JapanesePod101.com Blog

As the number of non-Japanese people studying Japanese around the world increases, so does the number of people who want to live in Japan for work or study. After all, they say that one of the best ways to learn a language is to be completely immersed in it, right?

Moving to a country as foreign as Japan, however, can pose many challenges. When coming to Japan for work or study, there are many things one must consider: What do I need to do soon after I arrive? Where will I live? How do I get around? Here at JapanesePod101.com, we have used information obtained from staff and listeners alike and put together a mini-guide for getting started living in Japan. We will introduce it in three parts in this blog. Part one here covers valuable information on foreign registration and tips on finding a place to live.

If you have any questions or information that you would like to share about living in Japan, please leave us a comment!

Valuable Information on Living in Japan part 1

●     Alien Registration (外国人登録)

Foreigners staying in Japan for more than 90 days (which excludes those with tourist visas) need to apply for an alien registration card (外国人登録証, gaikokujin tōrokushō) within 90 days of landing in Japan. Applicants must apply at their local municipal office (city hall). The alien registration card is required for opening a bank account, purchasing a cell phone, obtaining a driver’s license, and more. Foreign residents are required to carry their alien registration card with them at all times. 

● Finding a Place to Live

When it comes to finding a place to live in Japan, there are two major options: a private apartment or a guesthouse.

APARTMENTS
Looking for an apartment using conventional real estate companies may prove to be difficult and expensive. It can sometimes be difficult finding a landlord who is willing to rent out to foreigners, and there are a number of fees that make up the rental contract. In Tokyo and other large cities, there are many real estate companies that cater specifically to the foreign community that may be worth looking into. When looking for an apartment, please be aware that utilities are often not included in the rent. After moving into your apartment, the start-up application forms for utilities can often be found in your mailbox or apartment. In come cases, they may be provided by your landlord or real estate agent, who may also set up the utilities for you. As for paying utilities, there are two major options: you can either pay your bills at the convenience store or post office as they come, or you can sign up to have the payments automatically deducted from your bank account every month.
Note also that for most apartments, a guarantor (連帯保証人, rentai hoshōnin) is required. Normally a guarantor is someone who is a Japanese national with good financial standing, or the company you are employed at. If you do not have someone who can act as a guarantor for you, there is the option of paying a guarantor company (保証会社, hoshō gaisha) a fee to have them act as a guarantor for you.
Useful Links:
http://www.tokyoapartments.jp/
http://www.tokyoapartment.com/
http://www.kimiwillbe.com/

GUESTHOUSE
An alternative to a private apartment is a guesthouse. Based on the living conditions (whether you share an apartment or room with other people, etc.), living in a guesthouse can be an inexpensive alternative to living in a conventional apartment. Many guesthouses also offer shorter contracts, which makes them ideal for shorter stays.

Useful Links:
http://www.sakura-house.com/
http://www.oakhouse.jp/eng/
http://www.t-guesthouse.jp/

Join us next week for more valuable information on getting started living in Japan!

Many of our readers are probably familiar with Valentine’s Day, and even celebrate it in their home country. Valentine’s Day probably conjures up images of hearts, red roses, Valentine candy, and maybe even the cute little Valentine’s Day cards you used to exchange in elementary school.

 But do you know how Valentine’s Day works in Japan? The Japanese Valentine’s Day has its own set of unique customs and rules that set it apart from the holiday celebrated around the world.

 First of all, while in western countries it is common for both men and women to give gifts on Valentine’s Day, in Japan, the gift-giving is left strictly to the women. Girls and women give chocolate (either handmade or store-bought) to a significant other or someone they are interested in. Surprisingly, though, women do not give chocolate only to that special someone they are interested in romantically, which is known as 本命チョコ (honmei choko, “chocolate for someone special”). There is also a tradition of giving chocolate to platonic male friends, co-workers, and bosses. This chocolate is given out of obligation, which is reflected in the name, 義理チョコ (giri choko, “obligation chocolate”).

So, do the girls walk away with nothing, you may wonder? Not quite. Lately on Valentine’s Day, many women decide to give chocolate to their female friends, which is known as 友チョコ(tomo-choko, “friend chocolate”), or even buy chocolate for themselves, known as マイチョコ (mai-choko, “my chocolate”). The main event for women, however, takes place on March 14^th, one month after Valentine’s Day. This marks White Day, a day where men give chocolate back to the women they received chocolate from a month earlier. White Day was created by the Japanese National Confectionary Industry Association in 1980 as a way to sell more sweets such as candies. Surprisingly, gifts of flowers, non-chocolate candies, and dinner dates that are strongly associated with Valentine’s Day in Western countries are uncommon in Japan.

 What do you think about the Japanese way of celebrating Valentine’s Day? What kind of Valentine’s Day traditions do you celebrate in your country?

Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found on vending machines. Let’s take a look!

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Read the rest of this entry »

Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found on forms at the bank. Let’s take a look!

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Read the rest of this entry »

Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found on envelopes used to put money into for special occassions. Let’s take a look!

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Read the rest of this entry »

 Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found at a gas station. Let’s take a look!

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Read the rest of this entry »

 Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found in a Japanese-language operating system of a computer. Let’s take a look!

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Read the rest of this entry »

 Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found on signs inside the train station. Let’s take a look!

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Read the rest of this entry »

Hi everyone! ^^/
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found on food packaging. Let’s take a look!

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毎日果実 (mainichi kajitsu) = literally, Everyday Fruit

毎日果実 is the name of a snack product, which is 2 crackers with raisins and other fruit sandwiched in the middle. The information beneath the product name lets you know that this snack contains 5 kinds of vitamins, calcium, iron, and fiber! What a healthy snack!

毎日 (mainichi) = everyday
● 毎 (mai) = every
● 日 (hi) = day

果実 (kajitsu) = fruit
● 果 (ka) = fruit
● 実 (jitsu) = nut

Sample Sentence:
毎日、果実を食べるのは、健康に良い。
Mainichi, kajitsu o taberu no wa kenkō ni yoi.
Eating fruit everyday is good for your health.

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牛乳 (gyūnyū) is the word for milk. The characters for 牛乳 are the words “cow” and “milk”. You can also see the second character in the word 豆乳 (tōnyū), meaning “soy milk”.

牛乳 (gyūnyū) = milk
● 牛 (gyū) = cow
● 乳 (nyū) = milk

Sample Sentence:
牛乳を買いに行ってくれる？
Gyūnyū o kai ni itte kureru?

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中華そば (chūka soba) = Chinese noodles

When it comes to instant noodles, 中華そば, Chinese noodles, and ramen are sometimes thought of as one and the same, but technically 中華そば is a little different because the noodles are not fried in oil before they are packaged and are lower in fat.

中華 (chūka) = Chinese
● 中 (chū) = middle
● 華 (ka) = splendor

Extra:
しお味 (shio aji) = salt flavor
● 味 (aji) = flavor

Sample Sentence:
中華料理を食べに行きましょう！
Chūka ryōri o tabe ni ikimashō!
Let’s go out for Chinese food!

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国産大豆のみそ (kokusan daizu no miso) = domestically produced miso (bean paste)

Miso, which is fermented bean paste, is a huge part of Japanese cuisine. Miso soup and fish prepared with miso are just a couple of ways miso is used.

Many consumers prefer products that are 国産, or from Japan, and recently there have even been some scandals involving food that was intentionally mislabled as 国産 (because they will fetch a higher price).

国産 (kokusan) = domestic product
● 国 (koku) = country
● 産 (san) = product

大豆 (daizu) = soy bean
● 大 (dai) = large
● 豆 (zu) = bean

Sample Sentence:
大豆は健康的で美味しい。
Daizu wa kenkōteki de oishii.
Soy beans are healthy and taste great.

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おいしい納豆 (oishii nattō) = delicious natto

Delicious natto… is there such a thing?? Just kidding =P Poor natto has such a bad reputation but once you get used to it, it’s actually quite good!

納豆 (nattō) = fermented soy beans
● 納 (na) = supply
● 豆 (tō) = bean

Extra:
極小粒 (gokushō tsubu) = extra small size
● 極 (goku) = extreme
● 小 (shō) = small
● 粒 (tsubu) = grain, bead

Sample Sentence:
私は毎朝納豆を食べます。
Watashi wa maiasa nattō o tabemasu.
I eat natto every morning.

★ If you think you can remember them all, try testing yourself with this video on Youtube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-8ayXYVdfI
★ Follow us on Twitter for future Everyday Kanji series!

Hi everyone!
Welcome to Everyday Kanji! In this series, we’re going to present pictures of kanji seen in various places in Japan taken by the team members at JapanesePod101.com. That’s right - kanji seen and used everyday!

The theme for this week is kanji found on signs outdoors. Let’s take a look!

①

Read the rest of this entry »