Hey everyone, I'm currently at a point where I'm trying to decide between multiple MBA programs. All of them are accredited in my country, and are Bologna Process compliant overall (I'm looking to get this degree within Europe, not Japan). No shady diploma/degree mill programs.

My plan is to finish the degree while also working on my Japanese skills and passing N2 after graduating. My goal is to leave my country in 3-5 years to work in Japan for at least a couple years.

If all of this works out and taking my other experiences/qualifications into consideration, I should be able to get 65-70 points in the HSP visa score card without taking salary into consideration at all. Those 25 points for the MBA would really make a difference though, so I want to make sure that the MBA will be recognized when choosing a program.

TLDR/my question is: Does anyone have any knowledge or experiences regarding the criteria for HSP Visa MBA degree recognition?

I browsed the NIC-Japan website already but couldn't find any clear "this is what qualifies/disqualifies a degree" info there. I assume that if the degree recognized by my country's ministry of education, my chances are good that Japan will recognize it as well, but I'd like to be as sure as possible as to not make a wrong choice now.

Hello all,

I recently got accepted for a Master's in Kyoto University and NUCB (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business) for April 2025, and wanted recommendations in choosing.

The degree in Kyoto is International MBA, and Nagoya is MSc in Management, both of them are 2 year courses, and I plan to find work/permanently stay in Japan after graduating.

My current job goal is to be a project manager, but I'm still not 100% sure about it, so any insight from alumni or people with experience is welcome.

My current Japanese level is around N2, and I'm taking the JLPT N2 level coming next month, and speaking is no problem, but I would like to take Japanese courses during my study, since both degrees are in English.

One of my recommending professors is Japanese, and she suggests Kyoto since as per her knowledge it's better; but NUCB has better rankings, and I think it's more modern: the facility, and the case study method.

Additionally, I have been practicing Iaido for about a year, and know of an affiliate dojo in Osaka, which is why I'm inclined towards Kyoto.

Thanks :D

Hello, I‘m moving to Japan in January and I‘m taking pills, that are basically just anti-baby-pills, for my endometriosis. I wonder if I have to do something about it, like inform the Japanese government? I know that you have to do it when you take special medications but is it also for anti baby pills? I imagine this to be normal pills. Also, what about vitamin pills? Can I take them with me without worrying?

I’m Nissei but my mom renounced her Japanese citizenship before my birth. She found an old Koseki Tohon copy with her on it. We are in her hometown for a memorial for 72 hours and I’m wondering if I should prioritize getting a fresh copy of the Koseki Tohon while here if I want to apply for a descendant visa in the next year?

A friend who is Japanese and has a US green card told me they needed fresh Koseki tohons for all her applications but if I can link my birth certificate to a Koseki Tohon my mom is still on, would that arguably be more useful for applications? For those who have successfully applied and gotten descendant visas, what is the best route of action?

My shoe size is bigger than normal sizes available in Japan so I do intend to bring my shoes. I live in Canada, we usually get lots of snow and can get -25. I understand Tokyo itself doesn't get much snow, but how about an hour away in any direction (by train)? I don't think I'll need my full snow boots for where I normally will live around Tokyo but I do plan to visit Sapporo and will spend some time in rural areas around Japan. Will I need full snow boots for those trips?

I am planning to go study in Japan and I just found out that I am HIV+. Will I still be able to do that? If I can still study, how is the ease of access to ART meds in Japan? Please help and answer.

I am planning to move to Japan for 2 years on a student visa with the course beginning in April, am I allowed to enter the country as a tourist while my visa is processing? I understand I cannot pick up my visa in Japan so i would either go to Korea or back to USA to pick it up. Does anyone have any insight on this ?

Hi- the title of this question may sound like it's super unrelated to the sub, but I promise it's not unrelated haha. I'm currently in the "maybe, maybe not" stage of a MEXT scholarship- and so I can't know for sure, but there exists a possibility I'll be spending three years in Japan. My worry is that the amount of time between finding out about scholarship results and the plane leaving to Japan is not too big, and because it's a long stay, I'd ideally want to bring clothes to avoid having to buy a lot of stuff there.

My big worry is how I dress. I know that Japan isn't a stereotypical all-button ups and long pants land where people will faint if they see a midriff. Obviously, the people in big cities will be more used to stuff than people in the countryside, or people who live on beach areas, etc. Still, cultural differences are a thing, and I basically want to know how badly my usual clothing would stand out so I can maybe slowly thrift some more 'tasteful' articles of clothing just in case I do get the scholarship (and if I don't, well, new clothes to soothe the sting I guess).

I usually dress in a rather 'exposed' manner, aka lots of crop tops, miniskirts, low rise pants with thongs, etc, due to living in a warm and humid country. I'm a uni student and most of my time is spent either on-campus or around campus, and as such, it's really not odd for women to dress less conservatively. I have my nips and midriff pierced (and am considering hip piercings), so usually I like to dress in manners that show them off (no bra, low rise pants with crop tops, blah blah). It's not really an attention thing (nobody really cares too much, because as I said, uni campus, there's weirder people out there), and it's something I'm comfortable in, but I'm also aware that it's probably because it's more culturaly acceptable here. I don't want to stand out more than I will as a foreigner if I do go to Japan, and with limited suitcase space if I do go, I'd love to know if I should prioritize more tastefu covered clothing and leave behind the croptops and minishorts and whatnot, or if it's something nobody will care much about.

I am a second year college student in Ireland about to apply for a (mandatory) year abroad in Japan as part of my course. My options are Tokyo (Tokyo University of Foreign Studies) or Kanazawa (Kanazawa University) as these are the only two partner universities that can accomodate my planned time (2 semesters) and my subjects. I'm really stuck between which to apply for. The way the application process works is by preference, so even if I put them in order I'm not guaranteed to get my first option, but even so I haven't a clue what to pick.

I'm mostly introverted (although college has definitely pushed me out of my shell a bit), and have never lived in a big city; I'm from the countryside and the college I go to is in a city of about 225k people. So I am really not used to big cities like Tokyo. That being said, I'm up for the adventure! I understand studying abroad is about growing as a person and experiencing new things.

In terms of benefits, both really suit me. For Kanazawa, I like the look of the city, the historical culture and history, and the aspect of it being a quiet(er) city appeals to me. Plus it's close to the coast.

For Tokyo though, I really feel like studying in Tokyo is a once-in-a-lifetime oppurtunity. The nightlife appeals to me (like I said, I'm Irish and am used to going out and drinking a lot). Plus, I'm really interested in things like Japanese fashion (Harajuku), music (visual kei) and anime, and I feel like I could get a lot out of Tokyo in regards to these. However, part of me feels that if I were to return to Japan for work in the future, I would likely end up in Tokyo, so maybe I should take the chance to live in Kanazawa now?

I'm really torn between the two. Ultimately, I can't guarantee where I end up going, but even so I need to make a preference for my application. I just feel like Tokyo would be easier as a foreigner, and possibly more "exciting", while Kanazawa might not. If anyone who has studied in either cities has any input it would be greatly appreciated. Really I'm just looking for pros/cons from people who have lived in either city and knows exactly what it's like to do so.

Hello!

I applied for a government contracting job in Misawa, Japan (I am coming from the US) and there is a possibility my company will pay for a maximum of 1 car to be imported. We only have the one car, so that works out great. Of course, nothing about the move or job is even set in stone at the moment, but I am still trying to learn as much about the process, because I would like to move to Japan in general.

ALSO, I am aware that the EV infrastructure isn't great in japan, especially around Misawa. I will most likely be buying a house and will be able to charge it there.

My main issue that I recently realized, is the fact that there are no KIA dealerships in japan since it is not a very popular brand there. I have been told over and over to just sell the car and get a new one when we go, but for me that isn't an option. I had some issues with my last car, so the negative equity rolled over into my current loan. I would much rather pay just the one payment instead of two.

Has anyone here ever imported a KIA branded car or had to get maintenance done on a KIA while in Japan? I am worried that if something were to go wrong and I need it serviced, I wouldn't be able to.

I understand I am doing things the very hard way and I should just get a new car when moving, or a more well known brand (for the Japanese market) before moving and have that imported, but I just really don't want to currently.

Any advice is appreciated, but I already realize I am an idiot for even wanting to do this the way I am, so advice without scrutiny would be preferred.

Thank you!

I've got 2 cars a 1969 mustang and a 1977 scout with an LS engine.

Both cars are CARB compliant in the USA.

But I'm wondering what an approx cost of import would be and what would neee to be done to pass the Shaken test??

Basically I'm wondering if the cost will exceed the cost of the cars themselves. Would it be in the realm of 40-50k USD? Or am I way off?

According to the ISA, https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/instructor.html?hl=en, to gain an instructor visa it says if I am offered a category 1 job I do not need proof of my degree? I am just confused because it seems like the higher level schools would require more proof not less for a visa.

I am arriving in Japan mid December to explore the option to take a teaching position. I am TEFL certified and have 8 years experience as a teacher and 15 years experience as a tutor but have no formal degree. I am working to finish a Bachelor's in Business Management by march but I am wondering if that is super necessary for the process.

it says this : NFC but can't use money wallet due to Japan limitation

I was looking at the Xiaomi poco f6 pro.

I guess they just want you to buy those expensive japanese phones from docomo with monthly installments. Or to buy the iphone even if that's American.. idk

Edit: I've been told that docomo also sells Samsung devices but not xiaomi. I guess they don't like Chinese brands

Hello! I am currently working towards a career in law and marketing, wanted to know just how difficult it would be to break into the profession in japan as a black woman. I really would love to live and work there but I know how much harder everything is for foreigners already. Does anyone have any experiences of working in high positions in corporate jobs as a black person, especially dark skinned?

I did my research on the types of work visas and found that there are many different types. It seems that the one I may be fitting to is "Specified Skills Visa 1-SSV1" as my career revolves around hotels. However, I do not have a degree in hotel management (or any kind for that matter) and only have experience (4+ years) in the field. I can't find a clear answer on whether you need a degree to be able to apply to 1-SSV1 for the hotel industry or not. Is there anyone who may have an idea of the degree requirement for this visa? Or maybe a different kind of visa that the hotel industry falls under? I am okay with looking at other job careers, but I currently work at a worldwide hotel chain with many locations in Japan to which I hope to apply, as this is the career that I aspire to keep.

hello /r movingtojapan and reddit!

ive been thinking about studying abroad and seen a whole bunch of posts and stories about Japan but none of really go into detail about balancing finances and studies. do most people just plan a year ahead and save for tuition and a year of rent / expenses?

a few intricate questions about living errands (documents) and managing money (if doing part-time):

-this is more for the school of choice question, but did you receive the notification card (通知カード) if living in a dorm provided by the school? (for mynumbercard for longer term stay and convenience, not necessary but just curious compared to independently applying for an apartment & managing by yourself)

-what was the process of going to the city hall and registering? would it be needed in student dorming (aka school owned)? also what is the purpose (compared to the states where your landlord doesn't care as long as you pay rent sometimes)

-how did you receive payment? ive seen most people signup for JP post-bank (the green one) as you dont need to live there for +6months and only need your zairyuu (assuming you get that from the immigration visa office place)

-マイナビ how is it? i've heard that its what japanese students use too but foreigners have less variety given language abilities, discrimination etc. also is quitting a part-time job have the same reputation as a full-time or are the bosses nicer?

-taxes as a exchange student? any other warnings?

sorry for my lack of knowledge! thank you!

Hello everyone! I've been lurking for a while but this is my first time posting.

I'm an older student-- I got an associates degree from a 4 year uni in America and then dropped out to work. Now I'm returning to college! I want to get a bachelors in Japanese, and then move on to a masters degree, and I would very much like to do so in Japan. I had planned on joining TUJ and then moving to their masters in management, but while I was poking around here trying to prepare for the move, I noticed that Temple doesn't have the best reputation amongst the redditors of r/movingtojapan.

So now I'm worried. I'm not rich, so I qualify for the Pell grant and my grades are alright enough for scholarships, but because I don't have a lot of money, I've basically got one shot for the foreseeable future to make this move. My question is ultimately this:

If not Temple, what universities do you all recommend? I've picked up on a couple recommendations so far-- Tohoku, Doshisha, Kobe, Waseda, and Keio-- but I figure I might as well get it straight from the horse's mouth.

Thanks in advance for any help or advice!

I've seen this question asked before and I apologize, but I hope my question is different enough to not break rule 2. I've been trying to research an economics (preferably) or finance masters program in Japan. An MBA program with no specialization would suffice as well.

The biggest issue I'm running into is not knowing what ranking the schools have. I probably would not be accepted into the best programs, but a school somewhere in the middle that isn't seen as a waste of time is more in line with what I'm looking for. I apologize if this comes off as elitist, I just want to make sure the degree carries some weight if I'm going to put the time and effort in. I'm 31 so i'm getting to the point where I'm not sure how much schooling I have left in me.

I also would likely be working for an American company remote while I was studying. However, I'm in a unique situation where I would be able to sustain myself financially if I could not do both at the same time.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone,

I’m moving to Tokyo later this month from California and looking for recommendations for where to live. I’ve also checked out the housing wiki, read some previous posts, and contacted a few agents, but I’d love to hear any personal foreigner-friendly real estate recommendations or tips from people who’ve gone through the process.

A quick summary:

• Late 20s male
• Speak a bit of Japanese (N3 level)

What I'm Looking For:

• 2LDK, budget up to 450,000 yen, but open to lower-priced options if they meet my needs
• Building Age: Prefer newer, modern buildings (within 5 years)
• Want something in the middle of quiet and bustling. Lively, but not too crazy / lively if that makes sense
• Near a nice gym if possible. Expat friendly would be great too

Location Preferences:

• Commute: I’ll be working in Meguro, a couple minutes walk from Meguro station, so something with an easy commute (less than 25 minutes door to door) would be ideal. The closer the better.
• Areas: Prefer to avoid the Yamanote Line for a less hectic commute. Interested in places like Nakameguro, Meguro, Roppongi, Azabujuban, Shirokanedai, or similar neighborhoods if anyone has suggestions or personal feedback
• Still want easy access to Shibuya / Shinjuku to hang out

Any help would be much appreciated—thanks!

My daughter is going to be attending for 2 years at Yoyogi Animation academy starting April next year (she was accepted and waiting on information to get visa etc). She did pass the N2 Japanese language proficiency certification thru self study.

She is supposed to get information on board and lodging (approx 50k yen per month). Fortunately USD is strong at the moment and also helped to make the tuition lower in USD.

We are applying for her 10 year adult passport as she still has 2 years on her 5 year child/minor passport.

It seems for visa, the Japanese consulate in Los Angeles only requires mail with a self addressed return envelope for issuing visas. Specifically to be able to work there while attending.

She does want to remain there past 2 years by attending a Japanese ministry of education post secondary course. It was mentioned there are 2 year programs available. Unfortunately Yoyogi's does not qualify. Else, she would have to return and finish university/college (she is applying for leave to keep that option open).

What documents would be good to bring with her. Figure her birth certificate at least. What will be needed to open a bank account to wire money to her? We are getting her a dual sim android phone (I understand only Japanese sold phones can use IC without rooting so noting to buy a physical SUICA card).

Any advice is appreciated.

Hello I am applying to TUJ for 2025 fall semester and had a question about staying in Japan during the summer semester, The most cost effective student accommodation I can find all require a 1 year contract. I wanted to know if it was legal for me to stay in Japan during the summer semester when I do not take classes. I do not want to waste money from April to August with rent I won’t be in the country for

Hello, my husband and I are interested in moving to Japan for a few years, and potentially exploring staying longer.

We are both US citizens, but his mother is a Japanese citizen. He used to have Japanese citizenship too but had to renounce it to join the military. Now that his mom and grandpa are getting older and he’s out of the military, we are interested in living in another country while also being closer to them as they age in Japan. Grandpa especially is reaching end of life.

What are our best options of moving there? He is on his family koseki, confirmed, as my MIL made sure to take him as a child to get his Japanese passport and get registered on her koseki. Based on our initial research it seems like we should go for a child of Japanese national visa for him and a dependent visa for me. But, we do have 3 pets which we know will make the move significantly more difficult. Would y’all recommend using an immigration lawyer for this type of situation?

I am 17 and i will be 18 in march 2025, but I’m considering going to a language school in January 2025. My language school is in Shinjuku, which company should I choose if I want to live in a sharehouse?

I could not find any information outside of their website. I want to spend 3 months in Tokyo to learn Japanese (I am high N5 rn). I found Shinjuku Gyoen Japanese Language School online, but I don't want to apply until I know if others liked it.

My main questions:

- was it intensive?

- what's the students' demographic (age/nationality)

- how are the dorms

Thank you very much for your help.

I am also considering ISI and GenkiJCAS, both in Tokyo. I have seen pros and cons for both of these but nothing for Shinjuku Gyoen Japanese Language School.

Hi, I'm in the process of preparing to move from europe to tokyo. Coming from 230v 50hz country.

I know this has been asked before, but the responses to posts like these are "just sell it and buy a new one", or "a transformer will be too expensive". And yes, I know transporting them is expensive too, but assume shipping is free.

I have several appliances that were expensive to buy, and the fact that a transformer will be "too expensive" isn't informative enough. Could anyone tell me whether (if i am willing to have a big large heavy brick of a transformer in my apartment), how much it'll roughly cost and whether it'll work? I don't intend to use these appliances more than 15mins continuously. And most of the time, I only turn them on for about 5mins each time.

I found this on amazonJP, and 8k-10k yen doesn't seem too expensive to me. The main question is: will it work?

https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Overseas-Transformer-Compatible-Equipment-Conversion/dp/B07TWC7RLS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

I'm intending to use this for my coffee machine, kitchenaid, food processors, blender etc. The max wattage amongst them is 1100W. I don't intend to use all the appliances at the same time, so i'll only plug them in when they are in-use.

And any high wattage appliances like my (pretty expensive) hairdryer 1600W will unfortunately not come with me (for the same reasons above).... Though if I could bring it, I would love to.

I’m a Canadian citizen, and my wife kept her Japanese citizenship (Canadian PR).

We plan on primarily living in Vancouver, but are planning to travel to Japan for three months each winter.

Renting is ok for now, but long term we are hoping to buy a condo/apartment here as we spend more time in Japan. Also in case our kids want to travel, we are hoping they can stay in the unit. It seems complicated, especially since we won’t be working/studying in the country.

Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? For reference, I am mostly out of my business, but I do need to take the occasional call from site supers/sales-team etc. I don’t know if that’s considered “working” as far as needing a work visa is concerned.

Thank you

Hi there, I'm looking for some guidence as to where to start as far as my schooling.

Quick background: My goal is to teach elementary aged children. I am currently working on my associate's degree before pursuing my bachelor's degree in elementary education. I am based on the USA currently.

I am at the point in my degree where I could either start applying for a Japanese language school now and try to finish my degree overseas after that, or I could finish my bachelor's degree here but would still likely need to enroll in a language School upon moving.

If I choose the first option, and decide to finish my last two years of my degree overseas on a student visa, what will my work options look like with only an associate's degree? From my research online, and associates degree is the equivalent of a secondary degree, which means I could work with preschool students although when I check job postings it is unclear to me the educational level needed for a preschool level teacher position for sure. Does it depend on the school/ employer?

As for finishing my bachelor's degree in the states, are there any downsides (other than the immense cost)? For those with experience, did you need to do extra job training once hired and did you feel that your degree prepared your for teaching overseas as far as different curriculums etc?

Thank you for reading my query and any information is helpful, thank you.

Hello!

so, in a few months I'll be moving to Japan officially! I'm very excited. This is my first time moving so far (I've only lived in a couple houses, all in the same town my whole life). I wanted to hear some experiences of how everyone actually moved in and what the situation with the airline was with moving stuff. I've had some family suggest to take what I can and mail the rest but I know it can be very pricey. would it be cheaper to mail my belongings or to travel with everything, and if so how would I go about doing so. I should also note, I am on the east coast of the US so I will have to layover in Atlanta. I'm not bring a whole lot, just clothes, personal belongings, kitchen stuff, etc. I'm not even taking my bed or really any furniture at all so.

Thank you all for reading and taking your time to help me answer some questions that have been weighing on me. If there is a different subreddit that would be better to ask this in please let me know!

You may be wondering "Why is your birth date different?"

I shit you not, my father(the Japanese one) was paranoid about me being gay due to my(male) birthday(ひな祭り), he put the wrong birth date on the koseki. Worries were unfounded. Not gay, just very bad with women.

My father passed away, so can't get his help(or yell at him for being an idiot). I have a copy of my koseki somewhere in my filing cabinet, but it's from... 2018 ish? Is that too old to use?

Pre-Covid, my mom(American) had somewhat looked into it, but Covid kinda fucked over travel plans, so that was kinda abandoned.

Any recommendations?

Hey all—I want to start by prefacing that this is more of a "what-if" post, rather than me committing to immigrating to Japan from the US. It's just something my partner and I talk about time to time, often spurred by current events (e.g., the 2024 US election), and I was curious about this community's 2-cents about our thought process and its viability, specifically the visa process. Would absolutely love brutally honest feedback.

For some background—as I mentioned, my partner and I (unmarried) are currently in the US and in our mid-20s. We're both US citizens by birth, but my partner has dual citizenship with Japan through her mother and has both a US and JP passport. She's fluent in Japanese, while I've studied it for about 4 years in college and received my bachelor's in both Computer Science and Japanese Studies. I haven't taken an official fluency exam at all, but I'm relatively comfortable with speaking and writing the language with native speakers. My partner has her bachelor's in chemistry.

We've both had the opportunity to briefly travel and live in different parts of the world, so we're somewhat familiar with the emotional and financial baggage of moving long-distances. I believe her family owns a rural home, but we would prefer living in a metropolitan area.

We have a vague idea of how things could go down, but I have a few questions about the immigration process:

• I understand that her dual-citizenship is a gray area, and she would need to choose if confronted by legal technicality. But our understanding is that she could just decide to return to Japan for any reason, keep her Japanese passport, and then I come on a travel visa, we get married, and then move onto a spousal visa? What kind of additional complications does her "dual-citizenship" introduce, if any?
• We think the best "jumping off" point would be being offered a career opportunity first, rather than just moving first then finding work after? Things like applying to a English-teaching program to help take care of moving and initial income—a short career vacation for a foot in the door? I have a few colleagues that joined the JET program since graduating, and a few of them were able to pivot into a long-term career in Japan closer to their actual degrees, so that seemed like one good approach for us.
• How much money should we have prepared for upfront costs? Most of my research told me that most people on this subreddit in the past few years needed about at least $10k for a relatively comfortable move, which is more than doable with money I have set aside in savings/investments, plus a bit more from down-sizing and selling my car/furniture.
• A bonus question: I'm Korean-American and I'm very much aware that this can make me a target with certain people in certain areas. Anybody have personal experiences as a Korean male living in urban Japan?