If you\'re thinking about going to Japan, there are so many amazing things you don\'t really notice if you only go for a short period. If you really want to experience the country in all its glory, you should go for at least 6 months, get a job away from the big cities, and live there for a while.

Japan has always been a really closed society; an island nation that accepted foreign influence slowly, and hesitantly. So you\'d think there aren\'t a lot of jobs around for foreigners. But actually, times are changing, and Japan is becoming a hot-spot for some interesting and fun jobs!

Back in the old days, the English teaching boom began, and unqualified \"teachers\" made big bucks by \"acting\" as qualified instructors, and any John Doe could get a job. The problem with teaching English though, is that it\'s fun for a few months, but you soon get tired of teaching the same things to hundreds of different people (e.g. \"please repeat after me: This is a pen... That is a pencil\" etc). Thankfully, teaching\'s not the only job for foreigners these days.

The recent ski tourism boom in Japan means more and more foreigners are carving up Japan\'s slopes every year. Japan has become a popular option for tourists because: a) Its accommodation / food / lift passes are reasonably priced, b) It has some of the best powder snow in the world, and c) It offers a unique cultural experience. So, as more foreigners visit the resorts, more English speaking staff are required to cater for them!

Now, foreigners coming to Japan have an alternative option to teaching English. Resort work is tough - the hours are long, and the pay is meager. But the fringe benefits are worth it! You meet so many interesting people working there, mostly Japanese, so learning the language is easy! You live, eat, sleep, work, and even bathe together, so whenever you\'re not working, you\'re always doing something fun with your new best friends. And anytime you\'re not on the job, you\'ve got world-class powder snow to carve fresh tracks into!!

There are many different kinds of jobs available at resorts, ranging from lift or restaurant work, to working at the hotel front desk, in a ski rental shop, or even being a ski instructor. No matter what you do, you\'re expected to work long hours. But this is only for the busy Xmas / New year period, and after about mid-January, things cool down, you\'ve had time to settle in, and things really start to get fun... and then, when the snow finally melts, and the time comes for you to go home, you really don\'t want to leave.