r/IndiansInJapan

Is 6.5 million Yen a month salary enough to live comfortably in Tokyo ? I am getting an opportunity in an English Speaking ItT form but still sceptical about this offer.

Hi everyone,
I’ve been thinking about writing this for a while.
I’m a 36-year-old married man from India with an almost 3-year-old daughter. I’m currently working as a Lead Software Engineer and have 12+ years of experience in software development.
My background is primarily backend engineering:
12+ years in software development
Strong Python/backend experience
Around 8 years of AWS/cloud experience
Distributed systems and microservices
Some shell scripting and Go
Experience designing and building systems that automate business processes
Currently working for a large MNC in a consulting role for an external client
I’ve also worked on internal products/teams in previous organizations
I’ve always loved Japan. This isn’t a recent interest or something I suddenly decided on because of anime or a vacation. I’ve loved the country since I was a kid, and moving there has been a dream of mine for a very long time.
The problem is that I’ve always underestimated myself and assumed that moving to Japan and finding a good engineering job there was probably unrealistic for someone like me.
Recently, my wife and a few people I’ve spoken to online have made me reconsider that. Maybe I’m actually experienced enough to have a realistic shot.
I understand Japanese quite well, although I don’t currently have any JLPT certification. I’m continuing to work on my Japanese as well.
I’m not expecting things to be easy. I’m also not looking to move blindly. Since I have a wife and young daughter, I’d want to make sure I can find a reasonably good job and salary before making such a major move.
So I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people who are already working in Japan, particularly engineers who moved there from overseas.
A few things I’m especially curious about:
Does my experience make me reasonably competitive for senior/lead backend or cloud engineering roles in Japan?
How important is JLPT certification if I can actually communicate in Japanese?
Are there companies in Japan that would value someone with my background while still being reasonably welcoming to foreign engineers?
Is 36 considered too late to make this kind of move?
What salary range should someone with my experience realistically target?
Would you recommend finding a job first and then moving the family, or relocating together?
Are there particular companies, recruiters, or job sites I should focus on?
I’m not looking for reassurance just for the sake of it. If my expectations are unrealistic, I’d genuinely rather hear that too.
I’ve spent a lot of my life thinking “maybe I’m not good enough” and never really trying.
I’d like to change that.
If you were in my position, would you seriously pursue this?
Thanks in advance.

Hey everyone so I(23M) am working in Tokyo currently as an AI engineer in a dispatch company but my client company is good…I have jlpt n4 but tbh I think I am low n2 lvl rn and am confident I can get N2 by this december or by next year…

My doubt is since I’m haken dispatch employee do I also start building a profile side by side for masters application idk maybe for Waseda since I think UTokyo has its own exam and I don’t wanna prepare separately for any sorta exam…

Or I should continue and grind it out in my dispatch company for 3 years and then try for a switch? I graduated last year and this is my first job so I don’t have experience…My only intention for masters is so that I can get access to good companies through the fresh graduate hiring pipeline and by then I will have some japanese work ex and N2…If that sounds dumb do I just grind it out in my current company and try for international gaishikei but nobody will hire a guy with 1 yoe…I have a 5 year work visa for now so switching to a student visa again would also not be a good idea

Hi everyone,

I’m from Andhra Pradesh, India, and I’m currently trying to convert my Indian driving licence to a Japanese driving licence.

The issue is that I don’t have a physical driving licence card. I didn't receive one and when I searched online, Andhra Pradesh did indeed stop issuing the traditional physical licence cards, and I only have the official driving licence PDF/printout from Parivahan website.

I need to get my licence translated and submit it as part of the Japanese licence conversion process.

Has anyone from Andhra Pradesh (or another Indian state with a similar system) gone through this recently?

What should I do?

1. Can I simply use the official PDF/printout of my driving licence and get that translated?
2. Or do I need to visit the Embassy/Consulate of India in Japan and obtain some kind of verification/notarization?

I’d really appreciate any recent experiences, especially from people who completed the process in 2025/2026.

Thanks!

Hi everyone!
I’m from India and will be visiting **Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, in the last week of October** for a corporate/work trip. It’ll be my first time in Japan.

My company will handle the major work/travel arrangements, but I’d love some advice from Indians living in Hiroshima/Higashihiroshima or elsewhere in Japan.

Mainly wanted to know:
How is life in Higashihiroshima, and is it easy to get around without knowing much Japanese?

I’m vegetarian (eggs are okay). How easy is it to find vegetarian food there?

Anything important I should know about Japanese workplace/cultural etiquette before visiting?

What should I pack or bring from India that might be useful or difficult to find there?

Any recommendations for places to explore around Hiroshima if I get some free time?

Also, is there an **Indian community in Higashihiroshima/Hiroshima** or any WhatsApp/other groups I could join?
Any other tips for an Indian visiting Japan for the first time would be really appreciated!

I am based out of Mumbai. My own married sister lives in the US. She has always been ordering stuff from online portals here in India to our address (clothes, food items, returns gifts, etc.) and my father combines all of it together and ships it to her address via DHL.

Apart from this, I have also seen people worry about errands back in India.

Is there a need for personal shopper service in India who can collect parcels on your behalf/go to shops offline and procure things as per your requirement and ship them to Japan for you? Or maybe a virtual assistant or a concierge sort of service for offline errands?

Thinking if there is demand for such services and if it can be a good side hustle for me since I have done it previously for my sister.

Any inputs from Indian community in Japan appreciated!

Hello I am 23 M from maharashtra India ...planing to move to japan next year so anyone from doing planning the same could we connect

My friend and I got placed in a company in Ibaraki. They have quoted a salary of 2.7 million yen but haven't shared any details about how much we will get in hand and how much it'll cost us for their accommodation.

We wanted to get an idea of how much we will realistically be spending / saving. Last thing we want is to be stuck at a job in far away land where we are barely surviving.