Those going to any country for a substantial period of time are going to want to be sure they've covered their bases. Passport? Check. Visa? Check. Clean pair of underwear? Working on it. Depending on where you're going and for how long the specifics will change, but before I forget I wanted to set out and create a very general list of things to keep in mind when going to Japan. Obviously if you're sponsored by a school or program you're going to be filling out all their paperwork as well, and that's a huge pain by itself, so you shouldn't have to worry about forgetting to tie up the odds and ends. Syk3 has got you covered. (image heavy)
DO BEFORE LEAVING:
- Passport [ryoken/pasupooto | for everyone] - if you're thinking about going, get one or make sure yours is up-to-date. It's a no-brainer.
- Pictures [everyone] - if you're getting a new passport anyway, take extra photos because you're going to need them later for official forms.
- Get a job, a school, or a friend [everyone] - you need something to do when you get over there.
- Certificate of Eligibility [those who need a visa] - unless you have an organization that takes care of this for you, you need to fill out a form and wait for them to send you this certificate, which can take around 6 weeks but makes obtaining a VISA a LOT easier.
- VISA [sashou/biza | staying longer than 90 days] - required to do things like take classes, earn money, and basically anything that isn't strictly related to visiting Japan. If you don't have one, you can stay up to 90 days. If you do have one, then you're limited by the type of VISA, such as Student, Instructor, Journalist, etc.
- Power of Attorney [staying for a while] - a legal document that puts control of your home country assets in the hands of someone trustworthy while your away, in case something needs to be signed on your behalf, etc.
- Credit Cards [everyone] - some people forget to do this, but make sure you call your credit card company if you plan on using it in Japan. Otherwise they may not be able to get in contact with you, and end up blocking all the charges. And you don't want this to happen just when you're about to buy that brand new color tamagotchi, do you?
- Guidebook [everyone] - always a good idea for things to do, or referencing hotels and such in the area. I recommend the Lonely Planet series, which I didn't use as much as I would have liked but it had a ton of useful information.
- Alien Registration Card [gaikokujin tourokushou | staying for a while] - the most important form of identification while you're away, and should be taken care of immediately. After visiting your local city hall [shiakusho], they'll give you a temporary certificate until your card is finalized.
- Insurance Card [hokensyou | staying for a while] - national health insurance is required for anyone hoping to receive treatment in Japan. Often times programs will require you buy separate insurance, but this becomes null and void when you arrive, so apply for a refund if this is the case. Insurance is around 40,000 yen/month.
- Cell Phone [keitai denwa | staying for a while] - extremely cheap, and extremely necessary in Japan. The cheapest plans are for 2-year contracts, but even for 1 semester I was only paying around 1,500 yen/month. Phones themselves may set you back around 20,000 yen for something that the states won't see for another few years at least. More on phones in a later post.
- Name Stamp [inkan | staying for a while] - this is the replacement of signatures in Japan, used most often (almost exclusively, in fact) by banks to sign forms. A cheap one goes for around 1,000 yen, and can include up to 4 characters. I had three: 愚令倶 or gu-rei-gu. The first kanji means foolish or stupid, the second means cold, and the third means group; all-in-all it gives off a yakuza kind of feeling, and when people in Japan read it they're like, "Oooh, cool! Scary, but cool!" Thanks goes out to my host parents for helping me come up with the kanji!!
- Bank Account and Cash Card [kouza and kyasshu kaado | staying for a while] - unless you plan on paying an international transaction fee every time you access your American bank from the local 7-11 ATM, you're going to need to open a bank account in Japan. This is required if your program needs to deposit money into your account, or if you rent housing. Otherwise, Japan is a cash economy and you'll need your cash card for ATMs, plus you won't have to worry about conversion rates if you exchange a lot of money into your bank account up front. In my experience, places that accept American credit cards are rare.
- Commuter Pass [eikiken | staying for a while] - if you find yourself using public transportation every day to commute to school or work, you won't want to buy individual tickets, and you can purchase a pass up front. It's valid for unlimited trips between your stations, but you need to buy separate ones for the train, subway, and anything that's owned by separate companies. If you're part of an organization they may give you a form to receive a discount, but you'll probably still be paying around 10,000 yen/month.
- Phone Cards and Postcards [tereka and hagaki | everyone] - keep in touch with family and friends back home, but don't pay too much to do it. The postcards should be relatively cheap, but if you aren't careful the phone cards could run you 10,000 yen in a week (I'm not kidding). Your best bet is getting a card that can be refilled with minutes, like Brastel.
- Clothes [staying for a while] - people in Japan are smaller than in the states, so keep this in mind if you plan to buy clothes over there. Stock up, or you just might have to search for an expensive specialty store.
- Gifts [everyone] - Japan is a society that revolves around exchanging gifts as expressions of gratitude. This should not be underestimated. Don't forgot to bring something for your Japanese friends or host parents if you have them, preferably of something that highlights your home town.
- No Tissues [everyone] - if you walk around for a half an hour in a busy commute area, I guarantee that someone will offer you free tissues with advertisements on them. These are substitutes in Japan for napkins, and there are TONS of them, so leave yours at home.
- No Manga [everyone who can read Japanese] - if you can read, or are practicing reading, Japanese manga, leave yours at home and save room in your luggage for when you buy it in Japan. It's dirt cheap, ranging from 100-400 yen.
It's too bad we never got to eat any of that pocky. I bet the banana chocolate was amazing.
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