Use this as a reference index. Jump to what you need โ paperwork, housing, transport, culture. All guides are written for Americans.
Residence registration, My Number, health insurance
How to register your address at City Hall within 14 days of moving in.
Japan's national ID number โ what it is, when you receive it, and when you'll need it.
Who needs it, how to enroll, and how much it costs in your first year.
What jumin-zei is, when it kicks in, and how it's calculated.
What it is, what to do when your address changes, and how to renew.
SIM cards, WiFi, opening a bank account
Which SIM works for your situation โ tourist SIM, contract SIM, or eSIM.
How to set up an eSIM before you land and which providers work best.
When a pocket WiFi router makes sense versus a standard SIM.
Which bank to choose, what documents you need, and what to expect.
IC cards, QR codes, and which payment methods are actually useful daily.
What your apartment comes with โ and what it doesn't
Curtains, light fixtures, appliances โ the full list of what to expect.
What tatami (็ณ) and square meters mean when looking at apartments.
How to read the Japanese remote and set heating vs cooling mode.
How to use a Japanese top-loader and read the cycle labels.
Supermarkets, 100-yen shops, garbage rules
What each type of store carries and which is better for daily essentials.
What Daiso and Seria carry โ and what's surprisingly good quality.
Some cities require specific bags. How to find yours and where to buy them.
Rainy season, summer heat, winter cold
What tsuyu is, when it hits, and how to manage the humidity.
Hotter and more humid than most Americans expect. What actually helps.
Japanese homes are often cold inside. How to stay warm without a central heating system.
Why mold is a real concern in Japan and what to do about it.
Residence tax, filing taxes, reading your payslip
IC cards, trains, cycling in Japan
Using hospitals, insurance cards, pharmacies
How the system works, when to use a clinic vs hospital, and what to bring.
How the 70/30 payment split works and what to show at the counter.
What you can buy over the counter and how Japanese drug names differ from US brands.
Japan's unspoken rules, neighbors, manners
Trains, public spaces, and social norms that aren't written down anywhere.
The aisatsu (greeting) custom and how neighbor relationships work in Japan.
Where to take off your shoes, toilet slippers, and common mistakes.
Why putting out garbage wrong is taken seriously, and how to get it right.
Punctuality, after-work drinks, and communication norms in Japanese offices.