Practical guides for moving to Japan

Japan is wonderful.
The first few weeks take some decoding.

Japanese-only websites. Apartments that come with nothing. City Hall forms. This site helps you understand what you're looking at โ€” and what to do about it.

Select your country to get started:

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For Americans
English
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For Vietnamese
Tiแบฟng Viแป‡t
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For Indonesians
Bahasa Indonesia
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What this site actually does

Most Japan guides tell you what exists. This one helps you understand what you're looking at โ€” especially when the page is in Japanese.

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Explains Japanese products

What a futon actually is in Japan. What a rice cooker label means. What you're agreeing to when you click ็”ณใ—่พผใ‚€.

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Walks through paperwork

Residence registration, My Number, health insurance โ€” step by step, in your language.

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Optimized by country

What's surprising for Americans is different from what's surprising for Vietnamese or Indonesians.

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Follows your timeline

What to do on Day 1. What can wait until Day 4. A clear sequence, not a pile of articles.

Browse by topic

Select a country above to see content tailored to you.

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Paperwork & Admin
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Phone, Internet & Bank
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Your Home
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Shopping & Daily Life
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Weather & Seasons
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Tax & Money
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Getting Around
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Health & Medical
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Culture & Unwritten Rules