Japan is orderly, safe and still fond of cash. The residence card you receive at the airport opens a SIM contract, a bank account and health insurance, but only after you register your address at the city office within 14 days. Beppu and Tsukuba are small cities where buses and a bicycle matter more than trains.
Money
Japanese yen (¥)
Language
Japanese
Time
UTC+9, no daylight saving
Plugs
Type A and B; 100 V, 50 Hz in Tsukuba and 60 Hz in Beppu
119 covers both fire and ambulance; say “kyūkyū” for an ambulance or “kaji” for a fire. For help in English at any hour, call the Japan Visitor Hotline on 050-3816-2787.
Set these up before you fly
The essentials that take days to arrange or have to work the moment you land.
Written for students from Azerbaijan first: where a rule depends on nationality, the rule for Azerbaijani citizens is given and labelled.
ADA University · Spring 2027
Universities and places
UO
University of Tsukuba
Tsukuba
3 places
Exchange enrolment starts in April or October, not February, so a spring 2027 exchange will not line up with a February–June semester – check dates with both offices before nominating.
AP House residences are off campus: AP House 3 is about 20–30 minutes by bus from central Beppu, and AP House 4 about 40–50 minutes by bus from campus.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking3
Cards and IC cards work in most chains, but cash is still needed in small shops and restaurants; 7-Eleven and Japan Post ATMs take foreign cards.
SB
Seven Bank ATMsEssential
Withdraw yen with a foreign card at any 7-Eleven, 24 hours
On arrival
Why you need it: Until you have a Japanese account, your Azerbaijani Visa or Mastercard is your only source of cash, and the 7-Eleven ATM is the one most likely to accept it.
Before leaving Baku, tell your bank you will use the card in Japan and check its foreign withdrawal fee
Withdraw at the airport Seven Bank ATM on arrival
Choose English on the screen and withdraw enough for the first week, since some shops and buses take cash only
Before you rely on itAccepts Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, JCB, American Express and others, though some cards with those logos still fail; carry two cards from different networks. Your own bank’s fee comes on top of any ATM fee.
Source: sevenbank.co.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
JP
Japan Post Bank (Yūcho)
A Japanese account for rent, insurance and PayPay
On arrival
Why you need it: The post office bank is the one exchange students most often open: there is a post office in almost every neighbourhood, and its ATMs also take foreign cards.
Free · Account free; with some foreign cards its ATMs charge ¥220 a withdrawal, up to ¥50,000 at a time (2026)Varies by residence status
Take your residence card, passport and student ID or certificate of enrolment to a post office counter
Expect the cash card to follow by post, usually after a week or more
Before you rely on itIt will not open an account if your period of stay ends within three months of the application, it can decline without giving a reason, and it may ask you to bring someone who speaks Japanese. Opening is not always same-day. Foreign-card withdrawals are capped at ¥50,000 each and balance checks are not available.
Japan’s most used QR payment app, also for splitting bills
Optional
Why you need it: Small shops, campus stalls and friends splitting dinner use PayPay; once you have a Japanese number and account, it saves carrying coins.
Install the app and switch the language to English
Top it up from a Japanese bank account or with cash at a Seven Bank ATM
Before you rely on itIt needs a Japanese phone number and either a supported Japanese bank account, a Japan-issued credit card or cash top-ups at a Seven Bank ATM; PayPay does not list cards issued abroad among the options.
Source: blog.paypay.ne.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Essential apps4
LINE carries daily life, from chats with classmates to shop coupons; add a route planner and a payment app.
GM
Google MapsEssential
Walking, train and bus routes with live times
Before departure
Why you need it: Japanese addresses are numbered by block, not by street, so even locals navigate by map app; Google Maps also shows train and many bus timetables.
Download offline maps of Beppu or Tsukuba before you fly
Save your dormitory, the city office and the campus office as places
Before you rely on itRural bus times in Ōita and Ibaraki can be missing or out of date; check the operator’s timetable for the last bus.
Source: google.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
JT
Japan Travel by NAVITIME
Route search across trains and buses, in English
Optional
Why you need it: For long trips, such as Beppu to Fukuoka or Tsukuba to Narita, it compares trains, express buses and fares in English better than a general map app.
Before you rely on itBasic route search is free; full timetables, delay re-routing and voice navigation need a Premium plan, a one-off purchase that does not renew itself. It also carries the Japan Tourism Agency’s disaster alerts.
Source: japantravel.navitime.com · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
GO
GO
Book and pay for licensed taxis in all 47 prefectures
Optional
Why you need it: Late at night, with luggage, or when the last bus up to APU has gone, it calls a taxi and takes payment by international card.
Before you rely on itFewer cars run in Beppu and Tsukuba than in Tokyo, so waits can be long. Coupons are not given to users verified with a non-Japanese number.
Source: go.goinc.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
RS
Rubbish sorting: Sanaru app and Beppu calendar
Which bin, which day: your city’s collection rules
On arrival
Why you need it: Rubbish is sorted into several types and collected on set days by neighbourhood; bags put out wrong are left behind with a sticker, and neighbours notice.
Tsukuba: install the city’s Sanaru (さんあ～る) app, set it to English and choose your area
Beppu: download the English rubbish calendar for your neighbourhood from the city site, or look it up through the city’s LINE account
Turn on collection-day alerts
Before you rely on itIn a university dormitory, follow the dorm’s own sorting stations, which can differ from the city’s rules. Some app features show in Japanese only.
Source: city.beppu.oita.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport4
Load a rechargeable IC card on your phone or a plastic card; in Beppu and Tsukuba, buses and a bicycle carry most journeys.
IC
IC card: Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, SUGOCA, nimocaEssential
One rechargeable card for trains, buses and convenience stores
On arrival
Why you need it: Tapping an IC card spares you working out fares in Japanese at every ticket machine, and the regional cards all work in each other’s areas, from Tokyo to Kyushu.
On an iPhone: open Wallet, tap Add, then Transit Card, and add Suica, PASMO or ICOCA, paying from a card in Wallet
Otherwise buy a physical card from a station machine: Suica or PASMO at Narita, Haneda or on the Tsukuba Express, SUGOCA at JR Kyushu stations, nimoca at bus centres in Ōita
Top it up with cash at station machines or convenience-store tills
Tap in and out at train gates; on buses, follow the reader by the door
Before you rely on itPhysical Suica and PASMO cards went back on general sale in March 2025 after a chip shortage. Wallet top-ups need a payment card that Apple Pay accepts; if yours is refused, top up with cash at a station machine or convenience-store till. On Android, Mobile Suica needs an Osaifu-Keitai phone, which usually means a model sold in Japan.
Source: support.apple.com · the provider or a government body · Checked
TE
Tsukuba Express (TX)
Train between Tsukuba and Akihabara in central Tokyo
On arrival
Why you need it: The TX is how Tsukuba students reach Tokyo, its airports’ train links and weekend life, in as little as 45 minutes.
Paid · ¥1,210 Tsukuba–Akihabara, ¥1,205 by IC card (2026)Varies by city
Before you rely on itFares add up for frequent trips; for Tokyo Station itself, the highway bus from Tsukuba Center is a direct alternative. Tsukuba Station is at Tsukuba Center, a bus or bike ride from most of campus.
Kantetsu campus loop, city buses and airport buses in Tsukuba
On arrival
Why you need it: The campus stretches several kilometres from Tsukuba Center, and the loop bus or a bicycle is how students get to class.
Paid · Annual campus bus pass ¥19,000; Tsuku-Bus ¥200–400 a ride; highway bus to Tokyo Station ¥1,260, ¥1,200 by IC card (2026)Varies by cityVaries by university
Ride the campus bus from Tsukuba Center, paying by IC card
If you ride daily, consider the university’s annual bus pass
For Narita or Haneda, take the highway bus from Tsukuba Center
Before you rely on itThe university lists only an annual pass, sold at the campus Maruzen bookshops; for one semester, compare it with paying per ride or a second-hand bicycle, which many students use.
Kamenoi and Ōita Kōtsū buses between Beppu and the APU campus
On arrival
Why you need it: APU sits on a hill about 35 minutes by bus above Beppu, and every trip to the station, the shops or the city office starts with this bus.
From Beppu Station West Exit take Kamenoi bus 5 or 41; from the East Exit, Kamenoi 24 or Ōita Kōtsū 50 or 55
From Ōita Airport take the Airliner bus to Kamegawa (Furuichi), then the Ōita Kōtsū bus to APU
From Fukuoka Airport take the Toyonokuni highway bus to the Beppu-wan Service Area, near campus
If you ride daily, ask about Ōita Kōtsū’s APU-line student commuter passes, sold in April and October and at the start of term
Before you rely on itAny national IC card pays the fare, but a commuter pass loads only onto a nimoca card. Evening services are thin, so check the last bus up the hill. Before each semester, APU runs a paid, cash-only pick-up bus from Fukuoka Airport to AP House for new residents who register by its deadline.
Source: en.apu.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
SIM, eSIM & internet3
Most monthly SIM contracts need a residence card and a Japanese bank account or card; bring an eSIM for the first days.
RM
Rakuten MobileEssential
Monthly SIM or eSIM with an English shop and app
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a Japanese number for PayPay, LINE sign-ups, deliveries and the city office; Rakuten has English support from sign-up to set-up and no fixed-term contract.
Paid · ¥1,078 a month up to 3 GB, ¥2,178 up to 20 GB, ¥3,278 unlimited, including tax (2026)Varies by residence status
Register your address at the city office first, so it is on your residence card
Apply online or at a Rakuten Mobile shop with your residence card (front and back)
Add a credit card or Japanese bank account for the monthly bill
Cancel before you leave Japan
Before you rely on itThe residence card must show your address and be in date. If your address was added at the city office after the card was issued, as it is for anyone landing at an airport that issues cards, the online ID check can fail and you will have to apply at a shop. Includes 2 GB a month of data abroad.
Apply online and wait three to four days for delivery, or visit a shop for a voice SIM
Pay with a credit card in your own name
Before you rely on itPayment is by credit card in your own name, and IIJmio does not say whether cards issued abroad are accepted, so check before you rely on one. It also asks for a Japanese address and contact number. A data-only SIM gives no phone number, which many sign-ups need.
Source: iijmio.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ed
eduroam
Campus wi-fi at APU and the University of Tsukuba
Before departure
Why you need it: Both partner universities are on eduroam, so you can be online on campus from your first visit without burning mobile data.
Ask ADA IT whether your account works on eduroam abroad
Install the eduroam profile for your institution before leaving
Otherwise log in with your host university account once it is issued
Before you rely on itVisitors from other eduroam members connect with their home login; whether that includes ADA was not confirmed, so ask ADA IT.
Source: en.apu.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Visa, registration & legal7
Student visa with a Certificate of Eligibility, residence card at the airport, then address registration and health insurance at the city office within 14 days.
CO
Certificate of Eligibility and Student visaEssential
The Student status of residence for a stay over 90 days
Before departure
Why you need it: A semester in Japan runs longer than any short-stay entry, so the host university applies for your Certificate of Eligibility and you take it to the Japanese embassy for a Student visa.
Cost variesVaries by nationalityVaries by university
Send the host university the documents it asks for so it can apply for your Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) in Japan
Wait for the CoE, now usually forwarded to you as an email you can show on your phone or print; it can take one to three months
Apply for the Student visa at the Embassy of Japan in Baku (1033 Izmir Street, Hyatt Tower III) with your passport, the CoE and the application forms and photos the embassy asks for
Enter Japan within three months of the CoE’s issue date, or it lapses
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: the embassy has listed two application forms and two 4.5 × 3.5 cm photos, about five working days’ processing (sometimes one to two weeks) and no visa fee for Azerbaijani nationals; Japan raised its standard fees on 1 July 2026, so confirm the fee and current list with the consular section (+994 12 490 78 18/19, consular@bk.mofa.go.jp) before you go. Citizens of other countries apply at the Japanese embassy or consulate where they live.
Source: moj.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
RC
Residence card (zairyū kādo)Essential
Your ID in Japan, issued at the airport on arrival
On arrival
Why you need it: The card proves your status and is asked for by the city office, banks and SIM shops. It is issued on the spot only at eight major airports, so where you land matters.
Land at Narita, Haneda or Fukuoka (or another of the eight issuing airports) with your passport, visa and CoE
Collect the residence card at immigration after your passport is stamped
Check your name and status (Student) on the card, and the period of stay on the landing stamp in your passport
Carry it with you at all times
Before you rely on itThe eight airports are New Chitose, Narita, Haneda, Chubu, Kansai, Kobe, Hiroshima and Fukuoka. Land at Ōita or elsewhere and you get a stamp instead, and the card is posted to you after you register your address. Cards issued since 14 June 2026 no longer print the period of stay on the front (it is held on the chip and on your resident record), so some banks and shops may ask for a copy of your jūminhyō instead.
Source: moj.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
RR
Resident registration (jūmin tōroku)Essential
Register your address at the city office within 14 days
On arrival
Why you need it: The law gives you 14 days after moving in, and nothing else works without it: health insurance, a bank account, a phone contract and your My Number all follow from it.
Take your passport and residence card to the city office within 14 days of moving in
Beppu: APU registers new students in the orientation period at Beppu City Hall’s Citizens’ Affairs Division
Tsukuba: go to the Citizen Services Division at Tsukuba City Hall (1-1-1 Kenkyu-Gakuen)
Ask for a copy of your resident record (jūminhyō) if your bank or SIM shop wants one
Before you rely on itIn Beppu, the Cultural and International Affairs Division on the 4th floor of City Hall will go to the counter with you if your Japanese is limited (weekdays 9:30–17:00, 0977-21-1131). Tsukuba City Hall is open 8:30–17:15 on weekdays.
National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkō hoken)Essential
Compulsory public health insurance: you pay 30% of bills
On arrival
Why you need it: Anyone staying three months or more must join, including one-semester exchange students; with the card a clinic visit costs 30% of the price.
Paid · Beppu: about ¥10,000 for one semester (APU, 2026). Tsukuba: about ¥17,000 a year with the low-income reduction, ¥56,900 without (the university’s latest published figures, 2019)Varies by cityVaries by university
Enrol at the city office’s health insurance counter right after resident registration; APU enrols its students on campus during orientation
In Tsukuba, file the income declaration at the City Tax Division so the reduced premium applies
Pay the premium slips at a convenience store or bank as they arrive
Show the insurance card at every clinic and pharmacy
Before you rely on itThe premium is calculated from the day you moved in even if you enrol late. Keep your travel insurance too: NHI does not cover the flight home. Premiums differ by city and by last year’s income.
Source: tsukuba.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
NP
National Pension and the student special payment system
Compulsory pension for residents aged 20–59; students can defer
On arrival
Why you need it: Registering your address enrols you in the pension, and a bill of about ¥18,000 a month follows unless you apply for the student special payment system at the same counter.
Free · ¥17,920 a month from April 2026 to March 2027; nothing to pay while the student exemption is approvedVaries by residence status
At the city office, ask for the Student Payment Special Exemption (gakusei nōfu tokurei) form
Bring your student ID or certificate of enrolment
Apply again after 1 April for the new fiscal year
Keep the approval letters that arrive later
Before you rely on itOnly for ages 20–59. The exemption runs by Japanese fiscal year, April to March, so a February–June stay needs two applications: one on arrival and a second in April. A lump-sum refund after you leave applies only if you actually paid for six months or more.
Source: nenkin.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
MN
My Number (kojin bangō)
The 12-digit number for tax, social security and work
Optional
Why you need it: It arrives by post a few weeks after you register, and employers and some banks ask for it, so keep the notice safe.
Before you rely on itAssigned automatically to everyone with a resident record; in Tsukuba the notice arrives about three weeks after registration. The plastic My Number Card is optional and takes longer; for one semester most students do not need it.
Ask your host university how to apply: some route applications through their own office
Where the university allows it, new Student-status arrivals can ask for it at airport immigration
Check the stamp on the back of your residence card before you start work
Before you rely on itAPU’s rules: up to 28 hours a week during term and 40 hours a week in long breaks, at most 8 hours a day. APU students must apply through the university’s Student Office, which takes about three weeks; immigration will not accept an APU student’s application in person.
Source: en.apu.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Housing & daily life3
Both partner universities have their own residences for exchange students, and private flats cost months of rent up front; apply through the university as soon as you are accepted.
AH
AP House 3 and AP House 4 (APU)Essential
APU’s furnished single rooms for incoming exchange students
Before departure
Why you need it: APU expects exchange students to live in AP House 3 or 4, and rooms go first come, first served, so the order you apply in decides where you live.
Paid · One semester: ¥230,000 in AP House 3, ¥360,000 in AP House 4 (2026)Varies by university
Apply for housing the moment APU’s acceptance pack arrives
Choose: AP House 3 is cheaper, 15 minutes’ walk from campus, with an on-site onsen; AP House 4 is in town, 40–50 minutes from campus by bus
Pay the fees before you arrive
Before you rely on itAP House 3 includes water and bedding but not electricity; AP House 4 includes all utilities and bedding. Budget for the bus too: APU estimates about ¥30,000 a semester for transport from AP House 3 and ¥50,000 from AP House 4.
Source: en.apu.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
UO
University of Tsukuba residence hallsEssential
Short Stay House and Global Village rooms on campus
Before departure
Why you need it: Tsukuba has about 3,500 rooms on campus, including a Short Stay House built for short-term students and the Global Village shared houses; a room there spares you the key money and guarantor of a private flat.
Ask the exchange office how incoming exchange students apply for a room, and by when
Apply by that deadline and pay what the acceptance pack asks for
Ask where to collect your key if you arrive outside office hours
Before you rely on itRent depends on the building, and the university is revising hall fees in stages up to April 2027; check the current figures in the Student Residence Guide or your acceptance pack. Global Village units share a kitchen and shower among their residents.
Source: tsukuba.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
RP
Renting privately in Japan
Deposit, key money and guarantor: the costs of a private flat
Optional
Why you need it: If you miss the university rooms, a private flat costs several months’ rent up front, which matters for a five-month stay.
Paid · Tsukuba: about ¥30,000–50,000 a month in rent, before up-front costs (2026)Varies by city
Ask your host university’s housing office for agents used to exchange students
Budget for shikikin (deposit), reikin (non-refundable key money), the agent’s fee and fire insurance
Expect to pay a guarantee company if you have no Japanese guarantor
Before you rely on itShort stays are harder to arrange privately, and up-front costs can approach the rent for the whole semester; try the university rooms first.
Source: tsukuba.ac.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Student life2
Your student ID brings discounts on transport and museums; JASSO and the university run the support that matters.
JS
JASSO Student Exchange Support Program
¥80,000 a month for exchange students under an agreement
Before departure
Why you need it: Japan’s student services body funds short-term exchange students who come under a university agreement, as ADA students do; for a semester it covers much of the rent and food.
Ask the host university’s exchange office, when you are nominated, whether it has JASSO places for spring 2027
Send them proof of your grades and finances by their deadline
Wait for the host university to tell you the result
Before you rely on itOnly the Japanese university can apply on your behalf; you cannot apply to JASSO yourself. It is for students with excellent records who lack the means to fund the stay, and anyone receiving more than ¥80,000 a month from other scholarships is ineligible.
Source: jasso.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
GS
Gakkensai student accident insurance
Low-cost cover for injuries in class and on the way to it
On arrival
Why you need it: Most Japanese universities offer it, and with National Health Insurance it covers what a lab, sports or commuting injury costs.
Before you rely on itIt covers injuries during classes, campus events and commuting, not illness. Whether it is compulsory, and whether the host enrols you automatically, depends on the university; ask at orientation.
Source: studyinjapan.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language4
Outside campus, English is limited; translation apps and a few phrases go a long way, and LINE is how people message.
LI
LINEEssential
The messaging app everyone in Japan uses
Before departure
Why you need it: Classmates, club members, dorm groups and landlords message on LINE, and even Beppu City offers its rubbish calendar through it; WhatsApp and Telegram are far less used in Japan.
Install LINE and register with your Azerbaijani number before you fly, so you can receive the code
Add friends by QR code: open Home, then the add-friend icon, then QR code
Once you have a Japanese number, change it in settings so you do not lose your account
Before you rely on itAn account is tied to one phone number and one phone at a time; set up account transfer before you change phones or numbers, or chats can be lost.
Source: line.me · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
GT
Google TranslateEssential
Camera translation of signs, forms and labels, offline too
Before departure
Why you need it: City office forms, supermarket labels, rubbish rules and ticket machines are often in Japanese only; pointing the camera reads them on the spot.
Install the app and download Japanese for offline use
Try camera mode on a printed page before you need it
Before you rely on itFine for reading menus and forms, unreliable for contracts and official letters; ask the international office to check anything you sign.
Before you rely on itJapanese–English only, and a website rather than an app; it works well in a phone browser.
Source: jisho.org · the provider or a government body · Checked
IJ
IRODORI: Japanese for Life in Japan
Free Japan Foundation course in everyday Japanese, A1–A2
Before departure
Why you need it: Built for people arriving to live in Japan, it teaches the shop, station and office Japanese you need in week one, with audio; start it in Baku.
Before you rely on itIt does not replace a course; ask your host university which Japanese classes exchange students can take.
Source: irodori.jpf.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Words for the first week
すみませんsumimasen
Excuse me; sorry; also a light “thank you” for a small favour
ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu
Thank you (polite)
英語は話せますか？eigo wa hanasemasu ka?
Do you speak English?
留学生ですryūgakusei desu
I am an international student
転入届を出したいですtennyū todoke o dashitai desu
I would like to register my move-in address (at the city office)
カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka?
Can I pay by card?
袋はいりませんfukuro wa irimasen
I don’t need a bag (bags at the till cost extra)
温めますか？atatamemasu ka?
Shall I heat it up? (asked at convenience stores about food)
このバスはAPUに行きますか？kono basu wa ē-pī-yū ni ikimasu ka?
Does this bus go to APU?
救急車を呼んでくださいkyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai
Please call an ambulance
Emergency & safety3
Dial 110 for police and 119 for fire or ambulance; save your embassy’s number before you go.
EO
Embassy of Azerbaijan in JapanEssential
Consular help for citizens of Azerbaijan, in Tokyo
Before departure
Why you need it: If your passport is lost or stolen, the embassy issues an emergency travel document (qayıdış şəhadətnaməsi) to get you home. From Beppu, Tokyo is a flight away, so call first.
Note the address: 1-19-15 Higashigaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0021
Keep a scan of your passport, visa and residence card in your email
Before you rely on itNot from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save. The embassy’s site lists no separate consular hours or emergency line; check its consular service page before visiting.
Source: tokyo.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
JV
Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO)
24-hour English help line for accidents, illness and disasters
Before departure
Why you need it: When you need a hospital that speaks English, or advice during an earthquake or typhoon, this line answers in English at any hour.
Before you rely on itEnglish, Chinese and Korean only. It is run for visitors, but anyone in Japan can call; for life-threatening emergencies, dial 119 or 110 directly.
Source: japan.travel · the provider or a government body · Checked
ST
Safety tips
Earthquake, tsunami and weather alerts in English
Before departure
Why you need it: Japan has frequent earthquakes and Ōita and Ibaraki both face the sea; this Japan Tourism Agency app pushes earthquake early warnings, tsunami and weather warnings in English and tells you what to do.
Install the app and choose English (it offers 15 languages)
Allow notifications and location
Read the evacuation flowchart once, before you need it
Before you rely on itArea-wide alerts sent through Japanese mobile networks may not reach a phone bought abroad, so the app is the safer bet.
Source: jnto.go.jp · the provider or a government body · Checked
Culture & practical tips
Quiet trains, sorted rubbish and shoes off indoors: a few firm rules make daily life smooth.
01Carry cash, not just cards
Small restaurants, some clinics, bus fares without an IC card and many local shops still take cash only. Keep ¥10,000–20,000 on you and top up at a 7-Eleven ATM.
02Your residence card goes everywhere
Foreign residents must carry the residence card at all times, and police can ask to see it. Keep it in your wallet, not at the dorm.
03No tipping, ever
Tipping is not part of Japanese service and staff may run after you to return the money. Good service is included in the price.
04Shoes off indoors
Take your shoes off at the entrance (genkan) of homes, dorm rooms and some clinics and traditional restaurants. Look for a step up or a shoe rack, and wear socks without holes.
05Quiet on trains and buses
Phone calls on trains and buses are avoided and conversations kept low. On local buses you often board at the back, take a ticket if you have no IC card, and pay at the front as you leave.
06Onsen rules in Beppu
Beppu is a hot-spring city and AP House 3 has its own onsen. Wash before you get in, no swimwear, keep towels out of the water; some baths refuse visible tattoos.
07Bills are paid at the konbini
Health insurance, pension and many utility bills arrive as payment slips you pay at a convenience-store till, in cash. Pay by the date printed on the slip.
08Register your bicycle
Most Tsukuba students ride a bicycle. Bicycle security registration (bōhan tōroku) is required in Japan and done at the shop where you buy the bike, used or new; police stop cyclists to check it. Ride on the left and use a light after dark. Since April 2026, police can fine cyclists aged 16 and over on the spot, up to ¥12,000 for riding while using a phone.
09Hanko can still be asked for
A few offices and banks still ask for a personal seal (hanko), though most now accept a signature; ask the international office before you have one made.
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