Japan · East Asia
Moving to Tokyo
Tokyo quick facts
Cost of living in Tokyo
Getting set up in Japan
Work visa, residence card & My Number
Your Japanese employer is the engine here: they file for a Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) with Immigration before you can even apply for the visa. Once the CoE arrives, you convert it to a visa at a Japanese consulate in about a week, then fly in. At a major airport you are handed your zairyū (residence) card on the spot, but it is blank where it counts: you must register your Tokyo address at the ward office within 14 days, which triggers your My Number and unlocks payroll, banking and health insurance. The whole chain runs 2 to 4 months, almost all of it spent waiting on the employer-led CoE.
Read the full step-by-step guideConverting your foreign licence (gaimen kirikae)
Gaimen kirikae is the official process to swap a valid foreign licence for a Japanese one at a Tokyo licensing centre (Samezu, Fuchū or Kōtō). You first get a Japanese translation of your licence from JAF, then book a document-screening appointment online. If your licence is from an exempt country (most of the EU, UK, Australia, Canada, South Korea and a handful of US states) you skip the tests; everyone else, including most US states and China, must pass a 50-question knowledge test and a notoriously hard practical driving test on a closed course. Rules tightened sharply on 1 October 2025.
Read the full step-by-step guideOpening a bank account
You can open a Japanese bank account once you have a residence card (zairyū card) and a registered Tokyo address, but where you can open depends on how long you have been in the country. The megabanks (MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho) generally enforce a 6-month residency rule for newcomers; Japan Post Bank (Yūcho) and SBI Shinsei Bank will usually take you from around 3 months and are the most foreigner-friendly, with English forms and signature-instead-of-hanko options. Start with one of those, then add a megabank later if your employer requires it.
Read the full step-by-step guideHealth insurance & healthcare
Japan runs universal public health insurance, and enrolment is mandatory the moment you become a resident. Salaried staff are auto-enrolled in Employees' Health Insurance (shakai hoken) through their employer, who pays roughly half the premium; everyone else (freelancers, jobseekers, students) signs up for National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkō hoken) at their ward office. Either way you pay just 30% of the bill at the counter, there is no GP gatekeeper, and a monthly out-of-pocket cap (kōgaku ryōyōhi) protects you from catastrophic costs. For emergencies dial 119 for a free ambulance, or #7119 in Tokyo to ask a nurse first.
Read the full step-by-step guideGetting a SIM / mobile plan
Japan has four big networks (NTT Docomo, au/KDDI, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile) plus cheap online sub-brands (ahamo, povo, LINEMO) and MVNOs (IIJmio, mineo). The catch for newcomers: a standard postpaid contract with the big carriers needs a residence card AND a Japanese bank account or Japanese-issued credit card for direct debit, and most quietly reject foreign cards. The day-one workaround is a foreigner-focused provider (Mobal, Sakura Mobile, GTN Mobile) that gives you a real Japanese number, takes a foreign card (or convenience-store cash), and supports you in English. Once you have a local bank account, port your number (MNP) to a cheaper plan.
Read the full step-by-step guideIncome tax, residence tax (juminzei) & the year-end adjustment
For most salaried employees in Japan, tax is almost invisible: your employer withholds national income tax from every paycheck (gensen chōshū) and squares it up once a year through the year-end adjustment (nenmatsu chōsei), so you typically never file a return. The catch nobody warns you about is the local residence tax (jūminzei, ~10% of last year's income): it is billed roughly a year in arrears starting each June, so your biggest bill arrives after a full year of earnings — and can land even after your income drops or you have left the country.
Read the full step-by-step guideEach guide has verified costs, timelines, required documents, and the non-obvious gotchas — sourced from official government pages.
Essential Japanese phrases
What to know before you go
Carry cash and get an IC card
ImportantJapan is still surprisingly cash-heavy — many small restaurants and shops are cash-only. Get a Suica or Pasmo IC card on day one for trains, buses and convenience-store payments; you can now add Suica to your phone.
Master train etiquette
ImportantNo phone calls on trains, queue on the platform markings, stand on the left of Tokyo escalators (it's the right in Osaka), and don't eat on commuter trains. Trains are silent and punctual to the minute.
Don't tip — ever
Good to knowTipping isn't customary and can confuse or even offend; service is impeccable without it. Leaving cash on the table just means staff will chase you down to return it.
Shoes off indoors
ImportantRemove your shoes at homes, ryokan, some restaurants and clinic/fitting rooms — watch for the raised step (genkan) that marks the line. Wear decent socks.
Keep it quiet and considerate in public
Good to knowKeep your voice down on trains and in public, avoid eating while walking, and learn the strict trash separation (burnable, plastic, cans) — getting it wrong is a real faux pas in Tokyo.
Know the earthquake drill
CriticalTokyo is seismically active. Save the NHK World or Yurekuru earthquake-alert app, know your building's safe spots, and don't rush outside during shaking — drop, cover and hold.
Top industries & employers
Technology & electronics
Sony, NTT, SoftBank, Hitachi
Global electronics, telecom and IT giants headquartered across the city.
Finance
Mitsubishi UFJ, Nomura, Tokyo Stock Exchange
One of the world's top three financial centres, anchored in Marunouchi and Otemachi.
Trading houses (sōgō shōsha)
Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Marubeni
The giant general-trading conglomerates that touch nearly every global supply chain.
Gaming & entertainment
Sony, Bandai Namco, Square Enix, Sega
A global pop-culture powerhouse spanning games, anime, manga and music.
Foreign firms & consulting
Google Japan, Amazon, the Big Four, global banks
Deep demand for bilingual professionals across multinationals based in Tokyo.
Manufacturing & robotics
Fanuc, Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba
World leaders in industrial automation, robotics and heavy electronics.
Where to go in Tokyo
Sensō-ji & Asakusa
Landmark · Taitō
Tokyo's oldest temple, approached through the lantern gate and the Nakamise market street.
Local tip: Go early morning or after dark to beat the crowds; the illuminated gate at night is genuinely magical.
Shibuya Crossing
Landmark · Shibuya
The world's busiest pedestrian scramble, ringed by neon and department stores.
Local tip: View it from the Shibuya Sky deck or the Starbucks above the crossing for the classic shot.
Shinjuku Gyoen & Golden Gai
Nightlife · Shinjuku
A serene imperial garden by day; the tiny-bar alleys of Golden Gai and yakitori-filled Omoide Yokocho by night.
Local tip: Golden Gai's micro-bars seat six and some charge a cover or are regulars-only — Omoide Yokocho is the easier first stop.
Tsukiji Outer Market
Food · Chūō
Street food and sushi stalls where the famous fish market used to be (the wholesale auction moved to Toyosu).
Local tip: Come hungry mid-morning for tamagoyaki, fresh sushi and grilled scallops; the tuna auction is now at Toyosu.
Meiji Jingū & Harajuku
Culture · Shibuya
A vast forested shrine sitting right beside the youth-fashion frenzy of Harajuku.
Local tip: Walk the shrine's tree-lined path for calm, then Takeshita Street for the contrast — weekday mornings are quietest.
Shimokitazawa
Hidden gemNeighborhood · Setagaya
A bohemian, walkable district of vintage shops, indie cafes, theatres and live-music basements.
Local tip: A laid-back escape from the megacity — perfect for a slow afternoon of thrifting and third-wave coffee.