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For students who want to experience a new environment, such as living in Japan, you must have felt difficulties in several aspects. Even the most basic needs can also become difficulties if you feel less familiar with the new environment.
Here, with Guidable, we will give you an instant guide to begin your life in Japan by minimizing the difficulties.
Tips 1: Fully Observe the Area Around You
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If you are planning to find a place to live outside of your school area, the first step is that you must observe your surroundings! Otherwise, you may face some difficulties reaching the nearest convenience stores or supermarkets. This also applies to those of you who live within your school area because convenience stores and supermarkets are places you might go to every day. Students usually go there to get a bento for lunch, snacks, or ATM to make some money.
Therefore, make sure that your place of living has one or two convenience stores nearby.
Spending a lot of time to reach the local convenience store isn’t high on your list of priorities, right!
Tips 2: Start Your New Life With 100 Yen Shops
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In Japan, the 100 Yen shop is a very popular place to shop and meet your daily needs. Starting from daily necessities to snacks, they are available at 100 Yen shops.
As a student, you may need some brand new stationery and organizers or hygiene items such as floor cleaner or dish soap. 100 Yen shops are truly the best destinations in Japan to get your everyday items.
There are several choices of stores that should be available in your living areas. In Japan, Daiso, Seria, CanDo, and Lawson100 are the most favored 100 yen shops.
Notably, all items in 100 yen shops are 100 yen. Shops like Seria occasionally have a higher price range, but they are always stickered, so it’s easy to notice!
Tips 3: Try Your Hand at Cooking
It’s important to remember, the high cost of living in Japan is an open secret. For a meal at an average restaurant, you can spend up to 2,000 yen! For a student, spending immense amounts of money would not be a great life choice.
So, it’s better to familiarize yourself with cooking and master the basic cooking techniques—for example, rice-making or how to cook a chicken. Getting used to shopping at the supermarket and cooking will help you manage your finances better.
Don’t worry; if your dorm does not have a place to cook, you can buy bento from the convenience store or supermarket. Besides, if your residence has a microwave, it will be even easier. In fact, you can cook many affordable Japanese foods with just a microwave.
Tips 4: Get Yourself a Part-Time Job
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With the high cost of living in Japan, it would be a lot easier to have a part-time job. It is not uncommon for students in Japan to have one or two part-time jobs. For instance, being a waiter in a restaurant, serving in the convenience stores, or even doing some English teaching! Those are some examples of what part-time jobs are common for international students in Japan.
Also, you have to keep in mind that besides earning some money, you can also educate yourself to work in a Japanese environment, which will certainly help you in the future.
However, you have to note that a student cannot work over 28 hours in a week legally, or else you may be deported back to your country!
Bonus Tips: Find A Roommate
If you don’t live in a dormitory, I suggest you get yourself a roommate. Many apartments in Japan have two or more rooms, or maybe you live in a house. Indeed, the rent cost will be much cheaper than if you have to live by yourself. Likewise, having a roommate can also ease your burden in paying those expensive bills. You can split the bills with your roommate instead of paying it all on your own.
Besides, isn’t living in a foreign country a scary thing for some people? By having a roommate, you will not feel lonely, and you have a friend to help while you are not feeling well. You have to give your parents peace of mind back in your country right?
Credits: Pexels
If you are an international student, maybe you are worried about what to look out for on your arrival in Japan. Don’t worry! Guidable is here to help! We will always be willing to support you by providing other interesting information. Stay up to date, and don’t forget to read other tips.
Devy Mufliha,
Indonesia
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