Your first year in Japan
Just moved to Japan? Start here.
Japanese paperwork runs in a chain, and it's easy to lose time doing it out of order. Hajimete gives you the order, the deadlines that matter, and what you can set up before you even land.
The chain, in order
- Get data on your phone before you land
- Register your address within 14 days
- Your My Number follows from that registration
- Open a bank account, then fund it from home
- Apply for your first Japanese credit card
Who it's for
New workers and students
You've got the visa. Now you need an address, a phone, a bank and a card, in the right order.
Japanese nationals coming home
Lived abroad for years? Your koseki doesn't give you a My Number, and the rules for returnees are easy to miss.
Partners and families
Joining someone who's already here, or planning a visit? Start with the steps that apply to you.
Guides
01Your first two weeks
The paperwork chain: address registration, My Number, and what can run in parallel.
02Phone and internet
Have data before you land, then move to a resident plan once your paperwork is in.
03My Number, explained
What it is, when you get it, and the edge cases, including Japanese nationals returning from abroad.
04Money and your first credit card
Funding your account from home, and which cards newcomers tend to start with.
05When friends and family visit
Rail passes, hotels and day trips for the people coming to see you.
06Moving back to Japan
For Japanese nationals returning after years abroad: koseki papers, registration, My Number, insurance and tax.
Why this site exists
Most points and travel sites assume you have a credit score and can open any card you like. New arrivals in Japan start with none of that. Hajimete is about the gap: what works on day one, what has to wait for paperwork, and the fastest way from one to the other.
Bookmark this page. You'll be back when the next envelope from the city office arrives.