How much does a cook make in Japan?

In Japan, experience and special cooking skills can raise pay, and some employers favor cooks with a license. Pay also varies by the employer and its size, region, and whether shifts are full-time, short, early, or late.

What's a typical day like?

Before service, cooks check and prepare ingredients, chop vegetables, and set up their stations. During service, they cook and plate orders; afterward, they wash and sanitize tools and clean the kitchen.

In Japan, many start after high school at an approved culinary school or as a kitchen trainee. For a license, complete an approved course of at least one year and apply, or gain two years of eligible cooking experience, pass the prefectural exam, and apply.

In Japan, you can cook for work without a cook’s license, but only licensed people may call themselves a “chōrishi” (licensed cook).