Moving to Japan soon!

[Anjali Payal]

Hey People!

Good news! I have been moving to Japan within a couple of days! I hope it would be fun having a nice stay in Japan.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or recommendations about anything. What should I bring there, what are the things those are not available/too expensive, any precautions to take or anything else that comes to your mind!

P.S. - I will be moving from India to Japan. So, if anyone has any special recommendations accordingly, please let me know!

Thanks in Advance! Looking forward for a warm welcome from Tokyo!

[Louie]

I wish you a happy trip and I hope that you would find Japan to your liking. I really want to go to Japan and stay for a month or two and join the festivals during that time of the year. While I can't give you any recommendations, I'd like to ask if you are just going for a vacation or planning to stay in Japan for a long time? If so where would you be staying (prefecture) and what are your immediate plans? If you specify those things maybe some of the people here might help you with recommendations based on the location on which you are planning to stay in Japan.

[Tara4Eva]

Hey People!

Good news! I have been moving to Japan within a couple of days! I hope it would be fun having a nice stay in Japan.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions or recommendations about anything. What should I bring there, what are the things those are not available/too expensive, any precautions to take or anything else that comes to your mind!

P.S. - I will be moving from India to Japan. So, if anyone has any special recommendations accordingly, please let me know!

Thanks in Advance! Looking forward for a warm welcome from Tokyo!

wow! really?! I envy you Anjali Paypal
Do send us pics of the place you'll visit once you get settled. Good luck!

[Sakurahime]

Wow, Anjali Payal, congratulations! I hope your move goes really smoothly. Speaking from experience, there is a lot to sort out when you first get to Japan if you're planning to live there for a while, but once that's done you can really enjoy your time there. And good luck on Tokyo's transport system! It's convenient, but very, very crowded at rush hour.
As for things you might want to take with you, a welcome gift or two, especially if you're starting a new job. Taking something from India with you will be very appreciated, as it shows you thought about your new colleagues before you got there. Taking a bit of food from home that you might miss would also be good if you're staying in Japan for a long time, but only as long as it's allowed through Japanese customs. That reminds me - if you have any medicine you want to take, check that you're allowed to take it because they are very strict about certain ingredients, and you might need to apply for a special exception.
Another thing might be toiletry items. You might be fine, but personally I didn't get on with Japanese deodorant at all, because all of the ones I could find were alcohol-based and those aren't good for my skin. And Japan sucks at suncream! It comes in tiny bottles that are really expensive. Women tend to wear UV-blocking clothing, or carry a parasol, or they wear make-up that already has UV-protection in it.

[iamnicole]

I think it's still cold in Japan so, don't forget your jacket and warmers.

[SpaceManatee]

That's awesome! May I ask what you're going to do there? What part of Tokyo will you be in?

I second taking gifts and any medicines that may be hard to find. Also, maybe learning some basic greetings and common expressions. If you're interested in learning Japanese, there are a lot of free or very cheap classes offered that are taught by volunteers. There are also a lot of language exchanges through sites like MeetUp, which can also be a great way of meeting new friends.

Another thing I'd recommend is converting money over to yen and bringing enough to last you until you get paid or set up a bank account. Japan is largely cash-based and it will be hard to go a lot of places using a card. Enjoy your time! It's a great country.

[Koohler]

Hi Anjali! You're gonna have a nice stay in Japan, I'm sure of it. Just don't forget to bring your jacket because the first quarter of the year in Japan is always cold. I think it's only in April when their snow begins to melt down so there. Just don't forget a few things. Keep left. Always follow their walkways. Japan is very strict when it comes to where they should walk, when to cross the street and so on. So if you see a sign about something, don't be shy to follow it because everyone there always does. Have a safe trip and do let us know about your stay once you're there.