Daily Life

Housing costs in Japan vary dramatically by city — and the gap is larger than most people moving here expect. Where you choose to live affects your entire financial picture. Here’s an honest, current comparison of rental costs across Japan’s major cities. Tokyo: Rent by Area Tokyo has enormous variation. Central areas cost 2–3x outer areas. Area 1K (studio) 1LDK 2LDK Minato, Shibuya, Shinjuku ¥120,000–200,000 ¥200,000–350,000 ¥300,000+ Shibuya adjacent (Nakameguro, Ebisu) ¥100,000–160,000 ¥180,000–280,000 ¥250,000–400,000 Popular mid-range (Shimokitazawa, Koenji) ¥70,000–110,000 ¥130,000–200,000 ¥180,000–280,000 Outer areas (Tachikawa, Hachioji) ¥50,000–80,000 ¥90,000–140,000 ¥130,000–180,000 Note: 1K = studio with kitchen, 1LDK = 1 bedroom + living/dining/kitchen, 2LDK = 2 bedrooms + LDK ...

Getting a Japanese driver’s license as a foreigner takes anywhere from one afternoon to several weeks — depending entirely on which country issued your current license. Knowing which path applies to you saves enormous time and money. Here’s how the process works for each country. Option 1: International Driving Permit (Short-term) If you’re visiting or just arrived, you can drive with: Your home country driver’s license + an International Driving Permit (IDP) Valid for 1 year from your entry date Important: This only works for tourists. Once you’ve lived in Japan for 3 months or more, you need to convert your license. ...

A common pattern for foreigners in Japan: polite colleagues, friendly conversations at events, but few close friendships after months of effort. Friendships in Japan typically form through repeated contact in structured settings — clubs, classes, recurring events — rather than one-off social occasions. This guide covers what works and why. Why Making Friends in Japan Can Feel Hard Indirect communication: Japanese people rarely approach strangers or suggest plans directly Group dynamics: Friendships often form within existing groups (work, school, clubs) Language barrier: Many Japanese people feel embarrassed about their English Geography: Tokyo’s size means friends are often 45+ minutes away Long work hours: Less free time to socialize None of this means friendship is impossible — it just means you need to be more proactive than you might at home. ...

Japan’s rental market has some of the most unique requirements in the world — guarantors, agency fees, key money, and landlords who sometimes decline foreign applicants. Understanding the system gives you a real edge. Here’s a practical guide to renting in Japan as a foreigner. Overview of the Process Search for apartments online or through an agent Visit properties with a real estate agent (fudōsan-ya) Apply — submit documents and get screened Sign the contract and pay upfront costs Move in Where to Search Site Language Notes Suumo (suumo.jp) Japanese Largest listing site in Japan Homes (homes.co.jp) Japanese Also very large GaijinPot Apartments English Foreigner-friendly, bilingual support Sakura House English Share houses and apartments, no key money Tokyo Apartments English Tokyo-focused, English support UR Rental Housing Japanese/partial English Government housing, no key money, no guarantor Tip: UR (都市再生機構) apartments are excellent for foreigners — no key money, no agency fee, no guarantor needed. Downsides: older buildings, limited availability in central areas. ...

What you'll learn in this guide The main apartment search platforms in Japan — and which ones foreigners can actually use How to read Japanese apartment listings without fluent Japanese What “foreigner OK” (外国人可) means and how to find these listings GaijinPot Housing, UR Housing, and share house platforms explained How to contact landlords and schedule viewings as a foreigner Quick Answer The main apartment search websites in Japan are SUUMO, Homes.jp, and AtHome. These are in Japanese but Chrome’s auto-translate makes them navigable. For English-language platforms, GaijinPot Housing and Sakura House are the most foreigner-accessible. UR Housing offers guarantor-free, no-key-money apartments through a Japanese government website. ...

Walking into a Japanese hospital without a plan is a disorienting experience — different departments, different paperwork, and a system built entirely in Japanese. Knowing how it works in advance takes most of the stress out of it. Here’s a practical guide to using hospitals and clinics in Japan as a foreigner. Health Insurance First Before visiting a doctor, make sure you have health insurance. All residents in Japan are legally required to be enrolled in either: ...

Setting up electricity, gas, and water in Japan sounds straightforward — until you realize the process involves phone calls or web forms that are entirely in Japanese. Most foreigners rely on a helpful colleague or neighbor. This guide lets you handle it yourself. Overview: What You Need to Set Up Utility When How Electricity Before move-in Online or phone Gas Before move-in In-person inspection required Water Usually already active Sometimes need to notify Internet 1–3 weeks before Online application Electricity (電気) Step 1: Find your provider Check the contract from your landlord or the flyer in your apartment — it will say which company supplies electricity (e.g., TEPCO in Tokyo, Kansai Electric in Osaka). ...

You moved to Japan with kids — or you’re about to — and suddenly education is an equation with no obvious answer. Japanese public school is free, but it’s entirely in Japanese, and your 9-year-old doesn’t speak a word. International schools are available, but they cost ¥2 million or more a year per child. And you need to decide before you’ve figured out the rest of the move, before you know how long you’ll be staying, before you even know which neighborhood you’ll live in. ...

Japan Post Bank — JP Bank — is one of the easiest bank accounts for foreigners to open in Japan. No complex requirements, nationwide ATM access, and international transfers supported. Here’s everything you need to know to open and use an account. Why Yucho for Foreigners? Extensive network: ATMs at 24,000+ post offices nationwide — including rural areas where other banks don’t reach Relatively foreigner-friendly: More accessible than major megabanks for new residents 7-Eleven ATMs: Yucho cards work at all 7-Eleven ATMs International remittance: Direct overseas wire services (international remittance) No monthly fee: Free to maintain Account Types Account Japanese Description Regular savings 通常貯金 Standard account — what most people open Fixed deposit 定期貯金 Time deposits with slightly better rates Savings with standing orders 振替口座 For businesses and regular payments Most foreigners open a 通常貯金 account. ...

Japan Post does a lot more than deliver letters. It handles banking, insurance, and package services that foreigners use constantly — once they know how. Here’s a foreigner’s guide to getting the most out of Japan Post. Finding Your Post Office Find the nearest post office at: post.japanpost.jp/map Post offices are usually open Monday–Friday 9am–5pm. Larger post offices stay open Saturday mornings. The postal ATMs are open longer than office hours. ...