Intern in Japan

Join the 2020 Photojournalist Program

Broaden your horizons with Japan Travel

Are you an aspiring photographer, writer or YouTuber? Discover Japan by going on a 4 week journey with us. Combine places you want to visit, with some awesome cultural activities we provide. With our expert guidance and daily support, experience Japan like never before.

Why do an internship in Japan?

International experience

Gain international experience whilst adapting to a different culture

Hone your craft

Hone your photojournalistic craft and boost your CV, impressing future employers

Push yourself

Get outside your comfort zone and be challenged by being abroad in Japan

Who are we looking for?

Writers

If you like writing and feel inspired by Japan, we want to hear from you! Unleash your creative spark, find new discoveries and inspire our readers.

Photographers

If you're a gifted photographer, joining our program can be a great way to hone your craft whilst being inspired by this amazing country.

Videographers

If you're an avid video maker or up-and-coming YouTuber, perhaps we can help! We're looking for individuals who can direct, shoot and edit videos.

Polyglots

Japan Travel is now available in 13 languages – if you are bilingual, we want to hear from you!

Perks of doing an internship with Japan Travel

Support

Transport and accommodation support

Planning

Itinerary planning help from our friendly team

Freedom

Visit the places you want to go

Inspire

Share your discoveries with thousands of readers

Guidance

Expert feedback on your articles with an assigned buddy

See Japan

Need we say more?

What will you do?

Immerse yourself

Soak up Japanese culture, from Kyoto's temples to Tokyo's neon lights.

Discover Japan's regions

Join a regional tour or local experience.

Have some fun

Exclusive projects, from covering new openings, modelling opportunities and much more!

But first...

Apply now!

Frequently asked questions

Arrival

Since this internship is not compensated work and lasts less than 90 days, a basic tourist visa (temporary visitor visa) is sufficient. This does not require any administrative procedures and is automatically granted when entering Japan to citizens of most countries – to learn more see our visa guide.
You can proceed to purchase your plane ticket as soon as the start and end dates of your internship have been confirmed and agreed.
We’ll meet you in person at the beginning and end of your internship. Orientation will be scheduled at our Kojimachi HQ, where you'll have the chance to meet the team and join us for lunch. For those based in Tokyo, our office is always open and you may even find yourself involved with fun content projects with our team.
We'll talk to you in advance about which dates work for both parties, although we can be fairly flexible in most cases.
You will need a decent camera, your own laptop and mobile phone. We can typically loan out Pocket Wi-Fi too (subject to availability).

Schedule

An internship is usually 4 weeks long, but exact timings will be discussed at interview and thereafter.
If a place or region interests you, it should be possible. Our priority is new and unique content, although there is scope to improve on what we already have.
We'll talk to you in advance about which areas of Japan interest you, and what kind of content ideas you have in mind – of course, we'll assist with this planning
Yes, you will be responsible for booking your own accommodation – of course we can offer suggestions.

Content

For the guidelines on how to write articles, please refer to our content guide.
You have the freedom to choose which locations to cover. However, we have also built up a list of places for which we don’t have any associated content on Japan Travel. This list is not exhaustive so we encourage you to find the “hidden gems” of Japan.
Most places are fine, but we prefer not to have content for articles we already have. Of course, you can visit the famous sites during the course of your day. If you see an article with poor quality writing/photos, we would welcome a new version though. Restaurants are usually fine too.
Currently JapanTravel.com is available in 13 languages: English, French, Chinese (SC & TC), Japanese, Thai, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Korean and Vietnamese. You can write in any of these languages if you are a native speaker of that language.
We ask our interns to write one article per day. Although there are no strict deadlines, we expect to see 7 articles per week on average and will check to see you are keeping up. 1-2 of these can be photo stories. Our travel reimbursement is subject to meeting an article quota, so we can't reimburse travel where there is nothing to show for it.
You'll be assigned a supervisor for the duration of your internship.

Expenses

Japan Travel can cover your transportation cost up to ¥1000 per day (subject to articles being written). If your transportation expenses exceed this amount, you would have to cover for it.

We also reimburse your accommodation fees up to ¥1000 per day. You’ll get reimbursed at the end of your internship.

Tips

There is no secret formula but do your best to highlight your experience and photography and written skills:
  • A concise, one page CV is best.
  • Clearly link to your portfolios and make sure the we can easily find your best work.
  • Be active on the site! We are prioritising slots for active users, who can get involved or help promote the site.

A day in the life of a photojournalist

Testimonials from Photojournalist Alumni

"This program taught me so much about Japan through the eyes of a traveler, an intern, and an everyday person all at the same time! My horizons were really expanded by being in such a different and exciting environment where I got to learn and experience new things everyday."

Aleksa

United States
"Taking the plunge to intern with Japan Travel was, is and will always be one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. The month long internship opened my eyes to a side of Japan rarely seen."

Lester

Singapore
"This internship program changed the way I work and travel. To get something you'll never know before and experience it in a totally different culture. This is the best one month internship I ever had!"

Sarah

Indonesia
"Interning at Japan Travel enabled me to dive into the deep concrete of Tokyo. It evolved my profession as a filmmaker but I also discovered the writer in me."

Niek

Netherlands
"Participation in this internship gave me a great opportunity to look at Japan from the inside and explore this beautiful country, not like a tourist, but like an ordinary person."

Tatiana

Russia
"Interning with Japan Travel is a great opportunity for young journalists. They provide a platform to share your work, practice your craft, and inspire other travellers in a supportive and creative environment."

Jillian

United States
"Shortly after my arrival in Japan, a new friend asked me "what time would I complete my work". I told him that my ‘work’ was to have fun. 24/7. Being a Japan Travel photojournalist, explore different perspectives and gain a deeper understanding."

Karen

Singapore
"A Japan Travel internship was a rare opportunity to put skills into practice. I developed a richer understanding of Japan's dynamic culture, creating friendships and connections for life."

Saskia

Australia

Example articles by photojournalists

Apply now!

It seems that you already have a Japan Travel account! Just send us an email with your CV, portfolio examples, preferred dates and why you want to join the program – just send it to intern@japantravel.com and we'll be in touch as soon as possible.


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