Shigoto Zukan
日本語

How to become バーテンダーeducation, training, experience, licenses and the steps to enter

Japan Food Service Confidence ★★★★★

Average annual pay
¥3.79M
≈ $24,107
Top pay (est.)
¥6.18M
Top 10% ¥5.38M
Pay in 5 years
¥4.50Mest.
2031
Pay in 10 years
¥5.35Mest.
¥4.60M–¥6.21M
Outlook score
61/100
★★★☆☆ Average
AI replacement risk
21%
Low
Labor demand
Very high
Openings-to-applicants 2.38x

How to become バーテンダー

The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.

Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
入職にあたって、特に学歴や資格は必要とされない。バーテンダーになるには、各種学校でバーテンダーの勉強をしてから就職する方法、ホテルに就職後、様々な仕事を経験してからバーテンダーの道に進む方法、バーなどに勤務しながら経験を積む方法がある。バーテンダーとして一人前になるにはある程度の経験が必要である。
　各種学校ではバーテンダーに必要な知識とシェーキング技術などの実技を学ぶ。
　日本バーテンダー協会が認定している「バーテンダー呼称技能認定試験」などがある。
　技能競技会やカクテル作りコンクールに出て、賞をとることを目指す人もいる。
　バーテンダーの目標のひとつは、独立して自分の店を持つことである。

Skills, education and requirements for バーテンダー

Key skills

Active Listening
4.6
Speaking
3.7
Social Perceptiveness
3.5
Reading Comprehension
3.1
Active Learning
3.0
Instructing
3.0
Service Orientation
3.0
Writing
2.9

Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.

Key knowledge areas

Customer and Personal Service
3.2
Sales and Marketing
1.8
Psychology
1.7
English Language
1.5
Administration and Management
1.4
Sociology and Anthropology
1.4
Communications and Media
1.2
Economics and Accounting
1.2

What the work involves

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleGetting InformationThinking CreativelyMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work

Important abilities

Problem SensitivityMemorizationOral ExpressionOral ComprehensionOriginalitySpeech Clarity

Licenses and certifications (Japan)

No specific license or certification is required.

Education of workers

Training before entry

Related work experience

Difficulty of entry: ★☆☆☆☆ Easy to enter (from education, training, experience, licenses)

Career path and how to earn more as バーテンダー

Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), Population Census and Hello Work employment statistics as published on the MHLW job tag site (retrieved Nov 1, 2026); Occupational Information Database (JILPT). Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.