Settling in Japan: A Guide for Non-Japanese Speakers

This is a concise guide for non-Japanese Speakers who are moving to a small/middle-sized city in Japan for the long term. The goal of this article is to show you what to expect, and to be a guide for setting up the things you’ll need day-to-day. I am writing another article for Japanese speakers who may be helping you out. I hope these articles help both sides get through this exciting but stressful time – of moving to a new country where you do not yet speak the dominant language.

I am focusing this article on Nara, where I live. It might be a bit different if you are moving to a big city like Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, or smaller cosmopolitan cities like Kyoto.

 

From arrival to the first month

Temporary place to stay

Book ahead of time. Public wi-fi is not good in small cities, even at big stations. Airports generally have good free wi-fi. Sites like Booking.com and Airbnb have nice options, or you can use Japanese sites with auto-translation tools. I like Rakuten travel or Jaran.net for both hotels and car rental.

You can also directly search houses, but many providers will require your presence to sign a contract. They may ask if you are a Japanese speaker or have assistance. Leopalace is an okay choice since they have many furnished properties in many towns and cities. But do note that they only allow you to sign a contract when you come to Japan; and after you sign with Leopalace, you may need to wait a week until you can actually move in. With other ordinary real estate agents, you should expect to wait at least two weeks after you sign a contract.

Temporary phone number

You need a mobile number for booking, contacting, and almost everything these days. Some services don’t take foreign phone numbers to even register for their service. Mobal is a good first and temporary option since you can get a SIM at the airport and they provide English customer service. When you settle in Japan and need more reasonable prices, all three big carriers offer cheap options (See Japanese phone number).

Or, some prefer  global phone services like Google Fi or T-mobile (if you are coming from the US) that provide a phone number you can use in Japan.

Cash or credit card?

Paying with credit cards has become much more common in the last decade, yet paying cash is still a thing in a non-urban areas in Japan. Get some cash at the airport or a convenience store ATM. If you are looking for a house to settle in, you will need 3-4 months of rent in cash for your initial move-in fee (See Housing).

Option: Get a WISE account

WISE is an excellent option if you are worried about carrying cash around. Either way, I recommend bringing some cash since not all small businesses take credit cards (especially if you don’t want to rely on convenience stores and chain restaurants for all your meals!). Here is my referral link; if you are happy about both of us getting cashback, you can use it!

IDs and primary accounts

Zairyu Card (Residence card)

You get your zairyu card upon your arrival at the airport if you fly into Japan. As a long-term resident, you may already be aware of the importance of this sparkly card. Yes, ISA (Immigration Services Agency of Japan) asks you to bring it everywhere 24/7 in Japan. It’s annoying, but also it will be your first useful validation to get your rent contract, bank account, phone number — literally everything to set up your daily life in Japan.

You need to register your address with city hall when you settle down. You can’t register a hotel or Airbnb as your address.

Health insurance and Pension

Good news! You can get a Kokumin-kenkoh-hoken (National Health Insurance）card at city hall and register for Kokumin-nenkin (Japanese National Pension.) on the same visit. Your Kokumin-nenkin card will be sent to your address within two weeks. Watch out for delivery notices in your mail, since it will be sent as registered mail that you need to receive at home or at a post office, along with your ID. If you are going to work in Japan, your employer likely has health insurance and pension options – ask about both before you come to Japan.

Bank account

Having a bank account is unnecessary for those who stay for just a few  months. However, for those who need a bank account to receive your salary, get a Japanese phone number, and pay rent or utilities, you will need a bank account.

Generally, if your family member in Japan doesn’t have a bank account with big-city banks (MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho), local banks, shinkin banks (credit unions), and the Japan post bank are more welcoming for foreigners than big-city banks. Often they don’t have staff who speak foreign languages, so you should bring your friend or companion who speaks Japanese to open an account.

To set up a bank account, you need:

• Zairyu card with your address
• Passport
• Hanko (read Hanko)

I recommend making an appointment to make your bank account at the bank since it usually takes much more time than you’d expect. The last time I went to a post office with Japan Post Office bank service, even though my colleague filled out a form beforehand, it took 1.5 hours to complete all of the processes. Although JP bank doesn’t require making an appointment, doing so can be easier for both your company and yourself.

Since it’s pretty common to be charged fees for withdrawing your money at your ATM or transferring money between bank accounts (except for accounts at the same bank), it can be helpful to have a debit card. Apply for a card when you open a bank account.

A few examples I’ve heard from my friends:

• Japan Post Bank: This would be the first choice for many since their ATM and branches are everywhere in Japan, and have multilingual online application form, yet the direct banking app doesn’t have foreign language settings.
• Kyoto Shinkin Bank: With a Japanese speaker’s assistance, you can smoothly open a bank account. Their banking app has an English setting.
• Fukuoka Bank: With a Japanese speaker’s assistance, you can open a bank account smoothly. They require your hanko to open a bank account.
• Iwate Bank: With a Japanese speaker’s assistance, you can open a bank account smoothly. They require hanko to open a bank account.

Hanko

Unfamiliar with the hanko culture? A good podcast episode from 99% Invisible on how the system is complicated, frustrating, and funny even for residents of Japan. On many public services and official occasions, you will either need to sign your name or stamp your hanko. If you come from regions that use the alphabet for your name, it’s generally fine to sign by hand. However, I’ve heard of several services or banks that require you to bring your hanko. If you have a common or moderately ordinary name in Japan, you can drop by and buy your hanko at a hanko shop. Yet if it’s not the case, you should order a hanko that strictly matches your Zairyu card or passport name with alphabet/kana/kanji. You may expect one day to one week to receive your custom order hanko.

Japanese phone number

The three big phone careers – docomo, au, and Softbank – will be your first options since they have many in-person shops. Although all of them provide multilingual support only to get contracts, in big cities like Osaka and Tokyo some staff can help you with Chinese or English. Some colleagues in Nara told me that the Y-mobile (a sub brand of Softbank) shop in Umeda (central Osaka) has a multilingual staff.

Another option is applying online with MVNO services like Y-mobile (Softbank), UQ mobile (au), or other cheap options like LINEMO or Rakuten mobile. If you buy a SIM card online, check that it is compatible with your phone. Also, some of them have a two-year rule that you have to stay with the same service for up to two years or you have to pay a penalty if you leave earlier.

Option: Get a driver license

To drive a car or motorbike in Japan, you need a driver license. Particularly if you are in rural areas, it is an essential item. You have two options: international driver license, or switch to or obtain Japanese one.

Housing for the long term

Rent a house/room

First and foremost, getting your address is the key to establishing your life in Japan. To find a property, people usually use property info sites, such as at-home, SUUMO and so on. Unfortunately many of them don’t have multilingual options, but you may get a sense of what renting a house in Japan looks like.

Via these sites, you can easily send inquiries to real estate agencies, who will then contact you via email or phone. You can ask them to drive you from their office to the properties to see the property in person, or meet at the properties if it’s convenient for you. Thanks to the pandemic, more and more agents provide an online viewing option. If you like it, ask about initial cost, monthly cost, and move out fee. Initial cost includes: first month’s rent, key money (Rei-kin), deposit, cleaning fee, community fee, management fee, etc. With all of the hidden fees, the initial cost will be the price of 2-4 months’ rent. Double check which of these are refundable, and which are not; which you can ditch, and which are mandates. These fees may vary depending on agents, landlords, management companies, or even regions.

Useful resources

• Renting house in Japan: A beginner’s guide by SUUMO
• Seems there are some real estates agents that have multilingual support section though, limited in Kanto area.Best Estate Japan has listings not only in Kanto area. Bonus: informative pages about utility settings.

Apply for the house/ room

When you ask every question you have and you like the property, apply to the landlord, usually via agent. Often rental listings are shared by several agents, so it is possible your favorite will be taken until your application reaches the landlord. They will ask you to prove your income by filing your pay stub or company certification of your salary. Although it is possible that your application is declined because of your income, you can also file your savings validation. Rent fees above 1/3 of your income is often considered as a risk factor by the landlord. If you have not started working yet, or started your job shortly before your application, they may ask for a rent guarantor who will be responsible when you can’t pay your rent; alternatively, you can get rental insurance.

Sign the contract

When your application is approved by the landlord, you can sign the contract. The agent will ask you to pay by cash or credit card. Bank ATMs often have withdrawal limits per day, so check ahead of time how much cash you’ll need to bring. A few days later, you will have the key to your new place.

Setting up utilities

Water, gas, electricity, and Internet providers don’t always come with property contracts.

Register your move at city hall

When you move in and out, you should register your new address at city hall. The information – called jumin-hyo (residence registry) – is tied to your zairyu card, health insurance, and pension system.

Option: Register your move for post office service

When you move to your new place, you’ll want to register your move to the post office as well. You can apply online or get it done in person at the post office. See this link for how to get set up. Up to one year after your registration, they will forward mail to your new address.