Getting Started

Moving to Japan: Your Complete First 30 Days Checklist (2026) — Everything You Must Do, In the Right Order

"I arrived in Tokyo on a Tuesday and spent my first two weeks doing everything in the wrong order. I tried to open a bank account before registering my address — rejected. I got a data-only eSIM and couldn't receive SMS verification for anything. I signed up for a SIM contract before my Residence Card had my address on it — rejected again. By the time someone walked me through the correct sequence, I'd wasted 10 days going back and forth between offices. Everything I struggled with for two weeks took three hours once I did it in the right order."

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Updated September 2026  |  Written by Luna H

Moving to Japan involves more bureaucratic steps than most countries — and the order matters.

Try to open a bank account before you have a registered address and you'll be turned away. Try to get a SIM contract before your Residence Card address is updated and you may be rejected. Try to enroll in health insurance before registering at city hall and the system won't recognize you exist.

Everything connects to your address registration. Do that first, and the rest falls into place. This guide walks you through every step in the correct sequence — so you don't waste time going back and forth between offices.

📋 The Master Timeline at a Glance

Timeframe	What To Do	Deadline
Day 1–2	Get cash (7-Eleven ATM), get a temporary SIM or Pocket WiFi	—
Day 1–14	Register address at city hall, enroll in NHI, apply for My Number Card — ALL on the same visit	14 days — legal deadline
Same day as city hall	Set up electricity (often pre-done), arrange gas opening visit, request Juminhyo	—
Week 1–2	Get a proper Japanese SIM (voice + data), top up Suica card	—
Week 2–4	Wait for My Number notification slip, open bank account (Japan Post first)	—
Week 4–6	Receive NHI card, apply for My Number Card (using notification slip)	—
Month 2–3	Pick up My Number Card at city hall, open SBI Shinsei or other bank account	—

✅ Day 1–2: Arrive and Survive

1. Get Cash at a 7-Eleven ATM

Your first stop after leaving the airport. Japanese bank ATMs reject most foreign cards — but 7-Eleven (Seven Bank) ATMs accept international Visa, Mastercard, and Amex. Use the English menu. Always choose Japanese yen — never your home currency.

Withdraw ¥50,000–¥100,000 for your first days. You'll need cash for initial expenses — transport, food, and many early setup payments before your Japanese bank account is active.

2. Get Temporary Internet

Before you have a Residence Card address, your options are limited:

• Airport Pocket WiFi rental — available at arrival halls at Narita and Haneda. English support, daily or monthly rates.
• eSIM (iPhone) — activate before landing. Add Suica to Apple Wallet at the same time.
• Mobal SIM — gives you a real Japanese voice number immediately, no Residence Card required. Useful for bank and admin tasks in your first week.

⚠️ Data-only SIMs and eSIMs cannot receive SMS. Japanese banks require SMS verification to a Japanese number. You'll need a real voice line for bank setup. Get Mobal or wait until after address registration to switch to a regular carrier.

✅ Day 3–14: City Hall — Your Most Important Day

This single visit unlocks everything else in Japan. Do not delay — you have 14 days from moving in to complete address registration. Missing this is technically a violation of immigration law.

Find Your City Hall or Ward Office

Go to the 市区町村役所 (shiku-choson yakusho) that covers your address:

• Tokyo's 23 wards: Go to your ward office (区役所 / kuyakusho) — e.g., Shinjuku Ward Office, Shibuya Ward Office
• Other cities: Go to the city hall (市役所 / shiyakusho)
• Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM–5:15 PM. Most offices are closed weekends and national holidays.
• Bring: Passport, Residence Card, and any rental contract or lease agreement

💡 Go early in the week, early in the day. Ward offices in major cities are busiest on Mondays and last business days of the month. Arrive when they open at 8:30 AM to minimize waiting. Bring a book — some popular wards have 1–2 hour waits during busy periods.

Counter 1: Address Registration (転入届 / Ten'nyu Todoke)

This is your first and most critical step. Fill out the address registration form with your name, new address, and Residence Card details. Staff will check your documents and update your address.

What happens: Staff stamp your Residence Card with your new address on the back. From this moment, you are officially registered in Japan.

What you receive: Your address is printed on the back of your Residence Card.

💡 Request several copies of your Juminhyo (住民票) while you're here. The Juminhyo is your official proof of address — Japan's equivalent of a utility bill. You'll need it for your bank account, SIM contract, and various other applications. Each copy costs ¥200–¥400. Request 3–4 copies to avoid repeated trips. Ask for the version that includes your My Number if needed for banking.

Counter 2: National Health Insurance (国民健康保険)

After address registration, go directly to the NHI counter in the same building. Don't leave without doing this. Enrollment is mandatory for all foreign residents staying 3+ months. Missing the 14-day deadline means backdated premiums.

What to say: "Kokumin Kenko Hoken ni kanyuu shitai desu." (I would like to enroll in National Health Insurance.)

What you receive: Your NHI card (健康保険証) is usually issued the same day or mailed within 2 weeks. Until it arrives, you can pay full cost at clinics and claim reimbursement, or ask for a temporary certificate.

Counter 3: My Number Card Application

Apply for your My Number Card on this same visit. Your My Number (12-digit Individual Number) was already assigned when you registered your address — now apply for the physical card.

Options:

• Pick up an application form at the My Number counter and fill it out on the spot
• Or wait for your My Number notification slip (mailed to your registered address in 1–2 weeks) and apply via the smartphone app at home

Processing time: 4–6 weeks. You'll receive a postcard when your card is ready — return to city hall to pick it up and set your PIN.

⚠️ Do NOT open a bank account before receiving your My Number notification slip. Most Japanese banks now require your My Number for account opening. The notification slip arrives by mail 1–3 weeks after address registration. Use Japan Post Bank or Seven Bank for immediate cash needs — these are more flexible about timing than other banks.

✅ Day 1–3 at Home: Set Up Utilities

Electricity

Many Japanese apartments have electricity pre-connected — flip the breaker when you move in and it may work immediately. Check your lease or ask your real estate agent. If not connected:

• Tokyo: TEPCO (tepco.co.jp) — has an English registration page
• Osaka/Kansai: Kansai Electric (kepco.co.jp)
• Alternative with English support: Octopus Energy Japan — English signup available in some areas

Most electricity companies now allow online registration in Japanese. Use Google Translate's camera to navigate. Registration takes 5 minutes online and activates the same day in most cases.

Gas — You MUST Be Present for the Opening Visit

Gas is NOT connected automatically. A technician from the gas company must visit your apartment to turn it on safely. This is one of the most important things new residents don't know.

• Your lease or real estate agent should tell you which gas company services your building
• Call the gas company (or ask your agent to call on your behalf) to book an opening visit
• You must be physically present during the visit — usually 30–60 minutes
• The technician checks all appliances and lights your stove. They show ID and are professional — no Japanese required beyond letting them in.
• No hot water or cooking until this visit is done

⚠️ No gas = no hot water in most Japanese apartments. Book the gas opening visit as your top priority on your first day in your apartment. Many technicians have Saturday slots — book immediately.

Water

In most apartments, water is either included in rent or managed by the building. Check your lease. If you need to set it up separately, contact Tokyo Waterworks (in Tokyo) or your local water authority.

Internet

Apply for fiber immediately — installation takes 2–6 weeks. For the waiting period, use Pocket WiFi or a home WiFi router (available same day). See our full Internet Setup Guide for details on foreigner-friendly providers.

NHK

If you have a TV, you are legally required to pay NHK fees (approximately ¥1,100–¥1,950/month). An NHK collector may visit your door. If you genuinely don't have a TV, you don't have to subscribe. If you do subscribe, you can set up payment at the konbini or by bank auto-debit.

✅ Week 1–2: Get a Proper Japanese Phone Plan

Once you have your Residence Card with your address registered, you can sign up for a proper Japanese voice SIM:

• Rakuten Mobile — English interface, unlimited data, ¥3,278/month. Best for English speakers.
• IIJmio — from ¥850/month, cheapest option
• ahamo — ¥2,970/month, best rural coverage on Docomo network

You need: Residence Card (with updated address), payment method (foreign card accepted by some carriers).

💡 Add Mobile Suica to your iPhone while you're at it. Wallet → + → Suica. Load ¥2,000–¥3,000 for immediate train use. This eliminates the need to queue at a ticket machine on your daily commute.

✅ Week 2–4: Open Your First Bank Account

The correct order matters here:

1. Wait for your My Number notification slip (mailed 1–3 weeks after address registration)
2. Open Japan Post Bank first — visit any post office. Easier for new arrivals, minimal wait time for My Number, widest ATM network.
3. Seven Bank — also accepts new arrivals, apply via app
4. SBI Shinsei Bank — English interface, best for long-term use, apply online. Apply after 6 months in Japan for best approval chances.

What to bring: Residence Card, passport, My Number notification slip or card.

✅ Week 4–8: Pick Up Your My Number Card

When your postcard notification arrives (4–6 weeks after applying), return to your ward office to collect your physical My Number Card. Bring:

• The postcard notification
• Your Residence Card
• Passport

At the counter, you'll set two PINs — a 4-digit PIN for daily use (healthcare terminals, convenience store printing) and a 6–16 character password for digital authentication. Write these down and keep them safe.

✅ Once you have your My Number Card:

• Print official documents at any convenience store 24/7 (Juminhyo, tax certificates, etc.)
• Use it as your health insurance card at clinics and hospitals
• File taxes online via e-Tax without visiting the tax office
• Apply for SBI Shinsei and other banks that require My Number verification

📦 The Complete First Month Checklist

Day 1–2:

• ☐ Withdraw ¥50,000–¥100,000 from 7-Eleven ATM
• ☐ Get Pocket WiFi or eSIM for temporary internet
• ☐ Get Suica card at the airport or add Mobile Suica to iPhone

Day 1–14 (City Hall Visit):

• ☐ Register address (転入届) — address printed on Residence Card back
• ☐ Enroll in National Health Insurance (国民健康保険)
• ☐ Apply for My Number Card
• ☐ Request 3–4 copies of Juminhyo (住民票) ¥200–400 each

Day 1–3 at apartment:

• ☐ Check if electricity works (flip breaker) — register online if needed
• ☐ Book gas opening visit — must be present
• ☐ Apply for fiber internet (takes 2–6 weeks)
• ☐ Set up Pocket WiFi for internet gap period

Week 1–2:

• ☐ Sign up for Japanese SIM (Rakuten Mobile, IIJmio, or ahamo)
• ☐ Set up PayPay app (top up via convenience store)
• ☐ Find nearest clinic and save AMDA medical hotline (03-5285-8088)

Week 2–4:

• ☐ Wait for My Number notification slip (by mail)
• ☐ Open Japan Post Bank account
• ☐ Set up utility automatic payments from bank account

Week 4–8:

• ☐ Pick up My Number Card at ward office
• ☐ Apply for My Number Card via smartphone app (if not done at city hall)
• ☐ Open SBI Shinsei or Rakuten Bank (English banking)

Month 2–3:

• ☐ Get Japanese credit card (EPOS or Rakuten Card — most foreigner-friendly)
• ☐ Set up all utilities on bank auto-debit
• ☐ Confirm NHI and pension payments are current
• ☐ Apply for driving license conversion (if needed)

❌ Most Common Mistakes Foreigners Make

• Delaying city hall registration — the 14-day deadline is real. Everything else depends on this step. Do it in week one.
• Registering address but skipping NHI enrollment — these are separate counters. Don't leave without doing both.
• Trying to open a bank account before getting a My Number notification — wait for the slip or card, or use Japan Post Bank which is more flexible
• Not booking the gas opening visit immediately — no gas = no hot water. This is urgent.
• Getting only a data SIM — you need a voice number for bank SMS verification. Get Mobal or a proper SIM from day one.
• Not requesting multiple Juminhyo copies at city hall — you'll need this document repeatedly. Get 3–4 copies while you're there to avoid return trips.
• Waiting too long to apply for the My Number Card — it takes 4–6 weeks to arrive. Apply on the first city hall visit so it arrives as soon as possible.
• Not setting aside savings for the year-two residence tax bill — start saving 10% of income from day one. The bill arrives 14 months after you arrive. See our full Tax Guide for details.

✅ Quick Reference: Key Documents and Where to Get Them

Document	Japanese	Where to Get	What It's For
Residence Card	在留カード	Airport on arrival / Immigration	Everything — primary ID
Juminhyo	住民票	City hall or konbini (with My Number Card)	Bank account, SIM, rentals
My Number notification	個人番号通知書	Mailed after address registration	Bank account opening, taxes
My Number Card	マイナンバーカード	City hall (4–6 weeks after applying)	Health insurance, convenience store docs, e-Tax
NHI Card	健康保険証	Now replaced by My Number Card	Medical visits (30% copay)
Pension book	年金手帳	City hall or employer	Pension records, refund when leaving

Your first month in Japan is the most administratively intense period you'll face. But once it's done — address registered, insurance enrolled, bank account open, My Number Card in hand — the rest of life in Japan becomes significantly smoother. Tackle city hall first, in week one, and everything else follows in the right order.