Japan
Country Info - Japan
You probably have many questions about Japan, but don’t know where to start. The following are a list of topics that you might want to think about. Please click on the topic for some basic information. For more detailed information, please click on the following two links below. Remember to check our FAQ page as well.
http://www.gaijinpot.com
http://www.japan-guide.com
Topics (in alphabetical order):
Airplane
Banking
Computers/Internet
Driver’s license
Entertainment
Etiquette
Food
Health Insurance
Learning Japanese
Money
Telephone/Communications
Transportation
Visas
Airplane – Flying to Japan
If you are flying from North America to Japan, you will most likely be arriving in one of the three major international airports – Narita International Airport (Tokyo), Chubu International Airport (Nagoya), or Kansai International Airport (Osaka). Depending on where you are flying from, there will be a direct flight to one of these major airports. If you are flying from the west coast of North America, a direct flight usually takes about 10 hours. If you are flying direct from the east coast, it will take about 14 hours. The common airlines used from North America to Japan are: Air Canada, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Northwest Airlines.
Banking
You can set up bank accounts in Japan as long as you have what is called an “Alien Registration Card”. Most teachers apply for and receive this card once they get to Japan. When opening an account, teachers should have this card and their passport. Japanese people use a stamp, called a “hanko”, which acts as their signature, but foreigners can use their normal written signature when signing documents.
After opening an account you will receive a bank card, which you can use to withdraw cash at bank machines. But be aware, many bank machines are not open 24 hours and may not even be open on weekends. So plan ahead if you are going to be needing cash for the weekend.
Many teachers want to send money home for different reasons such as paying off student loans. The easiest way to do this is to use something called “telegraphic transfer”, which is simply an electronic transfer of your money from your account in Japan to your account back home. There is usually a fee for this, about 2500JPY to 4500JPY per transfer.
Computers/Internet
Many teachers bring their own laptops to Japan. However, there are companies where you can buy a computer, have an English operating system, and have support in English as well, and it is not too expensive. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, you may be able to buy a used computer from another foreigner or teacher who may be heading home.
Internet connection is relatively easy to get. However, depending on the area and the building you live in, your connection options will be different. The most common types of internet connections are ADSL, which is through the phone line and relatively inexpensive, or fiber optic cable, which is a super fast connection but a little more expensive. Most large companies offer English support.
Driver’s license
If you are planning on driving in Japan you will want to get an international driver’s license before you depart. These licenses are good for one year, and only renewable if you leave the country once within one year. If you don’t renew, then you will have to get a Japanese driver’s license. If you have the necessary requirements, you can get a Japanese driver’s license through a simplified process. There will be some fees to pay, some documents to fill out, a simple written test, and a simplified driving test.
Entertainment
There are so many options. Tokyo is the party capital and will have all different types of night life entertainment, and since there are no laws on closing times, you can party all night However, some establishments are not foreigner friendly so be careful. There is abundant night life in all large and medium sized cities so you will always have many choices.
Other types of entertainment include concerts, theatre, and sports. There are English magazines that provide information on all types of events, and they are distributed in all major cities. There is always something happening, so there is much to experience.
Etiquette
Most Japanese people understand that as a foreigner, you would not be familiar with all the different customs of Japan. Being in an unfamiliar country, you should observe people, listen to those who have had experience living in Japan, be open to the new customs, and adapt the best you can. Please see the following link on more detailed etiquette and customs in Japan:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e622.html
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Food
Regular grocery stores and supermarkets will usually have everything you need. You will find some differences with supermarkets back home such as: meat will be packed in smaller portions, one liter milk cartons will be the largest size, and there is definitely more variety of fish. You can find some western made products such as Campbell’s soup, but you probably won’t find Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. If you do have a craving for western food, there are usually “international stores” which sell food from around the world.
There are all types of restaurants in Japan. You can find different ethnic restaurants from around the world, especially if you live in a large urban area. But since you are in Japan, you should try the many varieties of Japanese food, not just sushi. Japan is a great place for food, and it will definitely be something you will miss when you come back home.
Health Insurance
You must have health insurance while living and working in Japan. Many teachers purchase travel medical insurance in their home country before they depart for Japan. If you would like more information on obtaining travel medical insurance and to hear about the different options of coverage, please email or call our medical insurance advisor Mr. Carey Alden. Carey is an insurance advisor for MacNaughton and Ward Insurance. He has had experience with many teachers from Canada and the USA who have gone abroad to teach. Please contact him to find out more information.
Carey Alden
Cell: (604) 783-0703
Email: calden@macwardins.com
Website: www.macwardins.com
If you are planning on staying in Japan for more than one year, you might want to consider Japanese national health insurance. Premiums for this insurance are based on your previous year’s income, so your first year will be relatively cheap. However, you will have to purchase travel medical insurance before you go to Japan because you may not receive your Japanese national health insurance right away.
Learning Japanese
Making the effort to learn Japanese before you depart and during your stay in Japan will add to your experience. There are different options to choose from depending on what you want to achieve and what you want to pay. There are private schools which offer Japanese classes, but these are usually quite expensive. In many areas of Japan, there is usually an “international center”, which provides cheap or sometimes free Japanese conversation classes. You could also find a language exchange partner, where you teach your partner English and they teach you Japanese.
Money
When bringing money to Japan, you should bring cash and traveler’s cheques. However, make sure you bring your traveler’s cheques to a major bank, as some smaller banks may not be able to cash them for you. Japan is still primarily a cash based society, with credit cards not being as popular as they are back home. Personal cheques will not work, and as mentioned in the “Banking” section, bank cards can not be used as debit cards.
Telephone/Communications
When you are in Japan you will definitely need a mobile phone. Mobile phones are relatively cheap to purchase, sometimes free, and you pay a monthly fee based on what type of plan you are on. You will be amazed with all the different styles and colors of phones the stores offer.
A landline is usually not very beneficial for a foreigner, and it is expensive. You have to purchase the actual phone line, before you can set up the phone. If you want to call home, a cheap way is to set up an IP phone through an internet connection.
There are pay phones in Japan, some being used only for local calls, while others can be used both for local and international calls. Usually the green colored pay phones are for local calls only, and the grey colored pay phones can be used for both local and international calls.
Transportation
The public transportation system in Japan is excellent. There are trains, subways, buses, and taxis. They are all very efficient and run on time. Travel within Japan is made very easy because of this, and so going away for the weekend, or heading to Tokyo to party for the weekend is not out of the question, unless you are living in the very south of Japan, or the very north. The Shinkansen, or the bullet train, is very fast and runs through all the major areas. If you want to travel within Japan on an airplane, these flights are relatively expensive. Traveling internationally from Japan is relatively inexpensive.
Riding a bicycle is another option for commuting. However, Japan’s urban areas are not very bike friendly so don’t expect any bike lanes on the road. People rarely wear helmets, and mountain bikes are not as popular in Japan as they are in North America.
Visas – Please remember that the following is non-official information.
The typical visas that teachers may have are:
- Working Visa - This visa is what more teachers go to Japan with. Most schools require a Working Visa, which allows you to work full time for one year with the possibility of extending. You must have a university degree, or a college diploma in a related field with documented teaching experience, or a minimum of three years of documented teaching experience. However, applicants must be aware that visas are never guaranteed.
- Working Holiday Visa – This visa allows you to work, but it mainly for people who want to travel. You must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and be a Canadian citizen to be eligible for this visa.
- Spousal Visa – This visa is issued to those who are married to a Japanese national. This visa will allow you to work full time similar to the Work Visa.
- Heritage Visa – This visa is issued to those who are the child of a Japanese national or permanent resident of Japan. This also allows you to work full time similar to the Work Visa.
For official information regarding visas, please see the following link: