Neighborhoods
Cross Shibuya, then get lost on purpose
Do the famous scramble once — then slip into the backstreets of Shimokitazawa or Yanaka, where Tokyo turns quiet, vintage, and personal.
#PR Introduced by a Rakuten Group employee — not an official site
Land in Japan.Live it from day one.
Your first weeks here can be the best of your life — the neon nights, the quiet shrines, the friends you haven't met yet. This is your soft-landing guide: what to fall in love with, how to meet people, and the practical setup (starting with a phone plan you can activate in about 15 minutes with just your residence card).
- 🎫 Just your residence card
- ⚡ eSIM ready in ~15 min
- ♾️ Scales to unlimited data
- 📞 Free domestic calls (Rakuten Link)
Made for newcomers from everywhere
01 · Get excited
Fall for Japan in your first week
You didn't cross the world for paperwork. Here's the Japan that makes week one unforgettable — all of it beginner-friendly and reachable by train.
Food
Your first konbini run at midnight
Onigiri, hot fried chicken, seasonal sweets — for pocket change, at 2 a.m., beautifully wrapped. The convenience store is a rite of passage. Go hungry.
Culture
Temple mornings, lantern evenings
See Senso-ji or Fushimi Inari just after sunrise, almost to yourself — then return at dusk when the lanterns glow and it becomes another place entirely.
Day trips
Steam, mountains, onsen towns
Hakone, Kusatsu, Beppu — a short ride out of the city and you're soaking in an open-air bath with a mountain view. Japan's greatest reset button.
Seasons
Whatever month you land, something's in bloom
Cherry blossoms in spring, fireworks and festivals in summer, fiery maples in autumn, snow and illuminations in winter. Your arrival season is the right one.
Nights
Tiny bars down glowing alleys
Six-seat izakaya, handwritten menus, a master who remembers your usual by week two. Nights here start small and end unforgettable.
02 · Meet people
You won't build your Japan life alone
Friends are the real settling-in secret. These are the doors newcomers actually walk through — most of them free or nearly free.
Language exchange nights
Every big city has relaxed evening meetups where locals want to practice your language and you want their Japanese. Zero pressure, instant conversation partners.
Search “language exchange + your city” on Meetup to find this week's events.
Hobby circles & international meetups
Board games, photography walks, bouldering, book clubs — event platforms like Meetup list hundreds of international-friendly groups in Japan's big cities.
Show up twice. Recurring faces are how a group turns into friends.
Outdoor & sports crews
Weekend hiking groups tackle Mt. Takao and beyond; futsal, running, and cycling clubs are famously welcoming at any level of Japanese.
Outdoor groups are the easiest first join — walking together beats small talk.
Your own neighborhood
Local festivals (matsuri), ward international associations, and volunteer-run Japanese classes — often just a few hundred yen, and the fastest way to feel like a local.
Your city or ward office lists international-exchange events — ask at the counter.
💡 One practical thing: most groups organize through apps and sign-up forms that expect a Japanese phone number — which brings us to the checklist below.
03 · Get set up
Your day-one checklist
Five moves in your first days unlock everything else. Number two is the key that opens most of the other doors.
Pick up your residence card
Landing at a major airport? Your residence card (在留カード) is usually issued right at immigration. It's the master key to every step below — keep it on you.
Get a Japanese number + data — Rakuten Mobile
A Japanese phone number is what banks, apps, and sign-up forms ask for first. With Rakuten Mobile you can apply online with just your residence card — and if your phone supports eSIM, be connected the same day.
- One simple plan that scales to unlimited data — see the tiers below (tax included)
- Sign up online with just your residence card — no store visit needed
- eSIM setup takes about 15 minutes; physical SIM arrives by mail in a few days
- Free domestic calls with the Rakuten Link app
¥1,078/mo (0–3GB)¥2,178/mo (3–20GB)¥3,278/mo (unlimited)Prices are tax-included, from the official plan. Always confirm current terms on the official page.
The referral offer
🎁 Up to 14,000 pts (switch/MNP), 11,000 pts (new line)
*Conditions apply, including logging in via the referral link and starting service before applying. *Points are awarded in installments starting the 4th month after the referral-login month.
See eligibility and full terms on the official page →Register your address at the ward office
Within 14 days of moving in, register at your city or ward office. Bring your residence card — and your new phone number goes right on the form.
Open a bank account
Banks generally ask for your residence card, a registered address, and a Japanese phone number — which is exactly why the SIM comes before this step.
Grab a transit IC card
One rechargeable tap-to-ride card covers trains, buses, vending machines, and konbini nationwide. Add it to your phone's wallet and you're gliding.
Go deeper
Step-by-step guides
When you're ready for the details — eligibility, documents, and the full setup walkthrough.
Rakuten Mobile for Foreigners in Japan: The 15-Minute Setup Guide (2026)
Get an unlimited SIM in Japan with just your residence card — set up by eSIM in about 15 minutes. #PR
Read the guide →First, Create a Rakuten ID: The Free Account That Runs Everyday Life in Japan (2026)
A Rakuten ID is the free account behind shopping, payments, points, and — when you're ready — a mobile plan. Here's why to make it your first move. #PR
Read the guide →