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Zentern - Amazing Internships in Japan

Why choose Zentern - Amazing Internships in Japan?

Embark on your career journey in the enchanting Land of the Rising Sun! Picture yourself in bustling metropolises like Tokyo or Osaka, indulging in delicious sushi lunches beneath the blooming sakura (cherry) trees, and traversing Japan's mesmerizing landscapes aboard the renowned bullet train.

At Zentern, we're your gateway to internships in Tokyo, Osaka, and other cities in Japan, spanning a diverse array of fields. Worried about not speaking Japanese? Worry not! We'll place you in an international setting.
Plus, once you've wrapped up your work, we'll whisk you away to explore Japan, forge new friendships, and savor authentic Japanese cuisine.

Don't miss out—enroll today or kick things off with a complimentary consultation with us for a deeper dive into the experience!

Reviews

That's me
Manasse
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My six-month product design internship in Tokyo

As a student of product design in Germany, I wanted to gain my first real work experience. Since I'm half Japanese and pretty fluent in Japanese, my university teachers suggested that I do an internship in Japan. As I am very interested in Japan and always wanted to experience, what it is like to work and live there, I accepted this challenge.
Internships in Japan are still somewhat uncommon and it is very difficult, especially for someone from abroad, to organize it by yourself and to gain the desired internship in your field. There are a lot of uncertainties; whether in application, job interview, or the working conditions. For this reason, I initially also considered to study abroad at a university in Japan. But firstly I rather wanted to finally gain real work experiences as a product designer and secondly, it is super expensive to study there. I was in a quandary and was trying to find solutions. Then I figured out that there are internship agencies like Zentern Internships, focussing on exactly what I was looking for. I compared, contacted and even spoke with three different agencies and clearly decided for Zentern Internships. The pricing was the best and they had a selection of interesting product design companies in Tokyo. Getting to know the Zentern team was very pleasant and I felt like, they understood very well, what I was looking for.

Zentern provided excellent support in preparing for my internship, helping me craft my CV and prepare for my interview. I was surprised and super happy that my first job interview in Japanese with my internship company went so smoothly. Zentern also helped me with the complicated visa registration and with organizing the fitting accommodation. Thanks to their expertise and support I was perfectly prepared for Japan. There was no way I could have handled all of this so well on my own.

The internship itself was very exciting, versatile, and fun, but at times also quite challenging. You get to experience the Japanese politenes and friendliness but also their strictness, high ambitions and their well known work culture and mentality. As an intern they don't expect from you to do any overwork, but their schedules can be tight and their expectations can be high. Yet, these were exactly the things I wanted to learn about Japan — what it is like to work there and how I would like the lifestyle in Tokyo. Throughout my internship, Zentern always offered me great support and advice, especially in challenging situations. They were incredibly friendly and I felt very well looked after and safe. In the end, I was able to experience everything I wanted, acquired new skills for product design and am very grateful for the valuable insights. I have gained more self-confidence and now have the certainty that I am able to live in Japan and work in a company with my Japanese language skills.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Go for it, embrace it, and be ready for the experience. This is your chance to learn and to experience in an authentic and safe way what it is like to live and work in Japan and in your professional field. On top of that, this will be a huge plus for your resume.

Second and important advice: Live in a Sharehouse. I wasn't sure about this at the beginning, because I am a bit introverted, but this was really a good thing. I made a lot of important and close friends and you can exchange your experiences from Japan with them. There is a huge danger of becoming very lonely in Japan, so I was very thankful. It made my experience in Japan significantly more enjoyable and wholesome, as the work life can be tough. Together, we went on road trips and excursions, supported each other, and really had a lot of quality time together. Plus, if someone moves out from the Sharehouse, you can get a lot of stuff for very cheap or for free. For example a bicycle, which saved me a lot of money 🚲
Pros
  • Super friendly, smooth organization & excellent support
  • Authentic and safe work experience in Japan. I have gained a lot of valuable insights
  • I made a lot of close friends and had a very good time
Cons
  • Be careful that you don't end up with tasks that only involve translating and writing in English. Remind your supervisor that you want to do tasks that you are specialized in.
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Ryan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Graduation internship - Software

I was about to start the final year of my 4 year bachelor and for this I wanted to go abroad, to experience a different culture and boost my CV.

Zentern helped me with finding an internship. It was an amazing experience. Zentern helped me prepare my CV and interview for this internship and the whole process went faster than expected.

Zentern also provided the option to get some Japanese lessons. These lessons were fun and super helpful. During these lessons, I was also able to meet and hang out with some of their other interns. The lessons can be a bit difficult if you don't know how to read hiragana, so try to prepare a bit beforehand. You are welcome to make mistakes during the lessons.

During this internship was I able to work with Tempu-san and Tetsu-san. The project that I worked on where fun, and challenging and helped me gain new knowledge. I was also invited to come visit their clients, where I was able to demonstrate and get feedback on the features that they requested.

During this, I stayed in a Shared House using a Housing Company. I was lucky to find a place with super low rent, close to the station, and near all the right places (restaurants, conbini, etc.). The house was a bit far and the housing options were on the low side. I did not ruin my experience.

It was such an amazing experience, it made me want to go back as soon as possible.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
My most surprising experiences happend when I was exploring tokyo without plan.
More often than expected was I able to stumble upon small unplanned events around Tokyo.

Once outside of Nakano station was a drum performance and where they parading a small portable shrine.

And many more to discover.
Pros
  • Helpful Team
  • Fun Events
  • Job Placement
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Madhuri
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing opportunity for personal and professional growth

One of the main reasons I chose Zentern was because of the kindness and professionalism of its team. At the very start, Noa (internship contact) made sure to program an interview with me to discuss the type of internship I would like, the field I would be interested in etc. For every question that I had, she made sure to reassure me and patiently answered each one of them. She was also kind enough to prep me for the interview. I can honestly say that Zentern found me my dream internship!
As for Satomi sensei (Japanese teacher), she taught the class with great passion and kindness, taking her time to explain any doubts or questions we had. She made sure that the class would always be fun to attend as well.
The class being fully in Japanese helped me get immersed right away into the language and therefore, forced me to put into practice the lessons I had learned.
Another perk of this program was that, because the Japanese class was conducted in a small group, it was easier to meet and befriend other interns. A perfect mixture for both introverts and extroverts.
I would highly recommend doing an internship abroad (especially if you have doubts) as it really helps with personal growth and to gain more confidence.

What was your funniest moment?
I think I have never laughed as much as I did during the Japanese lessons. The ambiance was always great, very friendly and welcoming. Therefore, not only were we deepening our knowledge of Japan, its language and its culture, but we were also joking around before and after class, being silly with other interns and getting to know each other.
Pros
  • The internship really helps with growth, whether personal or professional.
  • You get to do an internship in the field of you choice, in the beautiful country that is Japan.
  • It is a great way to expand your network.
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Praise
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Experience with Zentern Internships

I chose Zentern Internships because their prices were competitive, and their aesthetic website gave me confidence in their professionalism. My contact, Noa, was always responsive and helped with visa support and interview prep, despite the time difference. She remained easy to contact even after I arrived in Japan.

The placement process was smooth, and while my internship was less technical than ideally preferred, I still enjoyed it and gained valuable experience. If you're considering using Zentern, I recommend providing all the details they request for job applications as early as you can. This will raise your chances of securing your ideal internship.

Zentern also assisted with housing and visa arrangements, though I encountered some delays on my visa application due to unclear visa instructions. I think Zentern could improve in this area by labelling the visa documents they supply in the applicant's desired language, e.g. English, and staying well informed about the required visa type for the specific applicant.

Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed the fun cultural outings Zentern organised (I paid for an internship + cultural program). I experienced traditional festivals and visited Asakusa, where we explored and had a variety of classic Japanese desserts. We also went to Kamakura and visited famous shrines. Another highlight was seeing the entire city from the Roppongi Hills observation deck. And I got to visit a unique, beautiful aquarium, which was great quick thinking on Zentern's part as our initial trip to Tokyo Bay was cancelled due to a typhoon. All these experiences and more really enhanced my experience in Japan. Overall, I had a positive experience with Zentern Internships and would highly recommend their service!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Dango. Very interesting, chewy texture.
Pros
  • Competitive pricing.
  • Responsive communication and very supportive staff.
  • Enjoyable cultural outings
Cons
  • Internship was less technical than preferred
  • Unclear visa instructions.
Read my full story
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Joy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Thank You, Zentern!

Zentern found a great company for me to intern at. The managers at this company were organized, supportive, and provided good mentorship. The internship experience helped me grow personally and professionally and was a good first step into a new career field.

Noa is so kind and caring! She gives great career advice. I appreciate that she made time to meet with me in person to answer my career questions and review my resume towards the end of my internship.

It might’ve been nice if Zentern had checked in a little bit more or made their presence more apparent during my stay in Tokyo. I also didn’t meet very many other interns through the cultural events like I had hoped (but the ones I met were fun and nice). This wasn’t always something that could be controlled, but I feel like it wasn’t totally uncontrollable either.

Overall, I had a wonderful time in Japan. I got to do pretty much everything I wanted to do, and I gained so much from my experience. I’m super late with this since my internship was July to September 2023, but thank you for everything, Zentern!

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Praise Nnadi

Praise is a tech enthusiast who loves new experiences and is always eager to learn and grow. He's constantly seeking opportunities to broaden his horizons.
Praise Nnadi

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this Zentern Internship's "Interview + Culture" program because I was actively seeking an opportunity to intern abroad. I wanted work experience, but I also wanted to differentiate myself from others who do more typical internships. And their program stood out to me because the rates were competitive compared to other programs I looked at. And it also offered an interesting opportunity for both professional development and cultural immersion. I've always found Japanese culture and cuisine fascinating, and I loved that they had options for experiencing the culture alongside the internship work. Plus, Japan was an ideal location for me due to its reputation as a safe environment, which was important since I would be far from home.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Zentern Internships assisted in several key areas. They provided the necessary documents for visa applications and they offered advice on managing finances abroad, though I handled the actual applications and account setups. They also gave me access to an accommodation portal and SIM card options, but I was responsible for finalizing (including selecting and paying for) both. For the internship itself, they secured interviews with companies and supported me with interview prep, CV, and portfolio guidance. I still had to follow their instructions to implement their recommendations, however. Also, after securing the internship, they took care of all the required paperwork. Finally, I also had to cover flight tickets myself.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I have several. One is to double-check your visa eligibility (make sure you are applying for the right visa) and apply on time. I learned the hard way that it pays to be diligent in your preparations. My arrival into the country wouldn't have been delayed if I had known I was not eligible for an eVisa and just applied at the Japanese embassy from the start. Additionally, I recommend providing Zentern with all the necessary documents for job applications as early as possible- maybe 4-6 months before you plan to have your internship. This increases your chances of securing a desired role. Finally, I think it's wise to plan your return dates to allow some time at the end of your internship to explore and relax in the country, making the most of your experience abroad. If you can, stay right up till your visa is on the verge of expiring haha

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

My typical workday ran from 10 AM to 5:30 PM. The company I worked for, Mobell, was kind enough to adjust the start time to help avoid rush hour, which was great, although commuting home felt like being a sardine on those crowded Tokyo lines haha! During the week, I engaged in a variety of tasks, including data analysis, visualization, and even charity work with Mobell's sister company, Seibo, where I made school visits and taught an online statistics course. However, my main project was designing a customer support chatbot. Outside work, Zentern arranged cultural activities. They secured a few days off work for me to engage with those sometimes, but most took place on weekends. I spent most weekends, exploring restaurants, arcades, karaoke, local festivals, touring old towns, etc. sometimes with coworkers but mostly via Zentern. Overall, the program was enriching both professionally and culturally.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fears about going to Japan were the language barrier and my ability to cook. To tackle the language issue, I tried to learn as much Japanese as I could, but I ended up heavily relying on Google Translate once I got there. As for cooking, I was a little worried about finding familiar ingredients, but I didn't do any preparation for this beforehand. Once I arrived, however, I found that convenience stores and bento boxes made things much easier than I expected. Plus, the stores were more familiar than I thought, and while I couldn't find everything I wanted, there were plenty of common options and it was fun trying new things too. As for changed views, I realized technology is pretty good for bridging that gap, though I still value being able to connect to someone without external help. I noticed people reacted positively to unaided understanding/communication out of respect for the effort involved in learning a new language. And for cooking, I grew to love convenience stores and really miss them!

How has this program influenced your future career plans?

This program has influenced my future career plans in a few unexpected ways. During the induction event, I had the opportunity to meet the CEO of Zentern in person for the first time. Speaking with her and hearing her story of founding a company in a foreign country was really inspiring. Later in the program, dealing with the language barrier and seeing how technology could bridge that gap gave me a business idea. If I pursue it and it succeeds, then the trajectory of my life could take a completely different direction, potentially leading me back to Japan more often. It's uncertain but exciting to think about. On a practical level, however, I also honed my data analysis and visualization skills, which aligns well with my interest in pursuing data science as a career. The program also provided great networking opportunities, too, and I'm curious to see how those connections may shape my career in the future!

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