Before Going to Japan#
Prepare necessary items and matters for after going to Japan in advance.
Study Abroad Guide#
Japan Study Abroad Guide (studyjapan.org)
Passport and Visa#
Check how to apply for a passport yourself.
Visa: Look for the required application materials on the embassy's website and find an agency designated by the embassy to handle it. The price is about 500 yuan.
Applying for Visa, Mastercard, JCB Credit Card#
Choose one of the three; just getting one will be much more convenient. I applied for a Bank of China Visa card on my phone, and it took about half a month to receive the card.
Seal#
Order a set of round Japanese seals on Taobao; I only used the seal with my full name and did not use the recognition seal.
For convenience, I used my name in pinyin in uppercase. If I used Chinese characters, I would have to register at the city office after coming to Japan, which is quite troublesome, so I simply used an English name to get around Japan.
It's rarely used but indispensable.
Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ) Card Application App#
Upon arriving in Japan, you can only apply for a ゆうちょ bank card.
iPhone users can borrow Japan - Free Shared Account | AneeoApple to download the app from the Japan region App Store.
Chinese version application guide: Link
For students, the required materials include a residence card, student ID, and email address. The residence card must indicate the current address.
Essential Apps to Download in Advance#
Google Maps, etc., specifically search on Xiaohongshu.
It's recommended to download apps for McDonald's and Matsuya because you can order on your phone without needing to communicate. However, the app must be downloaded from the Japan region.
Suica Transportation Card#
iPhone users can apply for a Suica card after binding their domestic UnionPay card in Apple Pay. After directly recharging with the UnionPay card, it can be used in many places in Japan, which is very convenient.
It's less convenient for Android users (especially Huawei). You might consider searching for a guide to apply for a physical card after arriving in Japan.
Purchasing a Data SIM Card#
Buy a short-term data SIM card for Japan on Taobao. I bought a 15-day 20GB one.
Handling Domestic Phone Cards#
Activate international roaming (free) for the phone card you need to keep, and change the plan to 8 yuan for number retention.
For cards you don't need to keep, just activate international roaming and wait for it to automatically expire due to insufficient balance.
Future Phone Card Choices#
Y.U mobile, IIjmio, povo, linemo, etc.
You can apply for a phone card online after arriving in Japan (discount cards); you need to fill in a friend's Japanese phone number and your own Japanese address when applying.
Most cheap phone cards cost around 1000 yen per month for 3G to 5G data. I initially wanted to choose Y.U mobile because it offers 5GB of data per month that can be carried over, with a maximum carryover of 100GB permanently valid, but I couldn't apply with a Chinese VISA card, so I finally chose IIjmio, which also offers 5GB with carryover to the next month, but it automatically expires in the third month.
Some phone cards may not work on certain Android phones, so be cautious.
Accommodation#
After arriving in Japan, I couldn't check into the rented house temporarily, so I booked a hotel for the first day on Ctrip.
I have no experience renting a house myself, so I searched on my own.
Searching for Key Shops Near the School#
Check for any cheap supermarkets, 100 yen shops (like Daiso, for inexpensive daily necessities), and fast food restaurants. Look at the map on Xiaohongshu.
After Arriving in Japan#
Residence Card#
Exchange the COE at border control. It's better to apply for a permit for extracurricular activities (part-time work) on-site; applying later may be more troublesome.
Rent, Enrollment, City Office Registration, and National Health Insurance, etc.#
I relied on classmates to help translate. If I were to handle it myself, I would be completely lost.
Phone Card, Bank Card#
I had prepared for this in advance; online application is sufficient.
My Number Card#
You can only receive instructions on how to apply via email after staying in Japan for a while. Online application is sufficient.
Amazon#
Shopping on Amazon (the website starts with jp for Japan) is very convenient; you can search in Chinese, especially for furniture needed at the beginning. It can be linked to a credit card for payment. Initially, since I bought many items, signing up for a Prime membership can save some money (600 yen per month). Later, you can just pause the Prime membership.
For example, I bought large furniture items like mattresses, refrigerators, and vacuum cleaners on Amazon. Although stores like Bic Camera also sell items and offer points, it might not be cheaper overall than Amazon.
With Amazon Prime, you can also apply for an Amazon Mastercard credit card.
Withdrawing Yen#
Generally, you can use Suica, credit cards, WeChat, and Alipay to avoid exchanging for yen. When needed, you can go to a convenience store to withdraw cash with a UnionPay debit card (with an annual limit of about 100,000 yuan), with a fee of around 50 RMB. The Great Wall Cross-Border MasterCard has no fee for the first transaction each month, but you need to deposit an additional 2% of yen for temporary freezing. If you want to make international remittances, you can apply for a card at the Bank of China in Japan, which has lower fees (annual limit of 50,000 USD). You can also exchange currency privately.