A working holiday visa is not something you can get more than once! The chance to stay in Japan for a year should be a very valuable experience. So you probably want to visit several cities, not just one.
Guesthouse managers, on the other hand, want you to stay as long as possible, unless you are approaching the peak season. This is because if your stay is too short, they will not be able to devote training time to you.
This length of stay needs to be adapted to the situation and status of both the employee and the employer. When applying for a job, you can offer a preferred period of stay, but you are more likely to be employed if the period is flexible and can be changed.
How to find a guesthouse or hostel that offers free housing for a work-exchange staff or a live-in staff?
- workaway.info : Workaway is here to promote fair exchange between budget travellers, language learners or culture seekers who can stay with 1000s of families, individuals or organizations that are looking for help in over 165 countries. [ https://www.workaway.info/en/hostlist ]
- HelpX : HelpX is an online listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation. [https://www.helpx.net/ ]
- Worldpackers : Worldpackers is a collaborative platform that connects you with hosts around the world where you can travel exchanging your skills for accommodation. [ https://www.worldpackers.com/search/asia/japan ]
