Pina... There is so much opportunity for Native English speakers in Japan, whether you speak Japanese or not and whether you have any experience with Japanese people and teaching...or not
If you're eligible for a working holiday (I believe it's up to 30 years old and you can only get it once in your life ... usually); then you've got no problem.... get a W.H-visa, stay in a gaijin house for a month and don't drink a single beer, watch a single movie or go to one single night-club until you've got a job...which will probably take 2-4 weeks. (You won't get your first paycheck until completing your first month of work, so you'll need to be able to survive 2 months without income).
If you're not eligible for a Working Holiday Visa, you can get a so-called "self sponsored visa"... generally it means that you have to go around to schools, telling them that you are able to sponsor your own visa so long as they'll give you a letter offering you work... They need to specify the monthly salary they'll pay you... and you need to show immigration that you'll be earning around 200,000yen (about $2000) per month, made up from one or more companies.... Take the letter to immigration and they'll tell you what else you need (a few papers from each school - nothing complicated, and you've got your visa)... if you leave one or all of those jobs...or if you change companies, it makes no difference to your visa...it's yours to keep.
If you'd like to talk about it more...please email me... I'm currently living in Japan (Sapporo, Hokkaido)...have taught a total of 6 years here.... have come over once on a working holiday and again on a tourist visa and found work, sponsoring my own working visa as I had already used the Working Holiday option...
Do it ! It'll change your life !!!
