MMoving to Japan

Making a living as a musician in Japan?

Hello! I’ll try to be clear about my questions since English it’s not my first language. I’m an Accordion player from Argentina, and i would really like to move to Japan someday and have the opportunity to live there for some time, learn the language, the people, culture, etc. Do you guys know if i could make a living playing on the streets, restaurants, pubs, etc? I read that busking is difficult because police doesnt like people playing in the streets and also people arent used to it like in the west. Any tip, suggestion will be much aprecciated 🙏🏼. Thanks!

2 comments

  1. Busking is highly regulated by the local authorities in Japan. Lots of Permits and fees involved. Japanese people in general aren’t the type to give money to buskers. Police WILL check for your immigration papers because you’re a foreigner doing street music and if you don’t have any they will deport you. Japan’s not a country conducive to free-spirited traveling buskers in the way that Europe or the Americas are.

    Your best bet may be to get a working holiday visa, then do music on the side, but don’t expect to be able to live off of it.

  2. First, you need a visa to enter the country. What type of visa are you thinking? There is no busking visa. Entertainer visas are for professionals, not buskers.

    Second, busking is mostly licensed. So as long as you obtain a license/permit for busking at that location, the cops won’t have an issue. You would also need permission from immigration if you were on a student or working visa.

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