Welcome to My Place In Japan

 Greetings prospective or current resident of Japan, and thank you very much for taking a look at My Place in Japan’s web log.  We are a company of people who are committed to providing help for non-native speakers of the Japanese language to find accommodation in Japan while helping to clearly explain many of the manners and customs that surround the real estate industry as well.

 This first article is just an introduction to our company and a few of the things that you can look forward to seeing in the near future.  We will offer insight about many of the difficulties about finding a room, apartment, or home in Japan such as:

• How to find a room in Japan and what terms are used.
• What rental agencies do and how to contact one.
• How you can be prepared for and set up a contract.
• How to go through the process of the contract step by step.

 There are many things that need to be covered and while we will start off by writing simple blogs outlining much of this information in black and white, we will also provide videos that you can use to really see what goes into these processes from finding an apartment to vital parts of living in Japan like the following common topics:

• What do you need to move into an apartment?
• How do register your address and apply for services like health insurance and pension at the local city or town hall?
• How do you make a contract for vital utilities like electricity, gas, water, and the internet?
• How do you open a bank account, obtain a Japanese phone, or get a Japanese seal/hanko?

 Many people who move to Japan are very new to the customs of Japan as well as the work that goes into setting up not just a place to live, but also life’s necessities as well, which can take a lot of communication in Japanese, travel to various locations, and a fair amount of money to mention a few.  This is where ‘My Place in Japan.net’ can help you along the way and make sure that you have all the tools you need to get set up right the first time without any hassles or surprises along the way. But, for those who don’t know a lot about Japan, regardless of how easy it may be to move in and set up with our help, there will certainly be plenty of surprises with day to day life that you may need some insight on, and even then we will do our best to provide you with information on some of the more cultural surprises in Japan that many are not used to like:

• Japanese toilets, both eastern (squatting style) and western styles. (With many controls)
• Common bathing customs and manners that must be respected.
• How to use very common household appliances such as washing machines, air conditioners, rice makers, microwaves, television remotes, etc.
• Use and maintenance of other household appliances like gas ranges and how to safely use natural gas, kerosene fan heaters and obtaining and transporting kerosene safely, and more.
• How to properly prepare (Washing and drying!), separate (How many trash cans do I need?), and dispose of trash in your local area.

Living in Japan is not very different from the rest of the world once you get used to a few things and consider the Japanese perspective on lifestyles and being a good neighbor.  Beyond just getting used to pressing a different button to turn on the washing machine or stamping with ink instead of signing for important documents, you will need most of all to be a conscientious neighbor to the people around you as much as possible.  Japan is a society that prides itself in community and being part of a group so that everyone has a better day to day experience. This will take a lot of effort and energy on your part, but we will help you out as much as possible with articles and how to videos regarding the following common topics:

• How and when to greet your neighbors and people around town.
• How to handle the ‘Kairanban’ or ‘Neighbor to Neighbor Info Packets’.
• How to navigate payment of ‘Jikaihi’ or the Community Association fees and what they go towards.
• How to get involved in your local community and play a larger role.
• How to participate in seasonal events and become a part of the neighborhood overall.
• And much much more.

 
 If you are reading all of the things above and thinking to yourself, “That is a lot that I have to do in order to become a member of Japanese society!” then you are correct.  Actually, each of those topics above will warrant a brand new article as well as a helpful companion video in the near future on a fairly regular basis. It is only the tip of the iceberg, but with time and effort you too will find your place in Japan, and hopefully we will be able to help you here at MyplaceinJapan.net.

 Thanks for reading and feel free to share this information with people who you think might need a hand or a little direction when considering a new life in Japan.  If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with us at contact@ships-inc.co.jp !

 Set sail to a new life, may ships take you on the seas, through the skies, and over the land towards my place in Japan.

 Until next time, from all of of here at myplaceinjapan.net take care!

Phil