Your guide to Japan
Clear, practical guides in plain English for anyone planning to study, work or live in Japan — from your first hiragana to your first apartment.
Original lessons from JLPT N5 to N1, with readings, romaji and practice.
Visa types, documents and steps, linked to official sources.
Banking, housing, transport and everyday life, explained simply.
Economy, immigration and jobs news that affects you.
Learn Japanese
Five levels, from first words to fluent reading. Start at N5 and move up at your own pace.
The first level. Read hiragana, katakana and basic kanji, and understand simple everyday phrases spoken slowly.
28 lessons
Basic everyday Japanese: simple conversations and short texts on familiar topics.
30 lessons
The bridge level: everyday Japanese at close to natural speed, and short texts on familiar topics with some support.
Coming soon
Japanese for work and study: news, articles and conversations on a wide range of topics.
Coming soon
Advanced Japanese: complex texts and natural-speed speech on almost any topic.
Coming soon
Work & Visa
Each guide links to the official sources and shows when it was last checked.
Visa Guide
Permanent residence removes limits on your work and your period of stay. Usually you need 10 years in Japan, including 5 years on a work or residence status, a clean record, taxes, pension and health insurance paid on time, and a household income at the Japanese average for your household size. From 1 October 2026 the fee is ¥200,000.
Visa Guide
If you live in Japan on a work or study status such as Engineer/Humanities, Student or SSW (ii), your legal spouse and children can join you on the Dependent status. You must be able to support them. They can work up to 28 hours a week with permission.
Visa Guide
This is the most common work visa for graduates: engineering, IT, business, marketing, translation and similar specialist jobs. You need a related degree (or 10 years' experience; 3 years for international-services work), a contract with a Japanese organisation, and pay equal to a Japanese employee.
Not sure where to start?
Compare the main visa types side by side, then read the guide that fits your plans.
Life in Japan
Practical guides for your first months and beyond.
Life Guide
Indicative, checked 7 November 2026 (official 2025 survey): single worker households under 35 spent ¥179,225 a month on living costs, plus ¥59,146 on taxes and social insurance. Rent decides most of the rest: in 2023 the average rent paid by renting households was ¥59,643 nationally and ¥93,579 in Tokyo's 23 wards.
Life Guide
Indicative, checked 7 November 2026: young single workers spent ¥41,938 a month on food in 2025, and ¥17,996 of it was eating out. Cooking at home is the biggest saving. If you avoid pork or alcohol, read the full ingredient list: pork and gelatin are only "recommended" allergen labels in Japan, so the allergen box may not show them.
Life Guide
Garbage rules are set by each city: check your city's English guide and collection days the week you move in. Keep noise down, especially at night, and follow your rental contract. On trains, keep quiet and avoid phone calls. At work, be on time and report early. After-work drinking is optional, and you can say no politely.
Real Estate
Housing, living costs and local news, region by region.
7 guides and articles
5 guides and articles
Coming soon
1 guide or article
1 guide or article
Coming soon
Coming soon
Browse every area
Culture
Customs, festivals and etiquette — the small things that make a big difference.
A month-by-month guide to Japan's seasons and festivals: New Year shrine visits, cherry blossom viewing, Golden Week, summer matsuri and Obon, fireworks and autumn leaves, with official dates and simple festival manners.
How to use a Japanese hot spring (onsen) or public bathhouse (sento) step by step: what to bring, washing before you enter, towels, safety, tattoo policies and the official guidance, and Tokyo's sento price.
A practical guide to Japanese gift customs: omiyage souvenirs for co-workers, gifts when you visit someone's home, seasonal gifts, wrapping, giving and receiving, and gifts that fit halal or vegetarian diets.
