Do modelling agencies in Japan charge to apply?

The agencies here that mention fees say applying is free: Satoru Japan says its audition costs nothing apart from travel, and Japan Model Agency says there is no registration fee. But JMAA says lesson and promotional photo costs are customarily paid by the model, and Satoru Japan requires lessons for newcomers. Confirm every cost in writing before signing.

How can I tell whether a scout in Japan is genuine?

JMAA says its members’ scouts show a company business card and a JMAA ID card, never sign a contract on the spot and never sell beauty products. Satoru Japan says its scouts always carry ID, never scout by email, and asks you to call its office to check.

What age and height do Japanese agencies ask for?

It varies by agency. Bravo lists 14 to 25 and 168–178cm for women and 14 to 27 and 180–188cm for men; Satoru Japan uses about 12 to 25 and 158cm as a guide; Japan Model Agency’s fashion category is about 12 to 29 and 168cm or taller; Donna and TOMORROW TOKYO state no minimum height.

Can under-18s model in Japan?

Yes, with a parent’s or guardian’s consent, which Image, Space Craft, Satoru Japan and Japan Model Agency all require. Separately, the Labour Standards Act bars employing a child until the first 31 March after their 15th birthday except with official permission, and the Act does not say how it applies to modelling.

Can foreigners apply to Japanese agencies?

Satoru Japan’s audition is open to foreign women living in Japan, and TOMORROW TOKYO lists a separate email address for international applicants. Bravo and Image say they recruit Japanese and mixed-heritage models.

What if I was pressured into a model contract?

The National Consumer Affairs Center says cooling-off may be possible in some cases and advises calling the 188 consumer hotline, which connects you to your local consumer centre. It recommends never signing on the spot and talking to family first.

Is Elite Model Look open in Japan?

Japan is not among the countries listed for Elite Model Look 2026.

Modelling · Tokyo · Osaka

How to become a model in Japan

Apply to an agency directly. Bravo, Donna and Satoru Japan in Tokyo and Japan Model Agency in Osaka take online applications, TOMORROW TOKYO takes them by email and Image by post or Google Form. Expect photo screening, then an interview. Japan’s modelling agency association says models customarily pay for lessons and promotional photos, so confirm costs before signing.

By Kaiser Khan, Founder & Editor · Application routes checked 1 October 2026 · Editorial policy

モデルになるには：東京・大阪のモデル事務所と応募方法 ↗

Official application routes

Which modelling agencies in Japan can I apply to?

7 agencies · checked 2026-10-01

Each link goes to the agency’s own application page or official contact route — never a third party. Details are as each agency publishes them; where an agency publishes nothing, we say nothing.

Tokyo

TOMORROW TOKYO

How to apply
email

Boards
Women · Men

Height
Your email must include your height. The page states no minimum.

What to send
Name, date of birth, height and measurements, full-length, waist-up and close-up photos, and your Instagram account. Professional photos are not required.

From abroad
Lists a separate email address for international applicants, alongside its rolling search for Japanese and mixed-heritage (“half”) models.

TOMORROW TOKYO “Become a Model” page (apply by email)
Tokyo

Bravo Models

How to apply
online form

Boards
Women · Men · Asian Women · Asian Men

Height
Lists 168–178cm for women and 180–188cm for men.

Age
Lists ages 14 to 25 for women and 14 to 27 for men.

What to send
Contact details, date of birth, nationality, residence, height and measurements, a waist-up photo and a full-length photo in fitted clothes with little or no make-up. Only applicants who pass the document review are contacted.

From abroad
Says it recruits Japanese and mixed-heritage (“half”) models.

Address
Hillside Terrace H-301, 18-17 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0033

Bravo Models “Become Bravo” form (Japanese and English)
Tokyo

Donna Models

How to apply
online form

Boards
International Women · Asian Women · International Men · Asian Men · d+ · Special Arrangement

Height
Height is a required field on the form. The page states no minimum.

What to send
Name, date of birth, residence, nationality, phone, email, Instagram, height, division, and a head-and-shoulders and a full-length photo. Only applicants who pass the document review are contacted.

Address
#603, 1-15-3 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Donna Models “Become a Model” form
Tokyo · Japan Modeling Agencies Association (JMAA) member

Image (Bon Image)

How to apply
online form

Boards
Women · Men · Digital · Special · International Women · International Men

Height
Your CV must state your height. The page states no minimum.

Age
Minors must include a consent form from a parent or guardian.

What to send
A CV with your reasons for applying, height and measurements and (optionally) social media accounts, plus a head-and-shoulders and a full-length photo taken within the last three months, in fitted clothes, with no or natural make-up. Only applicants who pass document screening are contacted, and the agency takes no phone enquiries.

From abroad
Says it recruits Japanese and mixed-heritage (“half”) models year-round.

Address
5F, 1-15-14 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062

Image model recruitment on its company page (post, or the Google Form linked there; Japanese only)
Tokyo

Satoru Japan

How to apply
online form

Boards
International · Half (mixed heritage) · Japanese · New Face

Height
Says it mainly accepts applicants of 158cm and over, as a guide rather than a fixed rule.

Age
The audition is for women aged about 12 to 25 (a guide, not a fixed rule); minors need a parent’s or guardian’s consent.

What to send
Age and height bands, prefecture, name, email, a close-up face photo and a full-length photo, and the kind of modelling you want to do.

From abroad
The audition is open to Japanese, mixed-heritage and foreign women living in Japan.

Verify a scout
Warns that people have posed as its staff. Says its scouts always show a business card or other ID and never scout by email or press for contact details, and asks you to call 03-3400-0007 (weekdays 10:00–19:00, not public holidays) if in doubt.

Address
4F, 5-17-4 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001

Says the audition is free, though travel is at your own expense, and that lessons are required for applicants without modelling experience. Source ↗
Satoru Japan “THE FACE NEXT” model audition (Japanese only)
Tokyo · Japan Modeling Agencies Association (JMAA) member

Space Craft

How to apply
email

Boards
Talent · Model · Actor · Junior · Artist & Culture

Height
The form asks for height. The page states no minimum.

Age
Auditions are for applicants aged about 12 to 25 (a separate route covers babies to primary-school age); minors need a parent’s or guardian’s consent.

What to send
Contact details, date of birth, an unedited head-and-shoulders photo and a full-length photo taken within three months, height, a self-introduction and how you heard about the audition. The page says the form has a fault and asks applicants to email sc@spacecraft.co.jp instead; it does not accept materials handed in at the office.

Address
31F Shinjuku i-Land Tower, 6-5-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-1331 (reception on 30F)

Space Craft audition (form currently replaced by email; Japanese only)
Osaka · Japan Modeling Agencies Association (JMAA) member

Japan Model Agency

How to apply
online form

Boards
Model / Talent · Fashion Model · Mrs / Senior · Men’s Model · Kids & Junior · Artist

Height
Fashion model applicants should be 168cm or taller (or still growing); the model/talent and men’s categories have no height limit.

Age
Fashion model category: about 12 to 29; model/talent and men’s categories from 12 with no upper limit. Minors must complete the guardian consent section.

What to send
Contact details, date of birth, height and measurements, school or workplace, a head-and-shoulders and a full-length photo, and a self-introduction; by post, a CV with sizes and two photos taken within three months.

Address
Herbis OSAKA 5F, 2-5-25 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0001

Says there is no registration fee. Lessons at a related academy are optional and paid; it says it explains them at the interview after you pass the audition and lets you take time to decide. Source ↗
Japan Model Agency new model audition (online form or post; Japanese only)

How it works

How do agencies in Japan recruit?

Most models in Japan work under a management contract with an agency rather than freelance. The Japan Modeling Agencies Association (JMAA) says agencies’ requirements differ, so check age and height conditions before applying. JMAA — モデルになりたい方へ (For people who want to become models) ↗
Applications usually need a full-length photo and a head-and-shoulders photo with no or natural make-up; professional photos are not required. Applicants who pass photo screening are invited to an interview or audition. JMAA — モデルになりたい方へ (For people who want to become models) ↗
JMAA says lesson fees and the cost of promotional photos (composites) are customarily paid by the model in Japan, and advises confirming what each cost is for and how much before signing. JMAA — モデルになりたい方へ (For people who want to become models) ↗
Some agencies publish age and height ranges before you apply. Bravo lists 14 to 25 and 168–178cm for women, and 14 to 27 and 180–188cm for men; others, such as Donna and TOMORROW TOKYO, ask for your height without stating a minimum. Bravo Models — Become Bravo ↗
JMAA says a minor’s agency contract needs a consent form from a parent or guardian, and several agencies listed here, including Image, Space Craft and Japan Model Agency, ask for guardian consent when a minor applies. JMAA — モデルスカウトに関して (On model scouting) ↗

Fees, contracts and safeguarding

What are the rules in Japan?

Under the Employment Security Act, a job-placement business that charges for its services needs a licence from the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (Article 30). MHLW — 職業紹介事業の業務運営要領第1 (placement business guidelines, Chapter 1: overview) ↗
The ministry’s guidance lists “model” (someone who appears in fashion shows or other events, or is photographed for newspapers, magazines and the like) among the few occupations for which a licensed placement business may charge the job-seeker, under a fee table it must disclose, plus for now an application fee of up to ¥710 per application. It may take no other fee in connection with placement. We could not confirm from the agencies’ own pages whether any agency listed here operates as a licensed placement business. MHLW — 職業紹介事業の業務運営要領第6 手数料 (placement business guidelines, Chapter 6: fees) ↗
The Labour Standards Act bars employing a child until the end of the first 31 March after their 15th birthday. With permission from the relevant government office, children of 13 and over may do light work outside school hours, and younger children may work in film production and theatre; the employer must keep a school head’s certificate and a parent’s or guardian’s consent, and these children may not work between 8pm and 5am (Articles 56, 57 and 61). The Act does not mention modelling and applies only where a child is employed. Japanese Law Translation — Labor Standards Act (Act No. 49 of 1947) ↗
The National Consumer Affairs Center warns of talent and model contract problems, mostly among women in their teens and twenties, now often starting from online auditions and social media ads. It advises checking what the work involves and whether you must pay, avoiding contracts on the spot, and calling the 188 consumer hotline; cooling-off may be possible in some cases. National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan — タレント・モデル契約のトラブルにご注意！ (updated 12 December 2023) ↗
The Japan Modeling Agencies Association, an industry body rather than a regulator, says its members’ scouts show a company business card and a JMAA ID card, explain lesson and photo costs and cooling-off rights, never sign contracts on the spot, never push beauty devices, cosmetics or salons, and never charge high registration fees on a promise of fame. A minor’s contract needs a guardian’s consent form. JMAA — モデルスカウトに関して (On model scouting) ↗

Under 18? Involve a parent or guardian at every step. Read the under-18 guide ↗

Official programmes

Are there model searches in Japan?

Satoru Japan Model Audition 2026 “THE FACE NEXT” ↗
Agency-run audition for women aged about 12 to 25 (Japanese, mixed-heritage and foreign residents of Japan). Online application and document screening, then an audition in Tokyo. Satoru Japan says the audition is free apart from travel, but lessons are required for applicants without experience. Page in Japanese.

日本語

モデルになるには：東京・大阪のモデル事務所と応募方法

続きを読む ↗

モデルになるには、モデル事務所に直接応募しましょう。東京のBravo、Donna、Satoru Japan、大阪のJapan Model Agencyはオンラインフォーム、TOMORROW TOKYOはメール、Imageは郵送かGoogleフォームで応募を受け付けています。写真審査の後に面接があります。日本モデルエージェンシー協会によると、レッスン料や宣材写真の費用はモデル負担が慣例のため、契約前に費用を確認しましょう。

FAQ

Modelling in Japan, answered

Do modelling agencies in Japan charge to apply?: The agencies here that mention fees say applying is free: Satoru Japan says its audition costs nothing apart from travel, and Japan Model Agency says there is no registration fee. But JMAA says lesson and promotional photo costs are customarily paid by the model, and Satoru Japan requires lessons for newcomers. Confirm every cost in writing before signing.
How can I tell whether a scout in Japan is genuine?: JMAA says its members’ scouts show a company business card and a JMAA ID card, never sign a contract on the spot and never sell beauty products. Satoru Japan says its scouts always carry ID, never scout by email, and asks you to call its office to check.
What age and height do Japanese agencies ask for?: It varies by agency. Bravo lists 14 to 25 and 168–178cm for women and 14 to 27 and 180–188cm for men; Satoru Japan uses about 12 to 25 and 158cm as a guide; Japan Model Agency’s fashion category is about 12 to 29 and 168cm or taller; Donna and TOMORROW TOKYO state no minimum height.
Can under-18s model in Japan?: Yes, with a parent’s or guardian’s consent, which Image, Space Craft, Satoru Japan and Japan Model Agency all require. Separately, the Labour Standards Act bars employing a child until the first 31 March after their 15th birthday except with official permission, and the Act does not say how it applies to modelling.
Can foreigners apply to Japanese agencies?: Satoru Japan’s audition is open to foreign women living in Japan, and TOMORROW TOKYO lists a separate email address for international applicants. Bravo and Image say they recruit Japanese and mixed-heritage models.
What if I was pressured into a model contract?: The National Consumer Affairs Center says cooling-off may be possible in some cases and advises calling the 188 consumer hotline, which connects you to your local consumer centre. It recommends never signing on the spot and talking to family first.
Is Elite Model Look open in Japan?: Japan is not among the countries listed for Elite Model Look 2026.

Sources

Where this comes from.

Other countries

Which modelling agencies in Japan can I apply to?

TOMORROW TOKYO

Bravo Models

Donna Models

Image (Bon Image)

Satoru Japan

Space Craft

Japan Model Agency