Becoming a chef in Japan is a dream for many culinary enthusiasts. Learn how to become a chef in Japan in this guide that helps you understand the steps to take, from education to starting a career.
First Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2024-08-06
Table of Contents
- A Look at the Restaurant Industry in Japan
- How to Become a Chef in Japan
- Requirements to Become a Chef in Japan
- Chef Salary in Japan
- Find Restaurant Jobs in Japan with WeXpats
Are you having any issues with job-hunting in Japan?
A Look at the Restaurant Industry in Japan
The restaurant industry in Japan is a significant part of the country's economy and culture. It ranges from traditional Japanese eateries, such as sushi bars, ramen shops, and izakayas (Japanese-style pubs), to international cuisine establishments. Japanese food culture is known for its emphasis on seasonal ingredients, presentation, and attention to detail.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Summary of Foreign Employment Status (as of October 2023)”, there are a total of over 2 million (2,048,675) foreign workers in Japan. Among which, 233,911 people (9.1% of the total) are employed in the “Accommodation / Food & Beverage Service” industry.
Looking at the breakdown of industries and business establishments hiring foreign workers, the “Accommodation / Food & Beverage Industry” at 14.3% (45,495 establishments) of the total is one of the biggest industries that hire foreign workers.
※ MHLW, “「外国人雇用状況」の届出状況まとめ（令和５年10月末時点）” [2024.01.26]
Writer's Pick
How to Become a Chef in Japan
There are several pathways to becoming a chef in Japan.
Study Culinary in Japan
One way to become a chef in Japan is to enrol in a culinary course in Japan. There are culinary schools that accept international students. Culinary schools are typically vocational schools (senmongakko). From traditional Japanese cuisine such as sushi and washoku to patisserie and confectionery arts, explore your options for studying the culinary arts in Japan.
Here are several options for culinary schools that accept international students:
- Yamanote Cooking & Confectionary College
- Tsuji Culinary Institute
- Hattori Nutrition College
- Tokyo Culinary Arts and Confectionary Arts Academy
- Tokyo College of Sushi and Washoku
Find a Chef Job in Japan
There are many full-time and part-time cooking jobs in Japan that accept foreign candidates. You can find job postings on general job sites but also food and beverage industry speciality jobsites such as Gourmet Caree and Cookbiz. We also recommend trying recruitment agencies and job sites that specialise in foreign recruitment.
You will need a valid work visa in order to work in Japan, which we will address more below.
Requirements to Become a Chef in Japan
What do you need in order to become a chef in Japan? Each restaurant will have their own set of requirements, but these are the general requirements.
Work Experience
Whether work experience is required depends on the workplace you are applying for and your work visa. With the problem of severe labour shortage, there are many restaurants that accept part-time workers with no prior restaurant work experience. However, this is limited to part-time positions who carry international students or some other visa that allows part-time positions or has no work restrictions.
For full-time chef positions, there is the skilled labour visa that requires at least 10 years work experience in the field. There is also the specified skilled worker visa, in this case, sufficient knowledge or experience to pass the special skills test is enough.
Visa for Chefs in Japan
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Skilled Labour (技能, Ginou): This visa is for skilled workers from foreign countries. Applicable skills should be unique to the country or difficult to obtain in Japan. In the context of chefs, this visa is for foreign cuisine specialist chefs. There is a difficult hurdle to get this visa as it requires at least 10 years working experience as a chef in order to obtain. In addition, you can only work at a foreign cuisine restaurant in the cuisine that you specialise in.
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Specified Skilled Worker (SSW; 特定技能, Tokutei Ginou): This visa was introduced to address Japan’s severe labour shortage problems. One of the eligible industries is “Food Service (外食)” that includes hall staff as well as food preparation (cooking) positions.
Language Skills
Generally, basic Japanese proficiency is sufficient for chef and cooking positions as work requires minimal communication with customers. At major tourist areas and places that hire other foreign personnel, it is possible to get by with JLPT N4 level Japanese. On another note, a Japanese language test of around JLPT N4 level is required in order to get a SSW(i) visa. For more job opportunities, it is recommended to aim for higher Japanese proficiency such as JLPT N3 or N2.
Chef Salary in Japan
The average salary for full-time chefs in Japan is around 3.4 million yen a year, with starting salaries of around 2.4 million yen a year. The average hourly wage for part-time chefs is 1,075 yen, and for dispatch chefs is 1,298 yen.
The biggest factor that affects chefs’ salaries in Japan is the workplace. There are many workplace options for chefs such as at a hotel, private restaurant, chain restaurant, etc. It is said that working at a chain restaurant has better employee benefits and higher basic wages. Furthermore, working at a hotel restaurant is said to pay relatively higher with good bonuses and other benefits. The average salary of a chef at a hotel restaurant is 4 to 5 million yen.
Find Restaurant Jobs in Japan with WeXpats
WeXpats operates a service for foreign nationals who want to work in Japan. There are jobs in a variety of industries including restaurant jobs. There are 2 services available on WeXpats - WeXpats Agent for full time jobs and WeXpats Jobs for part time jobs.
Looking for a Full Time Position? Leave it to WeXpats Agent!
WeXpats Agent is a career support service that specialises in employment for foreign nationals living in Japan.
Recruitment agencies in Japan are a service where dedicated career advisors will assist you with your job hunt for free. In addition to introducing open positions, we also provide support to help you create your Japanese resume and practice for interviews. Worried about job hunting in Japanese? We are here for you.
Features of WeXpats Agent
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We have many job openings that are a good fit for foreign nationals to work in, such as translation, interpretation, inbound, etc. jobs that make use of your language skills, as well as engineering etc. jobs that do not require Japanese skills.
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Our career advisors support and help you prepare your resume and practice job interviews with you. Clearly communicate your strengths to the hiring company.
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We will handle communication with companies on your behalf, such as arranging interview dates and negotiating conditions. And thereby reducing your stress and time spent.
Finding a Part Time Job? Browse on WeXpats Jobs!
WeXpats Jobs is a part time job site for foreign nationals living in Japan. You can search for jobs in 11 languages (English, Vietnamese, Korean, Indonesian, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Burmese, Thai, Spanish, Portuguese), including Japanese. Find jobs that suit you by specifying your Japanese language level, occupation, location, and etc.
※ You can register from outside Japan, but only those living in Japan can apply for jobs.
