Daily life roadmap
Arrival → IC card + SIM → Transport pass → Shopping routine
Student checklist — first week
- Day 1–2: yen cash, Suica/Pasmo, SIM or eSIM, save your address and international office contact.
- Day 3–5: teikiken (if commuting) with student certificate, first grocery shop (Aeon/OK Store), ward garbage collection calendar.
- Week 1: municipal registration + NHI, activate PayPay if you have a bank account, university email for education software.
Weekly budget (practical method)
- Monthly estimate — Use the table below; divide by 4 (e.g. ¥150,000/month → about ¥37,500/week).
- Fixed costs — Pay rent and teikiken on the due date; do not touch that portion.
- Food — university cafeteria + konbini in moderation + OK Store for main groceries.
- Buffer — Keep ¥5,000–¥10,000 for pharmacy, documents, top-ups.
- Sunday: check bank statement / banking app — adjust for the following week.
Indicative monthly budget (2026, excluding university tuition)
| Item | Tokyo | Osaka / regional cities |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (1K / room) | ¥70,000–¥130,000 | ¥40,000–¥80,000 |
| Groceries + cafeteria | ¥25,000–¥45,000 | ¥20,000–¥35,000 |
| Transport | ¥5,000–¥15,000 | ¥4,000–¥10,000 |
| Phone + internet | ¥5,000–¥12,000 | ¥4,000–¥10,000 |
| Utilities (if excluded) | ¥8,000–¥15,000 | ¥7,000–¥12,000 |
| Leisure | ¥10,000–¥25,000 | ¥8,000–¥20,000 |
| Indicative total | ¥123,000–¥242,000 | ¥83,000–¥167,000 |
Last updated: May 2026 — indicative estimates; schools may require about ¥1.5–2.0 million/year for the CoE — ISA / host institution
Supermarkets and saving money
- Aeon, Life, Seiyu (Walmart), OK Store (discount).
- Don Quijote — Variety, open late.
- 100 yen shops (Daiso, Seria) — Household and stationery.
- Konbini (7-Eleven, Lawson, FamilyMart) — Quick meals, ATMs, bill payment.
- University cafeterias — Meal about ¥300–¥500 if subsidised.
Student discounts
- Commuter pass (teikiken 定期券) — Train/metro subscription between home and university (up to about 50% off single tickets).
- Japan Rail Pass — For short-term tourists only, not for resident students.
- Museums / culture — Discounts with student ID.
- Software — Microsoft/Google education via university email.
Public transport
- Buy a Suica or Pasmo (IC card) at a station — usable on metro, buses, and at konbini.
- For commuters: teikiken at the ticket office (student certificate required).
- Google Maps / Japan Transit Planner — Accurate timetables.
- Bicycle — Bicycle registration mandatory in many municipalities (防犯登録).
Last updated: May 2026 — JR East — Suica
SIM and internet
- Carriers: SoftBank, au, docomo, Rakuten Mobile, MVNOs (Sakura Mobile, Mobal for foreigners).
- Documents: residence card + passport; some prepaid plans available at the airport.
- eSIM — Available (Rakuten, etc.) if your phone is compatible.
- Home fibre — NTT Hikari, au Hikari; installation 2–4 weeks — check building rules.
Life on your own (what parents often did at home)
Beyond budget and trains: laundry, basic cooking, waste sorting, and dorm/share-house rules. In Japan, humidity (rainy season, summer) makes drying as important as washing.
Washing machine and coin laundry (コインランドリー)
- At home: compact machines with Japanese panels — often 洗濯 (wash), 乾燥 (dry), temperatures in °C.
- Coin laundry: common near campus (¥200–¥500 wash + dryer); coins or app; often open late.
- Detergent: supermarket or sold on site; single-use pods help if you cannot read labels.
- Drying: in humid seasons dry immediately on a 物干し rack or use a dryer; mould on clothes is a real issue.
- Share house: book laundry slots if required; do not leave clothes in the machine.
- Check care symbols; if unsure, cold or 30 °C water.
- Do not overload small drums.
- Hang or machine-dry within 1–2 hours of the cycle.
- In university dorms: respect quiet hours and shared space.
Basic cooking, konbini, and canteen
- Konbini — hot meals are convenient but cost more than weekly shopping if you use them daily.
- Supermarkets — OK Store, Seiyu for the week; campus canteen ¥300–¥500 when subsidised.
- Equipment: many 1K flats only have a microwave/hob — check before buying large pots.
Rubbish, cleaning, and flatmates
- Mandatory sorting — burnable, plastic, PET, glass: municipal calendar (often Japanese only — ask your international office).
- Collection: specific bags and strict time windows — fines for wrong day/type.
- Share house: kitchen/bathroom rota; quiet hours after 22:00 in many contracts.
Driving licence
- Home-country licence + official translation or International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva Convention) — limited validity (often 1 year after entry).
- After that period: Japanese driving test or conversion (only some countries have reciprocity).
- Car ownership: high costs (parking, shaken inspection insurance).
Pets
Bringing a pet to Japan
- Microchip and rabies vaccination (MAFF rules — waiting period before entry).
- Health notification at the Agriculture quarantine station at the airport.
- Some dog breeds are banned; apartments often prohibit pets (petto kinshi).
- Check MAFF — Animal Quarantine (current year rules).
Culture: what surprises students
- Punctuality — Train delays are exceptions; arrive 10 minutes early for official appointments.
- Cash — Still important; carry yen for small shops and temples.
- Garbage — Strict separation (burnable, plastic, PET) with the ward calendar.
- Quiet — On trains and in libraries; phone on vibrate.
- Humid season — Dehumidifier and washing machine: dry clothes immediately to avoid mould.
Useful apps
| App | Use |
|---|---|
| PayPay, Line Pay | Mobile payments |
| Google Maps, Navitime | Transport |
| Uber Eats, Demae-can | Food delivery |
| Google Translate (camera) | Menus and forms in Japanese |
| Japan Official Travel App | Tourism info and emergencies |
Pharmacies, post, and services
- Pharmacies — Green sign; many medicines prescription-only (shohosen).
- Japan Post — Yū-Pack for parcels; post office for international shipping.
- ATMs — 7-Bank and Japan Post accept foreign cards; traditional banks often do not after hours.
Last updated: May 2026 — Study in Japan
Next step: NHI and clinics — see the Health guide.
Sources
Wrong collection day = problems with landlord and neighbors.
Quick reference
Precise timetables, marked seasons, excellent food at every price. Separation of shoes, waste per day, and indirect messages are part of the integration.
Transport
Metro on time; last train ~midnight (dep. city). Shinkansen for travel with limited student discount. Bike ok with regulated parking.
- Suica
- Google Maps JP
- Last train
Climate and what to pack
Humid and hot summer; cold dry winter; June rain (tsuyu). Typhoon autumn. Layers and compact umbrella.
Phone and internet
Telephone
Rakuten Mobile, au, SoftBank. Pocket WiFi for the first few days. growing eSIMs. Japan Post for official documents.
Food and groceries
Konbini, izakaya, cafeteria canteen. Etiquette: Do not eat while walking on the street in many areas. Ramen slurp ok.
Habits and settling in
Genkan shoes, burnable/non-burnable separation. Lightweight bow. Indirect about issues — ask clearly but politely.
Deep dive (optional)
Go deeper
Key numbers
| Service | Number / note |
|---|---|
| Police (emergency) | 110 |
| Ambulance / fire | 119 |
| Japan Coast Guard | 118 for distress at sea and certain aviation emergencies |
| Police (non-emergency) | #9110 — NPA advisory line for lost property and minor matters (dial # then 9110 on many Japanese mobiles) |
| Mobile “112” routing | 112 may connect to emergency centres on some networks—confirm with your carrier; 110/119 remain the standard numbers |
| Consumer hotline | 188 routes you to local consumer centres (call from Japan; hours/charges on the CAA site) |
| English emotional support | TELL Lifeline — see current dial-in hours |
Post & pharmacy
Pharmacy
OTC drug classes and prescriptions (shohosen); bring your health insurance card.
Go deeper
Driving licence & ID
Exchange rules, international permits, and minimum ages differ widely. Confirm with the national or state motoring authority in Japan before driving; rental desks usually require licence plus passport or national ID.
Mobile plans & SIM
Compare prepaid vs contract; you will usually need ID and sometimes proof of address. Ask about number portability, fair-use data caps, and EU/international roaming if you travel outside Japan.
Groceries & food
Mix discount supermarkets with local markets and food-rescue apps where they operate. Check Sunday opening rules and bag/bottle deposit schemes in Japan—they affect weekly cost.