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The number of foreigners coming to Japan has increased in recent decades. There has been a demand for native language teachers, in particular English teachers for Japanese primary schools and private language schools. There is also a high demand for IT professionals to cater to the demands of IT savvy Japanese companies. The living conditions in Japan are comfortable because of all ultra-modern gadgets and Japan 's super high-density very punctual railway network. However, day to day life in Japan can be different from what some foreigners are accustomed to in their home countries.
Help is not far. There are several official and voluntary organizations dedicated to help foreigners to adjust to the life in Japan . It is advised that foreigners visit the local ward office (Siakso) first to find all the details. Locate your ward office here
Please check these sites for general articles regarding immigration/visa procedures and daily life in Japan Immigration/Visa Japan-guide, Japan Lifestyle
On arrival information
Japanese Customs and regulations: http://www.customs.go.jp/index_e.htm, http://www.narita-airport-customs.go.jp/e/index_e.html
Transportations NARITA (Tokyo) Airport Information - http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/ Information on specific airports and their facilities, please visit http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2034.html
Online train route and time table finder - http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/norikae/e-norikeyin.html Narita Express - express train to come from NARITA to several cities - http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html Keisei Skyliner - http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/keisei_us/top.html Friendly Airport Limousine - http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/e/
Traveling General Info: www.davestravels.com/
In side Japan http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e627.html, http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/index.html, JapanRail.com, Nippon Travel Agency Japan Rail
Bus, http://www.seejapan.co.uk/transport/road/buses.html, http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/arrange/transportation/bus.html
Car rental, http://www2.tocoo.jp/english/ (remember to drive on left side of the road)
Outside Japan :NO1 TRAVEL.com
Driving License
In case you wish to stay long and your driving license is not permitted in Japan , you need convert your driving license to a Japanese one. Here are sites that have further information. http://www.japandriverslicense.com/, http://www.koyama.co.jp/e3.htm, http://www.jaf.or.jp/e/switch.htm.
Bilingual driving schools: http://www.koyama.co.jp/english.htm, http://ysds.jp/annai_e.html,
Buying an used car: http://www.japan-partner.com/ , or the nearest TOYOPET (but please check the cost of parking)
Accommodation/Housing LIST OF HOTELS/GUEST HOUSES
Short-Term: Ryokan are Japanese style Bed-and-breakfasts in traditional Japanese house with tatami mat floors. Guests are provided with a Japanese robe called a Yukata and Japanese meals (usually breakfast, lunch and dinner options are avaialable). http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/index.htm Youth
Hostels are clean and cheap, but not always conveniently located.http://www.shukubo.jp/eng/index.htmlWestern-style Hotels are convenient and comfortable though rooms sometimes could be smaller than your expectations rakuten hotel reservation.
Long-Term: Renting an apartment is the most common option unless you stay in company residence or at a facility specially established for foreign residents, sometimes called a foreign guest house (http://jafplaza.com/, http://www.sakura-house.com/index.htm),http://www.japanhomesearch.com/
http://www.kencorp.com/ http://www.century21japan.com/getting_settled/housing_issues.html.
Public housing/kodan Tokyo Public Housing Lottery. Your ward office information desk should also help you .
Schools
Finding a school of your choice including the medium of teaching is a time consuming process. The following sites will be useful to you and reduce your search time.
Kids' education:
Tokyo With Kids, The Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Hall, Tokyo International Schools, http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7106.html
School search:
http://www.globaldaigaku.com/global/en/schoolsearch/based/index.html
Scholarships etc.
http://www.jasso.go.jp/index_e.html, http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/en/index.html, http://www.fap.hq.unu.edu/FAPS/e/index.html
Higher Education
http://www.sophia.ac.jp/E/E_toppage.nsf/, http://www.waseda.jp/top/index-e.html, http://www.bulter.nl/universities/university.asp?CountryID=9, http://www.tuj.ac.jp/newsite/main/index.html
Health /Insurance/ Hospital
Japan offers National Health Insurance and some other options, which can cover your medical expenses. http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/
English speaking healthcare facilities, http://tokyo.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-7119.html
Other information, http://www.ryu.titech.ac.jp/kyosei/en_contentslist.html.
Travel insurance; http://www.insuremytrip.com/products-1000-0-0-43.html
National Health Insurance (NHI)/Kokumin Kenko Hoken, http://www.kokuho.or.jp/english/index.htm
Social Insurance/Kenko Hoken done by your employer, http://www.acojapan.com/japaneseinsurance.htm
Japan Yellow Pages
http://www.yellowpage-jp.com/
http://english.itp.ne.jp/ www.newsonjapan.com/
Useful links: http://www.ypj.com/en/ |Phone Rental| FX Convertor | Japan Agent | Japan News | Japanese Dictionary | Japanese Translation | Kanjisite | Mainichi | Meetings | Metric Converter | Movers | Tokyo Classified | Tokyo PC | Prime PC | Tokyo Transit | Tokyo Weather | Translation | World Time | Yahoo Jp | Travel | USA News | Yahoo Auction | New York Post | New York Times
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Life in Japan 
