If you’re considering an internship to gain valuable practical experience in your field of choice, you may not have thought about options beyond your home country. But why limit yourself? Cities across the world offer work experience combined with cultural experiences to make your internship completely unique. One of the premier international destinations for internships is Tokyo; here, you’ll find a range of benefits that aren’t available anywhere else in the world. If you’re looking to experience another culture while learning your craft, a Tokyo-based internship can be a highly rewarding experience. Here’s why.
Gain International Work Experience
As an intern in Tokyo, you’re going to have experience on your resume that most other applicants won’t have. Choosing to intern abroad shows that you seek experiences and challenges outside of your comfort zone; and that you took the opportunity to broaden your horizons while learning about your industry. By taking the plunge and interning in a country with a culture entirely different from your own, adapting as you go, you set yourself apart from those who chose to play it safe. International work experience is highly regarded in almost every single industry; it’s an instantly recognizable marker that you offer something different.
Experience Cultural Immersion
Interning in Japan may give you a bit of a culture shock at first, especially if you’ve rarely travelled outside of your home country. But once you’re busy with your internship and are fully immersed in the culture, you’ll be able to enjoy your new experiences to the fullest. Try a range of food and drink, from sushi and ramen to sake rice wine. Pick up some phrases as you converse with the friendly locals. Head out to festivals like Gion Matsuri to enjoy the carnival atmosphere; then explore temples and shrines as you participate in religious ceremonies.
Immersing yourself in new activities will help to make you a more rounded person and give you a new appreciation for the rich diversity of other cultures. Employers place a great deal of importance on cultural sensitivity and the ability to work with a team drawn from diverse backgrounds; Tokyo is the best place to give yourself a crash course in working with new people!
Improve Your Job Prospects
Wherever you go, competition for full-time work can be extremely tough. But by interning in Japan, you’ll open yourself up to a whole new market. You’ll likely have impressed your colleagues throughout your internship, and you might have begun to learn the rudiments of Japanese. Your success might lead to a continued role in your firm, or you might secure something else through the connections you’ve made. Whatever you do, being bilingual never hurts!
See the Sights
While your main objective in Japan will be to work, you’ll still have plenty of time to play tourist and see the sights. Tokyo itself is full of history and landmarks, including the Tokyo National Museum and the Meiji Jingu Shrine. Beyond Tokyo, there are small villages, mountains, beaches, historical sites, and much more for you to explore. Japan has a fantastically fast and efficient bullet train system; take the opportunity while you’re here to visit new places and soak up new experiences. In Kyoto, you’ll find a traditional slice of Japan packed with bamboo forests, zen gardens and tea ceremonies. In Osaka, you’ll discover a modern port city thrumming with life; branch out and explore Japan to the fullest!
Gain Access to Top Companies
Tokyo is a major hub for hundreds of major international firms. Whether you’re interested in technology or marketing, insurance or automotive, you can find a Fortune 100 company in Japan that accepts interns. Plus, companies like Toyota, Sony, Nippon Life, and Seven and I are all headquartered in Tokyo; these big companies often offer fantastic work experience opportunities, so you’ll have a wide variety of firms to choose from. You might even conclude your internship with a job offer from a major firm.
Experience City Living
If you’ve always wanted to live in a big city, you won’t find one much bigger than Tokyo – and you definitely won’t find one as modern! Even though there are plenty of places in Tokyo that are still closely connected to Japan’s past, you’ll find technology infused in just about every corner of the city. There’s no better place than Tokyo to experience high-tech living in the cultural centre of a highly advanced country. The city itself is easy to navigate – English signs abound in Tokyo’s fantastic subway system. Japan also has around one vending machine for every twenty-three people, so you’ll never find yourself far from one.
If you’re ready to jump headfirst into city living, an internship in Tokyo will deliver a futuristic experience like no other.
Build Your Own Global Network
We all know the phrase “it’s not what you know, but who you know”. While it’s not entirely true, knowing more people has never hurt anyone in the world of business. As you intern in Tokyo, you’ll be making connections with people on the other side of the world. These connections will be invaluable as you make your way up the corporate ladder either in Tokyo or at home – especially if you need references or contacts from a global organization. So while you’re here, focus on building relationships with everyone you meet. You never know when they might be able to help you in your career.
Conclusion
Regardless of where you end up interning, you’ll have the chance to learn valuable skills that you can’t anywhere else. Academic knowledge can only take you so far; you need practical, hands-on experience from an internship to demonstrate your aptitude and passion to employers. Interning in Tokyo can offer all of this and so much more; from work experience with top global companies to cultural experiences like no other, you’ll emerge from your time here with memories to last you a lifetime.
If you’d like to check out Beyond Academy’s wide range of Tokyo-based internships, why not head over to their website and find out more?