Expat

What you'll learn in this guide Australia’s Working Holiday Visa for Japan — the easiest entry route Australia-Japan tax treaty explained (no double taxation) Cost of living comparison: Australia vs Japan in 2025 What to do with your superannuation when you leave Step-by-step first 30 days in Japan for Australians Banking setup: Wise, Japanese accounts, and keeping Australian banks open Quick Answer Australians can enter Japan on a Working Holiday Visa (ages 18–30), valid for 12 months with the right to work. For long-term residence, the most common route is employer-sponsored work visa. Japan is significantly cheaper than Australia — Sydney rent vs Tokyo rent is roughly 2:1 in Japan’s favour. ...

What you'll learn in this guide Canada’s Working Holiday Visa for Japan — eligibility, how to apply Canada-Japan Double Tax Agreement explained clearly CAD to JPY: real cost comparison for Canadians in Japan What to do with your RRSP, TFSA, and RESP when leaving Canada Banking setup using Wise and Japanese banks Canadian-specific checklist for the first month in Japan Quick Answer Canadian citizens aged 18–30 can enter Japan on a Working Holiday Visa (12 months, full work rights). For long-term stay, a work visa sponsored by a Japanese employer is the standard route. Japan is significantly cheaper than major Canadian cities — Toronto or Vancouver rent vs Tokyo runs about 2:1 in Japan’s favour. ...

What you'll learn in this guide Which visa types are available for Indian nationals moving to Japan Japan’s booming IT sector and why Indian engineers are in high demand Salary expectations for Indian IT professionals in Japan (2025 numbers) INR to JPY money transfers — how to avoid bank markups Indian community, food, and cultural support networks in Japan Complete first 30 days checklist for Indians arriving in Japan Quick Answer Indian nationals need a work visa (no Working Holiday Visa available for India-Japan). The most common route is an employer-sponsored Engineer/Humanities visa for IT and engineering roles. Japan has significant demand for Indian IT professionals, and salaries typically range ¥400,000–900,000/month for experienced engineers. ...

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. ...

What you'll learn in this guide The best food delivery apps in Japan and how they compare Which apps work in English for foreigners Delivery fees, minimums, and subscription options City-by-city availability (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and beyond) Payment methods foreigners can use Food delivery in Japan has exploded since 2020. The market is now competitive and mature — multiple apps fight for market share with promotions, discounts, and expanded coverage. Here’s how to navigate the options as a foreigner. ...

What you'll learn in this guide The best apps for learning Japanese in 2025 — honestly reviewed Which app is best for different goals (survival Japanese vs JLPT vs fluency) Free vs paid: where the paid tools are actually worth it How to build a Japanese study routine that fits around work What actually works for foreigners living in Japan vs studying from abroad Learning Japanese while living in Japan is both easier (immersion everywhere) and harder (work takes priority, brain is exhausted by 8pm) than studying at home. The right app makes a real difference. Here’s an honest look at what’s available in 2025. ...

What you'll learn in this guide The genuine advantages of living in Japan that most guides undersell The real challenges that most Japan content glosses over How the experience differs for short-term visitors vs long-term residents The honest answer to “Should I move to Japan?” What the first year looks like vs year 3+ Quick Answer Japan offers exceptional public safety, healthcare, infrastructure, food quality, and cost-efficiency compared to most Western countries. The genuine challenges are language barrier, bureaucratic complexity, social isolation risk, and limited career ceiling for non-Japanese speakers. Whether it’s worth it depends heavily on your career situation and willingness to learn Japanese. ...

What you'll learn in this guide Visa options for Americans moving to Japan What to do before leaving the US (checklist) First 30 days in Japan: what to do and in what order US vs Japan cost of living (real numbers for 2025) US taxes when living abroad — what Americans must know Banking, healthcare, and phone setup for Americans in Japan Moving to Japan from the US is one of the most significant quality-of-life moves an American can make. Low crime, excellent healthcare, world-class food, efficient public transit — and in 2025, with the yen weak against the dollar, the purchasing power of American salaries in Japan is remarkable. Here’s everything you need to know to make it happen. ...

What you'll learn in this guide Visa options for British citizens moving to Japan — including the Working Holiday Visa UK-specific tax considerations when living in Japan NHS vs Japanese healthcare: what changes when you move UK vs Japan cost of living comparison (2025 numbers) Step-by-step first 30 days guide for British expats What to do with your UK bank accounts, pension, and NI contributions Japan is one of the most popular destinations for British expats — and British citizens have a significant advantage: access to the Japan Working Holiday Visa, one of the easiest legal routes into the country. Here’s the complete picture for anyone moving from the UK to Japan in 2025. ...

What you'll learn in this guide Exactly what to bring vs what to buy in Japan Items that are hard to find or expensive in Japan (especially for larger sizes) Documents you must bring — not optional Electronics compatibility in Japan The complete packing checklist for your move to Japan Quick Answer Bring: documents (originals + copies), medications (3-month supply plus prescriptions), clothes in larger sizes, power adapters, and your debit card with no foreign transaction fees. Buy in Japan: most furniture, electronics, and daily goods — Japan has excellent quality at reasonable prices and shipping items from overseas costs far more than buying locally. ...