Moving to another country is never easy. It is even more difficult if you are not able to talk fluently in the language of that country.
So, moving to a country like Japan might end up being difficult and frustrating.
After living in Osaka for more than a couple of years, I have some tips and suggestions to start a life in Japan. I don't claim this to be the ultimate guide to move to Japan, but I think it might be helpful to some people.
House hunting in Japan
In big cities like Tokyo or Osaka rents are expensive and houses are small. Finding a good apartment without spending too much could be challenging. Living in a sharehouse could be a good compromise to start your life in Japan.
Sharehouses are furnished with all the basic home appliances and are far cheaper than any apartment. Usually, it is possible to rent a private room in a sharehouse for even just one month so, if you don't like the place, you can easily move out. If you are also interested in practicing your Japanese, a sharehouse gives you the possibility to live together with Japanese guys and girls.
If you are searching for sharehouses I would suggest you the following portals:
If you are searching for a sharehouse in Osaka I would also suggest you to check our website: https://www.sharehouse365.com
Resident registration
Resident registration, in Japanese 住民登録 (Juumin touroku)
After finding a home in Japan, it is time for some bureaucracy.
All the foreigners who move to Japan and plan to stay for a medium-long term, are required to register their address at the closest ward office (区役所 kuyakusho). This application must be filed within 14 days from the day you move into a new municipality.
This application is necessary also to be able to receive other public services like national health insurance or national pension.
In case of moving to another city or another residence in the same city, it is also necessary to notify the ward office of your new address.
If you are moving to Osaka, you can find some more information at this link.
National Health Insurance
National Health Insurance, in Japanese 国民健康保険 (Kokumin Kenkou Hoken)
If you move to Japan with a student or work visa, you must learn about the Japanese National Health Insurance.
Unlike many European countries, Japanese Health Care is not free. Visa holders have to pay for the National Insurance. Not enrolling in this insurance is illegal and might cost you a lot of money (if you have some accident you might have to pay all the medical expenses by yourself).
The National Health Insurance covers 70% of the medical bills (you will still have to pay the 30% left). Some Japanese companies provide their employees with an additional insurance that covers the 30% left.
The cost varies from city to city. In Osaka students with no income pay around ¥2000/month (〜＄18). For workers, the fee is more than doubled.
After completing the resident registration, you will receive at home a letter containing a set of bills (one per month). Usually, you will receive enough bills to pay until next year April. A new set of bills will be sent in June.
You can pay the bills for the national health insurance at every convenience store. It is also possible to set up an automatic withdraw from your Japanese bank account.
You will also receive a card similar to the one in the image above. Keep that card always with you! You will need it if you go to a hospital, clinic etc.
National Pension (国民年金 Kokumin Nenkin)
National Pension, in Japanese 国民年金 (Kokumin Nenkin)
As the National Insurance, the National Pension is also mandatory.
However, if you are a student you can ask for an exemption.
To apply for the exemption you will have to visit the closest branch office of the Japan Pension Service. If your Japanese level is not great, I would recommend you to ask for some help from the staff of your school or a Japanese friend.
This post is getting too long, so I decided to split it in two parts.
In the second part, I am going to talk about bank accounts, payment methods, and some other useful things.
I hope that this post can be of some help to you all. :)