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Living in Japan — guides

Clear, source-checked guides to Japan's paperwork and daily life — and a free neighbour to help you actually get it done.

First 90 days

The essentials for your first three months in Tokyo.

City hall & paperwork

Residence, insurance, tax and other official procedures — in plain language.

Daily life

Housing, money, getting around and settling in.

Learning Japanese

Study routes and the words you need to get things done.

First 90 days6 min read

Your first 90 days in Tokyo: 8 things to do (a checklist hub)

Just landed in Tokyo? This navigational checklist walks you through the 8 essentials of your first three months in order — address registration, health insurance, pension, a bank account, a SIM, your My Number Card, plus residence-card renewal and residence tax — each in a sentence, then a link to the full guide.

City hall & paperwork1 min read

Converting a Foreign Driver's License

Convert a valid foreign driver's license to a Japanese one at a prefectural license center, with part of the exam waived. You must have stayed 3+ months in the issuing country after getting the license.

City hall & paperwork1 min read

Mobile Phone Contract

Sign up with a mobile carrier or low-cost SIM (MVNO). By law you must verify your identity, so bring your residence card; some carriers also need a Japanese payment method.

City hall & paperwork1 min read

Opening a Bank Account

Open a Japanese bank account for salary, rent, and bills. You'll usually need a residence card and a registered address; some banks ask for 6+ months of stay.

City hall & paperwork1 min read

Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment

If you paid pension premiums and permanently leave Japan, you can claim a partial refund (lump-sum withdrawal) within 2 years of departure.

City hall & paperwork1 min read

Resident Tax

Local tax charged by your municipality based on last year's income, for residents registered as of January 1.

City hall & paperwork1 min read

Final Income Tax Return

Report your annual income and settle income tax with the tax office. Required if you have income not fully taxed at source (side income, multiple employers, business income, etc.).

Daily life11 min read

Renting an Apartment in Tokyo: Guarantors, Deposits & Pitfalls

The full Tokyo rental flow for foreigners — search, viewing, screening, contract, move-in. We explain the big upfront costs (shikikin, reikin, agent fee, guarantor company, advance rent), the guarantor/refusal hurdles foreigners hit, and how to avoid common traps.

Daily life9 min read

Seeing a Doctor in Japan Without Japanese: Clinics, Costs & National Insurance

You don't need Japanese to see a doctor in Japan. This guide covers choosing a clinic vs hospital, what to bring, the reception-to-pharmacy flow, the ~30% you pay with insurance, finding English/Chinese-friendly clinics, and what to do in an emergency.

Daily life9 min read

Arriving at Narita or Haneda: Your First Day from the Airport to Central Tokyo

A full comparison of getting into Tokyo from both airports: Narita via Skyliner / N'EX / bus (~36–90 min) and Haneda via Keikyu / Monorail (~15–45 min). Plus SIM/Wi-Fi, Suica/PASMO (including mobile), luggage forwarding, cash vs card, and a sane first-day order.

Daily life7 min read

Electricity, water, gas & internet: how to get them on the day you move in

On move-in day, electricity and water can usually be started online or by phone, often same-day. But gas requires an in-person 開栓 appointment, so book ahead. Home internet (fiber) can take days to weeks—apply early, use pocket Wi-Fi as a stopgap.

Daily life8 min read

Tokyo Garbage Sorting: The Complete Guide + Booking Bulky Waste (粗大ゴミ)

Understand Japan's burnable/non-burnable/recyclables/plastic categories, learn that rules and collection days differ by ward/city (and where to get your ward's chart), and master the paid advance booking + processing-ticket steps for oversized waste.

Learning Japanese8 min read

Japanese for city hall: counter dialogue templates

Copy-and-say Japanese for the ward office (区役所/役場): opening lines, handing over your residence card, asking which counter, requesting easy/slow Japanese, numbers and dates, and confirming next steps — grouped by scene with readings and English meanings.

Learning Japanese9 min read

50 Everyday Japanese Phrases for Life in Japan (Konbini, Restaurants, Trains & More)

Around 50 high-frequency Japanese phrases grouped by scene: greetings & politeness, convenience store & shopping, restaurants, trains & directions, phone & delivery, neighbours, and 'I don't understand / please repeat / do you speak English'. Each phrase has reading + English meaning so you can read it aloud and get things done.

Learning Japanese8 min read

Japanese for Seeing a Doctor: Hospital Phrase Cards (Reception, Symptoms, Pharmacy)

Medical visits, broken into scenes — reception, describing symptoms, pointing to body parts, 'how many days', allergies, and the pharmacy. Each line gives the Japanese + reading + English so you can read it aloud.

Learning Japanese11 min read

JLPT Study Roadmap N5 → N1 + How to Register (2026, in Japan)

A pillar guide for learners in Japan: what the JLPT is, what each level (N5→N1) roughly means, a realistic study sequence from kana to mock tests, and exactly how and when to register in Japan (twice a year in July & December via the official MyJLPT/JEES system, with application windows months ahead).