Journeys · 4 steps
Arrival in Japan: Your First Month, in Order
You are legally resident, registered at city hall, connected, insured, and housed — with residence card (在留カード), residence record (住民票), phone number, and signed lease (契約) in hand.
- 1
Prepare and land: status, residence card, first documents
Confirm your status of residence before travel, check your 在留カード at the airport, and keep passport, sponsor details, and first address in one folder.
Moving to Japan: First Steps Before and After You Land - 2
Get connected: bridge data, then a contract phone plan
Use visitor data on day one; after address registration, compare contract plans only on official provider pages and verify all prices at the source.
Arriving in Japan: Connectivity, SIM Cards, and Your First Phone Contract - 3
Find housing: search, guarantor, and lease signing
Request written initial-cost estimates covering 敷金 and 礼金, arrange a 保証人 or 保証会社, and listen to the 重要事項説明 before signing the 契約.
Finding Rental Housing in Japan: From Search to Signed Lease - 4
Register at city hall and complete your setup
File the 転入届, obtain a 住民票 if requested, follow official マイナンバー guidance, and confirm health insurance and pension enrolment for your situation.
City Hall Registration and Setup: Address, My Number, Health Insurance, and Pension