A Practical Guide to Living in Japan: Everything You Need to Know to Successfully Settle In Book

	About This Book	8
	Off to the Land of Wa	11
	The Weather	14
	What Should I Bring?	15
	Computers	18
	Hanko	20
	Immigration Procedures	21
	Visas	22
	Alien Registration	23
	Re-entry Permission	25
	Special Residency Requests	26
	Finding a Home	32
	Accommodations for Fresh Arrivals	32
	Apartments	34
	Reading the Bukken-Harigami	39
	Finding Furniture	42
	Utilities	47
	Home Phones	47
	Portable Phones	50
	Pocket Bells	52
	Public Telephones	52
	Electricity	53
	Gas	53
	Water Service	54
	Paying Utility Bills	54
	Garbage and Trash Collection	54
	Settling In	57
	Japanese Stores	57
	Keeping in Touch with Home	61
	Hooking Up to the Internet and E-mail	63
	Making Friends	64
	Safety	64
	Earthquakes	68
	Bank Accounts and Postal Accounts	70
	Bank Accounts	71
	Using Cash Machines	71
	Using Bank Windows	75
	Postal Accounts	78
	Sending Money Overseas	79
	Mail Services	82
	Addressing Japanese Mail	83
	International Mail	86
	Other Post Office Tips	89
	Private Services	91
	Health Matters	94
	Health Insurance	94
	Japanese Hospitals	96
	Other Health Facilities	98
	Dental Care	99
	Prescriptions	99
	Birth Control	100
	Abortion	100
	Pregnancy	101
	Medical Vocabulary	104
	Finding a School and Finding a Job	117
	Schools for Foreign Children	118
	Higher Education in Japan	119
	Japanese-Language Institutes	121
	AIEJ: Association of International Education, Japan	128
	Working in Japan	129
	Public Transportation	135
	Trains and Subways	136
	Buying Commuter Passes	138
	Bullet Trains (Shinkansen)	141
	Buses	142
	Taxis	143
	Buying Flight Tickets	143
	Traveling to and from Narita Airport	144
	Automobiles	147
	Obtaining a Japanese Driver's License	148
	Traffic Violations and Paying Fines	150
	Owning a Car	154
	Accidents	156
	Buying a Car	157
	Motorcycles	161
	Japan Automobile Federation (JAF)	162
	Etiquette and Customs	163
	Visiting Japanese Homes	163
	Table Manners	164
	Taking a Bath	166
	Sleeping	167
	Business or Name Cards	168
	Weddings	169
	Funerals	169
	Gift Giving	170
	Japanese Holidays and Special Days	172
	Conversions	179
	Length	179
	Weight	179
	Volume	179
	Temperature	180
	Clothing Sizes	181
	Calendar Years	183
	Important Phone Numbers and Addresses	185
	Emergency Phone Numbers	185
	Embassies and Consulates	185
	Immigration Offices	187
	Immigration Centers	189
	Information Phone Numbers	190
	Transportation Phone Numbers	191
	Counseling and Support Groups by Prefecture and Region	201
	Medical Services	205
	Religious Organizations in Tokyo	207
	Donations	208
	International Schools	209
	Japanese Colleges with Special Programs for Foreigners	213
	Real Life in Japan	216