Japan Picks

How foreign residents apply for licensed daycare: the documents you need, the points system that decides your chances, autumn deadlines for April entry, free fees for ages 3–5, and what to do if you are not placed.

How to extend your period of stay in Japan: when to apply, where, documents, the new fees from 1 October 2026, the special period and receiving your new card.

Moving within Japan? Within 14 days you must register your new address at the city office, which also updates your residence card. Moving-out and moving-in notices (including online via Mynaportal), health insurance, pension, driving licence, bank, phone and mail, in the order to do them.

Japan has no single rulebook for household rubbish: each city sets its own categories and days. How to get your local guide and calendar, the usual categories, how sodai gomi (large items) works, and what the city will not take, including air conditioners, TVs, fridges, washing machines and computers.

A plain-English guide for new residents in Japan: why a voice number starting 090, 080 or 070 is needed for banks, employers and SMS codes; how voice SIMs, data-only SIMs and eSIMs differ; what documents docomo, au, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile and English-first providers ask for; what changed in the identity check on 1 April 2026; and the order to do things in during your first two weeks.

Japanese rentals have no central heating. What an aircon, kotatsu, oil heater and electric blanket each cost per hour at 31 yen per kWh, why many leases ban kerosene heaters, and the safety checks that matter.

An earthquake kit guide for foreign residents in Japan: the official water and food figures, how heavy your bag can be, and what to buy here.