My first email was replied to very quickly and they gave lots of options for times to meet but when I sent them the time and date I'd chosen it was no longer available. So, I picked another time and place. Then they changed the location twice. They were very good about sending addresses and directions.
I was taken into a meeting room with another interviewee where we were handed application forms and another piece of paper. The application form requires two referees in Japan and their contact details plus an "ICE" person in Japan and their address, phone number and/or email but only wants details on your last or current employment. The grammar test was probably the hardest I've ever come across in my decade plus of English teaching. Or perhaps it was a cleverly disguised psychology test. The second side of the test paper was on educational philosophy and methods plus strengths/weaknesses. Or perhaps they just wanted to check out our handwriting. I had to think back on my university days and hopefully answered with enough flair to get offered the job.
The interviewer took us one by one into a second meeting room, did his presentation of their system with a great deal of flair for a Japanese English Teacher talking to a native speaker. He had a handmade flip book to point at for when I couldn't understand exactly what he meant but he didn't encourage questions. Well, there was a time at the end of his spiel for questions but I asked several along the way and it threw him off a little. The books they have exclusive rights to use in Japan were not available to be looked at. I've tried googling them and cannot find them yet. It must be super exclusive.
I asked if I could speak to their staff about how they liked working there. The interviewer agreed but didn't offer to make any introductions. When I spoke to the receptionist, she said no staff were available despite there being two right standing a couple of meters behind her.
It was all over in an hour but they'd told me it would only take 30 minutes. Must've been all those questions I kept asking.