United Kingdom
UK
Is Experience Required to Teach English in Japan?
July 8, 2025
Table of Content
- Introduction
- Do jobs require experience?
- What sort of experience?
- Can I teach without experience?
- Does experience affect salary?
You’re TEFL certified (or thinking about it), and Japan’s calling. But one question often stops new teachers in their tracks: Do you need experience to teach English in Japan?
What if you’ve only recently completed your TEFL course? What if your TEFL certificate is still shiny, new and unused? Does this mean you should put your dreams of sake and sushi on the back burner?
Let’s find out.
Here we dive into the data and see what employers are asking for when it comes to experience as a requirement for teaching jobs in Japan in 2025.
Do most TEFL jobs in Japan require experience?
Yes — but not always. According to our dataset:
- 63.4% of job listings explicitly require or prefer prior experience
- Around 29% don’t specify one way or the other
- The minority (7.6%) of jobs clearly state that no experience is required
In short, experience is often required, but not always mandatory. There are definitely still opportunities for first-time teachers.
Check out our infographic featuring data from over 200 TEFL Jobs in Japan
But if you are a newbie teacher, the quality of your TEFL certificate plays a big part in your job application. A TEFL qualification may be a piece of paper, but it is a comprehensive teaching course which takes you from zero to hero when it comes to teaching English.
In teaching, experience is king. So if you don’t have that, your qualifications need to show that you have the right credentials behind you and that you’re ready to conquer the world classroom.
Read more: 7 Things To Consider When Choosing A TEFL Course
What kind of experience are employers looking for?
For those posts which require or prefer teaching experience, what are they looking for?
Well, requirements vary, but common patterns include:
- 1 year of teaching experience
- Classroom experience with young children
- 1,000+ hours of ESL/EFL teaching
[If you’re not sure what the difference is between teaching Young Learners (children) and adults, you should read this.]
This experience should be a mix of professional or volunteer experience, especially in education or childcare.
Read more: How To Work And Travel: Opportunities, Programs And Destinations
Some listings are flexible and say experience is “preferred,” while others ask for very specific types of teaching experience (e.g. international school experience or Japanese classroom experience).
For example, this job listing from English Studio very specifically states that it requires “two years’ experience teaching Young Learners from 2 to 12 years”.
Top tip: Look at the job post carefully and consider what experience you may have that satisfies those requirements. Bear in mind that non-TEFL experience with teaching and children can still count as experience, but not EFL teaching.
For example, if you’ve coached a kids’ football team or worked as an au pair, this should be mentioned on your job application.
Can I teach in Japan without experience?
Yes, yes, yes! It’s totally possible to teach in Japan without experience, especially if:
- You hold a Bachelor’s degree (required for visa purposes)
- You have a TEFL/TESOL certificate
- You’re applying to entry-level programs or large chain schools (like JET, NOVA, or Interac)
New teachers are also more likely to find jobs in rural areas or with schools that provide training.
Teaching in a rural area in a country like Japan might sound intimidating, but these areas are likely to have lower costs of living than urban areas. This not only means a more traditional experience but also a chance of saving more.
Read more: What Is The Cost Of Living For TEFL Teachers In Japan?
Does experience affect salary or job type?
For those teachers who already have teaching experience, is that helpful in Japan?
The numbers say yes. Jobs that require more experience often:
- Pay better (e.g. ¥300,000+ per month)
- Are at international schools, universities, or high-demand urban locations
- Come with more benefits (housing support, bonuses, paid leave)
In contrast, beginner-friendly jobs may offer lower pay or fewer perks but can be great foot-in-the-door roles.
TL;DR: While experience helps, it’s not a deal-breaker. Over one-third of TEFL jobs in Japan are open to teachers without specific prior experience. Strong credentials, a willingness to work outside big cities, and a TEFL certificate can go a long way.
Meet The Author
Kirsten Colquhoun is the Content Manager for The TEFL Academy. A graduate of Cambridge University and DELTA-qualified, she first started teaching kindergarten in Thailand in 2003. A South African, she has also taught in China, the UK, Spain, Qatar and South Africa, but these days she is a teacher trainer and freelance writer and editor.Table of Content
- Introduction
- Do jobs require experience?
- What sort of experience?
- Can I teach without experience?
- Does experience affect salary?
You’re TEFL certified (or thinking about it), and Japan’s calling. But one question often stops new teachers in their tracks: Do you need experience to teach English in Japan?
What if you’ve only recently completed your TEFL course? What if your TEFL certificate is still shiny, new and unused? Does this mean you should put your dreams of sake and sushi on the back burner?
Let’s find out.
Here we dive into the data and see what employers are asking for when it comes to experience as a requirement for teaching jobs in Japan in 2025.
Do most TEFL jobs in Japan require experience?
Yes — but not always. According to our dataset:
- 63.4% of job listings explicitly require or prefer prior experience
- Around 29% don’t specify one way or the other
- The minority (7.6%) of jobs clearly state that no experience is required
In short, experience is often required, but not always mandatory. There are definitely still opportunities for first-time teachers.
Check out our infographic featuring data from over 200 TEFL Jobs in Japan
But if you are a newbie teacher, the quality of your TEFL certificate plays a big part in your job application. A TEFL qualification may be a piece of paper, but it is a comprehensive teaching course which takes you from zero to hero when it comes to teaching English.
In teaching, experience is king. So if you don’t have that, your qualifications need to show that you have the right credentials behind you and that you’re ready to conquer the world classroom.
Read more: 7 Things To Consider When Choosing A TEFL Course
What kind of experience are employers looking for?
For those posts which require or prefer teaching experience, what are they looking for?
Well, requirements vary, but common patterns include:
- 1 year of teaching experience
- Classroom experience with young children
- 1,000+ hours of ESL/EFL teaching
[If you’re not sure what the difference is between teaching Young Learners (children) and adults, you should read this.]
This experience should be a mix of professional or volunteer experience, especially in education or childcare.
Read more: How To Work And Travel: Opportunities, Programs And Destinations
Some listings are flexible and say experience is “preferred,” while others ask for very specific types of teaching experience (e.g. international school experience or Japanese classroom experience).
For example, this job listing from English Studio very specifically states that it requires “two years’ experience teaching Young Learners from 2 to 12 years”.
Top tip: Look at the job post carefully and consider what experience you may have that satisfies those requirements. Bear in mind that non-TEFL experience with teaching and children can still count as experience, but not EFL teaching.
For example, if you’ve coached a kids’ football team or worked as an au pair, this should be mentioned on your job application.
Can I teach in Japan without experience?
Yes, yes, yes! It’s totally possible to teach in Japan without experience, especially if:
- You hold a Bachelor’s degree (required for visa purposes)
- You have a TEFL/TESOL certificate
- You’re applying to entry-level programs or large chain schools (like JET, NOVA, or Interac)
New teachers are also more likely to find jobs in rural areas or with schools that provide training.
Teaching in a rural area in a country like Japan might sound intimidating, but these areas are likely to have lower costs of living than urban areas. This not only means a more traditional experience but also a chance of saving more.
Read more: What Is The Cost Of Living For TEFL Teachers In Japan?
Does experience affect salary or job type?
For those teachers who already have teaching experience, is that helpful in Japan?
The numbers say yes. Jobs that require more experience often:
- Pay better (e.g. ¥300,000+ per month)
- Are at international schools, universities, or high-demand urban locations
- Come with more benefits (housing support, bonuses, paid leave)
In contrast, beginner-friendly jobs may offer lower pay or fewer perks but can be great foot-in-the-door roles.
TL;DR: While experience helps, it’s not a deal-breaker. Over one-third of TEFL jobs in Japan are open to teachers without specific prior experience. Strong credentials, a willingness to work outside big cities, and a TEFL certificate can go a long way.
Meet The Author
Kirsten Colquhoun is the Content Manager for The TEFL Academy. A graduate of Cambridge University and DELTA-qualified, she first started teaching kindergarten in Thailand in 2003. A South African, she has also taught in China, the UK, Spain, Qatar and South Africa, but these days she is a teacher trainer and freelance writer and editor.