Top Ten Helpful Things to Know About Studying Abroad in Japan

1. Learn Japanese as Much as Possible (N1 is ideal)

Learning the language of any country you plan on staying in is always recommended but this is especially important when traveling to Japan. Japan is an extremely homogenous country where most individuals are unable to speak English. Even my university which is famous for students studying English has an overwhelming majority of individuals unable to speak English. When moving to Japan, you will also be required to fill out a lot of paperwork such as visiting the ward office, opening a bank account, obtaining wifi, going to the doctors, etc. in which you will only be speaking Japanese. If you are staying in Tokyo, you are probably able to manage without Japanese via the usage of gestures and perhaps by relying on the speaker’s lack of English knowledge but it will definitely not be very enjoyable. Being able to read and speak Japanese will enhance your experiences to degrees unfathomable to those who are unable to understand the language.

1. Apply to as Many Scholarships as Possible

This seems like a given but there are definitely a lot of students who failed to capitalize on the fact that they are studying abroad. A lot of scholarships and donors are very generous and give special priority to students for simply the fact that they are studying abroad. Especially with the dollar’s strength in terms of the Japanese economy, the value of receiving simply one scholarship will be immensely beneficial to your financial situation.

1. Apartment or Dormitory

When traveling to Japan you will have the option to either find your own apartment or to stay in the dormitory but I highly recommend opting for dormitories. Dormitories will depend on which college you are attending but from my knowledge most dormitories are about half an hour commute from college and usually costs around $4000 for a semester. You are also able to make friends and connections easier which you may consider valuable especially when living in a foreign country like Japan. On the other hand, if you decide to look for your own place, housing allows you more freedom to decide where you live, tend to have larger living space, and access to more privacy and freedom. However, searching for housing as a foreigner is extremely difficult especially if you are unable to communicate in Japanese. I was personally able to find an apartment that costs only 75,000 yen (~$500) a month while also being a mere 10 minute commute from school but it was an extremely tiring and difficult process. Overall, it took me an entire month to find a place as I was denied from 3 out of 5 places simply on the basis of being a foreigner. There are also a lot of requirements such as requiring multiple Japanese emergency contacts (in my case I required two Japanese emergency contacts), a Japanese phone number, and a minimum stay of one year within Japan. I was extremely lucky due to having multiple Japanese connections and a real estate agent to aid in the process in which I am absolutely happy with my current living situation. However, I would still recommend for most people to go dorming instead as the process in order to find housing is extremely tedious and mentally-draining.

1. Initially Moving In

There will be a decent amount of paperwork that you are required to fill when first arriving in Japan in which you can fill out at the ward office. This would include your residence card (在留カード), Japanese National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), and pension exemption (国民年金保険料の免除). Your residence card is essential when filling out any form within Japan and is an identification card that you are legally obliged to hold at all times. You are also required to sign up for the Japanese National Health Insurance which will cost you only around 1430 yen (~$10) a month. Every individual of the age 20-59 residing in Japan is also obliged to pay a pension fee which ranges on the individual but for my case it would cost about $100 a month. But as a student you are able to receive an exemption in which you must also fill that out at your nearest ward office. I would highly recommend bringing an interpreter if you are unable to communicate in the Japanese language as in the case of fellow students there wasn’t anyone to help them communicate in English. All the paperwork is also written in Japanese so I would recommend being able to write your basic information such as name, address, school, etc.

1. What to Pack

When moving to Japan, there really is no necessity to pack anything whatsoever. You would literally be fine traveling with just your paperwork, electronics, and money and there would be no problem whatsoever. Everything you will need to buy will be readily available and most likely at a cheaper price. I only used 30 out of the allotted 50 pounds I had in my suitcase in which I brought with me just a few sets of clothing and electronics that I would use. I already knew beforehand I would be buying all my clothes in Japan anyways, thus I decided to pack the bare minimum. As for household items, a vast majority of your toiletries and tupperware can be bought at a 100 yen ($0.67) store; while furniture can be bought at stores like Ikea, Muji, and 3Coins. 

1. Food

When taking into consideration the strength of the dollar and the weakening of the yen, the price of food here is an absolute joke in comparison to America. The prices are abysmally cheaper with the average quality being much better. You could either choose to grocery shop and make your own meals or simply go out everyday and buy food. Grocery shopping in Japan is extremely cheap and produce tends to be of higher quality since everything is grown locally rather than shipped. On the other hand, you could also just buy bentos for the sake of convenience as those are also extremely cheap and delicious. 

1. Classes

Do not overload yourself with classes. Since you are going out of your way studying abroad you should try and spend as much time as possible enjoying the country and making connections. I know plenty of people who end up taking too many classes and are basically stuck doing work everyday despite finally getting the opportunity to study abroad. Also remember to note whether or not your classes, grades, and credits will be able to transfer as you wouldn’t want to needlessly try your best just to find out all your efforts have gone up to smokes.

1. Join a Circle, Club or Get A Job

The fastest and easiest way to get to know people is to put yourself in situations where you are forced to interact with people. If you ever feel scared of meeting new people, especially as a foreigner, circles and clubs are definitely the way to go. From my knowledge, most universities have some sort of international circle in which you will readily be able to join. Jobs are also a great alternative if you want to make some quick cash while also being able to bond with fellow coworkers.

1. Don’t Worry About It

If there is anything I learned in life, then it would be to not worry about it. There were so many moments where I was frantically stressed in Japan which definitely ended up souring my mood at the time. But when I look back on it, everything seemed so frivolous and meaningless in which I learned I was stressing about everything way too much. When you’re in Japan, there will definitely be a lot of moments when you’re feeling stressed, tired, confused, but don’t worry about it too much. It’s only natural that you don’t understand everything when you’re in a country that you have never lived in before.

1. If You Can Study Abroad Then Do It!

Studying abroad is an absolutely life changing experience that you will never forget. I wish I had studied abroad earlier and for a longer period of time as I do not think one year is anywhere enough. As generic as it sounds, studying abroad genuinely widens your horizons. For someone like me who was born and raised in Oahu, everyday in Japan has felt like a new and wonderful experience that I could have never imagined. Thus if you’re hesitating on whether or not you should study abroad, you should definitely take the opportunity to do so given the current situation of your studies and financial situation.