So you want to live in Japan?
Why wouldn't you?
Here are the basic requirements.
1. Know where Japan is.
2. Visit CAG and read this blog.
3. Do not be Phrostbyte.
4. Move to Japan.

or, for the Anons around here;

1. Buy ticket
2. Land in Japan
3. ???
4. Profit

Really though, I have received many emails from people asking how they can actually live here since I've joined CAG. Obviously, I don't have all the answers, but this blog will contain more of the details that have, as of yet, not been spilled in the YomiJ (Your Other Man in Japan) Saga as to how I came (and stayed) here.

First of all, if you are from the U.S. and you do not have a 4 year college degree (ala dv8mad!) you will find that you have three clear options.
#1 - Come to Japan on a 90 day visitor's visa
#2 - Find a school in which you can enroll to study Japanese and/or find some type of cultural enrichment program to get a student or humanities visa.
#3 - Marry a Japanese citizen.

I started off as #1, moved onto #2 and ended as a #3.

If you are from Canada, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand or a few other places, you can expect a much easier road!

Japan offers working holiday visas to people in all of those countries. Typically, you can apply and simply look for a job once you get here. You DO have to prove that you have enough money to support yourself in the country. The last I knew, this was a minimum of 260,000 yen per month total. So basically 1 and a half million yen for a 6 month stay.
I believe that working holiday visas may be extended one time for a total of a 12 month stay.

Now more about my time here.

As I said, I started with a 90 day visitor's visa. That was because I had not yet found a school to study Japanese and wanted to have a look around myself.
After finding a decent place, I started the paperwork for the student visa. As with the working holiday visa, I had to show financial statements from my account in the U.S. to prove I could support myself here.

The process took about a month until it was approved and I was able to get the student visa and attend Japanese classes. It was during that time that I met Satan and entered the worst marriage in recorded history. But, that did move me onto #3 status.

One big point that I want to make is that I didn't get married to stay here. I fully planned to go back to the U.S. and that is what she and I spoke about. It was her last minute decision saying that she wanted to stay in Japan that kept me here.

I would HIGHLY recommend NEVER getting married to stay in this or any other country.

I have met many guys (and a few ladies) here that married just to stay and all of their lives are utter crap.

One last thing, the economy here is just as crappy as everywhere else, so don't go thinking that opportunities abound or anything. There are still places (mostly schools) looking for foreigners, but they are being much more selective and, unfortunately, even though they are holding out for better people, working conditions are mostly worse than they were a few years back.

All in all, I would recommend coming for an extended visit.

Nothing above is guaranteed 100% accurate as I haven't had to go through any of it for quite some time now, but it should give you a rough idea of what it takes to get here.

If you have any other questions, please comment below and I will get to them in turn.