Hey, I’m hoping to work at a craft brewery somewhere in Japan. Can you guys give me an introduction?

We’d love to help you out, and also help any brewery looking for personnel, but can’t really assist you much. On our online forum there is a place for “beer-related jobs in Japan” (japanbeertimes.com/forum), but that’s all we offer. We think you’re better off attending festivals, speaking with brewers and asking industry insiders about jobs. Coming from overseas? You’ll need a work visa, which isn’t easy (or cheap) for a company to get—you’d have to be a brewer with experience and maturity for most breweries to take a chance with you. Cultural differences are also a big issue. Language is the most obvious barrier. Other problems may arise with work customs. Just because you’ve finished your job doesn’t mean you can leave; the team leaves the brewery together. If you’ve got spare time at the end of the day, maybe you should help others finish their job, even if they were dragging their feet. Who knows? Maybe you’re the slowpoke keeping everyone there! Then there’s the issue of pay. Most brewers don’t get paid much, certainly not in the beginning, and Japan is generally not a cheap place to live. We know of many head brewers that struggle to get by. Assistant brewers must love ¥100 cup ramen. And entry-level brewing staff? We hope you have some savings to live on.

(Send all comments to: info[at]japanbeertimes.com)

This article was published in Japan Beer Times # () and is among the limited content available online. Order your copy through our online shop or download the digital version from the iTunes store to access the full contents of this issue.