Message from Adam
Everything on this list is pretty easy to do and they are usually pretty fun methods for making money. In my opinion, hosting workshops is the best way to make money on this list. I really enjoyed doing my workshops. Getting paid to teach other people about something I like doing was great!
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8 ways to make money in Japan
Make money in Japan idea #1: Secret Shopper
This is a really fun option! There are some hassles of course, but this is an enjoyable way to make money in Japan.
For this job, you are assigned a store or restaurant to go to and act like you normally would. While you are there, talk some mental notes about the customer service. Then afterwards, you fill out some forms about your experience. That’s it! Easy and fun! The hassles come from doing paperwork and trying to get assigned jobs. But overall, this is a great way to get paid to act like a spy.
Look on Gaijin Pot for Mystery Shopper jobs or check out International Service Check to get started.
Make money in Japan idea #2: Translate Menus
This option does require some Japanese ability or at least patience with a dictionary.
All of us in Japan have been to restaurants that don’t have an English a menu or have seen menus like this:
These are fun to read, but there is defiantly room for improvement. Many restaurants or other businesses (I translated a ski resort flyer before) would love to have a menu or something created by a native English speaker. An English menu or flyer would be a great asset to them and most likely increase their business.
It can be time consuming but it is fairly easy to translate menus and the cash payout is usually pretty good. So no matter where you live you can find a small Izakaiya or restaurant that is in need of an English menu.
Go in, eat some dinner and then ask the owner if they would be interested in having an English menu. They might really love the idea and then you can work out the payment details. Its cash in hand and one of the great ways to make money in Japan.
Make money in Japan idea #3: Help People Move
It happens every year and it is a good way to make money in Japan. Thousands of people move into a new house or apartment at the start of April. Offer your services and help people move. Everyone needs help moving their couch down the stairs and no matter how strong someone is, carrying the fridge is always awkward.
Before the moving season starts, ask around and see if anyone needs help moving. Ask your friends, neighbors or colleagues. You are sure to find someone willing to give you some cash to help them out. After all, no one likes moving, so having someone to help makes it so much better and faster.
Make money in Japan idea #4: Sell to Recycle Shops
Ok, sorry. This isn’t the most original idea, but it is still one of the best ways for making money in Japan fast. Japan has a number of large recycle shops that buy almost anything. Sell you old clothes, toys, furniture, electronics or sports gear. These stores don’t pay much, but it all adds up and it feels good to clean out your apartment from time to time.
Another option is to ask around and see if your friends or neighbors have things that they don’t need. You can offer to take it off their hands and move it for them for free and then you can take it to the recycle store! Everyone wins!
Also, remember that it is illegal to walk around during the moving season or on the big trash days and take things from the trash to sell at recycle shops. Yes, Japanese people throw away great things in great condition. But it is illegal to take these things and then take them to the recycle shop for money.
These are the big recycle shops to look for in Japan. Use their store finders on their webpages to find the nearest store to you.
The Hardoff Group has great stores like Hardoff, Houseoff and Bookoff. Bookoff is great for selling books and manga.
Another major chain is Second Street (Japanese site only) and they are found all over Japan.
A couple of other recycle stores to look out for are: DonDonDown and Treasure Factory.
Make money in Japan idea #5: Sell Old American Clothes (different than above)
There are many small clothing stores in Japan that sell mostly old and classic American clothes. Old American style is considered オシャレ (fancy). For example, I remember my first time going to one of these stores that specialized in American clothing. I saw a stack of old (really old and tattered) t-shirts. They were all old rock bands like Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, and each shirt was being sold for ￥6,000! I couldn’t believe it. I immediately sent a message to my father and told him to send me some of my old shirts. I made a good profit!
Keep an eye out for these stores and you could make some good cash. These stores are usually mom and pop shops, so I cant tell you any store names. But there many of these shops. Other things that could be sold for high profits are Lee Jeans, Levi or any Harley Davidson clothes.
If you go back home for summer vacation, this is a good way to offset some of the cost. Go to the recycle stores back home and try to buy some of these old clothes and sell them in Japan. This is a fun way to make money in Japan.
Make money in Japan idea #6: Pet Sitter
There are many, many house cats and dogs in Japan. Their owners treat them like royality and are often nervous about leaving their pets behind when they travel. Pet hotels are insanely expensive so many people just decide not to travel. This is where you can help out and get some extra cash.
Put the word out to your social network and the people around you that you love animals and are willing to pet sit while they travel. Try putting a free ad on Craigslist or JMTY as well. Set a price and make money fast while playing with pets.
In addition to pets, there are many people who love their plants. They are often willing to pay people to water their plants while they on vacation. Both of these are pretty good options to make money in Japan.
Make money in Japan idea #7: Rent Out Extra Space
I know that here in Japan, there isn’t a lot of “extra room”, but if you have some it’s a good way to make some extra cash. Space is a premium in Japan, so you can rent out space for storage or even for people to stay.
The big obvious choice is Airbnb, because you can use their website to rent out rooms you aren’t using. Or even your whole apartment when you leave on vacation. The problem with Airbnb is that Japan hasn’t really jumped on the bandwagon yet. Japan has some strict rules when it comes to Airbnb and new rules keep coming out. So be sure to check the current status of Airbnb before you decide to try it out in Japan.
It is also possible to rent out storage space or parking spaces. Renting out you parking space can lead to some friction with your landlord so keep that in mind if you have a landlord. If you are able to do it, the profit is substantial and you can make money in Japan fast.
If you have an extra room in your house or an unused garage, rent that space out. Storage space is always in high demand, so talk to your network and see if anyone needs a place to store some things. You are sure to find someone that needs a place to keep their snowboards, bikes or boxes of clothes. Ask around and give it a try!
Make money in Japan idea #8: Host Workshops
This may seem daunting at first, but it is actually not that hard to do. After doing it a couple of times it becomes one of fun ways to make money in Japan. If you have a skill like cooking or making crafts, you can do a workshop.
First, decide what you want to do and then find a place to hold the workshop. Rental rooms are readily available in most towns. After finding a place, all that is left is to advertise and get people to come. Charge a set price per person and you’re ready to go.
I will use myself as an example. I have made dream catchers as a hobby ever since I was a child and I decided to show others how to make them too, so I started a workshop. I made fliers, told my friends to spread the word and even put an ad on JMTY. 7 people came to my first workshop!
The price was ￥3,000 per person for the two hour workshop and I rented a room in city hall for ￥600 per hour. I bought all the supplies for the dream catchers and even provided tea during the workshop. The workshop itself was fun for me. After all, all I was doing was talking about something that I enjoy doing.
Think of something you like doing and can teach others how to do. Then try to do a workshop.
DISCLAIMER: The writer of this blog post is a very stingy yen pincher and not an attorney. Please read my disclaimer page before trying any of these ideas.
