Moving to Japan: Step-by-Step Checklist | MyKyoten

🎧 Deep-dive audio walkthrough (33 minutes) A calm, end-to-end explanation of the arrival sequence and common mistakes. Best listened to while commuting or preparing.

This is for people planning to live in Japan for more than 90 days. If you already have a visa approval or you're about to apply for one, this applies to you.

If you're just visiting on a tourist waiver, none of this matters.

If you're switching from tourist status to a work visa while already in Japan, you're in for a headache. You'll probably need to leave the country and re-enter to activate the new visa, which resets all the registration timelines. Talk to immigration before you assume you can just "convert" your status.

The Overall Flow (This Matters More Than You Think)

Japan's system assumes you'll move through three stages: before you arrive, the first two weeks after you land, and everything after that.

The mistake everyone makes: trying to handle Stage 3 tasks during Stage 1.

You cannot open a bank account from overseas. You cannot rent an apartment without a residence card. You cannot get a phone contract without proof you live here. Stop trying. The systems literally won't let you proceed until you have the prerequisites from earlier stages.

For a day-by-day breakdown of what has to happen and in what order once you land, see our first 30 days in Japan guide .

Your only job right now is to make sure you can legally enter Japan and that your timing is correct.

Check Your Visa Dates (Seriously, Check Them)

Your visa has a validity window. If it says "valid for 3 months," you must enter Japan within 90 days of the visa issue date. Book your flight after you get the visa, not before.

I've seen people book flights four months out and then panic when their visa expires before their departure date. Don't do this.

If your employer sent you a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and you're waiting to apply at the embassy, don't wait too long. COEs expire. If yours expires before you even get to the visa interview, you're starting over from scratch. Some embassies accept PDF copies of the COE now. Others still require the physical document mailed to you. Check with your specific embassy before you assume anything.

You don't need a permanent address. You don't need a Japanese bank account. You don't need a phone number.

Japan knows you can't have these things before you arrive. The system is built around you getting them after entry, not before. People waste weeks researching Tokyo apartments from abroad and trying to wire deposits to landlords they've never met. It doesn't work that way. Japanese landlords will not rent to you until they can verify your residence card in person.

Documents to Bring (Physical Copies)

Bring printed copies of everything. Your visa paperwork, your COE, your diploma if your visa required it, employment contracts, anything official.

Keep them in your carry-on, not your checked bag. Immigration might ask for supporting documents at the airport.

Also bring a few passport photos in the Japanese standard size (4cm x 3cm). You'll need these for registrations. You can get them taken at any train station photo booth or convenience store here, but having a couple on hand saves you a trip in the first few days.

This is where the strict timeline starts. Once you land, you have 14 days to register your address . Miss this deadline and you're technically violating your visa conditions.

If you fly into Narita, Haneda, Chubu, or Kansai, immigration hands you your residence card right there at the airport . Done.

If you land at a smaller airport, they give you a piece of paper saying your card will be mailed to your registered address in a few weeks.

The problem: you need an address to receive the card, but some landlords want to see the card before giving you the lease. The workaround: register at a hotel or guesthouse as your temporary address, get the card mailed there, then update your address later. City halls see this constantly and know how to handle it.

Address Registration at City Hall (Jumin Toroku)

You have 14 days from your arrival date. Not "when you feel settled." Not "once you find a nice apartment." Fourteen days.

Go to your local ward office or city hall. Bring your residence card and proof of address (lease contract, letter from your landlord, hotel receipt if that's where you're staying).

The process takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how busy they are. They'll write your address on the back of your residence card by hand. That's it.

What trips people up: different city offices want different documents - avoid common city hall paperwork mistakes. Some want a copy of your lease. Some want the original. Some want a letter from your landlord with a signature and stamp. Call ahead or check the city website for your specific office. If you're crashing with a friend temporarily, you can register that address, but your friend might need to come with you or write a letter confirming you're staying there. Policies vary by city.

Reality Check: The Temporary Address Strategy

Plenty of people use temporary addresses for their first registration. You're allowed to change your address as many times as you need. It's annoying because you have to go back to city hall every time you move, but it's not illegal and it's not a problem for your visa.

Register wherever you're actually sleeping for the first two weeks. Update it later. Don't overthink this.

Health Insurance Gets Activated Automatically

Once you register your address, the city office enrolls you in National Health Insurance (assuming your employer hasn't already put you on employee insurance). This happens without you asking for it.

You'll get your insurance card in the mail in one to two weeks. Until it arrives, you can still see a doctor, but you might have to pay full price upfront and claim reimbursement later.

If your company provides employee health insurance, they handle enrollment and you skip the National Health Insurance system entirely. But if there's any gap between your arrival and your first day of work, you're legally required to join National Health Insurance for that gap period, even if it's just a week.

My Number: The Number vs The Card

When you register your address, the city office assigns you a My Number . This is a 12-digit ID used for taxes, health insurance, pensions, and other government stuff. You get a paper notification in the mail with the number on it.

That paper is not a card. It's just a notification.

You can apply for the actual My Number Card (a plastic IC card with your photo), but it's optional and takes a month or more to arrive. Most people don't bother because the number itself is what matters for daily tasks. The card is useful if you want to file taxes online or use certain government services, but it's not required for opening bank accounts or getting a phone contract. I didn't get mine until year three.

Pension Enrollment (Yes, This Happens Automatically Too)

If you're between 20 and 60, you get enrolled in the pension system when you register your address. You'll receive a pension handbook in the mail.

Look, honestly, most foreigners assume they'll never see this money again. That's not entirely true. If you leave Japan permanently, you can apply for a lump-sum refund of your contributions (up to a certain limit). If your home country has a social security agreement with Japan, you might be able to transfer credits.

If your income is very low, you can apply for a reduction or exemption, but you have to request it separately. It's not automatic.

Stage Three: Everything After Registration

Once your address is registered and your insurance is active, you're finally visible in the administrative system. Now you can do the things you actually wanted to do, like opening a bank account and getting a phone.

Opening a Bank Account (Prepare for Frustration)

Japanese banks are absurdly picky about foreigners. Even with a residence card and a registered address, some banks refuse to open accounts for anyone who's been here less than six months.

Your best options for newcomers:

Japan Post Bank (Yucho) - accepts almost everyone, lots of ATMs, minimal English but straightforward process

Prestia (SMBC Trust Bank) - English support, online banking in English, slightly more expensive

Sony Bank or other online banks - easier applications, but you need a Japanese phone number first

You'll need your residence card, a personal seal (inkan), and proof of address like a utility bill or a residence certificate (juminhyo) from city hall.

If you don't have an inkan, some banks let you use a signature instead. If they require one, just buy a cheap pre-made inkan at Daiso or a convenience store. You don't need a fancy custom one for a bank account.

The actual account opening takes anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. Bring your phone to read while you wait. The staff will photocopy everything and fill out forms at the speed of continental drift.

Reality Check: The Six-Month Rule

Some major banks (especially MUFG and Mizuho) have an unofficial policy of refusing foreigners who arrived within the last six months. They won't always tell you this upfront. They'll just say "we cannot open an account for you at this time" and never explain why. If this happens, go to Japan Post Bank. They don't care how long you've been here.

Phone Contracts Are Easier Now, But Still Annoying

The big three carriers (Docomo, AU, Softbank) all require a residence card, proof of address, and either a Japanese credit card or bank account for monthly payments.

If you don't have a Japanese credit card or bank account yet, you'll probably have to pay a deposit upfront. The deposit can be 20,000 to 40,000 yen depending on the plan.

Easier options for new arrivals:

Mobal or GTN Mobile - designed for foreigners, English support, accept foreign credit cards

Budget carriers like UQ Mobile, Y!mobile, or IIJmio - cheaper than the big three, still require Japanese payment methods but less strict about deposits

If you just need something temporary for the first month, buy a prepaid SIM at Bic Camera or Yodobashi. These work immediately, no contract required.

"City hall alone can take two hours if it's crowded. The bank takes another hour or two. The phone store eats another hour. By evening you're exhausted and you've probably messed something up."

Utilities: Usually Handled for You

Most landlords or real estate agents set up electricity and gas when you move in. In some cases, they'll tell you to call the utility companies yourself to transfer service into your name.

Electricity, gas, and water companies now have English phone support or online forms. You need your address, move-in date, and payment method (bank transfer or credit card).

Water bills are usually collected by the city and billed every two months. Gas and electricity are billed monthly.

Some utility companies let you pay at convenience stores if you don't have a bank account yet. The bill arrives in the mail with a payment slip. Take it to Seven-Eleven or Family Mart and pay in cash.

Address registration within 14 days - this is a legal requirement

Health insurance enrollment - happens automatically, but confirm it if you need to see a doctor in your first two weeks

Employer reporting your hiring to immigration (if you're working) - they handle this, but make sure they actually do it

Finding your "forever" apartment - stay in a guesthouse or short-term rental for the first month while you figure out which neighborhood you like

Buying furniture - manage with basics for a while, check Hard Off or Facebook groups for used stuff later

Getting a Japanese credit card - your foreign card works fine for most purchases, and Japanese banks want to see months of stable income before approving you anyway

Learning fluent Japanese - many city offices have multilingual staff or translation tablets now

Common Ways People Screw This Up

Mistake #1: Trying to Do Everything in One Day

You land, go to city hall to register your address, enroll in insurance, apply for My Number, then immediately try to open a bank account and get a phone contract all in the same afternoon.