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Useful Daily Living Information
Information on everyday life for foreign residents in Tokyo
If you are not familiar with the local community rules and systems where you are living, you may become overwhelmed by unfamiliar menial tasks in your daily life. By knowing and understanding the ins and outs beforehand, you will be able to navigate daily life in Japan more effectively and comfortably.
Below, we have gathered and assortment of information related to daily life in Japan, in English, covering such topics as how to discard garbage, or how to pay the bills.
Fighting Humidity and Mold During Japan’s Rainy Season
Summer in Japan can be an exciting time, full of bright summer festivals, fun beach trips, and shaved ice in myriad flavors. However, summer is also a time of high humidity, long sticky days, and mold. Fighting mold in the home is a constant exercise for many who live in Japan. Fortunately, there a…
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Furusato Nozei: How to Benefit from Japan's Hometown Tax
Furusato Nōzei, or the hometown tax, is a system by which taxpayers can pay their income or residential tax to a regional area, rather than the area in which they actually reside. Why pay tax somewhere else? Because under this system, regional areas will provide “gifts” as a show of thanks. These g…
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Redeliveries in Japan: Japan Post, Kuroneko, Sagawa & Amazon
There are many Japanese delivery services available, ranging from the well-known “black cat” Kuroneko service to specialized refrigerated delivery for perishable items. When a driver delivers a package while you’re out, an attempted delivery slip called a fuzaihyo will be placed in your post box or…
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Plastic Shopping Bags will be Charged in Japan Starting in July 2020
From July 2020, retailers in Japan will charge fees for plastic bags and it is mandatory. Some retail chains and drug stores started charging fees from April. The law applies to all retail stores including convenience stores like Familymart, Seven-Eleven or Lawson. Now it's time to carry a shoppi…
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Consumption Tax Reward Point Program for Cashless Payments
What is the Japanese government’s Reward Point Program for Cashless Payments? This promotion started on the 1st of October 2019 and will continue until the 30th of July 2020. If you make purchases using a cashless payment method, such as electronic money or credit cards, you will receive 2% or 5% o…
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Paying Bills in Japan Conveniently: A Simple Guide
Paying bills is no one’s favorite thing to do, regardless of where you live. When it comes to paying though, the easier it is the less painful it will be. This is another area in which Japan stands out among the rest. There are a variety of convenient ways you can pay your bills in Japan, whether i…
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How to Pay Utility Bills in Japan
Lifeline utilities provide necessary services to each city such as electricity, gas, and water. These basic services are needed for everyday life. In this article, you can learn about the rate structure and payment methods of Japanese Utilities. How You will Receive Utility Bills A professional wor…
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Connecting and Disconnecting Utilities When Moving Home in Tokyo
When moving to a new home in Japan, the property will initially not have any of the utilities connected. If your landlord or real estate agency has already set up and had the utilities connected for you, then you have nothing to worry about. However, if they are unable to help you with having your…
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E-Money: Prepaid Cards, Debit Cards, Mobile Payment Methods in Japan
While Japan is still considered a cash-based country, the Japanese government has set a goal of increasing its cashless payment usage rate to 40% by the year 2025. In this article, you can learn about Japanese Prepaid Cards (including IC Cards), Debit Cards, and Mobile Payment Methods.
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Japanese Addresses: How to Read, Write, Say & Understand Them
Japan’s numbering system can be quite difficult for those from Western countries, where streets are clearly labeled with names or numbers. While Japan does have names for streets, they are never used in addresses (except for some occasions in Kyoto). Keep reading to learn everything you need to kno…
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