Phones
Most people in Japan have a mobile phone, something that is immediately apparent if you look around at your fellow passengers when travelling by train. It's possible to choose from a wide variety of handsets, and they are usually free if you sign a contract with the phone company. Telephones come in various sizes, designs and with many different features. It may also be of some importance which phone network you select. The major companies are:
- Softbank: Vodafone recently changed to Softbank. There have been a deluge of swanky new phones to accompany the switch to Softbank. The services have pretty much remained the same. Also the website has quite a comprehensive English version with even information on phones being in English.
- Docomo: This is Japan's 'national' phone network. They have a wide range of services and contracts. Coverage is also good. As with Vodafone, free minutes can be used the following month, and they too have bilingual phones. Some phones may also be operated abroad. However, Docomo do charge to receive incoming calls from overseas.
- AU: A smaller company than the first two, but it is growing. Some of their phones are very stylish although not all are bilingual. It may be a cheaper option - they have a good range of contracts.
- TUKA: Less well known than the others, this deals mostly with prepaid phones and can work out to be very cheap. As with AU, they don't have so many bilingual handsets. Internet services are also restricted and at present, their phones can't handle video. The prepaid cards come with a time limit ranging from 1 to 3 months for \1000 to \5000 cards.
Tuka is probably good for light users who are looking for a cheap telephone. The others don't differ greatly. It's worth considering how much calls from abroad cost, whether receiving calls incurs any charges and perhaps, what phone company the majority of your friends are with. It's much cheaper to call and e-mail people who are on the same network as you.
The Post Office
Addresses in Japan are notoriously complicated. They contain a postal code (〒 and a 7 digit number), followed by the name of the prefecture, city, the ward, section, and then a number identifying the building. When addresses are written in Japanese, they are written in this 'reverse' order.
Opening hours of small Post Offices are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Bigger Post Offices are often open from 9am to 7pm and may operate on limited hours at weekends and holidays. Some larger offices also have a special counter called "YUYU no Madoguchi" which is open beyond regular hours.
When mailing letters, It is useful to write your address on the back of the envelope in case errors are made. It's also worth going into a Post Office just to make sure the letter gets the right stamp. For parcels sent abroad, as in other countries, the contents must be listed for customs.
If you receive a parcel and are not at home, a note will be left informing you how to get it and where it is. Usually, this involves going to the Post Office to pick it up but be warned - your parcel may not be being held at the closest office. It is also possible to call and arrange to have the parcel delivered at another time. This conversation will probably be conducted in Japanese.
Click here for a more detailed look at the form and methods for redelivery.
Banks
At first, visitors to Japan may be relying on traveler's checks or an account based in your home country. International ATMs can be found under Kyoto Tower, in Teramachi shopping arcade and at Citibank near Karasuma Shijo.
Banks are generally open for counter service from 9am to 3pm on weekdays. Major banks include UFJ, Sumitomo, Mizuho and Tokyo Mitsubishi.
The process for opening an account is the same whichever bank you choose. Go in, take a ticket or say 'kouza hirakitai' to one of the bank staff. They will point you in the right direction or help to fill out a form. It's necessary to take your Gaijin Card and a hanko. The bank will provide an account book, used to keep track of and withdraw money. A cash card will be sent a few days later.
ATMs can be used to withdraw money, pay money in, pay bills and make transfers. At the time of writing, UFJ was the only bank to offer a free 24 hour service from ATMs, although this is likely to become more common. Convenience stores usually have ATMs and some may be used for 24 hours. However, others will not accept cards after six or seven pm. As a footnote, UFJ and Tokyo Mitsubishi merged recently. The new company has been named MUFG. At the time of writing although it is possible to use UFJ cards in banks that used to be Mitsubishi banks and vice versa, the times at which you can use them are limited. There are plans afoot to update all ATMs to ensure 24 hour use with all cards. Please check back for updates or visit the forums.
Japan is largely a cash based society, with a very high limit on the amount you can withdraw in one day. Credit and debit cards are not really used that often and are only really necessary for emergencies. If you do want to get one, then shop around and compare different monthly fees and interest rates. Also, shops often have store cards, which give redeemable points for the store increasing with usage. Companies and banks also often get together, for example, if you pay your Docomo bill through a UFJ account, you can get a free credit card.
It is possible to send money home at banks and post offices, but most people choose to use a service called Go Lloyds. It's a branch of TSB, and money can be transferred from most ATMs in Japan once the account has been set up. Lloyds charge 2000 yen for each transaction. There is also a possibility of a further charge at the receiving end. Money is transferred in one day, and rates are competitive.