Moving to Japan: Essential Japanese for Daily Life
Residence Card (在留カード) Procedures
Every foreigner living in Japan for more than three months receives a 在留カード (zairyū kādo, residence card). You will need this card for almost everything: opening a bank account, signing a lease, registering at city hall (市役所, shiyakusho), and accessing the national health insurance system. Key vocabulary for the registration process includes: 転入届 (tenyū todoke, move-in notification), 住民票 (jūminhyō, residence certificate), 外国人登録 (gaikokujin tōroku, alien registration), and 在留期間 (zairyū kikan, period of residence). At the city hall counter, the phrase 「日本語があまり上手ではないのですが…」 ('nihongo ga amari jōzu de wa nai no desu ga,' meaning 'My Japanese is not very good, but...') followed by 「英語の書類はありますか？」 ('eigo no shorui wa arimasu ka?' — 'Do you have forms in English?') will usually prompt staff to find bilingual forms or an English-speaking colleague.
Finding an Apartment
Renting in Japan involves specific vocabulary and cultural practices. A typical apartment listing will include: 家賃 (yachin, rent), 敷金 (shikikin, security deposit, usually one to two months' rent), 礼金 (reikin, key money paid to the landlord, often one to two months), 管理費 (kanrihi, maintenance fee), 間取り (madori, floor plan), and 築年数 (chikunensū, age of the building). Many landlords require a 保証人 (hoshōnin, guarantor), which can be a challenge for new arrivals without local connections — several companies now offer guarantor services (保証会社, hoshō gaisha) for a fee. Important questions to ask a real estate agent (不動産屋, fudōsan-ya) include: 「外国人でも借りられますか？」 (Can foreigners rent this?) and 「ペットは飼えますか？」 (Are pets allowed?).
Healthcare and National Insurance
Japan's national health insurance system (国民健康保険, kokumin kenkō hoken) covers all residents including foreigners with valid residence status. Registration is done at city hall within 14 days of arrival. With the insurance card (保険証, hokensh), you pay 30% of medical costs, with the remaining 70% covered by the system. At a clinic or hospital, you will need to fill out a reception form (問診票, monshin-hyō) describing your symptoms (症状, shōjō). Essential medical vocabulary includes: 痛い (itai, painful), 熱がある (netsu ga aru, I have a fever), 頭が痛い (atama ga itai, I have a headache), アレルギーがある (arerugī ga aru, I have allergies), and 薬 (kusuri, medicine). For emergency situations, dial 119 for an ambulance; 「救急車をお願いします」 (kyūkyūsha o onegai shimasu, 'Please send an ambulance') is the essential phrase.
Convenience Store Japanese
Japanese convenience stores (コンビニ, konbini) are remarkably full-service: you can pay utility bills, buy concert tickets, print documents, send packages, and of course buy food. The staff will ask predictable questions in a rapid, scripted cadence — knowing the responses in advance removes a major source of daily anxiety for new residents. 「温めますか？」 (atatame masu ka?) means 'Shall I heat this up?' — answer 「はい、お願いします」 (hai, onegai shimasu, yes please) or 「いいえ、大丈夫です」 (iie, daijōbu desu, no, it's fine). 「袋はいりますか？」 (fukuro wa irimasu ka?) means 'Do you need a bag?' — Japan charges for plastic bags. 「ポイントカードはありますか？」 (pointo kādo wa arimasu ka?) means 'Do you have a loyalty card?' When buying hot food items, the staff may ask 「こちらでお召し上がりですか？」 (kochira de omeshiagari desu ka?) — 'Will you be eating here?'
Train and Transit
Japan's train network is punctual, extensive, and highly efficient — but navigating it confidently requires knowing specific vocabulary. An IC card (Suica, Pasmo, or regional equivalent) is loaded with cash and tapped on entry and exit gates, making it far simpler than buying individual tickets. At stations, key signs to recognize include: 改札口 (kaisatsuguchi, ticket gates), 乗り換え (norikae, transfer), 終点 (shūten, terminus), 普通 (futsū, local train), 急行 (kyūkō, express), and 特急 (tokkyū, limited express, which usually requires an additional fare). If you miss your stop or board the wrong line, 「次の駅で降りて乗り換えてください」 (tsugi no eki de orite norikaete kudasai, 'Please get off at the next station and transfer') is what station staff will typically advise. During rush hour, train cars are crowded — 「すみません、降ります」 (sumimasen, orimasu, 'Excuse me, I'm getting off') announces your exit.
Workplace Keigo (敬語)
Keigo (敬語) is the formal honorific speech register used in Japanese workplaces, and using it correctly signals that you understand Japanese professional culture. There are three layers: 丁寧語 (teineigo, polite language using desu/masu forms), 尊敬語 (sonkeigo, respectful language used when speaking about superiors), and 謙譲語 (kenjōgo, humble language used when speaking about yourself in relation to superiors). In practice, the most important workplace phrases are: 「よろしくお願いいたします」 (yoroshiku onegai itashimasu, a versatile phrase used when starting a new task, asking for cooperation, or ending a meeting), 「お疲れ様です」 (otsukaresama desu, 'You must be tired' — said to colleagues as a greeting during or after work), 「ご確認をお願いいたします」 (gokakunin o onegai itashimasu, 'Please confirm/check this'), and 「少々お待ちください」 (shōshō omachi kudasai, 'Please wait a moment'). Making the effort to use basic keigo, even imperfectly, is appreciated far more than speaking casually.
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