outrageously expensive. Eating and drinking in Japan is not too expensive, if you're willing to eat local, but travelling within Japan is. In fact, it's often cheaper to travel internationally than it is to explore other cities in Japan. Daiso, a 100-yen shop, is your friend.

Japan rocks. Safe, clean, efficient trains, AMAZING food, kind people, rich culture, fascinating history, gorgeous women (if you're into that)... The good FAR outweighs the bad. In fact, from my perspective there really isn't any bad.

Hope you get it if you want it.
zeddyau
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:45 pm

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by zeddyau »

Thank you for such a detailed reply you have given me much to think about and look into further.


I appreciate it!
sciteach
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:49 am

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by sciteach »

I no longer have access to their pay scale - but I can say that St Mary's is a good school and that you be paid accordingly. As such - you will probably get a housing allowance (say 100,000 Yen a month) and probably a reasonable wage. You should have the ability to save and live quite comfortably.

In relation to the school - it's the best boys international school in Japan but there are not that many. From experience, I can say that the school does quite well at the International School Math competitions in Japan, along with being one of the best sporting schools in Japan in the international schools circuit.

You might get a flight at the start and beginning on the contract, but yearly flights along with flights with a renewed contract are basically extinct in Japan. Do note that the Yen is depreciating which has limited your ability to save dramatically. As such - if/when the Yen appreciates once again then your wage can rise significantly in USD.

One thing that you should know is that it's prohibitively expensive to set up your apartment in Japan. Normally - you pay two months rent for deposit and possibly one month key money depending on the company you use to rent. Also - almost all apartments have nothing in them. You even need to buy light fittings, blinds, hot plates, fridge etc..... You get the idea. As such, you will get a large (probably) settling in allowance.

For rent, it's very common that the school will give you some help by giving you a interest free loan and removing the deposit + key money which is paid back over a year. As such - you might not feel as though you can save as much as you can. On apartments - note that public housing is cheaper and are much better when giving you back money from your deposit. In general, rents are for 2 years with a very basic and small apartment costing 100,000 yen a month with 150,000 yen being the norm.

The closer you are to the station - the more the apartment costs. Most people in Japan use public transport as their main transport method - so this is normal. On a side note - I highly recommend buying an electric bike as this becomes your main method of transport. Suck up and also get a basket on the back and front and you can even use it for your shopping.

Do note that food is quite well priced in Japan, but fresh fruit can be expensive out of season and in certain places (such as Shibuya). In you live frugally, you can live off 100,000 yen a month not including accommodation and being reasonably nice with the air con / heater (meaning no 30 C in winter and 18 C in summer). Transport to work can also eat into this cost.

Most people say that travel around Japan is expensive - but it is definitely worth it. If you know how to travel and stay in cheap accommodation (e.g. Toyoko Inn) then it's fine. I've even gone away for a weekend (2 nights) for around 14,000 yen for a single with accom and transport at a Hot Spa resort in Izu...
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reponse

Post by PsyGuy »

Its an okay school, tier two. It is out in the boonies, by Setagaya is a nice residential quit neighborhood, and its really close to Kanagawa. Your salary will be around 350K¥ a month and you will get transportation, but no housing allowance. You will get a flight in (one way). They will also guarantee for you, but you wont get a settling in allowance.

I dont know anyone that saves money working in Tokyo unless they live in the prefectures (Saitima, Chiba, Kanagawa, Kawasaki) Most people spend all their money.
You dont need 3 months rent anymore in Japan/Tokyo. There are plenty of apartments that can be had for deposit alone. Many apartment are unfurnished but getting it furnished isnt hard. You will have one main room a kitchen and a bathroom, your kitchen will have the major appliances (fridge, stove, toaster [its not technically a toaster its a small fish broiler under the stove, but its only big enough for a slice of bread or a fish], and whatever the prior tenet left behind maybe a electric kettle and rice cooker). Most schools will guarantee for you, meaning you wont need a guarantor, this just saves you a guarantee fee. In addition you will need to buy property/fire insurance (about 10,000¥)
Living anywhere in Tokyo depends on access to train lines either the JR or the MET, the closer you are they more expensive it is. Living anywhere in the CBD (Central Business District) which is along the Yamanote line is very expensive. In Ebisu/Meguro your looking at 50K¥ for a 1R, up to 120K¥ for a 1LDK. I dont know any teachers outside DoDDS that are paying 150K¥ as a norm, most are paying 60K¥-80K¥. My advice is to live as far away and out of the center as your willing to travel.

Its very common for many commuters to travel an hour each way, and rush hour trains are a pain id recommend leaving early for school and leave late after, then again you could easily find yourself sandwiched between 2-3 Japanese models, which may be a benefit to you. Your school will give you travel, which means youll get a rail pass that allows you an unlimited number of commutes between points (home and school) planed right you can get the majority of your shopping and business down along that route. A lot of people have a peddle bike but very few have anything electrical or motorized, getting a license in Tokyo is hard for Americans, they fail you the first couple times, but its cheaper for a foreigner to get their license than a national (its cost them about 300,000¥). A Pasmo or Suica (train) pass will run you about 5K¥-8K¥ a month.

Eating is hit or miss if you want to go to Food Show you can blow a months pay shopping their alone for a basket of groceries. Some Daiso (thats the dollar store 100¥ manufacturer) have a grocery level where you can get 300¥ bottles of wine and put together pasta and sauce for a couple days for a couple coins ( spaghetti, diced tomatoes some spices). Imported fruits and vegetables tend to be expensive and while you can get a kilo of oranges for 500¥ sometimes of the year (look around stations) there really are 6K¥ apples and watermelons. A single apple at St. Lauren is about 230¥-560¥. Eating out, you can get set price meals for a couple hundred yen, and sushi for 100¥ a plate (two pieces), you can also spend way way way way more than that. Ive seen meals that were 100,000¥. Drinking depends what you drink 500¥ will get you a class of local brew or a cocktail during happy hour. Later in the evening Guinness goes for 1000¥ on average, and the distiller of the month usually has specials on those spirit drinks in a month.
Traveling in Japan can be cheap if you have the time and take a slow train, taking the Shinkansen can be more expensive than flying, and most Tokyoite's only leave the Greater Tokyo area when visiting family or going skiing.
The woman are truly amazing they are consistently rated one of the hottest in the world, and every woman owns thigh high boots. and they dont leave their room without being done up (or they wear the mask).
zeddyau
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:45 pm

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by zeddyau »

Wow.. thank you for the advice. Much to think about. I don't have any offers or interviews as yet, so I'm assuming its not my year. Will keep an eye out, but I feel from this advice Tokyo isn't really worth it then for me. Ill look else where! :)

Thanks for all the help!
Rhysboy

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by Rhysboy »

Wow, PsyGuy really has lots of useful information - apart from the bit about thigh high boots?!? Or perhaps that's just his imagination running wild?

'The woman are truly amazing they are consistently rated one of the hottest in the world, and every woman owns thigh high boots. and they dont leave their room without being done up (or they wear the mask).'
IAMBOG
Posts: 388
Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:20 pm

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by IAMBOG »

350,000 Yen a month? No housing allowance? Isn't that low? I admit I have no knowledge of Japanese international schools, but I earned 285,000 Yen as an ESL teacher in 1999 (at the dreaded Nova chain schools). Admittedly, no flight, but a transport allowance was given.

Is that the going rate for tier 2 schools?
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Reply

Post by PsyGuy »

@Rhysboy

No not fantasy, they all pretty much own thigh high boots. In Japan when your sick you dont stay home, you wear a mask (a surgical/doctors type mask), when women are having a bad morning and cant or dont have time to do full makeup they just wear one of these masks and do their eyes and hair.

@IAMBOG

Hello depressed economy. Your issue is that was 1999, the average ESOL wage in Tokyo is 220K¥/month now. The bottom of the IT salary is around 320K¥/month. Only upper tier ISs give a housing allowance anymore. You still get transportation (metro) 10K¥ - 20K¥ a month but they only pay what you pay, its not a cash disbursement.
zeddyau
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:45 pm

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by zeddyau »

I agree with the amounts. I am very surprised at how low they are and why anyone would/can afford to live there.. :( Bit disappointing but from what I read in these forums I might be better staying where I am in a regular school it seems...

Thanks again for the advice and info.
pgrass
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:50 am

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by pgrass »

The university owned IB schools around the country are paying around 500,000 yen base salary plus 100,000-150,000 yen per month housing plus a generous settling in allowance.
Rhysboy

Re: Reply

Post by Rhysboy »

PsyGuy wrote:
> @Rhysboy
>
> No not fantasy, they all pretty much own thigh high boots. In Japan when
> your sick you dont stay home, you wear a mask (a surgical/doctors type
> mask), when women are having a bad morning and cant or dont have time to
> do full makeup they just wear one of these masks and do their eyes and
> hair.
>

Having lived in Japan for 11 years (8 years living and working in and around Tokyo and Yokohama, 3 years in Shizuoka) I call BS on that - you do give some helpful advice but to make a general statement like that (all women in Japan wear thigh high boots?!?) - how is this a useful statement to someone who is asking for advice about working as a teacher in an international school?
wrldtrvlr123
Posts: 1173
Joined: Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:59 am
Location: Japan

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by wrldtrvlr123 »

I can't really add much to the whole thigh high debate. I've saw a few pairs on display during my time in Tokyo but didn't go though enough closets to say how many women actually owned a pair.

As for salaries, there is a wide range. But, even if you throw out the top 2 schools (ASIJ and YIS) you would be looking at 50K+ yen per month plus 100K housing allowance from at least 3 other schools in the area (TIS, Seisen and Nishimachi). So the school does make a big difference if money is a key factor for you. Don't write off Japan but do the research before committing to anything (or even deciding where to focus your efforts).
zeddyau
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 3:45 pm

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by zeddyau »

@wrldtrvlr123 on those figures, could one live comfortable in Tokyo (not the centre obviously)?

As per the boots discussion, while this might interest me.. You are turning my wife against Japan... :O ;)
sciteach
Posts: 258
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 7:49 am

Re: Tokyo living?

Post by sciteach »

I think that maybe it is a typo and he meant 500,000 Yen a month....

Minimum wage in Japan is around 800 yen an hour which is more than 50,000 yen a month....
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