Modeling in · Japan
Working as a model inTokyo.
Updated Oct 3, 2026
Two- to three-month season contracts, with a guarantee, an apartment and expenses to read line by line. What changes when you work as a model in Tokyo — seasons, agencies, money — and what Odette keeps in order from your phone.
Tokyo works on season contracts of two to three months with a minimum guarantee, an apartment and expenses to read line by line; the balance is paid at the end of the contract, in yen, with about 20% withheld for non-residents. Fashion week is in March and late August–September. The visa comes through the Japanese agency.
Modeling in TokyoThe visaEntertainer status of residence (興行) — isa.go.jp
The year in Tokyo.
The seasons that matter on this market, and the casting weeks that precede them — placed on your calendar in advance.
The year 2026
12 months · what matters on this market
Jan
Feb
Castings
Mar
Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Castings
Sep
Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo
Oct
Nov
Dec
SeasonsCastings
The Tokyo market.
What gets shot here, how the agencies work, at what rhythm the work arrives.
Catalogues, advertising, television, e-commerce, magazines: a very active market all year, with many days and steady fees.
The model is the season contract: two to three months on site, a minimum guarantee, a model apartment, expenses advanced then deducted. The Japanese agency handles the visa and daily life.
No dominant show season: Rakuten Fashion Week in March and late August is secondary. Work is daily, castings are many, the season is decided on the final statement.
Money in Tokyo.
A guarantee, expenses advanced then deducted, a balance in yen at the end of the contract, a withholding of about 20% and an exchange rate to write into the contract: five lines to read before leaving.
A minimum guaranteed for the season, to read with its conditions
Apartment, transport, sometimes flights: advanced then deducted from the balance
Paid at the end of the contract, in yen, after deductions
About 20% on non-residents’ fees — to declare afterwards
The one applied to the balance must be in the contract
Commission, terms and dates as of September 2026 — a market moves, and a contract always wins over a page.
Three things she does here without being asked.
- 01Photograph every receipt and every expense statement from day one: the end-of-season balance is decided there.
- 02Compare the final statement to the contract, line by line — guarantee, expenses, exchange rate. Odette sets aside what doesn’t match.
- 03The time difference doesn’t change the rule: call times are in the job’s time zone, yours in grey next to it.
Agencies in Tokyo.
Agencies with an office in Tokyo, each opened on its own site in September 2026. Check its licence and its contract before you sign.
International, Japanese and mixed models; office in Jingumae, Shibuya.
Its site ↗
Image Models (Bon Image)Brings in more than 200 models from abroad each year, by its own count; office in Minami-Aoyama.
Its site ↗
Bravo ModelsForeign models in town and on direct booking, plus Asian women and men; office in Shibuya.
Its site ↗
Elite Model JapanThe Elite network’s Tokyo office, in Minami-Aoyama; men’s and women’s boards.
Its site ↗
Model Agency FridaySet up in 1975 to bring foreign models to Japan; Japanese models too since 1992.
Its site ↗
Space CraftModels, actors, juniors and artists, with open auditions; office in Nishi-Shinjuku.
Its site ↗No agency on this list should charge you to sign. Odette does not place models; this list is informational and not a recommendation.
Frequently asked
What is a season contract?
A two- to three-month commitment with a Japanese agency: minimum guarantee, apartment, advanced expenses, balance at the end of the stay. It’s all in the contract — read it before leaving.
Is the guarantee what I get?
It’s a minimum, before the agreed expenses are deducted. What you actually receive is the end-of-season balance: guarantee or fees, minus expenses, minus withholding.
How does Odette help in Tokyo?
Every job in yen keeps its currency, every receipt is photographed, and the final statement is matched to the season contract, line by line.
Keep the money straight in Tokyo.
The two screens that answer the questions this page raises: what you are owed, and what the agency has actually paid.
Other cities, same rules
A career often plays out on two or three markets at once. Odette keeps each one’s currency, terms and contract.
