Studying hotel management in Japan is a good strategy if you aspire to land a hotel job in Japan. Japan has a thriving tourism industry which means high demand for workers in related sectors.
First Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2024-01-31
Table of Contents
- The Hotel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry in Japan
- Study Hotel Management in Japan
- Tourism and Hospitality Universities in Japan - and Vocational Schools too!
- Employment After Graduation - How to Get a Hotel Job in Japan
- Find a Hotel Job in Japan with WeXpats
The Hotel, Tourism and Hospitality Industry in Japan
Japan has always been one of the world’s top destinations to visit. It is a beautiful country that offers lots of unique experiences like traditional Japanese culture, the beauty of four distinct seasons, traditional buildings like shrines, temples, castles, and of course, hot springs! There is also plenty to learn about Japan - its history, food, and culture. Therefore, it is no wonder that Japan’s tourism and related industries like hotel and hospitality are constantly thriving and growing.
Based on the Japan National Tourism Organisation’s (JNTO) “Statistics on Number of Foreign Visitors to Japan (December 2023 Annual Estimate)”, the total number of foreign visitors that visited Japan in 2023 exceeded 25 million at 25,066,100 people.
Since the abolition of Japan’s border measures in April, the number of incoming overseas tourists to Japan has been rapidly recovering. In fact, the number of foreign visitors that visited in the month of October 2023 exceeded pre-Covid levels! The cumulative total for the year 2023 is 78.6% compared to 2019, showing that recovery is in great progress!
For various sectors like hospitality, tourism and hotels that supply services to the increasing number of overseas visitors, this marks a great chance for business growth and expansion. And for those who are looking at Japan for better study and job opportunities, there is endless potential to be discovered.
※ JNTO, “訪日外客数（2023年12月および年間推計値）” [2024.01.17]
Study Hotel Management in Japan
As a country that is well-known for its high level of hospitality, it can be expected that Japan’s education in hospitality and tourism is a cut above the rest.
There are many options to study hospitality and tourism in Japan, whether in public or private universities or vocational schools. Not to mention a variety of courses and programmes that suit individual needs, including the main focus of this article, hotel management.
What does a Hotel Management Course in Japan entail?
A Hotel Management, or Hospitality Management, course teaches students how to oversee and manage the operations of a hotel or similar type of establishment.
For an example of what type of hospitality establishments there are in Japan, have a look at this article that introduces business hotels, resort hotels, hostels and guesthouses in Japan.
Topics and lessons commonly covered in hotel management programmes include:
- Overview of the hospitality industry.
- Understanding the day-to-day operations of a hotel and its different departments including the front desk, housekeeping, general maintenance, hotel restaurant, plus the misc. services like gym, swimming pool, parking, etc.
- Back office operations like business principles, financial management, budgeting, and revenue management within the context of the hotel industry.
- Human resource management specific to the hotel industry including recruitment, training, and employee relations.
- Marketing and sales strategies to attract and retain customers in the competitive market.
- Event management as hotels are common venues for events like wedding receptions, banquets, conferences, seminars, etc. and the possible liability issues, contract matters that may come up.
- Cultural awareness and diversity as hotels and similar establishments will have overseas guests and it is important to provide inclusive and respectful services.
These are general areas of study and specific courses may vary between programmes and institutions. For example, some courses may introduce the tourist attractions and facilities in the area as part of hospitality is providing information to guests.
Tourism and Hospitality Universities in Japan - and Vocational Schools too!
If you’re planning to pursue a career in hotel management in Japan, then a specialised hotel management or related degree or course is the best option.
There are numerous universities and vocational schools in Japan offering hotel management and hospitality related courses. Here we introduce some options to get you started.
The Japan Hotel School (専門学校日本ホテルスクール)
The Japan Hotel School is a vocational school that specialises in hotel and hotel wedding services. The school’s origins are interesting, it is the only school in Japan that was originally founded by a hotel. Before it was renamed to The Japan Hotel School, it was the “Prince Hotel School” opened by Japanese hotel chain company Prince Hotels Inc. for training prospective hoteliers.
The Japan Hotel Schools offers 2 Years programmes for Hotel and Bridal, both taught in Japanese. They only have an English course which has the same study content as the Hotel course but taught in 80% English. You will still need to meet the Japanese language requirement to join the English course.
The school’s curriculum includes an internship program for a total of 24 weeks as part of the 2-year programme. Students will be sent to partner hotels in the Tokyo area for on-the-job training.
The Japan Hotel School boasts an impressive 100% employment rate for its graduates in 2020, 2022 and 2023; 95% employment rate in the year 2021. Students interested in starting work immediately after graduation can seek employment support from the school in their final school year from April.
Official Website (English)
Tokyo Institute of Tourism (東京観光専門学校)
The Tokyo Institute of Tourism (TOKAN) is, as its name implies, a vocational school dedicated to education in tourism and related fields. The school is located in central Tokyo within walking distance of Tokyo Imperial Palace.
As a comprehensive school of tourism, they offer a variety of fields students can specialise in. Even within their Department of Hotel, you can choose from 5 Majors:
- Hotel Management
- Theme Park & Resort Hotel
- Restaurant Service & Bartending
- Hospitality Business
- Hotel Front Desk (newly established in April 2024)
According to their website, the employment rate for international students from 2017 to 2021 is 90.4% with 407 out of 450 successfully employed. Majority of international students are enrolled in the Tourism Business course (66.7%), followed by the Hotel course (17.8%). Majority of international students hail from China (284), followed by Korea (66) and Vietnam (50), but many more from other countries creating a diverse study environment.
A benefit of enrolling in TOKAN is their “Special Scholarship for International Students (留学生特別奨学金制度)” that can be applied for during admission. Prospective international students that fulfil the admission requirements and receive recommendation from a Japanese language school for admission can receive a 300,000 Yen scholarship to be used to subsidise tuition fees.
Official Website (International Student Page; Japanese Only)
Teikyo University (帝京大学)
Last but not least, Teikyo University is one of the leading universities in the country. This is an example of studying a non-hotel course, but a tourism course and then entering into the hotel industry.
Teikyo University’s Faculty of Economics offers a course in Tourism Management that includes studies on the basics of tourism, tourism supply chain management, tourism town development theory, and more. The curriculum also includes Tourism Practice where students visit tourism sites such as hotels and accommodation facilities, local tourism associations, and other tourist related facilities for a deeper understanding of how tourism works.
Graduates from the Department of Tourism Management mainly find themselves employed in the service industry including at hotels. Past graduates have found themselves employed at Keio Plaza Hotel, Imperial Hotel, and Palace Hotel among others.
Official Website (Department of Tourism Management; English)
For other vocational schools and universities that offer hotel, tourism, or hospitality courses, we recommend using JASSO's Search for Schools tool.
Employment After Graduation - How to Get a Hotel Job in Japan
Having completed a specialised Hospitality, Tourism, or Hotel course in Japan will open many doors for you in the industry. A great advantage of studying in Japan is their practicum component that allows students to gain hands-on experience in real hotels or similar establishments in the form of internships. This allows students to experience for themselves the atmosphere and environment of their future workspace, and see for themselves the operations behind hotels.
Additionally, many vocational schools offer employment support services in the final year, and many boast high employment rates.
For more information about landing a hotel job in Japan, including job requirements and other pathways aside from studying in Japan, check out our dedicated article.
Find a Hotel Job in Japan with WeXpats
WeXpats is a job site for foreign nationals that allows you to search for jobs by location, Japanese level, etc. There are many hotel job listings on WeXpats and our career advisors can recommend jobs based on your credentials.
Another reason to pick WeXpats when looking for hotel jobs is our success stories!
Success Story ① Vo Thuan Danh’s Dream Hotel Job
This is Vo Thuan Danh whose dream plans of working in a hotel in Japan to learn “Omotenashi” was dampened due to the pandemic. After meeting WeXpats, he was finally able to find the job he had always wanted. Read his story here.
Success Story ② : Kim Youn A’s Remote Island to Tokyo Job Change
This is Kim Youn A who wanted to work in a hotel in Tokyo but ended up in Miyakojima (Okinawa) nearer to Taiwan! Despite having N1 level Japanese skills, she was unable to change jobs because of her lack of JLPT qualifications. After consulting with WeXpats, she was immediately hired by the first company she applied to through WeXpats! And in a hotel in Tokyo too! Read her story here.
More about WeXpats services below.
WeXpats operates a service for foreign nationals who want to work in Japan. There are jobs in a variety of industries including hotel jobs. There are 3 patterns for finding jobs with WeXpats:
① Search Jobs Yourself
WeXpats Jobs is a job site for foreign nationals who want to work 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.
② Receive Job Offers from Companies
Complete this short questionnaire on WeXpats Jobs to receive updates about jobs that match your desired work conditions. It’s completely free to use, so register as a member using the button below to find a job that suits you!
Find Full Time Jobs on WeXpats Jobs
Find Part Time Jobs on WeXpats Jobs
※ You can register from outside Japan, but only those living in Japan can apply for jobs.
③ Speak to a Career Advisor
WeXpats Agent is a career support service brought to you by WeXpats Jobs. Speak to our bilingual career advisors in English or Japanese, and get introductions for full time positions to companies that best fit you. As we receive job ads with the intention of introducing them to foreign nationals in Japan, we can suggest jobs to you right away.
※Currently, WeXpats Agent is only available to those living in Japan. ※The languages we currently support are English and Japanese. ※Only full time job recommendations are available on WeXpats Agent. For part time jobs, please check WeXpats Jobs.
If you are particularly interested in hotel employment, you can check the list of restaurant job openings available by clicking on the button below.
