Guides
Guides for life in Japan
Plain-English guides to the paperwork, money, and everyday systems you meet as a resident of Japan. Grouped by topic below.
Work & Money
4 guidesSalary, taxes, and the systems your employer enrolls you in — explained line by line.
How to Read a Japanese Payslip (Kyuyo Meisai) A plain-English, line-by-line guide to the Japanese payslip: the three sections, the main deductions, and a kanji-to-English glossary for your first year at a Japanese company. Japan's Residence Tax: Why the Bill Arrives in Year Two Why residence tax doesn't show up in your first year in Japan but does in your second, how the roughly 10% rate is worked out, and what happens if you leave Japan before it's settled. Health Insurance After You Quit Your Job in Japan What happens to your health insurance after you leave a Japanese company: voluntary continuation, National Health Insurance, and joining a family member's plan — deadlines and mechanics. The Lump-Sum Withdrawal Payment: Getting Some of Your Japanese Pension Back How Japan's lump-sum withdrawal payment works for foreign workers leaving the pension system: eligibility, the payment cap, the 20.42% withholding tax, and the 2025 reform.
Home & Moving
2 guidesRenting in Japan has its own vocabulary. Here's what the contracts actually mean.
Rental Guarantors in Japan: How the System Works A plain-language guide to Japan's rental guarantor and guarantor-company system: how it works, typical fees, why foreign applicants often get screened out, and no-guarantor options. Getting Your Security Deposit Back in Japan Shikikin and restoration rules when you move out of a Japanese apartment — what landlords can and cannot charge you for, based on the MLIT guideline and Civil Code.
Everyday Essentials
5 guidesThe first-year checklist: the cards, contracts, and counters everyone has to figure out.
The My Number Card in Japan: A Guide for Foreign Residents What your My Number is, how to apply for the physical card, why it matters more since the paper health insurance card was phased out, and what the new Specified Residence Card is. Opening a Bank Account in Japan as a Foreigner A neutral guide to opening a bank account in Japan as a foreigner: the residence-card rule, the real '6-month wall,' required documents, and how bank-by-bank English support differs. How to Get a Phone Contract in Japan as a Foreign Resident A newcomer's guide to long-term SIM and phone contracts in Japan: the identification and payment rules, how residence status affects what's available, and how carriers compare to budget SIMs. Converting a Foreign Driver's License to a Japanese License (Gaimen Kirikae) A plain-language guide to gaimen kirikae: the October 2025 rule tightening, the document checklist, exempt countries, test format, fees, and how to book at your local center. How to Shop at a Japanese Supermarket Chains compared, discount-sticker culture, and how to cook cheap in Japan — a practical guide for newcomers.