Advice for Settlement

Many people, especially students, wish to have a homestay experience in order to learn more about the Japanese way of life. But in Japan, the homestay system is not as developed as it is in western countries. Homestays in Japan are usually limited to short stays and hosted by international exchange groups, which may make you think they are difficult to find. This is largely reflected by the Japanese character that makes people hesitant to bring people home to their small houses, and is compounded by language and cultural differences.

Until you find an apartment after arriving in Japan, you will probably stay temporarily at a friend's home, business hotel or cheap accommodation. Among this variety of accommodation available, weekly or monthly apartments are most commonly used. These are furnished with most of the necessary things for daily life including a bed. They are generally cheaper than staying at a hotel. They are often used for long business trips.

After finding an apartment, the next thing to do is to move. If you are moving to Japan with your family, you will need to arrange shipping. Subsequently an expert will be necessary. However, many people such as foreign students who stay for one or two years only bring personal belongings to Japan. In this case, using a benriya (Jack of all Trades) or Takuhaibin (courier delivery service) will be useful and inexpensive. However you should ask for an estimate from them beforehand.

Frequency differs between Tokyo and Osaka
Unless it is an apartment for foreigners, the first thing you have to do after settling the contract is to install electricity, the water supply and gas. You order these services at your local branch office. Your landlord or house manager should have more information about this. Fees for these services are charged monthly. The payment is either made by an automatic withdrawal from your account or at a bank or convenience store.

Standard voltage used in Japanese homes is 100V. This makes it highly probable that electric appliances brought from your home country, except battery-powered devices, will not work. In addition, Japan's radio frequency differs: 50 hertz in eastern Japan and 60 hertz in western Japan. This means that if you are moving house between Tokyo and Osaka, you should ask an expert or at a home appliance shop as there may be certain devices that cannot be used in the new location.

If you have a TV set, you will be charged a public broadcasting license fee by NHK. When you are contacted by an NHK fee collector, you have to pay regardless of whether you watch your TV or not. Regarding telephone installation, this can be ordered through your local NTT office. For newly installed phones, an installing right fee and a line installing fee are required to be paid. This is one of the reasons the number of people using just a cell phone is increasing.

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