Day 1: at the airport
At immigration, you'll receive your residence card (在留カード). Keep it on you at all times, it's legally required. Your work visa is now active.
Most international airports have free WiFi and a JR ticket counter. Pick up an IC card (Suica or Pasmo) before leaving the airport, it'll be your transit pass and convenience-store payment method for the entire stay.
Week 1: residence card, address registration, phone
Once you have a permanent address (even temporary corporate housing counts), you have 14 days to register at your local ward office (区役所). Without this, you can't open a bank account or get a phone plan.
What to bring: passport, residence card, lease or rental agreement.
What you'll leave with: residence registration certificate (住民票), and your address gets printed on the back of your residence card.
Phone
Mainstream carriers (Docomo, Softbank, au) require a Japanese bank account, so most foreigners start with an MVNO that accepts foreign credit cards: IIJmio, povo 2.0, mineo, or Sakura Mobile.
Plans are ¥1,500-¥3,000/month for 5-20 GB. Set this up first; you'll need a Japanese phone number for every subsequent step.
Month 1: bank account, hanko, MyNumber
Bank account
The bilingual-friendly banks: Shinsei Bank, Sony Bank, Rakuten Bank, SBI Sumishin Net Bank. JP Post Bank (ゆうちょ) is the universal fallback. Visit a branch; bring residence card + phone + apartment address + hanko (optional but often requested).
Hanko (印鑑)
The personal seal used in place of a signature on Japanese paperwork. Most newer banks accept signatures, but you'll eventually need one for apartments, employment paperwork, or buying a car. Order one online (¥3,000-¥10,000), kanji, katakana, or romaji all work.
MyNumber card (マイナンバーカード)
Your tax/social-security ID. You'll receive a notification at your registered address within a couple of weeks. Then visit the ward office to convert it into the plastic card. You'll need it for tax filing, health-insurance changes, and government services.
Month 2: National Health, pension, tax 101
National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), but actually 社会保険
If you're employed full-time, your employer enrolls you in 社会保険 (employee health insurance + pension) and withholds the premiums from your paycheck. You don't need to do anything yourself for this. Around 14.7% of gross salary goes to social insurance + pension.
If you're freelance / unemployed for the first month, you'll enroll directly at the ward office in 国民健康保険 (National Health Insurance) instead.
Annual tax filing
Employed: your employer handles year-end adjustment (年末調整). You don't file unless you have other income.
Freelance, or earnings over ¥20M, or itemized deductions: file 確定申告 (kakutei shinkoku) between February 16 and March 15 of the following year. Use the take-home pay calculator to model your liability.
Month 3: language, social, hobbies, money habits
- Language: commit to a JLPT level and a timeline. JLPT exams run every July and December. Most foreigners benefit from N5/N4 in their first 6 months, enough to read menus, ask directions, handle ward-office paperwork.
- Social: join 1-2 communities. See our community list.
- Money habits: Japan still has a strong cash culture, but tap-to-pay is now ubiquitous (Suica/Pasmo, QR codes like PayPay/LinePay). Most utility bills get direct-debited; ATM fees can be ¥220 outside business hours.
The apartment question
If your employer offers corporate housing for 30-90 days, take it. Apartment hunting is much easier once you have:
- A residence card with your registered address.
- A Japanese bank account.
- A Japanese phone number.
- A pay stub (給与明細) showing income, ideally 1-3 months.
Foreigner-friendly agencies: GaijinPot Housing, Ken Real Estate, Apartment Japan, Sakura House (short-term). Most charge 1 month rent as commission; plus 1-2 months key money, 1-2 months deposit, 1 month rent in advance. Budget ¥300K-¥600K for move-in costs.
Things you don't need to do (despite the internet)
- Carry yen in cash everywhere. Suica + a credit card covers 95% of urban purchases.
- Get a hanko before arriving. Order it after your name's on your residence card; the kanji/katakana spelling needs to match.
- Bring a year's worth of medication. Japan allows a 1-month supply of prescription drugs into the country without a special permit; for longer you'd need a yakkan shoumei (薬監証明) form, but most foreigners just refill via a Japanese clinic.
- Buy a car immediately. Tokyo / Osaka / Yokohama don't need one. Outside major metros, yes, but get settled first.