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Should I take this internship opportunity in Japan?
The pay is ¥1,400 per hour, 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, which comes to about ¥210,000 per month after deductions. My goal is to start a career in Japan, earn more than I would in my home country (India), and build a long-term future there.
I'm considering this internship as a way to get into Japan, network with professionals, understand the work culture, and also prepare to pass the JLPT N1 during this time. I have some savings to cover my initial expenses, but I'm aware that Tokyo can be expensive, so I'm wondering if this internship would be worth it in the long run.
Eventually, I want to transition into a full-time role in project management or a related field, though I'm open to exploring other opportunities too. Does this sound like a good plan? Is there anything else I should consider before making this decision?
I'd love to hear your advice or insights!
a few people mentioned the pay but not the actual math on living here. ¥210k means after health insurance and pension you're looking at about ¥175k take-home. a share house in adachi or katsushika runs ¥55-70k, food ¥35k if you're smart about gyomu super and okashi no machioka, phone ¥3k with ahispeed or povo. you'll have like ¥60k for everything else which is doable but tight, no room for mistakes or emergencies.
the drone thing is interesting timing though. ministry of land just expanded the level 4 flight zones in tokyo bay area and there's a lot of money flowing into last-mile delivery startups right now. your quick commerce + mechanical background actually puts you ahead of the typical intern who's just a fresh graduate with no real industry experience. if this place has any connection to the tokyu or mitsubishi logistics projects, that internship becomes way more valuable than the pay suggests
one thing nobody mentioned is the commuting cost. if you're living in adachi and working in minato or shinagawa, that's ¥500-700 per day on the train, call it ¥12k a month. some companies cover it for interns but a lot don't, so ask about that before you sign anything. also the moving-in fees here are brutal, you'll need ¥250-300k upfront for key money, deposit, guarantor company,
fwiw, 210k after deductions is basically what a fresh grad makes at a small company here, so it's not insulting for an internship but you're not gonna save anything. your background is actually pretty solid for the drone space, especially with the logistics angle, Japan Post and Yamato are both testing drone delivery in Chiba and Saitama right now so that experience could land you something later
one thing nobody's mentioned is the visa situation. internships on a cultural activities visa or student visa have strict limits on how much you can work, and switching to a work visa later is a whole process that some companies drag their feet on. make sure this company is willing to sponsor your visa for a full-time role after, and get that in writing if you can. some startups here promise conversion then ghost you when the internship ends
also, February is a rough time to arrive in Tokyo, it's cold and dark and flu season, your first month will be a slog. if you can push it to March when the weather turns and the cherry blossoms come out, your mental health will thank you. that small window of good weather makes a big difference when you're living in a 8榻榻米 room in Adachi with no savings
honestly the pay is really low for tokyo, like you'd be living super tight even with savings. n2 is good but most full-time jobs here want n1 or native level, so that internship might help you network but don't expect it to magically open doors for a pm role. the drone scene is small here too, so your auto experience might not transfer directly. maybe worth it if you're desperate to get in the country, but i'd keep looking for something better
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Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.