12 Best Places to Teach English Online to Japanese Students ($25/hr!)

Not everyone can pack up their bags and move to Japan to teach English – so sometimes teaching online can be the next best thing. We’ve got a list of companies that are among the best for teaching English online to Japanese students in 2024 and beyond.

See our full list of the Best Places to Teach English Online in 2024

Top Companies for Teaching English Online to Japanese Students

Cafe Talk

Read our in-depth Cafe Talk Review for 2024

Cafe Talk 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

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 and at least 1 weekend day

Best Teacher

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 or people who prefer written communication to spoken.

• Requirements: TEFL Certification
• Rate: $5 to $6 hourly
• Class Times: 6 PM to 12 AM
• Minimum Hours Per Week: 0

Cena English

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, TEFL certification
• Rate: $22 per hour
• Class Times: 9 AM to 12 AM
• Minimum Hours Per Week: 20 hours

Eigox

Read our in-depth Eigox Review for 2024

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

Read our in-depth English Hunt Review for 2024

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

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

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

Read our in-depth Lyngo Review for 2024

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. 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

Eigoru Online School

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.

• Requirements: TEFL certificate
• Rate: $3 to $10 hourly
• Class Times: 9 AM to 9 PM
• Minimum Hours Per Week: 5 hours

Eigo Power

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

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

If you’re open or flexible to working with students and adults from other countries, there are plenty more options to teach ESL online! Here are a few of our favorite companies that are currently hiring:

Cambly

Cambly offers a flexible schedule to allow English learners to talk to native speakers at any time. Rather than teaching a single class or curriculum, you will probably talk to many different students. If you use the service during peak traffic hours, you’re sure to get more clients!

• Requirements: Certification preferred but not required
• Rate: $10 to $12 hourly
• Class Times: 6 AM to 3 AM
• Minimum Hours Per Week: 0

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

Native Camp

The requirements to teach at Native Camp are pretty straightforward – 18 years or older, stable internet, and a headset with a microphone. There is an English proficiency test that you must score at least a 70% on (but we’ve been assured it’s not too difficult).

• Teacher Requirements: teaching experience preferred
• Hourly Rate: $8 to $20
• Class Times: 5PM to 1:30PM
• Minimum Hours Per Week: N/A

Find more companies on our list of the 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

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 2024 guide on How to Teach English in Japan.

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.