How to build a Websta profile as a tutor or teacher in Japan

What to put on your profile page

Your Websta profile works like a simple website. Start with a clear profile photo - a recent, professional headshot where you look approachable. Students and parents decide whether to contact you in seconds, so this matters.

Write a short introduction about yourself: your teaching experience, qualifications, and which subjects or skills you teach. Keep it direct. If you have certificates, degrees, or credentials relevant to teaching, mention them. If you've taught in schools, worked as a tutor for years, or have expertise in a specific field, say so.

List the services you offer as separate items. Examples: English conversation lessons for adults, TOEFL preparation, piano lessons for beginners, high school mathematics tutoring, or business Japanese. Each service should have a clear name and description. You set the price for each service, and Websta will show it on your profile.

Add photos that show your teaching space or materials - a clean desk, a keyboard, a classroom corner, or learning materials you use. Photos help people imagine working with you.

• Profile photo: professional, clear face, friendly expression
• Bio: your experience, qualifications, and what you teach
• Services list: each subject or skill you offer, with description and price
• Photos: your teaching setup, materials, or learning environment
• Contact form: let people message you with questions
• Online booking or quote request: choose which one fits your teaching style

Booking appointments or requesting quotes

Websta offers two ways for people to connect with you: online booking and quote requests. For tutoring and teaching in Japan, you choose which one to use.

Online booking works if you have fixed lesson times or can set your availability in advance. For example, if you offer English lessons every Tuesday and Thursday at 19:00 and Saturday mornings, you can set those slots in Websta. A student sees your available times and books one. You receive a notification and can confirm. The student pays through the platform, and the money goes to your bank account via Stripe.

A quote request is better if your lessons vary by student level, topic, or format, or if you prefer to discuss terms first. A potential student fills in a form describing what they need - for example, 'conversation practice for business meetings, 10 sessions' - and you receive the request. You can then message them, discuss what they need, and make an offer. Once they accept, payment goes through Stripe to your bank account.

Many tutors in Japan use a mix: set a price per lesson and let people either book a trial session or request a quote for a package.

Languages to publish your profile in

Publish your profile in both Japanese and English if you can. Many students search in their own language. If you teach English, German, French, or another language, students often search in that language too.

At minimum, your profile should be clear in the language you teach and in Japanese. A student searching for 'English tutor in Tokyo' will look in English; a parent searching for their child's tutor may search in Japanese. If your profile exists in both languages, you reach more people.

Keep descriptions accurate in both versions - do not rely on automatic translation alone. Students notice the difference between a profile written by a real teacher and one that sounds machine-translated.

How students and parents find you on Websta

Websta has a marketplace section for education where people nearby search for tutors and teachers by subject and location. When someone in Osaka searches for 'English conversation lessons', Websta shows profiles of tutors in Osaka and nearby areas. Your profile appears if you set your location and list English conversation as a service.

People search by subject, city, and sometimes by specific needs like 'TOEFL preparation' or 'beginner piano'. They see your profile photo, price, and basic information. If they like what they see, they click to view your full profile, see your photos and bio, and either book or request a quote.

Websta also lets people post tasks - for example, 'I need a tutor for my 14-year-old in mathematics, once a week in Saitama' - and tutors can make offers on those tasks. This is another way people find you if your services match what they need.

Registering and setting up as an independent provider

As an independent tutor or teacher in Japan, you can work as a sole trader (個人事業主, kojin jigyousha) or as a registered business. The rules depend on your income and your visa status if you are not a Japanese citizen. Check with your local tax office (税務署, zeimusho) about whether you need to register. If you earn above a certain threshold, you may need to register for tax purposes.

You will need a bank account to receive payments. Websta uses Stripe for payments, which requires a bank account in your name with a Japanese bank. Set this up before you activate payments on your profile.

If you are not a Japanese citizen, your visa status determines what work you can do. Teaching as a tutor may fall under your visa conditions; check with the Immigration Bureau (入国管理庁) or your visa sponsor if unsure. Working illegally in Japan has serious consequences.

Keep records of your income and expenses. If you work as an independent provider, you may need to file a tax return (確定申告, kakutei shinkoku) once a year, even if you earn a small amount. Ask your local tax office what applies to you.

What to write in your first hour

Start with your name, a profile photo, and a sentence about what you teach. Example: 'I teach English conversation to working adults and exam preparation to high school students. I have 5 years of teaching experience and a TOEFL certificate.'

List two to four services with names and descriptions. Do not leave fields blank - each service needs a clear title and at least one or two sentences explaining it. Set your price for each service.

Write your bio in plain language. Tell people: what subjects or skills you teach, how many years you have been teaching, what qualifications you have, and what your teaching style is like. Keep it short - three to five sentences.

Add a contact form so people can ask questions before they book or request a quote. This is already built into Websta.

Add one or two photos if you have them. If not, add them later - do not let a missing photo stop you from publishing. You can edit your profile anytime.

Setting your prices

You set the price for each lesson or service. Research what other tutors charge in your area and for your subject - look at Websta profiles in your city, language schools, and tutor websites. Prices vary by subject (languages are often higher than mathematics), your experience, and your location (Tokyo prices are often higher than regional towns).

Set a price you can live on and that is fair for the time you spend. Remember that Websta takes a share of each payment; check the Websta website for current rates. Your full price is what customers pay; the amount that reaches your bank account is lower.

You can change your price anytime, so do not overthink it at the start. If you get no bookings, your price may be too high; if you get too many, it may be too low. Adjust after a few weeks based on demand.