Japan Life Guide by Sio Want to know how much it costs to live in Japan? I live in Osaka — here are my monthly expenses. Stay till the end to see how much I spend in total each month. Rent ¥43,000 20 m² studio near Daikokucho Station — within walking distance to Namba and Tsutenkaku, with super convenient transport access. Water ¥2,500 Electricity ¥2,500-5,500 depending on season Gas ¥1,500-2,500 depending on season WiFi ≈ ¥5,000 Mobile ¥2,164 Monthly 20G plan Transport ≈

Japan Life Guide by Sio The first time I saw a doctor in Japan, I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to communicate properly. Afterwards, it honestly felt like unlocking a life achievement. Later on, I found out there are medical services that are foreigners friendly and speaks my languages — hopefully the information below can help some of you too. 1️⃣ Process 1) Choose a department (internal, ENT, ortho, etc.) 2) Book – usually by phone or online. 3) Check in – hand in

Japan Life Guide by Sio Finding a job in Japan isn’t easy. If you plan to work here but don’t know where to start, this quick guide is for you. 1️⃣ Japanese Level No or little Japanese：IT, English teaching, ski resorts, foreign firms N3 ：Mostly labor jobs, part-time N2 ：Accepted by dispatch agencies, possible office or CS roles N1 ：Standard requirements for full-time in Japanese firms & pro fields 2️⃣ Visa Overseas job seekers without a visa: industries most likely to hi

Japan Life Guide by Sio I got rejected multiple times during my first apartment search in Japan. Here are a few things I wish I knew beforehand. 1️⃣Landlords Concerns Landlords often hesitate to rent to foreigners because they worry about the following: Limited Japanese and communication issues Cultural differences that may disturb neighbors Little credit history or risk of late rent payments Suddenly leaving Japan or ending the lease early No Japanese guarantor — overall j

Japan Life Guide by Sio If you’re planning to move to Japan, see which visa below might fit you: 1）Student Visa University, vocational school, language school. After graduation, you must switch to other visa type to continue staying. 2）Work Visa For white-collar jobs, teaching, research, and other professional roles, a degree or relevant experience is usually required. 3）Business Manager Visa For running a business in Japan. Requires investment and stable revenue. Requires

Japan Life Guide by Sio There’s a scary little urban legend that every foreigner hears before coming to Japan—and yeah, it freaks people out. “To open a bank account, you need a phone and residence certificate. To get the certificate, you need an address. To rent a place, you need a phone and a bank account. To get a phone, you need a bank account.” Before moving to Japan, I saw many posts about this loop and it really made me worry how I’d handle it. Turns out, there are a f

Japan Life Guide by Sio 1) Make a Personal Seal A personal seal (hanko / inkan) in Japan works like your signature. It’s commonly used for renting, opening a bank account, and many official documents. While it’s not always legally required, in practice it’s still used in many situations. And if you don’t speak much Japanese, there’s often very little room to explain. I’ve personally experienced cases where they wouldn’t even look at a translation app, and some forms only hav