Hi!
I am in the process of making plans to move to Japan, in hopes of first travelling there and looking for schools that are good (I'm confident it shouldn't be too difficult). I am looking for some helpful information - that would be great, I have been in the planning and saving up process. What would a recommended safe amount to save up for this venture? I am looking to go to school then gain a work permit (by attaining a job and proving myself worthy) then live and contribute to the community.
Again all information regarding this venture would be very helpful, I will also be reading the forum thoroughly for all bits of info.
Thanks!
Hi there! Your post caught my eye. Not too long ago I was in the same predicament as you but much more complicated. Anyway, to make a long story short: I was a military dependent, I loved Japan, and I wanted to study Illustration and 3D animation because I wanted to be a concept artist/character designer for some big gaming company or art studio. Problems were: 1. Fell in love with a guy in high school and there went that idea, 2. had to leave Japan anyway due to parent's military orders, and 3. absolutely no money/scholarships whatsoever.
I'm twenty-something now and here's my sincerest advice to you: Understand what it is you are getting into. Japan is one very expensive place to live in. You have to ask yourself how badly you want to study here because there is a lot of reality-hitting-culture-shocking things that a foreigner can get overwhelmed with, not to mention the very aggressive competition you will be facing. There are a ton of distractions as well. Unless you are linguistically gifted, it takes a good amount of time to become fluent in Japanese. You must TRULY have some sort of passion/love for Japan. You also must have a good amount of savings. DO NOT come to Japan prior to getting accepted to your school. It's best to get accepted while you're still in your home country, pay all of the entrance/whatever fees, obtain your student visa, and then come to Japan. Talk to your college: do they assist foreign students with boarding? Do they allow for you to work while going to school? Do they even conduct their courses in English? Or is it in Japanese only? (Most likely it will be the latter.) What are your reasons for wanting to study art in Japan? Is it the environment/culture? Do you admire a specific Japanese artist?
The art schools here are tough to get into because...well...in my opinion, I think that for a foreigner (who, say, doesn't speak Japanese) aiming to study a specific art in Japan is like trying to get into a very tightly closed niche, if you catch my drift. You either have a lot of money, or you have some really good connections to help you get by (even with this one you still need a lot of money).
Do you have a specific career goal? Do you, say, aspire to be a mangaka perhaps? CG animator? (a long forsaken dream of mine was to work for Studio Ghibli!) I think the majority of foreigners who WORK in the art/gaming/etc industry here in Japan, didn't necessarily go to school here in Japan. They most likely went to a school in their home country or somewhere else, possibly learned enough Japanese, applied to a job(s) here in Japan, had a kickass portfolio, and then obtained a work visa that way. It's very hard to get a work visa when you're already here... So, going back to my sincere advice to you: Know precisely what it is you want. Coming to Japan with vague goals will most definitely lead to an unpleasant experience.
I know it's kind of silly to say "trust" me in an online forum, but...I implore you to give my following words some consideration: In the art industry, it does not matter what school you are from. What matters is your portfolio, the talent and uniqueness there. What matters is your attitude and your ability to adapt...especially if you plan on targeting Japan as a work place because the culture/way of life here requires a lot of adapting. And then, you really do need to speak Japanese. It's very very difficult to find some Japanese art studio that will hire a non-Japanese speaking artist. I mean think about it, why should they bother with you when they can hire some talented Japanese with whom they won't have any problems communicating with?
If you really want to study here (in the field you're after) I suggest you do your best to learn the language first. While you're doing that, save as much money as you can. Then really be sure about the school you apply for/get accepted to. And remember, know what it is that you want first. You can always go to an art school in your home country, and then apply for jobs here. Because really, in this competitive economy, having vague dreams in a foreign country will only lead to disappointment.
Best of luck to you!
