There are many resources available if you want to begin teaching English online to Japanese students. Choosing the right one will depend on your available hours, experience, and desired rate of pay. Companies with more stringent requirements tend to have higher pay rates. These are some of the top options to teach English online to Japanese speakers.
See our full list of the 25 Best Places to Teach English Online in 2023
Top Companies for Teaching English Online to Japanese Students
Cafe Talk
5 Stars
Read our in-depth Cafe Talk Review for 2023
This is our top pick for people who want to teach Japanese online to English students. The system connects students to teachers by using Skype’s free services. Tutors can give one-on-one language lessons from all over the globe. Lesson management is easy thanks to the automatic time zone conversions.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Rate: $8 to $25 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 12 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 2 hours
One Coin English
4 Stars
One Coin English offers 50 minute lessons to the Japanese students on demand. All lessons would be provided through the video call application zoom. Payments are sent through direct deposit to a Japanese bank account and paid once a month. Teachers help students with conversational English using materials and lessons provided by the school for free.
- Requirements: Must be able to work in Japan and at least 20 years old
- Rate: 1100 to 1500 Yen per 50 minutes
- Class Times: 1 PM to 10 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 15 hours
Best Teacher
3 Stars
Best Teacher is a company that connects teachers to students through Skype. Instead of speaking, you’ll be doing written work. This includes replying to messages and editing conversations. The opportunity is ideal for non-native English speakers and people who don’t want to speak for other reasons.
- Requirements: TEFL Certification
- Rate: $5 to $6 hourly
- Class Times: 6 PM to 12 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 0
OKpanda
4 Stars
Read our in-depth OKpanda Review for 2023
OKpanda is a company with its own platform, which functions similarly to Skype and Google Hangouts. You will teach lessons to Korean and Japanese students who need to learn Business English for work. Check out this guide for how to teach Business English. The pay varies depending on your experience and qualifications.
- Requirements: None; must have a native English accent
- Rate: $5 to $15 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 6 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 10 hours
Check out more on how to teach English online to Korean students
EnglishEverywhere
4.5 Stars
Read our in-depth EnglishEverywhere Review for 2023
EnglishEverywhere hires teachers with past experience and a TEFL certificate. The lessons are held via Skype. Your payments will be processed through Paypal. After you have 10 successful classes, the pay rate increases. Students range in age from 5 years old to adulthood.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, certificate, and 2 years of experience
- Rate: $14 to $16 hourly
- Class Times: 6 AM to 3 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 15 hours
Cena English
4 Stars
Cena English is an ESL company hiring native English speakers from the US. Lessons are taught via Skype. Each teacher will have a short trial lesson with the student. If the student likes the teacher, they will begin regular lessons. You must adhere to a lesson schedule and inform your student of any changes in dates.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, certification, 2 years of past experience
- Rate: $22 per hour
- Class Times: 9 AM to 12 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 20 hours
Eigox
3 Stars
Read our in-depth Eigox Review for 2023
Eigox hires native English speakers from countries including the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK. Classes are flexible because they are taught using your own materials or with materials the student brings. You may see an increase in pay if you are reviewed well. If you like the idea of creating your own curriculum and feeling in control of your own teaching destiny, then this might be a good choice for you.
- Requirements: TEFL Certificate
- Rate: $3 to $11 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 3 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 10 hours
English Hunt
4.5 Stars
Read our in-depth English Hunt Review for 2023
English Hunt is a company offering both phone and video lessons to students. There are no requirements to become a phone instructor, but you will need a bachelor’s degree and certification to participate in video programs. Classes run at specific times during the year, so you’ll need to enter your classroom on a regular schedule.
- Requirements: None for phone lessons; TEFL certificate and bachelor’s degree for video lessons
- Rate: $14.50 hourly
- Class Times: 4 AM to 7 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 8 hours
E-Communication
4 Stars
The majority of students with E-Communication are adult Japanese businesspeople. This can be a great fit if you have a business background or are simply not interested in teaching younger students. The schedule is flexible, and you can offer lessons at any time during the week, including the weekends. You can receive your payments either through a bank transfer or through Paypal.
- Requirements: 2 years of English teaching experience, certificate preferred
- Rate: $16 to $20 hourly
- Class Times: 6 AM to 3 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 20 hours
S-Lessons
5 Stars
S-Lessons has both a regular course and a “leave it to the teacher” course. With the regular course, you will be teaching a premade curriculum. With the other course, you can create your own materials. This company is unique in that it allows you to create your own lesson fee, with a 30 percent commission for each lesson.
At the end of each lesson, you’ll create a student report about your student’s performance. This explains what they’re doing well and what they need to improve upon.
- Requirements: 1 year of past experience teaching English
- Rate: $5 to $10 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 9 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 10 hours
Lyngo
4 Stars
Read our in-depth Lyngo Review for 2023
Lyngo hires native English and native Japanese speakers to teach their language classes. Since the company provides its own training, you don’t need prior teaching experience. Payments go to your Paypal, which is a super convenient way to be paid. Every lesson comes with premade instruction materials, so you don’t need to create your own lessons on your own time. Demand for teachers is highest on the weekends and from 8 PM to midnight Japanese time.
- Requirements: TEFL preferred but not required
- Rate: $10 to $11 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 12 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 6 hours
Mainichi Eikaiwa
4.5 Stars
Mainichi Eikaiwa looks for teachers from the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and the UK. To participate in the lessons, you will need a headset and webcam. Peak hours are between 6 PM and midnight Japanese time. Preference will be given to teachers with a basic knowledge of Japanese.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, certificate, and at least 6 months past experience
- Rate: $10 to $18 hourly
- Class Times: 6 AM to 3 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 15 hours
Eigoru Online School
3.5 Stars
Eigoru hires native English speakers and teachers from the Philippines. You have the option to work full-time or part-time. Teachers must be between 20 and 45 years of age. Established in 2009, this school allows students from 3 to 80 years old to learn English. Each month, 9,000 lessons are successfully conducted!
- Requirements: TEFL certificate
- Rate: $3 to $10 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 9 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 5 hours
Eigo Power
4 Stars
Eigo Power is a company that hires native English speakers who can teach children. Each lesson is 25 minutes long, and the company allows for flexible scheduling. You can provide lessons in different formats depending on your student’s learning style, which can make the classes feel more involved and varied. Lessons are conducted over Skype, and you can use free materials to create your curriculum.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, 1 year of experience
- Rate: $5 to $12 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 6 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 10 hours
Native Camp
4 Stars
NativeCamp is one of the largest English schools and one of the best online tutoring schools in Japan. Teachers are from all over the world, spreading their knowledge and experience with students. Lessons are provided via a unique language platform developed by our company and teachers can work whenever they want.
- Requirements: English proficiency
- Rate: $3 to $18 hourly
- Class Times: 24/7 (You organize your schedule)
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 0
Other Companies to Teach English Online
It’s common for teachers to work with Chinese students instead of teaching English to Japanese students online. Chinese online ESL companies often have easier platforms, more flexible hours, and better pay rates. These are some of the top ones:
VIPKID
VIPKID is based in Beijing. This ESL company has a ready-tailored curriculum, so you don’t need to prepare your own materials. Each of the lessons is geared toward creativity, critical thought, and conversational insight.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree
- Rate: $14 to $22 hourly
- Class Times: 6 PM to 12 AM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 7.5 hours
Magic Ears
Magic Ears is geared toward younger students. Rather than working with adult learners, you’ll teach children between 4 and 12 years old. These children are in a prime position to pick up English thanks to their increased neuroplasticity. The focus is on long-term acquisition of language skills.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree and 1 year of teaching experience
- Rate: $12 to $26 hourly
- Class Times: 6 PM to 9 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 1.5 hours
Dada ABC
Dada ABC is partnered with the TESOL Institute. This Chinese company was created to allow Chinese students on-demand access to English lessons. You might work with students from 4 to 16 years old, and you can spend several hours online every week.
- Requirements: Bachelor’s degree, certificate, and 2 years of teaching experience
- Rate: $14 to $25 hourly
- Class Times: 6 PM to 9 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 6 hours
Preply
Read our in-depth Preply Review
Preply is an established online teaching company that has a variety of students from all backgrounds and ages. Not limited to Chinese students, you can teach students across various backgrounds. With Preply, you can set your own hours as well as create your own lesson plans for a truly autonomous experience.
- Requirements: Certification preferred, but not required
- Rate: $10 to $45 hourly
- Class Times: 9 AM to 9 PM
- Minimum Hours Per Week: 8
Find more companies on our list of the 21 Best Places to Teach English to Chinese Students
Tips on Teaching English Online to Japanese Students
Respect the Culture
Japanese culture is very different from American culture. Your students might be excited to learn about where you’re from, but they also might not know very much about American cultural traditions.
Take some time to learn about the difference between Japanese and American classrooms. And learn a bit about Japanese culture in general. Your students will appreciate it if you make an effort to connect with them about their food, language, art, and music.
In keeping with that, it’s best not to complain about the culture. You can talk about how American culture is different, but don’t make disparaging comments about the differences in Japan. Your students won’t appreciate it and it doesn’t make for an inclusive learning environment.
Be Patient
Patience is required for any teaching position, but it’s especially important for English teachers. Japanese students may be intimidated by the language and worried about making mistakes. Be encouraging and friendly, and make sure to praise correct answers.
You might have to work hard to bring students out of their shells. Some students might also struggle to pick up seemingly basic grammar rules. It’s important that you’re willing to repeat the lessons until they stick, and that you believe that your students are doing their best.
Don’t Push for Opinions
Japanese students may be nervous when asked directly for their opinions. It’s common for Japanese people to use indirect language and say they aren’t sure about things, rather than offering direct opinions.
Though it’s common for ESL lessons to involve opinions – “What’s your favorite color?” for example – these will be more difficult to use in an average Japanese classroom. The older your students are, the more shy they’re likely to be about giving opinions.
Individualism isn’t highly encouraged in Japanese society. Students don’t want to stand out from the rest. Simply being conscious of this distinction between Japanese and many western societies can be really helpful while lesson planning as well as interacting with students.
Be High Energy and Confident
Whether you’re teaching an entire classroom or doing a one-on-one tutoring session, one of the best things you can do is be high energy and confident. The more enthusiastic you are, the more encouraged your students will feel. The Japanese term for this is “genki.”
Enthusiasm is especially good when you’re teaching younger Japanese students. Children tend to thrive on the energy of their teachers. The more friendly and approachable you are, the easier it will be for your students to come to you with questions.
By contrast, if you aren’t friendly, your students might be intimidated. They may hesitate to ask you questions for fear of being berated. This goes especially for the shyer students, who might be worried about acting outlandishly.
FAQs on Teaching English to Japanese Students
Can I teach English online to Japanese students without a degree?
Yes, there are plenty of online teaching options to Japanese students that do not require a degree, but you will likely need to at least have a 120hr TEFL certificate.
How much can I make teaching English online to Japanese students?
Teachers can make anywhere from $8 to $25 per hour teaching English online to Japanese students, depending on experience and age level.
Can a foreigner become an English teacher in Japan?
Yes! Japan is one of the top places native English speakers go to teach and there are lots of jobs to choose from. You will, however, need to have a bachelor’s degree as well as a 120hr TEFL at a minimum.
Final Thoughts
Teaching English online to Japanese students can be a blast! As long as you know what you’re looking for and meet the company’s requirements, there are plenty of amazing options available to you! If you are already in Japan or are interested in teaching within the country, you can also peruse our 2023 guide on How to Teach English in Japan.
Our top overall choice is Cafe Talk. This company provides competitive rates and allows for flexibility. You can also teach English to students who speak languages other than Japanese.
Many companies have expanded their lessons and offerings in the past year. They are eager to take on new teachers. Whether you’re looking for full-time online classroom work or casual one-on-one lessons, there are options on the list to accommodate you.
