Just Landed in Japan? Your First 7 Days

Mobile and fibre coverage is excellent nationwide, including on trains and deep in subway tunnels. Newcomers usually start with an airport tourist SIM or rental pocket Wi-Fi, then move to a full contract once they have a Residence Card, address and often a Japanese payment method. Home fibre from NTT (via providers like So-net or OCN) is fast and reliable but installation can take a few weeks, so a mobile hotspot bridges the gap.

Typical cost: ¥2,000–¥4,000/month for a data + voice plan; budget MVNOs like IIJmio start lower

Japan is modernising fast on payments — Suica, PayPay and contactless cards are near-universal in Tokyo and Osaka — but it remains stubbornly cash-first in small restaurants, clinics, temples and rural areas. Assume any given place might be cash-only and you will rarely be caught out.

Opening an account: Japan Post Bank (Yucho) and Shinsei/SBI are the most foreigner-friendly for opening an account; Sony Bank and Rakuten Bank are also accessible online. You generally need your Residence Card, a registered address and usually a Japanese phone number, and some banks restrict international transfers until you have been resident for six months. Services like Wise or Revolut are the practical way to move money in and out cheaply in the meantime.

Cash: Keep ¥20,000–¥30,000 in cash on you, especially when eating out, visiting clinics or travelling outside big cities. ATMs at 7-Eleven and Japan Post reliably accept foreign cards around the clock and are your fallback anywhere in the country.

Tipping: There is no tipping culture — attempting to tip can cause genuine confusion and is sometimes politely refused. A service charge is occasionally added at high-end restaurants and hotels, but otherwise the price you see is the price you pay.

Registering your residence at the local municipal office is a legal requirement, not an optional formality, and almost everything else depends on it. The single registration visit records your address on your Residence Card, enrols you in National Health Insurance, begins your National Pension enrolment where applicable and triggers issuance of your My Number — the personal number used for tax and payroll. Bring your Residence Card, passport and rental contract, and be prepared to fill in forms in Japanese, so translation help is worth arranging in advance.

Deadline: Within 14 days of moving into your address

Where: Your municipal ward or city office (ku-yakusho or shi-yakusho)

Public transport is Japan's crown jewel — trains and subways are punctual to the minute, spotless and reach nearly everywhere, and IC cards make the whole network seamless with a single tap. Rush-hour trains in Tokyo and Osaka are genuinely packed, so building your home around a short, direct line pays off daily. For driving, a foreign licence with an International Driving Permit is valid for up to one year, after which you must convert to a Japanese licence (gaimen kirikae).

From the airport: Narita: N'EX or Keisei Skyliner into central Tokyo in ~40–60 min. Haneda: Keikyu Line or Tokyo Monorail in ~20–30 min. Kansai (KIX): JR Haruka to Shin-Osaka/Kyoto. Airport Limousine buses serve major hotels directly.

Renting almost always goes through a letting agency and usually requires a guarantor company (hoshо̄ gaisha) that vets and backs you for a fee. The headline shock is the move-in cost: on top of the first month you typically pay a deposit (shikikin), non-refundable 'key money' (reikin), an agency fee and the guarantor fee, which together can reach four to six months' rent upfront. Many newcomers start in a share house or a foreigner-friendly 'no key money' flat to soften that first bill.

Typical rent: ¥70,000–¥180,000/month for a 1-room to 1-bed in Tokyo; markedly cheaper in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka

Deposit norm: Often 4–6 months of rent upfront in total (deposit + key money + agency fee + guarantor + first month)

Japan runs a universal, high-quality healthcare system, and enrolment is mandatory for residents. You join either National Health Insurance (NHI) through your ward office or your employer's health insurance through work, and either way the scheme covers roughly 70% of most medical costs while you pay the remaining 30% at the counter.

How to access it: Enrol in NHI at your ward office at the same time you register your address, and carry the insurance card to appointments. You can then walk into most clinics and hospitals directly without a referral, though large hospitals may add a surcharge if you skip a clinic first. Pharmacies fill prescriptions next door, and many clinics keep same-day walk-in hours.

Insurance: NHI premiums are income-based and billed by your municipality; there is also a high-cost medical care ceiling that caps what you pay in an expensive month. Keep private travel or expat insurance active for the short window between arrival and your card being issued.

• Remove your shoes when entering homes, traditional restaurants, temples and some clinics — look for a step up or a shoe rack at the entrance.
• Keep your voice low on trains and set your phone to silent 'manner mode'; taking calls in a carriage is frowned upon.
• Hand over cash and cards with two hands or place them on the small tray provided at the till rather than into the cashier's hand.
• Queue neatly and follow the floor markings on platforms and at bus stops — orderly lines are the norm and cutting in is noticed.
• Bow slightly as a greeting and a thank-you; a small nod is fine for everyday interactions.
• Sort your rubbish carefully into burnable, non-burnable, plastics and recyclables, and put it out only on the correct collection day for your area.
• Say a quiet 'sumimasen' to get attention or apologise — it doubles as 'excuse me' and 'thank you' and smooths almost any interaction.

• Eating or drinking while walking is considered impolite in many areas; step aside or finish near the shop instead.
• Public rubbish bins are scarce, so carry your litter with you until you find one, often near vending machines or konbini.
• Tattoos may bar entry to public baths (onsen), pools and some gyms; cover small ones or seek tattoo-friendly venues.
• Blowing your nose in public is seen as unpleasant — step away discreetly, and wear a mask if you have a cold.
• Being late is a real social breach; aim to arrive a few minutes early for anything with a set time.