Taking a gap year to japan?

Question:

Ever since i was very little, since i can remember I've always loved asian culture and history and I still do. I started leaning Japanese four months ago and I like to think I'm making good progress, I decided i wanted to take a gap year when I'm 18, after college (I'm from the UK), to Japan, but I don't know how to deal with it, how do i arrange things, how do i even survive in a foreign country with no financial support, i was hoping to get a part time job there but i doubt it would be easy. I have little money to start with, I current like have £2100, which when your trying to live by yourself is next to nothing, i'm trying to get a job to get more money, and im 16 so I still have just under two years to make money. But it's not just about the money, its finding accommodation and such.

Basically i don't know where to start and I really need help and pointers in the right direction. I don't want to go on one of these big gap year things where you travel everywhere, i sort of want to live in Japan for a year for a new experience, i wouldn't even mind going to university there but i assume for that my japanese would have to be perfect and i'd have to be able to read well, which in two years i might but... you know... And really i need as much detail about every aspect i can of doing this, as i know literally nothing.

Answer:

Well, at 18 you'd be able to get a working holiday visa. It's good for a year, and you can work part time on it. Not quite sure how you'd manage to make a living on that though. Sightseeing is very expensive.

As for university, there are some options available in English. The government is looking to internationalize the universities here, elite ones first. You complete your degree program in English, while learning Japanese at the same time. Some good fees reductions are available, and if you're bright, scholarships are available.

A good place to start is at http://www.global.tsukuba.ac.jp
I work for Tsukuba, so if you have questions you can email me.

If you live around London, there is a "study in Japan" open day next month on the 25th, that you probably should try to attend. That website is available at http://www.experience-japan.jp/