First of all, it is very important to know where your apartment’s garbage disposal area is. Most apartments will have a designated area in the 1st floor/lobby of the apartment building, or right outside. Sometimes there will be a net or some kind of marking (sign, poster, etc) to show the designated spot, sometimes there is no marking (in this case please ask the management office or person in charge of the building).

Following are some pictures of common apartment garbage disposal areas:

Next thing to know is the schedule of garbage pickup in your ward. Most wards have specific days to pick up specific types of garbage (i.e. Combustibles on Monday and Thursday, Plastic bottles on Tuesday, Cans and Glass on Friday, etc.) It is important to know which days to put out which garbage. Also, make sure you know what constitutes as combustible garbage and what does not. The standards of what can be burned and what needs to be recycled also varies on the ward you live in. Below is an image of garbage disposal following general guidelines and what the majority of wards go by. (Click to enlarge)

Here is an english-friendly and detailed website to answer all of your specific garbage-related questions >>

http://www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/info/01.html

Also, here is a link to ward-specific contact information and garbage disposal details >>

http://www.union.tokyo23-seisou.lg.jp.e.de.hp.transer.com/joho/index.html

Happy garbage disposing!

Making a bank account is one of the few things you need to do to start if you plan in living and working in Japan.
However, applying a bank account is never easy specially if you do not know the language.

Here are some information and tips to help you with the process.

1.There are plenty of banks to choose from. The list below are the well known banks, which have plenty of branch all over Japan.

ゆうちょ銀行　”Yuuchou Ginkou” (this bank account works with Japan post office)

https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en_index.html

・To all Japan Post Bank Customers of non-Japanese Citizenship
https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kaisetu/pdf/kaisetu_en.pdf

・Japan Post Bank　procedures on your smartphone

https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/app/tetsuzuki/app_tz_en.html

三井住友銀行　”Sumitomo Mitsui”
https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/sougou/language/index.html?language=en

みずほ銀行　”Mizuho ginkou”

https://www.mizuhogroup.com/bank/who-we-are

三菱東京UFJ銀行　”Mitsubishi UFJ ginkou”

https://www.bk.mufg.jp/global/

2. Here is some useful language you will
need to know when opening a bank account!

3. What you will need to bring!

1. Two forms of personal identification (these must have your address on it)

2. Your Alien Registration Card, Your Passport, and/or your public health insurance card

3. The money you want to deposit (usually they have you deposit at least a minimum amount: even just 1 yen)

4. Your address and phone number
5. Your Hanko or personal name stamp (optional)

In most cases, a bank clerk will assist you through the process. They will inform you on which application form to fill and which booth you need to go.

Please see a sample form below (referenced from a blog at “thejapanguy.com”). Forms may vary.

1.　種類 (しゅるい or Shurui). ACCOUNT TYPE:

2.　送金機能 (そうきんきのう or Sokinkino). REMITTANCE FEATURE:
3.　基準額 (きじゅんがく or Kijungaku). STANDARD LIMIT:
4.　お預け入れ金額 (おあずけいれきんがく or Oazukeire Kingaku). DEPOSIT AMOUNT:
5. おところ or Otokoro. ADDRESS:
6.　おなまえ or Onamae. NAME:
7. お届け印 (おとどけいん or Otodokein)。確認印 (かくにんいん or kakunin). STAMPS
8. 生年月日 (せいねんがっぴ or Seinengappi). BIRTHDATE:
9. キャッシュサービス. CASH CARD SERVICE
10. キャッシュサービス　デビト機能 (きゃしゅさーびすでびときのう or kyashusa-bisudebitokino). DEBIT CARD FEATURE
11.カード種類（かーどしゅるい or ka-doshurui). CARD TYPE:
12. 暗証番号必須取り扱い(あんしょうばんごうとりあつかい or anshinbangotoriatsukai) PIN NUMBER SERVICE
13. ボランティア DONATIONS
14.　性別　(せいべつ or seibetsu). GENDER.

Great! Now you should have everything you need to successfully create your own bank account in Japan!

Good luck!!!

Finding your immigration bureau nearest to you may be a stressful and complicated process.

Here is some information that may be able to help you in finding your immigration bureau closest to you!

To start off, this is the english version of the website for the immigration bureau of Japan!

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/

Important information and updates are posted here, as well as general helpful information for foreigners living in Japan.